Get Engaged!

How to learn what’s going on in the City

The City of Raleigh’s website is a great resource and much of the information we’re sharing comes right from that source. Find a listing of City Department links here.

MyRaleigh Subscriptions  is a free, subscription-based service provided by the City. You can choose to receive email or text message notifications about a variety of City topics.

Raleigh’s City Manager Marchell Adams-David posts her weekly update here.

Your friends and neighbors often post relevant information about local meetings and issues on NextDoor.

And don’t forget the Triangle’s local media, but remember that outlets may have an agenda and may not be entirely objective: News & Observer, INDY Week,  Triangle Business Journal

Find City of Raleigh maps on Council Districts, census tracts, leaf collection zones, planning, and more.

City Council, Council Committees, and Board and Commission Meetings

City Council

Regular City Council meetings begin at 1 and 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month and 1 p.m. on the third Tuesday. Usually, they are held in the City Council Chamber in the Raleigh Municipal Building at 222 West Hargett Street. Council sessions are also live streamed. There is a dedicated Public Comment session on the second Tuesday at 7 p.m.

City Council Work Sessions are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. on the second Tuesday and 11:30 a.m. on the third Tuesday of each month.

Agendas and background documents for all Council and Council Committee meetings, as well as many Board and Commission meetings are available here. Materials for Council meetings are usually posted on Thursday afternoon before a Tuesday meeting.

Sign Up to Speak – Public Comments and Public Hearings

The city provides the public with opportunities to give comment on any topic two times each month. On the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. for a dedicated Public Comment Session and on the third Tuesday of each month as part of the City Council Afternoon Meeting at 1 p.m. The sign up periods for these comment sessions open on the Wednesday two weeks before the meeting. Sign up procedures are here: Sign Up to Speak

Public Hearings are scheduled during Regular City Council meetings which begin at 1 and 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month and at 1 p.m. on the third Tuesday. The sign up procedures are here: Public Hearings for City Council

Boards and Commissions

Raleigh citizens have the opportunity to volunteer their services to the City without pay on various boards and commissions, including the Planning Commission, Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission, Arts Commission, Parks Board, etc.

Find a list of all the boards and commissions, their members, and how to apply here.

Interactions with Council members

Individual council members have different preferences for interacting with members of the public.  Some are very receptive to emails, phone calls, and/or in-person meetings; others are not.  Some council members hold regular or ad hoc “town hall” meetings; others do not.

Another option for presenting your concerns, questions, or requests is to speak at a City Council meeting, or a committee, board or commission meeting.  

Raleigh Neighborhood Registry

The Raleigh Neighborhood Registry is the official list of neighborhood-based organizations throughout the city and its extraterritorial jurisdiction. Eligible organizations include groups such as Homeowners associations, Neighborhood associations, Block clubs, Community Watch groups, and Garden clubs.

Among many other benefits, organizations on the Neighborhood Registry receive two free mailings during an organization’s first year on the Registry and access to City facilities for up to four meetings per year.

Raleigh Engagement Network

The Raleigh Engagement Network is designed for community groups not tied to a specific location. This includes groups formed around shared interests, values, cultures, and social ties. Eligible civic-based groups must be committed to fostering active methods of engagement, encouraging collaboration, and strengthening partnerships between residents and the City. Our goal is to expand knowledge of City services while creating meaningful opportunities for residents to participate in the greater Raleigh community.

There are many benefits such as free access to community centers available to members of the network.

Raleigh Neighborhood College and Citizens’ Leadership Academy

These two City-led programs are a wonderful resource to connect: Raleigh Neighborhood College is a program to learn how City Government operates. The Citizens Leadership Academy is a series of classes offered each spring and fall to help you develop your skills as a neighborhood or community leader.