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Gonzales council adopts ordinance letting council set public-comment time limits by resolution
Summary
The Gonzales City Council voted to adopt Ordinance 2024-147, amending city code chapter 1.20 to allow the council to set time limits for public speakers by subsequent resolution and to remove certain identification and standing requirements for speakers.
The Gonzales City Council on Jan. 14 adopted Ordinance 2024-147, amending Chapter 1.20 of the Gonzales City Code to allow the council to set time limits for public speakers by resolution, to change how the minutes record anonymous speakers and to remove the requirement that speakers must stand at a podium.
The ordinance, introduced Dec. 2, 2024, was read into the record by a staff member and discussed during a public hearing. The ordinance replaces a fixed three-minute-per-speaker rule with language that defers the exact allotment of time to a future council resolution so the council may shorten or lengthen speaker time depending on anticipated turnout for an agenda item.
Council members asked staff how the change would work if a highly contested item produced a large queue of speakers. Staff said a resolution could, for example, reduce speaker time to one minute when many people are signed up, or otherwise set different limits for specific meetings. Staff also said the ordinance would change the code language that currently requires a speaker to provide a name and address; the revised code will allow the city to request that information for the record but not to require it, and staff told the council the minutes would identify anonymous participants as “speaker 1,” “speaker 2” and so on.
The draft ordinance also removes the requirement that speakers stand at the podium, to accommodate speakers who cannot stand; instead it refers to addressing the council from the podium area. Following the close of the public hearing, a councilmember moved adoption of the ordinance as presented. The motion carried with the council recording its vote with “aye.”
Officials said the council plans to return with a resolution within 30 days of the ordinance adoption to propose the specific time settings the council prefers. The measure includes a waiver of a second reading and adoption by title only.
The council did not receive speaker testimony on the ordinance via Zoom or email during the hearing.
The ordinance will become part of Title 1, Administration, of the Gonzales City Code once effective; staff said the council will consider a companion resolution to set the particular speaker time allotments at a later meeting.
The council moved on to other business following the vote.
