OXNARD : Earthquake Report Cites 53 Buildings

Fifty-three buildings in Oxnard, seven of which are historical structures, might not be safe in an earthquake, according to a report approved by the City Council on Tuesday.

Letters will be sent to the owners of the buildings informing them that their properties are potentially hazardous. Owners who cannot prove that their buildings are earthquake-safe might have to strengthen them under a program the city is considering. Public hearings will be held before the City Council decides whether to implement the program.

The report was done to satisfy a state law requiring local jurisdictions to identify buildings containing walls constructed of brick or other masonry materials that do not have steel bars embedded in the walls. Such buildings have not stood up well to earthquakes.

Some of the historical buildings listed in the report include the Carnegie Art Museum and a 1906 warehouse on Factory Lane that was part of the American Crystal Sugar Co. plant. The majority of listings are one-story retail buildings, and the greatest concentration is on South Oxnard Boulevard.

The council also voted to conduct a second, more detailed seismic study in 1991-92 and ask the state to pay for it. The city received no state assistance for the current report, which cost about $20,000 and was done by EQE Engineering Inc., based in San Francisco.