About

The following information has been prepared to acquaint you with the proceedings and objectives of public hearings of the Mt. Lebanon Commission.

Meetings of the Municipal Commission

8 p.m.
Second and fourth Tuesday of each month (unless noted)
Commission Chambers in the municipal building

At these regular meetings, all business in regard to the operation of the municipality is conducted and citizens are invited to comment on any municipal matters. The meetings on the fourth Tuesday evenings in June, July and August may be cancelled. Special meetings may be called by the Commission at any time. Proper legal notice of special meetings is required.

The Municipal Commission

The five-member municipal Commission is the governing body of the municipality. Each of the five wards within Mt. Lebanon is represented by a Commissioner. The Commission each year elects a president and vice president as presiding officers.

The Commission sits on the platform at the front of the room. Joining the Commission members on the platform are two (2) other individuals. They are the municipal manager and the municipal solicitor. A non-voting Junior Commissioner, if appointed, would be seated in the audience. Other staff members are seated in the audience.

The Agenda

The agenda will usually consist of the following:

Call to order by presiding officer
Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
Roll call
Citizen comments
Approval of minutes of previous meeting
Items of unfinished business from previous meetings
Items of new business
Receipt of reports
Approval of voucher list
Setting the date of next meeting and manager’s announcements
Adjournment

Agendas are available late Friday afternoon before each meeting on this website, on the Mt. Lebanon government cable channel (Comcast 17 / Verizon 34), and on this website under Commission agendas.

Forms of Action Which May Be Taken

A motion is a verbal action.
A resolution is a written action of a non-legislative nature.
An ordinance is a written order of a legislative nature. An ordinance is required by the Home Rule Charter for those actions which:

Adopt or amend the administrative code or establish, alter, or abolish any department, office or agency
Adopt or amend a code establishing a personnel policy for the municipality
Provide for a fine or other penalty or establish a rule or regulation for violation of which a fine or other penalty is imposed
Levy taxes
Grant, renew or extend a franchise
Establish, alter or abolish rates charged for any utility or other service supplied by the municipality
Authorize the borrowing of money
Convey, lease or authorize the conveyance or lease of any lands of the municipality
Amend or repeal any ordinances previously adopted
Adopt the municipal budget, establish tax rates and employee compensation
Other actions required to be taken by ordinance by any other existing or established law

Citizen Comments

During this portion of the agenda, members of the public may address the Commission. If you are in person, please come to the microphone in front of the platform and, when recognized, state your name and address, prior to making comment. If you are online, press the “raise hand” function and you will be called on.

Video Recordings

To facilitate accurate minutes and to allow the public to watch meetings on demand, all public meetings are recorded and available on this website and on YouTube.

Public Hearings

Public hearings are conducted for any amendment to the zoning or subdivision ordinance, any petition of Tentative Approval of a Planned Residential Development or Planned Mixed Use Development, and any site plan for a Transitional Area.

Other ordinances for which public hearings are conducted include the building code, fire prevention code and the administrative code. Also, public hearings are conducted on matters dealing with the adoption of the municipal budget and amendments thereto.

The following provisions of the Administrative Code apply to the adoption of ordinances and the conduct of public hearings:

32.3 Public Hearing – The President shall conduct a public hearing, in accordance with public notice provisions required by the Charter or other applicable law, on all ordinances for which a public hearing is required by law, by the Charter or for which a public hearing is requested by a majority of the Commission. On the prescribed date the President shall conduct a public hearing at which any Commissioner, citizen or taxpayer may express his views upon the ordinance.

32.4 Amended Bills – Any bill under consideration by the Commission may be amended by a majority vote of the Commissioners present and entitled to vote. If in the opinion of the solicitor the amended bill represents a significant change in the proposed ordinance, and the amendment to the bill either follows or occurs during the course of a required public hearing, then a further public hearing shall be held for the purpose of considering the amended bill.

32.5 Enactment – At a meeting subsequent to the meeting at which an ordinance is introduced, subject to §32.6 below, and after the public hearing, if required, any Commissioner may move for the enactment of the proposed ordinance by referring to the bill number. In the case of ordinances requiring a public hearing, the motion for enactment may be made at the same meeting as the public hearing or any subsequent meeting subject to the provisions of the Charter or other applicable law. If the motion for enactment receives a second, the president shall call for a vote of the Commissioners present. If a nay vote is cast, the president shall direct the secretary to call the roll of the Commissioners and, in the absence of a unanimous vote, record the vote of each Commissioner. The ordinance shall be enacted by a majority vote of the Commissioners present and entitled to vote, unless a greater vote is required by the Charter this Administrative Code or other applicable law.

32.6 Special Procedure – If it is necessary to enact an ordinance at the same meeting at which it is introduced, any member of the Commission may move for its enactment by special procedure. If the motion receives a second, the president shall direct the secretary to call the roll and record the vote, in which event the ordinance shall be enacted by a vote of not fewer than four (4) Commissioners.

Discussion meeting

A discussion meeting is an informal meeting scheduled in the Commissioners’ Caucus Room of the municipal building.
These sessions are attended by the Commission, manager, solicitor and other staff members whose presence is requested by the Commission. A formal agenda may be used.

The Commission may use a portion of the discussion meetings for executive sessions as permitted under the Sunshine Act.

As provided in the Sunshine Act, the public may attend discussion meetings but are not permitted to speak.

Discussion meetings are scheduled on the 2^nd and 4^th Tuesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. and, with appropriate public notice. Agendas are available late Friday afternoon on this website.