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Home My WebLink About2023-086 - Resolution RESOLUTION NO. 2023-086 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING RULES OF DECORUM AND ORDER THAT PROMOTE CIVILITY AT ALL PUBLIC MEETINGS A. Recitals 1. A majority of Americans believe that our society is increasingly uncivil and that this problem is particularly acute and particularly detrimental in national, state and local political arenas where it threatens government's ability to function democratically and effectively. 2. In an effort to address this national trend many cities have approved policies to promote civility and maintain decorum at local public meetings. 3. The Rancho Cucamonga City Council is committed to the democratic process, individual rights of expression, robust debate, and tolerance for disparate views. 4. From time to time, the City Council, the City's commissions and committees, and other City bodies convene public meetings to address controversial issues that can engender passionate and conflicting opinions. 5. An atmosphere of incivility and disrespect at these meetings can stifle participation and debate, threaten the quality of decisions, and undermine the local democratic process. 6. In 2022, the Legislature adopted, and the Governor signed, SB 1100 in order to limit disruptive behavior at public meetings, consistent with the Brown Act and the California and United State Constitutions. 7. SB 1100 defines disruptive behavior to include, among other things, a repeated failure to comply with reasonable and lawful regulations applicable to public meetings. 8. Adopting rules of decorum and order applicable to all public meetings within the City will help the City implement SB 1100 and ensure that civic engagement and local democracy continue to flourish in the City. B. Resolution NOW THEREFORE, the Rancho Cucamonga City Council does hereby find, determine, conclude, and resolve as follows: 1. All facts set forth in Part A, Recitals, of this Resolution are true and correct. 2. The City Council hereby approves and adopts the Rules of Decorum and Order at Public Meetings set forth in Exhibit A, which is attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference. 3. All prior meeting rules of decorum and order adopted previously by the City Council are superseded by this Resolution. In the event of any conflict between the rules set Resolution No. 2023-086 - Page 1 of 4 forth in Exhibit A and the rules, standards, or other policies of other City Commissions, Committees, and other Boards, the provisions of Exhibit A shall control. 4. This Resolution is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) because it can_ be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment. 5. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution. PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED this 5th day of July, 2023. L. nn s Michael, Mayor ATTEST: lgj�-.P- z" 4W4A 1-j V' nice C. Reynolds, Cit Clerk STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO ) ss CITY OF RANCHO CUCAMONGA ) I, Janice C. Reynolds, City Clerk of the City of Rancho Cucamonga, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly passed, approved, and adopted by the City Council of the City of Rancho Cucamonga, at a Regular Meeting of said Council held on the 511 day of July, 2023. AYES: Hutchison, Kennedy, Michael, Scott, Stickler NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAINED: None Executed this 6th day of July, 2023, at Rancho Cucamonga, California. ice C. Reynolds, City Clerk Resolution No. 2023-086 - Page 2 of 4 EXHIBIT A RULES OF DECORUM AND ORDER AT PUBLIC MEETINGS A. General Guidelines The City has numerous public meetings such as City Council meetings, Commission meetings, and Committee meetings (hereinafter "Public Meetings").-/In order to safeguard participatory democracy in the City, all persons attending Public Meetings should strive to: • Treat everyone courteously • Listen to others respectfully • Exercise self-control • Give open-minded consideration to all viewpoints • Focus on the issues and avoid personalizing debate • Embrace respectful disagreement and dissent as democratic rights that are inherent components of an inclusive public process and tools for forging sound decisions. B. Rules of Decorum 1. No person attending a Public Meeting shall engage in disorderly or boisterous conduct—including but not limited to applause, whistling, stamping of feet, booing, or making any loud, threatening, profane, abusive, personal, impertinent, or slanderous utterance— that disturbs, disrupts, or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of the,meeting. 2. All remarks by members of the public shall be addressed to the Council, Commission, or Committee and not to any other member of the public. 3. Signs, placards, banners, or other similar items shall not be permitted in the audience during a Public Meeting if the presence of such item disturbs, disrupts or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of the meeting. 4. All persons attending a Public Meeting shall remain seated in the seats provided, unless addressing the body at the podium or entering or leaving the meeting. 5. All persons attending a Public Meeting shall obey any lawful order of the Presiding Officer to enforce the Rules of Decorum. 6. In accordance with the Brown Act, all persons addressing the body that is conducting the Public Meeting shall limit their comments to items on the meeting agenda or any matter that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the body. 7. The Presiding Officer may establish such rules as are necessary to control public debate to avoid irrelevant or repetitive remarks. No member,of the public shall speak more than once during the same meeting as to the same agenda item or other matter, nor longer than 3 minutes at a time without leave of the Presiding Officer. The Presiding Officer may establish a shorter time period for speakers if announced before the beginning of the agenda item or public comment period. Resolution No. 2023-086 - Page 3 of 4 C. Enforcement of the Rules of Decorum 1. The Presiding Officer shall be responsible for maintaining the decorum at the Public Meeting and uniformly enforcing the Rules of Decorum. 2. In the event that any person breaches the Rules of Decorum in a manner that disturbs, disrupts, or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of the meeting, the Presiding Officer or their designee shall warn the person that their behavior is disrupting the meeting and that their failure to cease their behavior may result in their removal. A warning shall not be required if the person is engaging in behavior that constitute a use of force or a true threat of force, as defined in Government Code Section 54957.95(b)(2). 3. If any person continues to breach the Rules of Decorum in a manner that disturbs, disrupts, or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of the meeting following a. warning from the Presiding Officer or their designee to cease the offending conduct, the Presiding Officer or their designee may remove, or cause the removal of, such person for disrupting the meeting. 4. If any person refuses to leave the Public Meeting following an order from the Presiding Officer or their designee to do so, the Presiding Officer or their designee may order any law enforcement officer on duty to remove that person from the Public Meeting. The City Council, all City Commissions and Committees, and City staff shall promote the use of and adherence to these rules for behavior at all public meetings within the City. Resolution No. 2023-086- Page 4 of 4