Title
Certification of Results and Review of Options for Three Citizen-Sponsored Charter Amendment Initiative Petitions
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) Accept 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 the election should be called for Tuesday, November 3, 2026, March 7, 2028, or November 7, 2028; and
d) By motion, decide whether to submit an argument against the proposed initiative (pursuant to Elections Code Section 9282) and, if submitting such an argument, designate the authors; and
e) Adopt the following Resolutions: Resolutions 2026-64, through 2026-72 of the City Council of the City of Newport Beach, California, Calling for and Giving Notice of a General [or Special] Municipal Election to be held on [November 3, 2026, or March 7, 2028, or November 7, 2028,] to Submit to the Voters Initiative Measures Proposing to Amend the City Charter to: (1) Modify City Charter Provisions Related to 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 Requesting the Orange County Board of Supervisors Authorize the County Elections Official to Render Services Relating to the Conduct of a [General or 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 General [or Special] Municipal Election to be Held on November 3, 2026, March 7, 2028, or November 7, 2028, and Providing for the Establishment of Deadlines for Filing of the Impartial Analysis and Written Arguments For and Against the Initiative Measure; and Setting the Deadlines for Filing of Rebuttal Arguments in Response to Direct Arguments Filed For and Against the Initiative Measure to be Submitted to the Voters at the General [or Special] Municipal Election to be held on [November 3 2026, or March 7, 2028, or November 7, 2028]; and
f) If November 3, 2026, is not selected as the date for the calling of the election, adopt Resolution 2026-73 Making Findings and Explaining the Selection of a 2028 Election Date for the Consideration of the Three Initiatives; and
g) Review the draft arguments for the Three initiatives and NBSA’s ballot arguments against the Three Initiatives; and
h) 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 option selected by the City Council.