Planned Malibu City Council Meeting Changes Include Earlier Start Time

MALIBU, CA — Changes are coming soon to City Council meetings that officials say will make local government more efficient and allow for more time for public comment.

The changes will take effect beginning with the Oct. 14 City Council meeting. Meetings will begin at 5:30 p.m., an hour earlier than before. "This adjustment is intended to allow the Council to deliberate on actionable City business at a more reasonable hour while also ensuring that administrative or ministerial items are addressed earlier in the evening," City Manager Steve McClary wrote.

The additional changes are:

The Consent Calendar, where the council votes on several routine matters with one vote, will be addressed before 6:30 p.m. The public will no longer have the ability to pull items off the calendar for discussion, but may request that the council do so.

Presentation items will be heard immediately after the Consent Calendar and prior to 6:30 p.m. "This adjustment is designed to accommodate participants who need to present, ensuring their items are addressed early in the meeting," McClary wrote.

Written and Oral Communications will be reorganized so that commission/committee/city manager updates occur before 6:30 p.m., public comment on non-agenda items occurs at 6:30 p.m. and council subcommittee reports/mayor and councilmember reports resume after public comment.

Meetings will continue to be held in person at City Hall and over Zoom; public comment will be accepted at both venues.