HomeMy WebLinkAbout594ORDINANCE 594
AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS AMENDING ARTICLE 1
OF CHAPTER 1 OF TITLE 2 (MEETINGS) OF THE LOS ALTOS HILLS MUNICIPAL
CODE TO CONFIRM THAT CITY COUNCIL MEETING PROCEDURES COMPLY
WITH CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION REQUIREMENTS RELATED
TO PUBLIC MEETINGS
WHEREAS, public meetings are governed by California Government Code Section 54950, et seq.
(Ralph M. Brown Act); and
WHEREAS, the Town of Los Altos Hills complies with public meeting procedures and noticing
rules required under the Ralph M. Brown Act; and
WHEREAS, City Council desires to update the Town of Los Altos Hills Municipal Code Article
1 of Chapter 1 of Title 2 (Meetings) to be consistent with its practice and the statutory language of
the Ralph M. Brown Act; and
WHEREAS, on April 15, 2021, the Los Altos Hills City Council held a duly noticed public
meeting to provide an opportunity for all interested parties to be heard, to consider all public
comments and consider the proposed amendments; and
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the Town of Los Altos Hills does hereby ordain as
follows:
SECTION I. AMENDMENTS TO THE MUNICIPAL CODE.
Sections of the Los Altos Hills Municipal Code are amended as follows. Sections and texts not
amended are not shown, and shall remain in full force and effect.
Section 2-1.101 in Article 1 of Chapter 1 of Title 2 (Meetings) is hereby amended as
follows:
2-1.101 Regular meetings.
(a) Time—Place. Regular meetings of the City Council shall be held on the
third Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Town Hall,
26379 Fremont Road, Los Altos Hills, California, or in such other place within the
Town limits to which the meeting may be adjourned. In the event that there are no
closed session items on the agenda, the City Council meeting shall begin at 6:00 p.m. If
by reason of emergency it shall be unsafe to meet in the Town Hall, meetings may be
held at such other place within the Town limits as is designated in the special meeting
notice.
(b) Holidays. When the day for any regular meeting falls on a legal holiday,
no meeting shall be held on such holiday, but a meeting shall be held at the same hour
on the following business day unless the meeting has been either cancelled or
rescheduled to another day by the City Council.
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on the following business day unless the meeting has been either cancelled or
rescheduled to another day by the City Council.
(c) Meetings to be Public. All regular meetings of the Council shall be open to
the public and shall comply with all requirements of California Government Code
Section 54950 et seq.
(d) Order of Business. Council business shall normally proceed in the
following order. Roll call and closed session shall convene at 5:30 p.m. The City
Council will conclude the closed session by 6:00 p.m. or continue the closed session at a
later point in the meeting. Public hearings will commence at approximately 7:00 p.m.
2. Section 2-1.102 in Article 1 of Chapter 1 of Title 2 (Meetings) is hereby amended as
follows:
2-1.102 Special meetings.
Special meetings may be called at any time by the Mayor, or by three (3)
members of the Council, and shall be noticed pursuant to California Government Code
Section 54956.
All special meetings of the Council shall be open to the public and shall comply with all
requirements of California Government Code Section 54950 et seq.
3. Section 2-1.103 in Article 1 of Chapter 1 of Title 2 (Meetings) is hereby amended as
follows:
2-1.103 Closed sessions.
The Council may hold closed sessions during a regular or special meeting,
from which the public may be excluded, consistent with and for the purpose of
considering the matters referred to in the Ralph M. Brown Act and state law.
Disclosure of any confidential information that has been acquired by being
present in a closed session is prohibited in accordance with Government Code
Section 54963.
4. Section 2-1.104 in Article 1 of Chapter 1 of Title 2 (Meetings) is hereby amended as
follows:
2-1.104 Agenda.
All reports, communications, ordinances, resolutions, contract documents, and
other matters to be submitted to the Council at a regular meeting shall be delivered to the
City Cleric not later than 10:00 a.m. on the Thursday preceding the meeting. The City
Cleric shall prepare the agenda of all such matters under the direction of the City
Manager. The agenda shall be available to Council members not later than 3:00 p.m. on
the Friday preceding the Thursday Council meeting to which the agenda pertains, and it
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shall be made available to the public pursuant to the agenda posting requirements under
California Government Code Section 54954.2.
Matters to be considered at any special meeting shall be delivered to the City
Cleric at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the meeting.
The City Manager may place on the agenda for any regular or special
meeting any item which he or she deems of interest to the Council. Any member of
the City Council may place an item under the "Council Initiated Items" section of
an agenda, during which the City Council may consider the item and whether
further action or consideration would occur.
SECTION II. SEVERABILITY.
If any provision of this ordinance or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held
invalid or unconstitutional the remainder of this ordinance, including the application of such part
or provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby and shall continue in
full force and effect. To this end, provisions of this ordinance are severable. The City Council of
the Town of Los Altos Hills hereby declares that it would have passed each section, subsection,
subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause, or phrase hereof irrespective of the fact that any one or
more sections, subsections, subdivisions, paragraphs, sentences, clauses, or phrases be held
unconstitutional, invalid, or unenforceable.
SECTION III. EFFECTIVE DATE AND PUBLICATION.
This ordinance shall become effective thirty (30) days from the date of its final passage. Within
fifteen days after the passage of this ordinance, the City Clerk shall cause this ordinance or a
summary thereof to be published once, with the names of those City Councilmembers voting for
or against it in a newspaper of general circulation in the Town of Los Altos Hills, as required by
law.
INTRODUCED:
PASSED:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTENTIONS:
ABSENT:
April 15, 2021
May 20, 2021
Mayor Tankha, Vice Mayor Tyson, Councilmembers Mok, Schmidt and
Swan
None
None
None
1
Kavita Tankha, Mayor
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City Clerk,
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
City Attorney
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