10A
Date: June 23, 2026
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Aram Chaparyan, City Manager
Patrick Q. Sullivan, City Attorney
Rebecca Poirier, City Clerk
By: Patrick Q. Sullivan, City Attorney | [email protected] Subject: City Manager, City Attorney, and City Clerk – Approve Changes to City Council Meeting Procedures and Adopt RESOLUTION Amending City Council Rules of Order. Expenditure: $16,210.00 (General Fund).
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation of the City Manager, City Attorney, and City Clerk that City Council:
1. Approve changes to City Council Meeting Procedures to incorporate changes to the Brown Act pursuant to Senate Bill Number 707; and
2. Adopt a RESOLUTION amending the City Council Rules of Order.
FUNDING
None required.
DISCUSSION
On October 3, 2025, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill Number 707 (SB 707) into law. The intent of this bill is to increase public engagement with local government and modernize the Ralph M. Brown Act. Some SB 707 provisions went into effect on January 1, 2026, however, the most significant changes will become effective on July 1, 2026.
Effective July 1, 2026, SB 707 requires “eligible legislative bodies”, including the Torrance City Council, to meet new public meeting requirements. These new requirements include: allowing remote participation via a two-way telephonic service or a two-way audiovisual platform, adopting a disruption policy if remote access fails, and conducting outreach to encourage participation from underrepresented groups, and providing a public space to post translated agendas. The attached Resolution revises the City Council Rules of Order to adopt a disruption policy that outlines the steps to be taken if remote access provided to the public fails along with other revisions to the Rules of Order. The revised City Council Rules of Order clarifies and updates other portions of the Rules of Order.
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The following are changes made by SB 707 that went into effect on January 1, 2026:
1. Non-traditional teleconferencing expanded:
Non-traditional teleconferencing provisions now (a) include proclaimed state of emergency or local emergency and (b) expand the “just cause” provision by folding in the basis of “emergency circumstances.” The “just cause” teleconferencing option requires a quorum of members to be in a physical location open to the public within the legislative body’s jurisdiction and allows Council Members to participate remotely without posting their location publicly when qualifying under “just cause.” The definition of “just cause” has been expanded to include childcare responsibilities, illness, family emergencies, work related travel, or military service obligations.
2. Remote participation as an ADA reasonable accommodation for a disabled member of the legislative body
Council Members with disabilities may participate remotely as reasonable accommodation using an audio-visual platform (or audio only if necessary for the disability) and must disclose the relationship and presences of any person 18 and over in the room at the remote location. Remote participation by such members counts towards the quorum, and standard teleconference rules do not apply
3. The sunset date for social media restrictions has been removed.
Assembly Bill Number 992 (“AB 992”) restrictions on social media are now permanent and no longer expire in 2026. The law prohibits a majority of members of the legislative body from using social media platforms to discuss official business among themselves, including making posts, commenting, or even using digital icons known as emojis. The law also prohibits a member of the legislative body from responding directly to any communication on an internet-based social media platform regarding a matter that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body that is posted and shared by another member.
. The following are changes made by SB 707 that will go into effect on July 1, 2026:
1. Remote participation
Remote participation was discussed above
2. Adoption of a technology disruption policy
Technology disruption policy was discussed above and is included in Article 12 of the City Council Rules of Order.
3. Agenda request system
A system must be in place for electronically accepting and fulfilling requests for agendas
4. Meeting webpage with direct line on the City’s homepage The City must have an accessible internet web page that is dedicated to information concerning public meetings and must include a link to the page on the City’s homepage. 2 City Council
June 23, 2026
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5. Make reasonable efforts of outreach for meeting participation Eligible legislative bodies must make reasonable efforts to encourage meeting participation from groups that do not traditionally participate, such as outreach to media organizations serving non-English speaking communities or civic engagement organizations. The law gives the eligible legislative body broad discretion to implement these efforts.
6. Must translate meeting agendas if the language meets the required threshold The City must translate agendas and instructions on how to participate into any language, other than English, that is spoken jointly by 20% or more of the population and 20% of that population who also speak English less than “very well”. The City does not currently have any languages that qualify.
7. Must make a publicly accessible space for the public to post translated agendas If a legislative body is required to translate the agenda into applicable languages, then the legislative body must provide a physical location, within reasonable proximity to where the legislative body’s agendas are posted, accessible to the public to post additional translated agendas. Since the City is not required to translate its agenda, this provision would not apply to the City at this time.
8. Must aid meeting translation
The City must aid any member of the public who wishes to use a personal interpreter by giving them the space to accommodate the interpreter and extra time. Government Code § 54954.3(b)(2) already provides that speakers utilizing an interpreter will be given twice the allotted time to speak. The Rules of Order have been updated to incorporate this provision.
The first-year cost of remote participation by Zoom Webinar is a $12,460 one-time fee and 500 hours of closed captioning is $3,750 for a total of $16,210. The annual cost of Zoom Webinar is $700.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution amended City Council Rules of Order
2. Redline of City Council Rules of Order
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CITY OF TORRANCE
CITY COUNCIL
RULES OF ORDER
Resolution 2006-65
Amended by
Resolution Nos. 2008-73, 2010-73, 2013-11,2017-76,
2019-53, 2019-95, 2020-18, 2021-70, 2024-77, 2026-XX
September 24, 2024June 23, 2026
ATTACHMENT 2
35 City of Torrance Page 1 / 24
City Council Rules of Order
CITY OF TORRANCE Policy No. 2
CITY COUNCIL POLICY
Adopted: May 21, 2019 Revised: September 24, 2024June 23, 2026 GENERAL SUBJECT: CITY COUNCIL RULES OF ORDER
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE 1 MEETINGS
SECTION 1.1 TIME OF MEETINGS
SECTION 1.2 PLACE OF MEETINGS
SECTION 1.3 SPECIAL MEETINGS
SECTION 1.4 ADJOURNED MEETINGS
SECTION 1.5 OPEN MEETINGS
SECTION 1.6 RECESSES
SECTION 1.7 COUNCIL ABSENCES
ARTICLE 2 BUSINESS
