This Chapter provides systematic procedures and standards for identification of welded steel moment frame buildings, and time periods under which these buildings are required to be structurally inspected and repaired. Where inspection finds damage, this Chapter requires the building to be repaired or demolished. This Chapter sets forth minimum standards for structural seismic resistance to reduce the risk of loss of life and injury by the inspection and repair of lateral load resisting welded steel moment frame connections. Compliance with these standards will not necessarily prevent loss of life or injury, or prevent earthquake damage to repaired buildings. This Chapter does not require existing electrical, plumbing, mechanical or fire safety systems to be altered. (Ord. 99-0040 § 73 (part), 1999.)

9402.1 Scope. The provisions of this Chapter shall apply to all welded steel moment frame buildings constructed, under construction, or for which a building permit was issued prior to the effective date of this ordinance which are:
1. Publicly-owned and provide essential response and recovery services to the general public in the event of a disaster or emergency, regardless of their location, or
2. Publicly-owned and provide unique and essential public services which ensure that law and order is maintained in the event of a disaster, such as jails, detention facilities, and courthouses, or
3. Located within the following earthquake high-damage areas. (Ord. 2002-0076 § 139, 2002: Ord. 99-0040 § 73 (part), 1999.)

9402.2 Earthquake High Damage Areas. The January 17, 1994 Northridge earthquake high-damage areas are defined as:
1. That unincorporated portion of Los Angeles County known as Universal City and bounded by the Los Angeles River and the City of Los Angeles on the north, and bounded on the east, south and west by westerly, northerly and easterly boundaries of the City of Los Angeles.
2. That unincorporated portion of Los Angeles County bounded on the south by the northerly boundary of the City of Los Angeles, bounded on the west by the easterly boundary of Ventura County, bounded on the north by State Highway 126, and bounded on the East and North by the westerly and southerly boundaries of the City of Santa Clarita and the Antelope Valley Freeway. (Ord. 99-0040 § 73 (part), 1999.)

9402.3 Preliminary Identification of Buildings. Preliminary identification of buildings under the scope of this Chapter shall include the following:
1. Field survey;
2. Review of construction documents on file with the Building Official. (Ord. 99-0040 § 73 (part), 1999.)

For the purposes of this Chapter, the applicable definitions in Chapter 16 of this Code and the following definition shall apply:

WELDED STEEL MOMENT FRAME is a form of steel building where lateral loads are resisted, in part, by welded beam-to-column connections designed to resist bending moments. (Ord. 2007-0108 § 29 (part), 2007; Ord. 99-0040 § 73 (part), 1999.)

9404.1 Service of Order. The Department of Public Works shall identify those buildings within the scope of this Chapter and shall take reasonable measures to issue an Inspection and Repair Compliance Order as provided in this Section. (Ord. 99-0040 § 73 (part), 1999.)

9404.2 Contents of Order. The Inspection and Repair Compliance Order shall be in writing and shall be served either personally or by registered mail, postage prepaid, upon the owner of the building as shown on the last equalized assessment. In the event that contact is not made with the owner after a diligent effort by the building official, as a last resort, the Inspection and Repair Compliance Order shall be served by posting on the building. The order shall specify that the building appears to be a welded steel moment frame building within the scope of part 1 or 2 of Section 9402.1 or the geographical areas as set forth in Section 9402.2 and, therefore, is required to meet the minimum structural standards and time limits of Section 9405 and Table 94-A of this Chapter. The order shall also specify the time limits for appeal of and compliance with the order. (Ord. 2002-0076 § 140, 2002: Ord. 99-0040 § 73 (part), 1999.)

9404.3 Appeal from Order. The owner may appeal the Building Official’s initial determination that the building is within the scope of this Chapter by submitting building plans of existing construction to the Building Official which clearly document structural systems and connections and thereby establish that the structural system is not a welded steel moment frame. Alternately, the owner may appeal the Building Official’s initial determination that the building is within the scope of this Chapter to the Building Board of Appeals established by Section 105. Such appeal shall be filed with the Board within 30 days from the date of service of the order described in Section 9404.2. Any such appeal shall be heard by the Board no later than 90 days after the date that the appeal is filed. Such appeal shall be made in writing and the grounds thereof shall be stated clearly and concisely. All materials which the appellant wishes considered by the Building Board of Appeals shall be submitted to the Board 14 calendar days before the hearing.
If no appeal is filed within 30 days of the date the Inspection and Repair Compliance Order is served, the building shall be considered to be within the scope of this Chapter.
Appeals and requests for modifications to satisfy requirements of this Chapter other than appeal of the requirements of the Inspection and Repair Compliance Order shall be made in accordance with the normal appeal procedures established in Sections 104.2.7 and 105. (Ord. 2002-0076 § 141, 2002; Ord. 99-0040 § 73 (part), 1999.)

