The City Council shall consist of seven members 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 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 person shall serve more than three terms as a member of the City Council whether consecutive or not. For purposes of this section, a partial term of more than two years shall count as one term.
These term limits shall apply to appointed terms as well as elected terms.
These term limits shall apply prospectively only to those terms of office that begin on or after the election at which this Charter amendment is adopted.
Note: Res. 6872CCS, adopted 6/26/84, amends Charter Section 1400 regarding election dates.
(Amended at General Municipal Election, November 3, 1992, certified by Res. No. 8503CCS; amended at General Municipal Election, November 6, 2018, certified by Res. No. 11154CCS)
No person shall be eligible to hold office as a member of the City Council unless he or she is a registered voter and otherwise qualified to vote for the office at the time that nomination papers are issued to him or her or at the time of his or her appointment to the office.
Note: Residency requirement is 30 days based on Johnson vs. Hamilton, California Supreme Court, October 27, 1975.
(Amended at General Municipal Election, November 7, 2006, certified by Res. No. 10187CCS)
The members of the City Council shall receive no compensation for their services, except as provided for below:
(a) 
The members of the City Council shall receive compensation in the amount of $750.00 each month. The Mayor shall receive compensation in the amount of $900.00 per month;
(b) 
Notwithstanding the amount provided for in paragraph (a) of this section, the compensation received by the members of the City Council and Mayor shall be automatically increased effective July 1 of each year, in an amount equal to the increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the twelve month period immediately preceding July 1. As used in this section, the CPI shall be the index for All Urban Consumers for the Los Angeles, Long Beach, Anaheim Metropolitan Area (All items), provided by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics or other comparable index as may be developed to take its place;
(c) 
The members of the City Council and Mayor shall receive medical, dental, health, and other benefits of employment paid for by the City, provided these benefits are routinely and customarily available and paid for by the City to City miscellaneous employees. The members of the City Council and Mayor shall receive reimbursement and allowance for travel and for other expenses related to their fulfilling their official duties and the holding of public office upon the same terms and conditions applicable to City departmental directors. The sums received pursuant to this paragraph shall not be included for purposes of determining monthly compensation under paragraph (a) of this section.
(Amended by Res. No. 1354CCS, adopted 12/14/54; amended at General Municipal Election, November 3, 1998)
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 following the next general municipal election and until the appointee’s successor is elected and qualified. At the next 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 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.
(Amended at General Municipal Election, November 3, 1992, certified by Res. No. 8503CCS)
(a) 
On the first Tuesday following any general or special municipal election at which City Councilmembers 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 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.
(b) 
Mayor Pro Tempore. The City Council shall also designate one of its members as Mayor Pro Tempore. The Mayor Pro Tempore shall perform the duties of the Mayor during the Mayor’s absence or disability.
(Amended at General Municipal Election, November 3, 1992, certified by Res. No. 8503CCS)
Exclusive of special levies permitted by this Charter, the City Council shall not levy a property tax in excess of One ($1.00) Dollar on each One Hundred ($100.00) Dollars of the assessed value of taxable property in the City for municipal purposes, unless authorized by the affirmative votes of two-thirds of the electors voting on the proposition at any election at which the question of such additional levy for municipal purposes is submitted to the electors.
There shall be levied and collected at the time and in the same manner as other property taxes for municipal purposes are levied and collected, as additional taxes, if no other provision for payment thereof is made:
(a) 
A tax sufficient to meet all liabilities of the City for principal and interest of all bonds or judgments due and unpaid, or to become due during the ensuing fiscal year; and
(b) 
A tax sufficient to meet all obligations of the City to the State Employes Retirement System, or other system for the retirement of City employes, due and unpaid or to become due during the ensuing fiscal year.
Special levies, in addition to the above, may be made annually, based on approved budget requirements, for the following specific purposes: parks, recreation and music, City planning, libraries, schools, advertising, and emergency care and relief of needy persons. The proceeds of any such special levy shall be used for no other purpose than that specified.
The bonded indebtedness of the City may not exceed the sum of ten (10%) percent of the total assessed valuation of property within the City, exclusive of any indebtedness that has been or may hereafter be incurred for the purpose of acquiring or establishing a system of waterworks for the supplying of water, or for the purpose of constructing sewers or drains in the City, for which purposes a further indebtedness may be incurred by the issuance of bonds, subject only to the provisions of the State Constitution and of this Charter.
