Title 11, CITIES

(a) Meetings.-- (1) Council shall hold stated meetings at least once each month, and at other times as may be fixed by ordinance, and continue them as long as the transaction of the public business demands. (2) Special meetings must be held in accordance with the following: (i) T…

(a) Subpoenas.--Council may compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of books, papers and other evidence at a meeting of the body or a committee of council. A subpoena signed by the mayor or the chairperson of the committee may be issued in a pending case of inquiry …

(a) Salary.--Except as provided in subsection (b), a council member shall receive an annual salary for the member's service during the member's term. The salary shall be fixed by ordinance and payable in regular installments. Council may, by an ordinance fixing the salaries, prov…

(a) Appointment.--Council shall appoint a city clerk, whose compensation shall be fixed by ordinance, who meets all the following criteria: (1) Is an at-will employee. (2) Has no property interest in the city clerk's position. (b) Powers and duties.--Council may, by ordinance or …

(a) Ordinances.--With regard to ordinances, the following shall apply: (1) Council shall enact ordinances as may be necessary to carry out the requirements of this part and impose fines and penalties for the violation of the ordinances, recoverable in the manner provided in this …

(a) Place of filing.--If the full text is not published, an attested copy of the proposed ordinance shall be filed when the summary of the ordinance is published in the county law library or other county office designated by the county commissioners. The county commissioners may …

(a) Records.--Within one month after enactment, each ordinance shall be certified and recorded by the city clerk in a book provided by the city which shall, at all times, be open to the inspection of the public. Within one month after adoption, each resolution pertaining to a tax…

(a) Proof.--An ordinance, resolution, motion or other proceeding of council may be proved by the certificate of the city clerk under the corporate seal. (b) Evidence.--When an ordinance, resolution, motion or proceeding of council is printed or published in book or pamphlet form …

(a) Authority to enact.--In the same manner as other ordinances, and except as otherwise provided in this chapter or the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, council may enact, by reference to a standard or nationally recognized code, all or a portion of the standard or nationally…

(a) Adoption.--Except as otherwise provided under the Municipalities Planning Code, if maps, plans or drawings are to be adopted as part of an ordinance, council, instead of publishing the maps, plans or drawings as part of the ordinance may make reference to, in publishing the o…

(a) Preparation authorized.--Council may prepare a consolidation or codification of the general body of city ordinances or the ordinances on a particular subject. Council may adopt the consolidation or codification as an ordinance of the city in the same manner prescribed for the…

(a) Enforcement.--An action, prosecution, complaint or proceeding for the violation of an ordinance of the city and for the fine, penalty and forfeiture imposed shall be instituted in the corporate name of the city and be conducted in the manner prescribed by law. (b) Proceedings…

A person who violates an ordinance enacted under the authority of this chapter for which no penalty is specified commits a summary offense and, upon conviction, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 or to imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or both. Cross R…

(a) Voting generally.--Members of council present or participating via a telecommunication device shall vote on each question before council, except: (1) As may be required by the provisions of a public official ethics law which may be applicable to members of council. (2) As may…

(a) Journal.--Council shall keep a journal of the proceedings. The journal shall be in the possession of the city clerk and shall, at all times, be open to public inspection. (b) Recording.--For every vote, the yeas and nays shall be called and recorded by the city clerk. An ordi…

A legislative act of council shall be by ordinance. An ordinance enacted by council shall be signed by the mayor and attested by the city clerk.

(a) Format.--A proposed ordinance shall be presented to council in written form as a bill and shall be numbered sequentially for the calendar year. (b) Single subject.--An ordinance, except for a general appropriation ordinance, may not be enacted containing more than one subject…

(a) Reading.--The title of every proposed ordinance shall be read at least twice, once when introduced and again before final enactment by council. Amendments or other changes to the proposed ordinance shall be read in their entirety. (b) Public availability.--A complete copy of …

An ordinance may not be enacted and a resolution may not be adopted providing for the payment of money by the city without previous authority of law. An officer executing a document authorizing payment, making a payment or passing a voucher for a payment not authorized by law com…

Unless otherwise provided by law, an ordinance, except those pertaining to the subjects set forth in section 11050(b) (relating to time ordinances go into effect), shall take effect after: (1) The tenth day after enactment. (2) Being signed by the mayor. (3) Being attested by the…

(a) Publication required.--A proposed ordinance, except as otherwise provided in this chapter, shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation not more than 60 days nor fewer than seven days prior to enactment. (b) Contents.-- (1) Except as otherwise provided by law, the…

(a) Submission.--Except as provided in subsection (b), a proposed ordinance may be submitted to council by a petition signed by the electors of a city in accordance with this subchapter. (b) Exclusions.--The following proposed ordinances may not be submitted by petition to counci…

