Huntington Beach Charter Reform

Last updated April 15, 2010

The City of Huntington Beach is proceeding with the first major charter revision since 1978. The city council appointed a 15-member Charter Review Commission that was tasked with proposing a new charter. The commission has completed its work and forwarded a draft charter to the city council for their review and possible modifications. The city council will be holding its first study session on the new charter on Monday, April 19, 2010, at 4PM in city hall room B-8 (see agenda here), followed by consideration at a future regular city council meeting to submit the charter to the November 2010 general election ballot.

The goal of this page is to provide unbiased tools to allow the citizens of Huntington Beach to participate in a fully informed manner during the coming process. I, Mark Bixby, have skimmed through every charter on this page and in the process of doing so discovered many progressive innovations that would greatly benefit the citizens of Huntington Beach. I strongly urge other people with intense interest in charter reform to similarly skim through every charter -- it is time well-spent.

My Charter Proposals

The table below lists the status of all of the substantive charter proposals that I made while I served on the charter commission. Click each proposal short description to view the complete proposal details.

Proposal	Result
Improve transparency for closed sessions	Withdrawn
Publish all agenda materials on the Internet	Weakened
Publish all minutes on the Internet	Weakened
Extend the reach of the Brown Act and the Public Records Act	Failed
Broaden the prohibition against nepotism	Failed
Publish all ordinances on the Internet	Weakened
Auto-repeal emergency ordinances after 120 days	Adopted
Publish all legal notices on the Internet	Weakened
Limit franchise duration and prohibit granting by emergency ordinance	Failed
Elected officials must forfeit office for charter violations	Failed
Change city attorney and city treasurer to appointed positions	Failed
City councilmember compensation to conform more closely with general law	Failed
Lower petition signature thresholds for initiative, referendum, and recall	Failed
Campaign contribution limit set by charter	Failed
Ceiling for anonymous campaign contributions	Failed
Tightened conflict of interest restrictions for elected officials	Failed
Electronic filing and Internet publication of campaign finance disclosures	Failed
Safe harbor for prompt refund of improper campaign contributions	Failed
Prevent carryover of surplus campaign funds	Failed
Strengthen Measure C	Failed
Require charter review at least once every 10 years	Adopted
Prohibit eminent domain for private benefit	Failed
Dedicated Transient Occupancy Tax funding for neighborhood infrastructure improvements	Failed
Require park in-lieu fees to be spent on park development until park acreage goals are met	Failed
Protections for city-owned tidelands	Failed
Improved public oversight for long-duration contracts	Withdrawn
Local preference for public works contracts	Withdrawn

All California Charters

The table below contains links to the charters of all California charter cities. The "Searchable Charter" column links to the bixby.org PDF copy of the charters which may have been reformatted and/or OCR-ed to facilitate keyword searching. The "Official Charter" column links to the official city-hosted or codifier-hosted version of the charters.

Or download all searchable charters (82MB) for searching with Adobe Reader's "Search all PDF documents in..." feature (open Full Reader Search by clicking the down arrow to the right of the "Find" box, or type Shift+Ctrl+F).

Searching via Google and searching via Acrobat Reader both have their plusses and minuses. Some searches may be better suited for one method instead of the other. The Google search button above only searches through the "Searchable Charters" below.

See the bottom of this page for additional search tools that may be helpful to somebody participating in charter reform.

