Riverside County Municipal Code Ch. 15.84 Post-Disaster Safety Assessment Placards

It is the purpose of this chapter to establish standard placards to be used to indicate the condition of a building or structure for continued occupancy after any natural or manmade disaster. This chapter further authorizes the building official and his or her authorized representatives to post the appropriate placard at each entry point to a building or structure upon completion of a safety assessment.

(Ord. 839 § 1, 2005)

"Safety assessment" means a visual, non-destructive examination of a building or structure for the purpose of determining the condition for continued occupancy following a natural or manmade disaster.

(Ord. 839 § 2, 2005)

The provisions of this chapter are applicable, following each natural or manmade disaster, to all buildings and structures of all occupancies regulated by the county. The board of supervisors may extend the provisions as necessary.

(Ord. 839 § 3, 2005)

A. The official county placards shall indicate one of the following three conditions for continued occupancy of buildings or structures:

1. Inspected—Lawful Occupancy Permitted. The placard describing this condition is to be posted on any building or structure wherein no apparent structural hazard has been found. This placard is not intended to mean that there is no damage to the building or structure. Occupants should always be cautious of potential hazards following any natural or manmade disaster.

2. Restricted Use—Off-Limits to Unauthorized personnel." The placard describing this condition is to be posted on each building or structure that has been damaged wherein the damage has resulted in some form of Restriction to the Continued Occupancy. The individual who posts this placard will note in general terms the type of damage encountered and will clearly and concisely note the restrictions on continued occupancy.

3. Unsafe—Do Not Enter or Occupy. The placard describing this condition is to be posted on each building or structure that has been damaged such that continued occupancy poses a threat to life safety. Buildings or structures posted with this placard shall not be entered under any circumstance except as authorized in writing by the building official, or his or her authorized representative. Safety assessment teams shall be authorized to enter these buildings at any time. This placard is not to be used or considered as a demolition order. The individual who posts this placard will note in general term the type of damage encountered.

B. In addition to the above descriptive conditions, each placard shall also contain the county building and safety department's address and telephone number along with the number of this county chapter.

C. Once the placard has been attached to a building or structure, a placard is not to be removed, altered or covered until done so by an authorized representative of the building official or upon written notification from the county building and safety department.

(Ord. 839 § 4, 2005)

It shall be unlawful for any person, group, firm, or corporation to remove, alter, deface or cover any county official placard until done so by an authorized representative of the building official or upon written notification from the county building and safety department.

Any person, group, firm or corporation violating any provisions or failing to comply with any of the requirements of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Any person convicted of a misdemeanor under the ordinances of Riverside County shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), or by imprisonment not to exceed six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Each such person shall be guilty of a separate offense for each and every day during any portion of which any violation of any provision of the ordinances of Riverside County is committed, continued, or permitted by any such person, and he/she shall be punished accordingly.

(Ord. 839 § 5, 2005)