Policies

Thank you for visiting the City of Vancouver website. The purpose of this site is to provide information on City government, programs and policies for our site visitors. We welcome your comments, you can contact us through our feedback form or webmaster@cityofvancouver.us.

Terms of Use
Website Linking
Privacy Notice

Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability

You are hereby advised that any reliance upon any materials on this website shall be at your sole risk. The City of Vancouver reserves the right, at its sole discretion and without obligation, to make amendments to, or correct any errors or omissions in any portion of these materials at any time.

While the City strives to maintain the accuracy and timeliness of this website, the City makes no representations or warranties as to the truth, accuracy, or completeness of any statements, information, or materials concerning the information that may be contained on the City website. In no event will the City be liable for any direct, indirect, punitive, special, incidental, or consequential damages; however they may arise, even if the City has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

The City does not represent or warrant that the website will be uninterrupted or error-free, that defects will be corrected, or that the Web pages or the server that makes them available are free of viruses or other harmful components. By using the City website, visitors assume all risks associated with its use, including risk of the visitor’s computer, software, or data being damaged by any virus, program, or file, which might be transmitted or activated by a City webpage or the visitor’s access to it.

Links to Other Websites

The City website includes links to external websites that are not under the control of the City. The inclusion of such links on the City website is for the convenience of visitors to the site. The inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by the City or any association between the City and the operators of the site. The City is not responsible for the content of any linked site, or any link contained in a linked site, or any changes or updates to such sites. The City is not responsible for webcasting or any other form of transmission received from any linked site; or for any computer software, virus, or data file that may placed or activated on the visitor’s computer by a linked site. Visitors to external sites linked from the City’s website are advised to contact the operators of those sites with any questions about accuracy, copyright compliance, legality, or privacy.

The external websites linked from the City website may include links to other websites containing information that some people may find offensive or inappropriate. The City makes no representations concerning any endeavor to review the content of external webpages and is not responsible for the accuracy, copyright compliance, legality, or decency of material contained in sites linked from external web pages.

Operators of websites who wish to have a link from the City of Vancouver site to their website, or who desire to link from their site to the City’s website, must read and comply with the City’s Website Linking Policy and provide contact information as required under that policy. See the City’s Website Linking Policy for more information.

Calendar of Events

The purpose of the website calendar of events is to publicize and bring awareness to City meetings, volunteer opportunities and events. The City reserves the option to continue to post community events that the City is a sponsor. This does not include events where City facilities, parks, etc. have been rented by an event organizer. Events that do not fit these definitions will not be included on the City website.
To be included on the calendar the event must be:

Sponsored by the City through grant funding or other in-kind resources.
Open to the public.
Occur within Vancouver, Washington.
Not advocate for or against any political cause, party or candidate.
Be non-commercial.
Not promote any religion or religious viewpoint.
Be in accord with the strategic plan and operating principles of the City of Vancouver.

Copyright Notice

The City of Vancouver retains copyright on all text, graphic images, and other content provided on this site. Copies of any information may be printed, or saved as a computer file, for personal use. Written permission is required from the City to distribute the text or graphics to others in any manner, including republishing the text or graphics on another web server.

Some documents available on the City website are published using the Adobe® Portable Document Format. To view these documents, Adobe Acrobat Reader® software must be installed on the visitor’s computer. This software if available free from the Adobe® website at www.adobe.com. Adobe, Acrobat and the logos for these products are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated.

Other third-party software products, in addition to those listed above, may be used to present content on the City website. The trademarks, trade names, product names, and logos used may be the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Tampering

Unauthorized attempts to upload information or change information on the City web server is strictly prohibited and may be punishable under Federal and State laws.

Contact Information

Any questions or comments about this notice or about the City website in general, should be directed to the webmaster@cityofvancouver.us.

Website Linking

It has become a common practice for organizations to include hypertext links to other websites that have related information. The inclusion of external links on the City website is for the convenience of site visitors. The inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by the City or any association between the City and the operators of the linked site. The linked sites are not under the control of the City and the City is not responsible for the content or any link contained in a linked site, or any changes or updates to such sites. Visitors to external sites linked from the City’s site are advised to contact the operators of those sites with any questions about accuracy, copyright compliance, legality, or privacy.

The City website is not intended to be an open public forum. Links to external content on web pages operated by the City will be permitted at the City’s sole discretion. Links on the City’s website are generally limited to other government sites, project partners, funders and sites the City has a direct relationship with. However, exceptions may be made for public acknowledgement of sponsors or other contributors of resources to City events or programs; and for commercial sites of news media organizations providing coverage of the local community.

The City of Vancouver reserves the right to remove links to an external website that otherwise meets its guidelines. This discretion may be exercised if the external website is either in violation of any of the above listed guidelines; or would be reasonably likely to offend a reasonable citizen.

Applicability

This policy applies to the City of Vancouver website and all pages and subsidiary websites operated and maintained by City departments, including, but not limited to, the following:

The City website
https://www.cityofvancouver.us

City/County Television
https://www.cvtv.org

Content Guidelines

In determining whether to allow external content links on the websites it operates, the City of Vancouver will be guided by the purpose of the City’s website.

