Calabasas Municipal Code Ch. 2.04 City Council

A. Regular meetings of the city council shall be held on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at an hour specified by resolution of the city council unless the same shall be a legal holiday, in which event such regular meeting shall be held on the next succeeding calendar day which is not a holiday. The city council may change the date of its regular meetings by resolution.

B. The city council may adjourn any regular or adjourned meeting to a date specified in the order of adjournment.

(Ord. 2008-243 § 1, 2008; Ord. 95-92 § 2 (part), 1995)

(Ord. No. 2009-261, § 1, 6-24-2009)

A. The council chambers in the city hall located at 100 Civic Center Way, Calabasas, is designated as the official meeting place of the city council.

B. If the regular meeting place is unable to accommodate the number of persons in attendance, the council may recess the meeting to another place. If the council anticipates that the regular meeting place will be inadequate, the council, or mayor in the event of an emergency, may order that the meeting be held in another place.

(Ord. 2008-243 § 2, 2008; Ord. 95-92 § 2 (part), 1995)

A. A majority of the city council constitutes a quorum for transaction of business. Less than a quorum may adjourn from time to time, and compel attendance of absent members in the manner and under the penalties prescribed by ordinance.

B. If all councilmembers are absent from any regular meeting, the city clerk shall declare the meeting adjourned to a stated day and hour. The clerk shall cause a written notice of the adjournment to be delivered personally to each councilmember.

(Ord. 95-92 § 2 (part), 1995)

A. The city council shall appoint annually at a November meeting, from their membership, a mayor and mayor pro tempore. The mayor shall assume the duties of the presiding officer immediately following appointment.

B. The mayor shall preside at the meetings of the city council. If the mayor is absent or unable to act, the mayor pro tempore shall serve until the mayor returns or is able to act. The mayor pro tempore has all of the powers and duties of the mayor.

C. If both the mayor and mayor pro tempore are absent or unable to act, the majority of the city council shall appoint a temporary chair to exercise the powers and authority of the chair. Such appointment shall not continue beyond adjournment.

D. The mayor may make or second any motion and present and discuss any matter as a member of the city council.

E. The mayor shall preserve order and decorum at all meetings of the city council and confine members in debates to the question under discussion.

F. The mayor shall sign all ordinances and resolutions adopted by the city council.

G. The mayor shall sign:

1. All warrants drawn on the city treasurer;

2. All written contracts and conveyances made or entered into by the city;

3. All instruments requiring the city seal.

H. The legislative body may provide by ordinance that the instruments described above be signed by an officer other than the mayor.

I. The mayor may administer oaths and affirmations, take affidavits, and certify them under his or her hand.

(Ord. 95-92 § 2 (part), 1995)

(Ord. No. 2015-320, § 2, 2-11-2015)

A. The city council may establish rules for the conduct of its proceedings. It may punish a member or other person for disorderly behavior at a meeting.

B. A majority of the city council may designate a sergeant at arms who shall carry out all orders given by the presiding officer for the purpose of maintaining order and decorum at the city council meetings. Any city council member may move to require the presiding officer to enforce the rules and the affirmative vote of a majority of the city council shall require the mayor to do so.

C. While the city council is in session, the councilmembers must preserve order and decorum, and a member shall neither, by conversation or otherwise, delay or interrupt the proceedings or the peace of the city council or disturb any member while speaking or refuse to obey the orders of the city council or its presiding officer, except as otherwise herein provided.

D. Any person making personal, impertinent, or slanderous remarks or who shall become boisterous while addressing the city council shall be forthwith, by the presiding officer, barred from further audience before the city council, unless permission to continue be granted by a majority vote of the city council.

(Ord. 95-92 § 2 (part), 1995)

A. City Council Candidate Residency. No person shall be eligible to hold office as a member of the city council unless:

1. He or she is a registered voter and a resident of the city at the time nomination papers are issued; and

2. He or she is a registered voter and a resident of the city at the time of election or appointment.

B. If, during the term of his or her term of office, he or she moves his or her place of residence outside of the city limits or ceases to be an elector of the city, he or she is no longer eligible to hold office and his or her office shall immediately become vacant.

(Ord. 95-92 § 2 (part), 1995)

(Ord. 2019-374, § 1, 2-27-2019)

A. A written resignation filed with the city clerk shall constitute an effective resignation which may not be withdrawn thereafter.

B. If, during a councilmember's term of office, he or she moves his or her legal residency outside of the city limits or ceases to be an elector of the city, his or her office shall immediately become vacant. For purposes of this chapter, "legal residency" shall mean physical presence combined with an intent to remain.

C. If a councilmember, through words or conduct, clearly indicates that he or she clearly intends to absolutely relinquish his or her office, his or her office shall immediately become vacant.

D. If a councilmember accepts a second office determined by the city council by resolution to be incompatible with the office of the respective councilmember, his or her councilmember office shall immediately become vacant.

E. A councilmember's acceptance of a free or discounted transportation pass from a transportation company shall result in an immediate forfeiture of the respective councilmember's office.

F. When a recall petition is filed and certified, and a majority of the voters approve the recall of the councilmember, the councilmember's term terminates and the office becomes vacant.

G. If the city council conducts regular council meetings more than once a month and a councilmember is absent without permission from all regular city council meetings for sixty (60) consecutive days from the last regular meeting he or she attended, his or her office shall become vacant.

(Ord. 95-92 § 2 (part), 1995)

A person appointed to fill a vacancy on the council shall hold office for the unexpired term of the former incumbent and shall receive the same compensation as that payable to the member whose office was vacated.

(Ord. 95-92 § 2 (part), 1995)

Each member of the city council shall receive as salary the sum of one thousand three hundred seventeen dollars ($1,317.00) per month, as prescribed in Section 36516 of the California Government Code for cities up to and including thirty-five thousand (35,000) in population.

(Ord. 2004-196 § 1, 2004: Ord. 2001-160 § 2, 2001: Ord. 95-92 § 2 (part), 1995; Ord. No. 2014-318, § 1, 9-10-2014)

(Ord. No. 2018-359, § 1, 1-24-2018; Ord. No. 2022-397, § 1, 6-8-2022; Ord. No. 2023-402, § 1, 8-9-2023; Ord. No. 2025-414, § 1, 6-25-2025)

Editor's note— Pursuant to Government Code Section 36516.5, this [section] shall take effect on the first day of the month following the date a councilmember begins a new term of office following the 2018 general municipal election.

Each member of the city council shall be eligible for reimbursement of actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of his or her official duties for the city. Each member of the city council shall be eligible to request the purchase of actual and necessary supplies and materials for the performance of his or her official duties for the city. Claims for such expenses or purchase orders for such supplies and materials shall be filed with the city manager and shall be subject to audit and approval by the city council.

(Ord. 2001-160 § 1, 2001: Ord. 95-92 § 2 (part), 1995)