Orange Tentatively OKs Term-Limits Plan : Politics: City wants to join Laguna Niguel in urging legislators to grant general-law cities the power to restrict length of service for council members.

Orange is poised to become the county’s second city to call for legislation that would allow general law cities to establish term limits for their city councils.

Under state law, only cities with charters can legally set term limits. Voters in such chartered cities as Santa Ana and Anaheim have approved term limits for their councils. So-called general law cities, usually smaller in population, do not have the authority to enact term limits.

Orange wants to join Laguna Niguel in pressuring state legislators to grant general law cities the power to impose term limits on council members. Laguna Niguel passed a term-limits measure in February. On a 5-0 vote Tuesday, the Orange City Council tentatively approved a similar resolution.

Orange Councilman Mike Spurgeon, a staunch advocate of term limits, said council members should be restricted to two terms of four years, while a mayor should be held to three two-year terms. According to the proposal, a person could serve on the City Council, and also as mayor, before being ineligible to run again.

“That gives somebody 14 years to do what they want to do if they plan it right,” said Spurgeon, who introduced the matter Tuesday afternoon. “If they can’t do it in that time, there are plenty of other people waiting to do it with fresh perspective.”

Two years ago, in a non-binding “advisory” election, 86% of Orange voters cast ballots to establish term limits on the City Council.

In spite of the advisory election, Orange voters continue to reelect their city officials beyond what proposed term limits would allow. Mayor Gene Beyer has served 2 1/2 terms as a council member and, most recently, two terms as mayor. Fred Barrera has been on the council since 1976.

Spurgeon said that because of the election results, he feels a moral obligation to step down when his two terms on the council are up--regardless of whether a term limit law has been passed. Spurgeon was appointed to the council in 1990 and was elected to the body in 1992.