Time Limits for Compliance
The owner of a building within the scope of this division shall comply with its requirements within the following time limits:
- Within two (2) years after service of the order described in Section 91.9306, submit to the Department for review and approval:
- a. A structural analysis and plans which shall demonstrate the building, as is, meets or exceeds the requirements set forth in Section 91.9309; or
- b. A structural analysis and plans which shall demonstrate that
the proposed structural alteration of the building meets or exceeds the requirements set forth in Section 91.9309; or - c. Plans for the demolition of the building.
- Within three and a half (3.5) years after service of the order, obtain all necessary permits for rehabilitation or demolition.
- Within seven (7) years after service of the order, complete construction or demolition work under all necessary permits.
Urgency Clause
The City Council finds that the inevitable occurrence of a major earthquake in the City of Los Angeles poses a current and immediate threat to the public peace, health, and safety. Pre-1978 wood-frame, soft first-story buildings are among the most susceptible to collapse in a major earthquake due to their structural deficiencies. According to a report, Resilience by Design, that Dr. Lucy Jones presented to City Council on January 14, 2015, these buildings, if left in their current condition, will very likely suffer extensive property damage and cause substantial physical harm if a major earthquake were to strike.
Scope
The provisions of this division shall apply to all existing buildings of wood-frame construction, or wood-frame portions thereof, where:
- A permit for construction of a new building was applied for before January 1, 1978, or, if no permit can be located, the structure is determined by
the Department to have been built under building code standards enacted before January 1, 1978; and - The ground floor portion of the structure contains parking or other similar open floor space that causes soft, weak or open-front wall lines, and there exists one or more stories above.
General
The owner of each building within the scope of this division shall cause a structural analysis to be made of the building by a civil or structural engineer or
architect licensed by the state of California, and if the building does not meet the minimum earthquake standards specified in this division, the owner shall cause thebuilding to be structurally altered to conform to such standards or, at the owner’s option, cause it to be demolished within the time limits stated in Section 91.9305.2.
Exception
This section shall not apply to any building on which work
is proceeding in compliance with the time limits set forth in this division, or in compliance with any extensions of time granted by the Department or the Board; or any action, order or determination made by the Department or the Board in the implementation of this division.
Using public records requests, building permits, Google Maps, drive-by visits and lots of negotiating with officials from various cities.
Scope of Analysis
This division requires the alteration, repair,
replacement or addition of structural elements and their connections to meet the strength and stiffness in conformance with this Code except as modified herein. The lateral-load-path analysis shall include the resisting elements and connections from the wood diaphragm immediately above any soft, weak or open wall lines to the foundation. Stories above the weak wall line shall be considered in the analysis but need not be modified.
Violation/Penalty
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code to the contrary, it shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to maintain, use or occupy any building within the scope of this division that fails to meet the minimum earthquake standards
specified in this division after receiving an order described in Section 91.9306.
Any person who violates or causes or permits another person to violate this division is guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be subject to prosecution and/oradministrative enforcement under the Los Angeles Municipal Code. For purposes of this paragraph, “any person” includes an owner, lessor, sublessor, manager or person in control of a building subject to this division. This term shall not include any person who is merely a tenant or other individual occupying any dwelling unit, efficiency dwelling unit, guest room or suite in a building. The legal owner of a building is that
person, firm, corporation, partnership or other entity whose name or title appears on the record with the Office of the County Recorder, as well as all successors or assignees of
these persons.