Title
Legislative Procedure Updates - For the purpose of clarifying the rules of procedure for the passage or ordinances, charter amendments and resolutions.
Body
CITY COUNCIL OF THE
City of Annapolis
Ordinance 26-18
Introduced by: Mayor Buckley
Referred to
Rules and City Government Committee
AN ORDINANCE concerning
Legislative Procedure Updates
FOR the purpose of clarifying the rules of procedure for the passage of ordinances, charter amendments and resolutions.
BY repealing and re-enacting with amendments the following portions of the Code of the City of Annapolis, 2018 Edition
2.16.090
SECTION I: BE IT ESTABLISHED AND ORDAINED BY THE ANNAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL that the Code of the City of Annapolis shall be amended to read as follows:
TITLE 2 - ADMINISTRATION
Chapter 2.16 - CITY COUNCIL
Article 1 - Rules of Procedure
Section 2.16.090 - Reading, amendment and passage of ordinances, etc.
A. All laws shall be enacted by ordinance or charter amendment. Every ordinance and every charter amendment shall be read three times by its title before a final vote is taken for its passage. However, by unanimous consent of the council in session, this procedure may be waived and the ordinance read two times by title only and the third reading shall not be held. No ordinance or charter amendment shall be amended except upon its second reading. Every ordinance and every charter amendment shall be read the first time at the meeting at which it is introduced and a vote shall be taken on the first reading. The ordinance or charter amendment shall then lie on the table, after which it shall be read the second and third time and final action taken. All three readings of an ordinance and charter amendment shall occur during the same term of the Council.
B. With the exception of referrals to the Planning Commission, all ordinances, resolutions and charter amendments shall be discharged without the necessity of a motion from any committee or commission to which it has been referred ninety days after first reading. The ordinance or charter amendment shall thereafter be placed on the agenda of the next regular City Council meeting and all subsequent Council meetings until the Council votes to postpone consideration for a specific amount of time not to exceed ninety days, or votes to adopt or defeat the legislation. All legislation referred to the Planning Commission shall be by way of the Department of Planning and Zoning which shall complete its review, make recommendations, and place the legislation on the agenda of the Planning Commission meeting that is to take place within sixty days of the first reading by the City Council. An ordinance that proposes to amend the zoning of any piece of property shall be referred to the Planning Commission and may not be placed upon a City Council agenda until the findings and recommendations of the Planning Commission have been received consistent with Chapter 21.34. Other legislation referred to the Planning Commission shall be discharged without the necessity of a motion from the Planning Commission one hundred eighty days after first reading by the City Council. The legislation shall thereafter be placed on the agenda of the next meeting and all subsequent regular meetings until the City Council votes to postpone consideration for a specific amount of time not to exceed ninety days, or votes to adopt or defeat the legislation.
C. All resolutions shall be read twice by title and may be passed after the second reading. Every resolution shall be read the first time at the meeting at which it is introduced, and the resolution shall then lie on the table after which it shall be read a second time and final action taken. Both readings of a resolution shall occur during the same term of the Council.
D. The foregoing notwithstanding, by a unanimous consent of the council in session, the City Council in session, by a unanimous vote, may waive the procedure set forth in subparagraphs A and C of this Section 2.16.090, for the reading of ordinances and resolutions prior to voting to adopt or defeat any ordinance or resolution may be passed at the meeting of theits introduction.
E. A fiscal impact note shall be submitted by the Finance Director on every ordinance, charter amendment, and resolution no later than the date such ordinance, charter amendment, or resolution is to be heard at public hearing. Any ordinance or resolution waiving or reducing City fees shall be referred to the Finance Committee and then lie on the table after which shall be read the second time and final action taken.
F. The member or members of the City Council who have requested the drafting and introduction of a charter amendment, ordinance, or resolution shall be identified by title and name following the heading "Introduced by." The first member requesting the drafting of a specific piece of legislation may make a determination as to whether any other members of the City Council may be listed under "Introduced by" and the order in which those members are to be introduced. Any other member of the City Council who requests identification on the legislation shall be listed under the heading "Co-sponsored by" in the chronological order in which that member's request is made to the Office of Law or on the floor of the City Council.
SECTION II: AND BE IT FURTHER ESTABLISHED AND ORDAINED BY THE ANNAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL that this ordinance shall take effect from the date of its passage.
EXPLANATION
Underlining indicates matter added to existing law.
Strikethrough indicates matter stricken from existing law.