AGENDA REPORT
Meeting Date: August 19, 2025
Item Number:
To: Honorable Mayor & City Council
From: Mark G. Stainbrook, Chief of Police
Subject: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS AMENDING THE
BEVERLY HILLS MUNICIPAL CODE TO SUNSET THE CHARITABLE
SOLICITATIONS COMMISSION AND FINDING THE ORDINANCE
EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT
(CEQA)
Attachments: 1. Ordinance
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council waive the full reading and introduce by title only the ordinance entitled, “ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS AMENDING
THE BEVERLY HILLS MUNICIPAL CODE TO SUNSET THE CHARITABLE
SOLICITATIONS COMMISSION AND FINDING THE ORDINANCE EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA)”.
INTRODUCTION
On March 18, 2025, at its regularly scheduled meeting, the City Council unanimously voted to sunset the Charitable Solicitations Commission, effective July 1, 2025.
Additionally, the Council voted to waive the standard one-year waiting period for members whose terms would have extended beyond that date, thereby allowing them to apply for another commission appointment without delay.
DISCUSSION
The City Council determined that, due to changes in solicitations regulation, enforcement, and access to information since the Commission’s establishment in 1962, the Commission’s responsibilities have shifted to administrative functions, which are currently handled primarily by the Beverly Hills Police Department. Therefore, the Commission is E-5
Meeting Date: August 19, 2025
no longer necessary and should be discontinued. Further, the City Council determined that, although the Commission should be discontinued, the Beverly Hills Municipal Code should be amended to include the Commission’s existing policy requiring that, for permitted solicitations for charitable events, at least 50 percent of contributions be used for charitable purposes.
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.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact on the proposed action.
Mark G. Stainbrook,
Chief of Police
Approved By
Attachment 1
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ORDINANCE NO. 25-O-________
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS
AMENDING THE BEVERLY HILLS MUNICIPAL CODE
TO SUNSET THE CHARITABLE SOLICITATIONS
COMMISSION AND FINDING THE ORDINANCE
EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL
QUALITY ACT (CEQA)
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 2 of the Beverly Hills Municipal Code established a Charitable Solicitations Commission (the “Commission”) to review and provide recommendations to the City Council regarding applications for permits for charitable or religious solicitation purposes, to evaluate the fiscal health of nonprofit organizations and recommend eligible organizations for community grant funds and funding allocations, and perform such other functions and duties as designated by the City Council from time to time. Accordingly, the City Council has appointed members and alternates to serve on the Commission, and the Commission has 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. At a duly noticed Regular Meeting on March 18, 2025, the City Council determined that, due to changes in solicitations regulation, enforcement and access to information since the Commission’s establishment in 1962, the Commssion’s responsibilities have shifted to administrative functions which are currently handled primarily by the Beverly Hills Police Department. Therefore, the Commission is no longer necessary and should be discontinued.
Further, the City Council determined that, although the Commission should be discontinued, the -2-
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Beverly Hills Municipal Code should be amended to include the Commission’s existing policy requiring that, for permitted solicitations for charitable events, at least 50 percent of contributions be used for charitable purposes.
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 City Council finds that the elimination of the Commission and the adoption of this Ordinance will not have a significant environmental impact and is exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15061(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. This exemption 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 charitable solicitation 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 in its entirety Article 6 (“Charitable Solicitations Commission”) of Chapter 2 (“Commissions and Committee”) of Title 2 (“Administration, Personnel, and Procedures”) of the Beverly Hills Municipal Code.
Section 5. The City Council hereby repeals Section 4-3-805 (“Review of Applications by Charitable Solicitations Commission”) of Article 8 (“Charitable Solicitations”) of Chapter 3 (“Other Activities Requiring Regulatory Permits”) of Title 4 (“Regulation of Certain Types of Businesses and Activities”) of the Beverly Hills Municipal Code. -3-
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Section 6. The City Council hereby amends Section 4-3-806 (“Commission Recommendation”) of Article 8 (“Charitable Solicitations”) of Chapter 3 (“Other Activities Requiring Regulatory Permits”) of Title 4 (“Regulation of Certain Types of Businesses and Activities”) of the Beverly Hills Municipal Code to read as follows:
4-3-806: CHARITABLE SOLICITATIONS PERMIT AUTHORIZED:
The City official empowered to act on the application shall grant or deny the permit based on the criteria set forth in Section 4-3-807 within fourteen (14) days after filing of the application, and shall grant or deny the renewal of an existing permit prior to the expiration of such permit.
