Welcome to a Council Meeting

Council meetings are open to the public. Learn how to attend, participate in, and understand what happens at a Council meeting:

Parking: Free parking is available in Town Hall lots and at the Stephens St. lot.
Other parking: In the event that those lots are full, check Park on the Hill for lots nearby.
Take a bus: Town Hall is served by Chapel Hill Transit's NS and T routes, as well as GoTriangle routes.

Attend in person at 405 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Meetings are in the Council Chamber, and you can sit anywhere. Staff usually sit in the front rows.
Live stream online.
Work sessions are held approximately once a month but there's not an option to livestream.

If you'd like to speak at a meeting, here's what to know:

Sign up: add your name to the Clerk's sign-up sheet starting 30 minutes before the meeting. The Clerk sits at the front of the room.
You'll be called up to the podium by the Mayor or their designee. Use the podium microphone and state your name for the record.
Speak: You'll have three minutes to speak; if more than 14 people are signed up for the same item, the time limit is reduced to 2 minutes per speaker.
Groups: If you're part of a large group, you're encouraged to select one spokesperson.
Sign aren't allowed.

This is the typical order of business:

Opening - the Mayor starts the meeting and may include proclamations or ceremonial subjects.
Announcements - the Mayor and Council share news about upcoming events and opportunities.
Public Comment - anyone may speak about issues not on the agenda.
Consent Agenda - Council votes on routine or administrative items as a group, without discussion.
Discussions Items - staff present items for Council to discuss and consider. Public comment is allowed on these items. Council may vote after discussion.
Appointments - At some meetings, Council appoints community members to boards and commissions.
Closed Session - At some meetings, Council may end in a closed session. The public leaves while Council discusses confidential legal or personnel matters.

Council members sit at the dais with the Mayor in the center.
To the right: Town Attorney (provides legal advice) and Town Manager (carries out Council decisions).
To the left: Town Clerk (records the meeting and manages sign-ups).
Other Town staff, consultants, and community members may also be present.

We ask everyone in the room to follow our RESPECT values:

If you speak a language other than English, interpretation and language assistance are available.

Related Information