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SACRAMENTO --Two
Seismic Hazard Zone maps covering the
Oxnard and Malibu areas that impact the
planning community, developers, property
sellers and real estate agents became
official today, the 12th anniversary of
the Loma Prieta earthquake that
devastated the San Francisco Bay Area.
If property is
located in a zone of required
investigation, where liquefaction or
landslides could occur in a large
earthquake, the local building
department must require geologic studies
before projects are begun. Also,
property sellers and real estate agents
must inform potential buyers if property
they're selling is in a Seismic Hazard
Zone, just as is the case when property
is in a designated flood or wildfire
zone.
Seismic Hazard Zone
maps for two 60-square-mile areas -- the
Malibu Beach and Oxnard quadrangles --
released in April by the California
Department of Conservation are now
official after public review and
comment. The maps are on file with local
government offices, including the
planning department, building department
and county recorder's office.
Shaking causes most
of the damage during earthquakes, and in
many cases, it is cost effective to
retrofit houses and buildings to
minimize damage caused by severe
shaking. Local public libraries have a
number of publications by the Governor’s
Office of Emergency Services and the
Federal Emergency Management Agency that
can be used as guides.
The Seismic Hazard
Zone maps produced by DOC's Division of
Mines and Geology show areas at risk
from two secondary earthquake hazards --
landslides and liquefaction -- that also
can be dangerous. It is generally not
cost effective to retrofit an existing
building for the impacts of liquefaction
or landslides. Therefore, design changes
are required before new developments are
approved and constructed in order to be
effective. Changes made during the
planning phase can lessen the impact and
better protect against future
earthquakes. The new maps are an
important tool that land developers will
use to insure project feasibility.
Fifty-five maps
covering more than 130 cities are now
official. The effort to identify and map
seismic hazards is ongoing. Official
maps of 48 Southern California
quadrangles are available, and mapping
is under way in several parts of
Northern and Southern California.
Color copies of the
maps can be purchased through DOC's
Division of Mines and Geology at (213)
239-0878.
In addition to
studying and mapping earthquakes and
other geologic phenomena, the Department
of Conservation maps and classifies
areas containing mineral deposits;
ensures reclamation of land used for
mining; regulates oil, gas and
geothermal wells; administers
agricultural and open-space land
conservation programs; and promotes
beverage container recycling.
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