Submit citizens' initiative

Would you like to have a particular issue addressed by the City Council? Submit your proposal to the City Council.

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Approach

Here's how to submit your citizens' initiative:

  • Send an email to the Registrar's Office. They will then send you the pdf form to fill out.
  • Submit your proposal to the City Council.
  • Indicate in the proposal:
    • what goal you want to achieve
    • What should or should not be done to achieve that goal
    • What the plan will cost approximately

When the council considers the proposal, the proposers may come and explain the proposal. Once the council makes a decision, we notify the proposers and publish the proposal.

Description

You can have an issue brought before the City Council. You do this with a citizens' initiative. It must be a subject on which the municipality can make a decision.

You can propose an issue if more people in your neighborhood or district think the issue is important. To do this, you need signatures from other residents.

Examples include:

  • the construction of a youth center
  • placing a bench where the elderly can congregate
  • establishing a new museum
  • Giving a property listed status

Terms

The requirements for a citizens' initiative include:

  • The City Council has not decided anything on this topic in the last 2 years. Check with the council clerk's office to see if your issue has been discussed during that period.
  • The topic is serious and concrete.
  • The citizens' initiative is not about municipal policy.
  • Anyone 16 and older may submit proposals.
  • The citizens' initiative must have the support of:
    • 300 residents in the city if the initiative is about the city
    • 100 residents in a neighborhood if the initiative is about that neighborhood.

Learn more

The difference between a petition, a citizens' initiative and a referendum

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