Title 35A — Title 35A OPTIONAL MUNICIPAL CODE

The charter commission shall hold at least one public hearing in the course of its deliberations, may hold committee meetings and may sponsor public forums and promote public education and discussion respecting its work.[ 1967 ex.s. c 119 s 35A.08.070.]

Within one hundred and eighty days from the date of its first meeting, the charter commission, or a majority thereof, shall frame a charter for the city and submit the charter to the legislative body of the city, which, within five days thereafter shall initiate proceedings for t…

The election upon the question of becoming a charter code city and framing a charter and the election of the charter commission, and the election upon the adoption or rejection of the proposed charter and the officers to be elected thereunder, the returns of both elections, the c…

Ballot titles for elections under this chapter shall be prepared by the city attorney. The ballot statement in the election for adopting or rejecting the proposed charter shall clearly state that, upon adoption of the proposed charter, the city would be governed by its charter an…

If a majority of the votes cast at the election upon the adoption of the proposed charter favor it, certificates of election shall be issued to each officer elected at that election. Within ten days after the issuance of the certificates of election, the newly elected officers sh…

The authentication of the charter shall be by certificate of the mayor in substance as follows:"I, . . . . . ., mayor of the city of . . . . . ., do hereby certify that in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and statutes of the state of Washington, the city of . . …

The charter of a charter code city may be amended by proposals therefor submitted by resolution of the legislative authority of such city to the electors thereof at any general election, after publication of such proposed charter amendment in the manner provided in chapter 35A.08…

Upon the filing with the county auditor of a sufficient petition signed by registered voters of a charter code city, in number equal to at least ten percent of the votes cast at the last general municipal election, seeking the adoption of a specified charter amendment set forth i…

On the petition of a number of qualified electors of a charter code city equal to ten percent of the total votes cast at the last preceding municipal general election, the legislative body of such charter code city shall, or without such petition, may, by resolution, cause an ele…

Within ten days after the results of the election authorized by RCW 35A.09.030 have been determined, if a majority of the votes cast favor the proposition, the members of the charter commission elected thereat shall convene and prepare a new or revised charter by altering, revisi…

The proposed new, altered, or revised charter shall be published in the newspaper having the largest general circulation within the city at least once each week for four weeks next preceding the day of submitting the same to the electors for their approval.[ 1985 c 469 s 41; 1967…

The election of the charter commission and the election upon the proposition of adopting the proposed new, altered, or revised charter, may be general or special elections held within the corresponding time period specified in chapter 35A.08 RCW, and except as herein provided, sa…

If a majority of the voters voting upon the adoption of the proposed new, altered, or revised charter favor it, it shall become the charter of the charter code city and the organic law thereof, superseding any existing charter; but if any offices are abolished or dispensed with b…

The classifications of municipalities which existed prior to the time this title goes into effect—first-class cities, second-class cities, unclassified cities, and towns—and the restrictions, limitations, duties and obligations specifically imposed by law upon such classes of cit…

Any charter code city, which has been so classified under the provisions of this title for more than six years may abandon such classification and elect to be governed according to its charter under the general law relating to charter cities of the classification held by such cit…

Upon the passage of a resolution of the legislative body of a charter code city, or upon the filing with the county auditor of a sufficient petition signed by registered voters of a charter code city in number equal to not less than ten percent of the votes cast at the last gener…

When a proposition for abandonment of the classification of charter code city has been submitted to the voters of the charter code city in an election and has been rejected by a majority of such voters, such proposition shall not again be submitted to the voters for six years the…

Each city governed under this optional municipal code, whether charter or noncharter, shall be entitled "City of . . . . . ." (naming it), and by such name shall have perpetual succession; may sue and be sued in all courts and proceedings; use a corporate seal approved by its leg…

The legislative body of each code city shall have power to organize and regulate its internal affairs within the provisions of this title and its charter, if any; and to define the functions, powers, and duties of its officers and employees; within the limitations imposed by vest…

Powers of eminent domain, borrowing, taxation, and the granting of franchises may be exercised by the legislative bodies of code cities in the manner provided in this title or by the general law of the state where not inconsistent with this title; and the duties to be performed a…

See chapter 80.58 RCW.

See RCW 87.03.825 through 87.03.840.

The legislative body of a code city may exercise any of its powers or perform any of its functions including purchasing, and participate in the financing thereof, jointly or in cooperation, as provided for in chapter 39.34 RCW. The legislative body of a code city shall have power…

The general grant of municipal power conferred by this chapter and this title on legislative bodies of noncharter code cities and charter code cities is intended to confer the greatest power of local self-government consistent with the Constitution of this state and shall be cons…

The legislative body of any city or town is hereby authorized and empowered in its discretion by resolution or ordinance passed by a majority of the legislative body, to take whatever action it deems necessary to enable the city or town to participate in the programs set forth in…

See RCW 35.21.700.

