Upland, CA — The Upland City Council convened a special meeting on September 23, 2024, to finalize plans for a new parking structure aimed at revitalizing Downtown Upland. Mayor Bill Velto called the meeting to order at 4 p.m., allowing community members to participate remotely via livestream.
The primary agenda item was the final workshop on the Downtown Upland Parking Structure, a project designed to address the growing need for parking in the city’s historic district. City Manager Michael Blay and Development Services Director Robert Dalquest presented an overview of the project, which is being designed by Watry Design, Inc.
The council has been considering various design options since approving a Professional Services Agreement with Watry Design earlier this year. Two main architectural styles were initially proposed: a Spanish design and an Art Deco design.
However, following public feedback, an additional “Packing House” style inspired by Upland’s historic structures was presented.
The proposed parking structure will consist of either four or five levels, with a majority of public comments favoring the four-story option, which would provide 308 parking spaces compared to 408 spaces in the five-level design.
This additional level is expected to reduce the cost-per-space for construction and allow the city to sell off other underutilized parking lots.
The council also discussed the need for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. Current building codes require that 5% of parking spaces include EV chargers, with an additional 20% designated as “EV-ready.”
Codes and mandates such as this, including those that the state issues, were another topic of conversation.
Members of the council expressed their frustration for state mandates and codes that are issued without providing funding to implement those mandates.
Mayor Bill Velto commented on this issue as he recalled his conversation with the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors at a meeting in July of 2022 where he spoke in support of San Bernardino County seceding from California.
“Probably one of the learning curves is watching the mandates come out from Sacramento and trying to impose those on residents and listening to the levels of frustration,” Velto said at the board meeting.
Once state lawmakers pass a law or regulation, agencies such as the California Department of Finance or local government offices issue guidelines for implementation.
Local governments are responsible for complying with these directives and non-compliance can result in penalties or legal action.
While the state can issue unfunded mandates to local governments, in some cases, the state provides alternative forms of aid, such as technical assistance, guidance documents or access to training programs.
Additionally, the state may offer grants or low-interest loans to help offset costs, but these are not guaranteed and depend on the availability of state funds or specific program allocations.
During the Upland city council meeting, Velto clarified the comments he made regarding unfunded codes and accused “one individual,” who remains unidentified, of writing “garbage” about him that he claimed was untrue.
“I spoke about unfunded mandates only, and that’s been the biggest problem we’ve been getting, with this type of stuff,” Velto said.
The next city council meeting is scheduled for October 7, 2024, where further developments of the parking structure will be discussed.
