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PETITION FOR SUBMISSION TO VOTERS OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE CHARTER AND MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA

            To the City Council of the City of Santa Monica:

            We the undersigned, registered and qualified voters of the State of California, residents of the City of Santa Monica, pursuant to Section 3 of Article XI of the California Constitution and Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 34450) of part 1 of Division 2 of Title 4 of the Government Code, present to the City Council of the City of Santa Monica this petition and request that the following proposed amendment to the charter of the City and proposed municipal ordinance be submitted immediately to the registered and qualified voters of the City for their adoption or rejection at a special election on a date to be determined by the City Council pursuant to sections 9214 & 9255 of Division 9 of the Elections Code.

The proposed charter amendment and proposed ordinance read as follows (with amended language in bold face type and deleted language in strike out type):

SECTION I – TITLE

This measure shall be known and may be cited as "Voters Election Reform Initiative for a True Accountability System"("VERITAS")

 

SECTION II – FINDINGS AND DECLARATIONS

The People find and declare as follows:

    1. The Mayor of Santa Monica should be elected by, and accountable to, the People of Santa Monica. Currently, the Mayor is chosen only by the seven City Council members.
    2. Political power should not be concentrated in the hands of a few long City Council incumbents. Such concentrated power stifles competition and discourages other qualified candidates from seeking office. Responsible limits on consecutive terms for City Council members and the Mayor will make the electoral process more democratic.
    3. Every neighborhood in Santa Monica should have an equal voice on the City Council. Currently, some Santa Monica neighborhoods are less frequently represented, or not represented at all on the City Council. In particular, no City Council member has ever been elected from the Pico Neighborhood.
    4. Our system of democratic government depends upon representatives who are accountable to the citizens they serve. To improve accountability, Council members should reside in and be elected from every neighborhood in the City. Neighborhood district elections will promote more personal contact with Council representatives, insure a wider and more diversified range of input on issues before the Council, reduce the reliance upon City-wide slate mailings, and decrease the cost of running for office.
    5. The VERITAS neighborhood districts give a voice and a vote to all seven of Santa Monica’s historic neighborhood areas, balanced according to census data as required by law. The first neighborhood districts to hold elections shall include the Pico Neighborhood, the Mid-City Area, and the North of Montana areas.
    6. The Council Members and Mayor should be elected by a majority of the voters. Currently, Council Members usually are elected with substantially less than a fifty percent (50%) majority vote. To assure that Council Members and the Mayor are elected by the largest number of the voters, a Primary Municipal Election shall be held at the same time as the California state primary. If no City Council candidate receives more than 50% of the qualified votes cast in his or her district, then the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes cast shall run in the General Municipal Election where the candidate receiving the highest number of votes cast shall be elected to that district office. In the same way, if no candidate for Mayor receives more than 50% of the qualified votes cast city wide at the Primary Municipal Election, then the two candidates for Mayor receiving the highest number of votes cast shall run in the General Municipal Election where the candidate receiving the highest number of votes cast shall be elected Mayor.
    7. The Mayor shall preside over meetings of the City Council. The Mayor may veto any ordinance. The Council may override a veto upon a two-third majority vote (a five vote majority.)
    8. VERITAS implements three fundamental American traditions: FIRST, VERITAS balances the power of the at-large elected chief official with that of the elected legislative body. The power of the Mayor to veto legislation (like the U.S. President and the Governor of California) is counter-balanced by the power of the City Council to override a veto with a two-thirds majority vote (power also given to the U.S. Congress and the California legislature). SECOND, VERITAS balances the at-large election of the government’s chief official, the Mayor (similar to the U.S. President and the Governor of California), with the equal-population, geographical based election of the legislative body, the City Council (similar to the U.S. House of Representatives and the California Senate and Assembly.) THIRD, the election of the U.S. President, California Governor, U.S. Senators, U.S. Representatives, California Senators, and the California Assembly Members ALL utilize a Primary Election, followed by a General Election. VERITAS implements a Santa Monica Municipal Primary to be held every two years at the same time as the California State Primary in even numbered years, and a Santa Monica General Municipal Election held at the same time as the California General Election in even numbered years.
    9. The VERITAS reforms, which include neighborhood district elections, term limits, a municipal primary, and the election of an at-large Mayor by the people, will strengthen our city manager form of government by creating a more accurate and effective method for the People to communicate their will to the city government.
    10. The VERITAS seven neighborhood districts comply with the criteria established in the ordinance and constitute natural neighborhood areas of contiguous and compact territory bounded by natural boundaries or street lines, and will provide fair representation on the City Council.
    11. The voters understand that the district boundaries that may be used if the first elections under districts are held in 2002 were drawn without the benefit of the census data published for the decennial census in 2001; the people find that the City of Santa Monica is a built-out community and that the distribution of its population has remained relatively stable among its neighborhoods; and believe that the proposed district boundaries will create districts nearly equal in size both before and after 2001 census.

