Opinion ID: 2590389
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: The City Hall Petition would create a new law or policy. Under the first guideline, this proposed ordinance is legislative in character.

Text: Appellants argue the City Hall Petition is legislative because it would make new law, would be permanent, and is general in nature. The City argues it is administrative because it seeks to have the City's electors execute the City's existing authority to acquire public buildings under K.S.A. 12-1736. The City further maintains the proposed ordinance limits the authority granted to it under that statute, but it does not create new law. The district court agreed with the City. We disagree and find the proposed ordinance is legislative in character under this guideline. Whether a proposed ordinance is legislative because it creates a new policy or administrative because it executes a current policy was discussed in McArdle. In that case, the electors submitted a proposed ordinance seeking the equalization of firemen's salaries with those of policemen within the same pay classification. 214 Kan. at 863, 522 P.2d 420. The McArdle court said a comprehensive plan or policy regarding the personnel administration of city government, which also considered the city's financial resources, tax potential, and a unified budget, would be legislative. In contrast, the court said an ordinance to equalize only firemen's pay, which dealt with a segregated portion of the city's personnel, was administrative in nature. See 214 Kan. at 866, 871-72, 522 P.2d 420. The facts in this case show the City did not have a policy in place regarding the location for its new city hall facilities. In 2002, 2005, and 2006, the City organized task forces to assess possible locations, held public forums to obtain the electors' input, adopted a recommendation to consider the site located at the southeast corner of Shawnee Mission Parkway and Mission Road, and then abandoned that plan due to public opposition to that location. The proposed ordinance advocated by Appellants outlines what would serve as a new policy prohibiting the City from relocating its city hall facilities in designated areas. This is much broader, and far more comprehensive, than the salary provisions considered in McArdle. In addition, the City adopted Resolution Nos. 2006-C and 2006-D, formally stating it would not consider the southeast corner of Shawnee Mission Parkway and Mission Road or the Shawnee Mission State Historical Site as locations for the new city hall. The character of these two city-adopted resolutions is similar in nature to those proposed by Appellants. This gives credence to the Appellant's argument that the City Hall Petition is legislative. Finally, the City Hall Petition would be permanent and is general. There is no other reasonable interpretation other than it is intended to be permanent. In fact, it would undermine the petition's purpose if it were not permanent. An ordinance showing an intent to form a standing rule of government, until it is repealed, is one of permanent operation. Rauh, 223 Kan. at 520, 575 P.2d 517. Under this first guideline, we believe the more appropriate characterization is to find the City Hall Petition would create a new law or policy. It was submitted at a time when the City was actively seeking input on locations for its city hall facilities. Ultimately, the City adopted resolutions regarding the same subject matter. In addition, even though the City had a comprehensive plan for city development in effect at the time, and it could be argued the city hall location was a segment of that plan, the City was not relying on the plan in this instance. Under the circumstances, the City Hall Petition should be considered legislative under this guideline.