Raleigh council tightens public‑comment process for digital materials, declines immediate time change

Raleigh City Council voted to clarify the purpose of public comment and to adopt a new, staff‑managed process for accepting visual materials from speakers, while rejecting a proposed immediate change to the public‑comment meeting time and duration.

City Attorney McDonald framed the options presented to council as three separate items: adding clearer language on the city website and a mayoral opening statement to restate the purpose of public comment; revising how digital media are handled during public comment; and changing the dedicated public‑comment session held on second Tuesdays of the month. "This is really their time to come and speak to the council," City Attorney McDonald said, explaining the intent to prevent back‑and‑forth exchange during the public‑comment period.

On the digital media question, the council voted to allow static visual aids (PDFs and JPEGs) to be submitted in advance and attached to the meeting agenda as backup material instead of broadcasting material live during a speaker’s time. The motion required staff to establish a size limitation for submitted files and to run the materials through standard IT checks before posting. The council approved that change with a recorded short vote in the meeting.

Council members debated whether to reduce or move the second‑Tuesday public‑comment session. Several council members urged caution about shortening or moving the time without more public input. Councilor Lambert Melton said the body should act but also suggested staff provide implementation rules for the digital‑media handling. Mayor Pro Tem Ford recommended aligning the city’s approach with peer jurisdictions and restricting very large or problematic submissions. Community engagement staff reported prior survey results: in 2023, 73% of respondents preferred a 7 p.m. start time while 27% preferred 6 p.m.

A motion to move the start time to 6 p.m. and limit the session to two hours failed on a 4–4 tie. Councilors left the other parts of the city‑attorney proposal in place: clearer public‑comment purpose language and the new process for receiving static visual materials attached to the agenda. City staff will develop submission rules (file types and size limits) and a vetting procedure for materials that become part of the official public record."There is already a disclaimer on the box when you submit for public comment that you have read the rules of decorum," the city attorney noted during the discussion.

Councilors asked staff to return with concrete submission specifications and to solicit public feedback on whether to change the start time. The council did not adopt a new start time or duration at the meeting.