Department of Building Inspection

Structural Subcommittee

CODE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Regular Meeting of the
Structural Subcommittee

DATE: March 5, 2003 (Wednesday)

TIME: 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

LOCATION: 130 Sutter Street, Suite 600 (AIA Office)

This Subcommittee meets regularly on the first Wednesday of each month at 130 Sutter Street, Room 600. (AIA Office). If you wish to be placed on a mailing list for agendas, please call (415) 558-6205.

Note: Public comment is welcome and will be heard during each agenda item. Reference documents relating to agenda are available for review at the 1650 Mission Street, Suite 302. For information, please call David Leung at (415) 558-6033.

draft MINUTES

1.0 Call to Order and Roll Call

Members: Jim Guthrie, S.E.; Chair; Ned Fennie, AIA; Michael Fretz, S.E.

Meeting was called to order at 2:00 p.m. Quorum established with 3 members present.

2.0 Approval of the minutes of the Structural Subcommittee regular meeting of February 5, 2002.

A motion to approve the minutes as amended. Seconded and approved.

3.0 Continue discussion and possible action on SFBC Section 3403 on Seismic Triggering.

Proposed change for exceptions in Section 3403.2.2.2 was as follows:

EXCEPTIONS:

1. When such alterations involve only the lowest story of a Type V ((wood frame)) building or structure and Section 3405 does not apply, only the lateral force resisting components in and below that story need comply with Section 3403.6, or

2. When such alterations involve the lowest story by of a Type V building or structure of R3 occupancy and that floor's current and proposed use is as a garage, that level is exempt from Section 3403.2.2.2. Such alterations need not be counted as part of the cumulative total of tributary area of structural alterations.

Pat Buscovich concurred with the above change.

A motion to forward this to the full Code Advisory Committee. Seconded and approved.

4.0 Continue discussion and possible action on Special inspection requirements for signs and drawings.

Awaiting Hanson Tom to go back to the people who requested this clarification for certain weight and size in minor projects on a case-by-case basis.

5.0 Discussion on Trichapter Uniform Code Programs.

The reason for this discussion was to see if there was any merit in taking some or all of the items recommended by Code Intepretation Committee of the Trichapter Uniform Code Program and incorporating into San Francisco amendments.

Whether to adopt all of the items or item by item was discussed.

One other option was to wait until State of California adopted these amendments.

Prioritization of each item prior to discussion was suggested.

Item 2:

In Table 16-N, the height limits for Ordinary Steel Braced Frames and Steel Moment-resisting Frames were revised from 160 ft. to 35 ft. Also, some of the dual systems were no longer permitted. These substantial changes may be caused by the differences in UBC1997 and IBC 2000(or AISC).

Whether there was the need to rewrite the code per this item 2 was discussed, since ordinary steel braced frame 160 ft. high was not good engineering practices and certain dual systems may already be prohibited because of high cost. Also, concerns on this change were raised since San Francisco has a lot of 4-story buildings which may exceed the height limit of 35 ft.

The need to legislate for one or two-year period until the State caught up was discussed.

Every jurisdiction in the Trichapter can choose to adopt certain items and leave out the others.

The State of California was calendared now to start the discussion on the next building code.

It was suggested that out of the 15 items, 6 or 7 really important ones should be chosen for further discussion or adoption, because double digit number of items may be too complex to forward beyond this subcommittee.

Items 3, 4 and 5 were also briefly discussed.

6.0 Subcommittee Member's and Staff's identification of new agenda items, as well as current agenda items to be continued to another subcommittee regular meeting or special meeting. Subcommittee discussion and possible action regarding administrative issues related to building codes.

No new agenda item. Current items 4.0 and 5.0 will be continued in next regular meeting on 4/2/03.

7.0 Public Comment: Public comment will be heard on items not on this agenda but within the jurisdiction of the Code Advisory Committee. Comment time is limited to 3 minutes per person or at the call of the Chair.

No public comment.

8.0 Adjournment.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:45 p.m.