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Public Hearing Procedures

The public can participate by providing their comments or testimony through any of these methods.

Audio or video testimony provided during the Council’s live public hearings are captured in the Council’s video archive, so a separate audio, video or written submission is not required.

Participating in a Public Hearing

If you would like to participate in a live remote public hearing, which generally occurs on Tuesdays, you must adhere to the following requirements:

Zoom Meeting Tips

Detailed Instructions

For all testimony at live hearings:

  1. You must sign up in advance.
  2. If you need translation assistance or other accommodations, let us know when you register.
  3. You must be available to connect or call in to the meeting during the designated time frame.
  4. You must call in or connect at least 10 minutes before the time indicated for the start of the hearing. If not, you may not have an opportunity to testify during the meeting.
  5. Your comments must be limited to issues relevant to the public hearing topic for which you are testifying. If your comments are off-topic, you will be asked to make them on-topic. If you decline to do so, the host may end your testimony.
  6. You will be given three (3) minutes to speak; if you are speaking on various public hearing items, you will have 5 minutes for 2 or more items. If you begin to exceed the allotted time the host will end your testimony. Deliver your comments with decorum and the respect appropriate to conducting the public's business.
    • Any obscene comments, comments inciting imminent violence, obscene profanity, continued use of irrelevant profanity, obscene nudity, or nudity with irrelevant testimony will be stricken and will result in the host ending the testimony.

For those delivering live audio testimony:

  1. When you register to testify, you must provide the telephone number you will use to call in to the meeting, so that staff and Councilmembers can recognize you during the hearing. If you do not use the same phone number, you may not be provided an opportunity to testify during the meeting (especially if there are many hearings or many speakers and we cannot validate different numbers).
  2. Phone controls for participants

    Use *6 - Toggle mute/unmute

For those delivering live video testimony:

  1. Video testimony must adhere to the same expectations as in-person testimony.
  2. FCC regulations govern all television broadcast material and prohibit obscene audio or visual content.
  3. Repeated violations of the video testimony policies (or a particularly egregious violation) may result in a permanent bar to submitting future video testimony.

For questions, contact [email protected] OR CALL THE PUBLIC HEARING LINE AT 240-777-7803.