Chapter 8: Legislative, Administrative, and Quasi-Judicial Authority

Section 35. Legislative Authority. 

(a) General. The Council will exercise its legislative authority by adopting ordinances. The enacting clause for all ordinances must state “The City of Corvallis ordains as follows:”

(b) Ordinance Adoption.

   (1) Except as authorized by subsection (2), adoption of an ordinance requires approval by a majority of the Council at two meetings.

   (2) The Council may adopt an ordinance at a single meeting by the unanimous approval of at least a quorum of the Council, provided the proposed ordinance is available in writing to the public at least one week before the meeting.

   (3) Any substantive amendment to a proposed ordinance must be read aloud or made available in writing to the public before the Council adopts the ordinance at that meeting.

   (4) After the adoption of an ordinance, the vote of each member must be entered into the Council minutes.

   (5) After adoption of an ordinance, the City Recorder must endorse it with the date of adoption and the Recorder’s name and title, and within three days thereafter the Mayor shall sign it with the date, the Mayor’s name, and the title of the office, unless the Mayor vetoes or does not return such ordinance as provided in Section 22 hereof.

   (6) Effective Date of Ordinances.  Ordinances normally take effect thirty days after adoption or on a later day provided in the ordinance.  An ordinance may take effect as soon as adopted or other date less than thirty days after adoption if it contains an emergency clause.

[As amended by special election May 19, 2026; and general election November 7, 2006 (section renumbered).]

Section 36. Administrative Authority.

(a) General. The Council will normally exercise its administrative authority by approving resolutions.  The approving clause for resolutions may state “The City of Corvallis resolves as follows:”

(b) Resolution Approval.

   (1) Approval of a resolution or any other Council administrative decision requires approval by the Council at one meeting.

   (2) Any substantive amendment to a resolution must be read aloud or made available in writing to the public before the Council adopts the resolution at that meeting.

   (3) After approval of a resolution or other administrative decision, the vote of each member must be entered into the Council minutes.

   (4) After approval of a resolution, the City Recorder must endorse it with the date of approval and the Recorder’s name and title.

(c) Effective Date of Resolutions. Resolutions and other administrative decisions take effect on the date of approval or on a later day provided in the resolution.

[As amended by special election May 19, 2026; special election November 2, 2021; and general election November 7, 2006 (section renumbered).]

Section 37. Quasi-Judicial Authority.

(a) General. The Council will normally exercise its quasi-judicial authority by approving orders.  The approving clause for orders may state “The City of Corvallis orders as follows:”

(b) Order Approval.

   (1) Approval of an order or any other Council quasi-judicial decision requires approval by the Council at one meeting.

   (2) Any substantive amendment to an order must be read aloud or made available in writing to the public at the meeting before the Council adopts the order.

   (3) After approval of an order or other Council quasi-judicial decision, the vote of each member must be entered in the Council minutes.

   (4) After approval of an order, the City Recorder must endorse it with the date of approval and the Recorder’s name and title.

(c) Effective Date of Orders. Orders and other quasi-judicial decisions take effect on the date of final approval, or on a later day provided in the order.

[As amended by special election May 19, 2026; and general election November 7, 2006 (section renumbered).]