Charter of the City of Pensacola

The Charter of the City of Pensacola is the document which establishes the City of Pensacola and provides for the government thereof. The current charter was adopted in 1931.

No fewer than three different charter documents have been used before, and there have been unsuccessful efforts at several points in Pensacola's history to propose the adoption of alternate charters.

History of charter documents

1895 charter

The 1895 charter abolished the Provisional Municipality of Pensacola and organized the City of Pensacola under a mayor-council government. This form of government and charter remained in place until it was superceded by the 1913 charter, which provided for a city commission government.

1931 charter

The 1931 charter organized the City of Pensacola under a council-manager government.

Proposed alternatives

1916 referendum

In 1913, the City of Pensacola adopted a new charter and transitioned to a city commission government. In 1915, the Florida Legislature appointed a "Charter Board" to study that charter and recommend any necessary revisions. The Charter Board recommended that the City return to the previous mayor-council government, and a referendum was held to decide the issue. The initiative failed by a large margin and the commission government was retained until 1931.

2009 referendum

In 2009, a mail-in referendum was conducted to consider the adoption of a new City charter, including a transition to a Mayor-council government. The proposed charter was adopted.

Pensapedia has source documents related to this article:

• Charter of the City of Pensacola, 1931