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Ontario council approves development-code amendments, bond authorization and routine items
Summary
The council approved a Mills Act preservation contract, authorized lease revenue bonds for 2026, and passed a development code amendment clarifying procedures and zoning provisions; votes on these routine items were unanimously 5–0.
The Ontario City Council unanimously approved several consent and public-hearing items addressing historic-preservation contracts, financing and development-code updates.
Mills Act historic-preservation agreement approved
At a public hearing, the city clerk presented a Mills Act preservation contract for a locally designated historic property (file PHPP25-015). There were no written or oral objections and the council approved the agreement on a 5–0 vote.
Lease revenue bonds and finance items
The council also considered a resolution authorizing issuance of lease revenue bonds, series 2026; staff noted notice and affidavits of compliance had been filed and there were no written communications. Council approved the issuance on a 5–0 vote.
Development code amendment and CEQA concerns
A substantial development-code amendment (PDCA 25-003) proposing revisions within several chapters of the municipal code (administration, permits, zoning and land use, historic preservation, signs and landscape design) drew public comment. Commenters, including an attorney who had presented at the planning commission hearing, argued staff’s reliance on a CEQA “common sense” exemption for some hotel-related provisions was insufficient and that the proposed shift of some approvals to ministerial review could limit discretionary mitigation. City staff provided supplemental pages for council and the item ultimately passed 5–0.
Other land-use and safety ordinances
The council adopted an urgency ordinance to update accessory-dwelling-unit rules to reflect recent state law, and approved ordinances adding seismic-safety mitigation and mandatory seismic strengthening provisions to the municipal code. Administrative reports including the SB165 local-agency tax and bond accountability report for the fiscal year ended 6/30/2025 were also accepted 5–0.
What this means
The actions clear the way for staff to implement the approved measures and continue ongoing development projects. Public commenters raised concerns about CEQA and the ministerialization of some approvals; those issues were brought to the council’s attention but did not stop adoption of the code amendments.
