How to Participate

Agendas are typically posted every Wednesday at 10 a.m. for meetings happening the following week. Each item includes a number, a title, and links to supporting documents like staff reports, ordinances, and resolutions — so you can review the details and decide whether you'd like to comment.

View City Council agendas

Ver las agendas del Concejo Municipal

Yes — the City publishes a Summary Agenda that lays out the anticipated order of business and consolidates all items into one convenient document. It may include Closed Session items, Housing Authority matters, Public Facilities Financing Authority items, and estimated public comment times for each discussion item. The Summary Agenda is posted on Friday afternoons and is available at sandiego.gov/cc. Keep in mind it's a helpful guide, not a replacement for the full official agenda and supporting materials.

Note: Translated agendas and summary agendas are provided as a courtesy to enhance public access. In the event of any discrepancy, the English-language agenda is the official version. See the glossary for common agenda terms.

Meetings are held in a hybrid format, so you can choose what works best for you:

• In person — Council Chambers, 202 C Street, 12th Floor, San Diego, CA
• Online — join the live meeting at sandiego.gov/councilmtg
• By phone — dial 1-669-254-5252 and enter the Webinar ID posted on the agenda

City Council meetings use the Zoom Webinar platform. Whether you're joining to listen or to offer public comment on an agendized item or during Non-Agenda Public Comment, you can access the meeting from a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone — or call in from any smartphone, cell phone, or landline. If you're participating by phone, press ★9 to raise your hand and ★6 to unmute yourself when called on.

Yes! You can submit a written comment in advance using the public comment webform. When submitting, indicate the comment type and the relevant item number.

• Deadline for distribution: Comments received by 8:00 AM on the day of the meeting will be distributed to the City Council and posted online.
• Late submissions: Comments received after 8:00 AM but before the meeting concludes will still be added to the written record for the relevant item.
• Word limit: Webform comments are limited to 500 words but may include attachments.

That depends on how you're joining:

• In person — complete a speaker slip with the City Clerk at the meeting, indicating which item you wish to speak on. Slips are only accepted on the day of the meeting and before in-person testimony concludes on that item — they can't be turned in early. When it's your turn, approach the podium, and if you're representing an organization or another person, please say so.
• By phone — join using the phone number and Webinar ID posted on the agenda, then raise your hand when prompted
• Online — join through Zoom Webinar and use the "Raise Hand" feature when your item is called

Note: In-person testimony concludes before virtual testimony begins, so if you're joining remotely, plan for a brief wait while room-based speakers finish. If you're commenting virtually, you'll need to raise your virtual hand before the queue closes — the queue closes when the last virtual speaker finishes or five minutes after in-person testimony ends, whichever comes first.

It's straightforward no matter how you're joining:

• On a computer: Reactions → Raise Hand
• On a phone or tablet: Reactions → Raise Hand
• If calling in: Press ★9 to raise or lower your hand

When called on, unmute using your device controls or press ★6 if dialing in by phone.

Keep it focused and clear. Here's a simple format that works well — you don't have to follow it exactly, but having a structure helps you make the most of your time:

• Introduce yourself — optionally share your name and neighborhood
• Mention your position on the agenda item — say if you are for or against the item
• Share your message — briefly explain your main point or concern
• Make your request — clearly state what action you would like the Council to take

Speaking time varies by item type. All time limits are at the discretion of the Council President and may be adjusted for better meeting management:

Yes. For Quasi-Judicial items (such as land use appeals), the Applicant and/or Appellant receives up to 10 minutes for their own organized presentation immediately following the City's presentation. If the City's presentation runs longer than 10 minutes, that time may be extended accordingly.

If eight or more speakers address a single issue during Non-Agenda Public Comment, the maximum cumulative time for that issue is capped at 16 minutes total for in-person and 16 minutes total for those participating online. This helps ensure a broader range of voices can be heard across the full meeting.

A few things to keep in mind going in:

• You may only provide one comment per agenda item
• Non-Agenda Public Comment needs to be about a subject matter within the jurisdiction of the City Council
• If you are part of an Organized Presentation, click here to see how to sign up.

In-person testimony always concludes first, before virtual testimony begins. So if you're joining remotely, plan for a brief wait while room-based speakers finish before your turn comes up.

Yes. Regularly scheduled Council meetings include time for Non-Agenda Public Comment, which lets you address matters of public interest that fall within the Council's jurisdiction — even if the topic isn't listed on that day's agenda. Each speaker gets up to 2 minutes.

