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Planning board implements supervisors' public‑comment rules limiting speakers and setting three‑minute cap
Summary
The Hazle Township Planning Board on April 21 read and adopted Supervisors' Resolution 2026‑13, formalizing sign‑in requirements, a three‑minute limit for comments and qualifying who may speak at open meetings; the board said changes to the policy require action by the Board of Supervisors.
John Synoski read Supervisors' Resolution 2026‑13 into the planning board record and the board voted to add the resolution to the agenda and adopt it as an administrative policy.
The resolution establishes who may speak during public comment (residents of Hazle Township, township taxpayers, company representatives who are township taxpayers, and township employees) and limits each speaker to three uninterrupted minutes. It requires commenters to register before the meeting and to give name, municipality and business affiliation when applicable. The board recorded the motion to adopt the resolution (motion by Terry Daley, second by John Synoski) and approved it by roll call.
The policy also directs that public comments on agenda items be taken at the start of meetings and comments on non‑agenda items at the end, and gives the meeting chair authority to interrupt or terminate comments that are abusive, irrelevant or that exceed the time limit. The written resolution notes that the board may defer a comment period to the next meeting if time is insufficient.
At the meeting Sherri Homanko of 349 W 30th Street asked how the board would address ADA accommodations for public comment and urged the board to consider people affected by projects who do not live in the township. John Synoski told Homanko the Planning Board itself could not change the supervisors' resolution and that the Board of Supervisors would have to take any such action.
The planning board's adoption places the supervisors' public‑comment rules on the Planning Board's administrative agenda; any substantive changes to who may speak or to the time limits must be made by the Board of Supervisors.
