RCW 42.56.520 provides that a response to a request for public records must be made within five (5) business days. The day the request is received does not count as one of the five (5) days. Weekends and holidays observed by the City are also excluded in the calculation. The City must provide a preliminary response within five (5) business days.

Within five (5) business days, the City’s preliminary response will do one of the following:

Provide the record, Acknowledge that the City has received the request and ask the requestor to provide clarification for a request that is unclear, and providing, to the greatest extent possible, a reasonable estimate of the time the City will require to respond to the request if it is not clarified; Acknowledge that the City has received the request and provide a reasonable estimate of the time the City will require to provide an update and/or respond to the request; Deny the public record request; or Provide an internet address and link on the agency's web site to the specific records requested, except that if the requester notifies the agency that he or she cannot access the records through the internet, then the agency must provide copies of the record or allow the requester to view copies using an agency computer.