SECTION 2.1 COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC
SECTION 2.2 COMPLAINTS
SECTION 2.3 AGENDA
SECTION 2.4 AVAILABILITY OF AGENDA
SECTION 2.5 ACTION ONLY ON AGENDA ITEM - EXCEPTIONS
SECTION 2.6 THE MAYOR AS PRESIDING OFFICER
SECTION 2.7 ORDER OF BUSINESS
SECTION 2.8 ROLL CALL
SECTION 2.9 SUCCESSOR AGENCY
SECTION 2.10 READING OF MINUTES
SECTION 2.11 READING OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS
SECTION 2.12 SPEAKERS UNDER ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
ARTICLE 3 MOTIONS
SECTION 3.1 MAKING OF MOTIONS
SECTION 3.2 AMENDMENT
SECTION 3.3 SECONDING MOTIONS
SECTION 3.4 SUBSTITUTE MOTIONS
SECTION 3.5 IMPROPER MOTIONS
SECTION 3.6 MOTION TO RECONSIDER
SECTION 3.7 CONSENT CALENDAR
ARTICLE 4 VOTING
SECTION 4.1
SECTION 4.2
SECTION 4.3
DISPOSITION BY MAYOR
RECORDING VOTES
ABSTAINING FROM VOTING
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City Council Rules of Order
SECTION 4.4
SECTION 4.5
SECTION 4.6
SECTION 4.7
SECTION 4.8
EXPLANATION OF VOTE
CHANGE OF VOTE
ROLL CALL VOTE
DIVISION OF A QUESTION
MAJORITY VOTE
ARTICLE 5 DEBATE
SECTION 5.1 DEBATABLE MOTIONS
SECTION 5.2 RULES OF DEBATE
SECTION 5.3 LIMITING AND EXTENDING DEBATE
SECTION 5.4 THE PREVIOUS QUESTION
ARTICLE 6 PUBLIC COMMENT
SECTION
SECTION
SECTION
SECTION
SECTION
SECTION
SECTION
SECTION
6.1 RIGHT TO COMMENT
6.2 ADDRESSING THE COUNCIL
6.3 MANNER OF ADDRESSING COUNCIL
6.4 ALLOTTED TIME
6.5 RELEVANCY
6.6 INTERRUPTIONS
6.7 DECORUM
6.8 ENFORCEMENT OF DECORUM
ARTICLE 7 HEARINGS
SECTION
SECTION
SECTION
SECTION
SECTION
SECTION
SECTION
SECTION
SECTION
7.1 SCOPE OF RULES
7.2 STAFF REPORT
7.3 CALLING FOR HEARING
7.4 STAFF PRESENTATION
7.5 ORDER OF APPEARANCE
7.6 CROSS-EXAMINATION
7.7 NEW MATTER
7.8 ACTION BY THE COUNCIL
7.9 RECORD OF HEARING
ARTICLE 8 POINTS OF ORDER
SECTION 8.1 GENERALLY
SECTION 8.2 SUSPENSION OF RULES
SECTION 8.3 ORDER OF SPEAKING UNDER ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ARTICLE 9 COMMITTEES
SECTION 9.1 STANDING COMMITTEES
SECTION 9.2 SELECTION OF COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN
SECTION 9.3 AD HOC COMMITTEES
SECTION 9.4 SPECIAL STANDING COMMITTEES
SECTION 9.5 COMMITTEE MEETINGS
SECTION 9.6 MAYOR AS STANDING MEMBER
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City Council Rules of Order
ARTICLE 10 MAYOR PRO TEMPORE
SECTION 10.1 SELECTION
SECTION 10.2 TERM OF APPOINTMENT
SECTION 10.3 SENIORITY
ARTICLE 11 COUNCIL CHAMBERS
SECTION 11.1 COUNCIL CHAMBERS CAPACITY
SECTION 11.2 PUBLIC AREAS
SECTION 11.3 BAG SEARCH
SECTION 11.4 SIGNS, OBJECTS, OR SYMBOLIC MATERIAL
SECTION 11.5 NO FOOD OR DRINK
ARTICLE 12 ELIGIBILE LEGISLATIVE BODIES AND COMPLIANCE WITH SENATE BILL NUMBER 707
SECTION 12.1 SENATE BILL NUMBER 707
SECTION 12.2 APPLICABILITY OF SB 707
SECTION 12.3 CITY COUNCIL MEETING REMOTE
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
SECTION 12.3 TECHNOLOGY DISRUPTION POLICY IF REMOTE
ACCESS FAILS
SECTION 12.4 PREPAREDNESS AND TESTING
ARTICLE 13 MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 13.1 PURPOSE
SECTION 13.2 USE OF RULES OF ORDER
ARTICLE 121314 SEVERABILITY
SECTION 121314.1 SEVERABILITY
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City Council Rules of Order
ARTICLE 1 - MEETINGS
SECTION 1.1 TIME OF MEETINGS
a) Unless otherwise directed by a majority of the entire membership of the City Council, the Council shall meet regularly on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month for a closed session commencing at the hour of 5:00 p.m. with regular business commencing no earlier than 6:30 p.m. When the day for any regular meeting of the Council falls on a holiday, or on a statewide or municipal election day, such meeting shall be cancelled or held on another day, as determined by the City Council. The City Council may move closed session to the end of the meeting if it so chooses.
b) If the closed session is not completed by the hour of 6:30 p.m., it may be continued to the end of the regular open session of the Council meeting or to such other time as the Council may determine.
SECTION 1.2 PLACE OF MEETINGS
All regular meetings of the City Council will be held in the LeRoy J. Jackson Council Chambers of the City Hall, 3031 Torrance Boulevard ("Council Chambers") or at any other place within the corporate limits of the City or in any other place as designated by the City Council in accordance with Section 714 504 of the City Charter. The City Council may meet outside the corporate limits of the City in accordance with Government Code section 54954(b).
The City Council may meet by teleconference as provided in Government Code Section 54953(b). Government Code Section 54953(eb)(42)(A) defines teleconference as a meeting of the City Council, where the members are in different locations, connected by electronic means through either audio, video, or both. A member of the City Council with a disability may participate in a City Council meeting by remote participation as a reasonable accommodation by complying with the provisions found in Government Code section 54953(c). Disability is defined in Government Code section 54953(e)(1). Remote participation is defined in Government Code section 54953(e)(3) as participation in a meeting by teleconference at a location other than any physical meeting location designated in the notice of the meeting.
Further, the City Council may meet in accordance with any Executive Orders modifying or suspending provisions of the Brown Act issued by the Governor during a State of Emergency.
For meetings in the Council Chambers, all visitors will be directed to enter City Hall on the East side of the building through the sliding door. All other entrances will remain locked for entry. No oversized bags or backpacks will be allowed in the Council Chambers. All bags are subject to search.
SECTION 1.3 SPECIAL MEETINGS
Special meetings will be called and held in accordance with Section 713 503 of the City Charter and Government Code Section 54956.
Emergency meetings will be called and held in accordance with Government Code Section 54956.5.
SECTION 1.4 ADJOURNED MEETINGS
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City Council Rules of Order
The City Council may adjourn any meeting to a time and place specified in the order of adjournment, in accordance with Sections 711 501 and 712 503 of the City Charter and Government Code section 5495654955.
SECTION 1.5 OPEN MEETINGS
All meetings of the City Council will be open to the public; however, the City Council may hold closed sessions as provided in the Ralph M. Brown Act and as otherwise permitted by law.
Further, the City Council may meet in accordance with any Executive Orders modifying or suspending provisions of the Brown Act issued by the Governor during a State of Emergency.
SECTION 1.6 RECESSES
Once each 2 hours, or as Council business permits, the Council will recess for not more than 15 minutes. The Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem may order additional recesses as the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem deems necessary.
SECTION 1.7 COUNCILMEMBER ABSENCES
Councilmembers must notify the Mayor, City Clerk, City Manager, and City Attorney if they will be absent from a City Council meeting or City Council Committee meeting. Torrance City Charter section 601 403 provides that an office of the City Council becomes vacant upon missing all meetings in a 60 60-day period. The City Council may grant excused absences, but the Members of the City Council are not required to request excused absences.
