Council introduces omnibus municipal code amendments in first reading

The Upland City Council held a first reading and introduced an omnibus ordinance amending multiple sections of the Upland Municipal Code on May 27, 2025, after staff said the measure consolidates minor updates to align local law with state statutes and current city procedures.

City staff told the council the package updates Title 2 and Title 3 to clarify rules and processes, removes two code sections that staff said are not current practice and would constitute a prohibited gift of public funds, and removes a previously posted amendment on veteran business-license fee waivers to allow a more comprehensive future update. "The proposed ordinance includes updates to Title 2 and Title 3 to align with city policies, procedures and state law by clarifying rules, updating processes, and ensuring consistency with current practices," staff said during the presentation.

The ordinance was introduced by motion, with Councilmember Breitling moving and the Mayor Pro Tem seconding. Councilmember Maas sought a clarification on record that the municipal code references a finance director position not currently employed by the city; staff confirmed the municipal code designates Assistant City Manager Stephen Parker to perform the finance director duties for local code references. The council voted to hold the first reading, waive further reading and introduce the ordinance; the council recorded the motion as passing unanimously.

Why it matters: the omnibus approach bundles small, technical changes so the city can maintain code consistency without adopting multiple individual ordinances. The council removed the veterans business-license waiver section from this iteration and will return a fuller proposal on that subject at a later date.

The council scheduled no final adoption vote for this evening; the action recorded was the first reading and introduction of the ordinance for further consideration.