Searchable Charter	Official Web Site	Official Charter
Adelanto	http://adelantoca.govoffice2.com/	http://www.amlegal.com/adelanto_ca/
Alameda	http://www.ci.alameda.ca.us/	http://www.ci.alameda.ca.us/gov/city_charter.html
Albany	http://www.albanyca.org/	http://clerkshq.com/default.ashx?clientsite=albany-ca
Alhambra	http://www.cityofalhambra.org/	http://www.amlegal.com/alhambra_ca/
Anaheim	http://www.anaheim.net/	http://www.anaheim.net/docs_agend/charter.pdf
Arcadia	http://www.ci.arcadia.ca.us/home/index.asp	http://www.ci.arcadia.ca.us/docs/170456102008city_charter.pdf
Bakersfield	http://www.bakersfieldcity.us/index.htm	http://www.qcode.us/codes/bakersfield/
Berkeley	http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/Home.aspx	http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/ContentDisplay.aspx?id=10776
Big Bear Lake	http://www.citybigbearlake.com/	http://www.citybigbearlake.com/cityGovt/documents/CityCharter_000.pdf
Buena Park	http://www.buenapark.com/	http://www.buenapark.com/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=609
Burbank	http://www.ci.burbank.ca.us/	http://www.ci.burbank.ca.us/cityclerk/bmc%20-%20reorganized/Charter.pdf
Carlsbad	http://www.carlsbadca.gov/	http://www.carlsbadconnected.com/#carlsbads-approved-charter-7a1de
Cerritos	http://www.ci.cerritos.ca.us/	http://www.ci.cerritos.ca.us/citygov/City_Charter.pdf
Chico	http://www.chico.ca.us/	http://www.chico.ca.us/document_library/municode/Charter.pdf
Chula Vista	http://www.chulavistaca.gov/	http://www.chulavistaca.gov/City_Services/Administrative_Services/City_Clerk/PDFs/CVCharter.pdf
Compton	http://www.comptoncity.org/	http://www.comptoncity.org/index.php/City-Clerk/city-charter.html
Culver City	http://www.ci.culver-city.ca.us/	http://www.amlegal.com/culvercity_ca/
Cypress	http://www.ci.cypress.ca.us/	http://www.ci.cypress.ca.us/administration/cypress_charter.pdf
Del Mar	http://www.delmar.ca.us/	http://www.delmar.ca.us/Government/Municipal%20Code/CityCharter.pdf
Desert Hot Springs	http://www.desert-hot-springs.us/	http://www.qcode.us/codes/deserthotsprings/
Dinuba	http://www.dinuba.org/	http://www.dinuba.org/pdf/city%20charter.pdf
Downey	http://www.downeyca.org/	http://www.downeyca.org/city_charter.pdf
Eureka	http://www.ci.eureka.ca.gov/	http://www.amlegal.com/eureka_ca/
Exeter	http://www.cityofexeter.com/	CHARTER NOT ONLINE - RECEIVED VIA SNAIL-MAIL
Folsom	http://www.folsom.ca.us/	http://www.folsom.ca.us/depts/city_clerk/charter.asp
Fortuna	http://friendlyfortuna.com/	http://www.codepublishing.com/ca/fortuna/
Fresno	http://www.fresno.gov/	http://www.municode.com/Resources/gateway.asp?pid=14478&sid=5
Gilroy	http://www.cityofgilroy.org/cityofgilroy/	http://www.cityofgilroy.org/cityofgilroy_files/city_hall/COG-AmendedCharter_03-16-2009.pdf
Glendale	http://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/	http://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/gmc/charter.asp
Grass Valley	http://www.cityofgrassvalley.com/	http://www.cityofgrassvalley.com/services/resources/municodes/Title_99/01/010.html
Hayward	http://www.hayward-ca.gov/	http://www.hayward-ca.gov/about/pdf/CHARTER.pdf
Huntington Beach	http://www.surfcity-hb.org/	http://www.surfcity-hb.org/Government/charter_codes/city_charter.cfm
Indian Wells	http://www.cityofindianwells.org/	CHARTER NOT ONLINE - RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL
Industry	http://www.cityofindustry.org/index2.asp	CHARTER NOT ONLINE - RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL
Inglewood	http://www.cityofinglewood.org/default.asp	http://www.cityofinglewood.org/depts/cityclerks/city_charter.asp
Irvine	http://www.ci.irvine.ca.us/	http://www.ci.irvine.ca.us/cityhall/cityclerk/city_charter.asp
Irwindale	http://irwindale.ca.us/home.html	http://irwindale.ca.us/municipal_code/
Kingsburg	http://www.cityofkingsburg-ca.gov/	http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=16082&sid=5