ARTICLE 2 - BUSINESS
SECTION 2.1 COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC
a) All matters submitted by the public requesting action by the City Council will be delivered to the City Clerk and transmitted by the City Clerk to the City Manager. b) The City Manager will decide if any written matter requesting action by the City Council shall be submitted to the City Council. The City Manager will respond to such written matters within 30 days after receipt by the City Clerk, unless otherwise directed by the Council.
SECTION 2.2 COMPLAINTS
a) Any complaint against the City Council, City management, or departmental operations which is intended to be acted upon by the City Council will be submitted in writing to the City Manager for evaluation by the appropriate department head prior to submission to the City Council.
b) Any complaint made to the City Council at a Council meeting, unless it can be answered satisfactorily at such meeting, will be referred to the City Manager for processing and resubmitted to the Council as provided in subsection (b) of Section 2.1. If the complaint is made against the Mayor, a member of any City board or commission, a member of the City Council, the City Clerk, City Treasurer, City Manager or City Attorney personally, it will be processed as directed by the City Council.
SECTION 2.3 AGENDA
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City Council Rules of Order
a) All matters intended for action by the City Council, whether originating with the public or City officials, will be submitted to the Council on an agenda submitted by the City Manager and prepared by the City Clerk in the form as determined by the Council. b) The agenda will contain a description of other business of public interest to be transacted at the Council meeting sufficient to enable members of the general public to determine the general nature or subject matter of each agenda item so that they may seek further information on items of interest to them.
c) Each agenda for regular meetings will provide under oral communication an opportunity for members of the public to directly address the City Council on items of interest to the public that are within the jurisdiction of the City Council.
d) No action will be taken on any item not appearing on the agenda unless the action is otherwise authorized by subsection (b) of Section 54954.2(b) of the California Government Code (the existence of an emergency items of a critical naturesituation and those where the need to take immediate action arose subsequent to the agenda being posted). e) The City Clerk may prepare a supplementary agenda for a regular meeting consisting of items on which Council action is permissible by the provisions of subsection (b) of Section 54954.2(b). The supplementary agenda will be placed and posted in the Main Library in the same manner as the regular agenda as soon as practicable after being issued. f) The City Manager, or his designee, may withdraw any item from the City Council agenda at any time during the Council meeting.
SECTION 2.4 AVAILABILITY OF AGENDA
a) At least 72 hours preceding a regular meeting of the City Council, the City Clerk will post a copy of the agenda on the Public Notice Board on the exterior of City Hall at 3031 Torrance Boulevard and will cause a copy of the agenda with supporting material to be delivered to each Member of the City Council.
b) The City Clerk will cause a copy of the agenda (including supporting material) to be delivered to the Main Library where it will be available for public inspection at all times that the Main Library is open to the public.
c) In the case of a special meeting of the City Council, the City Clerk will post a copy of the call and notice of the meeting on the Public Notice Board at least 24 hours prior to the special meeting and otherwise comply with the provisions of Government Code Section 54956. d) In the case of an emergency meeting of the City Council, the City Clerk will comply with the provisions of Government Code Section 54956.5. e) As soon as practicable following the opening of business on the Monday preceding a regular meeting of the City Council (or if Monday is a holiday, on the following Tuesday), the City Clerk will place a copy of the agenda with supporting material in the office of the City Clerk and in each Branch City Library for inspection by the public. f) On or before 5:00 p.m. on the Friday preceding a regular meeting of the City Council, or as soon thereafter as practicable, the City Clerk will deliver a copy of the agenda with 41 City of Torrance Page 7 / 24
City Council Rules of Order
supporting material to the City Manager and City Attorney, and will make available to or mail a copy thereof to each newspaper and radio station so requesting. In the event of a special meeting or adjourned regular meeting of the City Council, the City Clerk will perform such tasks as soon as practicable after the agenda is delivered to members of the Council. g) The City Clerk will provide agendas and supporting materials to interested persons and groups in accordance with rules to be determined from time to time by resolution of the City Council.
h) The City Clerk, or the Clerk's designee who actually posted the agenda, will sign an affidavit of the time and place that the agenda was posted as required above. The City Clerk will report the posting of such affidavit to the City Council at the following Council meeting.
Affidavits will be kept in the office of the City Clerk for public reference according to the Records Retention Schedule.
SECTION 2.5 ACTION ONLY ON AGENDA ITEM--EXCEPTIONS
a) Except as provided in subsection b) below, no action or discussion will be taken by the City Council on any item not appearing on the posted agenda, except that members of the City Council may briefly respond to statements made or questions posed by, persons exercising their public testimony rights under members of the public pursuant to Government Code Section 54954.3. In addition, on their own initiative, or in response to questions posed by the public, members of the City Council may ask a question for clarification, provide a reference to staff or other resources for factual information, or request staff to report back to the Council at a subsequent meeting concerning any matter. Furthermore, the City Council, may take action to direct staff to place a matter of business on a future agenda. b) The City Council may take action on any item not appearing on the agenda upon a determination by a two-thirds vote or, if less than two-thirds of the members are present, a unanimous vote of those members present, that there is a need to take immediate action and that the need for action came to the attention of the City subsequent to the agenda being posted pursuant to Government Code Section 54954.2(b)(2).
b)c) The City Council may take action on any item not appearing on the agenda upon a determination by a majority vote that an emergency situation exists pursuant to Government Code section 54954.2(b)(1)
SECTION 2.6 THE MAYOR AS PRESIDING OFFICER
a) The Mayor will take the chair at the hour appointed for the meeting and will call the City Council to order. In the absence of the Mayor, the Mayor Pro Tempore ( "Mayor Pro Tem") will be the presiding officer of the Council. Upon the arrival of the Mayor, the Mayor Pro Tempore will relinquish the chair when the business immediately before the Council is concluded.
SECTION 2.7 ORDER OF BUSINESS
At the time set for the commencement of the meeting, the members of the Council, the City Clerk, the City Attorney and the City Manager, and such department heads as designated by the City Manager will take their regular stations in the Council Chambers and the business of the 42 City of Torrance Page 8 / 24
City Council Rules of Order
Council will be taken up for consideration and disposition in the following order, except as may otherwise be ordered by the Council:
1. Call Meeting to Order/Roll Call
2. Flag Salute/Non-Sectarian Invocation
3. Motion to waive further readings of Resolutions and Ordinances After Number & Title
4. Announcement of Withdrawn, Deferred, and/or Supplemental Items
5. Council Committee Meetings & Announcements
6. Community Matters
7. Oral Communications #1
8. Consent Calendar (Routine items/Resolutions, 2nd Readings of Ordinances)
9. Public Hearings
10. Administrative Matters
11. Agency Agendas
12. Oral Communications #2
13. Closed Session
14. Adjournment
The Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem has the right to take items out of order as the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem deems necessary for the orderly conduct of the City Council meeting. Further, the Mayor or the Mayor Pro Tem with the consent of the City Council can combine Oral Communications or remove one of the oral communications items from the agenda as long as the public has the right to comment prior to or during an item on the agenda in accordance with Government Code Section 54954.3(a)(1).
SECTION 2.8 ROLL CALL
Before proceeding with the business of the Council, the City Clerk will call the roll of the members. The names of those present will be entered in the minutes.
