“I give public comment because I am an advocate. I think it’s a citizen’s responsibility,” states Judith Robinson, a lifelong Philadelphian and real estate professional. Robinson is a seasoned speaker and a member of the Philadelphia Documenters — an organization that recruits, trains and pays Philadelphians to attend and take notes at public meetings across the city. So she knows of what she speaks.
Documenters’ philosophy is that public meetings are workshops of democracy. For many, public comment offers a direct voice from constituents to those in power, providing crucial input in the decisions that affect one’s daily life.
Yet, the process of giving public comment can be confusing and disorienting. Meeting rules vary. Some take all comments at the end; some, before voting on each item. Some require signing up in advance; others allow anyone present to come forward at the last minute. Also, a speaker from the general public may or may not get a response to their comment. It can be difficult to navigate — and especially frustrating to prepare a comment and feel like you haven’t been heard.
This guide both summarizes processes and guidelines on speaking in public meetings — with insight from seasoned public commenters and spokespeople from large public administrations. While this overview covers some of the largest public meetings in Philadelphia, it is by no means exhaustive.
General advice for making public comment
Jerret Johnson, another frequent Documenter, advises “You should always plan ahead when giving public comments,” whether that means researching procedures, writing down your speech, or practicing beforehand.
Documenter Calvin Williams offered a different piece of advice: “When you live through it, it comes easy.” When speakers draw on their lived experiences, he explains, “preparation becomes easy, because you’re only talking about what you know.” For Williams, that meant speaking up at SEPTA Board meetings when they were considering eliminating an important bus route. He also says persistence is key — showing up consistently, even when it feels discouraging, is essential to being heard. “With persistence, you can get results, ” Williams says. After coming together with other community members, he was able to preserve that route.
Lastly, Robinson offers an important message to any who may be discouraged: “Be yourself. You don’t have to be anybody special.” With determination, preparation, and a clear message, anyone can make an impact and inspire others to do the same. As she puts it, “Speak in your own voice, because everyone else’s voice is taken.”
City Council meetings: Be prepared to wait
September through June, Philadelphia City Council meets for voting sessions on most Thursdays in City Hall and has a detailed structure for its meetings. To speak at a scheduled meeting, either call the Chief Clerk’s office at (215) 686-3406, or sign up the day of in City Hall Room 400. In either case, speakers must submit their full name, the number or name of the bill or resolution they plan to address, whether they support or oppose it, and their contact information by 3pm the day before the meeting (typically Wednesday).
The day of the meeting, enter the building at the northeast corner of City Hall (where JFK Boulevard and East Penn Square connect), bring a valid ID, and pass through security — at least one hour before the scheduled meeting time. Council’s website says “Small, handheld signs not mounted on sticks or poles are permitted.” Large banners are not.
Council President Kenyatta Johnson Communications Director Vincent Thompson says at an average meeting, members of the public usually have three minutes to speak. However, the Council president has the right to establish different time limits, and often does so when there is a long list of people signed up to speak.
Thompson affirmed that comment is limited only to the legislation that will be voted on in the meeting, which can be found in the agenda. As a result, public comment occurs only after the introduction of bills and resolutions, reports from committees, special business, and bills on first reading.
Public comment may not happen until a few hours into the session, and Thompson emphasized that commenters should be prepared to wait. The session usually begins at 10am, but comments might not get heard until the afternoon. “Pack your patience,” Thompson urges.
Comment is heard directly before Councilmembers vote, specifically on bills on their second reading or final passage calendars. Council president also reserves the right to limit comments (most often utilized when comment becomes repetitive). Thompson shared Committee of Seventy’s complete guide to How Philly Works, which outlines in greater detail the structure of City Council meetings.
During public comment, “it is up to each Councilmember if they want to respond or not,” says Thompson. Typically, Councilmembers elect not to respond, but instead “listen and take it in,” notes Calvin Williams, another seasoned Documenter.
In addition to typical City Council stated meetings, City Council also has 25 separate standing committees — including committees on land use, taxes, city streets, etc. The majority of bills on first reading are first referred to a committee, which offer opportunity for public input through public hearings. Public hearings are distinct from “public meetings.” However, the process to register and testify is largely similar.
Department of Planning and Development: Often a back and forth
The Department of Planning and Development oversees city planning of Philadelphia, including the Zoning Board of Adjustment, the City Planning Commission, the Historical Commission, the Art Commission, and other divisions. Each division handles public comment a little differently, but they share a broad structure.