 

 

SECTION III – PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO CITY CHARTER

Section 600, of Article VI, of the City Charter, is amended to read:

600 Number and, term & Districts.

(a)The City Council shall consist of seven voting members elected from the City by district and one Mayor elected from the city at large, at the times and in the manner in this Charter provided, and who shall serve for a term of four years. The mayor shall be a non-voting member of the Council unless his or her vote is needed to break a tie.

The term of all members shall commence on the first Tuesday following such election and each member shall serve until the member’s successor is elected and qualified. Any ties in voting shall be settled by the casting of lots.

No member of the City Council or Mayor may serve more than two consecutive four year terms for the same office. Nothing in this section shall work to prevent any person from serving any number of non-consecutive terms. Any person serving on the City Council or as Mayor for two or more years of a four year term shall be deemed, for the purpose of this section, to have served one term. This limitation on the number of terms of office which City Council members or the Mayor may serve shall apply only to terms of office which begin immediately following the municipal election at which this Charter amendment is adopted or following the next municipal election for Council Members if the Charter amendment is adopted at a special election in which no council candidates seek office.

(b) The seven voting members of the City Council shall be elected by seven districts as established by separate ordinance. These districts shall be used for the election or recall of members of the City Council, and for the filling of any vacancy in the City Council by appointment.

(c) Within 60 days following the publication of the decennial federal census beginning in 2010, the City Clerk shall determine the total population of the City of Santa Monica and each of the seven districts and report its findings to the City Council. If any district deviates more than the maximum percentage allowable under established law, the City Clerk shall convene the District Elections Task Force in the manner set forth in the Municipal Code.

(d) For the purpose of nominating and electing the seven members of the City Council by districts, the first election under this Charter Amendment shall be held in 2002 at the next municipal primary and general elections as defined in Section 1400 following adoption of this Charter amendment. The 2002 elections shall be for the purpose of electing the Mayor and electing at least three other Council Members to take the seats of the three incumbents whose terms expire following the 2002 election. Among the first districts to be established for Council Member elections by districts shall be the Pico Neighborhood, North of Montana, and Mid-City Area districts as described and set forth by ordinance separately adopted. The election for Council Members from the remaining districts shall be held at the next municipal primary and general election two years later.

(e) Any Council Member in office at the time this Charter Amendment takes effect may continue in office until his or her term in office expires. A Council Member who resides in the first districts from which Council Members shall be elected, and whose term of office does not expire immediately following the first municipal general election under districts, may run for a district council seat at the first municipal primary election under districts, and if elected shall vacate his or her "at large" seat.

Section 601, of Article VI, of the City Charter, shall be amended to read:

601 Eligibility.

No person shall be eligible to hold office as a member of the City Council unless he shall be a qualified elector at the time of his nomination, and shall have been a resident for the City for at least two years preceding the date of his election or appointment.

  1. No person shall be eligible to hold office as a City Council Member unless he or she is a qualified elector in the district for which he or she seeks office for at least thirty days prior to the first date for filing as a candidate or thirty days prior to appointment to fill a vacancy on the City Council.
  2. No person shall be eligible to hold office as the Mayor unless he or she is a qualified elector in the City for at least thirty days prior to the first date for filing as a candidate for Mayor.

