DPD has held three URM Policy Committee meetings to develop recommendations for an unreinforced masonry (URM) seismic retrofit program. If adopted by the Mayor and City Council, the program would require structural improvements be made to URM buildings in order to enhance their ability to withstand earthquakes. The committee has discussed thresholds for retrofit requirements and possible financing options. Future topics will cover incentives and penalties and a timeline for implementation.
The next meeting of the URM Policy Committee is scheduled for May 24, 1012 at 8:30 a.m. in the Seattle Municipal Tower, 700 5th Ave., room 4050. Meetings are open to the public and facilitated by an independent consultant. You can follow the progress of the committee on DPD’s Emergency Management URM pages on the DPD website. If you would like to provide an email comment to the committee the address is: DPD_URM_Policy_Committee_Comments@seattle.gov.
Information about the upcoming meetings, committee agendas, meeting notes, reports and other information are posted on DPD’s Emergency management website: www.seattle.gov/dpd/Emergency/UnreinforcedMasonryBuildings/
PublicInvolvement/default.asp.
Sandy Howard
206.233.7194
sandy.howard@seattle.gov