Los Altos City Council

City Council members are elected at large to four-year terms in November of even-numbered years. The City Council is responsible for determining City policies and service standards. Adoption of the two-year Financial Plan by Council allocates the City's financial and human resources to support its goals and objectives for the two-year cycle. The City's Municipal Code and General Plan are also adopted and amended by Council action.

Like most California cities, Los Altos has a Council/Manager form of government. The City Council appoints the City Manager, who serves as the City's chief administrative officer and is accountable to the City Council for the organization's performance.

Our Strategic Goals

The City's mission is to be a sustainable, vibrant, and inclusive community in which to live, work, visit, and play. To accomplish this mission, the City Council identified five areas for emphasis and focus in 2024:

• Business Communities
• Circulation Safety and Efficiency
• Environmental Sustainability
• Housing
• Neighborhood Safety Infrastructure

City Council Meetings

The City Council meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 7 PM. Meetings are held in the Council Chambers (1 N San Antonio Road). Information packets for Council meetings may be found online. City Council meetings may also be viewed live on Comcast Channel 26 or live-streamed from the City's YouTube channel.

Norms and Procedures

The City Council adopts Norms and Procedures to promote communication, understanding, fairness, and trust among the members of the City Council and staff concerning their roles, responsibilities, and expectations for management of the business of the city of Los Altos. The City Council also uses Rosenberg's Rules of Order, with addendums adopted by the Council, to govern Council meetings and proceedings. The Norms and Procedures is updated frequently to reflect changes in best practices and policies as determined by the City Council.