Section 603 of article VI of the City Charter shall be amended to read:

603 Vacancies.

            A vacancy in the City Council from whatever cause arising, shall be filled by appointment by the City Council, such appointee to hold office until the first Tuesday in December following the next general municipal election and until the appointee’s successor is elected and qualified. At the next Primary and General Municipal election following any vacancy, a Councilmember shall be elected to serve for the remainder of any unexpired term.

            If a member of the City Council is absent from all regular meetings of the City Council for a period of sixty days consecutively from and after the last regular City Council meeting attending attended by such member, unless by permission of the City Council expressed in its official minutes, or is convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude, or ceases to be an elector of the City, the City Councilmember’s office shall become vacant and shall be so declared by the City Council.

            In the event the City Council shall fail to fill a vacancy by appointment within thirty days after such office shall have been declared vacant, it shall forthwith cause an election to be held to fill such vacancy, such election to occur at least 88 days but no longer than 103 days following expiration of the thirty days.

Section 604 of Article VI of the City Charter shall be amended to read:

604 Presiding Officer. Mayor.

  1. On the first Tuesday following any general or special municipal election at which City Council members are elected, the City Council shall meet and shall elect one of its members as its presiding officer, who shall have the title of mayor. The Mayor shall have a voice and vote in all its proceedings. The Mayor shall preside over all proceedings of the City Council, set proceeding agendas, have a voice in all proceedings, but may not vote in any proceeding, except for the purpose of breaking a tie. The Mayor shall serve as the city council’s liaison with the city manager. The Mayor shall represent the City in intergovernmental relations in accordance with City policy and supervise the City’s intergovernmental function. The Mayor shall be the official head of the City for all ceremonial purposes. The Mayor shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by this charter or as may be imposed by the City Council consistent with the Mayor’s office. The Mayor shall serve in such capacity at the pleasure of the City Council.
  2. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter, in the event of a vacancy in the office of Mayor due to resignation, death, incapacitation, or other similar circumstance, the City Council shall call a special election to occur within ninety days of the effective date of the vacancy for the purpose of electing a new Mayor.
  3. Any candidate in a special election conducted pursuant to subdivision (b) who receives more than 50% of the qualified votes shall assume office as Mayor as soon as practicable following the official certification of the election results. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the qualified votes, a runoff election shall be held within sixty days of the special election between the two candidates who received the most votes in the special election.

(bd) Mayor Pro Tempore. The City Council Mayor shall also designate one of its the voting
City Council Members as Mayor Pro Tempore. The Mayor pro Tempore shall perform the
duties of the Mayor during the Mayor’s temporary absence or disability. The Mayor Pro
Tempore shall serve in such capacity at the pleasure of the Mayor.

Section 612 of Article VI, of the City Charter shall be amended to read:

612. Special and emergency meetings.

            The Mayor or the City Council may call special emergency meetings at locations, upon notice, and in accordance with procedures as permitted by law.
 

Section 615 of Article VI, of the City Charter shall be amended to read:

615 Adoption of ordinances and resolutions.

(a) Introduction and passage.

With the sole exception of ordinances which take effect upon adoption, hereinafter referred to, no ordinance shall be adopted by the City Council on the day of its introduction, nor within five days thereafter, nor at any time other than at a regular or adjourned regular meeting. At the time of adoption of an ordinance or resolution it shall be read in full, unless, after the reading of the title thereof, the further reading thereof is waived by unanimous consent of the City Councilmembers present. In the event that any ordinance is altered after its introduction, the same shall not be finally adopted except at a regular or adjourned regular meeting, held not less than five days after the date upon which such ordinance was so altered. The correction of typographical or clerical errors shall not constitute the making of an alteration within the meaning of the foregoing sentence.

No order for the payment of money shall be adopted or made at any other than a regular or adjourned regular meeting. The affirmative votes of at least four members of the City Council shall be required for the enactment of any ordinance or resolution, or for the making or approving of any order for the payment of money. Emergency Ordinances. Any ordinance declared by the City Council to be necessary as an emergency measure for preserving the public peace, health or safety and containing at statement of the reasons for its urgency, may be introduced and adopted at one and the same meeting if passed by at least five affirmative votes.

