Unincorporated Orange County does not have a mandatory unreinforced masonry (URM) retrofit ordinance. California SB 547 required inventories of URM buildings but did not mandate retrofits. Few URM buildings exist in unincorporated OC areas due to newer construction patterns.
Unincorporated Orange County has not adopted a mandatory unreinforced masonry (URM) retrofit ordinance. California SB 547 (1986) required local jurisdictions to inventory URM buildings and establish risk reduction programs, but did not mandate retrofits. Orange County's development history means relatively few URM buildings exist in unincorporated areas compared to older urban centers like Los Angeles or San Francisco. Most unincorporated OC development occurred after modern seismic building codes were adopted. Any URM buildings that do exist are primarily in older commercial areas. Voluntary retrofit is encouraged and requires building permits. The California Existing Building Code Appendix Chapter A1 provides URM retrofit standards. FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs may fund voluntary seismic improvements to URM structures.
No mandatory URM retrofit requirement in unincorporated OC. Building permits required for any structural retrofit work. Voluntary retrofits must comply with California Existing Building Code standards.
Midway City, CA
Midway City is an unincorporated CDP in Orange County, CA, surrounded by Westminster. Because it has no city government, Orange County Codified Ordinances Ti...
Orange County, CA
Unincorporated Orange County exempts one small detached non-habitable accessory structure - a shed - per 7,200 square feet of building site area from accesso...
Orange County, CA
Carports in unincorporated Orange County are governed by Section 7-9-70.3(d) of the Codified Ordinances, which requires carports to comply with main-building...
Orange County, CA
Unincorporated Orange County allows the conversion of an existing garage, carport, or accessory structure into an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) under Section...
Orange County, CA
Unincorporated Orange County requires every pool/spa deeper than 18 inches to be enclosed by a barrier at least 60 inches (5 ft) high under California Health...
Orange County, CA
Unincorporated Orange County allows ADUs on any residentially zoned lot under OC Zoning Code (Title 7, Division 9) and California Government Code §65852.2 (A...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Orange County.
See how Midway City's unreinforced masonry rules stack up against other locations.
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