Public  Records  Requests  
  
  

2015  

CITY  OF  ASHEVILLE    
  

  
Mailing  address:    
City  of  Asheville  
ATTN:  Pubic  Records  
PO  Box  7148  
Asheville  NC  28802  
Delivery  address:    
Asheville  City  Hall  
2nd  Floor,  Room  217  
70  Court  Plaza  
Asheville  NC  28801  
Fax:  828-­259-­5499  
Email:  opengov@ashevillenc.gov    

  

 The  City  of  Asheville  has  established  the  following  public  records  request  
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forth  a  standardized  procedure  for  city  staff  when  providing  information  to  
the  public.  These  guidelines  also  include  a  fee  schedule  to  cover  the  cost  of  
responding  to  public  records  requests.  
  
  
The  definition  of  a  public  record  follows  the  North  Carolina  General  Statute  definition  contained  in    
§  132-­1.  Please  note  that  requests  for  analysis,  reports  or  any  reference  material  that  does  not  exist  
at  the  time  of  the  request  is  not  considered  a  public  record.  
  
The  guidelines  include  the  following  sections:  
1. How  to  request  public  records  
2. What  to  expect  after  a  request  is  made  
3. Inspecting  records  
4. Request  procedures  for  police  department  incident  reports  and  employment  verification  
5. Denial  of  request  &  appeals  
6. Duplication  and  transmission  fees  
7. Deposit  for  duplication  
8. Payment  of  required  fees  
9. Failure  to  pay  required  fees  
  

1.  How  to  request  public  records  
  
In  order  to  effectively  streamline  and  track  requests,  all  requests  for  public  records  must  be  made  in  
writing  and  mailed,  hand  delivered,  VXEPLWWHG RQOLQH RU ID[HG WR WKH &LW\ RI $VKHYLOOH¶V 3XEOLF 
Information  Office.  Information  for  these  delivery  methods  is  included  below:  
Mailing  address:  
City  of  Asheville  
ATTN:  Pubic  Records  
PO  Box  7148  
Asheville  NC  28802  
Delivery  address:  
Asheville  City  Hall  
2nd  Floor,  Room  217  
70  Court  Plaza  
Asheville  NC  28801  
Fax:  828-­259-­5499  
Email:  opengov@ashevillenc.gov      
In  order  to  streamline  and  track  our  process,  requests  made  by  phone  cannot  be  accepted.  

  City  of  Asheville  ʹ  Public  Records  Requests                1     P a g e   
  

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Office  for  processing.  
  
Submitting  a  Public  Records  Request:  When  making  a  records  request,  the  written  request  should  
contain  the  following  information:  
1. The  date  of  the  request  
2. The  name  of  the  requestor  
3. The  full  address  of  the  requestor  
4. The  telephone  number  of  the  requestor  
5. A  complete  description  of  the  requested  record  
6. The  title  and  date  of  the  requested  record,  if  known  
7. The  location  of  the  requested  record,  if  known;;  and  
8. Whether  the  requestor  intends  to  inspect  the  records  or  to  obtain  a  photocopy  of  the  records,  
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When  the  requestor  submits  the  request  form,  a  representative  from  the  Public  Information  Office  
should  indicate  on  the  form  an  estimate  of  time  necessary  to  provide  a  final  response  to  the  request.  
Records  provided  in  response  to  a  public  records  request  will  be  those  documents  of  record  available  
for  disclosure  as  of  the  date  of  the  request.  
Pursuant  to  NCGS  132.6,  the  following  database  index  is  available  to  assist  in  identifying  information  
for  electronic  information  requests:  
  
AshevilleDataDictionary.xls  
AshevilleDataDictionary.pdf  
  

2.  What  to  expect  after  a  request  is  made:  
  
The  city  will  make  an  initial  response  to  the  request  for  public  records  within  five  (5)  business  days  of  
receiving  the  request.  The  initial  response  will  include  any  clarifying  information  needed,  cost  
estimates  for  providing  records  if  known  and  an  estimated  delivery  time  of  final  records.  Should  the  
request  be  received  after  5  p.m.,  the  request  will  be  considered  received  on  the  next  business  day.  
  
Depending  upon  the  nature  of  request,  the  city  may  respond  initially  by:    
1. Producing  the  record  after  the  payment  of  applicable  fees  (see  fee  schedule  on  page  4),  
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necessary  for  further  response,  
3. Denying  the  request  accompanied  by  an  explanation  of  the  basis  for  the  denial  
4. Requesting  a  deposit,  or  
5. Requesting  clarification  of  the  request.  
Once  the  city  receives  a  complete  request,  a  copy  will  be  provided  to  the  requestor  with  the  estimation  
of  time  necessary  for  further  response.  
A  public  disclosure  request  is  not  continuing  in  nature.  In  the  event  additional  records  are  created  
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  City  of  Asheville  ʹ  Public  Records  Requests                2     P a g e   
  

 new  request.  Any  records  or  portions  of  records  made  available  by  the  city  will  be  provided  to  the  
requestor  in  the  same  format  as  they  are  kept  by  the  city.  
If  the  requestor  specifies  a  format  in  which  the  records  should  be  disclosed,  the  city  will  disclose  the  
records  in  the  requested  format  if:    
1. It  is  determined  that  disclosable  records  exist,    
2. The  city  is  capable  of  providing  the  records  in  the  format  requested,    
3. The  format  requested  is  reasonable,  and    
4. The  requestor  pays  all  fees  required  by  this  policy.  
  
