Looking for ONE up to date contact database on cities and counties in CA

March 8, 2013 1:52 PM

We're doing a project that provides info for business owners on who they should talk to for every city and county in California for local permits and regs. Aside from calling each and every one to get their updated info, is there any OTHER way to do it? Isn't there someone who does this for local government the way that other services do for specific industries? We're willing to pay for it, we just don't know WHO to pay. Thoughts?
posted by rileyray3000 to law & government (4 answers total)

Association of municipal governments? Existing publication / directory of local government? Both those things exist in my jurisdiction.

You might need to cobble together several directories. Ask a government documents librarian at your local public university.
posted by Heart_on_Sleeve at 7:45 PM on March 8

One challenge is posed by the phrase "local permits and regs." That encompasses planning, building, business permits, public works, fire, health... a bunch of departments. Maybe having multiple names and numbers is fine with you and you just want every jurisdictions' phone tree whatever that might include, but I don't know where such a list can be found. And you ask about "cities," but I suspect you actually want data for all "jurisdictions," because some small towns are actually on county land.

The closest thing I can offer is the Governor's Office of Planning and Research's annual Directory of California Planning Agencies. Their publications page has other interesting documents. Another possible resource is the League of California Cities, which will sell you a list of mailing labels for city "officials" here. (And if you use the LCC data, ask them if they know who maintains a similar list for counties.) Last, as a special bonus, here is a directory of elected officials in the San Joaquin Valley.
posted by slidell at 11:21 PM on March 8

Oops, i don't know why i thought you only asked about cities; i see you asked about cities and counties. Apologies!
posted by slidell at 11:29 PM on March 8

I think this would be the best place to start: business.ca.gov
posted by amapolaroja at 2:22 PM on March 9