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Commission discusses handling disruptive speakers, Brown Act rules and requests training
Summary
After a profane and disruptive public comment that included racial slurs, the Planning Commission reviewed the Brown Act's standards for disruptive behavior, discussed speaker limits and requested a training session on meeting conduct and statutory rules.
The West Covina Planning Commission spent time during its Jan. 28 meeting addressing oral-communications protocols after an unidentified public commenter used profanity and racial slurs and was removed for disrupting the hearing.
Chair Heng opened the meeting's oral-communications period with the standard public-comment instruction; an extended public comment later included profanity and racialized language and occurred during the open comment period. The chair and staff advised that the comment was disruptive and the chair requested assistance from staff to restore order. A police officer removed the individual from the meeting while commissioners continued the agenda.
City counsel explained the legal standard for removing disruptive speakers under the Ralph M. Brown Act and recent statutory clarifications in Government Code section 54954.3 (and related case law). Counsel summarized: "The Brown Act ... defines what disruptive behaviour is. It is engaging in behavior during a meeting that actually disrupts, disturbs, impedes, or renders infeasible the orderly conduct of the meeting," and said the chair may pause the meeting or request removal when the disruption prevents the meeting from continuing.
Commissioners discussed the limits of free speech at public comment and when speech crosses into disruptive conduct or direct threats. Several commissioners requested a refresher training on the Brown Act and meeting conduct; the city attorney offered to schedule a training session for the commission. Community Development staff also noted resources and the upcoming Planning Commission Academy scheduled for March 5–7 and offered to circulate materials for an upcoming environmental review item.
The commission emphasized that public comment is allowed for items within the commission's jurisdiction but that the chair has authority to restore order if speech becomes disruptive or threatens safety.