SECTION 2.9 SUCCESSOR AGENCY
Unless otherwise directed by the City Council, or as soon as Council business can be disposed of, the City Council will take a recess without leaving their seats and meet as the Successor Agency to the former Redevelopment Agency of the City. As soon as the meeting of the Successor Agency to the former Redevelopment Agency adjourns, the City Council will reconvene as the City Council.
SECTION 2.10 READING OF MINUTES
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City Council Rules of Order
Unless a member requests a reading of the minutes of a City Council meeting, such minutes may be approved without reading by majority vote if the City Clerk has previously furnished each member with a copy thereof. The signature of the Mayor, attested by the City Clerk will authenticate their approval.
SECTION 2.11 READING OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS
The reading of all ordinances and resolutions on the agenda, following the assignment of a number and the reading of the title, may be waived by the passage of a blanket motion by the unanimous vote of the members present, but any ordinance or resolution will be read in regular order on request of any member.
SECTION 2.12 SPEAKERS UNDER ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
a) Speakers under Oral Communications will be limited to time allowed by the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem.
b) Oral Communications time period is at the discretion of the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem. c) Speakers under Oral Communications #1 may not speak on any matter scheduled to be considered by Council as part of the meeting agenda. d) Those who wish to speak under Oral Communications will be called in the order in which the electronic speaker cards are submitted in the electronic submission system before the meeting begins. If the electronic submission system is not functioning, then the City may use physical speaker cards. In-person speakers will be called before Remote Access speakers. e) To the extent all pre-registered speakers have spoken and allotted time remains, the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem may open orals to members of the audience for the remainder of the period.
f) Speakers may speak only once under Oral Communications. g) Speakers cannot donate or concede any part of their allotted time to another speaker.
h) Speakers may supplement their comment with hard copy materials are encouraged to bring at least 10 copies to the City Clerk to provide to the City Council for proper distribution and record keeping. Hard copy materials should be labeled with the agenda item number and the City Council meeting date. Hard copy materials become part of the public record and will not be returned.
g)
ARTICLE 3 — MOTIONS
SECTION 3.1 MAKING OF MOTIONS
When any subject is opened for consideration by the City Council, whether before or after debate thereon, a motion will be made by a member and seconded by a member. Where a motion is made and seconded, the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem may rule the motion out of 44 City of Torrance Page 10 / 24
City Council Rules of Order
order if in violation of the rules of order. The mover, with the consent of the second, may withdraw or amend the motion at any time before a decision or amendment.
SECTION 3.2 AMENDMENT
Any motion may be amended with the consent of the maker and second.
SECTION 3.3. SECONDING MOTIONS
The following motions do not require a second: Questions of order, division of the question, and nominations.
SECTION 3.4 SUBSTITUTE MOTIONS
A substitute motion may be made to take the place of any motion on the floor. When a substitute motion has been made and seconded, it will be voted on ahead of the main motion. Only one substitute motion may be on the floor at any time.
SECTION 3.5 IMPROPER MOTIONS
No dilatory, absurd or frivolous motion will be considered. The Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem will decide which motions are improper, subject to the right to appeal to the City Council.
SECTION 3.6 MOTION TO RECONSIDER
1) A motion to reconsider any action taken by the Council may only be made by one of the council members who voted with the prevailing side or who was absent when the motion was voted on.
2) Tie votes are considered failed motions and may be reconsidered. Any council member may move to reconsider any action taken by the Council that resulted in a tie vote. 3) A motion to reconsider any action taken by the Council may only be made once at the meeting at which the matter was first considered, and once within the succeeding two meetings.
4) Any council member may second a motion to reconsider.
SECTION 3.7 CONSENT CALENDAR
When several items of Council business have been combined into a single agenda item, identified as a Consent Calendar, they will be heard as one item and one vote unless a member of the Council makes a request to consider an item or item separately. A removed Consent Calendar agenda item will be considered after the City Council acts upon the remainder of the Consent Calendar.
All public comment on the Consent Calendar will be made prior to consideration of the Consent Calendar pursuant to Government Code Section 54954.3(a)(1).
ARTICLE 4 — VOTING
SECTION 4.1 DISPOSITION BY MAYOR
Except where a vote is otherwise required, the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem may order the disposition of matters coming before the City Council; provided, however, that if a member
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objects, a vote will be taken. Where a motion is made and seconded, unless a vote is required by law or desired by any member, the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem may order the disposition of the matter in accordance with the motion. Such decision of the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem will be deemed to be the action of the Council.
SECTION 4.2 RECORDING VOTES
When a vote on any matter is called for, the City Clerk will initiate a vote through the digital voting system. Each member who is present will click to designate their vote. The City Clerk will record the votes and announce those voting no or abstaining. On a tie vote, the motion is lost. In the event that the digital voting system is not functioning or the Council is meeting by teleconference or some other lawful electronic means the City Clerk will take a roll call vote. The vote shall be taken in alphabetical order with the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem voting last. The City Clerk will announce the result of the vote and then the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem will announce the next order of business.
SECTION 4.3 ABSTAINING FROM VOTING
When a roll call vote is being taken on a motion and a member declines to vote because of a disqualifying interest or for any other reason, the member's vote will not be counted in determining the passage of the motion and such member will be recorded as having abstained from votingrecused themselves if due to a disqualifying interest or abstained if due to any other reason.
SECTION 4.4 EXPLANATION OF VOTE
A member is allowed to briefly explain a vote before, during or after a vote.
SECTION 4.5 CHANGE OF VOTE.
A member will be allowed to change a vote only until the next item of business is announced by the Mayor. This rule may be suspended by a vote of two-thirds of the members present or upon compliance with the provisions of Section 3.6 (motion to reconsider).
SECTION 4.65 ROLL CALL VOTE
Any member may demand that a roll call vote be taken on a motion.
SECTION 4.76 DIVISION OF A QUESTION
On the demand of any member before the question is put, a question will be divided if it includes propositions so distinct in substance that one being taken away, a substantive proposition will remain.
SECTION 4.87 MAJORITY VOTE
All motions will be carried by a majority vote unless otherwise required by law. A majority of the members present, if a quorum, is a majority for the passage of motions.
NOTE:
a) Section 715 505 of the City Charter provides that a majority of the Council (four members)
constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business.
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b) Section 724 512 of the City Charter requires that all resolutions or orders for the payment of money be adopted by an affirmative vote of at least four members. c) Section 724 512 of the City Charter requires that all ordinances be passed by the vote of at least four members.
d) Section 726 513 of the City Charter requires that all urgency ordinances be passed by a five-sevenths vote.
e) Section 1300 1000 of the City Charter requires that all amendments, deletions or replacements of the Civil Service ordinances be adopted by a five-sevenths vote. f) Section 2.5(b) of these Rules requires a two-thirds vote (or in some cases a unanimous vote) for the Council to take action on items not listed on the agenda, but where the need to take action arose subsequent to the agenda being posted (per Government Code Section 54954.2(b)(2), California Government Code).
