Soft story seismic retrofit ordinances have been passed recently in Northern California, Saunders Commercial Seismic Retrofit prez Steven Saunders tells us, and he predicts that they will be soon in SoCal. That's one reason we're holding our Orange County Construction & Development Summit this Wednesday, July 30.

Steven says the ordinances are part of a larger movement among California municipalities to be more concerned with ratings of buildings and life safety. The main concern of the soft story ordinances is to mandate retrofits on structures where the front of the building is open, with glass or garage space, such as tuck-under parking in apartments. Snapped with Steven (second to the left): colleagues Rick Dadamo, Ed Robles, Amber Zamora, and Susan Hill.

Steven adds that the soft story ordinance might spread to all many types of buildings in the future, such as non-ductile concrete, concrete tilt-ups, and others. A lot of building owners will be receptive to the new rules, too, as they realize there’s a liability concern with the older buildings. Also at the event: DJM Capital's Becky Sullivan, Guthrie Development's Robert Guthrie, Irvine Co's Tim Carey, Keating Khang Architecture’s Rick Keating, KPRS's Joel Stensby, Primestor Development's Vanessa Delgado, Rexford Industrial's Patrick Schlehuber. Partner Engineering and Science's Bill Tryon will moderate. Sign up here.