Arkansas City adopts updated traffic code and Uniform Public Offense Code

The Arkansas City Commission voted to adopt by reference the League of Kansas Municipalities' 2025 standard traffic ordinances and later approved the 2025 Uniform Public Offense Code (UPOC), actions the commission said update city law to reflect recent legislative changes.

City staff opened discussion by noting clerical corrections and an expired subsection in the traffic code and recommended adopting the edition presented by the League of Kansas Municipalities. A commissioner moved to adopt the standard traffic ordinances prepared in book form for 2025; during a roll-call vote Mayor Beeson, Vice Mayor Stover, Commissioner Stoneman, Commissioner Tweedy and Commissioner Warren were recorded as voting yes and the motion carried.

Staff then summarized the single substantive UPOC amendment that the commission discussed: an expansion under section 6.7.0.2 to the list of facilities treated as "critical infrastructure," adding certain telecommunications and video-services equipment and backup power supplies to the existing list. The staff presentation described the change as an effort to keep the definition current with evolving technology.

A commissioner moved to adopt the Uniform Public Offense Code as presented; commissioners approved the ordinance by roll call and the motion carried. Commissioners asked only briefly about the scope of the new trespassing designation during the discussion.

The commission did not identify any immediate implementing changes that would require new local regulations beyond adopting the model codes. The adoption will be reflected in the city's code updates for 2025 and will be used in traffic and public-offense prosecutions going forward.