(b) Presentation to Mayor.

Every ordinance passed by the Council shall, before it becomes effective, be signed by the City Clerk or other person authorized by the Council, and be presented to the Mayor for approval and signature. The mayor may not veto any Charter Amendment proposed by the Council nor any non-binding statement of intent proposed by the Council. If the mayor vetoes the ordinance, the Mayor shall endorse on it the date of its presentation to him or her, and return it to the City Clerk with a written veto statement of objections to the ordinance. The City Clerk shall endorse the veto statement on the ordinance the date of its return to him or her. If the Mayor does not approve or veto an ordinance in accordance with this section within ten days after its presentation to him or her, the ordinance shall be as effective as signed by the Mayor.

(c) Override by council.

The City Clerk shall present the ordinance, with the objections of the Mayor, at the first Council meeting after the Clerk has received the Mayor’s objections. The Council may pass any ordinance over the veto of the Mayor within 30 days after the objections of the Mayor are presented to the Council, by a five-member vote of the Council if a four-member vote were required for the passage of the original ordinance. If five or more votes were required for the passage of the original ordinance, the same number of votes required for the passage of the original ordinance shall be required to override the Mayor’s veto.

Section 700 of Article VII., of the City Charter, shall be amended to read:

700. Officers to be appointed by the City Council.

            The City Council shall appoint the City Manager and the City Attorney, which positions shall not be in the Classified Service, and who may be removed by motion of the City Council adopted by at least five affirmative votes. The Mayor shall have the right to vote in all matters concerning the removal of either the City Manager or the City Attorney.

            It shall also appoint the City Clerk, which position shall be in the Classified Service.

            The provisions of this section shall take effect and control over any other provisions of this Charter in conflict with this section.

Section 1400, of Article XIV of the City Charter shall be amended to read:

  1. General Municipal Elections.

General Municipal Elections for the filling of elective office shall be held in said City on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November in each even numbered year commencing with the year 1984.

For those elected officers whose terms are to expire in April 1985, those terms shall expire in November 1984. For those elected officers whose terms are scheduled to expire in April 1987, those terms shall expire in November 1984. For those elected officers whose terms are scheduled to expire in April 1987, those terms shall expire in November 1986. The elections to fill said office shall be held on the election days established pursuant to this Article. The terms of the officers elected in November of even numbered years shall begin on the first Tuesday following their elections.

  1. Primary Municipal Elections for the filing of elective office shall be held on the date of the California state primary held in even numbered years, commencing immediately following adoption of this Charter Amendment requiring elections by district for City Council Members and city-wide for Mayor, and thereafter. General Municipal Elections for the filling of elective office shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November in each even numbered year.
  2. If no City Council candidate receives a majority of the vote in a district in the Primary Municipal Election, the two persons in the district receiving the highest number of votes in the primary shall run in the General Municipal Election. In the General Municipal Election, the candidate receiving the highest number of votes in the district shall be the Council Member for that district.
  3. If no mayoral candidate receives a majority of the vote city wide in the Primary Municipal Election, the two persons in the city receiving the highest number of votes in the primary shall run in the General Municipal Election. In the General Municipal Election. In the General Municipal Election, the candidate receiving the highest number of votes in the city shall be elected Mayor.
  4. The terms of the officers elected in even-numbered years shall begin on the first Tuesday in December following the General Municipal Election.
  5. Each ballot in any Primary, General, or Special Municipal Election shall provide an opportunity for voters to write-in for each office on the ballot, the name of any person whose name does not appear on the ballot and whom the voter wishes to vote.
  6. The provisions of this Section shall take effect and control over any other provisions of this Charter in conflict with this Section.

