Ordinance
Definition
An ordinance is a local law passed by a city council or county board. It regulates people or property, applies broadly and permanently, and usually requires a public hearing and two readings before a final vote.
Why it matters
Ordinances are where local policy actually becomes enforceable: zoning rules, business licensing, noise limits, rent regulations. Because they typically require multiple public readings and can only be undone by another ordinance, the drafting and hearing stage is the real point of leverage for residents.
Seen in the wild
In 2019, Minneapolis passed a zoning ordinance eliminating single-family-only zoning citywide as part of its Minneapolis 2040 plan, enacted through the formal ordinance process with public hearings before the city council's final vote, and later litigated over its required environmental review.1