Vernon Municipal Code Art. IV Ordinances and Resolutions

CH: 4.1. Ordinances when required.

The following actions by the City Council shall be taken by ordinance:

(a) Any action which this Charter requires to be taken by ordinance;

(b) Provision of a fine or other penalty or establishment of a rule or regulation for violation of which a fine or other penalty may be imposed;

(c) Grant of a franchise;

(d) Creation of, alteration of, or abolishment of a commission, board or agency;

(e) Restriction on the use of property;

(f) Adoption or amendment of a code;

(g) Adoption of ordinances proposed under the initiative power, and

(h) Amendment or repeal of any ordinance or code previously adopted.

Actions other than those referred to above in this section may be taken by ordinance, by resolution or order duly entered in the minutes of a council meeting as may be appropriate.

CH: 4.2. Procedure.

Every proposed ordinance shall be introduced in writing and substantially in the form required for adoption. The enacting clause shall be, substantially "The City Council of the City of Vernon hereby ordains:".

Except as provided by this Charter, no ordinance shall be adopted by the city council on the day of its introduction, nor within five days thereafter. Upon introduction and upon second presentation, unless at least one councilmember requests that an ordinance be read in full, an ordinance may be read by title only. Unless a higher vote is required by other provisions of this Charter, the affirmative votes of a majority of the members of the City Council shall be required for the enactment of any ordinance. Adopted ordinances shall be signed by the mayor and attested by the city clerk

In the event that any ordinance is substantially altered after its introduction, it shall not be adopted within five days after the date of such alteration. The correction of typographical or clerical errors or other minor changes shall not constitute the making of an alteration within the meaning of this paragraph.

The city council may provide by ordinance for any publication or posting of ordinances as it deems appropriate.

CH: 4.3. Effective date.

An ordinance shall be effective after the thirtieth day following its adoption with the exception of the following ordinances which shall take effect upon adoption:

(a) An ordinance calling or otherwise relating to any election;

(b) An ordinance relating to public improvements, the cost of which is to be borne wholly or in part by special assessments:

(c) An ordinance declaring the amount of money necessary to be raised by taxation, or fixing the rate of property taxation, or levying tax upon property;

(d) An ordinance fixing utility rates or charges;

(e) An emergency ordinance adopted as provided in Section 4.4. of this article of this Charter.

CH: 4.4. Emergency ordinances.

Any ordinance declared by the city council to be necessary as an emergency measure for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, and containing a statement of the reasons for its urgency, may be adopted in the manner provided by this Charter except that such emergency ordinance may be introduced and adopted at one and the same regular or special meeting, and shall take effect immediately.

CH: 4.5. Adoption by reference.

Detailed regulations pertaining to any subject, model codes, and codifications of ordinances of other public agencies may be adopted by reference, in their original form or with amendments thereto, with the same effect as an ordinance, in the manner set forth for adopting ordinances. Not less than three copies of the regulations, codes or ordinances so adopted shall be filed and kept on file for use and examination by the public in the office of the city clerk.

CH: 4.6. Codification.

The city council may by ordinance codify the ordinances of the city. Ordinances so codified shall be repealed as of the effective date of the codification unless the city council shall otherwise provide. Amendments to a code shall be enacted by ordinance.