9404.4 Recordation. At or about 30 days after the Inspection and Repair Compliance Order is served, or in the case of an appeal, when the Building Official or Appeals Board determines the building is within the scope of this Chapter, the Department of Public Works shall file with the Office of the County Recorder a certificate stating that the subject building is considered to be within the scope of Chapter 94. The certificate shall state that the owner thereof has been ordered to structurally inspect the building and, if necessary, to structurally repair or demolish the building as set forth in Chapter 94.
If the building is subsequently determined by the Department of Public Works not to be within the scope of this Chapter, or is demolished, or is modified so as to meet the requirements of this Chapter, the Department of Public Works shall file with the Office of the County Recorder a certificate terminating the status of the subject building as being classified within the scope of Chapter 94. (Ord. 99-0040 § 73 (part), 1999.)

9404.5 Enforcement. If the owner fails to comply with the Inspection and Repair Compliance Order issued by the Department of Public Works pursuant to this Chapter or with rulings by the Building Board of Appeals within the time limits set forth in Section 9405 and Table 94-A, the Department of Public Works may order the entire building vacated and maintained vacated until such compliance has been accomplished. If, within 90 days after the date the building has been ordered vacated, or within such additional time as may have been granted by the Building Board of Appeals, the owner has still not complied with the Inspection and Repair Compliance Order issued by the Department of Public Works pursuant to this Chapter or with the rulings by the Building Board of Appeals, the Department of Public Works may order demolition of the building in accordance with the provisions of Section 102 of this Code. (Ord. 2002-0076 § 142, 2002: Ord. 99-0040 § 73 (part), 1999.)

9404.6 Prosecution. In case the owner shall fail, neglect or refuse to comply with the directions in the Inspection and Repair Compliance Order (if neither the owner nor any other person requests a hearing) or with any order of the Building Board of Appeals, the owner shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and the Building Official may cause such owner of the building or property to be prosecuted as a violator of this Code. (Ord. 2002-0076 § 143 (part), 2002.)

9404.7 Other Abatement Procedures. The provisions of this Chapter shall not in any manner limit or restrict the County or the District Attorney from enforcing County Ordinances or abating public nuisances in any other manner provided by law. (Ord. 2002-0076 § 143 (part), 2002.)

The owner of each building within the scope of this Chapter shall, upon service of an Inspection and Repair Compliance Order, cause a structural inspection of certain welded steel moment frame connections that resist seismic lateral loading in the building to be made by a structural engineer licensed in the State of California. The number and location of connections to be inspected shall be selected by the structural engineer and approved by the building official prior to inspection. The structural engineer shall prepare and submit an inspection report stating whether or not the building has damage to these connections. The inspection report shall include the results of any ultrasonic tests or the results of other approved methods of testing connections. If the inspection report indicates there are damaged connections, the report shall state the number of damaged connections and the owner shall either obtain a demolition permit and demolish the building or submit plans and procedures prepared by a structural engineer for repair of connections, obtain a permit for the repair and perform the repair work.
The owner shall submit the required structural analysis, obtain any necessary permits and commence and complete the required construction or demolition within the time limits set forth in Table 94-A. These time limits shall run from the date the Inspection and Repair Compliance Order is served.
Once an Inspection and Repair Compliance Order has been served, buildings within the scope of this Chapter may not be structurally altered, remodeled or added to without first complying with the provisions of this Chapter unless the Building Official determines that the alteration is minor in nature. (Ord. 2007-0108 § 29 (part), 2007; Ord. 2002-0076 § 144, 2002; Ord. 99-0040 § 73 (part), 1999.)

¹ All dates are measured from the date the inspection and repair compliance order is served pursuant to Section 9404.

² For any work required by this Chapter, the time limits shown herein shall supersede the time limits specified in Section 106.5.4.

³ These time limits may be extended by 12 months at the discretion of the Building Official provided the owner has demonstrated a good faith effort to meet the requirements of this Chapter. A maximum of two such extensions may be granted.

(Ord. 2002-0076 § 145, 2002: Ord. 99-0040 § 73 (part), 1999.)