Request #8213

Hello,

I am researching the history of cities in Orange County and recently requested the final Municipal Incorporation records for the city of Garden Grove which was not fulfilled. Despite being sent a notice giving the department an extra 14 days to fulfill the request, I was sent a record of the vote for incorporation instead of anything legally final. I can easily locate this information for Anaheim, Irvine, Fullerton, and other cities so I do not understand why this is a difficult request as they have it freely available on their websites. Meanwhile Garden Grove has removed the preliminary charter from the City’s website since I made my request.

Final municipal incorporation records should include a charter that has been voted on, certified as passing, and then filed with the Secretary of the State of California. The record of the vote I was sent may have been filed with the Secretary of the State of California, but the date of the stamp is from one-two years before the vote was finalized since it was contested in court for that long.

Under the Freedom of Information Act, please send me the final Municipal Incorporation records for the City of Garden Grove which should include the Corporate Charter and/or the Articles of Incorporation and/or other document(s) establishing the Municipal Corporation of Garden Grove as approved by the voters, certified as passing, and filed and dated by the Secretary of the State of California.

I am requesting:
1. A Digital copy of Paperwork
2. An explanation for why a preliminary document was sent instead of anything legally verifying Garden Grove’s existence as a city
3. The Secretary of the State of California has informed me that they do not have any of the documents I am requesting, so I am requesting an additional explanation for why that is