Public Comment
Please refer to the published agenda for each specific Council meeting for information about the structure and protocol, including opportunities for public comment (see below), of that meeting.
All City Council workshops and meetings are broadcast (live closed captioning available) on www.cvtv.org, CVTV cable channels 23/HD 323, and on the City’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/VancouverUS.
The public is invited to provide comments to Council during each Regular City Council meeting, per Council Policy and Procedure 100-32.
The Below are guidelines for members of the public interested in speaking to Council during meetings. For more information, please refer to Policy 100-32.
- Public Comments at Regular Meetings
- Testimony Registration
- Additional Information
Public Comments at Regular Council Meetings
Regular Council Meetings take place on the first, second, third, and fourth Mondays of the month. In the event a City-recognized holiday occurs on Monday, the Council shall not meet. Regular Meetings begin at 6:30 p.m.
- At the start of the meeting, prior to consideration of the Consent Agenda, the public will be invited to comment on any item or matter on that meeting’s agenda that is not scheduled for a formal public hearing. This allows community members an opportunity to address agenda matters before Council takes action on them.
- The public will be invited to provide testimony on any item scheduled for public hearing. Speakers will be called to testify during the relative public hearing.
- The public will be invited to provide testimony on any matter on a monthly basis at a Community Communication Forum. Please see details below regarding the timing and protocol for these opportunities.
- For all comments and testimony, speakers are asked to limit their combined statements to about three minutes total in order to allow as many people as possible the chance to address Council. Please see information below about how to register to testify.
- Pursuant to Council Policy 100-32, if any speaker exceeds the 3:00 minutes allotted for public testimony or speaks on matters other than City business, that speaker may be issued a 90-day or 180-day suspension from verbal testimony.
Information about Community Forums
Vancouver City Council holds monthly Community Communication Forums where community members can speak on any topic. Most forums occur at City Hall after regular Council meetings, allowing in-person or remote testimony (online or by phone) with advanced registration required for remote speakers.
Four times a year, Council hosts Community Forums at different locations outside City Hall. These forums are in-person only, with no registration needed.
View the annual City Council meeting calendar (opens in new tab) for all forum meeting dates/times.
Forums are not televised or streamed online.
Testimony Registration
All members of the public who wish to testify will be required to register in advance by submitting the form below or by calling the City Manager’s Office at 360-487-8600 by 12 p.m. on the day of the Council meeting. Registration for in-person testimony also will be accepted at the Council meeting until 6:30 p.m. Instructions for signing up will be posted outside of the Council Chambers at City Hall.
Opportunities for public testimony and details about additional protocol will be published on the agenda for each specific Council meeting. View Council agendas with supporting documentation and Council meeting minutes.
Additional Information
- Members of the public who wish to submit lengthy or detailed testimony are encouraged to provide their comments in written form at least a week in advance to allow Council time to consider the information provided.
- During all Council meetings, speakers are asked to address the Council as a whole and in an orderly manner.
- The City Council will be accepting testimony regarding any matter on the agenda during its next regular meeting. Testimony may be provided in person in the Council Chambers at City Hall or remotely over the GoToMeeting conferencing platform.
- Advance registration is required for members of the public who wish to provide in-person or remote testimony during the City Council meeting.
- Online registration will close at 12 p.m. on the day of the upcoming Council meeting.
- There are sign up cards and a submission box outside of Council Chambers for in person sign up only. Testimony sign up cards must be submitted no later than 6:30 p.m. on the day of the upcoming Council meeting.
- Anyone who has registered to testify remotely must be available to connect or call in to the Council meeting between 6:00 and 6:30 p.m. on the day of the upcoming Council meeting. Detailed instructions will be emailed to participants after registration closes the day of the Council meeting, including the link and credentials for accessing the GoToMeeting session.
- Written comments on agenda items will also be accepted. Comments should be emailed to council@cityofvancouver.us by 12 p.m. on the day of the Council meeting to submit them to the City Council in advance.
The Council meeting will be available to view live on CVTV Comcast Channel 23 / 323, on www.cvtv.org, and on the City’s Facebook page, facebook.com/vancouverus. Community Communication Forums are not televised or streamed by CVTV.
To register to testify during the Council meeting, please fill out and submit the form below.
Please note that pursuant to the state’s Public Records Act (RCW 42.56), registration forms submitted for Council testimony are public records and may be subject to public disclosure.