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City Charter

Plymouth is classified under Minnesota law as a home rule charter city. A home rule charter city receives its enabling authority through the adoption of a city charter. The city charter is the city’s constitution, which provides for the type of government and may outline the functions, structure and procedures of city government. The charter was adopted in 1993.

An independent Charter Commission is tasked to periodically review the city charter and suggest updates (amendments) as deemed necessary. Amendments to the city charter require council approval or voter approval through referendum.

City Code

The city charter grants authority to, and at times directs, the City Council to establish laws (ordinances) particular to the City of Plymouth. The city code is a codification of the ordinances adopted by the City Council. Codification of ordinances and recodification ensures an arrangement and format necessary to keep the code up-to-date and make amendment procedures less cumbersome and less expensive.

The city code is organized to accomplish: 

• Elimination of repetition and non-essentials
• Easy revision and ease of incorporation of new ordinances
• Comprehensiveness
• Ease of locating a particular subject or provision

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