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Commission approves facade inspection ordinance and amends timeline after workload debate
Summary
The commission voted unanimously to approve an ordinance requiring periodic facade inspections for buildings of five or more stories, adopting a department‑preferred timeline after discussion about workload and CAC recommendations for an earlier start date.
The Building Inspection Commission on Feb. 7 unanimously approved a facade inspection ordinance that will require owners of certain buildings five stories or taller to submit ASTM‑standard facade evaluations on a recurring schedule, with DBI allowed to adopt an administrative bulletin specifying inspection details.
Patrick Golini and DBI staff described the ordinance as a pedestrian‑safety and post‑earthquake preparedness measure developed with a working group of owners, facade experts and labor. The ordinance would cover exterior elements that could pose a falling hazard and requires periodic inspections with reports submitted to the department.
The Code Advisory Committee had recommended a more aggressive start (the working group’s preferred schedule), while DBI requested a later implementation date to account for existing workload. Commissioners ultimately voted to approve the ordinance with the department‑amended timeline. A roll call recorded unanimous support.
The discussion also included DBI updates on the soft‑story seismic program: the department reported high compliance for tier‑1 properties and ongoing work to finance retrofits and support building owners through a PACE‑style financing program. The Commission flagged enforcement capacity and staff resourcing as continuing priorities as multiple new programs are implemented.
