Upland council adopts downtown entertainment zone under new state law
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Summary
The City Council unanimously introduced and adopted an ordinance establishing a downtown entertainment zone allowing participating on‑sale alcohol licensees to serve beverages for on‑site consumption within a defined footprint during special events under SB 969.
UPLAND, Calif. — The Upland City Council on Tuesday introduced and adopted an ordinance creating a downtown entertainment zone that will allow businesses with on‑sale alcohol licenses to serve alcohol within a marked district during permitted special events, city staff said.
Development Services Director Robert Dahlquist told the council the ordinance implements Senate Bill 969 (effective January 2025), which allows local governments to authorize “entertainment zones” where restaurants, bars, breweries and similar businesses may sell open‑container beverages for consumption in designated public spaces during a permitted event.
Why it matters: City staff and several downtown business leaders said the ordinance is intended to boost downtown foot traffic and local spending by allowing temporary closures and coordinated events where patrons can dine, drink and move between participating establishments within the entertainment‑zone footprint.
Key provisions: Dahlquist said the proposed chapter 9.18 to the municipal code establishes a downtown zone bounded generally by D Street to the north, A Street to the south (including the Santa Fe Depot building) and First and Second avenues on the west and east. Participating establishments will be limited to the alcoholic beverage types allowed by their California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control licenses; service cups must be paper or plastic and stamped with the vendor’s name; and boundaries must be clearly posted.
Hours and security: The ordinance sets permitted hours for entertainment‑zone events between 11 a.m. and midnight on any day; special‑event permits may set more restrictive hours and will include security requirements. The Upland Police Department reviewed and accepted the ordinance as written, Dahlquist said.
Public support and council vote: Ten downtown business owners, the president of the Upland Chamber of Commerce and representatives of Historic Downtown Upland testified in favor of the ordinance during the public hearing, citing increased sales and vibrancy in other cities that have adopted similar programs. After the public hearing councilmembers moved, seconded and voted unanimously to introduce and adopt the ordinance and find it exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under the cited guideline section.
Ending: The ordinance takes effect according to standard municipal procedures; events and any specific use of the zone will require a special‑event permit and ABC’s annual notice of intent from participating licensees.
