Council Policy Manual

The City Council Policy Manual includes policies adopted by the City Council pertaining to how the City conducts its business. The Policy Manual includes the following sections.

• Councilmember Handbook - Rules and Procedures(PDF, 510KB)
• Code of Ethics and Conduct Policy(PDF, 167KB)

Section 1 - Administrative Appeals and Risk Management

• 1.1 Council Procedure on Appeals(PDF, 62KB)
• 1.2 Preparation of Certified Record of Administrative or Legislative Actions(PDF, 73KB)
• 1.3 Risk Management Policy(PDF, 79KB)

Section 2 - Skypark Property

• 2.1 Interim Use of Skypark Property(PDF, 79KB)

Section 5 - City Advisory Bodies

• 5.1 Terms of Office, Appointment, Simultaneous Service:
  1. Boards, Commissions, Committees;
  2. Task Forces — Term
• 5.1A Policy Withdrawn - Term of Office, Community Center Committee Young Adult Appointment(PDF, 44KB)
• 5.2 City Advisory Bodies — Appointment of City Employees(PDF, 42KB)
• 5.3 Application Procedures — Boards, Commissions, Committees and Task Forces(PDF, 55KB)
• 5.4 Attendance Policy and Leaves of Absence for City Advisory Bodies(PDF, 60KB)
• 5.5 Boards, Commissions and Committees — Selection to Fill Unexpired Terms(PDF, 56KB)
• 5.6 Disabled Access to Meetings/Meeting Locations — City Advisory Bodies(PDF, 55KB)
• 5.7 City Advisory Bodies - Use of City Stationery and Business Cards(PDF, 10KB)
• 5.8 Agenda Subscription Service — Meetings of City Advisory Bodies and Council Committees(PDF, 42KB)
• 5.9 Communication of Council Action to Advisory Bodies(PDF, 43KB)
• 5.10 City Advisory Body Appeals(PDF, 41KB)
• 5.11 Open Meeting Regulations (Brown Act) — City Advisory Bodies(PDF, 56KB)
• 5.12 Advisory Body Standing Subcommittees(PDF, 47KB)
• 5.13 Advisory Body Members’ Travel, Meeting and Conference Expenses(PDF, 45KB)
• 5.14 Minute Preparation for Advisory Body and City Council Committee Meetings(PDF, 93KB)
• 5.15 Responsibility and Authority of Chair to Prepare Advisory Body Agenda(PDF, 48KB)
• 5.16 Council Representation at Commission For The Prevention of Violence Against Women Annual Public Hearing(PDF, 75KB)
• 5.17 Advisory Body Members' Ethics Training Requirement(PDF, 120KB)
• 5.18 Conflicts of Interest - Compliance with Statutes, Regulations and Related Court, Attorney General, and FPPC Opinions(PDF, 113KB)
• 5.19 Stipend for Advisory Body Members(PDF, 84KB)

Section 6 - City Council

• 6.1 City Council Expenses; Travel Contingency Fund for City Councilmembers; and Books, Periodicals and Equipment Purchased by City Councilmembers(PDF, 62KB)
• 6.2 Special Meetings of the City Council(PDF, 77KB)
• 6.3 City Council Outgoing Correspondence(PDF, 54KB)
• 6.4 City Council — Staff Reports Pertaining to Policy Matters(PDF, 39KB)
• 6.5 City Council Agenda — Order of Business(PDF, 90KB)
• 6.6 City Council Meetings — Oral Communications(PDF, 70KB)
• 6.7 Lengthy Reports Distributed to City Council(PDF, 61KB)
• 6.8 Information Items for City Council (FYIs) — Procedure for Distribution (Items Not Requiring Council Action)(PDF, 57KB)
• 6.9 Requests of Staff Made by The Mayor and/or Councilmembers(PDF, 56KB)
• 6.10 Seating of New Councilmembers and Mayor: Election of Vice Mayor — Setting Times(PDF, 55KB)
• 6.11 City Mementos — Guidelines for Presentation(PDF, 42KB)
• 6.12 Closed Sessions(PDF, 82KB)
• 6.13 Open Meeting Regulations (Brown Act) — City Council Meetings(PDF, 101KB)
• 6.14 Issuance of Mayor’s Proclamations(PDF, 45KB)
• 6.15 Policy Deleted - Pre-Printed Material for Council Items
• 6.16 Policy Deleted - City Council Agenda Legislative History Addendum
• 6.17 Equal Access to Services(PDF, 57KB)
• 6.18 City Council Review of Special Event Permits(PDF, 56KB)
• 6.19 Procedural Rules for Motions and Debate(PDF, 18KB)
• 6.20 Meal Reimbursement for City Council Members(PDF, 9KB)
• 6.21 City Council District Engagement Policy(PDF, 185KB)

