(Amended by Ord. No. 171,175, Eff. 7/25/96.)
91.8908.1. Welded steel moment frame buildings located in high earthquake damaged areas experienced damage in the beam to column moment connection as a result of the earthquake of January 17, 1994 and its aftershocks. Except as provided by this section, it is unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to maintain a building with damaged welded moment connections. The purpose of this section is to provide a practicable method, in addition to any other remedy available by law, whereby earthquake damaged welded steel frame moment buildings may be repaired.
91.8908.2. If the Department determines that a commercial building is a welded steel moment frame building located in a high earthquake damaged area, then the Department may issue an order to the owner, as shown on the last equalized assessment roll, to repair all damaged welded connections.
Within 180 days of mailing of the order, the building owner shall submit an inspection report to the Department indicating the number of damaged welded connections and proposed repair procedures. This inspection report shall be prepared under the direction of a structural engineer licensed by the State of California and shall include the results of any ultrasonic tests or the results of other approved methods of testing of connections. The inspection report shall be approved when it is determined to be in keeping with general standards established by the Department. Permits shall be obtained and repairs to the damaged connections shall commence within 90 days of the Department’s approval of the submitted report. Repairs shall be completed within two years of the date of the permit.
91.8908.3. For purposes of this section, the following areas are high earthquake damaged areas:
That area bounded by, Mulholland Drive, Beverly Glen Boulevard, Pico Boulevard, Overland Avenue, Venice Boulevard, Centinela Avenue, Montana Avenue, 26th Street, Sunset Boulevard, and Mandeville Canyon Road.
That area of the City which is North of Mulholland Drive, and bounded by Universal City, Burbank, Glendale, Los Angeles County, and Ventura County.
The City Council, by resolution, may extend the boundaries of these earthquake damaged areas if it finds that damage has occurred to welded steel moment frame buildings outside the boundaries described above. The Department may issue an order for any welded steel moment frame building outside of the high earthquake damaged areas if the Department determines that the building has experienced earthquake damage. (Amended by Ord. No. 179,324, Eff. 12/10/07, Oper. 1/1/08.)
91.8908.4. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.) If an owner fails to comply with an order issued pursuant to this section within the time set forth in the order or such additional time as may be granted by the Department, then the Department may secure compliance utilizing the procedures set forth in LAMC Section 91.8903. However, if the Department utilizes LAMC Section 91.8903, then the order described in LAMC Subdivision 91.8903.1.1 shall indicate that the building is within the scope of Division 89, Article 1, Chapter IX of the LAMC because of the owner's failure to comply with the requirements of this section. Further the time for compliance set forth in LAMC Subdivision 91.8903.1.2 may be reduced to 10 days, and the order to vacate described in LAMC Subdivision 91.8903.1.3 may be issued whenever the Department deems appropriate.
91.8908.5. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Code to the contrary, the owner of any building, who fails to comply with an order issued pursuant to this section within the time limits established in this section, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Further, if the Department determines at any time that the building is a hazardous building or unsafe to occupy, then it may order that the building be vacated or that other corrective actions be taken.