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2. Upon  notification  to  the  requestor  that  the  photocopies  requested  are  available  for  payment  
and  pick-­up  (in  the  event  photocopies  were  requested)  
3. A  denial  of  the  request.  
  
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has  been  delivered  and  a  complete  request  has  been  obtained.  
  

3.    Inspection  of  records  
  
In  the  event  a  requestor  chooses  to  inspect  records,  the  city  will  notify  the  requestor  once  the  records  
are  available  for  inspection.  The  records  will  be  available  for  inspection  at  a  date  and  time  mutually  
agreeable  between  the  requestor  and  the  City.  The  appointment  to  inspect  the  records  may  need  to  be  
broken  into  intervals,  possibly  over  a  couple  of  days,  so  as  to  not  interfere  with  the  daily  operations  of  
the  city  employees.  
Any  appointment  to  inspect  records  is  limited  to  no  more  than  a  two  (2)  hour  appointment  on  any  
given  day,  unless  otherwise  mutually  agreed  upon  between  the  requestor  and  the  City.  Records  that  
have  been  pulled  for  inspection  will  be  made  available  to  the  requestor  for  a  period  of  no  more  than  
fourteen  (14)  calendar  days.  If  the  requestor  fails  to  contact  the  City  within  fourteen  (14)  calendar  
days  of  being  notified  that  the  records  are  available  for  inspection:  (1)  the  records  will  be  returned  to  
the  originating  department;;  and  (2)  the  requester  will  need  to  submit  a  new  request  for  the  records  
and  the  process  will  begin  anew.  

  
4.      Special  request  procedures  for  police  incident  reports  and  personnel  records/employment  
verification  

  
Requests  for  police  incident  reports  and  personnel  information/employment  verification  are  considered  
routine  requests  and  can  be  made  by  following  the  instructions  below.  
  
Police  Incident  Records  
The  Asheville  Police  Department  maintains  a  notebook  of  nearly  all  incident  reports  at  the  Police  
Information  Desk  located  on  the  first  floor  of  the  Municipal  Building  (Police  and  Fire  Headquarters),  
100  Court  Plaza,  Asheville,  NC  28801.  This  notebook  is  available  for  inspection  by  any  member  of  the  
public  during  normal  business  hours,  Monday-­Friday,  8:30  a.m.-­5  p.m.  Inspection  of  the  notebook  or  
requests  for  copies  of  incident  reports  it  contains  are  not  required  to  be  submitted  to  the  Public  
Information  Office.  
  

  City  of  Asheville  ʹ  Public  Records  Requests                3     P a g e   
  

 Police  Reports  Required  for  Criminal  Investigations  and/or  Insurance  Purposes  
If  you  are  a  victim  of  crime,  insurance  company  representing  a  victim  of  crime  or  a  law  
enforcement  agency  conducting  a  criminal  investigation  and  need  to  request  incident  information  
from  the  Asheville  Police  Department,  please  contact  the  Police  Records  Unit  at  (828)  259-­5870  or  
(828)  259-­5890.  
Employment  Verification  
If  you  are  seeking  information  regarding  employment  verification,  please  contact  the  Human  
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5.  Denial  of  request  &  appeals:  
  
In  the  event  that  a  request  for  public  records  is  denied  by  the  Public  Information  Officer,  the  requestor  
may  appeal  the  denial  in  writing  to  the  City  Manager.  In  the  event  that  no  response  to  the  appeal  is  
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may  be  deemed  final.  Appeals  may  be  delivered  to  the  City  Manager  by  mail,  fax  or  e-­mail  using  the  
contact  information  listed  below:  
  
City  of  Asheville  
Attn:  City  Manager,  Records  Appeal  
P.O.  Box  7148  
Asheville,  NC  28802  
Fax:  (828)  259-­5499  
E-­mail:  tdowning@ashevillenc.gov    