Section 7 - City Facilities, Use of

• 7.1 Use of City Facilities — Parks and Recreation Department Jurisdiction(PDF, 12KB)
• 7.2 City Council Chambers — Use of Facility(PDF, 57KB)
• 7.3 Designation of Memorials on City Property(PDF, 12KB)

Section 10 - Elections

• 10.1 Election Procedures: Candidate's Statement of Qualifications(PDF, 78KB)

Section 11 - Environmental Concerns

• 11.1 Opposition to Off-Shore Oil Drilling(PDF, 63KB)
• 11.2 UCSC's Growth — Relationship to City(PDF, 58KB)
• 11.3 Forest Management of Water Department Watershed Lands(PDF, 68KB)
• 11.4 Declaring the City of Santa Cruz A Nuclear Free Zone(PDF, 42KB)
• 11.5 Energy Efficiency in City-Managed Facilities(PDF, 41KB)

Section 12 - Finance and Accounting

• 12.1 Authorization to Draw Money from City Treasury and Sign Checks(PDF, 44KB)
• 12.2 City Grant Recipients — City Accessibility to Records(PDF, 42KB)
• 12.3 Budgetary Policy(PDF, 187KB)
• 12.4 City-sponsored Activities — Financial Impact(PDF, 41KB)
• 12.5 Transient Occupancy Tax(PDF, 41KB)
• 12.6 Appropriation Control(PDF, 64KB)
• 12.7 City of Santa Cruz Statement of Investment and Portfolio Policy(PDF, 166KB)
• 12.8 Public Trust Fund(PDF, 46KB)
• 12.9 Waiver and Payment of Fees for Special Events(PDF, 52KB)
• 12.10 Donations and Contributions(PDF, 8KB)
• 12.11 Gifts to an Agency Reporting(PDF, 16KB)
• 12.12 Arana Gulch Public Trust Fund Account(PDF, 163KB)
• 12.13 City-Wide Stabilization Arrangement (Two-Month General Fund Reserve) and Unfunded Obligation Stabilization Arrangement(PDF, 139KB)
• 12.14 General Fund Surplus Policy(PDF, 14KB)
• 12.15 Economic Development Stabilization Arrangement(PDF, 14KB)
• 12.16 Cannabis Business Tax Increment Designated for a Children's Fund(PDF, 84KB)

Section 14 - General Government and Municipal Services

• 14.1 Provision of Municipal Services — Unincorporated Areas(PDF, 41KB)
• 14.2 Ordinances for Publication(PDF, 57KB)
• 14.3 Grants - Council Review and Approval(PDF, 66KB)
• 14.4 Neighborhood Notification of Council Agenda Items(PDF, 42KB)
• 14.5 Protection of Individual Rights at Demonstrations(PDF, 41KB)
• 14.6 Jewish Holidays — Meeting and Event Scheduling(PDF, 12KB)
• 14.7 Funding Criteria for Community Development Block Grant Public Services(PDF, 44KB)
• 14.8 Assessment District Financing for Private Development(PDF, 109KB)
• 14.9 Health in All Policies (HiAP) Implementation(PDF, 26KB)

Section 16 - Historic Preservation

• 16.1 Official Anniversary of the Founding of the City of Santa Cruz.(PDF, 64KB)

Section 17 - Housing

• 17.1 Designation of Public Housing Agency for the City of Santa Cruz(PDF, 54KB)
• 17.2 Low Income Housing—Requests for Referendums(PDF, 44KB)
• 17.3 Rental Policy for City-Owned Housing(PDF, 92KB)

Section 20 - Legislation

• 20.1 Resolutions — Adoption and Use of(PDF, 7KB)

Section 24 - Parks and Recreation Services

• 24.1 Naming of City Parks(PDF, 16KB)
• 24.2 Invitations to Marine Vessels to Visit the City of Santa Cruz(PDF, 44KB)

Section 25 - Personnel and Employment Matters

• 25.1 Filling of Temporary Positions(PDF, 43KB)
• 25.2 Discrimination, Harassment, Retaliation, and Respectful Workplace Conduct Policy(PDF, 34KB)
• 25.3 Mandatory Workshops For City Employees and the City Council Regarding Sexual Harassment and Cultural Diversity(PDF, 9KB)
• 25.4 Council Approval of Agreements with the City's Bargaining Units(PDF, 9KB)
• 25.5 City Manager Evaluation(PDF, 14KB)

