How to File a Public Records Request: FOIA and State Laws
How to file a public records request: federal FOIA vs. state laws, finding the records officer, a sample request letter, fees, deadlines, appeals, and MuckRock.
Atlanta is the 36th largest city in the United States with about 529,110 residents, in Fulton. Here is who governs it, when they meet in public, and where the agendas are posted.
16 members: 12 district members, three at-large members and a council president; a small part of the city lies in DeKalb County.
| Body | What it decides | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta City Council | Ordinances, the city budget, zoning changes, contracts, police and fire funding | Official page |
| Fulton County Board of Commissioners | County budget, sheriff and jail, public health, elections administration, county roads | County website |
| Atlanta Public Schools board | School budget, boundaries, calendar, curriculum adoption, superintendent | District website |
| City of Atlanta Department of City Planning | Rezonings, site plans, variances and long-range land use recommendations | City website |
The main information line is 311 or (404) 330-6000. City Hall is at 55 Trinity Ave. SW, Atlanta, GA 30303, and the official website is https://www.atlantaga.gov.
Find the agenda for the meeting, check the sign-up deadline (many cities close the list before the meeting starts), prepare remarks for the posted time limit — usually two or three minutes — and state your name, your district and your specific ask.
No debates for Atlanta yet. If something is on the council agenda — a rezoning, a fee increase, a transit change — open the first debate and invite both sides.
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