City Charter

The current city charter was approved by the voters on November 3, 2020.
 

Original Charter - 1931


The City of San Buenaventura is one of the oldest settlements on the Pacific Coast. It is the site of the San Buenaventura Mission founded in 1782, and incorporated as a town by the California Legislature on March 10, 1866. The first Charter of the City was prepared and proposed by a Board of Freeholders elected October 13, 1931. The Charter was approved by the voters on January 7, 1932, certified by the City Council on January 11, 1932, and approved by the State Legislature on January 22, 1932.

Approved Charter Amendments


Since approval of the original Charter 1931, the voters approved 11 amendments  between 1937 and 1968.  Early in 1970, a Charter Review Committee was formed to evaluate the Charter as it existed at that time. A new Charter was prepared and approved by the voters on November 3, 1970. Then, on November 4, 1973, the voters approved and the City Council certified amendments to the Charter .

Early in 1986, another Charter Review Committee was formed to again review the Charter as it existed at that time. A new Charter was prepared and subsequently approved by the voters on November 4, 1986. The voters approved an amendment to the Charter on November 7, 1995, November 4, 2014, November 8, 2016 and November 3, 2020.