No initiative or referendum petition shall thereafter be deemed insufficient as to form by the City Clerk if the alleged defect was present at the time of the City Clerk’s review and the City Clerk failed to advise the proponents of such defect in writing. In such event, the initiative or referendum shall be deemed to have substantially followed the applicable legal requirements notwithstanding any such pre-existing defect. (Ord. 5729-NS § 4, 1986)