The city of West Hollywood formally adopted a seismic retrofit program on April 17, 2017. The program is intended to reduce the risk of earthquake-related damage and ensure life safety in the city’s commercial and multifamily buildings. Ordinance 17-1011 establishes the mandatory provisions for strengthening non-ductile concrete structures. The ordinance also contains provisions for buildings constructed with pre-Northridge steel moment frames. The ordinance became effective on August 7, 2018.

Scope

West Hollywood’s mandatory non-ductile concrete ordinance will apply to existing buildings that have the following characteristics:

  • Reinforced concrete construction
  • Built under building code standards enacted before the 1979 Uniform Building Code with local amendments

The ordinance does not apply to the following structure types:

  • Concrete structures with flexible diaphragms
  • Single Story structures, unless the lateral system contains concrete moment frame elements
  • Wood structures over concrete podium unless the podium contains a major deficiency specified in section 13.36.050.a of the ordinance
  • Buildings with a steel lateral resisting system encased in concrete
  • Residential common interest developments (as defined by West Hollywood Municipal Code Section 19.90.020)

The city of West Hollywood conducted a visual survey to identify specific buildings that fall within the scope of the City’s seismic retrofit ordinances. The list of properties subject to the West Hollywood Seismic Retrofit Ordinances is available to the public here. The list includes approximately 30 concrete buildings and 40 buildings that have been classified as ‘undetermined’ building types and may be added to the non-ductile concrete category following further investigation.

Priority Designations

The West Hollywood non-ductile concrete ordinance will be carried out in phases. The timeline for compliance for each unique structure begins following distribution of the Notice from the Building Official to Building Owners. Notices are expected to be issued according to the priority levels outlined below.

PRIORITY LEVEL

BUILDING DESCRIPTION
Priority I.

8 or more stories

Priority II. 3 to 7 stories
Priority III. 2 or less stories

 

Timeline

The city of West Hollywood requires that non-ductile concrete building retrofits adhere to the timeline shown below. The timeline for each building type is initiated following service of the Notice to the Owner. Notices will be delivered in phases according to the priority levels outlined above.

MILESTONE REQUIREMENT
BEGIN PROCESS Service of the Notice to the Building Owner
3 YEARS AFTER NOTICE Deadline to submit engineering report and determine all deficiencies
5 YEARS AFTER NOTICE Deadline to submit retrofit plans for major deficiency mitigation
7 YEARS AFTER NOTICE

Deadline to obtain building permit and commence construction

10 YEARS AFTER NOTICE Deadline to complete major deficiency mitigation construction
13 YEARS AFTER NOTICE

Deadline to submit retrofit plans (non-major deficiency)

15 YEARS AFTER NOTICE Deadline to obtain permit and commence construction (non-major deficiency)
20 YEARS AFTER NOTICE

Deadline to complete construction (non-major deficiency)