FOIA Procedures

The following is the City of Batavia's procedure for obtaining information through the Freedom of Information Act. By following these steps, requests for information can be expedited in an effective and efficient manner. 

Step 1: Complete & submit a Freedom of Information Act Request Form

All requests for information must be made through the online form. If you are unable to submit your request through our online form, please call one of the following City offices for assistance:

General requests:
Phone: 630-454-2400
Community Development requests
(permits, zoning, etc.)
Phone: 630-424-2700
Police Department requests
Phone: 630-454-2500

Step 2: City Response

The Freedom of Information Officer shall determine whether the information is exempt or nonexempt under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act. The City shall respond to a written request within five working days from the receipt of the request. It is possible that the City will request an additional five working days to fulfill the request. However, a written response informing the requestor of an extension will be made by the fifth working day. 

 The City shall respond to the request in the following manner: 

  •  Approve the request 
  •  Approve in part and deny in part / "Partial Denial" 
  •  Deny the request 
  •  Give notice of an extension 
  •   Provide the requestor with an opportunity to appeal a response 

Response to Commercial Request

A requestor must inform the City if a FOIA request is going to be used for a commercial purpose. It is a violation of the Act to attempt to procure a public record without disclosing that the use is for a commercial purpose. For requests for commercial purposes, the City has 21 days to respond with an estimate when the request will be completed and the fees associated with it. However, these records must be provided within a reasonable time. The City may require the requestor to pay in full before copying any documents.

Requests from the news media or non-profit scientific or academic organizations are not classified as a request for commercial purpose if the purpose of the information is to: 

  •  Access and disseminate information concerning news and current or past events 
  •  Write articles of opinion or features of interest to the public. 
  •  Use for the purpose of academic, scientific or public research/education.

Approval

Upon approval of a request for public records, the City may either provide the materials immediately or up to five days after a request, give notice that the materials shall be made available upon payment of reproduction costs, or give notice of the time and place for inspection of records. Generally, public records will be made available for inspection during regular City business hours. When inspecting records, a City employee may be present throughout the inspection.

Undue Burden

Categorical requests creating an undue burden upon the City shall be denied only after extending to the requestor an opportunity to reduce the request to manageable proportions.

Denial/Partial Denial/Appeal

A denial of a request for public records shall be made in writing. It shall state a detailed reason for the denial in accordance with either Section 3(f) or Section 7 of the Freedom of Information Act, and the names and titles of the individual responsible for the decision. It shall also give notice of the requestor's right to appeal the denial, in writing, to the Public Access Counselor (PAC), with the address and telephone number of PAC, and the right to judicial review under Section 11 of the Act.

 The PAC shall either affirm the denial, provide access to the records, or provide access to portions of the records.