The City Council shall, by ordinance, adopt procedures and requirements for the purchase of supplies and equipment; for the provision of personal services, including without limitation, professional consultant agreements in excess of $50,000; and for the award of bids for public works projects. Such an ordinance should preserve public confidence in the integrity and openness of the City contracting process, protect public funds, and insure that the City obtains materials or service of appropriate quality. To the extent permitted by law, the City Council shall adopt procedures which encourage the award of City contracts to disadvantaged or minority persons.
Pursuant to an ordinance duly adopted by the City Council, the personal services agreements subject to the dollar requirements of this Section may be adjusted by an amount no greater than the cumulative percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index as measured from the operative date of the last such adjustment, provided that such adjustments shall occur only once in any five year period. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) shall be the CPI for All Urban Consumers for the Los Angeles, Long Beach, Anaheim Metropolitan Area (All Items), provided by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics or other comparable index determined to be appropriate by the City Council.
(Amended by Res. No. 1354CCS, adopted 12/14/54; General Municipal Election, November 3, 1992, certified by Res. No. 8503CCS)
In the event that there is more than one newspaper of general circulation published in the City, the City Council annually, prior to the beginning of each fiscal year, shall publish a notice inviting bids and contract for the publication of all legal notices or other matter required to be published, in a newspaper of general circulation published and circulated in said City, during the ensuing fiscal year. In the event there is only one newspaper of general circulation published in the City, then the City Council shall have the power to contract with such newspaper for the printing and publishing of such legal notices without being required to advertise for bids therefor. The newspaper with which any such contract is made shall be designated the official newspaper for the publication of such notices or other matter for the period of such contract.
In no case shall the contract prices for such publication exceed the customary rates charged by such newspaper for the publication of legal notices of a private character.
In the event there is no official newspaper designated by the City Council, then all legal notices or other matter may be published by posting copies thereof in at least three public places in the City.
No defect or irregularity in proceedings taken under this section, or failure to designate an official newspaper, shall invalidate any publication where the same is otherwise in conformity with this Charter or law or ordinance.
Neither the City Council nor any of its members shall order or request directly or indirectly the appointment of any person to an office or employment or the removal of any person therefrom, by the City Manager, or by any of the department heads in the administrative service of the City. Except for the purpose of inquiry, the City Council and its members shall deal with the administrative service under the City Manager solely through the City Manager and neither the City Council nor any member shall give orders to any subordinates of the City Manager, either publicly or privately.
(Amended at General Municipal Election, November 3, 1992, certified by Res. No. 8503CCS)
The City Council shall hold regular meetings at least twice each month, at such times as it shall fix by ordinance or resolution and may adjourn or readjourn any regular meeting to a date certain, which shall be specified in the order of adjournment and when so adjourned, each adjourned meeting shall be a regular meeting for all purposes.
The City Council may call special or emergency meetings at locations, upon notice, and in accordance with procedures as permitted by law.
(Amended at General Municipal Election, November 3, 1992, certified by Res. No. 8503CCS)
Unless otherwise permitted by federal or state law, City Council meetings shall be open and accessible to all members of the public. The City Council may hold its meetings in the City Council Chambers of the City Hall or at such other locations as the City Council may by ordinance or resolution designate.
The City Council shall by ordinance establish procedures for informing the public of its meetings. The ordinance shall ensure that, to the maximum extent feasible, the public is provided with timely and adequate notice of City Council agenda and that the public is provided with the opportunity to comment on proposed City Council actions.
(Amended at General Municipal Election, November 3, 1992, certified by Res. No. 8503CCS)
Four members of the City Council shall constitute a quorum to do business, but a less number may adjourn from time to time. The City Council shall judge the qualifications of its members as set forth by the Charter and shall judge all election returns. Each member of the City Council shall have the power to administer oaths and affirmations in any investigation or proceeding pending before the City Council.
The City Council may establish rules for the conduct of its proceedings and punish any member or other person for disorderly conduct at any meetings. It shall have the power and authority to compel the attendance of witnesses, to examine them under oath, and to compel the production of evidence before it. Subpoenas may be issued in the name of the City and be attested by the City Clerk. Disobedience of such subpoenas, or the refusal to testify (upon other than constitutional grounds), shall constitute a misdemeanor.
The City Council shall cause the City Clerk to keep a correct record of all its proceedings, and at the demand of any member or upon the adoption of any ordinance, resolution, or order for the payment of money, the City Clerk shall call the roll and shall cause the ayes and noes taken on any question, to be entered in the minutes of the meeting.
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.
