Simi Valley Municipal Code Art. 3 Neighborhood Councils

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Article 2, consisting of Sections 2-3.201 through 2-3.209, renumbered to Article 3 by Ordinance No. 468, effective April 15, 1981. Sections 2-3.301 through 2-3.309, as renumbered by said Ordinance No. 468, recodified from Sections 1300 through 1308, S.V.M.C., as added by Ordinance No. 118, as amended by Ordinance Nos. 149, 207, 431, effective July 23, 1980, 498, effective April 14, 1982, and 527, effective March 9, 1983, amended in their entirety by Ordinance No. 667, effective June 17, 1987, and Ordinance No. 818, effective May 26, 1994.

There is hereby created a Neighborhood Council for each of certain designated areas, the number and area of which shall be provided by resolution of the City Council.

(§ 1, Ord. 667, eff. June 17, 1987, as amended by § 2, Ord. 818, eff. May 26, 1994; § 1 (Exh. 1), Ord. 1155, eff. May 27, 2010, and § 1 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1273, eff. September 7, 2017)

The purpose of the Neighborhood Councils shall be to provide for public participation and involvement in City affairs and provide a mechanism for communication between the City Council and the public. They shall advise the City Council on: (1) matters affecting their neighborhood initiated by the Executive Board or requested by non-Executive Board members; (2) issues on which the City Council has specifically requested their advice; and (3) development proposals that may affect their neighborhoods. All Neighborhood Councils, regardless of boundary lines, will be required to review major development proposals of community-wide significance and advise the City Council of their findings. Neighborhood Councils shall provide for public participation and involvement in City affairs and provide a mechanism for communication between the City Council and the public.

Each Neighborhood Council shall be advisory to the City Council and Planning Commission, and to other City Council advisory bodies as may be requested by the City Council, and may contribute information, opinions, advice, suggestions, and recommendations to the City Council on all governmental affairs and services having an effect on the area the Neighborhood Council represents, including, but not limited to: allocation of City resources, fiscal issues, public works, public safety, planning and zoning, traffic issues, policy development and community beautification.

(§ 1, Ord. 667, eff. June 17, 1987, as amended by § 2, Ord. 818, eff. May 26, 1994; § 1 (Exh. 1), Ord. 1155, eff. May 27, 2010, and § 1 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1273, eff. September 7, 2017)

Each Neighborhood Council shall consist of residents eighteen (18) years of age or older residing within the identified boundaries of the City limits and Neighborhood Council area. Those individuals not residing within the City limits, but living within the unincorporated areas contiguous to the boundaries of a Neighborhood Council, may participate as members of the Neighborhood Council. However, when votes are taken, the votes shall identify whether they are individuals living within identified boundaries of the City limits and Neighborhood Council area, or individuals living in the unincorporated areas, and be tabulated separately.

No resident shall be a member of more than one Neighborhood Council. Before a member may vote at a Neighborhood Council meeting, they shall sign a Declaration of Residency declaring their address and that they are a member of that Neighborhood Council. Residents living within other Neighborhood Council areas, or unincorporated areas contiguous to other Neighborhood Council areas, are not eligible to vote at that meeting.

(§ 1, Ord. 667, eff. June 17, 1987, as amended by § 2, Ord. 818, eff. May 26, 1994, and § 1, Ord. 971, eff. February 24, 2000; § 1 (Exh. 1), Ord. 1155, eff. May 27, 2010, and § 1 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1273, eff. September 7, 2017)

A Neighborhood Council shall be comprised of the general membership, an Executive Board, and ad hoc committees as may be formed by the Neighborhood Council.