 

SECTION IV- PROPOSED ORDINANCE FOR MUNICIPAL CODE

                Section 11.04.190 is added to the Santa Monica Municipal Code to read as follows:

  1. At such time as the voters of Santa Monica mandate City Council elections by district, seven City Council Districts shall be bounded and described as follows until and unless redefined in the manner set forth in the charter of the city. In the first group of districts to select Council Members shall be the districts described as the Pico Neighborhood, North of Montana, and Mid-City Area. In the second group of districts to select Council Members two years later shall be the districts described as Sunset Park, the Wilshire Corridor, and Ocean Park. The remaining district, the City Center-North Wilshire district, shall be included in the first election to include four City Council districts. The City Clerk shall assign odd or even numbers to the districts in her or her discretion depending on whether the first election for districts is held in a year with a group of three seats up for election or four seats up for election and depending on whether the first City Center – North of Wilshire district election is to fill an unexpired term for two years or to fill a four year term.
  1. One Council Member District which shall be called the CITY CENTER-NORTH OF WILSHIRE DISTRICT is hereby established as all that portion of the City of Santa Monica, commencing on the point of the intersection of the southwestern boundary of the City of Santa Monica and the northwestern boundary of the City of Santa Monica (the westernmost point of the City); thence northeasterly along the said northwestern boundary line to the intersection of said boundary line with the center line of Fourth Street; thence southeasterly along the center line of Fourth Street to the center of the intersection of Fourth Street and Montana Avenue; thence northeasterly along the center line of Montana avenue to the center of intersection of Montana Avenue and Sixth Street; thence southeasterly along the center line of Sixth Street to the center of the intersection of Sixth Street and Wilshire Boulevard; thence northeasterly along the center line of Wilshire Boulevard to the center of the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Seventh Street; thence southeasterly along the center line of Seventh Street to the center of the intersection of Seventh Street and Colorado Avenue; thence northeasterly along the center line of Colorado Avenue to the center of the intersection of Colorado Avenue and Lincoln Boulevard; thence southeasterly along the center line of Lincoln Boulevard to the center of the intersection of Lincoln Boulevard and Pico Boulevard; thence southwesterly along the center line of Pico Boulevard and Sixth Street; thence southeasterly along the center line of Sixth Street to the center of the intersection of Sixth Street and Bay Street; thence southwesterly along the center line of bay Street to the center of the intersection of Bay Street and Sixth Street; thence southeasterly along the center line of Sixth Street to the center of the intersection of Sixth Street and Pacific Street; thence southwesterly along the center line of Pacific Street to the center of the intersection of pacific Street and Fourth Street; thence northwesterly along the center line of Fourth Street to the center of the intersection of Fourth Street and Bicknell Avenue; thence southwesterly along the center line of Bicknell Avenue and its prolongation to the southwestern boundary line of the City of Santa Monica; thence northwesterly along said southwestern boundary line to the point of beginning;
  2. One Council Member District which shall be called the NORTH OF MONTANA DISTRICT is hereby established as all that portion of the City of Santa Monica, commencing on the point at the center of the intersection of Fourth Street and Montana Avenue; thence northwesterly along the center line of Fourth Street to the northwestern boundary line of the City of Santa Monica; thence northeasterly along said northwestern boundary line to the northeastern boundary line of the City of Santa Monica; thence southeasterly along said northeastern boundary line to the intersection of said northeastern boundary line and the northwestern boundary line of the City of Santa Monica; thence northeasterly along said northwestern boundary line to the northeastern boundary line of the City of Santa Monica; thence southeasterly along said northeastern boundary line to the intersection of said northeastern boundary line and the northwestern boundary line of the City of Santa Monica; thence northeasterly along said northwestern boundary line to the northeastern boundary line of the City of Santa Monica; thence southeasterly along said northeastern boundary line to the intersection of said northeastern boundary line and the center line of Wilshire Boulevard; thence southwesterly along the center line of Wilshire Boulevard to the center of the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Twenty-first Street; thence northwesterly along the center line of Twenty-first Street to the center of the intersection of Twenty-first Street and Idaho Avenue; thence southwesterly along the center line of Idaho Avenue to the center of the intersection of Idaho Avenue and Twentieth Street; thence northwesterly along the center line of Twentieth Street to the center of the intersection of Twentieth Street and Montana Avenue; thence southwesterly along the center line of Montana Avenue to the point of beginning;
  3. One Council Member district which shall be called the WILSHIRE CORRIDOR DISTRICT is hereby established compromising all that portion of the City of Santa Monica, commencing on the point at the center of the intersection of Sixth Street and Wilshire Boulevard; thence northwesterly along the center line of Sixth Street to the center of the intersection of Sixth Street and Montana Avenue; thence northeasterly along the center line of Montana Avenue to the center of the intersection of Montana Avenue and Twentieth Street; thence southeasterly along the center line of Twentieth Street to the center of the intersection of Twentieth Street and Idaho Avenue; thence northeasterly along the center line of Idaho Avenue to the center of the intersection of Idaho Avenue and Twenty-first Street; thence southeasterly along the center line of Twenty-first Street to the center of the intersection of Twenty-first Street and Wilshire Boulevard; thence southwesterly along the center line of Wilshire Boulevard to the point of beginning;
