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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-06-16 Ordinance 4795follows: ORDINANCE NO. 4795 ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO ADDING CHAPTER 9.73 TO TITLE 9 [PUBLIC PEACE, MORALS AND SAFETY] TO ESTABLISH CITY POLICY AGAINST ARBITRARY DISCRIMINATION The Council of the City of Palo Alto does ORDAIN as SECTION 1. The City Council of the City of Palo Alto "City") finds and determines as follows: (a) Arbitrary discrimination against persons with certain distinguishing characteristics occurs within the City of Palo Alto. This discrimination violates fundamental human rights and poses a threat to the health, safety, and general welfare of Palo Alto and its residents. (b) The City Council wishes to declare, in the broadest possible terms, its opposition to arbitrary discrimination against persons upon the basis of their race, skin color, gender, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, housing status, marital status, familial status, weight, or height. (c) State and federal law forbid arbitrary discrimination with respect to private employment and residential housing, thus occupying the field so as to preclude City regulation. (d) The City Council is aware that it bears an important responsibility to assure that the City's own programs and services are offered and administered without arbitrary discrimination. (e) The City Council is likewise mindful that the implementation and enforcement of City anti discrimination policy with respect to City employees and City contractors will require substantial administrative attention. (f) The City Council therefore wishes to establish a broad City anti-discrimination policy that clearly forbids arbitrary discrimination by the City in its own programs and services, including the leasing of City facilities, but which leaves the City administration with sufficient discretion to develop cost-effective means of implementing the policy with respect to contractors and City employment. 030623 sm 0053268 1 SECTION 2. Chapter 9.73 is hereby added to Title 9 [Public Peace, Morals and Safety] to read as follows: CHAPTER 9.73 CITY POLICY AGAINST ARBITRARY DISCRIMINATION Section 9.73.010. Statements of Policy. a) Human Rights. It is the policy of the City of Palo Alto to affirm, support and protect the human rights of every person within its jurisdiction. These rights include, but are not limited to, equal economic, political, and educational opportunity; equal accommodations in all business establishments in the City; and, equal service and protection by all public agencies of the City. b) Freedom from Arbitrary Discrimination. It is the policy of the City of Palo Alto to protect and safeguard the right and opportunity of every person to be free from arbitrary discrimination on the basis of their race, skin color, gender, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, housing status, marital status, familial status, weight or height. Section 9.73.020. Leasing of City Property. a) All persons who, for a period of more than 29 consecutive days, lease City property shall, as a covenant and condition of such lease, agree in writing to accept and enforce the statements of policy set forth in Section 9.73. 010 with respect to all of the activities that are conducted upon the leased City property. b) No city agency, board, commission, or official shall permit any person to lease City property, for a period of more than 29 consecutive days, unless such person has agreed in writing to accept and enforce the statements of policy set forth in Section 9.73. 010 with respect to all of the activities conducted upon the leased City property. c) It shall be unlawful for any person, who for a period of more than 29 consecutive days, leases City property, to discriminate in their own activities upon the leased City property against other persons on the 030623 sm 0053268 2 basis of race, skin color, gender, age, disability, national origin, ancestry, orientation, housing status I marital status, status, weight or height. Section 9.73.030. Other City Activities. religion, sexual familial a) The city manager shall take all appropriate actions to assure that the statements of policy set forth in Section 9.73.010 are implemented to the fullest extent permitted by law with respect to those City activities listed in subsection b) below. b) The following City activities shall be subject to the statements of policy set forth in Section 9.73.010: 1) Employment by the City of Palo Alto; 2) Persons performing services, providing goods, or constructing public works on behalf of the City of Palo Alto; 3) Persons receiving funding, grants or subsidies from the City of Palo Alto; and 4) City recreational, educational or other programs and activities of any kind. Section 9.73.040. Definitions. The following words and phrases whenever chapter shall be construed as defined in unless the context indicates otherwise. used this in this section, a) \\City Property" means any real property or facilities owned or controlled by the City of Palo Alto. b) \\Lease" means any non-residential lease, license or other permitted use of City Property. c) "Person" means natural person, joint venture, Joint Stock Company, partnership, association, club, company, corporation, business trust, organization, or the manager, lessee, agent, servant, officer or employee of any of them. 030623 sm 0053268 3 SECTION 3. The city manager is directed to report back to the City Council no later than December 31, 2004 with a plan demonstrating the manner in which the statements of policy in this ordinance have been implemented. SECTION 4. The Council finds that this is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act and, therefore, no environmental impact assessment is necessary. INTRODUCED: June 2, 2003 PASSED: June 16, 2003 AYES: BEECHAN, BURCH, FREEMAN, KISHIMOTO, KLEINBERG, LYTLE, MORTON, MOSSAR, OJAKIAN NOES: ABSENT: ABSTENTIONS: Mayor 030623 sm 0053268 4