1 RESOLUTION NO. ________
A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
AMENDING AND RESTATING THE RULES OF ORDER, PROCEDURE AND
DECORUM FOR THE CONDUCT OF CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS TO INCORPORATE A REMOTE PUBLIC ACCESS DISRUPTION POLICY AS MANDATED BY SB 707
WHEREAS, the Charter of the City of Glendale (“Charter”) authorizes the Council of the City of Glendale, California (“Council”) to establish rules for its proceedings;
WHEREAS, the City has from time-to-time established rules for its proceedings in ordinances, resolutions and motions;
WHEREAS, the Council adopted Resolution No. 25-76 on June 3, 2025 adopting procedural rules for the conduct of Council meetings in a single document for facilitation of use and reference;
WHEREAS, the Council adopted Resolution No. 26-15 amending and restating its Rules of Order, Procedure and Decorum for the Conduct of City Council Meetings to move “Council Future Agenda Requests” to the afternoon portion of the Council’s regular meetings; and
WHEREAS, the Council now desires to amend and restate the Rules of Order, Procedure and Decorum to incorporate a Public Access Remote Disruption Policy as mandated SB 707’s amendments to the Ralph M. Brown Act.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA THAT the following rules shall govern the conduct of meetings of the Glendale City Council and related bodies:
1. TITLE AND APPLICABILITY. These Amended and Restated Council Rules of Order, Procedure and Decorum (“Rules”) shall govern the conduct of all Council meetings, unless prohibited, preempted or superseded by federal, state, or local law. To the extent a matter is not covered by these Rules, the procedures of the Council shall be governed by the latest revised edition of Robert's Rules of Order.
Robert's Rules of Order shall be subordinate to all applicable laws and these Rules to the extent they are inconsistent. These Rules also apply to the Housing Authority, the Council sitting as another body, such as the Successor Agency, and joint meetings of the Council and the other bodies.
2. DAY AND TIME OF REGULAR MEETINGS. As set forth in Glendale Municipal Code (“GMC”) Section 2.04.010, the Council shall hold its regular meetings on Tuesday of each and every week, provided, that should any such Tuesday fall upon a legal holiday, the Council shall meet at the same hour as set forth in this section upon the next day thereafter, which is not a legal holiday. The Council may amend the meeting calendar to add or delete a regular Council meeting. The regular business agenda for regular meetings shall commence at 6:00 p.m. while Discussion of Councilmember 2 Future Agenda Requests and Closed Session shall commence at 1:00 p.m. (or later than 1:00 p.m. if so stated on the agenda).
3. SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings of the Council may be held at any time upon the call of the Mayor or upon the call of three (3) of the members of the Council. Notice of any such meeting shall be given to all of the members of the Council by service on each Council member at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the time fixed for holding such meeting of a written notice signed either by the Presiding Officer or the members of the Council making such call and specifying the business to be considered at the special meeting. Such service shall be sufficient if delivery of a copy of the notice is made to the office or usual address of the Council member. If a Council member is out of the City, service may be made by facsimile or email transmission if receipt is acknowledged. Notice of such meeting will be deemed received by any councilmember who attends said special meeting.
4. ORDER OF BUSINESS – REGULAR MEETINGS; DESCRIPTIONS.
A. Order. Business on the regular m eeting agenda shall be taken up for consideration and disposition in the following order:
1. Discussion of Councilmember Futu re Agenda Requests – 1:00 p.m. (or at a later time as designated on the agenda);
2. Closed Session – 1:00 p.m. (or at a later time as designated on the agenda);
3. Regular Business Agenda – 6:00 p.m.;
a. Flag Salute;
b. Invocation;
c. Report of the City Clerk Rega rding Posting of the Agenda;
4. Presentations and Appointments;
5. Consent Items (Including Minutes);
6. City Council/Staff Comments;
7. Community Event Announcements;
8. First Period of Oral Communications;
9. Adoption of Ordinances;
10. Action Items;
11. Hearings;
12. Reports – Information only;
13. Written Communications;
14. Second Period of Oral Communications;
15. New Business; and
16. Adjournment
B. Adjustment of Order by Presiding Officer. The foregoing order of business may be altered in any instance at the discretion of the Presiding Officer
3 C. Description of Specified Agenda Categories in the Order of Business.
1. Closed Session. Closed sessions of the Council are held at 1 p.m. (or such later time as designated on the agenda) on regular meeting dates. Prior to holding such closed sessions, the Council shall convene in open session for the limited purpose of receiving public comments on the closed session items. Closed sessions may also be held at other times as determined and ordered by the Council, or as otherwise called, as provided by law. Matters required to be reported out of closed session under the Brown Act will be reported out under New Business.
