HomeMy Public PortalAbout16. Discussion of Public Comment Time Allotment
Claremont City Council
Agenda Report
File #:4816 Item No:16.
TO:CLAREMONT CITY COUNCIL
FROM:ADAM PIRRIE, CITY MANAGER
DATE:SEPTEMBER 12, 2023
Reviewed by:
City Manager:AP
SUBJECT:
DISCUSSIONOFPUBLICCOMMENTTIMEALLOTMENT(FUNDINGSOURCE:GENERAL
FUND)
SUMMARY
Inresponsetoresidentconcernsaboutthelatehourthatmanymeetingsrun,attheregularCity
CouncilmeetingofJuly25,2023,MayorReeceproposedchangingthepubliccommentspeakertime
fromfourminutestothreeminutesforallCityCouncilmeetingsandallotherBrownActmeetings
hostedbytheCityofClaremontstartinginSeptember2023.Inresponsetohisproposal,
CouncilmemberStarkrequestedthatthematterbeagendizedfortheSeptember12,2023City
Council meeting for further discussion and deliberation.
Whenmeetingsrunlateintotheeveningorearlymorninghours,itcanbechallengingforcommunity
memberswithwork,family,andothercommitmentstoattendthefullmeetingtoprovidepublic
commentand/orwatchtheCity Council’sdeliberations.TheMayorhasthediscretiontoadjust
speakertimelimits.IftheMayorimposestimelimitsonpubliccommentforanitem(oronallitems),
thenthelimitsmustbeuniformandapplyequallytoallspeakersonthatitem(withpotential
exceptions for speakers with disabilities or speakers who use translators).
StaffrecommendsthattheCityCouncilprovidedirectionregardingallottedpubliccommentspeaker
timeforallfutureBrownActmeetingshostedbytheCityofClaremont.Thiswouldnotprecludethe
CityCouncilandotherCommissionsandCommitteessubjecttotheBrownActfromadjustingtime
limits on an item-by-item basis (again, provided they impose uniform time limits for each item).
RECOMMENDATION
StaffrecommendsthattheCityCouncildirectstafftoimplementatimelimitofthreeminutesper
speaker for public comment during all future Brown Act meetings hosted by the City of Claremont.
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ALTERNATIVES TO RECOMMENDATION
In addition to the recommendation, there are the following alternatives:
A.Takenoaction,inwhichcasethedefaultpubliccommentspeakertimewouldremainasfour
minutesforallBrownActmeetingshostedbytheCityofClaremont(subjecttochangesonan
item-by-item basis).
B.Request additional information from staff and/or consider this matter at a later date.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
Thestaffcosttoconductresearchandpreparethisreportisestimatedat$885andisincludedinthe
operating budget of the Administrative Services Department.
ANALYSIS
AftertheCity Council’sregularJuly11,2023meetinglastedmorethansevenhours,attheregular
CityCouncilmeetingofJuly25,2023,MayorReeceproposedchangingthepubliccommentspeaker
timefromfourminutestothreeminutesforallCityCouncilmeetingsandallotherBrownAct
meetingshostedbytheCityofClaremont,startinginSeptember2023.Inresponsetohisproposal,
CouncilmemberStarkrequestedthatthematterbeagendizedfortheSeptember12,2023City
Council meeting for further discussion and deliberation.
Mayor Reece’sproposaltoshortenpubliccommentspeakertimeisinresponsetoresidents
expressingconcernregardingthelatehourthatmanymeetingsrun.Forexample,overthepast
twelve months, nine City Council meetings adjourned after 9:30 p.m.:
The City Council’s September 27, 2022 meeting adjourned at 9:44 p.m.
The City Council’s October 11, 2022 meeting adjourned at 11:21 p.m.
The City Council’s October 25, 2022 meeting adjourned at 12:05 a.m. the following day.
The City Council’s November 22, 2022 meeting adjourned at 10:07 p.m.
The City Council’s February 28, 2023 meeting adjourned at 11:54 p.m.
The City Council’s March 28, 2023 meeting adjourned at 9:55 p.m.
The City Council’s April 25, 2023 meeting adjourned at 12:44 a.m. the following day.
The City Council’s May 9, 2023 meeting adjourned at 9:58 p.m.
Asnotedabove,theCityCouncil'sJuly11,2023meetingadjournedat1:55a.m.thefollowing
day.
Overthepastyear,someCommissionmeetingsalsoadjournedafter9:30p.m.,suchastheJune6,
2023PlanningCommissionmeeting(10:40p.m.),theJanuary26,2023TrafficandTransportation
Commissionmeeting(10:05p.m.),andtheOctober26,2022ArchitecturalCommissionmeeting
(10:01 p.m.).
Whenmeetingsrunlateintotheeveningorearlymorninghours,itcanbechallengingforcommunity
memberswithwork,family,andothercommitmentstoparticipateandprovidecommentsandwatch
deliberations during public meetings.
Further,deliberationsonmajorpolicydecisionsandimportantagendaitemsthattakeplaceearlierin
theeveningcanbemoreproductivethanthosethattakeplacelateatnight,whenstaff,thepublic
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andCityCouncilmembersorCommissionersarefatiguedafteralreadyhavingspenthoursinthe
Council Chamber.
Shorteningthepubliccommenttimelimittothreeminutescouldalsoallowtheopportunityformore
speakerstoparticipateinpublicdiscussions.Forexample,thethirtyminutesallottedatthebeginning
ofeachCityCouncilmeetingforgeneralpubliccommentonitemsnotontheagendacurrently
accommodatesapproximatelysevenspeakers,assumingallusetheirfour-minutetimelimit.Witha
three-minutetimelimit,asmanyastenspeakerscouldbeaccommodatedduringthegeneralpublic
comment period.
Toprovidesomecontextastotheamountofpubliccommenttimethatotherlocalcitiesallotduring
theirBrownActmeetings,staffconductedaninformalsurveyofsurroundingcities.Themajorityof
citiessurveyedhavethree-minutetimelimitsforpubliccomments.Whilesomecitieshavefive-
minutetimelimits,somecitiesalsogivespeakersatotaltimelimitwhichmustbeusedtocomment
on all items, rather than allowing a separate time limit on each item on the agenda.
RELATIONSHIP TO CITY PLANNING DOCUMENTS
Staffhasevaluatedtheagendaiteminrelationshiptothe City’sstrategicandvisioningdocuments
andfindsthatitdoesnotrelatetoanyplanningdocuments.TheCityCouncilhasthediscretionto
createmeetingnorms,includingspeakertimelimits,asitseesfit,providedthetimelimitsoneach
itemareuniform(withexceptionsasneededtoaccommodatespeakerswithdisabilitiesand
speakers who rely on translators).
CEQA REVIEW
ThisitemisnotsubjecttoenvironmentalreviewundertheCaliforniaEnvironmentalQualityAct
(CEQA).
PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS
TheagendaandstaffreportforthisitemhavebeenpostedontheCitywebsiteanddistributedto
interested parties. If you desire a copy, please contact the City Clerk’s Office.
Submitted by:Prepared by:
Adam PirrieKatie Wand
City ManagerAssistant to the City Manager
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