Upon certification by the City Administrator of an ordinance initiated by petition, the Council shall refer the ordinance to the City Attorney or other qualified attorney selected by the Council for a written opinion as to the ordinance’s compliance with Section 6.01, with a direction to the attorney to report to the Council within 30 days. If the attorney advises the Council that the initiated ordinance is contrary to the provisions of the law or this chapter, neither the Council nor any city officer may take any further action with respect to the ordinance. Upon receipt of the attorney’s opinion that the initiated ordinance complies with Section 6.01 or if the attorney does not report to the Council within the 30-day period, at its next meeting the Council shall cause a first reading of the ordinance and refer it to an appropriate committee, which may be a committee of the whole. The Council shall thereupon provide for a public hearing upon the ordinance, after the holding of which the ordinance shall be finally acted upon by the Council not later than sixty (60) days after the date upon which it was submitted to the Council by the City Administrator. If the Council passes the proposed ordinance without amendments, the ordinance need not be submitted to the voters. If the Council passes the proposed ordinance with amendments and at least four fifths of the sponsoring committee file a statement with the City Administrator approving the amended form within ten (10) days of its passage by the Council, the ordinance need not be submitted to the voters. If the Council fails to enact the ordinance in an acceptable form within seventy (70) days after the final determination of the sufficiency of the petition, the Council must schedule a special election on the earliest date possible under Minnesota law. The ordinance shall be placed on the ballot as stated on the original petition filed with the City Administrator, unless, not later than seventy (70) days after the date upon which it was submitted to the council by the City Administrator, the Council votes to submit the proposed ordinance to the voters with amendments, and at least four-fifths of the sponsoring committee file a statement with the City Administrator approving the amendments within ten (10) days of the City Council vote, in which event the Council must schedule a special election on the amended ordinance on the earliest date permitted under Minnesota law. If the majority of those voting on the ordinance, vote in its favor, it shall become effective thirty (30) days after its adoption unless the ordinance specifies a later effective date.
(Ord. 77, Seventh Series, effective 1-26-2019)