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Public Hearings web site at www.LouisvilleCO.gov. In addition to
<br />In addition to the opportunity afforded at each posting agenda-related material, the City maintains
<br />regular City Council meeting to comment on items communication files for the City Council and Plan-
<br />not on the agenda, most City Council actions pro-ning Commission, which are available for public
<br />vide opportunity for public comment through a inspection at the City Clerks Office, 749 Main Street.
<br />public hearing process. For example, the City Charter CORA lists the categories of public records that
<br />provides that a public hearing shall be held on every are not generally open to public inspection. These
<br />ordinance before its adoption. This includes opportu-include, for example, certain personnel records and
<br />nities for public comment prior to initial City Council information, financial and other information about
<br />discussion of the ordinance, as well as after Councils users of city facilities, privileged information, medical
<br />initial discussion but before action. Many actions of records, letters of reference, and other items listed in
<br />the City are required to be taken by ordinance, and detail in CORA. When public records are not made
<br />thus this device allows for citizen public hearing com-available, the custodian will specifically advise the
<br />ments on matters ranging from zoning ordinances to requestor of the reason.
<br />ordinances establishing offenses that are subject to Citizens are encouraged to review the Citys web
<br />enforcement through the municipal court.site (www.LousivilleCo.gov) for information, and to
<br />Additionally, federal, state, and/or local law requires contact the City with any questions regarding City
<br />a public hearing on a number of matters irrespective records.
<br />of whether an ordinance is involved. For example,
<br />a public hearing is held on the City budget, the City
<br />Public Involvement Policy
<br />Comprehensive Plan and similar plans, and a variety
<br />of site-specific or person-specific activities, such as
<br />P
<br />ublic participation is an essential element of the
<br />annexations of land into the city, rezonings, special
<br />Citys representative form of government. To pro-
<br />use permits, variances, new liquor licenses, and other
<br />mote effective public participation City officials, ad-
<br />matters. Interested citizens may provide comments
<br />visory board members, staff and participants should
<br />during these hearings.
<br />all observe the following guiding principles, roles and
<br />responsibilities:
<br />Public Records
<br />Access to public records is an important aspect
<br />Guiding Principles for Public Involvement
<br />of citizen participation in government. Louisville fol-
<br />Inclusive not Exclusive - Everyones participation is
<br />lows the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA), and
<br />welcome. Anyone with a known interest in the is-
<br />the additional public records provisions in the City
<br />sue will be identified, invited and encouraged to be
<br />Charter. In particular, the Charter promotes the liberal
<br />involved early in the process.
<br />construction of public records law, so as to promote
<br />Voluntary Participation - The process will seek the
<br />the prompt disclosure of City records to citizens at no
<br />support of those participants willing to invest the time
<br />cost or no greater cost than the actual costs to the
<br />necessary to make it work.
<br />City.
<br />Purpose Driven - The process will be clearly linked
<br />The City Clerk is the custodian of the Citys pub-
<br />to when and how decisions are made. These links will
<br />lic records, except for financial, personnel, and
<br />be communicated to participants.
<br />police records which are handled, respectively, by
<br />Time, Financial and Legal Constraints - The process
<br />the Finance, Human Resources, and Police Depart-
<br />will operate within an appropriate time frame and
<br />ments. The City maintains a public policy on access
<br />budget and observe existing legal and regulatory
<br />to public records, which include a records request
<br />requirements.
<br />form, a statement of fees, and other guidelines. No
<br />Communication - The process and its progress will
<br />fee is charged for the inspection of records. No fee
<br />be communicated to participants and the commu-
<br />is charged for locating or making records available
<br />nity at-large using appropriate methods and tech-
<br />for copying, except in cases of voluminous requests
<br />nologies.
<br />or dated records, or when the time spent in locating
<br />Adaptability - The process will be adaptable so
<br />records exceeds two hours. No fees are charged for
<br />that the level of public involvement is reflective of the
<br />the first 25 copies requested, or for electronic re-
<br />magnitude of the issue and the needs of the partici-
<br />cords.
<br />pants.
<br />Many records, particularly those related to agenda
<br />Access to Information -The process will provide par-
<br />items for City Council and current Board and Com-
<br />ticipants with timely access to all relevant information
<br />mission meetings, are available directly on the Citys
<br />
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