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For the purpose of this chapter, certain terms are defined as follows:

A. “Cross walls” means interior walls of masonry or wood stud construction. In order to be considered as a cross wall within the intent of this chapter, cross walls shall be not more than forty feet apart in each story, and shall be full story height between diaphragms. Existing cross walls shall be a minimum length of one and one-half times the story height. Existing wood frame cross walls shall be sheathed with one of the following: wood lath and plaster, one-half inch thick gypsum wallboard two sides, or solid one inch nominal thickness straight or diagonal wood board sheathing. New cross walls shall have a rational shear path to the ground, and shall be constructed of materials that are assigned allowable shear values in Chapter 25 or 47 of the Building Code, and shall have a total shear capacity equivalent to that of a wall one and one-half times the story height that is sheathed with a material that has an allowable shear value of one hundred fifty pounds per foot.

B. “Unreinforced masonry bearing wall” means a masonry wall having all of the following characteristics:

1. Provide the vertical support for a floor or roof.

2. The total superimposed load is over one hundred pounds per linear foot.

3. The area of reinforcing steel is less than twenty-five percent of the minimum steel ratios required by the Building Code for reinforced masonry.

C. “Architect or engineer” means California licensed architect or California licensed civil or structural engineer in responsible charge of the structural design work for the project. (Ord. 4715 § 1, 2012; Ord. 3552 § 1, 1993)