Please observe the following rules of civility to maintain the decorum of City Council Meetings.

Council meetings are a place for people to feel safe and comfortable participating in their government.  A respectful and safe environment allows a meeting to be conducted in an orderly, efficient, effective, and dignified fashion, free from distraction, intimidation, and threats to safety. We welcome everyone, so please be mindful and keep comments free of discriminatory language referring to a person or group based on their religion, ethnicity, nationality, race, color, descent, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, or other identity factor.

In order to support a respectful meeting, items that disrupt the meeting, intimidate other participants, or may cause safety concerns are not allowed. For example:

• Council staff or security officers may ask you to open any large bags, purses, or backpacks for inspection and may also request changes to the placement of recording equipment or other props to help facilitate the meeting.
• Jeering, cheering, clapping, and waving signs may intimidate other speakers and cause a disruption, so please refrain from such activities.
• Please be respectful to the historical elements in the room such as keeping feet off furniture, avoiding leaning or touching paintings and other décor, and no food or drinks in the Council Chamber (Room 315).
• Generally, props and equipment are not allowed. If you have a prop or piece of equipment integral to a presentation, please clear its use with a staff member or security officer before entering the meeting room.
• Signs are permitted; however, so that they do not cause disruption or block the view of others, please follow these guidelines:  signs should be able to be kept at your feet or on your lap; sticks or dowels are not allowed; signs can be kept near the podium on the floor during your turn to speak.
• If you have questions about the proper placement of recording equipment or recording in general, please coordinate this with a security officer or staff member before the beginning of the meeting who will make requests to help ensure that it does not disrupt the meeting or make other attendees feel uncomfortable.
• If you have written remarks, a document, or other items you may want the City Council to review, do not approach the dais.  Instead, please give them to Council staff, and they will distribute them for you.
• Failure to follow these decorum rules may result in removal from the meeting.

The public can share comments with the Council during formal meetings online through Zoom or in person in Room 315 of the City & County Building.  The same process applies to RDA meetings, which are held in Room 326. 

Those who would like to speak must sign-up in order to be on the list. Online comment registration opens 24 hours before the meeting. Those attending in person will fill out a comment card at the meeting.  

General comment registration closes at 7:30 p.m. You can register to speak on a public hearing item until the hearing closes.  

All comments submitted during the Council Meetings become part of the public record. Those in attendance must follow the Public Meeting Rules.  

There are two sections on the Council agenda where constituents can address the Council for two minutes.  

• Public Hearings: During this meeting section, the public may comment on public hearing items listed on the Council’s formal meeting agenda. Speakers must limit their comments to the public hearing topic. You can register to comment until the Council closes the hearing.  

• Public Comments to the City Council: This is a one-hour time slot for the public to comment on any city business not scheduled for a public hearing. General comment registration closes at 7:30 p.m. 

Note: The public comment portion of the meeting is generally for constituents to speak and the Council to listen; however, there may be times when a Council Member may request a point of personal privilege from the Chair to ask a question or make a brief remark.  

Registering to Speak

In-Person Attendees:

• Fill out a public comment card. Check the box indicating that you want to speak. If you do not want to speak, check the appropriate box and write your comments on the back. Hand your comment card to a Council staff member. Please fill out a comment card for each public hearing and general comment section you want to submit a comment for.
• Council staff will call upon everyone signed up to speak in the order cards are received.
• When called upon to approach the podium, say your name into the microphone, and then proceed with your comments (providing the area of the city where you live is also helpful to the Council).
• If you run out of time to speak, you can write your comments on a comment card.

Zoom Attendees:

• Access the Zoom meeting information at SLCCouncil.com. Fill out the registration. Once registered, Council staff will add you to the speakers’ queue.
• You will receive an email with a link to join the webinar. Click on the link and follow the prompts. You may join 30 minutes before the meeting starts.
• When you join the meeting, your camera and microphone are turned off. Council staff will call on you when it is your turn to speak and unmute your microphone. After your two minutes, Council staff will mute your microphone and move on to the next commenter.
• If you run out of time to speak, please email your comments to council.comments@slcgov.com or call 801-535-7654.

Please observe the two-minute time limit so everyone may have a chance to speak. People cannot combine their time so that one person speaks longer than another (i.e. “Joe” cannot give his time to “Jane” to allow “Jane” to speak for four minutes).

If you speak to a public hearing item, you may speak again during general comment if your issue is on a new topic. Please note that general comment registration closes at 7:30 p.m.

Council Meetings are accessible to wheelchair users and offer Assistive Listening Devices.

The Council uses Zoom for online participation, which has closed captioning capabilities. Visit Zoom’s website for information on their closed captioning services. 

ADA parking is available at the City & County Building and can be accessed by entering from 200 East. Vehicles displaying a disability license plate or placard and transporting a person with a disability may be parked at any City parking meter without charge for up to two hours. 

To request a reasonable accommodation, including interpreters, auxiliary aids, large-type agendas, #2 Braille agendas, and other auxiliary aids and services, or to discuss your needs, please contact the City Council Office at 801-535-7600,  council.comments@slcgov.com, or relay service 711 at least two business days in advance. 

Parking:

Public parking is available at the City Library’s underground parking garage. The Council validates parking for meeting attendees upon request. 

ADA parking is available at the City & County Building and can be accessed by entering from 200 East. Vehicles displaying a disability license plate or placard and transporting a person with a disability may be parked at any City parking meter without charge for up to two hours.

Transit:

Visitors are encouraged to take public transportation; the most accessible TRAX stations are the Library and Courthouse stops. Visit RIDE UTA for schedules and maps.

The City Council welcomes participation from youth and community groups in leading the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of meetings. Contact the City Council Office at 801-535-7600 or council.comments@slcgov.com to coordinate.

All agenda-related comments received in the Council office by phone and email are shared with the Council Members and added to the public meeting record. View public comments received.

Transmittals are information provided from the Mayor’s office to the Council. This includes formal proposals for the Council’s consideration. View transmittals received.

View ordinances adopted into city code.