CHAPTER 8. Strong-Motion Instrumentation Program [2700 - 2709.1]
( Chapter 8 added by Stats. 1971, Ch. 1152. )
There is hereby established in the State of California a strong-motion instrumentation program for the purpose of administering the program and of acquiring strong-motion instruments and installing and maintaining such instruments as needed in representative geologic environments and structures throughout the state.
(Added by Stats. 1971, Ch. 1152.)
The survey shall organize and monitor the program with the advice of the Seismic Safety Commission.
(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 521, Sec. 24. (SB 809) Effective January 1, 2018.)
The survey shall purchase, install, and maintain instruments in representative structures and geologic environments throughout the state, and shall process the data obtained from those instruments resulting from periodic earthquakes, as deemed necessary and desirable by the Seismic Safety Commission.
(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 521, Sec. 25. (SB 809) Effective January 1, 2018.)
The survey shall maintain and service the strong-motion instruments installed, shall collect and interpret all records from the instruments, and shall make the records, record interpretations, and technical assistance available to the construction industry.
(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 521, Sec. 26. (SB 809) Effective January 1, 2018.)
It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this chapter to provide adequate instrumentation throughout California.
(Added by Stats. 1971, Ch. 1152.)
(a) A city, county, and city and county shall collect a fee from each applicant for a building permit. Each fee shall be equal to a specific amount of the proposed building construction for which the building permit is issued as determined by the local building officials. The fee amount shall be assessed in the following way:
(1) Group R occupancies, as defined in the California Building Code (Part 2 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations), one to three stories in height, except hotels and motels, shall be assessed at the rate of thirteen dollars ($13) per one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), with appropriate fractions thereof.
(2) All other
buildings shall be assessed at the rate of twenty-eight dollars ($28) per one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), with appropriate fractions thereof.
(3) The fee shall be the amount assessed under paragraph (1) or (2), depending on building type, or fifty cents ($0.50), whichever is the higher.
(b) (1) In lieu of the requirements of subdivision (a), a city, county, and city and county may elect to include a rate of thirteen dollars ($13) per one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), with appropriate fractions thereof, in its basic building permit fee for any Group R occupancy defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), and a rate of twenty-eight dollars ($28) per one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), with appropriate fractions thereof, for all other building types. A city, county, and city and county electing to collect the fee pursuant to this
subdivision need not segregate the fees in a fund separate from any fund into which basic building permit fees are deposited.
(2) “Building,” for the purpose of this chapter, is any structure built for the support, shelter, or enclosure of persons, animals, chattels, or property of any kind.
(c) (1) A city, county, and city and county may retain up to 5 percent of the total amount it collects under subdivision (a) or (b) for data utilization, for seismic education incorporating data interpretations from data of the strong-motion instrumentation program and the seismic hazards mapping program, and, in accordance with paragraph (2), for improving the preparation for damage assessment after strong seismic motion events.
(2) A city, county, and city and county may use any funds retained pursuant to
this subdivision to improve the preparation for damage assessment in its jurisdiction only after it provides the Department of Conservation with information indicating to the department that data utilization and seismic education activities have been adequately funded.
(d) Funds collected pursuant to subdivisions (a) and (b), less the amount retained pursuant to subdivision (c), shall be deposited in the Strong-Motion Instrumentation and Seismic Hazards Mapping Fund, as created by Section 2699.5 to be used exclusively for purposes of this chapter, Chapter 7.5 (commencing with Section 2621), and Chapter 7.8 (commencing with Section 2690).
(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 35, Sec. 129. (SB 861) Effective June 20, 2014.)
The California Geological Survey shall advise counties and cities as to that portion of the total fees allocated to the Strong-Motion Instrumentation and Seismic Hazards Mapping Fund, so that this information may be provided to building permit applicants.
(Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 869, Sec. 15. Effective January 1, 2007.)
The survey, upon the advice of the Seismic Safety Commission, whenever it determines that an adequate instrumentation program has been achieved, may reduce the fee levied against building permits as provided in Section 2705 to a level sufficient to maintain the program established pursuant to this chapter.
(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 521, Sec. 27. (SB 809) Effective January 1, 2018.)
Any city or county that has been exempted from the provisions of Section 2705 by Section 2708 may participate in the state strong-motion instrumentation program by a written request to the State Geologist by the governing body of such city or county that its exemption be rescinded.
(Added by Stats. 1975, Ch. 47.)
(a) No strong-motion instrumentation shall be installed pursuant to this chapter in the structural types identified in subdivision (b) unless funds proportionate to the construction value as called for under Section 2705 are received from organizations or entities representing these structural types, or the instrumentation is specifically called for by the Seismic Safety Commission in urgency situations.
(b) The structural types subject to this section include all of the following:
(1) Hospitals.
(2) Dams.
(3) Bridges.
(4) Schools.
(5) Powerplants.
(c) The Strong-Motion Instrumentation and Seismic Hazards Mapping Fund may accept funds from sources other than the permit fees identified in this chapter. The priority of installations performed under this chapter shall be determined by the Seismic Safety Commission.
(Amended by Stats. 2003, Ch. 240, Sec. 9. Effective August 13, 2003. Operative July 1, 2004, by Sec. 43 of Ch. 240.)