ARTICLE 5 - DEBATE
SECTION 5.1 DEBATABLE MOTIONS
a) When a matter is before the City Council, the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem may call for debate or comment before or after a motion has been made and seconded. b) All motions to adopt ordinances, resolutions, reports, communications and all amendments proposed to them, and all other motions, except as otherwise provided herein, may be debated or commented upon before action is taken on them, unless the Council by a two-thirds vote of the members present decides to dispose of them without debate. c) The following motions are undebatable: Limit, close or extend debate, the previous question, object to consideration of a question.
SECTION 5.2 RULES OF DEBATE
a) Every member will have the right to speak at least once on each item. b) Every member desiring to speak will address the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem and, upon recognition by the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem, may speak.
c) The speaker will confine comments to the question under debate, avoiding all personalities and indecorous language.
d) A member, once recognized, will not be interrupted when speaking unless called to order, in which case the member will cease speaking until the question of order is determined. e) A member may not make a second speech on the same question as long as any member who has not spoken desires the floor.
SECTION 5.3 LIMITING AND EXTENDING DEBATE
Subject to the provisions of subsection (a) of Section 5.2., debate and comment may be limited or extended upon the passage of a motion by a vote of the City Council. A motion to limit or extend debate is undebatable.
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SECTION 5.4 THE PREVIOUS QUESTION
Subject to the provisions of subsection (a) of Section 5.2, debate and comment may be closed and the City Council brought at once to a vote on the pending question by a vote on a motion for the previous question. The motion for the previous question is undebatable.
ARTICLE 6 — PUBLIC COMMENT
SECTION 6.1 RIGHT TO COMMENT
a) The public will be given an opportunity to speak on each item of business that appears on the agenda of the City Council for Council action in open meeting, subject, however, to the other provisions of these Rules of Order. The public has the right to speak prior to or during consideration of an agenda item.
b) Under the agenda item designation of Oral Communications, any member of the public may address the City Council on items of interest to the public that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Council; provided however, that no action will be taken on any item not appearing on the agenda unless the action is otherwise authorized by the California Government Code section 54954.2(b).
SECTION 6.2 ADDRESSING THE COUNCIL
a) No person will address the City Council without first securing the permission of the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem; provided, however, that permission shall not be refused except for good cause.
b) No person shall approach the podium or the dais or the public microphone without permission of the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem.
c) When recognized by the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem , speakers may approach the podium or public microphone and speak only from the podium or public microphone. c)d) No person participating by Remote Access may unmute or speak without being recognized by the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem or being unmuted by the City Clerk or their designee.
d)e) The City Clerk will first swear speakers as may be required or when so directed by the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem.
f) After a hearing is closed or the Council makes a substantive motion, no person, whether in person or appearing by Remote Access, will address the Council without first securing permission from the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem.
e)g) Members of the public may supplement their comment with hard copy materials are encouraged to bring at least 10 copies to the City Clerk to provide to the City Council for proper distribution and record keeping. Hard copy materials should be labeled with the agenda item number and the City Council meeting date. Hard copy materials become part of the public record and will not be returned.
SECTION 6.3 MANNER OF ADDRESSING COUNCIL
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All remarks will be addressed to the Council as a body, and not to any member thereof. All comments will be directed to the City Council and not to other members of the public whether attending in person or attending by Remote Access. No person other than a member of the Council and the person having the floor will be permitted to enter into the discussion without the permission of the Mayor. No question shall be asked of a member of the Council except with the consent of, and through, the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem.
SECTION 6.4 ALLOTTED TIME
a) In the interest of facilitating the City Council's conduct of the City's business, the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem will provide an allotted time limit to apply to members of the public (speakers) who wish to address the City Council:
1) Oral Communications:
2) Consent
3) Administrative Matters:
4) Any other matter on the agenda
5) Public Hearings: the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem will announce how much time a representative of the proponent and a representative of the opponent will receive at the outset of the hearing.
b) The Mayor, or Mayor Pro Tem, and the City Clerk will utilize the timing system, which provides speakers with notice of their remaining time to complete their comments. A countdown display of the allotted time will appear and will turn red at the end of the allotted time. c) Speakers cannot donate or concede any part of their allotted time to another speaker. d) Speakers cannot accept time from another speaker's unused allotted time. e) Speakers can only speak once per agenda item.
f) Speakers that have not submitted a speaker card must wait to speak until all those who have submitted a speaker card have been called
g) 3 minutes will be the maximum time that is allotted to each speaker, except a member of the Council, unless the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem extends the time. A speaker utilizing an interpreter will be given twice the alotted time to speak pursuant to Government Code section 54954.3(b)(2).
Unless otherwise ordered by the City Council, the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem may limit the number of speakers where, in his or her opinion, the facts or arguments advocated are cumulative in nature.
Unless otherwise ordered by the City Council, the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem may limit the aggregate time of hearing or discussion on an agenda item. When there are a large number of speakers, the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem may reduce the allotted time per speaker on an agenda item.
SECTION 6.5 RELEVANCY
Speakers will confine their remarks to those that are relevant to the subject of the hearing.
Attacks against the character or motives of any person will be out of order. The Mayor or
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Mayor Pro Tem, subject to appeal to the Council, will be the judge of relevancy and whether character or motives are being impugned.
SECTION 6.6 INTERRUPTIONS
With the consent of the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem, Council members may interrupt a speaker at any time to ask questions or make comments in order to clarify the discussion. The speaker does not have the right to reclaim any time due to questions or comments from the City Council.
SECTION 6.7 DECORUM
a) All persons will observe civility, decorum, and good behavior so that the City Council can conduct its business in an orderly manner and allow members of the public to participate in the City Council meeting. The City Council encourages citizen participation and expression of all points of view.
b) No person , whether attending the City Council meeting in person or by Remote Access, will engage in conduct that disrupts, disturbs, or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of the City Council meeting. Examples of conduct that disrupts, disturbs, or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of the City Council meeting includes, but is not limited to:
1) Addressing the City Council without first being recognized. 2) Approaching the podium or the dais or the public microphone without the permission of the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem.
3) Persisting in addressing a subject or subject, other than the subject before the City Council.
4) Repetitiously addressing the same subject.
5) Refusing to abide by speaker time limits.
6) Failing to leave the podium or public microphone when directed to do so. Failing to mute when directed to do so when participating by Remote Access 7) Speaking out of turn, which means speaking when another person's name has been called to address the City Council.
8) Interrupting or attempting to interrupt a speaker, the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem, a City Council Member, the City Clerk, and/or a staff member from inside the Council Chambers, Council meeting room, audience viewing or listening room, or in the hallways and foyer outside the Council Chambers, Council meeting room, or audience viewing or listening room, or when participating by Remote Access. 9) Shouting or attempting to shout over a speaker, the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem, a City Council Member, the City Clerk, or a staff member from inside the Council Chambers, Council meeting room, audience viewing or listening room, or in the hallways and foyer outside the Council Chambers, Council meeting room, or audience viewing or listening room, or when participating by Remote Access.
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10) Feet-stamping, clapping, whistling, booing, or making other noises to interrupt a speaker, the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem, a City Council Member, the City Clerk, and/or a staff member from inside the Council Chambers, Council meeting room, audience viewing or listening room, or in the hallways and foyer outside the Council Chambers, Council meeting room, or audience viewing or listening room, or when participating by Remote Access.
