Potential Action Items
Prior to 2009, the Council would commonly hold a public hearing, consider public comment, close the hearing, and then take action immediately following the public hearing. However, in 2009, to emphasize the importance of public hearings, the Salt Lake City Council changed their policy regarding public hearing items. When an item is scheduled for a public hearing, the City Council welcomes and considers all comments, closes the hearing, and in many cases delays their decision on the issue until the next City Council meeting, where the subject is placed under a new section of the Council agenda called "Potential Action Items."
A delay in the Council's decision until one week after a public hearing provides: 1) additional time for the public to provide written comment through letters and e-mails and/or provide oral comments via the telephone, and; 2) additional time for the Council to consider all comments before reaching a decision.Note: As in the past, when an issue warrants more public comment aside from one public hearing, the City Council may choose to continue a public hearing to a future meeting to allow another opportunity for the public to comment before a hearing is closed.
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