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PUBLIC HEARING
City of San Bernardino
Request for Council Action
Date: August 20, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
From: Telicia Lopez, Acting City Clerk
Department: City Clerk
Subject: Introduce for First Reading Ordinance No. MC-1653 Enacting a Code of Ordinances Revising, Amending,
Restating, Codifying and Compiling the San Bernardino
Municipal Code.
Recommendation:
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino California, Introduce, read by title only and waive further reading of Ordinance No. MC- 1653, Enacting a Code of Ordinances Revising, Amending, Restating, Codifying and Compiling Certain Existing General Ordinances of the City of San Bernardino.
Executive Summary
The Mayor and City Council will consider adopting an ordinance enacting the updates made to the San Bernardino Municipal Code by American Legal Services, the vendor who was selected by staff to review, evaluate and codify the ordinance for language consistency and modernization. The updates made were to correct issues such as spelling errors, grammatical errors, updating references such as Common Council to City Council and using consistent formatting throughout the ordinance.
Background
The San Bernardino Municipal Code is a compilation of ordinances that govern city operations and procedures. The City Clerk is responsible for maintaining and updating the Municipal Code, which is revised as ordinances are adopted, amended, or repealed.
Prior to 2014, the Municipal Code was only available in a hard copy format, during city business hours. To improve public access to city records and information, the Municipal Code was made available in PDF format on the City’s website in 2014. 2 6
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Effective January 1, 2023, Government Code Sections 50022.1 through 50022.10 provide for the codification, compilation, recodification, and publication of the permanent and general ordinances of the City. This also allows the Municipal Code to be recodified, recompiled and readopted in the same manner as it was originally created.
In advance of the new Government Code coming into effect, in 2022 the City Clerk’s Office issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Municipal Code Web Hosting and Codification Services. A contract was awarded to American Legal Publishing to provide both services.
In June 2023, the City launched the Municipal Code web hosting platform, allowing the public and city staff to easily search, copy, and share code provisions. This online platform offers real-time updates, ensuring users have access to the most current version of the code as changes are made.
Discussion
Following the launch of the web hosting platform, American Legal Publishing began the codification process. This included a comprehensive review of all ordinances to ensure consistency, proper formatting, and accuracy. Edits were made to correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and to apply gender-neutral language. Outdated or repealed laws were also removed. No substantive changes were made that alter the meaning of any provision, rule, law, or tax.
American Legal Publishing, in addition to providing the web hosting service and initial codification, will also provide ongoing codification services of ordinances. This means once a new ordinance is adopted by the City Council, it is provided to American Legal to integrate into the Municipal Code system in a structured, easy to navigate format.
This modernization ensures the Municipal Code remains a clear, accessible, and reliable legal resource for both the public and city staff. The new system helps streamline the process and improve efficiency for updating the code, and provides a valuable resource for residents, businesses, and city officials. 2021-2025 Strategic Targets and Goals
The approval of this ordinance aligns with Goal No. 2: Focused, Aligned Leadership and Unified Community. The approval of this ordinance will improve community engagement and organizational efficiency.
Fiscal Impact
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There are no costs associated with adopting this ordinance.
Conclusion
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino California, Introduce, read by title only and waive further reading of Ordinance No. MC- 1653, Enacting a Code of Ordinances Revising, Amending, Restating, Codifying and Compiling Certain Existing General Ordinances of the City of San Bernardino.
Attachments
Attachment 1 - Ordinance No. MC-1653 Enacting a Code of Ordinances Revising, Restating, Codifying and Compiling Certain
Existing General Ordinances.
Attachment 2 – Redline of Municipal Code by American Legal Publishing Attachment 3 – Proof of Publication
Ward:
All
Synopsis of Previous Council Actions:
None