The City Council meets regularly on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 500 Castro Street, Second Floor. Special meetings are called as necessary by the Mayor and noticed 24 hours in advance. Agenda, staff reports and minutes are prepared for each meeting. The agenda lists the items coming before the Council for consideration, while staff reports give background, analysis and recommendations for each item.
Citizens may examine the agenda, minutes and staff reports at the Mountain View Public Library, 585 Franklin Street, beginning the Thursday evening before each meeting, and at the City Clerk's Office Friday morning. Agenda, minutes and staff reports can also be viewed on the City's web site at www.mountainview.gov and are available at each meeting.
The Council meetings are cablecast live on Channel 26 on the Mountain View Comcast cable system and are replayed on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. and on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. following that week's Council meeting. If there is a live Environmental Planning Commission meeting on a Wednesday, the replay of the City Council meeting will be on a Thursday at 6:30 p.m. In addition, Council Regular meetings are webcasted, and interested persons may visit the City's web site at www.mountainview.gov to watch the meetings live on their computer, laptop or PDA device. Archived broadcasts of previous meetings may also be accessed and watched on-line.
The Council may take action on any matter noticed, and their consideration and action on the matters noticed is not limited by the recommendations indicated in the Agenda or staff report(s). The Council may consider and act on items listed on the agenda in any order and thus all those interested in an item listed on the agenda are advised to be present throughout the meeting (see Policy and Procedure A 13). The reading of the full text of ordinances and resolutions will be waived unless a Councilmember requests otherwise.
By policy, no new items of business will be started after 10:00 p.m., unless an exception is made by vote of the Council.
The City Council meeting discs are made solely for facilitating the preparation of the minutes of the meetings. The discs are available to members of the public to listen to during regular office hours in the City Clerk's Office.
Americans with Disabilities Act, 1990
Anyone who is planning to attend the next City Council meeting who is visually or hearing-impaired or has any disability that needs special assistance should call the City Clerk's Office at 903-6304 48 hours in advance of the Council meeting to arrange for assistance. Upon request, in advance, by a person with a disability, City Council meeting agendas and writings distributed during the meeting that are public records will be made available in the appropriate alternative format. Also upon request, in advance, an assistive listening device can be made available for use during the meeting.
Addressing the Council
Citizens may address the Council on items included in the agenda or on topics that are not included in the agenda. Items on the "Consent Calendar" are not discussed individually but are approved as a group with one motion. If a citizen wishes to speak on an item on the Consent Calendar, he or she may come to the podium at the time announced by the Mayor and request that the item be pulled. If an item is pulled, it is considered after the Consent Calendar items are voted upon. Anyone wishing to address the Council on a non-agenda item may do so during the "Oral Communications" part of the agenda. Speakers are allowed to speak one time on any number of topics for up to three minutes.
In Public Hearings, an oral report is often first presented by City staff followed by questions from the Council. After this, the Mayor opens the hearing.
Speakers are requested to fill out a blue card available at the rear of the Council Chambers and deposit it at the podium when they come forward to speak; this is to assure that names and cities of residence are accurately recorded in the minutes. Remarks should be limited to three minutes. If a large group wishes to express its views, it is more effective to have one spokesperson.
The Mayor may reduce speaking time to no less than two (2) minutes per speaker for any single agendized item and for Oral Communications from the Public if there appears to be 15 or more speakers and the Council might not be able to conclude the scheduled agenda items for the meeting if speakers were allotted three (3) minutes each unless there is an objection from Council, in which case majority vote shall decide the issue without debate.
City Board, Commissions and Committees
City board, commissions and committees serve in an advisory capacity to the Council and take a closer look at matters ranging from zoning and land use to library policy, to parks and recreation programs, to social concerns/cultural issues, to bicycle/pedestrian issues, to performing arts and public art, to youth and teens issues and to senior issues. Members are appointed by the Council for four-year terms except the Downtown Committee, which are three-year terms. Applications are available at the City Clerk's office or on the website. All meetings are open to the public.
Vocabulary List
Minutes: The written record of prior actions presented to the Council for approval at the following meeting. Minutes are not considered official until approved by the Council.