2. Consent Calendar. Consent ca lendar agenda items are routine and may be acted upon by one motion. Any member of the Council or the public requesting separate consideration may do so by making such request before a motion is proposed.
A member of the public wishing to speak on a consent calendar item must submit a speaker card or call in prior to the making of the motion.
3. Council/staff comments. This an opportunity for Councilmembers to make brief comments or announcements such as regarding community events they attended, to announce board or commission nominees or request items for future agendas. Councilmembers will also use this opportunity to make brief reports on conferences, seminars and regional meetings attended. Staff may make announcements such as for upcoming community events or programs. Comments must be brief and no discussion or action may be taken on this item.
4. Community event announcements. Members of the public will be permitted to announce – in person or telephonically - upcoming events happening in the community. Members of the public speaking under “Community event announcements” may speak up to 3 minutes per speaker.
5. Hearings. The speaking length of presentations by the Applicant(s), Appellant(s), and other members of the public during public hearings shall be determined by the Presiding Officer prior to the commencement of the first presentation, taking into account requests of the parties, the length of the agenda, the number of speakers, and the complexity of the matter is the subject of the hearing. The Presiding Officer may permit Appellant(s) and Applicant(s) to have additional rebuttal time. The total time limit approved by the Presiding Officer for the Applicant and Appellant to make their presentations shall be the aggregate for all speakers or other presentations on behalf of the Applicant or Appellant at the hearing.
6. First Period of Oral Communicati ons. Members of the public will be permitted to address the Council , in person or telephonically,during the First Period of Oral Communications on matters either on the agenda or not on the agenda but within the Council’s subject matter jurisdiction. If a member of the public addresses the Council on a matter on the agenda during the First Period of Oral Communications, then the member of the public may not do so when the agendized matter is called. If a member of the public addresses Council on a matter not on the agenda during the First Period of Oral Communications, then he or she may not speak during Second Period of Oral 4 Communications. The First Period of Oral Communications shall be limited to 30 minutes of speaking time in the aggregate. Individual speakers addressing the Council during First Period of Oral Communications shall be limited to a maximum of three (3) minutes unless that time is reduced by the Presiding Officer, taking into account the number of speakers wishing to speak during the First Period of Oral Communications.
7. Second Period of Oral Communicati ons. Members of the public will be permitted to address the Council , in person or telephonically, during the Second Period of Oral Communication, only on matters not on the agenda. Members of the public who speak on non-agenda items during the First Period of Oral Communications will not be permitted to speak during the Second Period of Oral Communications.
Speaking time for Second Period of Oral Communications shall be three (3) minutes per speaker.
8. Written communications. Under the order of business heading "written communications," all persons interested, or their authorized representatives, may address the council in regard to any written protest, petition or communication which has been placed on the agenda by the city clerk and is then being considered by the council.
5. MAYOR, PRESIDING OFFICER. The Mayor, or in the Mayor’s absence, the Mayor Pro Tem, shall be the Presiding Officer and at the hour appointed for the meeting shall call the Council to order. In the absence of the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem, the Councilmember next in rotation as Mayor Pro Tem shall call the Council to order and shall act as the temporary Presiding Officer. Upon the arrival of the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem, the temporary Presiding Officer shall immediately relinquish the chair upon the conclusion of the business immediately before the Council.
The Presiding Officer shall preserve order at all meetings of the Council. The Presiding Officer shall decide all questions of order, subject, however, to an appeal to the Council, in which event a majority vote of the Council shall govern and conclusively determine such questions of order.
6. ADDRESSING THE COUNCIL.
A. Submission of Request to Speak . Speaker cards must be submitted, or telephonic participants must call in and be in the queue, prior to the commencement of the Community Event Announcement and First and Second Periods of Oral Communication for a speaker to be able to speak during one of those periods, which requirement may be waived at the Presiding Officer’s discretion. Members of the public intending to speak on an agenda item when that item is called must submit a speaker card (or call in if participating telephonically) prior to the completion of the staff report, if any, on the item, which requirement may be waived at the Presiding Officer’s discretion. Effective July 1, 2026, members of the public participa ting via two-way audio vi sual platform, e.g.
