Welcome to Your City Council Meeting
City of Lawndale, California

 

MEETING SCHEDULE AND AGENDA POSTING

Regular City Council meetings are held on the first and third Mondays of each month, at 6:30 p.m. in the council chamber at City Hall, 14717 Burin Avenue.

The city clerk’s office prepares the agendas and posts them on the City's website and at City Hall, the Community Center, the Community Center Annex and the Lawndale Post Office at least 72 hours before the meeting to inform the public of matters to be considered by the City Council. Copies of the agenda are also available in the City Hall foyer.

Staff reports to the City Council for each meeting are available for inspection at the Lawndale Library and City Hall, generally no later than Thursday prior to the meeting.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

The City of Lawndale wishes to make its meetings accessible to all members of the public. If you need special assistance to participate in a council meeting, please contact the city clerk’s office at (310) 973‑3211 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting.

ORDER OF BUSINESS

The City Council follows a regular order of business for each meeting, as follows:

Presentations:  The Lawndale City Council takes great pleasure in recognizing individuals, organizations and community groups for their accomplishments and contributions to the community, in presenting proclamations for upcoming events, and scheduling presentations by outside agencies to provide information of value and interest to the community. On occasion, individuals or groups who wish to recognize or commend the City may also appear.

Housing Authority & Redevelopment Agency:Lawndale Housing Authority and Lawndale Redevelopment Agency meetings are occasionally incorporated into regular City Council meetings. Though not listed on the council agenda, meetings of the governing boards of the Lawndale Cable Usage Corp. and Lawndale Public Financing Authority may also be scheduled. There are separate agendas for each of these agencies.

Public Safety Report: The Lennox Station captain for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department regularly reports on law enforcement activities in the city.

Items from City Clerk: The Lawndale city clerk may report on the department's activities or matters pertinent to the meeting agenda.

Items from Citizens: The City Council welcomes public participation at its meetings. The public may comment on any matter within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council that is not on the agenda. Under state law, the City Council may not take action on matters that are not listed on the agenda. However, council may refer subjects raised in Items from Citizens to City staff or place them on the agenda of a subsequent meeting.

Those wishing to address the City Council are encouraged to submit a request form to the city clerk. These are available in the pocket on the council chamber door. Each individual may speak for five minutes. Groups should select one representative to address the City Council.

Comments from Council: The City Council will respond to the public's concerns during the Comments from Council portion of the meeting.

Consent Calendar: Routine items are listed in the Consent Calendar and may be acted upon by one motion and one roll call vote. Any councilmember may remove agenda items from the Consent Calendar for separate discussion and vote during the Excluded Consent Calendar portion of the meeting.

Public Hearings: Certain matters, such as land use issues and General Plan amendments, must be considered in a noticed public hearing. Once staff has presented a report and relevant evidence, the presiding officer will open the public hearing. Those wishing to speak or present evidence will be sworn in prior to being allowed to speak. No person may speak without first being recognized by the presiding officer, nor may a person provide testimony after the public hearing has been closed. The presiding officer may establish a time limit for each speaker.

Administration - Continued and New Business: Items which require individual consideration by the City Council will be heard in the Administration portion of the agenda. Issues which have been addressed, though not decided upon in a previous meeting are considered first, under Continued Business.

City Manager's Report: The City Manager's Report includes items of interest to the City Council and is generally informational in content.

Items from Councilmembers: In this portion of the meeting, individual councilmembers comment on any matter affecting the city, its residents and business community. Councilmembers occasionally place issues on the agenda which may result in formal action. Such matters will be specifically described on the agenda.

Closed Sessions: Certain items of a sensitive nature require confidential discussion by the City Council in closed session. To qualify as a closed session matter, such issues must meet criteria specified in state law. The city attorney reports on any action taken during closed session upon resumption of the open meeting.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:  ORDINANCES & RESOLUTIONS

An ordinance is a city law and is the most binding form of action taken by the City Council. Violation of ordinances may be misdemeanor offenses or infractions of the law. The City Council is empowered by state law to adopt ordinances, so long as they do not conflict with the state constitution, state laws or federal laws. Approval of most ordinances requires two separate readings at least five days apart. Once adopted, an ordinance will generally take effect 30 days after final passage and remains a city law until and unless it is amended or repealed by a subsequent ordinance.

A resolution is a written action or decision and requires only one reading. Like ordinances, resolutions remain in effect unless amended or repealed by a subsequent resolution.