General communication (Noon)
Time is set aside at noon at each regular council meeting for a maximum of 10 individuals to address the council on topics of their choice. A person who intends to speak at this time must register in advance with the City Clerk’s office.
How to register
Registration must include the meeting date, name, contact information, and whether you are speaking in person or remotely.
You may register online or by contacting the Office of the City Clerk by phone (512-974-2210).
The registration period for a given meeting begins at 9 a.m., 21 days prior to the meeting, and ends at 4:30 p.m., 14 days prior to the meeting.
The 2024 General Public Communication Schedule includes registration dates and times.
PLEASE NOTE: A person may not speak at general communication more often than once out of every three regularly scheduled council meetings.
Speaking on specific agenda items
Public comment on agenda items will be allowed both in-person and remotely (by telephone). Speakers may only register to speak on an item once, either in-person or remotely.
For all items on the consent agenda, public comment will begin at 10 a.m. Public hearings and all non-consent items will be heard after the consent agenda. For all zoning items, public comment will begin at 2 p.m. Additional time slots may be added as needed or at the request of Council.
If speaking remotely via cell phone, please ensure you are in a location with good reception. If you are using a wireless connection, please note your call may drop depending on the service.
Requests for language interpretation service including American Sign Language must be emailed to City.Clerk@austintexas.gov 48 hours in advance of the meeting.
Online registration (for in-person and remote speakers)
Information and links to the registration form will be available on the Council Meeting Information Center page when the registration window is open.
For regular council meetings, the online registration window will open at 10 a.m. on the Monday before the meeting and close at noon the day before the meeting. Special-called meetings may have a different registration window.
- The online registration form must be submitted by noon the day before the meeting.
- Remote registration is not available after the online form closes.
- Once the registration form is received, residents speaking remotely will receive an email following the close of the registration period providing instructions on speaking at the meeting. The number listed on the registration form is the number that will be utilized to connect the speaker to the meeting.
- Handouts or other documents that speakers wish to have provided to Council must be emailed to City.Clerk@austintexas.gov by noon the day before the meeting. This information will be provided to Mayor and Council in advance of the meeting.
- A person who is physically present in the council meeting and who has registered to speak may donate speaking time on an agenda item to another in-person speaker by coordinating with the City Clerk prior to being called. A speaker may not use the donated time of more than two other in-person registered speakers on an agenda item or at a public hearing.
- The allotted time provided to speakers may vary as determined by Council but will not be reduced to less than two minutes per agenda item.
In-person registration at City Hall (for in-person speakers only):
- In-person speakers can register to speak using the City Hall atrium kiosks beginning shortly after noon the day before the meeting until 45 minutes before the meeting is scheduled to begin.
- If you sign up to speak on the kiosk, you must speak in person.
- Please visit the Office of the City Clerk in City Hall, Suite 2030, if you need assistance using the kiosks. PLEASE CHECK IN AT THE SECURITY DESK ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF CITY HALL.