  4. One Council Member District which shall be called the MID-CITY AREA DISTRICT is hereby established comprising all that portion of the City of Santa Monica, commencing on the point at the intersection of the center line of Colorado Avenue and the northeastern boundary line of the City of Santa Monica; thence southwesterly along the center line of Colorado Avenue to the center of the intersection of Colorado Avenue and Twentieth Street; thence northwesterly along the center line of Twentieth Street to the center of the intersection of Twentieth Street and Santa Monica Boulevard; thence southwesterly along the center line of Santa Monica Boulevard to the center of the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Sixteenth Street; thence southeasterly along the center line of Sixteenth Street to the center of the intersection of Sixteenth Street and Broadway; thence southwesterly along the center line of Broadway to the center of the intersection of Broadway and Eleventh Street; thence southeasterly along the center line of Eleventh Street to the center of the intersection of Eleventh Street and Colorado Avenue; thence southwesterly along the center line of Colorado Avenue to the center of the intersection of Colorado Avenue and Seventh Street; thence northwesterly along the center line of Seventh Street to the center of the intersection of Seventh Street and Wilshire Boulevard; thence northeasterly along the center line of Wilshire Boulevard to the intersection of the center line of Wilshire Boulevard and the northeastern boundary line of the City of Santa Monica; thence southeasterly along said northeastern boundary line to the point of beginning;
  5. One Council Member District which shall be called the OCEAN PARK DISTRICT is hereby established comprising all that portion of the City of Santa Monica, commencing on the point where the southwestern boundary line of the City of Santa Monica intersects the prolongation of the center line of Bicknell Avenue; thence northeasterly along the center line of Bicknell Avenue to the center of the intersection of Bicknell Avenue and Fourth Street; thence southeasterly along the center line of Fourth Street to the center of the intersection of Fourth Street and Pacific Street; thence northeasterly along the center line of Pacific Street to the center of the intersection of Pacific Street and Sixth Street; thence northwesterly along the center line of Sixth to the center of the intersection of Sixth Street and Bay Street; thence northeasterly along the center line of Bay Street to the center of the intersection of Bay Street and Sixth Street; thence northwesterly along the center line of Sixth Street to the center of the intersection of Sixth Street and Pico Boulevard; thence northeasterly along the center line of Pico Boulevard to the center of the intersection of Pico Boulevard and Eleventh Street; thence southeasterly along the center line of Eleventh Street to the center of the intersection of Eleventh Street and Marine Street; thence southwesterly along the center line of Marine Street to the center of the intersection of Marine Street and Lincoln Boulevard; thence southeasterly along the center line of Lincoln Boulevard to the southeastern boundary line of the City of Santa Monica; thence southwesterly along said southeastern boundary line to the southwestern boundary line of the City of Santa Monica; thence northwesterly along said southwestern boundary to the point of beginning;
  6. One Council Member District which shall be called the PICO NEIGHBORHOOD DISTRICT is hereby established comprising all that portion of the City of Santa Monica, commencing on the point at the center of the intersection of Lincoln Boulevard and Pico Boulevard; thence northwesterly along the center line of Lincoln boulevard to the center of the intersection of Lincoln Boulevard and Colorado Avenue; thence northeasterly along the center line of Colorado Avenue to the center of the intersection of Colorado Avenue and Eleventh Street; thence northwesterly along the center line of Eleventh Street to the center of the intersection of Eleventh Street and Broadway; thence northeasterly along the center line of Broadway to the center of the intersection of Broadway and Sixteenth Street; thence northwesterly along the center line of Sixteenth Street to the center of the intersection of Sixteenth Street and Santa Monica Boulevard; thence northeasterly along the center line of Santa Monica Boulevard to the center of the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Twentieth Street; thence southeasterly along the center line of Twentieth Street to the center of the intersection Twentieth Street to the center of the intersection of Twentieth Street and Colorado avenue; thence northeasterly along the center line of Colorado Avenue to the northeastern boundary line of the City of Santa Monica; thence southeasterly along said northeastern boundary line to the intersection of said boundary line with the center line of Pico Boulevard; thence southwesterly along the center line of Pico Boulevard to the point of beginning;
  7. One Council Member District which shall be called the SUNSET PARK DISTRICT is hereby established comprising all that portion of the City of Santa Monica, commencing on the point at the center of the intersection of Pico Boulevard and Eleventh Street; thence northeasterly along the center line of Pico Boulevard to the northeastern boundary line of the City of Santa Monica; thence southeasterly along said northeastern boundary line to the southeastern boundary line of the City of Santa Monica; thence southwesterly along said southeastern boundary line to the intersection of said boundary line and the center line Lincoln Boulevard; thence northwesterly along the center line of Lincoln Boulevard to the center of the intersection of Lincoln Boulevard and Marine Street; thence northeasterly along the center line of Marine Street to the center of the intersection Marine Street and Eleventh Street; thence northwesterly along the center line of Eleventh Street to the point of beginning.