11) Using air horns, bells, drums, or other items to interrupt a speaker, the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem, a City Council Member, the City Clerk, or a staff member from inside the Council Chambers, Council meeting room, audience viewing or listening room, or in the hallways and foyer outside the Council Chambers, Council meeting room, or audience viewing or listening room, or when participating by Remote Access. 12) Banging, slamming, launching, propelling, or throwing objects inside the Council Chambers, Council meeting room, audience viewing or listening room, or in the hallways and foyer outside the Council Chambers, Council meeting room, or audience viewing or listening room , or when participating by Remote Access.
13) Interfering with other attendees' ability to participate or address the City Council. 14) Displaying a sign, object, or symbolic material in violation of Section 11.4. 15) Refusing to heed the Mayor's or Mayor Pro Tem's call for order. 16) Failing to cease and desist disturbing, disrupting, or otherwise impeding the orderly conduct of the City Council meeting when requested to do so by the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem.
17) Entering a Nonpublic Area of the Council Chambers or Council meeting room or the hallways and foyer outside the Council Chambers or Council meeting room without the permission of the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem. 18) Failure to leave the City Council Chambers, Council meeting room, audience viewing or listening room, or the hallways and foyer outside the Council Chambers, Council meeting room, audience viewing or listening room upon being ejected by the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem for violation of the City Council Rules of Order.
19) Failure to leave the hallways and foyer outside the Council Chambers or Council meeting room upon being ejected by the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem for violation of the City Council Rules of Order
20) Failure to clear the City Council Chambers or Council meeting room upon order of the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem pursuant to Government Code section 54957.9.
20)21) Failure to leave a City Council meeting when attending by Remote Access when upon order of the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem pursuant to Government Code section 54957.9.
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21)22) Incitement to commit unlawful or disturbing acts or disrupt proceedings. 22)23) Standing on a seat, seat back, or armrest of a seat. 24) Re-entering the Council Chambers, Council meeting room, audience viewing or listening room or the hallways and foyers outside the Council Chambers, Council meeting room or audience viewing or listening room upon being ejected by the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem for violation of the City Council Rules of Order. 23)25) Re-entering the Remote Access to a City Council meeting upon being ejected by the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem for violation of the City Council Rules of Order c) All persons attending a City Council Meeting will obey any lawful order of the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem to enforce the Rules of Order.
d) Nothing in this Section or the Rules of Order will be construed to prohibit public criticism of the policies, procedures, programs, or services of the City or of the acts or omissions of the City Council.
SECTION 6.8 ENFORCEMENT OF DECORUM
a) The Police Chief, or such member or members of the police department as may be designated, will be sergeant-at-arms of the Council meetings. They will carry out all orders and instructions given by the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem for the purpose of maintaining order and decorum at the Council meetings. Upon instruction of the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem, it shall be the duty of the sergeant-at-arms to eject or place under arrest any person who violates the order and decorum of the meeting.
b) Procedure for Enforcement of Decorum
1) The Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem will warn the person who is violating the Rules of Order that they are out of order and to cease the conduct that disrupts, disturbs, or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of the City Council meeting 2) If the person does not cease the conduct immediately, the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem may order the person to leave the City Council meeting. If the person is attending the meeting by Remote Access, then the person may be muted or be removed by City staff consistent with Government Code § 54957.9. 3) If the person does not leave the City Council meeting, the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem may order the sergeant-at-arms to remove the person 4) If the disturbance is caused by a group, the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem may order the Council Chambers or Council meeting room cleared pursuant to Government Code section 54957.9 and continue in session pursuant to the requirements of that section. 5) In addition to proceeding under subsection (4) of this Section, the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem may order the audience viewing or listening room, and the hallways and foyer outside the Council Chambers, the Council meeting room and audience viewing or listening room cleared and any Remote Access, video conference, telephonic conference or conference by any electronic means ended. 52 City of Torrance Page 18 / 24
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6) The Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem and the City Council also may choose to adjourn the City Council meeting.
7) The Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem is not required to follow subsections (1) through (5) in any particular order. The Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem may proceed in any manner that he deems fit to stop the disruption, disturbance, or activity that is otherwise impeding the orderly conduct of the City Council Meeting so that the City Council may continue to conduct its business in an orderly manner and allow the public to participate. c) Any person who violates the City Council Rules of Order and having been ordered by the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem to leave the City Council Chambers, the Council meeting room, the audience viewing or listening room, may not reenter the City Council Chambers, the Council meeting room, the audience viewing or listening room or the hallways and foyer outside the Council Chambers, the Council meeting room or the audience viewing and listening room, or participate in a City Council meeting by Remote Access, video conference, teleconference or any other electronic means for the remainder of that meeting and the next 3 council meetings.
d) Any person who violates the City Council Rules of Order may be subject to arrest for violation of the Torrance Municipal Code, the California Penal Code, or any other applicable local, state, or federal law.
ARTICLE 7 — HEARINGS
SECTION 7.1 SCOPE OF RULES
a) The rules set forth in this Article will govern all zoning hearings before the City Council.
Such hearings will include, but not be limited to, hearings for changes of zone, variances, conditional use permits, adoptions or changes in master plans, street vacations and appeals from decisions of the Planning Commission for which hearings are required. b) Unless otherwise directed by the City Council or otherwise provided by law, the rules set forth in this Article will also govern other hearings before the Council. c) The formal rules of evidence will not apply to hearings before the City Council.
SECTION 7.2 STAFF REPORT
The recommendations of the Planning Commission or other Commission or Board, together with any staff report and recommendation, will be filed with the City Clerk for public inspection prior to the hearing, will be a matter of public record, and will be included in the record of the hearing.
SECTION 7.3 CALLING FOR HEARING
a) When the hearing is reached on the agenda, the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem will announce that it is the time and place for holding the hearing, briefly identify the location of the subject property and describe the subject matter of the hearing. b) At the outset of the hearing, the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem will announce how much time each side gets to present during the hearing, including rebuttal, if allowed by the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem. Additionally, the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem will announce how much time each speaker will get under public comment. The Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem may also limit the total time spent on the hearing.
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c) A matter set for hearing may be withdrawn, continued or referred to a committee or commission by the Council at any time before, during or after a hearing.
SECTION 7.4 STAFF PRESENTATION
At the request of the City Council, the City Manager or members of his staff or other employees of the City will make an oral report to the Council at the commencement of the hearing explaining or supplementing the written staff report.
SECTION 7.5 ORDER OF APPEARANCE
Following the staff presentation, unless otherwise directed by the City Council, the order of appearance will be as follows:
1) The party who has the burden of proof;
2) The party opposing;
3) With permission of the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem, the party who has the burden of proof in answer to the opponents.
SECTION 7.6 CROSS EXAMINATION
Subject to the provisions of Section 7.7, with permission of the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem, the party bearing the burden of proof, the property owner, neighboring property owners or other persons having an interest in the proceedings may cross-examine through the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem any person who has testified in the proceedings.
SECTION 7.7 NEW MATTER
Except in zoning hearings as defined in Section 7.1, if the hearing is an appeal from a decision of the License Review Board, the Administrative Hearing Board, the Civil Service Commission in disciplinary proceedings or from the decision of any other commission, board or officer which has made a record of its proceedings and findings in support of its decision, the decision of the City Council will be based on the record before such commission, board or officer. Except with permission of the City Council for good cause shown, no new oral or written testimony or other evidence or material may be presented to the City Council.
