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.
Orlando is the 58th largest city in the United States with about 333,888 residents, in Orange County. Here is who governs it, when they meet in public, and where the agendas are posted.
The council consists of the mayor elected at large plus six district commissioners.
| Body | What it decides | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| City Council | Ordinances, the city budget, zoning changes, contracts, police and fire funding | Official page |
| Orange County Board of County Commissioners | County budget, sheriff and jail, public health, elections administration, county roads | County website |
| Orange County Public Schools board | School budget, boundaries, calendar, curriculum adoption, superintendent | District website |
| Orlando Municipal Planning Board | Rezonings, site plans, variances and long-range land use recommendations | City website |
City Council meets at 2 p.m. on scheduled Mondays (agenda review at 1 p.m.) in Council Chambers at City Hall 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 407-246-2121. City Hall is at 400 S. Orange Ave., Orlando, FL 32801, and the official website is https://www.orlando.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 Orlando 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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