By Brian CHERNICK

In a significant move for Glendale City Council, members of the council voted unanimously in favor of bringing forth a ballot measure to voters in April instituting council term limits.

The measure would give Glendale residents the opportunity to approve a limit of up to three consecutive terms. Currently there are no term limits and council members may hold office indefinitely as long as they are reelected at the end of each term.

Discussion of an alternative where a three-term limit could be reset after a four-year hiatus was shut down in favor of a hard limit of three consecutive terms.

The vote passed 4-0, with the absence of former council member Laura Friedman due to her recent election to state assembly. Friedman had often been the most outspoken opponent to term limits.

Mayor Paula Devine, along with her vote, gave comment that she voted “with a hesitation” after expressing interest in an even shorter two-term limit.

Council member Zareh Sinanyan congratulated the council for taking what he considered a “serious step for the city of Glendale.”

This issue has been an ongoing battle for Sinanyan who has campaigned on setting term limits for city council.

The council also voted to maintain the vacancy of council member Friedman’s seat until the April election and appointed council member Vartan Gharpetian and Zareh Sinanyan to the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority committee and Metropolitan Water District Board of Directors, respectively.

Both seats were previously held by Friedman.

  Brian CHERNICK