La Quinta	http://www.la-quinta.org/	http://qcode.us/codes/laquinta/
Lemoore	http://www.lemoore.com/default.html	CHARTER NOT ONLINE - RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL
Lindsay	http://www.lindsay.ca.us/	CHARTER NOT ONLINE - RECEIVED VIA SNAIL-MAIL
Loma Linda	http://www.ci.loma-linda.ca.us/	http://municipalcodes.lexisnexis.com/codes/lomalinda/
Long Beach	http://www.longbeach.gov/	http://www.municode.com/Resources/gateway.asp?pid=16854&sid=5
Los Alamitos	http://www.ci.los-alamitos.ca.us/	http://qcode.us/codes/losalamitos/
Los Angeles	http://www.ci.la.ca.us/	http://www.amlegal.com/library/ca/losangeles.shtml
Marina	http://www.ci.marina.ca.us/	http://www.ci.marina.ca.us/documents/City%20Clerk/MarinaCityCharter.PDF
Marysville	http://www.marysville.ca.us/	http://www.codepublishing.com/CA/marysville/
Merced	http://www.ci.merced.ca.us/	http://www.municode.com/Resources/gateway.asp?pid=16096&sid=5
Modesto	http://www.ci.modesto.ca.us/	http://www.ci.modesto.ca.us/ccl/municode/
Monterey	http://www.monterey.org/	http://www.codepublishing.com/ca/monterey/
Mountain View	http://www.ci.mtnview.ca.us/	http://www.municode.com/Resources/gateway.asp?pid=16508&sid=5
Napa	http://www.cityofnapa.org/	http://74.205.120.199/images/cityclerk/charter.pdf
Needles	http://www.cityofneedles.com/index.asp	CHARTER NOT ONLINE - RECEIVED VIA SNAIL-MAIL
Newport Beach	http://www.city.newport-beach.ca.us/	http://www.codepublishing.com/CA/NewportBeach/
Norco	http://www.ci.norco.ca.us/	http://www.ci.norco.ca.us/depts/city_clerk/city_charter.asp
Oakland	http://www.oaklandnet.com/	http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=16308&sid=5
Oroville	http://www.cityoforoville.org/	http://63.195.12.146/citycode/index.html
Pacific Grove	http://www.ci.pg.ca.us/	http://nt2.scbbs.com/cgi-bin/om_isapi.dll?clientID=461048761&hitsperheading=on&infobase=procode-4&record={77007DA1}&softpage=Document42
Palm Desert	http://www.cityofpalmdesert.org/	http://www.cityofpalmdesert.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=23
Palm Springs	http://www.ci.palm-springs.ca.us/	http://www.qcode.us/codes/palmsprings/
Palo Alto	http://www.city.palo-alto.ca.us/	http://www.amlegal.com/library/ca/paloalto.shtml
Pasadena	http://www.ci.pasadena.ca.us/	http://www.municode.com/Resources/gateway.asp?pid=16551&sid=5
Petaluma	http://cityofpetaluma.net/	http://www.codepublishing.com/ca/petaluma.html
Piedmont	http://www.ci.piedmont.ca.us/	http://www.ci.piedmont.ca.us/html/city_charter/charter.pdf
Placentia	http://placentia.org/	http://municipalcodes.lexisnexis.com/codes/placentia/
Pomona	http://www.ci.pomona.ca.us/	http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=13712&sid=5
Port Hueneme	http://www.ci.port-hueneme.ca.us/	CHARTER NOT ONLINE - RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL
Porterville	http://www.ci.porterville.ca.us/	http://www.sterlingcodifiers.com/CA/Porterville/index.htm
Rancho Mirage	http://www.ci.rancho-mirage.ca.us/index.php	http://www.amlegal.com/ranchomirage_ca/
Redondo Beach	http://www.redondo.org/default.asp	http://www.qcode.us/codes/redondobeach/
Redwood City	http://www.redwoodcity.org/index.asp	http://www.redwoodcity.org/government/charter.html
Richmond	http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/	http://www.municode.com/Resources/gateway.asp?pid=16579&sid=5
Riverside	http://www.riversideca.gov/	http://www.riversideca.gov/municode/city-charter.asp
Roseville	http://www.roseville.ca.us/	http://qcode.us/codes/roseville/
Sacramento	http://www.cityofsacramento.org/	http://www.qcode.us/codes/sacramento/
Salinas	http://www.ci.salinas.ca.us/	http://municipalcodes.lexisnexis.com/codes/salinas/
San Bernardino	http://www.sbcity.org/	http://www.sbcity.org/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=2375
San Diego	http://www.sandiego.gov/	http://www.sandiego.gov/city-clerk/officialdocs/legisdocs/charter.shtml
