Agenda Report
Fullerton City Council
MEETING DATE: OCTOBER 20, 2026
TO: CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR AGENCY
SUBMITTED BY: LUCINDA WILLIAMS, CITY CLERK
PREPARED BY: LUCINDA WILLIAMS, CITY CLERK
SUBJECT: CITY COUNCIL MEETING PUBLIC COMMENTS
SUMMARY
Council Member Zahra requested, supported by Council Member Charles, a discussion of the City Council meeting public comment process.
PROPOSED MOTION
Provide direction to implement changes, if any, to the current public comment process.
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
Approve the Proposed Motion
Other options brought by City Council.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
None.
CITY MANAGER REMARKS
None.
PRIORITY POLICY STATEMENT
Fiscal and Organizational Stability.
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
DISCUSSION
Council Member Zahra requested, supported by Council Member Charles, a discussion of the City Council meeting public comment process.
The California Brown Act requires local legislative bodies provide an opportunity for the public to address the legislative body on any item within the agency’s subject matter jurisdiction as well as an opportunity to speak on any business item on the agenda prior to voting on the matter during a regular meeting. The Brown Act does not specify where to place these items on the agenda.
City Council historically follows parliamentary rules allowing the Presiding Officer to take items out of agenda order unless a majority of the legislative body votes to overrule the Presiding Officer. The legislative body may also take items out of agenda order by majority vote.
The City Council Rules of Procedure state:
Public Comments on Items Not on the Agenda and Consent Calendar Items. Members of the public may address City Council regarding items not appearing on the agenda, but within the subject matter jurisdiction of City Council and on Consent Calendar items not pulled from the Consent Calendar.
Those wishing to address City Council may register with City staff prior to start of the public comment section on the Regular Session agenda. Speakers should line up on the north wall in the Council Chamber when it is time for the Regular Session Public Comments item. The City Clerk will call those who have registered to the microphone when it is their time to address City Council. Any remaining speakers in line will come to the podium when directed. The City Clerk will then call remote speakers who have raised their virtual hands to speak.
Each speaker addressing City Council during Public Comments shall have three minutes to make their remarks.
City Council may limit non-agenda public comments to 30 minutes at the beginning of the Regular Session but shall hear all comments on Consent Calendar items prior to acting on the Consent Calendar. If more speakers wish to address City Council than can be accommodated in the allotted time, the remaining speakers will have the opportunity to address City Council before the meeting adjourns.
City Council may not act on unagendized items except as authorized by law.
City Council usually holds one session for all non-agenda public comments rather than hear 30 minutes of comments at the beginning of the meeting and return to the remaining comments later in the meeting, as allowed by the Rules of Procedure.
City Council accepts public comment on each Regular Business item before voting on the item as a general practice. The Brown Act requires the public have an opportunity to address the legislative body on business items prior to voting but it does not require a separate public comment session for each business item. Public Hearings, however, require City Council take testimony (public comment) during each public hearing proceeding.
Should City Council desire to change the current practice, staff requests City Council direct staff to prepare the appropriate instruments to implement the changes for City Council adoption at a future meeting.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 – City Council Rules of Procedure
cc: City Manager Eddie Manfro
City Council Meeting Public Comments
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