The qualified electors or legislative body of a noncharter code city may provide for the exercise in their city of the powers of initiative and referendum, upon electing so to do in the manner provided for changing the classification of a city or town in RCW 35A.02.020, 35A.02.02…

Ordinances of noncharter code cities the qualified electors of which have elected to exercise the powers of initiative and referendum shall not go into effect before thirty days from the time of final passage and are subject to referendum during the interim except:(1) Ordinances …

Except as provided in RCW 35A.11.090, and except that the number of registered voters needed to sign a petition for initiative or referendum shall be fifteen percent of the total number of names of persons listed as registered voters within the city on the day of the last precedi…

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the legislative body of any code city, by resolution adopted by a two-thirds vote of the full legislative body, may authorize any of its members to serve as volunteer firefighters, volunteer ambulance personnel, or reserve law enforceme…

A code city operating a municipal court may not repeal in its entirety that portion of its municipal code defining crimes unless the municipality has reached an agreement with the appropriate county under chapter 39.34 RCW under which the county is to be paid a reasonable amount …

(1) Any code city has the authority to enact an ordinance, for the purpose of preserving the public safety or reducing acts of violence by or against juveniles that are occurring at such rates as to be beyond the capacity of the police to assure public safety, establishing times …

The government of any noncharter code city or charter code city electing to adopt the mayor-council plan of government authorized by this chapter shall be vested in an elected mayor and an elected council. The council of a noncharter code city having less than twenty-five hundred…

The appointive officers shall be those provided for by charter or ordinance and shall include a city clerk and a chief law enforcement officer. The office of city clerk may be merged with that of a city treasurer, if any, with an appropriate title designated therefor. Provision s…

No person shall be eligible to hold elective office under the mayor-council plan unless the person is a registered voter of the city at the time of filing his or her declaration of candidacy and has been a resident of the city for a period of at least one year next preceding his …

Officers shall be elected at biennial municipal elections to be conducted as provided in chapter 35A.29 RCW. The mayor and the councilmembers shall be elected for four-year terms of office and until their successors are elected and qualified and assume office in accordance with R…

The office of a mayor or councilmember shall become vacant if the person who is elected or appointed to that position fails to qualify as provided by law, fails to enter upon the duties of that office at the time fixed by law without a justifiable reason, or as provided in RCW 35…

In addition a council position shall become vacant if the councilmember fails to attend three consecutive regular meetings of the council without being excused by the council.[ 1994 c 223 s 33; 1967 ex.s. c 119 s 35A.12.060.]

Biennially at the first meeting of a new council, or periodically, the members thereof, by majority vote, may designate one of their number as mayor pro tempore or deputy mayor for such period as the council may specify, to serve in the absence or temporary disability of the mayo…

The salaries of the mayor and the councilmembers shall be fixed by ordinance and may be revised from time to time by ordinance, but any increase in the compensation attaching to an office shall not be applicable to the term then being served by the incumbent if such incumbent is …

Any officer before entering upon the performance of his or her duties may be required to take an oath or affirmation as prescribed by charter or by ordinance for the faithful performance of his or her duties. The oath or affirmation shall be filed with the county auditor. The cle…

The mayor shall have the power of appointment and removal of all appointive officers and employees subject to any applicable law, rule, or regulation relating to civil service. The head of a department or office of the city government may be authorized by the mayor to appoint and…

The mayor shall be the chief executive and administrative officer of the city, in charge of all departments and employees, with authority to designate assistants and department heads. The mayor may appoint and remove a chief administrative officer or assistant administrative offi…

The city council and mayor shall meet regularly, at least once a month, at a place and at such times as may be designated by the city council. All final actions on resolutions and ordinances must take place within the corporate limits of the city. Special meetings may be called b…

At all meetings of the council a majority of the councilmembers shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but a less number may adjourn from time to time and may compel the attendance of absent members in such manner and under such penalties as may be prescribed …

The enacting clause of all ordinances shall be as follows: "The city council of the city of . . . . . . do ordain as follows:" No ordinance shall contain more than one subject and that must be clearly expressed in its title.No ordinance or any section or subsection thereof shall …

Ordinances may by reference adopt Washington state statutes and state, county, or city codes, regulations, or ordinances or any standard code of technical regulations, or portions thereof, including, for illustrative purposes but not limited to, fire codes and codes or ordinances…

The city clerk shall authenticate by his or her signature and record in full in a properly indexed book kept for the purpose all ordinances and resolutions adopted by the council. Such book, or copies of ordinances and resolutions, shall be available for inspection by the public …

Promptly after adoption, the text of each ordinance or a summary of the content of each ordinance shall be published at least once in the city's official newspaper.For purposes of this section, a summary shall mean a brief description which succinctly describes the main points of…

All demands against a code city shall be presented and audited in accordance with such regulations as may be prescribed by charter or ordinance; and upon the allowance of a demand, the clerk shall draw a warrant upon the treasurer for it, which warrant shall be countersigned by t…