Los Angeles County Municipal Code Ch. 17 Special Inspections and Tests

SECTION 1704 - SPECIAL INSPECTIONS

1704.2.3   Statement of special inspections.

The applicant shall submit a statement of special inspections in accordance with Section 106.4 as a condition for permit issuance. This statement shall be in accordance with Section 1704.3.

. . .

(Ord. 2025-0047 § 24, 2025.)

Where required by the provisions of Section 1704.6.1 the owner or the owner's authorized agent shall employ a structural observer to perform structural observations. The structural observer shall visually observe representative locations of

structural systems, details and load paths for general conformance to the approved construction documents. Structural observation does not include or waive the responsibility for the inspections in Section 108 or the special inspections in Section 1705 or other sections of this Code. The structural observer shall be one of the following individuals:

The registered design professional responsible for the structural design, or

A registered design professional designated by the registered design professional responsible for the structural design.

Prior to the commencement of observations, the structural observer shall submit to the Building Official a written statement identifying the frequency and extent of structural observations.

The owner or owner's authorized agent shall coordinate and call a preconstruction meeting between the structural observer, contractors, affected subcontractors, and special inspectors. The structural observer shall preside over the meeting. The purpose of the meeting shall be to identify the major structural elements and connections that affect the vertical and lateral load resisting systems of the structure and to review scheduling of the required observations. A record of the meeting shall be included in the report submitted to the Building Official.

Observed deficiencies shall be reported in writing to the owner or owner's authorized agent, special inspector, contractor, and the Building Official. Upon the form prescribed by the Building Official, the structural observer shall submit to the Building Official a written statement at each significant construction stage stating that the site visits have been made and identifying any reported deficiencies that, to the best of the structural observer's knowledge, have not been resolved. A final report by the structural observer, which states that all observed deficiencies have been resolved, is required before acceptance of the work by the Building Official.

(Ord. 2025-0047 § 25, 2025.)

1704.6.1   Structural observations for structures.

. . .

A lateral design is required for the structure or portion thereof.

Exception: One-story wood framed Group R-3 and Group U Occupancies less than 2,000 square feet in area, provided the adjacent grade is not steeper than 1 unit vertical in 10 units horizontal (10 percent sloped), assigned to Seismic Design Category D.

. . .

(Ord. 2025-0047 § 26, 2025.)

SECTION 1705 - STATEMENT OF SPECIAL INSPECTIONS

Special inspections and tests of concrete construction shall be performed in accordance with this section and Table 1705.3.

Exception: Special inspections and tests shall not be required for:

Isolated spread concrete footings of buildings three stories or less above grade plane that are fully supported on earth or rock where the structural design of the footing is based on a specified compressive strength (f'c) not greater than 2,500

pounds per square inch (psi) (17.2 Mpa) regardless of the compressive strength specified in the construction documents or used in the footing construction.

. . .

Concrete patios, and sidewalks, on grade.

(Ord. 2025-0047 § 27, 2025.)

. . .

Exception: The special inspections specified in Sections 1705.13.1 through 1705.13.9 are not required for structures designed and constructed in accordance with one of the following:

. . .

The structure is a detached one- or two-family dwelling not exceeding two stories above grade plane, provided the structure is not assigned to Seismic Design Category D, E, or F and does not have any of the following horizontal or vertical irregularities in accordance with Section 12.3 of ASCE 7:

. . .

(Ord. 2025-0047 § 28, 2025.)