Participating and Commenting on Conservancy Board Meetings

The Conservancy has resumed in-person board meetings. To maximize public safety while maintaining transparency and public access, members of the public can choose to watch the online webcast of the board meeting, make comments via Zoom (registration required), make comments by telephone, submit comments in advance by email, or attend and make comments in person at the meeting location. People attending in person will be required to adhere to the site’s health guidelines, which could include wearing masks, health screening, and social distancing.

Please note, the Zoom chat function will be disabled for the duration of the meetings.  This is to avoid ex parte conversations and comply with public meeting requirements.  If you need technical assistance during the meeting, please email publiccomments@scc.ca.gov .

Information on how to join each meeting are in that meeting’s agenda.  The instructions below outline how members of the public can provide public comment.

Providing Public Comment

There are several ways for the public to provide comments during the Conservancy’s teleconference meeting. Comments will be limited to two minutes. Time limits may be adjusted at the Chair’s discretion and depending on the number of people wishing to speak.  These are:

• Send an email in advance to: PublicComments@scc.ca.gov . Email comments received by 5pm on the Friday before the meeting will be entered into the record, shared with Conservancy Members, and made available to the public, but not read aloud during the meeting. Please include in your email the agenda item number for the item you are commenting on, unless it is a non-agenda item. If you want your name and organization included in the public record, please include in your comment. Emails received after 5pm on the Friday before will not be considered by the Conservancy.
  • Please note that comments sent to us may be posted on this website and are subject to California’s Public Records Act. Please do not include any personal or private information that you do not want to be available to the public.

• Provide comments directly during the meeting. Public comments will be taken at appropriate times throughout the meeting from in-person attendees, Zoom webinar attendees, and from phone attendees. Comments on items that are not on the agenda must be made during Public Comments on Non-Agenda Items.  If you want your name and/or organization included in the public record, please state at the beginning of your comments.
  • Webcast (Watch Only): To watch the meeting and not provide verbal comments, please view the webcast at this site: https://cal-span.org. If you do not wish to provide verbal comments, we strongly recommend watching the webcast as this will free up space on the webinar for those who are providing verbal comments. If you intend to make verbal comments, please do not view the webcast, and then switch over to the Zoom webinar or phone to comment, as the webcast will have a time delay and you may miss the opportunity to comment.
  • Zoom (To Make Comments): In addition to in-person participation, remote participation is available to members of the public via Zoom webinar. To participate via Zoom, you must register for the Zoom Webinar at this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1Q5-0ksjRJa6B_OHDK5_9Q. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
  • Telephone (To Make Comments): Members of the public can offer verbal comments on agenda items by calling in via telephone. Zoom registration is required. Register for the Zoom Webinar at the link above and you will receive an email with a phone number to dial in by telephone. When the agenda item you want to speak on is being presented, press *9 to “raise your hand” and indicate your interest in making a comment. You will be called upon (using your phone number to identify you) and will be unmuted at the appropriate time.
  • Individual Public Comments will be limited to two minutes. Time limits may be adjusted at the Chair’s discretion and depending on the number of people wishing to speak. 
  • Commenters participating by Zoom may share presentations or other audiovisual material by sharing their screen within their allocated time.
  • Total time for Public Comments on Non-Agenda Items will be limited to 30 minutes.
  • Each commenter may only use their own allocated time (time cannot be “donated” to other commenters).