Guidance for Public Meetings Page 1 of 4 August 2024

AI Summary

This August 2024 guidance document provides best practices for historic preservation review bodies (such as Historic Architectural Review Boards and Historical Commissions) to conduct professional and legally compliant public meetings. The guidance covers meeting requirements including compliance with Pennsylvania's Sunshine Act, mandatory public advertising, ADA accessibility, and restrictions on private discussions of agenda items outside public meetings. It also specifies that all deliberations must occur during open public sessions, meetings must be welcoming regardless of protected characteristics, and executive sessions are permitted only for personnel matters, legal consultations, or confidential business protected by law.