Zoom, must request to address the Council by using the hand raise feature (or call in and press *9 if calling in telephoni cally) at or before the time an in-person speaker would be required to submit a speaker card as set forth above.
5 B. Manner of Addressing Council. Ea ch person addressing the Council shall, when his or her name is called, approach the microphone at the podium and shall limit his or her comments to the subjects and to such time as is allowed by these Rules or as designated by the Presiding Officer. A ll remarks shall be addressed to the Council as a body and not to any member thereof, the staff, or members of the public. No person, other than the Council and the person having the floor, shall be permitted to enter into any discussion, either directly or through a member of the Council, without the permission of the Presiding Officer. No question shall be asked of a Councillmember except through the Presiding Officer.
C. Points of Order Regarding Public Speakers. The Presiding Officer, any Councilmember, or the City Attorney may interrupt a speaker to raise a Point of Order if it is the contention of the Presiding Officer, Council Member or City Attorney that the speaker is addressing items that are outside the specified subjects for that item. The Presiding Officer shall rule on such Point of Order, which decision may be appealed by any Councilmember to the full Council. Upon t he decision by the Presiding Officer, or by the Council upon appeal, that a speaker is addressing items that are outside the specified subjects for that period of Public Comments, the speaker shall, if time remains, be allowed to continue speaking on items within the specified subjects for that period of public comments. Any speaker who refuses to limit his or her comments to items within the specified subjects for that period of public comments may be declared out of order and be subject to the loss of the remaining time to speak and, if necessary, removal from the chambers as specified in these Rules.
D. Ceding Time. Except as set forth herein, the speaking time contained in these Rules are personal, and may not be shared with other speakers.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, one member of the public may cede his or her speaking time to one other member of the public provided both the person ceding time and the person receiving time are in the Council chambers, have submitted speaker cards and are identified by name. A member of the public may receive no more than one other person’s ceded time.
E. Maximum Speaking Limits. Maximum speaking time for members of the public for Community Event Announcements and First and Second Periods of Oral Communications are set forth in Section 4(C) of these Rules. Maximum speaking times for other agenda items, including closed session, consent items, and action items are set at the discretion of the Mayor.
F. Responses to Public Comment. In response to public comments offered during Community Event Announcements or the First or Second Periods of Oral Communications, Councilmembers, the City Manager and/or the City Attorney may question or briefly respond to the speaker but there will be no debate or decision. The City Manager may refer the matter to the appropriate department for investigation and report. Response to public comment on an agendized matter can be made during discussion of the matter.
6 7. RULES OF COUNCIL DEBATE AND DELIBERATION.
A. Every Councilmember desiring to speak shall address the Presiding Officer, and, upon recognition, shall confine hi mself or herself to the question under debate, avoiding all personal comments and indecorous language.
B. A Councilmember, once recognized, shall not be interrupted when speaking unless a Point of Order is raised. If a Point of Order is raised while a Councilmember is speaking, he or she shall cease speaking until the Point of Order is decided by the Presiding Officer (subject to appeal to the full Council). Being out of order shall include, but shall not be limited to, exceeding any speaking time limit established by the Council.
C. During Council deliberati on on an agenda item (except for “Discussion of Councilmember Future Agenda Requests” – see below), each Councilmember shall be permitted to speak on the item before a Councilmember gets another opportunity to speak on the item. Each Councilmember shall have up to five (5) minutes to speak on the item in the initial round of deliberations. After the initial round of deliberation, each Councilmember shall have up to three (3) minutes to speak on the item. The Presiding Officer may waive or extend these time limits, sua sponte or upon the request of a Councilmember made before deliberation begins, giving consideration to the complexity or controversy of the item, and upon the length of the remainder of the agenda. There shall be no limitation on the number of rounds of deliberation, unless a Councilmember calls the question (moves to end debate) and that motion is passed.
Speaking time during deliberation does not include questions posed by Councilmembers.
D. For Council deliberation on w hether to approve a Councilmember request to direct staff to prepare a report for a future agenda under Item 13 of the regular meeting agenda, the requesting Councilmember shall have up to two (2) minutes to present his or her reasons for the request. The other Councilmembers may ask questions for clarification and then the Council will take a vote whether to direct staff to prepare a report for a future agenda. There will be no other debate or deliberation on the item. The Presiding Officer can waive this limitation.
