In general, City files and records are public records and can be inspected upon request by a member of the public during normal office hours.

Under enumerated provisions of the California Public Records Act ("CPRA"), certain public records may be exempt from disclosure. Public records which are determined by this Department to be exempt from disclosure will not be made available for public inspection, unless the City Attorney has determined otherwise.

The City is required to provide access to existing records but is not required to create new records, generate documents, or compile data in response to a request.

With respect to electronic records, the City shall make reasonable efforts to extract or compile data from existing electronic databases when feasible. However, the City is not required to create a new database, write new programming, or alter the structure of its existing data systems in order to fulfill a request.

The following procedures shall be implemented by each Department to review and process requests for public records:

1. All persons seeking to review records may submit a request either orally or in writing. City staff may suggest that the requester complete the City Public Records Act request form. However, the requester is not required to complete the form in order to inspect public records.

2. All non-exempt public records responsive to a request will be made available for inspection during normal business hours.

3. A person may inspect the non-exempt public records at a time and in a place that will not disrupt the City's day-to-day operations.

4. All inspections of non-exempt public records must be made in a City office and in the presence of a City employee.

5. The original copy of the non-exempt public record must not leave the designated Department office. However, upon payment of the direct cost of duplication, the City may duplicate a copy of the record for the requester.

6. All persons reviewing non-exempt public records must be advised that the records must not be removed from any file, destroyed, damaged, written on, marked, or changed in any way.

7. All persons requesting public records shall be notified of the City's duplication fee: $0.15 per page.

8. Duplication of an official building plan will not be produced by the City until the City receives written permission to do so from (i) the licensed professional who prepared the plan(s) and (ii) the building owner.

9. The City must respond to a request within ten (10) days from receipt. The City may extend the response time for an additional fourteen (14) days under limited circumstances. In the event the City seeks to extend the response time, the appropriate City Department should contact the City Attorney immediately.