Title
Confirmation of the Acceptance of the Certification of the Orange County Registrar of Voters Regarding the Verification of Signatures for the Public Meetings, Public Records, Oversight, and Enforcement Initiative; the Lifetime City Council Term Limits Initiative; and the District-Only Voting Initiative; and Calling a Special Municipal Election for the Consideration of the Three Initiatives by the Voters for November 3, 2026.
Recommendation
a) Determine that this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to Sections 15060( c)(2) and 15060( c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because the action will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment and is not a project as defined in Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines; and
b) Confirm the City Council’s previous acceptance of the certifications of the Orange County Registrar of Voters regarding the verification of signatures for the Public Meetings, Public Records, Oversight, and Enforcement Initiative; Lifetime City Council Term Limits Initiative; and District-Only Voting Initiative; and
c) By motion, decide whether to submit an argument against each of the Three Initiatives (pursuant to Elections Code Section 9282) and, if submitting such an argument against any of the Three Initiatives, designate up to three Councilmembers to author the argument; and
e) Adopt the following Resolutions: Resolutions 2026-77 through 2026-83 of the City Council of the City of Newport Beach, California, Calling for and Giving Notice of a Special Municipal Election to be held on November 3, 2026 to Submit to the Voters Initiative Measures Proposing to Amend the City Charter to add/modify City Charter provisions related to: (1) Public Meetings, Public Records, Oversight, and Enforcement; ( 2) City Council Member Term Limits; and ( 3) Council Members Being Elected Only by Voters Residing within the District the Council Member Represents; and a Resolution Requesting the Orange County Board of Supervisors Authorize the County Elections Official to Render Services Relating to the Conduct of a Special Municipal Election, as well the Accompanying Resolutions Directing the City Attorney to Prepare an Impartial Analysis of an Initiative Measure to Be Submitted to the Voters at the Special Municipal Election to be Held on November 3, 2026, and Establishing the Deadline for the Filing of the Impartial Analysis and Written Arguments For and Against the Initiative Measures; and
f) Authorize the City Manager, City Clerk and City Attorney to enter into any and all agreements, execute any documents and take any action necessary to conduct the Special Municipal Election on November 3, 2026, without the need to comply with any City Council Policy or any City Council adopted Resolution; and
g) Authorize City staff to prepare and execute a budget amendment, as needed, to appropriate sufficient funds to cover election and administrative costs associated with the Special Municipal Election.