DR-4407-CA Public Notice 014

FINAL PUBLIC NOTICE: City of Santa Monica – Seismic Retrofit Funding Project, Los Angeles County, California | HMGP-4407-045-063

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) proposes to provide federal financial assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to the City of Santa Monica to implement the Seismic Retrofit Funding Project, which would include the retrofit of approximately 240 residential buildings (proposed action). The proposed action would address seismic vulnerabilities and related structural weaknesses associated with “soft story” residential buildings and those supported by unreinforced masonry, non-ductile concrete, or older steel moment frames within the City. Some of the buildings that would be retrofitted through this grant may be located within a floodplain. Pursuant to Executive Order 11988 (Floodplain Management) and FEMA’s implementing regulations at Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 9, FEMA hereby provides interested parties with a notice of its final decision and an explanation of the alternatives that were considered.

The purpose of the proposed action is to reduce the risk of casualties and injuries that may result from earthquake damage to existing seismically deficient buildings. The structural retrofit and upgrade of buildings targeted under the project could include the alteration, repair, replacement, or addition of structural elements and their connections along the weakened open wall lines in soft, weak, or open-front wood structures or locations of major deficiencies in non-ductile concrete structures and older steel moment frame structures to meet strength and stiffness conformance requirements. Typical retrofit designs could include installation of special, intermediate, or ordinary steel moment frames; light-frame shear walls; special or ordinary cantilever column systems; new concrete walls; masonry walls; steel braced frames; or a combination of the above. The project engineer would evaluate potential design methods with the property owner and determine the best approach for mitigating vulnerabilities. Staging and access for retrofit activities would occur on the street adjacent to the building or in the building parking garage. Retrofits would not require land acquisition or right-of-way or access easements.

Maps of the proposed action area within the floodplain are available for public inspection. Parties interested in receiving a copy of these maps should contact the FEMA Region IX Environmental Officer using the contact information provided in this notice.

Three alternatives were considered for the project: Alternative 1, No Action; Alternative 2: Structural Retrofits (proposed action); and Alternative 3, Demolition and Rebuilding. Under Alternative 1, no action would be taken to protect vulnerable buildings from seismic hazards. If no action is taken, it is estimated that the number of casualties and injuries, costs to repair structural and non-structural damages, and costs associated with tenant relocation would be considerable for affected building occupants, owners, and the government agencies that would provide emergency and support services following a seismic event. Therefore, Alternative 1 is not recommended.

Alternative 2, the proposed action, would greatly reduce losses from structural and non-structural damage and collapse caused by an earthquake when compared to Alternative 1. The seismic retrofit of existing buildings is expected to reduce the number of casualties and injuries, relocation costs for building occupants, loss of rental income for property owners, and costs associated with emergency support and rebuilding. Compared to Alternative 3, Alternative 2 minimizes costs as well as effects to historic and potential historic properties.

Under Alternative 3, seismically deficient buildings affected by the City’s seismic retrofit Ordinance would be demolished and rebuilt. This alternative could have significant social, economic, and environmental impacts and could lead to the displacement of building occupants, loss in rental income to property owners, and adverse effects to historic properties that cannot be mitigated to a less than significant level. Since most buildings that would be targeted for retrofits are expected to be in fair to good condition and can be retrofitted to address known seismic deficiencies, this alternative was not selected.

FEMA has determined that the proposed project is the only practicable alternative available; therefore, the proposed action must be in the floodplain. The proposed action would have no significant adverse impact on the floodplain and would benefit City residents by reducing risks from the effects of an earthquake on existing seismically deficient buildings. Thus, measures to minimize impacts on the floodplain are not necessary. The City has declared that the proposed action conforms to local floodplain standards, and would be responsible for the management, construction, and maintenance of the proposed action.

Additional information about FEMA's proposed action may be requested by writing the FEMA Region IX Environmental Officer at FEMA, 1111 Broadway, Suite 1200, Oakland, California 94607, or fema-rix-ehp-documents@fema.dhs.gov. All requests should be postmarked or received no later than 15 days after publication of this notice. No action will be taken before this date.