California reinstituted an ambitious plan to study dangerous earthquake faults and create zoning maps that could restrict development. In July, the California Geological Survey began to zone the Santa Monica fault, which is among 2,000 miles of fault lines statewide that still need to be mapped.
California drastically reduced these mapping efforts over the past 20 years because of budget cuts. Gov. Jerry Brown recently signed off on $1.49 million in new funding and $1.3 million in annual dedicated funding to be paid for with increased building permit fees.
Without the maps, many communities have limited information on the location of faults, and whether they might impact new development. More than a dozen properties were approved for construction on or near the Hollywood and Santa Monica faults over the last decade without in-depth studies that would have been required had the state zoned those faults, according to the Los Angeles Times. Both faults could cause major temblors.
Building permit fees were increased by about 30% to fund the mapping project.
(http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-quake-faults-20140702-story.html)
Related Stories
Smart Buildings | May 1, 2015
FEMA to require states to evaluate risks posed by climate change
The aim is for states to do a better job planning for natural disasters they are likely to face in a warming world.
Codes and Standards | May 1, 2015
Department of Energy asks for feedback on cost-effectiveness of building energy codes
DOE’s RFI wants input on how to improve methodology on cost assessment.
Codes and Standards | Apr 22, 2015
New York State renews design-build authority
Five state agencies are allowed to use design-build on certain projects.
Codes and Standards | Apr 22, 2015
OSHA’s estimated cost of silica rule said to underestimate impact by $4.5 billion annually
The coalition says that OSHA’s flawed cost estimates point to flaws in the rule, and has urged the federal agency to reconsider its approach.
Codes and Standards | Apr 22, 2015
2016 Seismic Provisions for Structural Steel Buildings draft available for public review
The comment period is open until May 29.
Codes and Standards | Apr 22, 2015
GBCI renamed Green Business Certification Inc.
The name change reflects the organization’s expanded certification and credentialing services.
Multifamily Housing | Apr 16, 2015
Seattle’s size restriction on micro apartments blamed for rise in rents
Seattle’s city planner recently said that the council’s new rules have made small apartments more expensive to build and charged the board with “overreaching” and not giving micro-housing “a fair shake.”
Green | Apr 16, 2015
New version of Building Energy Data Exchange Specification launched
BEDES is a dictionary that facilitates consistent exchange of building characteristics and energy use data between tools and databases in the building energy efficiency sector.
Codes and Standards | Apr 16, 2015
New York tops U.S. cities in walkability
Revitalization pushes Detroit and New Orleans up the rankings
Green | Apr 14, 2015
USGBC will recognize energy and water standards for the Living Building Challenge
This move means that projects achieving the energy and water requirements in Living Building Challenge will be considered as technically equivalent to LEED.
