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.
Miami is the 41st largest city in the United States with about 489,812 residents, in Miami-Dade. Here is who governs it, when they meet in public, and where the agendas are posted.
Five commissioners elected from single-member districts plus a separately elected executive mayor.
| Body | What it decides | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Miami City Commission | Ordinances, the city budget, zoning changes, contracts, police and fire funding | City website |
| Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners | County budget, sheriff and jail, public health, elections administration, county roads | County website |
| Miami-Dade County Public Schools board | School budget, boundaries, calendar, curriculum adoption, superintendent | District website |
| Miami Planning, Zoning and Appeals Board | Rezonings, site plans, variances and long-range land use recommendations | City website |
The main information line is 311 or (305) 250-5400. City Hall is at 3500 Pan American Dr., Miami, FL 33133, and the official website is https://www.miami.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 Miami 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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