çBEVERLYRLY
AGENDA REPORT
Meeting Date: December 3, 2024
Item Number:
To: Honorable Mayor & City Council
From: Laurence S. Wiener, City Attorney
Subject: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS AMENDING THE
BEVERLY HILLS MUNICIPAL CODE TO ELIMINATE THE RENT
STABILIZATION COMMISSION AND FINDING THE ORDINANCE
EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT
(CEQA)
Attachments: 1. Ordinance
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council move to waive the full reading and adopt the ordinance entitled: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS AMENDINGTHE BEVERLY HILLS MUNICIPAL CODE TO ELIMINATE THE RENT STABILIZATION
COMMISSION AND FINDING THE ORDINANCE EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA)
BACKGROUND
At its meeting of November 19, 2024, the City Council conducted a first reading and introduced this ordinance.
DISCUSSION
The City Council charged the Rent Stabilization Commission (“RSC”) with discussingand making recommendations on six specific topics. The RSC met regularly over the past four years to discuss the topics as directed by the Council. The RSC has concludedits discussions and made recommendations on each of the topics. Some recom’-’-ldations have already been reviewed, and some have been implemented.
Others are pending further consideration by the Council Liaisons and City Council. In light of the RSC completing its purpose, and pursuant to City Council direction, this ordinance will sunset the Rent Stabilization Committee.
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Meeting Date: December 3, 2024
FISCAL IMPACT
Sunsetting the RSC will result in a positive fiscal impact by reducing the staff time,resources, and direct costs associated with the RSC including preparation and distribution of agenda packets, conducting and televising meetings, commissioner recruitment, and general commission administration.
Laurence S. Wiener
City AttorneyApproved By
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Attachment
1 ORDINANCE NO. 24-0-
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS
AMENDING THE BEVERLY HILLS MUNICIPAL CODETO ELIMINATE THE RENT STABILIZATIONCOMMISSION AND FINDING THE ORDINANCEEXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTALQUALITY ACT (CEQA)
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. In 2018, the City Council amended Chapter 6 of Title 4 of the Beverly Hills Municipal Code to establish more comprehensive rent stabilization rules for the majority of rental units in the City that are subject to that Chapter of the Code, including regulations governing justcause evictions. The City Council further directed that the Rent Stabilization Commission(“Commission”) should be established to review and provide recommendations to the City Council regarding possible revisions to Chapter 5 and Chapter 6 of Title 4 of the Municipal Code that had not been resolved by the City Council and to undertake other tasks assigned by the City Council to the Commisssion from time to time. Accordingly, the City Council adopted an ordinance thatestablished the Commission and thereafter appointed members and alternates to serve on the Commission. The Commission subsequently conducted duly noticed public meetings and reviewed and analyzed the issues that the City Council had instructed the Commission to consider and provided recommendations to the City Council about those issues.
Section 2. On June 18, 2024, the City Council conducted a duly noticed study session and determined that because the Rent Stabilization Commission had completed the tasks that the City Council had assigned to the Commission, that the Commission was no longer necessary andshould be discontinued. -1-
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Section 3. This Ordinance and the elimination of the Commission were assessed in accordance with the authority and criteria contained in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the State CEQA Guidelines, and the environmental regulations of the City. The CityCouncil finds that the elimination of the Commission and the adoption of this Ordinance will nothave a significant environmental impact and is exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 1506 l(b)(3) of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, which states that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Thisexemption is applicable because this Ordinance is making a change to the Beverly Hills Municipal Code that eliminates an administrative body that provides recommendations to the City Council regarding rent stabilization issues. Therefore, it can be seen with certainty that this Ordinance and the elimination of the Commission have no potential to cause a significant effect on the environment.
Section 4. The City Council hereby repeals Article 5 (“Rent Stabilization Commission”) of Chapter 2 of Title 2 of the Beverly Hills Municipal Code.
Section 5. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2-2-105 D of the Beverly Hills Municipal Code, former members and alternates of the Rent Stabilization Commission shall not be required to wait one year after the end of their term of service on the Commission beforeapplying to serve on another City commission.
Section 6. Severability. If any section, subsection, subdivision, sentence, clause, phrase, or portion of this Ordinance or the application thereof to any person or place, is for anyreason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by the final decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this Ordinance shall be and remain in full force and effect. -2-
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Section 7. Publication. The City Clerk shall cause this Ordinance to be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation published and circulated in the City within fifteen (15) days after its passage in accordance with Section 36933 ofthe Government Code, shall certify to the adoption of this Ordinance, and shall cause this Ordinance and her certification, togetherwith proof of publication, to be entered in the Book of Ordinances of the Council of this City.
Section 8. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall go into effect and be in full force and effect at 12:01 a.m. on the thirty-first (3 1st) day after its passage.
Adopted:Effective:
LESTER J. FRIEDMANMayor of the City of Beverly Hills,
California
ATTEST:
_____________________(SEAL)
HUMA AHMEDCity Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM: APPROVED AS TO CONTENT:LAURENCE S. WIENER NANCY HUNT-COFFEY City Attorney City Manager
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