Basics of Board of Supervisors' Meetings
Public Participation at Meetings
Agenda packets are available for view in the Clerk’s Office, Room 244, City Hall, and on the web site.
Public Testimony and Communications
The Board encourages public testimony before it takes action. The public may write concerning municipal issues. Written communications are listed on the printed Board agenda. Persons speaking before the Board or a committee should confine their remarks to the question before the Board or committee.The public may not vocally express support or opposition to statements by Supervisors or by persons testifying. Applause and offensive acts are prohibited. Cell phones and pagers are not allowed. Signs may not be brought into nor displayed in the Legislative Chamber. Small signs may be worn on clothing.
Speaker Cards
Speakers at Board and committee meetings are requested, but not required, to identify themselves and fill out cards placed near the public microphone.
Public Comment at Committee Meetings
The committee system of the Board is designed to hear effective public testimony for and against proposed legislation before the specific committees and to hear suggestions for amendments.
Public Comment at Board Meetings
When the Board considers legislation, which has not been considered by a committee, testimony is welcome during the Public Comment portion of the meeting. Testimony is not permitted when an opportunity has been given at a committee hearing for testimony on an item. The public may address the Board for up to three minutes. The President, or the Board, may limit the total testimony to 30 minutes. The Board may not take action on a new proposal, which is not on the agenda.
Public Comment at Off-Site Meetings
The public has an opportunity to address the Board at the beginning of each special off-site meeting. (See Public Comment at Board Meetings.)
Open Sessions
Board and committee meetings are advertised in the official newspaper of the City and are open to the public, except closed sessions.
Legislative Actions
Legislation consists of ordinances (municipal regulations or laws), resolutions (formal expression of intention, opinion, or will), and occasionally formal motions (a proposal for action). A member of the Board introduces an ordinance or resolution in writing by presenting it to the Clerk, or by presenting it in a Board meeting.
Board’s Actions
The Board takes action in the form of ordinances, resolutions, referred or motions. Ordinances, resolutions, and formal motions are to committee(s) consideration by the Board, except:
- Emergency ordinances which are approved by at least eight Supervisors
- Routine resolutions on the printed For Adoption Without Committee Reference Agenda, which are adopted by a unanimous vote of the Board
- Resolutions not on the printed agenda, considered on the Imperative Agenda
- Motions which are adopted by a majority vote of the Board. (Motions are not subject to Mayoral veto.)
Mayor’s Actions
Within 10 calendar days of receipt of legislation, the Mayor shall return the legislation to the Clerk of the Board. The Mayor may:
- sign the legislation, in which case it becomes law
- return the legislation unsigned, in which case the legislation is deemed approved
- disapprove and veto the legislation
If the Mayor disapproves and vetos the legislation, the Board may override the veto and approve the legislation within 30 days. To override the veto, the Board needs an affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds of the full Board, or eight votes.
Public Hearings: Zoning and Land Use Appeals
During public hearings of the Board required by law on appeals from certain Planning Commission actions, the order of testimony and time limits are:
- Appellant or appellant representative - 10 minutes
- Persons supporting appellant - 3 minutes each
- Planning Commission representative - 10 minutes
- Leader of the opposition to the granting of the appeal - 10 minutes
- Persons opposing the appeal - 3 minutes each
- Appellant - 3 minute rebuttal
The President provides for a similar order for hearings on other appeals permitted by law.
Order of Business at Board Meetings
- Call to Order and Roll Call The President of the Board presides at all meetings and calls meetings to order at the appointed hour. Immediately thereafter, the Clerk calls the roll of the Board. In the absence of the President, the Clerk calls the roll and the Board appoints a presiding officer pro tempore from among the Supervisors present.
- Pledge of Allegiance The President leads the Board and the audience in the pledge of allegiance to the US flag.
- Approval of Minutes An annotated agenda of the votes taken is available the morning after Board meetings. A written report of legislation newly introduced is normally available no later than two days following Board meetings. At a subsequent meeting, the Board approves, by motion, the meeting minutes.
- Agenda Changes Announcements of changes to the agenda.
- Communications Communications are presented on which immediate notice to the Board or action by the Board is required by law.
- Consent Agenda Matters of routine, noncontroversial natures, which require no further discussion and six votes of the Board. There is no separate discussion of these items unless requested by a Supervisor, in which event the matter is removed from the Consent Agenda and considered separately.
- Old Business Matters previously considered by the Board and continued.
- New Business Legislation reported to the Board by Board committees.
- Committee Reports on Urgent Legislation Legislation deemed by a committee to be of an urgent nature.
- Roll Call for Introductions Requests to the City Attorney to prepare legislation, draft ordinances, or issue legal advice; requests for letters of inquiry.
- Public Comment Opportunity for the public to directly address the Board on items of interest.
- Adoption without Committee Reference Agenda Resolutions for immediate, unanimous, adoption without reference to committee. The Board may also consider motions for immediate adoption without reference to committee.
- Approval of Requests to the Legislative Analyst Requests to provide assistance to the Board.
- Imperative Agenda An item of business not on the agenda which requires a two-thirds vote of the Board, or if less than two-thirds of the Supervisors are present, a unanimous vote of those present, determining: the resolution is either purely commendatory or that failure to adopt the resolution on this date would do serious injury to the public interest; or the need to take action arose after the agenda was ordered printed.
Disorderly Conduct
The presiding officer may remove from the meeting room anyone who is: disorderly or insolent toward Supervisors; boisterous or violent; disobedient of any lawful order of the presiding officer.
Meeting Notices
Notice consists of US mail, fax, or other notification to all persons known to be interested in the particular measure to be considered and is initiated not later than 72 hours before the public hearing is scheduled.
Appointments to Boards or Commissions
The Board makes appointments to various Boards and Commissions. Information about vacancies and an application form are available on the Board’s web page at www.sfgov.org, or in Room 244, City Hall.
Sunshine Ordinance
For more information on your rights or to report a violation of the ordinance, contact Administrator at (415) 554-7724; by fax at (415) 554-7854; SOTF@sfgov.org or by email at
Disability Access
The Legislative Chamber is wheelchair accessible.
Getting to City Hall
- BART: Civic Center Station
- MUNI: Lines #42, #71, and F to Market and Van Ness, and Van Ness and Civic Center Metro Stations
- Parking: Civic Center Plaza Garage
Available Services
Call (415) 554-7722 to request any of the following, by 4:00 pm on the Friday before the Board meeting:
- American Sign Language interpreters, use of a reader during a meeting, or sound system; call
- Large print agendas or minutes in alternative formats
- Language translation (at least 48 hours before the meeting)