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Departments outline seismic initiatives, tall‑building review and Community Action Plan for Seismic Safety
Summary
DBI described code performance targets, peer review for tall buildings and plans to relaunch the Community Action Plan for Seismic Safety; public commenters urged seawall strengthening, attention to liquefaction zones, and planning‑DBI coordination on large projects.
At Item 4 of the Dec. 7 joint hearing the Department of Building Inspection presented seismic safety priorities, retrofit programs and procedures for reviewing very tall buildings.
Ray Louie, manager of DBI’s new structural safety and emergency management division, explained the building code’s life‑safety focus: structures designed to code are intended to resist collapse in maximum considered earthquakes, though they are not guaranteed to remain functional. Louie described existing retrofit programs (parapet safety, unreinforced masonry building program and a soft‑story initiative) and said the Community Action Plan for Seismic Safety (CAPS) has been reinstated and expanded; DBI reported the contract was increased and that a new scope and schedule are under development.
The department also described administrative guidance for tall‑building review (Administrative Bulletin 83) and the use of structural peer‑review panels for unique or very tall projects. Commissioners asked that DBI provide technical input early in planning review for large projects so planning decisions reflect realistic engineering constraints. DBI offered to provide reports and consult at the inception of projects seeking a height or density increase.
Public commenters raised maps that show liquefaction and landslide risk in parts of the city, and urged seismic strengthening of the Marina seawalls; preservation and tenant advocates warned about post‑disaster scenarios in which rent‑controlled housing could be lost. Fire Marshal Barb Shultz flagged elevator and firefighter access as an unresolved safety issue in very tall buildings and said the Fire Department is examining code amendments for super‑tall structures.
What’s next: DBI and planning staff agreed to share CAPS deliverables, provide further technical briefings to the planning commission and coordinate earlier in the review process for tall or complex projects.
