What term describes a formal local law enacted by a city or county council?

What term describes a formal local law enacted by a city or county council?

• A. Ordinance
• B. Regulation
• C. Guideline
• D. Standard

Answer: (A)

In local government, a formal local law enacted by a city or county council is called an ordinance. This type of rule is binding within the municipality and covers how the community operates—examples include zoning rules, building and fire codes, nuisance abatements, and licensing requirements. An ordinance becomes enforceable through local enforcement agencies and typically follows a legislative process that includes introduction, public discussion or hearings, and a council vote, with a set effective date after passage. This is the best answer because it directly matches the idea of a local law created by the city or county governing body. Other terms describe different things: a regulation is an administrative rule issued by an agency to implement a statute, not a city council’s local law; guidelines are non-binding recommendations; and standards are formal benchmarks that may come from organizations or industries and aren’t inherently local ordinances.

In local government, a formal local law enacted by a city or county council is called an ordinance. This type of rule is binding within the municipality and covers how the community operates—examples include zoning rules, building and fire codes, nuisance abatements, and licensing requirements. An ordinance becomes enforceable through local enforcement agencies and typically follows a legislative process that includes introduction, public discussion or hearings, and a council vote, with a set effective date after passage.

This is the best answer because it directly matches the idea of a local law created by the city or county governing body. Other terms describe different things: a regulation is an administrative rule issued by an agency to implement a statute, not a city council’s local law; guidelines are non-binding recommendations; and standards are formal benchmarks that may come from organizations or industries and aren’t inherently local ordinances.