SECTION 7.8 PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLIC COMMENT
a) Presentations must be submitted to the City Clerk/City Manager by 12:00 p.m. on the day prior to the meeting
b) Parties and members of the public may not connect equipment to the City’s computer system
c) Visual media cannot use pre-recorded audio narration that augments a live oral presentation.
d) Members of the public may supplement their comment with hard copy materials are encouraged to bring at least 10 copies to the City Clerk to provide to the City Council for proper distribution and record keeping. Hard copy materials should be labeled with the agenda item number and the City Council meeting date. Hard copy materials become part of the public record and will not be returned.
e) Every speaker associated with a party will speak under that party’s time and not under public comment. For example, if a party is a developer, then the developer, architect, attorney, engineer, consultant, and/or expert will speak under the developer’s time and
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not during public comment. If the party is the appellant, then those individuals listed on the appeal will speak under the appellant’s time and not during public comment. f) In-person speakers will be called before Remote Access speakers. g) Speakers may comment only one time per hearing. If a hearing is continued, then a speaker who spoke at the first hearing may not speak at the second hearing unless there has been a material change to a project between the first and second hearing or the City Council has allowed new oral or written testimony pursuant to Section 7.7.
SECTION 7.89 ACTION BY THE COUNCIL
a) At the close of testimony and comment from the public (if permitted by Section 7.7), the Council may close the hearing, continue the hearing, refer the matter to a committee or commission, or take other action it deems reasonable.
b) After the hearing is closed, the Council may debate and decide the issue before it.
SECTION 7.910 RECORD OF HEARING
The City Clerk will make a permanent written record of the hearing, which will include the motions made by the members, the vote thereon and a digest of the testimony and comments given at the hearing.
ARTICLE 8 - POINTS OF ORDER
SECTION 8.1 GENERALLY
Any member may raise a point of order (procedure). The Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem will decide all questions of order; provided, however, that any two members will have the right to appeal his decision, in which case the question shall be decided by a majority of the members present. The Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem or any other member may request advice of the City Attorney thereon.
SECTION 8.2 SUSPENSION OF RULES
Any provision of this Chapter, except the provisions of Section 1.1, Articles 9 and Sections 10.2 and 10.3 of Article 10, may be suspended by a two-thirds vote of the members present.
SECTION 8.3 ORDER OF SPEAKING UNDER ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Councilmembers shall speak under Oral Communications #2 by alphabetical rotation each meeting with the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem speaking last. The City Clerk will monitor/maintain the order for each meeting and place the continuing order on each agenda for the benefit of the members and the public.
ARTICLE 9 — COMMITTEES
SECTION 9.1 STANDING COMMITTEES
The standing committees of the City Council shall be as follows:
1) Citizen Development and Enrichment: Has jurisdiction over matters related to library services, parks, recreation, cultural enrichment programs, educational systems and school district liaison, community relations, senior citizen and youth programs, and employment opportunities.
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2) Community Planning and Design: Has jurisdiction over General Plan review and implementation, redevelopment, zoning and land use matters and environmental matters relating thereto.
3) Employee Relations and Public Safety: Has jurisdiction over matters related to Civil Service methods of employment, affirmative action goals and employer/employee relations, including wages, hours, and working conditions of City employees. Also has jurisdiction over crime prevention and law enforcement, fire protection and rescue, fire prevention and suppression, building safety and code enforcement, oil safety matters, solid waste collection and disposal, street trees and maintenance thereof, street cleaning, and animal control. 4) Finance and Governmental Operations: Has jurisdiction over matters related to accounting, auditing, budget procedures, disbursement of City funds, franchises, licensing, altemative revenue and taxation matters, capital improvements, and efficiency of municipal operations.
5) Transportation: Has jurisdiction over matters related to air and ground transportation systems, street circulation and environmental consequences thereof. 6) Strategic Plan: Has jurisdiction over policy matters related to the Strategic Plan implementation and accomplishments, and oversight of Plan updates as defined in the adopted Strategic Plan.
SECTION 9.2 SELECTION OF COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN
Each member, other than the Mayor, will be the Chairman of a standing committee. The members will choose their memberships in the following order:
1) Each member, in order of seniority, will select one committee on which the member will serve as chair.
2) Each member, in reverse order of seniority, will select a second committee on which to serve.
3) Each member, in order of seniority, will select a third committee on which to serve.
SECTION 9.3 AD HOC COMMITTEES
The Mayor may form ad hoc committees at his or her pleasure or at the pleasure of the Council.
The Mayor will designate the Chairman of each ad hoc committee, unless otherwise ordered by the Council.
SECTION 9.4 SPECIAL STANDING COMMITTEES
The Armed Forces Committee is a Special Standing Committee with members to be appointed by the Mayor.
SECTION 9.5 COMMITTEE MEETINGS
a) Each committee will hold a meeting upon the call of either its chairman or two members of the committee.
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b) All Committee meetings will be publicly announced at the City Council meeting prior to the Committee meeting.
c) All Committee meetings must be posted 72 hours prior to the meeting to comply with Government Code section 54954.2.
SECTION 9.6 MAYOR AS PERMANENT VOTING ALTEMATE MEMBER OF EACH
STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE CITY COUNCIL
The Mayor is designated as the permanent voting alternate member of each standing committee of the City Council established in Section 9.1. In the absence of any member of a standing committee, the Mayor may participate in the calling of a committee meeting or in the actual meeting.
ARTICLE 10 - MAYOR PRO TEMPORE
SECTION 10.1 SELECTION
Each member, other than the Mayor, shall serve a term of appointment as Mayor Pro Tempore (Mayor Pro Tem) in order of seniority. No member will serve for a second term until every other member has served one term.
SECTION 10.2 TERM OF APPOINTMENT
The term of appointment of the Mayor Pro Tempore will be 6 months commencing on January 1 or July 1 after the first meeting of the City Council after each City Council reorganization and every 6 months thereafter.
SECTION 10.3 SENIORITY
The length of service in office will determine seniority of members for the purposes of Articles 9 and
10. Where two or more members are first elected or appointed at the same time, precedence will be allocated based on the total number of votes that a member received at such election or appointment, the member receiving the greatest number of votes having the most seniority.
SECTION 10.4 MAYOR PRO TEMPORE DUTIES; SELECTION OF ALTEMATE When the Mayor is out of the city or unable to act because of disability, the Mayor Pro Tempore will exercise the same powers, authority, and duties as the Mayor. In the event of the absence of both the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tempore, the City Council Member with the greatest seniority, as determined by Section 10.3, on the Seniority List kept by the City Clerk will be the Alternate Mayor Pro Tempore to serve until the return of the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tempore.
