Participate in Public Meetings

The City holds many committee, commission, and council meetings that are open to the public. These meetings are great opportunities to learn about projects and programs. Some meetings include time for public comments, so you can share your input. Here’s how to participate:

Find upcoming meetings on the calendar at CityofCR.com. There is a calendar that lists scheduled public meetings. The meeting link provides the date, time, duration of the meeting, purpose, and location. The description often provides links to an agenda and information from past meetings.

Check meeting agendas to find out what will be discussed and if public comments are included.

Watch City Council regular session meetings or Council committee meetings live on Facebook to learn what is happening in the City.

Attend public meetings and voice your opinion. While public meetings may seem intimidating at first, residents are welcome and encouraged to participate.

City Council meetings follow a consistent format — starting with proclamations and presentations; followed by public hearings, the first public comment section, the consent agenda, the regular agenda, then ordinances; and ending with the second public comment section. The agenda for each meeting is posted on CityofCR.com by 5 p.m. on the Friday preceding the meeting.

Proclamations and Presentations provide an opportunity for the City Council to provide special recognition of groups and events and to learn about or receive updates on projects in Cedar Rapids.

Public Hearings allow Councilmembers to obtain information and hear public comments regarding proposed rezoning, disposition of city-owned property, and other topics.

Consent Agenda items are part of routine business that is approved by one motion without individual discussion, unless Council requests that an item be removed for separate consideration.

Ordinances are “A city law of a general and permanent nature,” according to state law. The Municipal Code can be amended only by the passage of an ordinance. Many ordinances are preceded by public hearings. When that’s the case, the ordinance first appears under the Public Hearing section before going to the ordinance section in future meetings.

Public Comment opportunities are provided twice during each Council meeting. The first allows comments only on items in the meeting agenda, and the second allows comments pertaining to City business, but not on the agenda.

Comments are limited to five minutes and questions to Councilmembers and staff are not answered at this time. Staff and Councilmembers are available immediately prior to, or following, the meeting for individual conversations.

Find a complete list of guidelines for participating in City Council meetings at CityofCR.com/PublicComment.

City Council meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month* on the third floor of City Hall, 101 First Street SE. Meetings are open to the public. Anyone who requires an accommodation to participate should contact the City Clerk’s Office at 319-286-5060 or cityclerk@cedar-rapids.org as soon as possible, but no later than 48 hours before the event.

*In December, meetings are held the first and third Thursdays to account for holidays.

We desire input from people with diverse backgrounds to make the best decisions for the entire community. Serving on a board, commission, or advisory committee is one of the best ways to have a voice. Applications are due each year on April 30. Find opportunities and requirements at CityofCR.com, by clicking on Local Government » City Boards & Commissions.