AGENDA ITEM REPORT
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AN ORDINANCE PROPOSING AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY CHARTER AS SUBMITTED BY THE 2025 CHARTER REVIEW BOARD AND ADOPTED BY THEM ON APRIL 16, 2025; PROVIDING THAT A MAJORITY OF ELECTORS VOTING IN THE NOVEMBER 3, 2026, GENERAL ELECTION APPROVE SUCH CHANGES. (FIRST READING)
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BACKGROUND:
Pursuant to the City of Coconut Creek City Charter, Section 907, entitled “Charter Review; Charter Review Board,” the City Commission is required to appoint a Charter Review Board to review the City’s Charter every five (5) years. The last Charter Review Board convened in 2020. Starting in January 2025, the Charter Review Board members, who were appointed on January 9, 2025, began their review of the City’s Charter and deliberation of proposed changes. Over the course of thirteen (13) meetings, the Board voted to approve six (6) changes to the Charter, consolidated into five (5) ballot questions. The Board’s proposed changes are hereby submitted to the City Commission for acceptance prior to going before the voters of the City on a ballot to be voted upon at the next general election to be held on November 3, 2026. Please note that a copy of all Charter Review Board Meeting minutes and a memorandum from the Charter Review Board have been provided for your information and review.
DISCUSSION:
The City is committed to following its Charter and ensuring that the review of the Charter be undertaken, as required. As a point of general information, the City Commission may not make any changes to the amendments proposed by the Charter Review Board. The City Commission may, however, submit its own proposed amendments for a referendum vote, along with those amendments provided by the Charter Review Board. Any amendments that may be proposed by the Commission may or may not conflict with those submitted by the Charter Review Board.
As discussed in the Charter Review Board’s Final Report to the City Commission, the Board’s proposed changes include revising the timing of the Charter Review Board to coincide more closely with regularly scheduled elections. The current review cycle demonstrates the basis for the recommendation. The Charter Review Board was initiated in January 2025, consistent with the Charter requirement that it be initiated in January every five (5) years. The next election is not until November 2026, a full eighteen (18) months after the Board concluded its business. If the Charter Review Board is initiated in January every six (6) or every eight (8) years, it will always coincide with an upcoming election. The Charter Review Board asked the City Commission to determine if proposed length of time between reviews should be six (6) years or eight (8) years. If the City Commission chooses six (6) years, beginning the change in 2030 (five (5) years from the current review) is recommended. If the City Commission chooses eight (8) years, beginning the change in 2032 is recommended (seven (7) years from the current review). The language options are shown in brackets in the Charter Review Board’s Final Report and on Page 6 of the attached Charter Amendment Ordinance.
In addition, the Board recommended the City Commission consider amending the City’s Land Development Code to add “economic development” to the list of criteria for qualifying to serve on the Planning and Zoning Board. The draft language is provided on Page 2 of the Board’s Final Report. This recommended change would not be a Charter amendment but an ordinance amending the City Code if the City Commission so desires.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Commission choose whether the Charter Review Board be appointed every six (6) years or every eight (8) years and approve this ordinance as amended to reflect the chosen frequency with which the Charter Review Board shall be appointed.
FISCAL IMPACT: N/A