How to File a Public Records Request in Mountlake Terrace, Washington

What Is the Washington Public Records Act?

The Washington Public Records Act (PRA), codified at Chapter 42.56 RCW, was first enacted through Initiative 276 approved by voters in 1972 and has since been refined into one of the nation's most expansive open-records laws. It guarantees the right of any person to inspect and copy public records maintained by state and local government agencies, including cities like Mountlake Terrace.

A "public record" is broadly defined in RCW 42.56.010(3) as any writing that is prepared, owned, used, or retained by a government agency and that relates to the conduct of government or the performance of any governmental function. The term "writing" is itself broadly defined to include not only paper documents, but also emails, text messages, photos, maps, videos, voicemails, and social media content. In practice, this means records such as building permits, meeting minutes, contracts, city employee emails, police reports, budget documents, and council resolutions are all presumptively public.

Statutory exemptions — covering areas such as personal privacy, law enforcement investigations, attorney-client communications, and preliminary deliberative documents — are narrowly construed under RCW 42.56.030. The burden falls on the City of Mountlake Terrace to justify withholding any record, not on the requester to justify access.

Read the full text of the Washington Public Records Act (Chapter 42.56 RCW (RCW 42.56.001–42.56.904))

How to File a Public Records Request with the City of Mountlake Terrace

How to Submit Your Request

The City of Mountlake Terrace accepts public records requests by email, mail, in-person delivery, or verbal request by phone or in person directly to the Public Records Officer. No specific form is required, but the City provides a fillable Public Records Request Form on its website that is strongly recommended, as it ensures all required information is included and helps City staff locate records promptly. For general city records, address your request to the City Public Records Officer at recordsofficer@mltwa.gov or mail/deliver it to 23204 58th Avenue W (PO Box 72), Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043, phone (425) 744-6235. For police department records (incident reports, case files), submit to the Police Public Records Officer at records@mltwa.gov or in person at the Police Department, 23250 58th Avenue W, phone (425) 670-8260. Be sure your request identifies a specific record or class of records — the City is not required to respond to general information requests or to create new records.

What to Include in Your Request

• Your name, mailing address, phone number, and email address
• A specific description of the record(s) you are requesting, including document title and date range if known
• A site address or case number where applicable (e.g., for permits or police reports)
• Whether you want to inspect the records, receive electronic copies, or receive physical copies
• Your preferred format for delivery (e.g., email, mail, in-person pickup)
• If requesting police records: the date of the incident, case number, and type of case if known
• Any fee threshold above which you want to be notified before the City proceeds

Response Deadlines and What to Expect

Under RCW 42.56.520, the City of Mountlake Terrace must respond to your public records request within five business days of receiving it. Weekends, holidays, and the day the request is received do not count toward the five-day period. So a request received on a Monday would require a response no later than the following Monday, assuming no intervening holidays.

A "response" within five business days does not necessarily mean the City will deliver all requested records within that window. The City may satisfy the five-day requirement by: (1) providing the records; (2) directing you to records available on the City's website; (3) acknowledging receipt and providing a reasonable estimate of when records will be available, sometimes called a "five day letter"; or (4) seeking clarification about an unclear request, along with a time estimate.

For large or complex requests, the City may respond in installments, releasing records on a rolling basis as they are processed. The City may also request a deposit of up to 10% of estimated copying costs before proceeding with reproduction. Extensions beyond the initial response period must be communicated with a revised estimate.

There is no separate deadline for residents versus non-residents in Washington — the five-business-day initial response requirement applies to all requesters equally under state law.

What to Do If Your Request Is Denied or Delayed

If the City of Mountlake Terrace denies your request in whole or in part, it must provide a written statement citing the specific statutory exemption under which the records are being withheld, along with a brief explanation of how that exemption applies to the records at issue, as required by RCW 42.56.210. A response that simply says records are "exempt" without specifying the statute is itself a violation of the PRA.

Common reasons for denial include: the records fall within an enumerated exemption (such as active law enforcement investigations, personnel records, or attorney-client privileged communications); the request is for information rather than an identifiable record; or the records do not exist. If you receive a partial denial — where some records are released and others are withheld — the City must still release all non-exempt portions.

If your request is denied or you receive no response within five business days, you have several options:

First, contact the Public Records Officer directly to ask for clarification or to narrow your request. Errors and miscommunications are common and can often be resolved informally.

Second, under RCW 42.56.520(4), you may petition the City in writing for an internal review of the denial. Submit your objection to the City Clerk's Office.

Third, you may request a written advisory opinion from the Washington State Attorney General's Office. This opinion is not binding on the City but can be persuasive and is often taken seriously.

Fourth, if informal and administrative remedies fail, you may file a petition in Snohomish County Superior Court under RCW 42.56.550. Judicial review is de novo, meaning the court considers the matter fresh without deferring to the City's determination.

If you prevail in court, you are entitled by statute to all costs and reasonable attorney fees incurred in the legal action. In addition, the court has discretion to award you between $5 and $100 for each day you were wrongfully denied access to the records. Notably, the City's good-faith belief that it was right to withhold the records does not protect it from these penalties — though good faith may factor into how the court calibrates the per-day award.

Steps to Appeal

1. Contact the City Public Records Officer directly at (425) 744-6235 or recordsofficer@mltwa.gov to request an explanation of the denial and explore whether narrowing your request would yield a response.
2. Submit a written petition for internal review of the denial to the City Clerk's Office, City of Mountlake Terrace, 23204 58th Avenue W, Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043, citing RCW 42.56.520(4).
3. Request an advisory opinion from the Washington State Attorney General's Office regarding whether the denial was lawful. The opinion is not binding but carries significant persuasive weight.
4. If the denial concerns police records, contact the Police Public Records Officer at (425) 670-8260 or records@mltwa.gov to request a supervisor review.
5. File a petition for judicial review in Snohomish County Superior Court under RCW 42.56.550. You do not need to exhaust the internal review process before going to court.
6. If you prevail in court, demand all costs and reasonable attorney fees as a matter of right under RCW 42.56.550(4), plus a per-day penalty of up to $100 for each day access was wrongfully denied.
7. Consider contacting the Washington Coalition for Open Government (WashCOG) for advocacy support and guidance on contested denials.

Types of Records You Can Request from Mountlake Terrace, Washington

The Washington Public Records Act broadly covers any record relating to the conduct of government, which means a wide range of City of Mountlake Terrace documents are presumptively public. Here are some of the most commonly requested types of municipal records:

• City Council meeting minutes, agendas, and recordings
• Building permits, zoning applications, and land-use decisions
• City contracts, vendor agreements, and procurement documents
• City budget documents, financial statements, and expenditure records
• Police incident reports and non-confidential case files (submitted to Police Public Records Officer)
• Code enforcement records, inspection reports, and violation notices
• Employee salary data and general personnel records (excluding exempt personal information)
• City ordinances, resolutions, and municipal code amendments
• Environmental impact statements and planning department studies
• Public works project records, including road and utility maintenance logs
• City Manager communications and official correspondence
• Grant applications, award documents, and federal/state funding records
• Traffic study reports and transportation planning documents
• City-owned property records and real estate transaction documents
• Records related to the Town Center redevelopment and mixed-use planning projects

If you're unsure whether a specific document is a public record, file the request anyway. The burden is on the City of Mountlake Terrace to justify withholding — not on you to pre-determine what's available.

Tips for Effective Public Records Requests in Mountlake Terrace