If the city clerk receives a written request for the preparation of a petition for the submission of a proposed ordinance to council by at least 100 qualified electors of the city and the request is accompanied by a copy of the proposed ordinance, within 10 days of receipt the ci…

(a) Petition.--A petition for the submission of a proposed ordinance shall be signed in the city clerk's office. The petition shall be retained in the city clerk's office at all times for a period of 15 days. Each signer shall: (1) Add to the signer's signature the signer's addre…

(a) Signatures.--Within 10 days after the period of time for signing the petition has elapsed, the city clerk shall: (1) Examine the petition. (2) Ascertain whether or not the petition is signed by electors of the city, equal in number to at least 20% of the entire votes cast by …

If the petition is certified to contain signatures as required in section 11033(a)(2) (relating to number of signatures, examination and certificate by city clerk), the city clerk shall submit the petition to council without delay.

If the petition accompanying the proposed ordinance is signed by electors of the city as required in section 11033(a)(2) (relating to number of signatures, examination and certificate by city clerk), council shall do one of the following: (1) Enact the proposed ordinance without …

The question to be submitted to the electors on the proposed ordinance shall be framed to state the nature of the proposed ordinance, followed by the words "yes" and "no". The question shall be placed on the ballot which shall be counted, returned and computed in accordance with …

If the majority of the qualified electors voting on the proposed ordinance vote in favor of the ordinance, the ordinance shall become a valid and binding ordinance of the city.

An ordinance proposed by petition, whether enacted by council or adopted by a vote of the electors, shall not be repealed or amended within two years of the effective date except by a vote of the electors.

Any number of proposed ordinances may be voted upon at the same election, in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter. Proposed ordinances on the same subject matter shall not be submitted by petition more frequently than once every three years.

Council may submit a proposition for the repeal or amendment of an ordinance to be voted upon at a succeeding municipal, general or primary election occurring at least 90 days after council's submission of the proposition. Should the submitted proposition receive a majority of th…

Whenever a proposed ordinance is to be submitted to the electors of the city at an election or an ordinance is submitted by council for repeal or amendment, notice of the election and text of the question to be submitted to the electors shall be published in the same manner as pu…

(a) Timing.--Except as provided in subsection (b), an ordinance enacted by council may not go into effect before 10 days from the time of the ordinance's final enactment by council. (b) Immediate enactment.--The following may be made effective upon final enactment: (1) An ordinan…

With the exception of an ordinance dealing with the subjects set forth in section 11050(b) (relating to time ordinances go into effect), an ordinance shall be suspended from going into operation and shall be reconsidered by council if all of the following occur: (1) A petition is…

(a) Petition.--A petition under section 11051 (relating to petition and reconsideration of ordinance) shall be prepared by the city clerk immediately upon receipt by the clerk of the written request of 100 qualified electors of the city asking that the petition be prepared. Upon …

(a) Petitions.--In order to facilitate the signing of the petition, the city clerk shall make at least two additional similar petitions for signing by the qualified electors. Signing an additional similar petition shall have the same force and effect as signing the original petit…

(a) Signers.--Each signer of a petition under section 11051 (relating to petition and reconsideration of ordinance) shall also do all the following: (1) Include the signer's address. (2) Make an oath before the city clerk or other person authorized under section 11053 (relating t…

At the expiration of 10 days, the petition shall be filed with council and presented by the city clerk at council's next meeting.

After presentation of the petition to council, the city clerk shall ascertain whether or not the referendum petition is signed by a number of registered electors equal to 20% of all the votes cast for all candidates for mayor at the last preceding municipal election at which a ma…

(a) Petition lacking signatures.--If it appears that the petition under this subchapter has not been signed by the required number of electors, no action shall be taken. The ordinance shall be taken to be in full force from the time or times it would have gone into effect had the…

(a) Certification.--The city clerk, after consultation with the city solicitor, shall certify to the county board of elections a copy of the ordinance and the proceedings of council directing the referendum vote. The county board of elections shall cause the question to be printe…

The ballot used when voting on the ordinance shall contain a question stating the nature of the referred ordinance followed by the words "yes" and "no" and shall be conducted in the manner as provided in the Pennsylvania Election Code.

(a) Computing.--An officer holding an election shall keep a tally sheet and make a return of votes on the referendum question in the same manner as a tally sheet is kept and a return is made in an election of officers and the submission of other questions as provided by the Penns…

If a majority of the electors vote in favor of the ordinance, the ordinance shall take effect when the results of the election are certified by council. If a majority of the electors vote against the ordinance, the ordinance shall be nullified.

Before any referendum is held on any ordinance in accordance with this subchapter, the city shall provide notice of the ordinance by publishing a copy of the ordinance in a newspaper of general circulation. Publication in accordance with this section shall be in addition to the p…