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City Manager Office www.santa-ana.org/cm Item # 37 or City of Santa Ana 20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701 Staff Report April 5, 2022 TOPIC: City Charter AGENDA TITLE: Charter Review Ad Hoc Committee Informational Report RECOMMENDED ACTION Accept informational report and provide direction to staff. DISCUSSION Introduction This report provides background information relating to recent proposals to amend the City Charter (the "Charter"), share the Charter Review Ad Hoc Committee's progress to date, and create an opportunity for the City Council to discuss and provide direction to staff for follow-up. About the Charter The City of Santa Ana is governed through a Charter authorized by the California Constitution. The Charter is a vital document which establishes a degree of autonomy to local governments and outlines certain authority and restrictions the City has over municipal affairs. The Charter addresses important aspects of Santa Ana's authority. The original Charter of the City of Santa Ana was adopted by the voters on 1952. Modifications to the original document have been approved by the voters on several occasions, with the last major amendment occurring as part of the November 8, 2018 General Municipal Election. 2020 Charter Review Ad Hoc Committee From January to May 2020, an ad hoc committee of the City Council (the "2020 Ad Hoc Committee") met to explore proposals to amend the Charter. After a series of 11 meetings, and based upon feedback from City staff and the public, the ad hoc committee prepared 17 proposed Charter amendments (Exhibit 1). The proposed amendments consisted of administrative clean-up items and various policy issues from the then -seated members of the City Council. Ultimately, the City Council decided to not take any action. City Council 37 — 1 4/5/2022