Available Seating
Seating in the Council Chamber with overflow seating available where live video of the meeting is made available.

Public Comments, Public Hearing, and Vistors Forum
There are three opportunities provided for members of the public to provide input.

• Public Comments on Agenda Items
  • Applies to anyone wishing to provide feedback on an item listed on the meeting agenda.
• Public Hearing
  • Applies to anyone wishing to express an opinion or concern on a public hearing scheduled on the meeting agenda.
• Visitors Forum
  • Applies to anyone wishing to speak to the Council on any topic NOT listed on the meeting agenda.

How to Submit Public Comment
Public comment for City Council meetings is available both in-person or by submitting them electronically (see below).

• In-Person
  • The public may make comments in person during the designated section of a meeting by completing the City Council Public Comment Card and submitting it to the City Secretary before the meeting begins.
• Electronic Comment Submission
  • Online submission for public comments can be submitted below.
    Comments must be submitted by 5 p.m. the day of the meeting and will be acknowledged during the meeting for the record.

Time Limits

• All speakers are limited to a maximum of five minutes each. This applies to speakers during the Public Comments on Agenda Items portion of the meeting, and the Visitors Forum portion of the meeting.
• All speakers on agenda items will be heard first, in the order they were received, and prior to City Council discussion/action of agenda items.
• Speakers under the Visitors Forum will be heard after Public Comments on Agenda Items and in the order they were received.
• A maximum time of 30 minutes at the beginning of the meeting will apply for all public speakers, whether during Public Comments on the Agenda or the Visitors Forum. If there are registered speakers for the Visitors Forum remaining at the 30-minute time limit, those speakers may be heard at the conclusion of the posted agenda.
• The Mayor has the authority to extend or limit any of the time allocations based on the complexity of the item/topic and the number of persons wishing to speak on the item/topic with consideration to equal time for all sides of the matter and efficiency of the meeting. All public comments on agenda items will be heard prior to deliberation of the item as designated under the Public Comments on Agenda Items section.

Repetitious Comments/Designation of Spokesperson

• A speaker shall not present the same or substantially the same items or arguments to the Council repeatedly or be repetitious in presenting their oral comments.
• In order to expedite matters and avoid repetitious presentations, the designation of a spokesperson is encouraged. Whenever any group of individuals wishes to address the Council on the same subject matter, those individuals are encouraged to designate a spokesperson to address the City Council. The Mayor has the authority to extend the time allocation for a designated spokesperson.

Display and Distribution of Materials at City Council Meetings

• Speakers are prohibited from displaying materials or information. Written materials may be provided for City Council at the meeting. Nine copies shall be provided to the City Secretary as the speaker approaches to speak. Copies will be distributed to the City Council and City Manager after the meeting unless distribution is requested by the Mayor during the speaker’s comments. All such materials presented will be retained by the City Secretary’s Office as part of the record in accordance with the requirements of State law.
• Petitions will only be acknowledged in accordance with the City Charter or State law. Otherwise, petitions will be accepted with a Public Comment Card and noted for the record.

No City Council Deliberation
Comments should be directed to the Mayor and City Council. The Texas Open Meetings Act prohibits the City Council from discussing or taking action on items that are not posted on the agenda. The Mayor or City Manager may provide specific factual information, recite an existing policy, refer the matter or speaker to a City staff person, or schedule the item for discussion on a future agenda in response to the public comments.

Waiver of Rules
Any of the foregoing rules may be waived or suspended by a majority vote of the Council present when it is deemed that there is good cause to do so, based upon the particular facts and circumstances involved.

Non Exclusive Rules
These rules are not exclusive and do not limit the inherent power and legal authority of the City Council, or of its presiding officer, to govern the conduct of City Council meetings as may be considered appropriate from time to time, or in particular circumstances, for purposes of orderly and effective conduct of the affairs of the City.

i. Decorum
All City Council meeting attendees shall maintain appropriate decorum and may be subject to removal from the meeting for disruptions or any security concerns.

ii. Maximum Occupancy
Maximum occupancy as designated by the Fire Marshal will be observed for all City Council meetings. Alternative viewing of the meeting will be accommodated when possible.

Public Online Comment Form

The City of Richardson offers an electronic Public Comment Form to provide the public a way to provide comments without attending a meeting in person. The Public Comment Form is available for comments on any topic or agenda item, including public hearing items. All comments submitted using the online form must be submitted by 5 p.m. on the meeting date and will be provided for the record.

In-Person Public Comment Card (.pdf)