Hey Paul, That does sound frustrating! So does he subscribe to the idea of having a structure more rigid for earthquakes or a bend but not break idea?
I didn't know the Columbia River Gorge was a terribly seismic area.
Maybe new codes will specify according to the potential of Yellowstone's super volcano erupting.
I wish I new more to your dilemma. Perhaps a look at the styles of the Orient. Some of those have seen their fair share of earthquakes.