Section 26 - Planning, Land Use and Zoning

• 26.1 Subdivisions—City Acquisitions of Easements Along Creeks(PDF, 42KB)
• 26.2 Landscaping Maintenance Bond(PDF, 43KB)
• 26.3 Subdivision and Major Developments Directly Outside City Limits—Review of(PDF, 43KB)
• 26.4 Permit Process—City Projects(PDF, 42KB)
• 26.5 Zoning Appeal Procedure(PDF, 44KB)
• 26.6 Use of General Plan—General Plan/Land Use Designation Inconsistencies(PDF, 44KB)
• 26.7 UCSC Growth and Its Impact on the City of Santa Cruz (Ballot Measure)(PDF, 92KB)
• 26.8 Growth Principles for University of California System(PDF, 74KB)
• 26.9 Approval of Projects in Downtown Area(PDF, 45KB)
• 26.10 Use of a Development Agreement for Development Applications of Property Identified as Nodes in General Plan 2030 (GP 2030), Located Adjacent to Soquel Avenue, Water, Ocean and Mission Streets Where Existing Zoning Is Not Consistent with General Plan 2030(PDF, 8KB)

Section 27 - Police Services

• 27.1 Commission's Review of Police Service(PDF, 114KB)
• 27.2 Loud and Unruly Gatherings (Party) Ordinance(PDF, 70KB)
• 27.3 Bearcat Rescue Vehicle Use(PDF, 55KB)

Section 28 - Property Rights-of-way

• 28.1 Guidelines for Disposal of City Owned Property — Small Parcels(PDF, 43KB)
• 28.2 Trenching in City RIghts-of-Way; Pavement Lifespan Preservation(PDF, 54KB)

Section 29 - Purchasing and Contracts

• 29.1 Formal and Informal Bid Limits(PDF, 10KB)
• 29.2 Bids — Advantage for Local Vendors(PDF, 46KB)
• 29.3 Public Works Contracts Over The Formal Bid Limit Require Public Notice(PDF, 10KB)
• 29.4 Vehicle Replacement Program(PDF, 44KB)
• 29.5 Retention of Professional Consultant Services — City Manager(PDF, 45KB)
• 29.6 Contract Change Orders — Capital Improvement Projects(PDF, 78KB)
• 29.7 Asbestos in Products — Purchasing Guidelines(PDF, 44KB)
• 29.8 Prerequisite to Making Direct Purchases from State(PDF, 45KB)
• 29.9 Rescinded by Council Policy 29.17 Recycled Paper and Paper Products — Purchasing Guidelines
• 29.10 Hiring Musicians for City Events(PDF, 43KB)
• 29.11 Polystyrene Foam Plastic Products — Prohibition on City Purchase and/or Use(PDF, 46KB)
• 29.12 Burma — Restricting Use of City Funds(PDF, 55KB)
• 29.13 Purchase of Energy Efficient Products, Appliances and Equipment(PDF, 48KB)
• 29.14 Fair Trade Certified Coffee -- Purchasing Guidelines(PDF, 37KB)
• 29.15 Purchase of Bottled Water(PDF, 12KB)
• 29.16 Restricting the Receipt or Acquisition of Certain Surplus Military Equipment(PDF, 49KB)
• 29.17 Recycled Content Paper Procurement Policy(PDF, 115KB)
• 29.18 Recovered Organic Waste Product Procurement Policy(PDF, 143KB)

Section 30 - Redevelopment

• 30.1 Policy Deleted - Redevelopment Agency Business - Use of Local Banks, Firms, and Companies
• 30.2 Policy Deleted - Redevelopment Agency Meetings - Setting Time

Section 31 - Refuse Service

• 31.1 Use of Sanitary Landfill(PDF, 44KB)
• 31.2 Placement of Dumpsters on Public Rights-of-Way(PDF, 43KB)

Section 32 - Streets and Highways

• 32.1 Banners and Displays Across Public Streets(PDF, 43KB)

Section 33- Traffic and Transportation

Reference List - Large Policy Documents
(Available for inspection in the Public Works Department.)

• Bikeway Plan - 1980.

Section 34 - Utilities (Water and Sewer)

• 34.1 City Sewer System — Future Users(PDF, 44KB)
• 34.2 Utility Rate Increases — Public Hearings(PDF, 44KB)
• 34.3 Water Service — Future Planning(PDF, 45KB)
• 34.4 Water Department Financial Reserve Policy(PDF, 27KB)
• 34.5 Simplified Process to Consider Minor Additions to the City Water Service Area(PDF, 11KB)
• 34.6 Water Conservation Strategy Regarding Water Demands Associated with the University of California Santa Cruz(PDF, 383KB)
• 34.7 Securing Our Water Future and Water Supply Augmentation Policy Guidance(PDF, 65KB)
• 34.8 Santa Cruz Municipal Utilities (SCMU) Utility Customer Assistance Program(PDF, 55KB)

Reference List - Large Policy Documents
(Available for inspection in the Public Works Department unless otherwise noted.)

• Wastewater Treatment Facilities Plan - 1979.
• Santa Cruz Master Drainage Plan.
• Sewage Master Plan.
• Water Supply and Distribution Plan - 1963 (available in Water Department).