HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 309 Amending Commission Meeting Attendance RequirementsORDINANCE NO. 309
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ARTICLE 2 -12
OF THE SARATOGA CITY CODE
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SARATOGA DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
Findings
1. The City of Saratoga wishes to amend Article 2 -12 of the City Code to clarify attendance
requirements pertaining to City Commissions.
2. The City Council of the City of Saratoga held a duly noticed public hearing on November
20, 2013 and after considering all testimony and written materials provided in connection
with that hearing, introduced this ordinance.
Therefore, the City Council hereby ordains as follows:
Section 1. Adoption.
The Saratoga City Code is amended as set forth below. Text to be added is indicated in double -
underlined font (e.g., double - underlined) and text to be deleted is indicated in strikeout font (e.g.,
strikeout). Text in standard font remains unchanged by this ordinance.
City Code Article 2 -12 City Commissions.
Section 2 -12 -040 Attendance
(a) Each Commissioner shall regularly attend meetings of the Commission of which he or
she is a member.
(b) Commissioners are expected to make Commission service a high priority and to make a
reasonable effort to attend all meetings. If a Commissioner is absent without permission
of the Chair (or, in the case of the Chair, the Mayor) from three eense^��e regular
Commission meetings in any twelve month period, the Commissioner's office becomes
vacant and shall be filled as any other vacancy unless the vacancy is excused by the City
Council in its sole discretion A Commissioner whose office has become vacant may
request the vacancy to be excused by filing a letter with the City Clerk within thirty_ f30)
days of the effective date of the vacancy. If a Commissioner is absent without
permission from two eenseetifive regular Commission meetings, the secretary of the
Commission shall mail to the Commissioner a courtesy notice of the requirements of
this section, provided, however, that such notice shall not operate as prerequisite to the
establishment of a vacancy pursuant to this Subsection (b) and that failure to mail such
notice shall not create any right of action in any Commissioner or any other person.
Section 2. Severance Clause
The City Council declares that each section, sub - section, paragraph, sub - paragraph, sentence, clause
and phrase of this ordinance is severable and independent of every other section, sub - section,
paragraph, sub - paragraph, sentence, clause and phrase of this ordinance. If any section, sub - section,
paragraph, sub - paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance is held invalid, the City
Council declares that it would have adopted the remaining provisions of this ordinance regardless of
the portion held invalid, and further declares its express intent that the remaining portions of this
ordinance should remain in effect after the invalid portion has been eliminated.
Section 3. California Environmental Quality Act
The proposed amendments to the City Code are Categorically Exempt from the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guideline sections 15061(b)(3) - the
general rule that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential of causing a significant
effect on the environment.
Section 4. Publication.
This ordinance or a comprehensive summary thereof shall be published in a newspaper of general
circulation of the City of Saratoga within fifteen days after its adoption.
Following a duly notice public hearing the foregoing ordinance was introduced and read at the
regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Saratoga held on the 20th day of November 2013
and was adopted by the following vote following a second reading on the December 4, 2013.
COUNCIL MEMBERS:
AYES: Mayor Emily Lo, Vice Mayor Howard Miller, Council Member Manny Cappello,
Chuck Page, Jill Hunter
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
SIGNED: — —
Emily Lo
MAYOR, CITY OF SARATOGA, CALIFORNIA
ATTEST:
(),,�2� J DATE:
Z!'ry(AM Bothelio .
CI LERK
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
DATE: 2 --s
Richard Taylor
CITY ATTORNEY