Bruce Bohri, public relations specialist for the Department, and Mina Monavarian and David Fecteau from the City Planning Commission and Legislative Team, highlighted the main distinction between a public hearing and a public meeting, which have different legal standards based under Commonwealth law.
The City Planning Commission, for example, conducts a monthly meetings that are open to the public public. Once or twice a year, the City Planning Commission hosts a special public meeting.
Operationally, they are quite similar. “Typically, what will happen is we’ll make a staff presentation of an item,” Bohri says. “There might be back and forth between the commissioners and staff.” Afterwards, “the public will be allowed to speak for two to three minutes, sometimes longer.” The time that speakers are allowed to comment is determined at the beginning of the meeting and largely depends on the length of the agenda and preference of the chair.
Similar to other meetings, the chair can limit comment to the topic of conversation and correct those who veer off topic. For those interested in speaking, all agendas are posted to each division’s page under the department’s website. However, you do not have to register in advance to offer public comment. As long as a resident can attend in person or has access to the meeting link, they are entitled to speak during public comment.
Public hearings are open to anyone, and as many members of the public who want to participate are permitted to speak.
The Department of Planning and Development differs from other meetings in structure in another key way. Public comment occurs after each agenda item, rather than in a defined time. “It’s not like, oh, let’s do our whole spiel for every item and then let the public talk,” Bohri says, “the public isn’t waiting until the very end of the meeting.”
For some meetings, the comment process is very conversational. For Civic Design Review meetings, for example, “there can often be a back and forth, because the commissioners are very curious,” says Monavarian. Commissioners frequently ask for clarification from commenters or staff.
The Zoning Board is technically a legal hearing, with a different set of laws and regulations. Anyone from the public can comment; you need not be a neighbor or a member of an RCO. Additionally, “you’ll hear them ask people to limit what they’re speaking about,” says Fecteau, “there are some legal standards.” Residents must have legal standing to offer testimony. Monavarian emphasizes this: “The hearings are quasi-judicial.”
Board of Education: First-come, first-served
Similar to City Council, the School District of Philadelphia’s Board of Education (BOE) meetings require individuals who wish to speak to register by 4pm on the business day before the meeting by submitting the speaker request form or registering with board staff (at (215) 400-5959. However, due to the length of many BOE meetings — most are scheduled to run from 4 to 7pm, but often run long — the speaker’s list is capped at 30 non-student speakers, who have with 2 minutes each and 15 student speakers, who have 3 minutes each to speak directly after committee reports.
Afterwards, the District Superintendent gives their remarks, the Board hears presentations, then written comments, and finally registered non-student speakers before voting. The agendas for each meeting can be found under “current meeting materials” on this page. If you can’t attend in person at 440 N. Broad Street, you can watch a livestream here, but there isn’t a way to give testimony remotely at this time.
Speakers in both sections are registered on a first-come, first-served basis. Speakers who register after the limit is reached are placed on a primary waitlist. Additionally, a paper sign-up sheet is available during each meeting for a secondary waitlist. If a registered speaker fails to appear and a slot becomes available, speakers on the primary waitlist and then secondary waitlist are invited to fill the vacancy.
While comment is being heard, priority is given to new voices: People who did not speak at the most recent meeting are heard before those who did. Additionally, each speaker is permitted to speak only once per meeting, although they are allowed to address as many topics as they like within their allotted time. The presiding officer is permitted to interrupt a participant’s statement or disconnect electronic access if the speaker exceeds the time limit or is talking about things beyond the board’s powers or authority.
After comment is given, “the Board is not obligated to respond,” explains Logan Peterson, Senior Project Manager at the Office of the Board. “In some cases they may, but it is not often.” Occasionally, however, you might also see the “Superintendent direct a member of his team to meet with the constituent outside of the meeting room.”
Similar to other large bodies, the Board of Ed also has its own committee meetings and is able to call special meetings and public hearings where “public comment is the same,” says Peterson, with one notable exception for public hearings, “that there is typically no cap on the number of speakers who can register.”
For more information, Peterson recommends consulting the Board’s operating guidelines for meetings.
Corrections: The following is the correct spelling of the names of Mina Monavarian and David Fecteau from the City Planning Commission and Legislative Team. The full name of the municipal department that oversees city planning is the Department of Planning and Development. The City Planning Commission conducts monthly public meetings, and any member of the public can testify before the Zoning Board.
The Philadelphia Citizen regrets these errors.
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