Guidelines for Access to Public Records

Pursuant to the California Public Records Act, the public has the right to inspect or obtain a copy of any identifiable public record, except those records that are legally exempt from public disclosure.

Public records maintained by the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission are available for public inspection according to the following procedures:

1. Records are available for inspection during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m.
2. Requests for inspection or copying of public records:
   
   1. Should be specific, focused, and not interfere with the ordinary business operations of BCDC. Where a request is not specific and focused, BCDC staff will assist the requester in identifying the requested information, describing the technology or physical location of the record, and providing suggestions on how to overcome practical barriers to disclosure. The operational functions of BCDC will not be suspended to permit inspection of records during periods in which such records are reasonably required by BCDC staff members in the performance of their duties. If the request requires the review of numerous records, a mutually agreeable time should be established for the inspection of such records.
   2. Should sufficiently describe the records so that they can be identified, located, and retrieved by BCDC staff.
   3. Can be made orally or in writing, but BCDC encourages written requests unless the request seeks records that are maintained by BCDC for immediate public inspection.
3. BCDC may refuse to disclose any records that are exempt from disclosure under the Public Records Act. (Cal. Govt. Code Section 6254 et seq.)
4. Inspection of records will be allowed under conditions determined by the BCDC Executive Director or Chief Counsel. Upon completion of the inspection or the oral request of BCDC staff, the person conducting the inspection shall relinquish physical possession of the records. Persons inspecting BCDC records shall not destroy, mutilate, deface, alter, or remove any such records from the BCDC office. BCDC reserves the right to have BCDC staff present during the inspection of records to prevent the loss of destruction of records.
5. Copies of records that are not exempt from disclosure are available upon pre-payment of the copying costs (ten cents per page unless the documents must be copied by a copy service, in which case the cost shall be the actual cost of copying).
6. These guidelines shall be posted in a conspicuous public place in the BCDC office, and a free copy of the guidelines shall be provided on request.

Adopted unanimously by the Commission on May 4, 2006.

December 2006