Public Records Requests

The California State Legislature adopted the Public Records Act in 1975. It is designed to give the public access to information in possession of public agencies.

Submit a Public Records Act Request:

Prior to submitting a Public Records Act Request, please note the following:

  • In-person access to public records maintained by the City of Mill Valley is immediate and allowed at all times during business hours. However, scheduling an appointment with the City Clerk prior to visiting City Hall for a records inspection is strongly encouraged.
  • If you are submitting a Public Records Act request related to a property, please confirm the property is located within the City limits of Mill Valley (LINK).
  • An agency has 10 days to decide if copies will be provided. If a request seeks records held off-site or requires consultation with other agencies, the agency may, upon written notice to the requesters, give itself an additional 14 days to respond. 
  • The Public Records Act covers only records that already exist, so an agency is not required to create a record, list, or compilation. 
  • If a request specifically asks for physical copies of responsive records, the agency may charge the requestor a copying fee. The City of Mill Valley charges a copying fee of $0.25 for the first page and $0.10 for all additional pages.
  • The agency will justify the withholding of any record by demonstrating that the record is exempt or that the public interest in confidentiality outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

Contact:

To submit a Public Records Act Request with the City of Mill Valley, please contact the City Clerk by emailing hpolitzer@cityofmillvalley.org or by phone at (415) 384-4880. The City Clerk will respond to all Public Records Act requests within 10 days of receipt of the request.

Records Exempt from Disclosure:

The Public Records Act exempts certain records from disclosure in whole or in part. This does not mean they are not public records or that disclosure is prohibited. Many categories of records are exempt, some by the Act itself, (§§ 6254(a)-(z)) and some by other laws (§§6275-6276.48). For more information on exemptions, please review the State of California Government Code (LINK).

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