§ 3.15. Emergency Ordinances

(1) The City Council may adopt emergency ordinances only to meet public emergencies affecting life, health, property or the public peace. In particular, such ordinances shall not levy taxes, grant or renew or extend a franchise, or regulate the rate charged by any public utility for its services. Neither shall they authorize the borrowing of money except as provided elsewhere in this Charter.

(2) An emergency ordinance shall be introduced in the form and manner generally prescribed for ordinances, except that they shall be plainly designated in the title as an emergency ordinance and shall contain after the enacting clause a declaration stating that an emergency exists and describing the emergency in clear and specific terms.

(3) An emergency ordinance may be introduced at any City Council meeting and can be adopted with or without amendment or rejected at the meeting at which it is introduced.

(4) Emergency ordinances shall become effective upon adoption and shall be published as soon thereafter as practicable as required by law. Every emergency ordinance so adopted, except one authorizing the borrowing of money as described herein, is automatically repealed as of the sixty-first (61st) day following the day on which it became effective. The ordinance may be re-enacted if the emergency still exists.

(Ord. No. 10-11-861, § 3(Exh. B), 11-15-2010)