Soft-Story Seismic Retrofit – City of Burbank
Compliance Deadlines (From January 10, 2025 Notice)
Medro Engineering provides complete engineering support throughout all phases of the retrofit process:
Screening Form
January 12, 2026
Engineered Retrofit Plans
January 11, 2027
Plan Approval
January 10, 2028
Permit & Construction Start
January 10, 2029
Construction Completion
January 10, 2030
Professional Engineering, Screening Reports, Retrofit Plans & Permit Support
Burbank adopted a mandatory Soft-Story Seismic Retrofit program (Ordinance 24-4,021) to improve safety for older wood-frame residential buildings. Medro Engineering provides full engineering services to help owners meet all City requirements — from the first screening report to final construction approval.
Who Must Comply?
A building is subject to the ordinance if it meets all of the following:
- Wood-framed
- Two or more stories
- Built before January 1, 1978
- Ground-floor parking / garages / open fronts
- One or more soft, weak, or open-front wall lines
What Medro Engineering Provides
- Full structural assessment
- Identification of SWOF lines
- Determination of “Retrofit Required” or “Exempt”
- Engineering justification for exemption requests
- Posting guidance for required signage
Fully compliant with Burbank Seismic Design Guidelines, including:
- Lateral analysis and calculations
Soft/weak/open-front wall strengthening design - Diaphragm, collector, and foundation upgrades
- Cantilever column systems
- Drift checks, base-shear calculations, and irregularity assessments
- Complete structural details and material specifications
- Plan check response letters
- Structural observation forms
- Coordination with Building & Safety
- Housing and tenant-notification support
- Structural observation during key stages
- Contractor RFI support
- Final approval assistance
- 100% permit-fee refund for full compliance by July 10, 2026
- 50% refund for compliance by January 10, 2028
- Mandatory safety signage after Notice to Comply
- Posting of construction notices
- Removal of signage after final City approval
Owners may recover up to 50% of construction costs (max $51/unit/month for up to 120 months).
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Only pre-1978 wood-frame residential buildings with two or more stories and ground-floor openings (parking, garages, open fronts) are included.
Submitting the Screening Form by January 12, 2026. A licensed Civil or Structural Engineer must complete it.
Yes — but exemption must be supported by a stamped engineering assessment demonstrating the absence of soft, weak, or open-front wall lines.
The City may record a violation and impose penalties. Extensions may be granted only with justification and a proposed schedule.
Yes — Burbank offers 100% and 50% permit-fee refunds depending on compliance timing.
Yes. Owners may recover up to 50% of construction costs as a temporary monthly surcharge.
Only licensed Civil or Structural Engineers in California.
No later than January 10, 2030.