8. RULES OF DECORUM AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
A. The Council is a limited public foru m for the purpose of facilitating public comment to the Council on agenda matters and matters within the Council’s subject matter jurisdiction. Thus, members of the public shall comply with the rules set forth below in this Section 8.
1. Speakers must cease speaki ng immediately when their speaking time has ended.
2. Public comment on agenda items mu st relate to the subject matter of that item.
7 3. The “Oral Communications” age nda items are limited to matters within the City Council’s subject matter jurisdiction.
4. Members of the public attending the meeting may not speak without first being recognized by the Mayor or Presiding Officer. When called to address the Council, speakers must address the Council from the podium and speak into the microphone.
5. Members of the public shall dire ct comments to the body as a whole or the Presiding Officer, and not to staff, individual members of the body, or the public.
6. No person shall be permitted to interrupt members of the body, staff presentations, or members of the public who are at the microphone during a meeting.
7. Yelling, screaming or shouting from the audience is not permitted.
Threatening, abusive or loud language, chatting, booing, hissing, speaking out of turn, clapping, or cheering in a manner that disturbs, disrupts or impedes the orderly conduct of the meeting is not permitted.
8. Signs, placards, banners/flags, props or similar items larger than 8.5 x 11, illuminated, or attached to any pole, stick or other device are prohibited in the Council chambers.
9. Noisemakers of any kind are pr ohibited in the Council chambers.
B. Enforcement of Public Participat ion Protocols. These Rules will be enforced as described below.
1. The Presiding Officer will provide at least one warning to a speaker that is being disruptive. The Presiding Officer will explain the conduct that is disruptive, and what will be the consequence of failing to abide by the warning, e.g. that the speaker will be terminated from speaking or removed from Chambers.
2. After providing at least one (1) verbal warning, if an individual continues to speak in violation of an order to cease speaking (e.g. is off-topic or has exceed the allotted time) or is otherwise disrupting the proceedings, the Presiding Officer may order the individual to be removed from chambers. When providing the warning, the Presiding Officer will explain the conduct that is disruptive, and what will be the consequence of failing to abide by the warning, e.g. that the individual may be removed from the Council chambers. Before ordering the sergeant-at-arms to remove a disruptive individual pursuant to the authority of Glendale Municipal Code section 2.04.120, the Presiding Officer will give the disruptive individual the opportunity to leave chambers voluntarily.
3. Warnings are not required for use of force or true threats of force.
8 9. LENGTH OF MEETINGS. Regular meetings of the Council shall end no later than 11:00 p.m., unless such meetings are extended by the affirmative vote of at least three (3) Council members and Council confers with the City Manager to review the status of the remaining items to determine the best manner to proceed.
Notwithstanding the 11:00 p.m. cutoff, if an item is in the midst of being heard or considered at the cutoff time of 11:00 p.m., it can be completed prior to continuing the remaining items. If at the conclusion of a Council meeting agenda items remain to be considered, such items are automatically continued until the next regular meeting unless otherwise directed by the Council. Additionally, the meeting shall not be adjourned until completion of the Second Period of Oral Communications and New Business (closed session reporting out).
10. PLACEMENT OF MATTERS ON AGENDA; TIMING
A. General Policy. At a Council meeting, an individual councilmember may request that a matter be placed on a future agenda. Said matter shall be placed on the next regular meeting agenda under Agenda Item 1: “Discussion of Councilmember Future Agenda Requests.” At said regular Council meeting, Council will decide whether to place the matter on a subsequent agenda in accordance with the procedure in Section 7(D) of these Rules. The Council may, with three (3) affirmative votes, direct staff to prepare a report on the matter for Council consideration and action. The timing of the placement of that matter on a future agenda shall be in accordance with subsection (B) of this Section 10 of these Rules. In the case of requests for support or opposition to any action or omission by any international, national, state, or local government agency, or any letter of support for any community event or organization, the Council may approve said action under Item 1 under the agenda without a further report to Council.
B. Timing. The Mayor shall have the discretion to control the timing of the placement on future agendas. The Ma yor shall work with the City Manager regarding the timing of the placement of matters on future agendas taking into account the need to act on a matter within a certain timeframe and the overall workload of City staff. The Council may direct the timing of the placement of an item on a future agenda only by a majority vote of the membership of the Council (three affirmative votes).
