Staff Report Template

Generic California Municipality | ADA and WCAG 2.0 AccessibilityConscious Format

Header

City Name	[City of __________]
Department	[Department Name]
Meeting Date	[Month Day, Year]
Agenda Item Number	[Item No. ___]
Prepared By	[Name, Title]
Reviewed By	[Name, Title, if applicable]
Subject	[Clear, descriptive subject line]

Recommended Action

It is recommended that the City Council [approve/adopt/receive/file/direct staff to] [briefly describe requested action, including resolution or ordinance number if applicable].

Executive Summary

[Provide a brief, plain-language overview of the issue, why it is before the City Council, and the decision being requested. Keep this section concise and avoid unexplained acronyms.]

Background and Discussion

History

[Describe relevant prior City Council actions, project history, policy direction, agreements, community outreach, or regulatory milestones.]

Problem Statement

[State the issue, need, requirement, opportunity, or risk the City is addressing.]

Analysis

[Analyze the facts, options, policy considerations, operational impacts, public service impacts, and staff rationale. Use short paragraphs, descriptive headings, and accessible lists where helpful.]

Alternatives Considered

[Alternative 1: Briefly describe and explain why it is or is not recommended.]

[Alternative 2: Briefly describe and explain why it is or is not recommended.]

[No action alternative: Describe expected result if no action is taken.]

Community Impact

[Describe who may be affected, anticipated benefits or burdens, outreach completed, equity considerations, and any public feedback received.]

Legal Considerations

[Summarize relevant legal authority, municipal code provisions, contract requirements, state or federal requirements, and whether the City Attorney has reviewed the item.]

Environmental Considerations

[State whether the action is exempt from, not subject to, or requires review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Include the applicable exemption, determination, or environmental document if known.]

Fiscal Impact

Cost: [Describe one-time and ongoing costs.]

Funding Source: [Identify fund, account, grant, or other source.]

Budget Adjustments: [State whether budget amendments or appropriations are needed.]

Long-Term Financial Implications: [Describe maintenance, staffing, replacement, debt service, or other future obligations.]

Attachments

Draft Resolution

Draft Ordinance

Maps or Site Plans

Contracts or Agreements

Exhibits

Supporting Documents

Signature Block

Prepared By	[Name, Title]	[Date]
Reviewed By	[Name, Title]	[Date]
Approved By	[Department Head or City Manager]	[Date]

ADA and Accessibility Statement

The City is committed to providing accessible public documents and meeting materials. Upon request, this staff report and any related attachments may be made available in alternative formats. Requests for disability-related accommodations, interpretation, or translation services should be submitted to the City Clerk’s Office as early as possible before the meeting.

Accessibility Preparation Checklist

Use built-in heading styles in logical order; do not skip heading levels.

Use plain language, short paragraphs, and descriptive section headings.

Use accessible lists instead of manually typed bullets or symbols.

Use simple tables only when needed for data; avoid merged cells, split cells, nested tables, and blank rows or columns.

Provide meaningful hyperlink text; avoid “click here” or raw URLs when possible.

Add concise alternative text to images, maps, charts, and exhibits, or mark purely decorative visuals as decorative.

Do not rely on color alone to convey meaning; ensure sufficient contrast between text and background.

Define acronyms and technical terms the first time they appear, including CEQA and ADA if used in the final report.

Run Word’s Accessibility Checker before publishing or converting the report to PDF.