Pasadena Municipal Code Art. V Legislation

The City Council shall hold meetings at such time, place, and manner as it shall fix by ordinance. All meetings shall be open to the public, except as otherwise provided by law.

(Sec. 501 amended by vote of the people 3-9-1993.)

A quorum of the City Council shall consist of five of the eight members thereof, but a lesser number may adjourn from time to time or compel the attendance of other members in such manner and under such penalties as the City Council may prescribe.

(Sec. 502 amended by vote of the people 11-3-1998: Sec. 502 amended by vote of the people 3-9-1993.)

Rules for the conduct of the City Council proceedings shall be established by ordinance.

(Sec. 503 amended by vote of the people 3-9-1993.)

Each member of the City Council shall have the power to administer oaths and affirmations in any investigation or proceeding pending before the City Council. The City Council shall have the power to compel the attendance of witnesses, to examine them under oath, and to compel the production of evidence.

(Sec. 504 amended by vote of the people 3-9-1993.)

Action shall be taken by the City Council by means of ordinances, resolutions and motions. Ordinances and resolutions shall be introduced in writing. No ordinance shall be adopted by the City Council on the day of its introduction. Oral motions require only to be duly adopted by the City Council and spread upon the minutes.

(Sec. 505 amended by vote of the people 3-9-1993.)

No action of the City Council, including the adoption of ordinances, resolutions and motions, shall be valid unless it receives the affirmative vote of five members.

(Sec. 506 amended by vote of the people 11-3-1998: Sec. 506 amended by vote of the people 3-9-1993.)

The enacting clause of all ordinances shall be "The People of the City of Pasadena ordain as follows."

All ordinances adopted under this Charter shall be published by the City Clerk at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the City, and until such publication no ordinance shall take effect. Land use zones may be established (a) by legal description; (b) by reference to a map or plat referred to in such ordinance and published as part thereof, or (c) by reference to a map or plat on file with the City Clerk provided the ordinance designates the area in relation to the names of the public streets within the area depicted and incorporates such map or plat by reference. As an alternative to publications as specified herein, after adoption, the title and summary, as approved by the City Council, may be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the City.

(Sec. 508 amended by vote of the people 3-9-1993.)

Every ordinance adopted by the City Council shall be signed by the Mayor or, in his or her absence, by the Vice Mayor, or shall be signed by five members of the City Council and shall be certified by the City Clerk.

(Sec. 509 amended by vote of the people 11-3-1998: Sec. 509 amended by vote of the people 3-9-1993.)

Ordinances shall take effect upon publication, except the following, which shall not take effect until the expiration of 30 days from publication.

(A) Ordinances granting franchises.

(B) General penal ordinances, except an ordinance required for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health or safety which declares the existence and nature of the emergency and which is adopted by an affirmative vote of at least six of the eight members of the City Council.

(Sec. 510 amended by vote of the people 11-3-1998: Sec. 510 amended by vote of the people 3-9-1993.)

The City Council may cause to be classified and codified under appropriate headings the ordinances of the City. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Article, the City Council may adopt and thereafter amend a code of laws, rules or regulations by reference, in the manner prescribed by the Government Code as now or hereafter amended.

(Sec. 511 amended by vote of the people 3-9-1993.)

The violation of any penal ordinance of the City shall be a misdemeanor unless by ordinance the violation is made an infraction or by ordinance the prosecutor is authorized, in the prosecutor's discretion, to file a complaint charging the violation as an infraction. The maximum fine or penalty, or both, for any such violation shall be established by ordinance. Such fine or penalty, or both, shall not exceed the fine or penalty prescribed in the California Penal Code for violation of a comparable state law.

(Sec. 512 amended by vote of the people 6-5-84, effective 7-9-84; Sec. 512 amended by vote of the people 6-8-1976, effective August 1, 1976.)