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.
St. Petersburg is the 87th largest city in the United States with about 264,033 residents, in Pinellas County. Here is who governs it, when they meet in public, and where the agendas are posted.
Eight council members are nominated by district and elected citywide under a strong-mayor charter.
| Body | What it decides | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| City Council | Ordinances, the city budget, zoning changes, contracts, police and fire funding | Official page |
| Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners | County budget, sheriff and jail, public health, elections administration, county roads | County website |
| Pinellas County Schools board | School budget, boundaries, calendar, curriculum adoption, superintendent | District website |
| St. Petersburg Community Planning and Preservation Commission | Rezonings, site plans, variances and long-range land use recommendations | City website |
Council meets Thursdays: first Thursday at 9 a.m., second Thursday at 3 p.m. and third Thursday at 1:30 p.m. 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 727-893-7111. City Hall is at 175 Fifth St. N., St. Petersburg, FL 33701, and the official website is https://www.stpete.org.
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 St. Petersburg 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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