Section 7. The City Council hereby amends Section 4-3-811 (“Restrictions and Prohibitions”) of Article 8 (“Charitable Solicitations”) of Chapter 3 (“Other Activities Requiring Regulatory Permits”) of Title 4 (“Regulation of Certain Types of Businesses and Activities”) of the Beverly Hills Municipal Code to read as follows:
4-3-811: RESTRICTIONS AND PROHIBITIONS:
Any solicitation regulated by this article shall comply with the following provisions:
A. Solicitation upon private residential premises is prohibited at premises that contain a conspicuously posted sign stating "no solicitation" or "do not disturb", unless the solicitor has been invited to the premises by the owner or occupant thereof.
B. Solicitation by means of a box or other receptacle shall be prohibited in, upon or adjacent to any street, alley, sidewalk, park, or other public place; or in or upon any place of business or other place open and accessible to the public; unless the permit specifically authorizes this type of solicitation.
C. Solicitation of funds for a purpose other than designated in the permit shall be prohibited.
D. Solicitors shall not misrepresent their physical or mental health, or make other false or misleading representations.
E. Solicitors shall not touch, come into physical contact with, or affix any object to the person of any member of the public, without first receiving express permission therefor from such member of the public.
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F. Solicitors shall not persistently and importunately solicit any member of the public after such member of the public expresses a desire not to be solicited.
G. Solicitors shall not solicit from persons who are standing in lines, seated in public areas, waiting at bus stops or similarly stationary for a specific purpose that would not allow evasion of the solicitation.
H. Solicitors shall not intentionally or deliberately obstruct the free movement of any member of the public on any street, sidewalk, or other place, or in any place open to the public generally.
I. All solicitations made by mail shall include a copy of the solicitation permit.
J. Charitable events involving solicitations of funds shall have a copy of the permit prominently displayed on the premises.
K. Solicitors shall have in their possession at all times, when engaged in the activity regulated by this article, a copy of the solicitation permit, and shall display said copy upon request of any person being solicited.
L. At least 50 percent (50%) of contributions collected pursuant to a solicitation permit in connection with an event shall be used for a charitable purpose.
Section 8. The City Council hereby amends Section 4-3-813 (“Records and Reports”) of Article 8 (“Charitable Solicitations”) of Chapter 3 (“Other Activities Requiring Regulatory Permits”) of Title 4 (“Regulation of Certain Types of Businesses and Activities”) of the Beverly Hills Municipal Code to read as follows:
4-3-813: RECORDS AND REPORTS:
A. The permittee shall compile and retain for a period of not less than three (3) years detailed records and a financial statement showing the amount of funds raised by the solicitation, the amount expended in collecting such funds, including a detailed report of the wages, fees, commissions, and expenses paid to any person in connection with such solicitation, and the disposition of the balance of the funds collected by the solicitation.
B. Within sixty (60) days of the expiration of the permit, the permittee shall file a complete and detailed report of the information required by subsection A of this section with the Beverly Hills police department. Such report shall be a public record and be available for public inspection. Failure to provide the report to the Beverly Hills police department in accordance with the provisions of this paragraph is a violation of this Code and shall subject the violator to the penalties set forth in title 1, chapter 3, article 3 of this Code, including, without limitation, the payment of administrative fines imposed pursuant to title 1, chapter 3, article 3 of this Code. -5-
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Section 9. The City Council hereby amends Section 4-3-815 (“Charitable Solicitation Reporting”) of Article 8 (“Charitable Solicitations”) of Chapter 3 (“Other Activities Requiring Regulatory Permits”) of Title 4 (“Regulation of Certain Types of Businesses and Activities”) of the Beverly Hills Municipal Code to read as follows:
4-3-815: CHARITABLE SOLICITATION REPORTING:
Any event planner or hotel event coordinator that executes a contract to assist a charitable organization with a charitable event or solicitation shall notify the Beverly Hills police department of the charitable event or solicitation. The notification shall be contained in a report submitted to the Beverly Hills police department twice a month that includes the following information:
A. Name of the organization.
B. Date of the event.
C. Location of the event.
D. Solicitor/organization contact information.
Section 10. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2-2-105 D of the Beverly Hills Municipal Code, former members of the Commission shall not be required to wait one year after the end of their term of service on the Commission before applying to serve on another City commission.
Section 11. 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 any reason 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.
Section 12. 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 of the Government Code, shall certify -6-
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to the adoption of this Ordinance, and shall cause this Ordinance and her certification, together with proof of publication, to be entered in the Book of Ordinances of the Council of this City.
Section 13. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall go into effect and be in full force and effect at 12:01 a.m. on the thirty-first (31st) day after its passage.
Adopted:
Effective:
SHARONA R. NAZARIAN, PSYD
Mayor of the City of Beverly Hills,
California
ATTEST:
_________________________(SEAL)
HUMA AHMED
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM: APPROVED AS TO CONTENT:
___________________________ _____________________________ LAURENCE S. WIENER NANCY HUNT-COFFEY
City Attorney City Manager