Public Records

Public Records Requests

The City Clerk acts as a clearinghouse for all Public Records Requests submitted to the City. Please refer to the guidelines below.

Before submitting a request for records:

• Please visit our Public Records Portal or Document Center to see if the records are readily available for download.
• Examples of documents that are readily available for download:
  • City Council meeting minutes
  • Ordinances, resolutions, agendas, and staff reports
  • Campaign finance filings and other FPPC forms
• If you are a consultant or vendor doing work on behalf of the City, please do not use a records request to obtain records or data. Please request this information directly from the staff administering your contract for services.

Guidelines for formulating a request:

• Please make a focused and specific request for records. The Public Records Act provides that a records request must reasonably describe an identifiable record or records, and not be overly broad. 
• Tips for formulating an effective records request:
  • Be as specific as possible. The more detail you can provide about which record you seek, the more likely it is to be timely located.
  • Identify the specific type of records you seek. Examples of specific types of records might include an invoice, encroachment permit, letter, planning entitlement application, RFP, etc.
  • Identify the timeframe within which the record was created. If a specific date is unknown, narrowing the request to an estimated year or span of years can greatly expedite a search.
  • Be as specific as possible in providing the names of parties involved, the address and/or APN of properties involved, etc.
  • If requesting copies of email records, identify specific keywords that are likely to return the emails you seek. Otherwise, staff will exercise discretion in formulating a search.
• Overly broad or vague requests may require large amounts of staff time to evaluate and are less likely to result in the specific information sought by a requestor. If you are unsure what types of records may contain the information you seek, please contact staff to obtain assistance in formulating an effective request before submitting. If an overly broad or vague request is received, the requestor may be required to refine the scope of their request before it is evaluated.
• Exemptions: A number of specific types of records are exempt from production (will not be provided to a requestor) under the Public Records Act statute. In most cases where record(s) are withheld, the City will identify which code section applies, however the City is not obligated to provide a list of which specific records were withheld.
• Copies and fees: Please indicate whether you seek copies of the records, or prefer to inspect them in our offices before deciding whether to request copies. Copies of records will be delivered in digital format if no preference is indicated. In most cases, there will be no charge for electronic records; there may be a fee for production of hard copies or compilation of electronic data.
• Scope of the Act: Please note that the Public Records Act is a vehicle for obtaining copies of existing records that are owned, used, or retained by the City. The Act is not a vehicle for requesting that the City create a record, or provide miscellaneous information not otherwise evidenced by existing documents. Requests for miscellaneous information may be submitted, but will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and in some cases may not be honored.
• FOIA not applicable: Please note that City records are not subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which is a vehicle for obtaining federal records only. Any requests claiming to seek records under FOIA will instead be interpreted in accordance with the provisions of the Public Records Act, California Government Code Section 6250 et. seq. and other statutes regulating the release of local agency records.

To submit a request:

To submit a Public Records Request, you may:

• Submit the request via email to the City Clerk at einderlied@pismobeach.org;
• Submit the request using the online Public Records Request Form;
• Submit the request via mail to the City Clerk's Office, City Hall, 760 Mattie Road, Pismo Beach, 93449; or
• Submit the request in person at City Hall, 760 Mattie Road, Pismo Beach, 93449.

You are not required by law to make a written request; if you are unable or unwilling to make a written request, please contact the City Clerk’s Office for assistance.

After submitting a request:

Within 10 days from the receipt of the request, the City will notify the requestor of whether it believes it possesses responsive, disclosable records. Under certain circumstances, the City may extend this timeframe.