The affirmative votes of at least five members of the City Council shall be required for the adoption of an amendment to (a) the Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE) or (b) the Downtown Community Plan (DCP), where that amendment would increase the maximum height limit or floor area ratio specified in any land use designation in the LUCE or the DCP, except that this requirement shall not apply to 100% Affordable Housing Projects as defined in Section 9.52.020 of the Zoning Ordinance and development projects on property owned by the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District or successor school district in the City of Santa Monica. A vote on an amendment covered by this provision may only be taken when all members of the City Council eligible to vote are present. This requirement shall terminate on November 6, 2028.
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 a 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.
(Amended at General Municipal Election, November 6, 2018, certified by Res. No. 11154CCS; amended at General Municipal Election, November 3, 1992, certified by Res. No. 8503CCS)
In addition to such acts of the City Council as are required by statute or by this Charter to be by ordinance, every act of the City Council establishing a fine or other penalty or granting a franchise shall be by ordinance.
The enacting clause of all ordinances shall be substantially as follows: “The City Council of the City of Santa Monica does ordain as follows:”
The City Clerk shall cause each ordinance to be published at least once in the official newspaper within fifteen days after its adoption. The City Clerk may satisfy the requirement to publish each ordinance by causing a fair and impartial summary of the ordinance to be published within fifteen days after the ordinance’s adoption by posting a copy of the full ordinance in the office of the City Clerk. The City Attorney shall prepare the fair and impartial summary of each ordinance which is to be published by summary.
(Adopted at Municipal Election, 11/8/94)
Any and all ordinances of the City which have been enacted and published in the manner required at the time of their adoption, and which have not been repealed, may be compiled, consolidated, revised, indexed, and arranged as a comprehensive ordinance code, and such code may be adopted by reference by the passage of an ordinance for such purpose. Such code need not be published in the manner required for other ordinances, but not less than three copies thereof shall be filed, for use and examination by the public, in the office of the City Clerk, prior to the adoption thereof. Subsequent amendments to sections of the code shall be enacted in the same manner as herein required for the amendment of ordinances generally.
Detailed regulations pertaining to any subject, such as the construction of buildings, plumbing, wiring or other subjects which require extensive regulations, after having been arranged as a comprehensive code, may likewise be adopted by reference in the manner hereinabove provided.
No ordinance shall become effective until thirty days from and after the date of its adoption, except the following, which shall take effect upon adoption:
(a) 
An ordinance calling or otherwise relating to an election;
(b) 
An improvement proceeding ordinance adopted under some law, or procedural ordinance;
(c) 
An ordinance declaring the amount of money necessary to be raised by taxation, or fixing the rate of taxation; or
(d) 
An emergency ordinance adopted in the manner herein provided.
A violation of any ordinance of the City shall constitute a misdemeanor and may be prosecuted in the name of the people of the State of California or may be redressed by civil action. The maximum fine or penalty for any violation of a City ordinance shall be the sum of Five Hundred ($500.00) Dollars, or a term of imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months, or both such fine and imprisonment. The City Council may provide by ordinance that persons imprisoned in the City Jail for violation of law or ordinance may be compelled to labor on public works. This Section does not limit the City’s power to establish civil penalties or fines by ordinance.
(Adopted at General Municipal Election, 11/7/00, Measure MM)
The amendment of any section, or sections of an ordinance may be accomplished solely by the re-enactment of such section or sections at length as amended.
The City Council by ordinance shall at all times require that not less than thirty percent (30%) of all multifamily-residential housing newly constructed in the City on an annual basis is permanently affordable to and occupied by low and moderate income households. For purposes of this Section, “low income household” means a household with an income not exceeding sixty percent (60%) of the Los Angeles County median income, adjusted by family size, as published from time to time by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, and “moderate income household” means a household with an income not exceeding one hundred percent (100%) of the Los Angeles County median income, adjusted by family size, as published from time to time by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. At least fifty percent (50%) of the newly constructed units required to be permanently affordable by this Section shall be affordable to and occupied by low income households.
(Adopted at Municipal Election, 11/6/90, certified by Res. No. 8121CCS)
Subject only to limitations imposed by law, the City Council shall have full authority, without voter approval, to regulate use of the Santa Monica Airport, manage Airport leaseholds, condition leases, and permanently close all or part of the Airport to aviation use.
If all or part of the Airport land is permanently closed to aviation use, no new development of that land shall be allowed until the voters have approved limits on the uses and development that may occur on the land. However, this section shall not prohibit the City Council from approving the following on Airport land that has been permanently closed to aviation use: the development of parks, public open spaces, and public recreational facilities; and the maintenance and replacement of existing cultural, arts and education uses.
(Adopted at Municipal Election 11/4/14, certified by Res. No. 10850CCS)