The timing depends on the day of the meeting:

• Mondays — Taken during the 2:00 PM session, after all discussion items are complete
• Tuesdays — Taken during the 10:00 AM session

Generally, it's first-come, first-served. However, priority may be given to speakers who did not address the Council during Non-Agenda Public Comment at the last regularly scheduled meeting — so if you spoke last time, you may be placed further back in line this time around.

Yes. You can mail written materials to:

To be distributed to the City Council, materials must arrive no later than one business day before the meeting. Written materials received via mail on the day of the meeting will still be entered into the written record.

Yes. Submit any audio or visual media you'd like to use at www.sandiego.gov/materials at least 2 hours before the meeting.

You have a couple of easy options:

• On TV (within City of San Diego only) — Watch on City TV Channel 24 (Cox Communications and Spectrum) or Channel 99 (AT&T U-Verse)
• Online — Stream the meeting at sandiego.gov/communications/citytv

Absolutely. Sign up to receive City Council agendas and related updates directly in your inbox — so you're always in the loop before a meeting takes place.

Sign Up for City Council Agenda Updates

Two or more people who share a position can participate as an organized presentation, with a lead speaker or a few speakers presenting on behalf of the group. The amount of time allotted is based on how many people are listed — so be sure to include everyone when you sign up. Presentations are a max of 15 minutes. 

The lead presenter must submit a request at least 24 hours before the meeting via the Organized Presentation Request webform. If you're using a slideshow, video, or audio, you can attach it to the form — or submit it separately via a follow-up link at least 2 hours before the meeting.

Yes — all participants in an organized presentation must use the same attendance format, meaning everyone attends either all in person or all virtually. If your group submits a mix of formats, speaking time will be reduced based on how the lead presenter is attending.

Under the Brown Act — California's open meetings law — any public records related to agenda items distributed to a majority of the City Council within 72 hours of a meeting must also be made available for public inspection. Here's where you can find them:

• Online — Available at sandiego.gov/cc as an attachment to the related item
• In Council Chambers — Available at digital kiosks inside the chamber and on the Lobby and 12th Floors
• During the meeting — Look for the binder labeled "Late Arriving Materials" near the entrance of Council Chambers (for City-prepared documents); materials prepared by others will be posted online after the meeting

If the City experiences technical issues that disrupt online or phone-based participation, the meeting may be paused while staff works to restore access. The City will make every reasonable effort to get things back up and running quickly. If the issue can't be resolved, the City Council may take appropriate action consistent with State law.

Need help with meeting access? Contact the Office of the City Clerk at cityclerk@sandiego.gov or 619-533-4000.

The order is different depending on the day:

• Monday — The day starts with a 10 a.m. session set aside specifically for Closed Session public comment. Once that wraps up, the Council moves into Closed Session itself, which isn't open to the public. The Council then returns to open session at 2 p.m., where Discussion Items are heard, followed by Non-Agenda Public Comment.
• Tuesday — The 10 a.m. session covers Proclamations, the Consent Agenda, morning Discussion Items, and Non-Agenda Public Comment. After that, there's a break, and the Council reconvenes at 2 p.m. for the afternoon session to continue with Discussion Items.

The Summary Agenda is your best tool for seeing the anticipated order for a specific meeting, since the actual sequence can shift.

Closed Session covers items the Council is legally permitted to discuss privately — most often pending litigation, real property negotiations, or certain personnel matters. The Closed Session itself isn't open to the public, but on Mondays the public does get a chance to weigh in first: the 10 a.m. session is set aside specifically for public comment on the Closed Session items before the Council adjourns into Closed Session. The Closed Session Reports note what was decided once there is something to report out. Everything else on the agenda is part of the open meeting, where the public can watch and participate throughout.

A Councilmember makes a motion on the item, another Councilmember seconds it, and the Council votes. The motion has to pass with the required number of votes before it passes. If a motion fails to recieve the required votes or no one seconds it, the Council moves on or someone offers an alternate motion.

The City Clerk's office keeps the official record through the meeting minutes, prepared by the Legislative Recorder. Minutes capture what was done — the motions made, who made and seconded them, and how each Councilmember voted — rather than a transcript of what was said. If you want a record of the discussion itself, including public comments, the video of each meeting and a summary of results is posted online within 24–48 hours and is kept on file.

Yes. Regular Council meetings are held weekly, typically split between a Monday afternoon session and a Tuesday morning session, the schedule of meetings can be found on the Legislative Calendar adopted each year by the City Council. Special or supplemental meetings can be called outside that schedule when needed, and those will always be separately noticed in accordance with the Brown Act.