| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to the Town of Southwest Ranches, Broward |
| 3 | County; amending chapter 2000-475, Laws of Florida; |
| 4 | amending the town's charter to remove inapplicable |
| 5 | provisions and to make ministerial changes; providing |
| 6 | further description of the town's rural residential |
| 7 | character; eliminating previously repealed language; |
| 8 | providing additional language relating to filling council |
| 9 | vacancies; clarifying that only the town council is |
| 10 | required to vote by roll call; clarifying that a roll call |
| 11 | vote is required by the town council on all land use and |
| 12 | quasi-judicial items; providing an effective date. |
| 13 |
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| 14 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 15 |
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| 16 | Section 1. Section 1.01 of Article I, section 2.04 of |
| 17 | Article II, subsection (b) of section 4.01 of Article IV, and |
| 18 | section 5.01 of Article V of section 1 of chapter 2000-475, Laws |
| 19 | of Florida, are amended, and paragraph (7) is added to |
| 20 | subsection (c) of section 2.06 of Article II of that section, to |
| 21 | read: |
| 22 | Section 1.01. Corporate existence.-In order to preserve, |
| 23 | to protect, and to enhance the quality of life and the rural |
| 24 | residential character of the Southwest Ranches, a municipal |
| 25 | corporation known as the Town of Southwest Ranches (the "Town") |
| 26 | is hereby created pursuant to the Constitution of the State of |
| 27 | Florida (the "State"). The corporate existence of the Town shall |
| 28 | commence upon the adoption of this Charter by the electorate |
| 29 | pursuant to section 9.01 of this charter. |
| 30 | Section 2.04. Election and term of office.- |
| 31 | (a) MAYOR.-Except as provided in Section 9.03(c), The |
| 32 | Mayor shall be elected at large for a 4-year term by the |
| 33 | electors of the Town in the manner provided in Article VI. The |
| 34 | Mayor shall remain in office until his or her successor is |
| 35 | elected and assumes the duties of the position. |
| 36 | (b) TOWN COUNCIL.-Except as provided in Section 9.03(c), |
| 37 | Each Council member other than the Mayor shall be elected at |
| 38 | large for a 4-year term by the electors of the Town in the |
| 39 | manner provided in Article VI. Subsequent to the decennial |
| 40 | census of 2000, but at least 6 months before the qualifying |
| 41 | period for the subsequent municipal election of 2002, the |
| 42 | Council shall divide the Town into four residential districts |
| 43 | which shall be as nearly equal in population as practicable. The |
| 44 | Council shall designate each of the districts one of the numbers |
| 45 | 1 through 4. Each seat number shall correspond with a |
| 46 | residential district number. Beginning with the municipal |
| 47 | election of 2002, and for each election thereafter, the four |
| 48 | members of the Council other than the Mayor must also be |
| 49 | electors of the Town and residents of the particular residential |
| 50 | district on the date on which they qualify for election. Council |
| 51 | members in office who are removed from their district as a |
| 52 | result of the redistricting subsequent to the decennial census |
| 53 | of 2000, or after a subsequent decennial census, may serve out |
| 54 | the balance of their terms. Each Council member shall remain in |
| 55 | office until his or her successor is elected and assumes the |
| 56 | duties of the position. |
| 57 | Section 2.06. Vacancies; forfeiture of office; filling of |
| 58 | vacancies.- |
| 59 | (c) FILLING OF VACANCIES.-A vacancy on the Council shall |
| 60 | be filled as follows: |
| 61 | (7) In the event that the Council is required to fill the |
| 62 | vacancy, within 7 days after the vacancy, the Town shall publish |
| 63 | notice to seek interested qualified candidates to fill the |
| 64 | vacancy, which candidates must respond to the notice within 15 |
| 65 | days after publication. The Council shall select a candidate to |
| 66 | fill the vacancy from the interested qualified candidate list |
| 67 | within 15 days after receiving all timely responses. |
| 68 | Section 4.01. Council meeting procedure.- |
| 69 | (b) QUORUM AND VOTING.-Except as otherwise provided in |
| 70 | this Charter, any three members of the Council shall constitute |
| 71 | a quorum. The affirmative vote of three members of the Council |
| 72 | shall be required for any legislative action with the exception |
| 73 | of quasi-judicial items relating to land use and zoning, which |
| 74 | shall be governed by Section 5.01. All votes taken by the |
| 75 | Council voting shall be by roll call. |
| 76 | Section 5.01. Quasi-judicial meeting procedures.-All land |
| 77 | use and quasi-judicial items relating to land use and zoning |
| 78 | require four affirmative votes of the Council. Any four members |
| 79 | of the Council shall constitute a quorum for land use and quasi- |
| 80 | judicial items. All voting by the Council on land use and quasi- |
| 81 | judicial items shall be by roll call. |
| 82 | Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. |