Fountain Valley to put charter city measure on ballot

Fountain Valley residents will be asked next year to decide whether the community will adopt its own charter, after a divided City Council this month opted to place the question before voters in November 2026.

- ANDREW TURNER

Cities that operate under a charter may have more control over municipal affairs, including land use and zoning, elections and fiscal matters, but they can also sometimes face greater exposure to legal costs. Incorporated in 1957, Fountain Valley operates as a general law city bound by rules and regulations set forth by the state.

In California, 121 of the state's 482 municipalities have adopted their own charters, including the nearby cities of Huntington Beach, Irvine and Newport Beach.

The decision to put a charter city measure on the ballot passed with a 3-2 vote Nov. 4, with Mayor Ted Bui, Vice Mayor Jim Cunneen and Councilmember Patrick Harper backing the initiative.

State housing mandates have been front and center among cities’ reasons for considering charter status. To comply with its Regional Housing Needs Assessment, Fountain Valley must plan for 4,839 housing units, including 2,093 for lower-income residents, during a planning period that began in 2021 and concludes in 2029.

Council members approved a recommendation to use a simple charter drafted by the city’s legal counsel. The city must hold two public hearings, at least 30 days apart, before the measure can be submitted to the Orange County Registrar of Voters.

Doing so could cost $8,500 to $17,000 for inclusion in a general election, in addition to $20,000 in attorney fees, plus staff time, for which city officials did not provide an estimate.

Officials in favor of seeking charter status cited local control issues, particularly over housing mandates.