City Council
MEETING DATE: 6/20/2016
TITLE:
Title
Public Hearing on Proposed City Charter
End
FROM:
Tracey Martinez, CMC
Deputy City Clerk
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends the City Council hold a public hearing to receive input regarding the adoption of a City Charter and the content of the draft Charter and provide direction to Staff.
Body
BACKGROUND:
The City Council is considering placing a measure on the November Ballot on whether or not to change from a General Law City to a Charter City. The Council created a Sub- Committee to work on a draft charter, has had many discussions on charter language, and authorized a city wide survey of registered voters to determine the community’s interest in moving from a General Law City to a Charter City.
Government Code section 34458 authorizes a City Council to propose a charter for the city on its own motion as an alternative to the procedures in Government Code section 34450 through 34457, which require a vote to be held to establish a charter commission and the election of voters to serve on that commission. However, if this alternative procedure in Section 34458 is utilized, the City is required to adhere to certain public notice and hearing requirements. Since the Council is considering proposing a Charter on its own motion two public hearings on the draft charter must be held at least thirty days apart, and then the decision to place the charter on the ballot may be made no less than twenty days after the second public hearing.
This is the first of the two required public hearings. The second required public hearing will be held on July 20th at another special meeting. The decision whether to place the charter on the ballot will be on the agenda for the City Council's regular meeting on August 10th.
DISCUSSION:
In accordance with Government Code Section 34458, a Notice of Public Hearing was posted on May 26, 2016 in 3 designated posting locations. A Notice of Public Hearing was published on June 8, 2016 and June 15, 2016.
On June 20, 2016 at 6:00 p.m., the City Council will hold the first of two required public hearings on the matter of whether a charter should be adopted and the content of the draft charter. During this public hearing the Council will receive oral and written testimony for and against the adoption of the draft charter and receive suggestions on potential revisions. After holding this first public hearing, the City Council may direct staff to make changes to the draft charter prior to the second public hearing on July 20th.
The draft City Charter is attached for review and comments.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None
ATTACHMENTS:
Draft City Charter