- Home
- Government
- Public Hearings & Public Comment Periods
Public Hearings & Public Comment Periods
Public Comment Periods
Public comment periods offer community members an opportunity to speak before a board or committee on items or issues that are not a part of the meeting agenda. Most regular county boards or committee meetings include a time for public comment, typically at the beginning of the meeting. All comments and suggestions during a meeting's public comment period are subject to the guidelines below.
All regular Board of Commissioners meetings include a public comment period as an item of business on their agendas. There are no public comment periods held during agenda meetings, special meetings, or workshops, unless otherwise specified by the Board.
Public Hearings
Some meetings may hold public hearings for specific issues. The public hearings are similar to a public comment period but pertain to one topic.
The public hearing policy below only applies to legislative public hearings, which includes those heard at Board of Commissioners and Planning Board meetings. Quasi-jurisdictional hearings before the Zoning Board of Adjustment are not subject to this public hearing policy.
Policies
Public Comment Policy
Many legislative bodies like the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners and Planning Board, as well as other advisory boards and committees, include a public comment period during their meetings. All comments and suggestions during a meeting's public comment period are subject to the guidelines below.
All regular Board of Commissioners meetings include a public comment period as an item of business on their agendas. There are no public comment periods held during agenda meetings, special meetings, or workshops, unless otherwise specified by the Board.
Public Comment Guidelines
- Each person desiring to speak during the public comment period shall sign up to speak prior to the start of the meeting on the form provided at the door, by listing the speaker's name, address and the topic on which he or she will speak. Any related documents, printed comments, or materials the speaker wishes distributed to the Board shall be delivered to the Clerk/Secretary in sufficient amounts (8 copies) at least fifteen minutes prior to the start of the meeting. Persons wishing simply to speak may sign up at any point before the meeting begins.
- A total of thirty (30) minutes shall be set aside for public comment. At the end of this time, those who signed up to speak but have not yet been recognized may be requested to hold their comments until the next meeting's public comment period, at which time they will be given priority for expression. Alternatively, the Board, in its discretion, may extend the time allotted for public comment.
- Each speaker will have a maximum of three minutes to speak. A speaker may not sign up to speak more than once during the same public comment period. No time may be yielded to a speaker by another speaker. To avoid repetitiveness, groups are encouraged to select a spokesperson to speak on their behalf. At the request of the Board, groups of persons supporting or opposing the same positions may be asked to designate a spokesperson to speak, and the designated spokesperson may be allotted up to 8 minutes. Additional time may be allowed at the discretion of the Board.
- Speakers will be acknowledged to speak in the order in which their names appear on the sign-up sheet. Speakers will address the Board from the lectern and begin their remarks by stating their name and address.
- Public comment is not intended to require members of the Board to answer impromptu questions. Speakers should expect the Board to refrain from engaging in a dialogue, except to the extent necessary to clarify the speaker's position. The allotted time for speaking from the podium is the method to address the Board during the public comments period. The Board will not entertain questions or comments called out from the audience. The Board will not take action on an item presented during public comment. When appropriate, the Board may refer inquiries and items brought up during public comment to the County Manager or appropriate staff for follow-up.
- Speakers should at all times maintain proper decorum and shall make their comments in a civil manner. Personal attacks will not be tolerated. No person will be allowed to make obscene, derogatory, or slanderous remarks. Speakers will not discuss matters regarding the candidacy of any person seeking public office, including the candidacy of the person addressing the Board.
Public Hearing Policy
Legislative public hearings shall be advertised and conducted as required by law. At the appointed time, the chair shall hear from staff and then call the hearing to order and preside over it. The applicant and/or their representatives shall be heard prior to any other speakers. In order for the Board to give full and fair consideration to each application, none of the limitations on speaking time shall apply to the applicant and/or their representatives. The chair will then review the list of persons desiring to speak and will call individuals in the order in which their names are listed. Once all listed individuals have been given the opportunity to speak, there will be one call for anyone else that may wish to speak whose name was not called. At the close of the hearing, the chair shall declare the hearing ended and the board shall resume the regular order of business.
To ensure all agenda items can be reviewed in a reasonable manner, all speakers during the public hearing shall be subject to the following guidelines.
Public Hearing Guidelines
- Each person desiring to speak during a public hearing shall sign up to speak prior to the start of the meeting on the form provided at the door, by listing the speaker’s name, address and the topic on which he or she will speak. Any related documents, printed comments, or materials the speaker wishes distributed shall be delivered to the Clerk/Secretary in sufficient amounts.
- Each speaker will be allotted a maximum of three (3) minutes to speak. No time may be yielded to a speaker by another speaker. In order to avoid repetitiveness, groups of 3 or more individuals sharing the same general positions or viewpoints are encouraged to select a spokesperson to speak on their behalf. If a group identifies themselves to the Board and designates a spokesperson, the designated spokesperson may be allotted up to 8 minutes. Additional time may be allowed at the discretion of the Board.
- Each speaker is only permitted to speak once per hearing. At the discretion of the Board, a speaker may be recalled for further questioning and consideration.
- Speakers will be acknowledged to speak in the order in which their names appear on the sign-up sheet. Speakers will address the Board from the lectern and begin their remarks by stating their name and address.
- Public hearing comments must be relevant to the specific public hearing agenda item.
- Public hearings are an opportunity to address the Board. They are not an opportunity to address members of the public or staff. At the discretion of the chair, a board member may request staff or the applicant to respond to something raised by a speaker once the speaker has finished their comments.
- Speakers should at all times maintain proper decorum and shall make their comments in a civil manner. Personal attacks will not be tolerated. No person will be allowed to make obscene, derogatory, or slanderous remarks.