The Birmingham City Commission on Nov. 17 adopted an ordinance amendment changing the regular meeting start time to 7 p.m. and establishing a midnight hard stop with an option to extend by majority vote in 30-minute increments.

Proponents, including Mayor Pro Tem Long and several commissioners, said a 7 p.m. start balances public access with staff work schedules and helps end meetings earlier. The city attorney noted that meetings must remain accessible to the public and suggested a hard stop near midnight would preserve that accessibility. Opponents cautioned that a hard stop could limit the commission's ability to finish complex public hearings, but the majority favored the new schedule.

The motion to amend Chapter 2 (time and location of meetings) passed after debate; the chair announced the motion carried following aye/nay responses.

Ending: The ordinance change will take effect according to the city's adoption rules; staff and the commission indicated they will develop procedural details (timers, agenda structuring, and potential extensions) to operationalize the change.