Council Process and Votes Required for City Council Passage
Rules
Council meetings are governed by Council Rules and Roberts Rules of Order. Meetings are open to the public, but may be closed subject to Minnesota Open Meeting Law, Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13D.01, and are cablecast and webcast on the City's website.
Agenda
The Council agenda is developed by the Council Committee Coordinators from the standing committee recommendations and is distributed the day before the meeting. The agenda includes all actions referred from committees as well as motions, resolutions, unfinished business and new business and also includes links to the committee agendas.
Actions
The Council selects non-controversial items and votes on them as "consent items", normally without discussion. Items needing discussion are acted on individually. Committee actions may be approved, denied, referred back to committee for further discussion, returned to author, postponed or deleted from the agenda.
Votes Required For City Council Passage
Definition of Quorum
The minimum number of members of a body who must be present to legally transact business. Council quorums are defined in Rule 11 of the City Council Rules.
Majority vote of all members (7)
Appoint City officers (*Chapter 2, Section 2)
Pass ordinances and resolutions (*Chapter 4, Section 9)
Make appropriations (roll call vote required) (*Chapter 4, Section 11)
Adopt resolution annexing territory to City (*** MSA 414.041 )
Designate improvements under Elwell Law (Paving), by resolution (*** MSA 430.01 )
Order sidewalks
2/3 vote of all members (9)
Override veto of Mayor (*Chapter 3, Section 1)
Sell real estate of City (*Chapter 4, Section 14)
Change grade of street (*Chapter 8, Section 2)
Vacate a public street or alley (*Chapter 8, Section 3)
Make improvement for which special assessment will be required, except sidewalks (*Chapter 10, Section 19)
Request Board of Estimate and Taxation to sell bonds (*Chapter 15, Section 9)
Amend City Council Rules (**Council Rule 21)
Suspend rules of Council (**Council Rule 15)
Rescind prior action without notice (**Council Rule 18)
Amend Zoning ordinance which changes property classification from residential to either commercial or industrial and which are enacted following a 40-acre survey and finding that compliance with the consent requirement is impractical. (If the 2/3 written consent requirement is met for the amendment of the zoning classification, only a majority vote is required.) (*** MSA 462.357, Subd 2 & 5 )
Acceptance of Gifts to Municipalities/Grants (****Minnesota Statutes, Section 465.03)
2/3 vote of members present
Discharge a committee without previous notice (**Council Rule 3, I)
Grant leave to speak more than twice on same day to same subject (**Council Rule 14, A)
Unanimous consent of all members present
Pass ordinance at same meeting or session at which presented, also amendments (*Chapter 4, Section 9 and **Council Rule 5)
13 Votes
Amend City Charter (*Chapter 4, Section 7)
* Minneapolis City Charter
** Rules of the Council
*** MSA
**** Minnesota Statutes
City Clerks Office - councilcommitteecoordinators@minneapolismn.gov
Last updated Sep. 27, 2011