Santa Barbara Municipal Code Ch. 2.05 Ordinance Committee

A standing Ordinance Committee composed of three members of the City Council is established.

(Ord. 3533 §2, 1972; Ord. 6098 §1, 2023)

The members of the Ordinance Committee shall be appointed by the City Council for a specific or indefinite term as determined by the City Council at the time of the appointment. The City Council shall designate one of its members as the Chairperson of the Committee. The City Council may remove or reassign members of the Ordinance Committee by motion, with or without cause.

(Ord. 3533 §2, 1972; Ord. 3752, 1975; Ord. 3964 §1, 1978; Ord. 4044, 1980; Ord. 4888, 1994; Ord. 6098 §1, 2023)

The Ordinance Committee shall review, and may make recommendations to the City Council, on all ordinances adding, amending or repealing sections of the municipal code of the City, except as provided in this chapter.

(Ord. 3533 §2, 1972; Ord. 6098 §1, 2023)

Meetings of the Ordinance Committee shall be open and public pursuant to City Charter Section 510 and the Ralph M. Brown Act, Government Code Sections 54950, et seq., as it may be amended from time to time.

(Ord. 3533 §2, 1972; Ord. 6098 §1, 2023)

The following categories of ordinances shall be exempt from Ordinance Committee review, and may be introduced as ordered by the City Council:

A. Ordinances calling or otherwise relating to an election;

B. Ordinances relating to improvement or assessment proceedings which are adopted pursuant to state or federal law or an ordinance;

C. Unless directed by City Council, urgency or interim ordinances as authorized by law;

D. Emergency ordinances as provided in City Charter Section 511;

E. Ordinances subject to referendum which approve the sale, transfer, disposition or encumbrance of City land;

F. Ordinances subject to referendum which approve a contract or lease or extension thereof by which the City is bound for a longer period than five years;

G. Ordinances awarding a franchise;

H. Ordinances establishing position control or salary scales or amounts;

I. Unless directed by City Council, ordinances which, in the opinion of the City Attorney, do not involve substantive revision or establishment of City legislation;

J. Ordinances which the City Council determines, in its sole discretion, not to refer to the Ordinance Committee.

(Ord. 3533 §2, 1972; Ord. 6098 §1, 2023)

The Ordinance Committee shall consider proposed ordinances or ordinance concepts that are referred to it by the City Council, the City Attorney, or the City Administrator.

(Ord. 3752, 1975; Ord. 6098 §1, 2023)

After review of a proposed ordinance or ordinance concept, the Ordinance Committee may direct the City Attorney to revise the proposed ordinance or draft an ordinance based upon Ordinance Committee direction.

(Ord. 3533 §2, 1972; Ord. 6098 §1, 2023)

The City Attorney shall draft the proposed ordinance as requested by the Committee and send copies to the City Administrator and to the Committee. The Ordinance Committee shall by majority vote determine to submit the subject ordinance with or without revision to the City Council, or shall determine to table the ordinance without submission. If to be submitted, the ordinance shall be introduced at the next regular meeting of the City Council feasible to allow such final redrafting by the City Attorney as may be required.

(Ord. 3533 §2, 1972; Ord. 6098 §1, 2023)

An ordinance tabled by the Ordinance Committee, may be brought to City Council for introduction if a majority of the City Council, following the procedures to place the matter on a City Council agenda, affirmatively vote to pass the ordinance out of Ordinance Committee and submit the subject ordinance to City Council. If submitted, the ordinance shall be introduced at the next regular meeting of the Council.

(Ord. 3533 §2, 1972; Ord. 3752, 1975; Ord. 6098 §1, 2023)