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.
Jacksonville is the 11th largest city in the United States with about 1,017,689 residents, in Duval. Here is who governs it, when they meet in public, and where the agendas are posted.
Consolidated with Duval County since 1968; 14 district and 5 at-large council members.
| Body | What it decides | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville City Council | Ordinances, the city budget, zoning changes, contracts, police and fire funding | Official page |
| Duval County Public Schools board | School budget, boundaries, calendar, curriculum adoption, superintendent | District website |
| Jacksonville Planning Commission | Rezonings, site plans, variances and long-range land use recommendations | City website |
Second and fourth Tuesdays, 5:00 p.m., Council Chamber, City Hall at St. James, 117 W. Duval St. Always confirm the date and location on the official agenda before you attend, because meetings can be cancelled, moved or continued.
The main information line is 630-CITY or (904) 630-2489. City Hall is at 117 W. Duval St., Jacksonville, FL 32202, and the official website is https://www.jacksonville.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 Jacksonville yet. If something is on the council agenda — a rezoning, a fee increase, a transit change — open the first debate and invite both sides.
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.
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