Our seismic retrofit team consists of highly expert structural Engineers with long-term experience in retrofit design of more than hundred buildings in South California
Our specialized retrofit design build team provide our clients with the most optimized and cost-efficient retrofit solutions
CES4 has been one the leading retrofit companies in Southern California involved in the structural assessment and retrofit of buildings identified for mandatory seismic retrofit program in the region.
Ordinance 183893 requires the retrofit of pre-1978 wood-frame soft-story buildings and non-ductile concrete buildings. The goal of the mandatory retrofit programs, under the ordinance, is to reduce these structural deficiencies and improve the performance of these buildings during earthquakes. Without proper strengthening, these vulnerable buildings may be subjected to structural failure during and/or after an earthquake:
| Priority | Categories | Start date of Sending Out Orders |
|---|---|---|
| I. Buildings with 16 or more dwelling units | 3-story and above | May 2, 2016 |
| 2-story | July 22, 2016 | |
| II. Buildings with 3 or more stories | with less than 16 units | October 17, 2016 |
| Ill. Buildings not falling within the definition of Priority I or II | with 9-15 units | July 24, 2017 |
| with 7-8 units | August 21, 2017 | |
| with 4-6 units | September 25, 2017 | |
| Condos/Commercial | November 6, 2017 i |
2 years: Submit proof of previous retrofit, or plans to retrofit or demolish
3.5 years: Obtain permit to start construction or demolition
7 years: Complete construction
Buildings that are within the scope of this ordinance and require retrofitting are concrete buildings with a roof and/or floor supported by a concrete wall or concrete column, constructed before January 13, 1977.
3 years: Submit completed checklist for review to determine if building is a non-ductile concrete building
10 years: Submit proof of previous retrofit, or plans to retrofit or plans to demolish building
25 years: Complete construction
City of Santa Monica’s Seismic Retrofit Ordinance was approved on March 28, 2017 which encompasses 20 years of work to increase the safety of earthquake-vulnerable buildings in the event of a large quake. As part of this ordinance, nearly 2,000 commercial and multi-family residential buildings need to be assessed for possible structural improvement.
| Potentially Seismically Vulnerable Buildings Type | Structural Evaluation Report Due | Retrofit Must be Completed Within |
|---|---|---|
| Unreinforced Masonry Buildings | 3 Months | 2 Years |
| Concrete Tilt-Up Building | 4 Months | 3 Years |
| Soft-Story Buildings | 2 Years | 6 Years |
| Non-Ductile Concrete Buildings | 3 Years | 10 Years |
| Steel Moment Frame Buildings | 3 Years | 20 Years |
| Single Family | Voluntary | |
Mandatory Strengthening for Existing Wood-Frame Buildings with Soft, Weak, or Open-Front Walls.
Voluntary Strengthening Provisions for Cripple Walls and Sill Plate Anchorage in Existing Wood-Frame Buildings.
Ordinance 17-1004 Ordinance 17-1011
for existing Non-Ductile Concrete and Pre-Northridge Steel Moment Frame Buildings
The ordinance for Soft Story buildings will become effective on April 1, 2018.
The ordinance for Non-Ductile Concrete and Pre-Northridge Steel Moment Frame Buildings will become effective on August 7, 2018.
| MILESTONE | TIER I Buildings with 3+ stories |
TIER II Buildings with 2 stories, with 6+ units |
TIER III Buildings not included in Tier I or Tier II |
|---|---|---|---|
| Submit Screening Form | December 30, 2019 | July 6, 2020 | January 4, 2021 |
| Submit completed permit application with detailed retrofit plans and structural calculations |
June 30, 2020 | January 5, 2021 | July 6, 2021 |
| Obtain all necessary permits for the retrofit of the building |
June 30, 2021 | January 5, 2022 | July 6, 2022 |
| Commence construction and schedule required building inspections |
December 29, 2021 | July 6, 2022 | January 4, 2023 |
| Complete construction work under all necessary permits and obtain Final Inspection approval |
June 30, 2022 | January 5, 2023 | July 6, 2023 |