 

  1. The City Clerk shall convene the District Elections Task Force for the purpose of reapportionment of council districts following the decennial federal census every decade. The District Elections Task Force shall consist of nine members. The City Council shall appoint two Santa Monica residents as members of the Task Force. The City Clerk shall appoint one Santa Monica resident from each of the seven districts. The City Clerk and City Attorney shall serve on the Task Force as non-voting, ex-officio members.
  2. The District Elections Task Force shall recommend to the City Council for its final adoption the boundaries of any or all of the districts herein established. The boundaries so defined shall be established in such manner that the districts shall, as nearly as practicable, represent the geographical areas herein established, constitute natural neighborhood areas of contiguous and compact territory bounded by natural boundaries or street lines, and provide fair representation on the City Council. Population variations between districts should be limited to the maximum percentage allowable under established law. Within the maximum percentage allowable under established law, care should be taken to prevent dividing or diluting the voting power of minorities and/or to keep recognized neighborhoods intact; provided, however, that the redistricting provided for herein shall conform to the rule of one person, one vote, and shall reflect communities of interest within the city. The District Elections Task Force shall hold at least three public hearings to seek public input. The District Elections Task Force shall report its conclusions to the City Council within ninety days of its appointment. If the City Council fails to adopt the new proposed boundaries as recommended by the District Elections Task Force, the new proposed boundaries shall be submitted to a vote of the people at a special election to be held not less than 88 days nor more than 103 days later.
  3. If the initial district boundaries established by the Voters Election Reform Initiative True Accountability System are found to deviate more than the maximum percentage allowable under established law following publication of the decennial federal census published in 2001, and the districts are established at a special election in 2001, there will not be sufficient time for the District Elections Task Force to recommend, and the City Council and/or the voters to approve a redistricting plan before the period for a candidate to file a declaration of intent to become a candidate in March 2002. Therefore, the first district elections may be held under the district boundaries set forth above and the first reapportionment of the proposed council district boundaries following the 2001 census shall occur prior to the 2004 election.

 

SECTION V

                        If any portion of this initiative is declared invalid by a Court, the remaining portions are to be considered valid, in full force and effect, and to that extent the remaining portions are deemed to be severable.

                        All lawful ordinances, resolutions, rules and regulations, and portions thereof, in force at the time these Charter Amendments and ordinances take effect and not in conflict or inconsistent herewith, are hereby continued in force until the same shall have been duly repealed, amended, changed or superseded by proper authority.

                        Except as otherwise provided, the provisions of this measure shall become effective immediately and applied prospectively.


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