91ÊÓƵ

The Portland Bureau of Development Services is in the process of writing an ordinance to require signs and tenant notifications for unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings, as directed by a Portland City Council issued in June. The City Council is set to meet at 2 p.m. on Oct. 3, at Portland City Hall, to discuss the draft proposal. This is a new date for .

The wide-ranging URM resolution also directs staff to implement mandatory retrofitting for critical facilities such as schools, government facilities and for-profit assembly spaces like community centers and theaters. Code changes reflecting these directions are expected to be rolled out by June 2019, according to the city.

The resolution also calls for development of more financial incentives for building owners looking to perform retrofits, as well as cost estimates and a strategy to retrofit city-owned URM buildings.

Two new committees will be created to oversee this process. One will be tasked with making recommendations for retrofits to for-profit buildings. The other will create draft recommendations for URMs owned by nonprofits, like churches.

The next step is to assemble the new committees. This will begin in October, with the posting of an application form at .

To be added to a URM information email list, contact: [email protected].