As a member of the public, you are encouraged to voice your opinions and desires as well as become actively involved in the legislative process through City Council, commission, and committee meetings. All such meetings are open to the public, and the meeting agendas are available for your review 72 hours before the meeting.

At each meeting citizens may speak on any agenda item or during oral communications. If you wish to speak at a meeting, please fill out a speaker identification card and place in the box at the front of the chamber. Speakers will be asked to approach the lectern and state their name and address clearly. Remarks are limited generally to three minutes and should be kept brief and to the point.

Becoming familiar with the City staff who serves you and your City is an important part of becoming involved. City representatives presiding at the City Council meetings include the:

• City Council – the policy-making body
• City Manager – the chief administrative officer responsible for carrying out Council policy, City operations and all staffing
• City Clerk – the designated official for City elections and public records
• City Attorney – chief legal advisor to the City Council and staff
• Treasurer – manages City’s investment portfolio
• Police Chief – oversees law enforcement, crime prevention services and emergency preparedness
• Finance Director – oversees financial planning and operations, budget and accounting, purchasing, and payroll
• Planning & Building Director / Deputy City Manager – oversees Building and Safety program, Code Enforcement, and Parklands management including components of building plan review and inspection, compliance with the General Plan, Zoning Code, and the Local Coastal Program
• Public Works Director/City Engineer – oversees operation and maintenance of public infrastructure, capital improvement projects, and fleet operations

The City welcomes written comments from residents and interested parties.

CORRESPONDENCE, TIMELY SUBMITTAL FOR ITEMS ON A PUBLIC MEETING AGENDA

For items on a public meeting agenda, written testimony, hard copies of documents and presentations can be forwarded to the attention of the City Clerk at cityclerk@pvestates.org (email), or 340 Palos Verdes Drive West (delivery and mailing address). Items must be received by 12:00pm the Thursday preceding each regularly scheduled Council, Commission and Committee meeting, to be included with published agenda materials.

When the City receives digital images e.g., videos or photographs for items that are scheduled on the agenda before the Thursday12:00 p.m. deadline, City staff will load it onto the computer and have it cued for the meeting (and available for the person who will be speaking on the topic).  

When written correspondence is received pertaining to an item on a public meeting agenda after the Thursday deadline preceding each meeting, a print copy is provided to elected and/or appointed officials at the meeting. Copies are available for public review as well.

CORRESPONDENCE, LATE SUBMITTAL OR “COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC”

When print copy public correspondence e.g., documents on any matter on the agenda is not received before the deadline for publishing agenda materials, the information received by the City (including email) is provided to the City Council for their review of the agenda item.

When print copy public correspondence e.g., documents that pertain to “communications from the public” (not on an agenda for discussion) is received before 12:00 p.m. on Thursday before a meeting, the material is physically provided to the City Council or Commission.

If the subject matter of public correspondence is not an item on a published agenda and is not provided in print, e.g., a digital image or video, the digital item will not be loaded for public display.  Such digital images may be emailed to the City Council for their personal viewing.