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Posts tagged with earthquakes Archives - Building Connections

Fixing the Bricks: Director’s Rule Proposes Alternate Method for Retrofit of Unreinforced Masonry Buildings (URMs)

July 6, 2023

In June, SDCI conducted two public webinars on the draft Unreinforced Masonry (URM) Retrofit Technical Standard. This document is the first step in establishing minimum seismic standards for the earthquake retrofit of Seattle’s 1,100 vintage brick buildings which are prone to collapse in an earthquake due to lack of structural reinforcements. The draft URM Retrofit Technical Standard will inform the future mandatory retrofit ordinance. Be sure to check out the slides and recordings from these presentations.   To support building owners that are eager to begin the retrofit process, SDCI is moving forward with adopting components of the draft URM Retrofit Technical Standard with Director’s Rule 6-2023,  Alternate Method for the Seismic Improvement of Unreinforced Masonry Buildings (URMs). The draft Director’s Rule is available now for public comment.

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Fixing the Bricks: Upcoming Presentations of Proposed Minimum Seismic Standards for Unreinforced Masonry Buildings

June 1, 2023

After several years of collaborating with seismologists, geologists, and geotechnical and structural engineers, the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) is sharing its draft Unreinforced Masonry (URM) Technical Standard. This document is the first step in establishing minimum seismic standards for the earthquake retrofit of Seattle’s 1,100 vintage brick buildings which are prone to collapse in an earthquake due to lack of structural reinforcements. In 2021, an effort spearheaded by the Alliance for Safety, Affordability, and Preservation (ASAP!) and Councilmember Herbold resulted in the passing of Joint Resolution 32033. That resolution declared the intent of City Council and the Mayor to establish a mandatory retrofit program and directed SDCI to develop a retrofit standard. While a mandatory ordinance is still a few years away, this Technical Standard will serve as a voluntary option for URM owners wanting to retrofit their building. This Technical Standard will be used to develop a future mandatory retrofit ordinance. 

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Building Momentum to Fix the Bricks: Working Groups Established to Support Mandatory Unreinforced Masonry Retrofit Ordinance

February 1, 2023

The City of Seattle is moving forward with the process to require the earthquake retrofit of its 1100 unreinforced masonry buildings (URMs) which are prone to collapse in an earthquake. In 2021, City Council passed Resolution 32033 declaring the intent to develop a mandatory earthquake retrofit ordinance with a resource program to support URM building owners and tenants. On January 12, the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) and the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), in partnership with the Alliance for Safety, Affordability, and Preservation (ASAP!), hosted a meeting to discuss the timeline and next steps needed to be successful in ordinance adoption.

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Updated Earthquake Home Retrofit Plan Set

January 3, 2023

The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) has updated the prescriptive earthquake home retrofit plan set! We are now using an updated drawing plan set that has been approved by the Washington Association of Building Officials (WABO) and uploaded to our website. The same plan set is already being used in several local jurisdictions, including Auburn, Bellevue, and King County. Visit WABO’s website for more home retrofit resources.

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Upcoming Seattle Home Fairs

December 1, 2021

We’ll be hosting our popular Seattle Home Fairs online on Saturday, January 29, 2022, and Sunday , January 30, 2022.

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We’re Updating Our Standard Earthquake Home Retrofit Plan Set

December 1, 2021

We’re Updating Our Standard Earthquake Home Retrofit Plan Set

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May is Building Safety Month

May 1, 2020

The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections and the City of Seattle are proud to participate in the International Code Council’s annual Building Safety Month campaign this May. This event has been the emphasis of the International Code Council and its predecessors for the past 40 years. The goal and… [ Keep reading ]

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Building Safety Month Resources

May 1, 2020

The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections and the City of Seattle are proud to participate in the International Code Council’s annual Building Safety Month campaign this May. This event, created by the International Code Council, has a goal and purpose to showcase the work and mission of the codes,… [ Keep reading ]

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