Lake Forest council sends term‑limit change to November ballot; measure would allow two consecutive terms with a four‑year cooling‑off period

The Lake Forest City Council unanimously voted on July 7 to place a charter/ordinance change on the November ballot that would replace the city’s existing lifetime two‑term limit with a rule allowing two consecutive four‑year terms followed by a required four‑year break before an individual may serve again.

City staff explained the proposal: under the draft ordinance, the current lifetime prohibition on serving more than two terms would be replaced by a consecutive‑term model. A council member who serves two consecutive terms must then take a four‑year break before running again; after that break they could seek two additional consecutive terms and so on. The staff‑prepared ordinance applied the maximum eligible years in the statutory formula for ballot language and included the resolutions necessary to place the measure before voters.

Public comment was mixed: several residents urged the council to leave the 2018 lifetime limit in place and not to spend city resources on an election to change it, while others said periodic return of experienced leaders can be a useful check in exceptional circumstances. Council members discussed the local history of term‑limit proposals and noted the measure would not extend any current member’s term; it would apply prospectively and any change could not take effect until a council member commences a new term, per state law.

What happens next: The council adopted the resolutions necessary to place the measure on the ballot. Voters will decide whether to replace the lifetime cap with the consecutive‑term/cooling‑off model in November 2026. If approved, the city clerk would implement the ordinance consistent with state election timelines.