ARTICLE 11 - COUNCIL CHAMBERS
SECTION 11.1 CAPACITY
The maximum occupancy of the Council Chambers, Council meeting room, or audience viewing or listening room is limited to the seating capacity of those rooms pursuant to the Fire Code. All attendees must remain seated unless going to or from the podium to speak or when entering or leaving the Council Chambers, Council meeting room, or audience viewing or seating room. No standing is permitted in the aisles of, at the back of or at the front of, the Council Chambers, Council meeting room, or audience viewing or listening room. No standing is permitted in front
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of any exit door. Sitting on the floor is not permitted. The City Manager, or the City Manager's designee, may make arrangements for overflow seating in anticipation of audience attendance beyond the anticipated capacity of the Council Chambers, Council meeting room, or audience viewing or listening room.
SECTION 11.2 PUBLIC AREAS AND NONPUBLIC AREAS
a) All attendees must remain in the public areas of the City Council Chambers, Council meeting room, or audience viewing or listening room unless given permission by the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem to enter a nonpublic Area.
b) Nonpublic areas of the Council Chambers are:
1) The Council Dais including the staff seating area and all areas beyond the stairs and railing.
2) The hallways on the east side and west side of the Council Chambers. 3) Any area of Council Chambers, Council meeting room, or audience viewing or listening room that has been marked as Staff Only or Nonpublic Area or has been blocked by stanchions or other barriers.
4) Any area of the hallways and the foyer outside the Council Chambers, Council meeting room, and audience viewing or listening room that has been marked as "Staff Only" or nonpublic Nonpublic areaArea or has been blocked by stanchions or other barriers. c) Public Areas of the Council Chambers are defined as the public seating area of the Council Chambers.
SECTION 11.3 BAG SEARCH
All bags, purses, briefcases, backpacks, or similar belongings may be subject to search for weapons and other dangerous materials prior to entry and re-entry into the Council Chambers, Council meeting room, or audience viewing or listening room. If a member of the public does not want a bag to be searched, the member of the public will not bring the bag into the Council Chambers. The City of Torrance is not responsible for any items left outside the Council Chambers, the Council meeting room, audience viewing or listening room, on City property, or in personal vehicles.
SECTION 11.4 SIGNS, OBJECTS, OR SYMBOLIC MATERIAL
a) Signs, objects, and symbolic materials, such as signs, placards, banners, props, or similar items, will be allowed in public meetings with the following restrictions:
1) No objects larger than 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches
2) No sticks, posts, poles, or other such items will be attached to the signs, objects, or other symbolic materials
3) The signs, objects, and symbolic materials cannot create a building maintenance problem or a fire or safety hazard
b) Persons with signs, objects, or symbolic material must remain seated when displaying
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them.
c) Persons with signs, objects, or symbolic materials must not raise the items above shoulder level, obstruct the view of other attendees, obstruct the passage of other attendees, or otherwise disrupt, disturb, or impede the City Council meeting.
d) Signs, objects, or symbolic materials that are deemed dangerous or a threat to attendees at the meeting or the facility infrastructure are not allowed. City staff is authorized to remove items and/or individuals from the Council Chambers, Council meeting room, audience viewing or listening room, or the hallways and foyer outside the Council Chambers, Council meeting room, or audience viewing or listening room if they are deemed dangerous or a threat exists.
SECTION 11.5 NO FOOD OR DRINK
No food or drink is allowed in the Council Chambers, Council meeting room or audience viewing or listening room.
ARTICLE 12 - ELIGIBLE LEGISLATIVE BODIES AND COMPLIANCE WITH SENATE BILL NUMBER 707
SECTION 12.1 SENATE BILL NUMBER 707
On October 3, 2025, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill Number 707 (SB 707) into law.
The intent of SB 707 is to increase public engagement in local government and modernize the Ralph M. Brown Act. Some provisions of SB 707 went into effect on January 1, 2026, but other changes will become effective on July 1, 2026.
SECTION 12.2 APPLICABILITY OF SB 707
The provisions of Article 12 will only apply to meetings of the City Council, which is an eligible legislative body under Government Code § 54953.4. Article 12 does not apply to meetings of City Council Committees or meetings of City commissions, boards, or committees.
SECTION 12.3 CITY COUNCIL MEETING REMOTE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
a) In compliance with SB 707 and Government Code § 54943.4, the City Council will provide a two-way telephonic service or a two-way audiovisual platform (Remote Access) to the public for City Council meetings.
b) The City of Torrance will post clear instructions on the agenda and on its website explaining how to attend and comment remotely.
SECTION 12.3 TECHNOLOGY DISRUPTION POLICY
a) The City Council will follow the following policy in the event of service disruption to Remote Access.
1) Once the City becomes aware of a service disruption to Remote Access, the Mayor, or Mayor Pro-Tem, will announce the disruption and pause any action on the agenda
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2) The Mayor, or Mayor Pro-Tem, will call for a recess of the open session or convene the City Council in closed session, consistent with the Brown Act.
3) The recess will last for one hour or until Remote Access is restored, whichever occurs first. The recess period may be extended if restoration efforts are ongoing.
4) During the recess, City staff will make a good faith attempt to restore Remote Access. City staff will keep the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem and the City Clerk informed of the status of the restoration efforts.
b) Reconvening the Open Session
1) If Remote Access is restored, then open session may be reconvened after a recess of one hour or as soon as Remote Access is restored, whichever occurs first.
2) If Remote Access is not restored after one hour, the City Council may reconvene and:
a) Adjourn the meeting; or
b) Continue the meeting in open session after a roll call vote adopting findings that (1) good faith efforts to restore Remote Access have been made in accordance with this disruption policy and (2) the public interest in continuing the meeting outweighs the public interest in Remote Access.
c) The City Clerk will enter a brief statement about the Remote Access disruption into the meeting minutes that includes the following information:
1) The occurrence and time of the disruption
2) The good faith efforts made to restore Remote Access
3) The time the recess began and ended
4) The action that City Council took under subsection (b) including the finding adopted and the result of any roll call vote
SECTION 12.4 PREPAREDNESS AND TESTING
To reduce the likelihood of disruptions, Staff will make reasonable efforts to
a) Verify the Remote Access is functioning prior to each meeting b) Determine the feasibility of a back-up means of Remote Access. The determination will include the analysis of cost (initial purchase cost as well as on-going annual costs), staffing requirements, and maintenance requirements of any back-up means of Remote Access.
ARTICLE 13 – MISCELLANEOUS
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13.1 PURPOSE
The City Council Rules of Order are adopted to ensure that City of Torrance meetings can be conducted efficiently and effectively without disruption. The Rules of Order provide that members of the public have a right to be heard, but the City Council has the right to remove those who are engaged in actual disruption of the meeting.
13.2 USE OF RULES OF ORDER
The Rules of Order that will be used by the City Council and Council Committees. The Rules of Order may be used by City commissions, boards, and committees that have not adopted their own rules of order. The City of Torrance does not use Robert’s Rules of Order, Rosenberg’s Rules of Order, or any other rules of parliamentary procedure.
ARTICLE 121314 - SEVERABILITY
SECTION 121314.1 SEVERABILITY
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or portion of the City Council Rules of Order is for any reason deemed or held to be invalid or unconstitutional by the decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision will not affect the validity of the remaining portions of these City Council Rules of Order. The City Council of the City of Torrance hereby declares that it would have adopted this Ordinance and each section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or portion thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses, phrases or other portions might subsequently be declared invalid or unconstitutional.
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