Oakland County, Michigan has no Unreinforced Masonry (URM) retrofit program. URM ordinances are found in high-seismic jurisdictions (Los Angeles Ordinance 183893, Long Beach, Berkeley, Portland OR), all responding to seismic risk that does not exist in southeast Michigan. Pontiac, Royal Oak, Birmingham, and Detroit-area suburbs with historic brick commercial and residential stock are not subject to any seismic retrofit obligation for masonry buildings.
Unreinforced masonry retrofit ordinances require owners of older brick or stone buildings to install wall-to-floor ties, parapet bracing, and shear-wall improvements to resist collapse during earthquakes. These programs depend on a high seismic hazard finding, typically S_S > 0.5g. Oakland County's seismic hazard is far below that threshold (USGS national hazard maps for the Detroit metro area show S_S generally < 0.15g). Neither Michigan state law, Oakland County Code, nor any constituent municipality has adopted a URM retrofit ordinance. Historic preservation in Oakland County is handled by local Historic District Commissions under the Michigan Local Historic Districts Act (MCL 399.201 et seq.), which addresses appearance and character — not seismic resistance. Owners of historic masonry buildings in cities like Royal Oak, Birmingham, Rochester, Holly, Northville, and Pontiac must comply with the Michigan Building Code at time of alteration but face no seismic retrofit mandate.
Not applicable — no URM retrofit ordinance to enforce. Alterations to existing masonry buildings must comply with the Michigan Building Code's existing-building provisions (Chapter 34 of the IBC, as adopted), enforced by the municipal building department.
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See how Farmington Hills's unreinforced masonry rules stack up against other locations.
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