Sample Governance Handbooks
Below please find sample governance and policy handbooks (sometimes referred to as "Rules of Order" or "Rules of Procedure") from cities, counties, and special districts across the state. This is not an exhaustive list. If you have a policy or code you would like to share, please contact Melissa Kuehne at mkuehne@ca-ilg.org.
(Last updated: Feb. 2026)
Cities/Towns
- City of Davis — Commission Handbook (updated July 2025)
- City of Fortuna — City Council Policies, Procedures, and Governance Manual (amended Jan. 2025)
- City of Cloverdale — City Council and Planning Commission Governance Manual (2025)
- City of Berkeley — City Council Rules of Procedure and Order (Oct. 2024)
- City of Hayward — Council Member Handbook (Nov. 2023)
- City of Hayward — Appointed Officials' Handbook (Nov. 2023)
- City of Escondido — Council Policies Rules of Procedure (Nov. 2023)
- Town of Los Gatos — Council Handbook (May 2023)
- City of Folsom — Governance Manual (updated Apr. 2023)
- City of Lemon Grove — City Council Governance Manual (Sep. 2022)
- City of San Diego — Council Policy Manual (Nov. 2021)
Counties
- San Mateo County — Boards and Commissions Handbook (2026)
- Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors — 2025 Governance Manual (revised Apr. 2025)
- Monterey County Board of Supervisors — Policy Manual (updated Aug. 2024)
- Contra Costa County — Advisory Body Handbook (revised Aug. 2024)
- Orange County Board of Supervisors — Rules of Procedure (amended June 2023)
- Placer County Board of Supervisors — Governance Manual and Rules of Procedure (Jan. 2023)
Special Districts
- Imperial Irrigation District — Board Policy Governance Process, Board-Staff Linkage, Strategic Direction (Feb. 2026)
- Imperial Irrigation District — Board of Directors: Meeting Procedures (Feb. 2026)
- Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority — Board Rules and Procedures (amended Jan. 2025)
- Sacramento Municipal Utility District — Governance Process Policies (revised Sept. 2023 or later)
- Stege Sanitary District — Board Governance Policy Manual (Aug. 2023)