Ordinance Preparation - Language & Formatting
Staff reports should be written by whatever process City staff determines is the best way to provide information; however, specific guidelines for drafting of ordinance are contained in the City Council Policies and Procedures website.
Processes and Formats
Committee Process
Ordinances
Introduction of Ordinance
Ordinance Procedures
Miscellaneous Tips On Ordinance Drafting
Ordinance Preparation - Language & Formatting
Ordinance Section Headings
Ordinance Preferred Subsection Structure
Microsoft Word Guidelines
To ensure accuracy and integrity of changes made in ordinance preparation, do not use any Microsoft Word features that provide automatic formatting, such as numbering, bullet points, auto-formatting, tracking, or markup. For ordinance preparation, use manual markup using underline or strikethrough.
The reason for this is that special formatting is required for preparing documents for the official record and for the Municipal Code Corporation. When automatic features are contained in documents, elements such as underscore, bold, italic and even type style disappear or are altered in any number of ways. Thus far, the City’s technical staff has been unable to explain the reason for this happening. Not using automatic features would ensure enhancement controls as written (underlining, strikeout, etc.).
Other Guidelines:
- Do not forward chapters or sections that are not being amended, see: Samples D (pdf) & Sample E (pdf)
- For the correct language to add title, chapters, new sections, amend table headings, etc, see: Ordinance Preferred Subsection Structure (doc)
- For ordinance tables: keep table title; main, primary and secondary headings; and list only lines being added, deleted or changed, see: Sample F (pdf)
Last updated Mar. 27, 2013