C. City Manager Role. This Secti on 10 pertains to the ability of individual Councilmembers’ ability to request placement of matters on future agendas.
The City Manager is authorized to place matters on the agenda after consultation with the Mayor. Other than with respect to timing, this Section 10 does not govern matters that the Council is legally required to consider at a Council meeting or matters that the City Manager must place on the agenda to facilitate the normal affairs or governance of the City. The City Manager shall also have the authority to place a report on a Council agenda to provide basic information regarding a matter and seek Council input and direction as to whether to prepare a more detailed and/or substantive report on the matter for future Council consideration.
9 D. Items for Reconsideration or Rescission. To ensure finality of decisions made unless a member in the prevailing side wishes to reconsider, motions to reconsider or rescind a prior action must be made by a councilmember who voted on the prevailing side (whether it was approved or defeated). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Robert’s Rules of Order, an exception to this Rule is if the Councilmember was not a member of the Council at the time the decision was made.
Further, anything to the contrary in Robert’s Rules of Order notwithstanding, motions to reconsider need not be made at the same meeting as long as made by a councilmember on the prevailing side.
11. REMOVAL OF MATTERS FROM AGENDA AFTER POSTING. After the publication of the agenda, a matter on the agenda shall not be removed prior to the Council meeting. At the Council meeting, the item shall be read into the record and the City Manager or a Councilmember may request to remove the item from the agenda. If there is no objection from any councilmember, the matter will be removed. If there is an objection from a councilmember whether to remove the matter, the Council shall vote on whether to remove the matter. If the matter is a public hearing item, it may be removed or continued to a future date certain.
12. CITY COUNCIL REMOTE PUBLIC ACCESS DISRUPTION POLICY. This Section establishes the policy and procedures for managing disruptions to two-way remote participation tools during meetings of the Glendale City Council subject to Government Code Section 54953.4 of the Ralph M. Brown Act, as may be amended (“the Brown Act”). This policy complies with legislative amendments to the Brown Act under Senate Bill 707. Effective July 1, 2026, the following procedure shall apply:
A. Recess Upon Disruption : If a disruption prevents public participation through two-way telephonic or audiovisual platforms, the Mayor, City Clerk, or designee shall announce the disruption to the public and recess the open session. City staff shall make good faith efforts to restore the disrupted means of public access. The City’s good faith efforts may include, as appropriate: (1) troubleshooting the teleconferencing or webinar platform; (2) resetting or replacing equipment; (3) attempting alternative connection methods; (4) contacting necessary City support staff, vendors, or service providers, or (5) taking other reasonable steps to restore remote public access.
B. Closed Session During Recess : During the recess, the Council may meet in closed session to address matters lawfully permitted under the Brown Act.
C. Reconvening Open Session : The Council may not reconvene open session until at least one hour has elapsed or the disrupted means of public access has been restored, whichever occurs first.
D. Continuing Without Restored Access : If the disrupted means of public access cannot be restored after one hour of good faith efforts, the Council may reconvene in open session only after adopting, by roll call vote, the following findings: (1) good faith 10 efforts were made to restore access in accordance with this policy, and (2) the public interest in continuing the meeting outweighs the public interest in remote access.
E. Recordkeeping : The City Clerk shall enter a brief statement into the meeting minutes, including, as applicable, the nature and time of the disruption, the good faith efforts made to restore remote access service, the time the meeting was reconvened, if applicable; and any finding adopted by the Council.
11. 132. NON-EXCLUSIVE RULES AND DEVIATION THEREFROM. These Rules are not exclusive and do not limit the inherent power and general legal authority of the Presiding Officer or the Council to govern the conduct of the meetings as may be considered appropriate under particular circumstances for purposes of orderly and effective conduct of City business. Any deviation from these Rules does not limit nor affect the jurisdiction of the Council or any final decision of Council on any matter, decision, permit or entitlement.
143. This Resolution replaces and supersedes Resolution No. 26-15, which is hereby repealed.
PASSED and ADOPTED this day of ___________, 2026.
_______________________
Mayor
Attest:
City Clerk
11 STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss.
CITY OF GLENDALE )
I, Suzie Abajian, Ph.D., City Clerk of t he City of Glendale, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly and regul arly passed and adopted by the Council of the City of Glendale at its regular meeting held on the day of ________, 2026, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
________________________
C i t y C l e r k