Handbook for Minnesota Cities 
Copyright ©2006 League of Minnesota Cities
145 University Ave. West, St. Paul, MN 55103
PART I 
FORM AND STRUCTURE OF THE MINNESOTA CITY 
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Chapter 4 
The home rule charter city 	
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III. General powers of a home rule charter city 	
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5. Ordinance procedure 	
Minn. Stat. § 412.191, subd. 4. 
Minn. Stat. § 410.20. 	Statutory cities may pass an ordinance on a single reading at the same meeting that the ordinance first comes before the council. The ordinance must be published in full or in summary form in the local newspaper. Statutory cities may, but do not need to, require several readings and a lapse of time between readings. Charters may or may not provide for publication, and they may impose other restrictions on the ordinance process. Statutory cities may not submit ordinances to the people under the initiative and referendum process; home rule charters may provide for initiative and referendum. 	
Minn. Stat. § 410.20.
Hanson v. City of Granite Falls, 529 N.W.2d 485 (Minn. Ct. App. 1995); Housing & Redev. Auth. v. City of Minneapolis, 293 Minn. 227, 198 N.W.2d 531 (Minn. 1972); Oakman v. City of Eveleth, 163 Minn. 100, 203 N.W. 514 (1925). See also A.G. Op. 858 (Oct. 6, 1970); A.G. Op. 858 (August 5, 1970). But see City of Cuyahoga Falls v. Buckeye Comty. Hope Found., 538 U.S. 188, 123 S. Ct. 1389 (U.S. 2003); A.G. Op 185b-2 (Mar. 8, 1962). 	Only ordinances that are legislative in character may be enacted through the initiative and referendum process. Legislative actions are those that are general in nature and lay down a permanent and uniform rule of law. Administrative actions, on the other hand, are those of a temporary and special character. They merely carry out existing laws and relate to the daily administration of municipal affairs. Administrative actions include the settlement of lawsuits, entering of contracts, acceptance or rejection of bids, sale of municipal bonds, appointment of city officials, levying of taxes, granting of licenses and permits, and the adoption of budgets.