Public Information Request

Please use this form when requesting Albany Parking Authority records only.

For records of other City of Albany entities, please visit the FOIL page of that entity or use the City of Albany’s FOIL Center portal.

Foil Process

Time and Duration

Within five business days of the receipt of a written request for a record reasonably described, we will notify you by either:

1. Making such record available;
2. Denying such request in writing; or
3. Furnishing a written acknowledgment of the receipt of such request.

If the APA is able to acquiesce to the FOIL request, we will provide you with an estimate of when the records you request will be made available.

This date is determined by:

• The number of documents you request,
• Their format,
• Their availability,
• The time it takes to redact any information that cannot be disclosed pursuant to FOIL,
• The time it takes to assemble the documents,
• Other factors.

Cost and Fees

If the records you request require a fee to be paid, you will be notified prior to the records being released to you (if the APA is able to acquiesce to the FOIL request). Once payment is received, we will immediately provide you with the records you requested.

Unless a different fee is otherwise prescribed by statute, Public Officers Law §87(1) authorizes an agency to charge a fee of 25¢ per copy for copies of records up 9”x 14”, or the actual cost of reproducing a record.

In determining the actual cost of producing a record, an agency may include only:

• An amount equal to the hourly salary attributed to the lowest agency paid employee who has the necessary skill required to prepare the requested record(s), if at least two hours of agency employee time is needed to prepare a copy of the record(s) requested;
• The actual cost of the storage devices or media provided to the person making the request in complying with such request; and
• The actual cost to the agency of engaging an outside professional service to prepare a copy of a record, but only when an agency’s information technology equipment is inadequate to prepare a copy, if such service is used to prepare the copy.

Helpful Tips

When submitting a FOIL request:

• Be as specific as possible in describing the requested records. Include relevant dates, names, descriptions, etc. Requests can be denied if enough information about the records sought is not provided.
• If records are available, specify how you want them sent, i.e., via US mail, e-mail or fax.
  • We may choose to send the records by U.S. mail, if you have requested a large volume of records, for security or other important reasons.
  • We will notify you of any charge for reproducing such records before they are sent to you.
• Include your e-mail, mailing address and fax number, as well as a telephone number where you can be reached during business hours, if it is necessary to clarify your request.
• Please note that the Authority is not required to create a record in response to a FOIL request if that record does not already exist.