Charter and municipal code

About the City Charter and Municipal Code

A municipal charter is the basic document that defines the organization, powers, functions and essential procedures of the city government. It is comparable to the Constitution of the United States or a state’s constitution. The charter is, therefore, the most important legal document of any city. Charters are granted either directly by a state legislature by way of local legislation, or indirectly under a general municipal corporation law following a referendum vote of the proposal by the affected population.  The Charter of the City of Santa Ana was initially adopted by the electors of the City on November 4, 1952, and last amended by the electors on November 8, 2022. The Municipal Code is a collection of ordinances adopted by the City Council that serves as the law of the City.