  
6.  Duplication  and  transmission  fees:  
  
Prior  to  the  release  of  any  public  record,  the  city  will  collect  duplication  fees.  The  City  Clerk  will  update  
and  post  duplication  fees  as  appropriate.  
The  2008-­2009  budget  year  fee  schedule  for  copies  is  listed  below:  

x
x
x
x
x
x

8  1/2"  X  11"  single-­sided  hardcopy  $0.03  
8  1/2"  X  11"  double-­sided  hardcopy  $0.05  
Compact  Disk  Read-­Only  Memory  (CD-­ROM)  $0.49  
Duplicated  site  plans,  architectural  drawings,  etc.  $5  per  printed  sheet  
DVD  Duplication  of  City  Council  meeting  $3.00  
E-­mail  attachment  (of  ten  megabytes  or  less)  No  Cost  

Copies  of  public  records  that  are  not  otherwise  collected  or  available  in  pre-­printed  form  and  that  
require  an  extensive  use  of  clerical  or  information  technology  resources  may  be  considered  a  special  
service  and  subject  to  an  additional  labor  charge.  The  special  service  charge,  if  applicable,  shall  be  
$18.00/hour.  This  rate  approximates  the  hourly  rate  of  pay  plus  fringe  benefits  for  the  position  of  
$GPLQLVWUDWLYH 6HFUHWDU\ LQ WKH FLW\¶V Say  schedule  (effective  July  1,  1997).  Charges  under  this  
provision  shall  be  imposed  for  every  6  minute  increment  or  fraction  thereof,  but  shall  not  relate  back  
to  the  first  10  minutes  (i.e.:  $2.15/6  minutes).  
  

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 A  fee  of  $1.25  shall  be  charged  for  mailing  copies  of  public  records  to  any  person,  firm  or  corporation,  
unless  the  cost  of  postage  exceeds  $1.00  in  which  case  the  fee  for  mailing  shall  be  the  actual  postage  
plus  $1.22.  The  mailing  fee  shall  be  in  addition  to  any  other  copying  fee  provided  for  herein.  
The  City  of  Asheville  acquires,  develops,  maintains,  and  uses  Geographic  Information  System  (GIS)  
databases  in  support  of  its  internal  business  functions  and  the  public  services  it  provides.  All  GIS  
databases  are  provided  "as  is"  with  no  warranty.  All  aYDLODEOH *,6 GDWDEDVHV ZLOO EH OLVWHG RQ WKH &LW\¶V 
GIS  website.  GIS  data  is  treated  as  a  qualified  exception  under  the  Public  Records  law  in  Chapter  132-­
10.  
  
In  providing  a  response  to  a  records  request,  the  city  will  provide  all  audio  tapes,  DVDs,  computer  
diskettes  or  other  media  requested.  

  
7.  Deposit  for  duplication  
  

In  the  event  that  it  is  estimated  that  the  duplication  or  transmission  fees  applicable  to  a  particular  
records  request  exceed  $25.00,  the  city,  at  its  discretion,  may  require  the  requestor  to  deposit  a  sum  
equal  to  75  percent  of  the  estimated  cost  prior  to  duplication  of  the  records.  
In  the  event  that  a  deposit  is  required,  the  city  will  notify  the  requestor  of  the  necessity  of  the  deposit.  
In  the  event  that  the  actual  duplication  and  deposit  fees  are  less  than  the  amount  deposited  by  the  
requestor,  the  city  will  return  the  sum  in  excess  of  the  actual  amount  to  the  requestor.  

  
8.  Payment  of  required  fees  
  

Payment  of  duplication  and  delivery  fees  will  be  made  prior  to  the  release  of  public  records.  When  
required,  the  payment  of  a  deposit  will  be  made  prior  to  the  duplication  of  any  records  (see  7  above).  
All  payments  will  be  made  by  cash,  money  order,  or  check  payable  to  the  City  of  Asheville.  
Payment  will  be  made  in  person  to  the  Public  Information  Office  on  the  second  floor  of  City  Hall.  A  
copy  of  the  public  records  request  must  be  submitted  with  payment.  

  
9.  Failure  to  pay  required  fees  
  

In  the  event  a  requestor  fails  to  pay  a  bill  for  fees  incurred  within  30  calendar  days,  the  city  will  
require  the  requestor  to  pay  in  full  the  past  due  amount  owed  before  it  will  begin  processing  a  new  
request  or  a  pending  request  from  the  delinquent  requestor.  
In  addition,  the  city  may  require  advance  payment  for  any  future  requests  of  the  full  amount  of  the  
estimated  fee  before  the  agency  begins  to  process  a  new  request  or  a  pending  request  from  that  
requestor.  
  
If  the  City  is  unable  to  collect  the  duplication  fees  from  the  requestor,  the  City  may,  upon  providing  
thirty  (30)  calendar  days  prior  written  notice  to  the  requestor,  destroy  the  duplication  set  of  records  
made  available  for  the  requestor  in  order  to  avoid  storage  concerns.  Although  the  records  are  
destroyed,  the  requestor  will  still  be  made  responsible  for  the  costs  the  City  incurred  in  duplicating  the  
records  originally  requested  by  the  requestor.  

  

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