(§ 1, Ord. 667, eff. June 17, 1987, as amended by § 2, Ord. 818, eff. May 26, 1994; § 1 (Exh. 1), Ord. 1155, eff. May 27, 2010, and § 1 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1273, eff. September 7, 2017)

(a) Members: Appointment: Vacancies: Removal. A minimum of seven (7) members, with a maximum of thirteen (13) members shall be appointed by the Mayor upon the approval of the City Council to serve as the Executive Board for each Neighborhood Council. Only City residents may be considered for appointment to the Executive Board. No person may be appointed to the Executive Board if the appointment would constitute an incompatible holding of office prohibited by Section 1126 of the California Government Code. No person who is appointed to the Executive Board may participate in the making of any decision if the person may have a conflict of interest under 1090 et seq. of the California Government Code, 87100 et seq. of the California Government Code, or Simi Valley City Council Resolution No. 85-150. Before an applicant can be interviewed and appointed, they are required to attend a Neighborhood Council Orientation session for that appointment cycle, provide evidence of attendance at an orientation session in the past three (3) years, or have served as an Executive Board member in the past two (2) years. Members of the Executive Board shall serve at the pleasure of the City Council and may be removed from office by a majority of the members of the City Council.

(b) Chair and vice chair. Each Executive Board shall select a chair and a vice chair.

(c) Quorum. A quorum for Executive Board meetings shall consist of a majority of the membership of the Executive Board.

(d) Terms of office. All Executive Board member terms shall be for twenty-four (24) months upon appointment. One-third (⅓) of the seats on each Executive Board shall expire, and new appointments shall be made to replace such expired terms, every eight (8) months, commencing on January 31, 1983, referred to in this section as "regular appointment times." An Executive Board member whose term is expiring or who has recently vacated a seat shall not be eligible for reappointment to a consecutive term. An individual who resigned or whose term of office expired may not be reappointed to a new term or a vacated seat until eight (8) months have elapsed.

(e) Vacated seats. If a seat on an Executive Board is vacated after an appointment period, an applicant may be appointed to fill such seat for a new twenty-four (24) month term at the next regular appointment time or the seat may be held open until a subsequent regular appointment time at the discretion of the Neighborhood Council Coordinator. If five (5) or more vacancies exist on an Executive Board, an interim appointment time may be scheduled by the City Council at the request of the Director of Community Services. If an individual is appointed to fill a previously vacated term at an interim appointment time, the twenty-four (24) month appointment shall be considered to have commenced as of the nearest prior regular appointment time and shall thereafter be considered to have been appointed to a full Executive Board term, notwithstanding that the individual may serve less than twenty-four (24) months.

(f) Communications. Members of the Neighborhood Council Executive Boards shall coordinate and channel all official communications to the City Council/Planning Commission through their respective Executive Boards and the Neighborhood Council Coordinator.

(g) Official representatives. The Chair, or in their absence, the Vice Chair or other duly appointed representative, shall be the official representative of their Neighborhood Council to the City Council or Planning Commission and shall represent official positions taken by their Neighborhood Council, provided that such representative has received the prior approval for such representation by a consensus of the Neighborhood Council members present at the Neighborhood Council meeting during which the item was discussed.

(h) Secretaries. Each Executive Board shall appoint a secretary to keep an accurate record of all official actions of the Neighborhood Council and Executive Board and an accurate record of the Executive Board members in attendance.

(i) Meetings: Time and place. Each Executive Board shall establish and announce a particular time and place for its regular meetings. Special meetings, as well as regular meetings, shall be noticed, and agendas prepared and posted therefore, pursuant to provisions of the Ralph M. Brown Act.

(j) Meetings: Absences. If a member of an Executive Board shall miss three (3) or more consecutive meetings, or fifty (50%) percent or more of the meetings in any eight (8) month period, without a valid excuse or the approval of the other Executive Board members, the seat of such member shall be deemed immediately vacated.

(k) Candidates for public offices. If any member of an Executive Board shall file as a candidate for election to a public office, the holding of which would be incompatible with Executive Board membership under the provisions of Section 1126 of the Government Code of the State, s/he shall take a leave of absence from the Executive Board. If any member of an Executive Board shall be elected or appointed to any such described public office, his/her seat as a member of the Executive Board shall become vacant upon the assumption of the other public office.