San Francisco	http://www.sfgov.org/	http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=14130&sid=5
San Jose	http://www.sanjoseca.gov/	http://www.sanjoseca.gov/clerk/charter.asp
San Leandro	http://www.ci.san-leandro.ca.us/	http://qcode.us/codes/sanleandro/
San Luis Obispo	http://www.slocity.org/	http://www.slocity.org/cityclerk/download/City%20Charter%202008.pdf
San Marcos	http://www.ci.san-marcos.ca.us/	http://www.ci.san-marcos.ca.us/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=243
San Mateo	http://www.ci.sanmateo.ca.us/	http://www.ci.sanmateo.ca.us/index.asp?nid=861
San Rafael	http://www.cityofsanrafael.org/	http://www.municode.com/Resources/gateway.asp?pid=16610&sid=5
San Ramon	http://www.ci.san-ramon.ca.us/	http://www.ci.san-ramon.ca.us/clerk/charter.htm
Sand City	http://www.sandcity.org/	CHARTER NOT ONLINE - RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL
Santa Ana	http://www.ci.santa-ana.ca.us/	http://www.municode.com/Resources/gateway.asp?pid=14452&sid=5
Santa Barbara	http://www.santabarbaraca.gov/	http://www.santabarbaraca.gov/Government/Ordinances/Charter/
Santa Clara	http://santaclaraca.gov/	http://santaclaraca.gov/about_us/au_article_I.html
Santa Cruz	http://www.ci.santa-cruz.ca.us/	http://www.codepublishing.com/ca/santacruz/
Santa Maria	http://www.ci.santa-maria.ca.us/	http://www.ci.santa-maria.ca.us/CityCharter.pdf
Santa Monica	http://www.smgov.net/	http://www.qcode.us/codes/santamonica/
Santa Rosa	http://www.ci.santa-rosa.ca.us/	http://www.ci.santa-rosa.ca.us/departments/cityadmin/cityclerk/Pages/CityCharter.aspx
Santee	http://www.ci.santee.ca.us/	http://qcode.us/codes/santee/
Seal Beach	http://www.ci.seal-beach.ca.us/	http://pubrec.ci.seal-beach.ca.us/weblink7/docview.aspx?id=14581
Shafter	http://www.shafter.com/	CHARTER NOT ONLINE - RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL
Signal Hill	http://www.cityofsignalhill.org/	http://www.cityofsignalhill.org/city_clerk/city_charter.php
Solvang	http://www.cityofsolvang.com/	http://www.cityofsolvang.com/index.php/city-charter
Stockton	http://www.stocktongov.com/	http://qcode.us/codes/stockton/
Sunnyvale	http://sunnyvale.ca.gov/	http://qcode.us/codes/sunnyvale/
Temple City	http://www.templecity.us/	http://www.sterlingcodifiers.com/CA/Temple%20City/index.htm
Torrance	http://www.ci.torrance.ca.us/	http://municipalcodes.lexisnexis.com/codes/torrance/
Truckee	http://www.townoftruckee.com/	CHARTER NOT ONLINE - RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL
Tulare	http://www.ci.tulare.ca.us/	http://www.ci.tulare.ca.us/public_documents/municipal_code.htm
Vallejo	http://www.ci.vallejo.ca.us/	http://www.municode.com/Resources/gateway.asp?pid=16106&sid=5
Ventura	http://www.cityofventura.net/	http://www.cityofventura.net/city_manager/city_clerk/charter
Vernon	http://www.cityofvernon.org/index1.htm	CHARTER NOT ONLINE - RECEIVED VIA SNAIL-MAIL
Victorville	http://ci.victorville.ca.us/	CHARTER NOT ONLINE - RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL
Visalia	http://www.ci.visalia.ca.us/	http://www.amlegal.com/library/ca/visalia.shtml
Vista	http://www.cityofvista.com/	http://www.cityofvista.com/WebLink7/DocView.aspx?id=89525&dbid=1
Watsonville	http://www.ci.watsonville.ca.us/	http://www.ci.watsonville.ca.us/departments/clerk/CHARTER2006.pdf
Whittier	http://www.whittierch.org/	http://www.municode.com/Resources/gateway.asp?pid=16695&sid=5
Woodlake	http://www.cityofwoodlake.com/home.asp	CHARTER NOT ONLINE - RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL

Additional Search Tools

The following Google Custom Search Engines can be used to search the city's official web site according to various subject matter groupings that help to avoid false hits:

Huntington Beach City Web Site

Huntington Beach Charter, Municipal Code, and Zoning Code

Huntington Beach Planning Department Agendas & Minutes

Got suggestions for additional search engines? Let me know.