City Council

City Council meetings are held in the Council Chamber, City Hall, 33282 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, CA 92629, at 6:00 p.m., on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

The City of Dana Point operates under a Council/Manager form of government. City Council Members are elected by-district for a four year term. Council Members serve "staggered" terms, meaning that either two (2) or three (3) seats are open for election every two years. Council Members may serve no more than two consecutive (four year) terms. Municipal elections are held the first Tuesday in November of even numbered years, with three Council members selected at one election and two at the next. Service on the Council is limited to two consecutive full terms.

The Council is the legislative policy making branch of City government. City Council is responsible for enacting ordinances, resolutions and orders necessary for governing the affairs of the City; approving or amending the annual budget; authorizing contracts on behalf of the City; acting as the final appeal body on rulings of commissions; and appointing the City Manager, City Attorney, and members of commissions and/or committees.

Each year, the Council elects one of its members to serve as Mayor and one as Mayor Pro Tem for a one-year term. The Mayor serves as the official representative of the City for all legislative and ceremonial purposes. The Mayor is the presiding officer at City Council meetings and executes legal instruments and documents. However, the Mayor is not vested with administrative authority. The Mayor Pro Tem serves in the Mayor's absence.

The regular meeting of the City Council is a vital part of the democratic process in the conduct of the City's affairs. It is at Council meetings that laws, policies and basic decisions are made for the government of Dana Point. All meetings of the City Council are open to the public and citizens are encouraged to attend to learn more about how the City operates. City Council meetings are held in the Council Chamber, City Hall, 33282 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, CA 92629, at 6:00 p.m., on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. Special meetings are called as necessary by the Mayor, or by a majority of Council Members, and noticed at least 24 hours in advance. Here is the current meeting schedule.

The City Council agenda is the official order of business at Council meetings. Items for the agenda are prepared and submitted to the City Council by the City Manager and staff. The agenda lists the items coming before the Council for consideration. A City staff report for each item gives background and analysis, as well as staff recommendations and alternatives.

The Council may take action on any matter noticed in the Agenda in any manner deemed appropriate by the Council. The Council's consideration of the noticed matters is not limited by the recommendations indicated in the Agenda Reports. By Resolution, no new items of business will be started after 11:00 p.m., unless an exception is made by vote of the Council.

City Council Agenda & Minutes

Members of the public may address the Council on items included in the agenda or on topics that are not included in the agenda. Any person wishing to speak must complete a "Request to Speak" form, which is available at the door, and submit it to the City Clerk prior to the calling of that agenda item by the Mayor.

Items on the "Consent Calendar" are not discussed individually but are approved as a group with one motion. If an item is pulled from the Consent Calendar for discussion, it is considered after the Consent Calendar items are voted upon.

Anyone wishing to address the Council on a non-agenda item may do so during the "Public Comments" part of the agenda.

In order to conduct a timely meeting, there will be a three minute time limit per person and an overall time limit of 15 minutes for the Public Comments portion of the agenda. State law prohibits the City Council from taking any action on a specific item unless it appears on the posted Agenda.

At the meeting, if anyone has handouts to distribute to the Council, please hand them to the City Clerk. The City Clerk will see that they are distributed.

Members of the audience shall not engage in disorderly or boisterous conduct, including the utterance of loud, threatening or abusive language, clapping, whistling, stamping of feet or other acts which disturb, disrupt, impede or otherwise render the orderly conduct of the City Council meeting infeasible. A member of the audience engaging in any such conduct shall, at the discretion of the presiding officer or a majority of the City Council, be subject to ejection from that meeting.

Minutes: The written record of prior actions presented to the Council for approval at the following meeting. Minutes are not considered official until approved by the Council.

Consent Calendar: A listing of routine business items, which are adopted with one motion, without discussion. However, any Council Member, citizen or staff member may request that an item be pulled from the Consent Calendar for discussion and separate action. The item is then considered after the Consent Calendar items are voted upon.

Public Hearings: The formal process of getting opinion on major legislative matters as required by the City Code--assessment districts, rezonings, subdivisions, appeals, etc.

Public Comments: The time during which citizens may address the Council on any matter not on the agenda. Topics brought up in this way are usually referred to the appropriate staff member who may prepare a report and possibly place it on a future agenda.

Quorum: Requirement that three Council Members be present to conduct a meeting.

Motions: The least formal of actions which ordinarily requires three affirmative votes.

Resolutions: Formal written motions required by the City Code for certain legal actions.