Subd. 1 Form and Adoption
The ordaining clause of all ordinances shall be in the words, “The City of Virginia ordains”. Every ordinance, except an emergency ordinance, shall be introduced in writing and at a regular meeting, and may be adopted at any regular meeting occurring at least fourteen days after the meeting at winch it was introduced. No ordinance shall contain more than one subject, which shall be clearly expressed in its title.
Subd. 2 Signing and Publication
Every ordinance adopted by the Council shall be signed by the Mayor or by two Councillors, attested, filed and preserved by the person designated by the Council. Every ordinance shall be published once in the official newspaper. However, as to lengthy ordinances, or ordinances which include charts or maps, the Council may, by unanimous vote, determine that publication of the title and a summary of an ordinance would clearly inform the public of the intent and effect of such ordinance, and direct that only the title and summary be published with a notice that a printed copy of the ordinance is available for inspection during regular office hours at the office of the person or department so designated by the Council and at the City Library. The text of the summary shall be approved by the Council prior to publication. Such publication shall be deemed to fulfill all legal requirements for publication as completely as if the entire ordinance had been published. The text of the summary shall be published in a body type no smaller than brevier or eight-point type as defined in Minnesota Statutes. Proof of publication shall be attached to and filed with the ordinance. To the extent and in the manner provided by law, an ordinance may incorporate by reference a Statute of Minnesota, a State administrative rule or a regulation, a code, or ordinance or part thereof without publishing the material referred to in full.
Subd. 3 Emergency
An emergency ordinance is an ordinance necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, morals, safety or welfare in which the emergency is defined and declared in a preamble thereto. No prosecution shall be based upon the provisions of any emergency ordinance until twenty-four hours after the ordinance has been filed with the City Clerk and posted in three conspicuous places or until the ordinance has been once published in the official newspaper, unless the person charged with violation had actual notice of the adoption of the ordinance prior to the act or omission of which complaint is made.
Subd. 4 When Effective.
An emergency ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its adoption or at such later date as is fixed therein. Every other ordinance shall take effect fifteen days after publication of the ordinance or publication of the summary, as the case may be, or at such later date as is fixed therein. Every ordinance adopted by the voters of the City shall take effect immediately upon its adoption, or at such later time as is fixed therein.
Subd. 5 Amendment or Repeal.
Every ordinance repealing a previous ordinance or section or subdivision of a codification shall give the number, if any, and the title of the ordinance or section or subdivision to be repealed in whole or in part. No ordinance or section or subdivision shall be amended by reference to the title alone, but such an amending ordinance shall set forth in full each section, subdivision, or subparagraph as amended.
Subd. 6 Copies of Ordinances.
Public readings of entire ordinances at City Council meetings shall not be required or even permitted. Provided, however, that any resident of the City may, at any time between introduction and final adoption of an ordinance, except an emergency ordinance, request a copy from the person or department so designated by the Council. All such requests shall be honored except that as to lengthy ordinances or ordinances which include charts or maps referred to in Subdivision 2 of this Section, a complete copy shall not be furnished, but the summary, when prepared, shall be furnished to the person requesting the same.