Appearing Before City Council
City Council Agendas are posted on the Thursday prior to the meeting in eDocs and on the Public Meeting Calendar but can also be requested from the City Clerk.
Office of the City Clerk
Speaker Policy
Anyone who wishes to address City Council concerning an agenda item must register to speak by calling the City Clerk’s Office at (757) 385-4303, prior to 5 p.m. on the day of the scheduled meeting.
Speakers are provided three minutes to speak on public comment, public hearing and ordinance/resolution items, as listed in the published agenda.
Speakers are provided three minutes to speak on planning items, as listed in the published agenda. The applicant and/or the applicant's representative and members of the public representing a group are provided ten minutes to speak.
Speakers who register for multiple published agenda items and who are the only registered speaker for those items are provided a total of six minutes to speak.
Open dialogue is held during the first formal session of each month at the conclusion of the formal session. Each speaker has a total of three minutes to speak about any topic.
When the City Clerk calls the speaker's name, the speaker should proceed to the lectern and begin speaking. If the speaker has items to distribute to City Council, the speaker shall provide items to the City Clerk.
Under no circumstances shall speakers approach the City Council dais.