(§ 1, Ord. 667, eff. June 17, 1987, as amended by § 2, Ord. 818, eff. May 26, 1994; § 1 (Exh. 1), Ord. 1155, eff. May 27, 2010, and § 1 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1273, eff. September 7, 2017)

Each Neighborhood Council, by action of its Executive Board, may form ad hoc committees as required.

(§ 1, Ord. 667, eff. June 17, 1987, as amended by § 2, Ord. 818, eff. May 26, 1994; § 1 (Exh. 1), Ord. 1155, eff. May 27, 2010, and § 1 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1273, eff. September 7, 2017)

(a) Presiding officer. The chair, or the vice chair in the absence of the chair, shall preside over Neighborhood Council meetings.

(b) Time and place. Each Neighborhood Council shall meet at least once every two (2) months at a regularly scheduled designated time and place.

(c) Open to the public. All meetings of Neighborhood Councils and Executive Boards shall be duly noticed and open to the public.

(d) Official business. Neighborhood Councils may act or conduct official business only at duly noticed meetings operating under established procedures as set forth in this article and under the provisions of the Ralph M. Brown Act.

(e) Recommendations. Neighborhood Council recommendations to the City Council and/or Planning Commission will be by motions adopted by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Executive Board voting on the issue. All communications from the Neighborhood Councils to the City Council and/or Planning Commission shall show the number of Executive Board members, members of the public residing in that particular Neighborhood Council, and members of the public residing in the unincorporated areas contiguous to it that are supporting, opposing, and abstaining from voting upon each motion.

(f) Communications. All communications from the Neighborhood Councils shall be approved by their respective Executive Boards. The Executive Boards may direct communications requested by any resident to City staff or the City Council on behalf of such resident. No Neighborhood Council Executive Board member may use the title of Neighborhood Council Executive Board member on any form of communication unless authorized by a majority of the Executive Board and channeled through the Neighborhood Council Coordinator.

(g) Agendas. The Neighborhood Council Coordinator shall establish the agenda for Neighborhood Council meetings. However, at any regular meeting of a Neighborhood Council, any member may request the inclusion of any specific agenda item that falls within the subject matter and jurisdiction of the Neighborhood Council for specific future meetings. Upon concurrence of a majority of the members of the Executive Board, such item will be placed on the agenda as requested.

(h) Supplemental rules. All meetings and activities of each Neighborhood Council shall operate under such further rules, not inconsistent with the provisions of this article, as may be established and adopted by its respective Executive Board.

(i) Attendance by City Council Members. Members of the City Council shall be encouraged to be present at Neighborhood Council meetings, as appropriate.

(j) Services provided by the City. The City may provide the following services to Neighborhood Councils:

(1) Neighborhood Council Coordinator and other reasonable staff support as necessary to render assistance to the Neighborhood Councils and respective Executive Boards. Requests for additional staff support shall be made to the City Manager; and

(2) The City Manager and City Attorney, or their assigned designee, shall be available for Neighborhood Council meetings at the request of the Executive Boards, providing that such requests reasonably relate in need and necessity to matters formally scheduled for agenda consideration.

(§ 1, Ord. 667, eff. June 17, 1987, as amended by § 2, Ord. 818, eff. May 26, 1994; § 1 (Exh. 1), Ord. 1155, eff. May 27, 2010, and § 1 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1273, eff. September 7, 2017)

Any grievance made by any individual Neighborhood Council member or members concerning a Neighborhood Council Executive Board action may be made to the general membership of the Neighborhood Council within thirty (30) days after filing such grievance with their Executive Board. If such individual or individual members are not satisfied with the results from the appeal to the general membership, they may bring the matter directly before the members of the City Council within thirty (30) days after consideration by the general membership. Any action by the City Council shall be final in regard to such grievance by any individual or individual Neighborhood Council members who pursue the procedures set forth in this section for filing grievances.

(§ 1, Ord. 667, eff. June 17, 1987, as amended by § 2, Ord. 818, eff. May 26, 1994; § 1 (Exh. 1), Ord. 1155, eff. May 27, 2010, and § 1 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1273, eff. September 7, 2017)