The City of Vancouver website is intended to provide a broad range of useful information that enhances the connection between City government and local citizens, and to serve as a resource for people who are interested in, or need the details of our organization, community, and region.

The City, at its sole discretion, will determine whether external content meets the purposes of the City of Vancouver website. Generally, external content does not meet the purposes of the City of Vancouver website if the content contains, suggests, or infers any of the following. (This list is a nonexclusive list.):

Advocacy of or opposition to any politically, environmentally, or socially controversial subjects, issues, or candidates.
Disparaging or promoting any person or class of persons.
Content not suitable for visitors of all ages, or links to or other promotion of businesses whose products or services are not suitable for persons of all ages.
Promoting or inciting illegal, violent, or socially undesirable conduct.
Promotion or availability of alcohol or tobacco products.
Promotion or availability of illegal drugs.
Promotion or availability of adult or sexually oriented entertainment or materials.
Promotion, opposition, or availability of weapons.
Promotion, opposition, or availability of gambling.
Promotion of any religion or religious viewpoint.
Claims of efficacy, suitability, desirability, or other non-objective statements about businesses, products, or services.
Content that infringes on any trademark, copyright, or patent rights of another.
Claims or representations in violation of advertising or consumer protection laws.
Content that a reasonable citizen may not consider to maintain the dignity and decorum appropriate for government.

As a general rule, links from the City’s website are only provided to local non-profit or other government organizations. However, exceptions will be made for public acknowledgement of sponsors or other contributors of resources to City events or programs; and for commercial sites of news media organizations providing coverage of the local community.

Oversight and Monitoring

The City will establish procedures to monitor the implementation and continuing oversight of this policy. These procedures will include:

A process for review of all new requests for links from the City website to other websites to verify compliance with this policy prior to granting the request; and

A periodic review of a sample of existing external website links from the City website, to ensure that the links still comply with this policy.

Removal of Content

Privacy Notice

Thank you for visiting the City of Vancouver’s website and your interest in its privacy practices. The City of Vancouver (referred to as “City”) provides this privacy notice to you to explain how the City collects, uses, shares, and secures data that it receives through your use of the website. This policy also explains Washington laws that may impact your data and the rights you have in connection with that data. Finally, this privacy notice provides City contact information if you have questions.

Data Collection

The City collects data when you visit the website. It collects the following data:

Analytics Data

Analytics Data is data that the City’s analytics’ provider, Google Analytics, collects on the City’s behalf to help the City understand its website traffic and the users of its website. The data is limited to the number of users that come to the site, session statistics, approximate geolocation, and browser and device information. As an example, if you view the City’s website on your laptop computer, Google Analytics will collect your IP address, how long that IP address uses the site and which pages the IP address accesses, that IP addresses’ geolocation if you share that information in your laptop settings, as well as the name of the web browser and type of laptop computer you are using when you visit the City’s website.

Data You Voluntarily Provide

The City’s website includes forms that allow a person to submit data voluntarily. There are several types of forms on the website and some forms collect more data than other forms. The types of data any of these forms collect are limited to:

Name
Pronouns
Full Address
Email Address
Phone Number
Resident Status and Length of Residency
Occupation
Employer
Employer Address
Information regarding whether you or your employer engage in business transactions, including entering contracts with the City and details about those business transactions
Your diverse experiences, skills, perspectives, and values
Your community involvement
Your interest in City volunteer positions and where you learned about those positions
Your racial equity and diversity experience
Your experience addressing climate change
Your demographic information including age, gender identity and expression, race and ethnicity, languages spoken, education level, home ownership status, veteran status, disability information,
City feedback
Project related data for permitting, including project address, parcel number, permit type, project details, square footage, valuation, and property details.

Data Use

The City uses the data you provide solely to provide City services, including evaluating volunteer position applications, permitting, reviewing and responding to your comments and questions, and to improve City services, including this website.

Data Sharing

The City may share data with third parties that provide services to the City, solely to enable the City to provide services to you. Those third parties are under an obligation to keep your data confidential. The City may also share your data with other federal, state, and local agencies as part of working together with those agencies. The City will notify you on a form if it needs to share data received from the form with other agencies. The City will not share data with any other parties and will never sell your data.

Aggregated Anonymized Data

The City may combine (“aggregate”) your data with other data to create reports it may share with the public or other third parties for noncommercial purposes. Your data will be anonymized before being combined with any other data. An example of this type of data use is a statistical report the City prepares and provides regarding annual visitors to its website and the pages visitors visit the most.

Your Data and Washington Public Records Laws

All data you submit to the City, including to the City website, is a public record under the Washington Public Records Act (RCW 42.56). The Washington Public Records Act favors disclosure of public records, but certain exemptions to disclosure may apply, as stated in the Act. These exemptions protect privacy where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy and no legitimate public interest in the data or where the legislature has enacted certain express exemptions or prohibitions on disclosure of certain data in public records. Please keep in mind that when you voluntarily provide data to the City, the City may later be required to disclose that data contained in a public record in response to a public records request. The City will comply with the Act in its receipt of and response to all public record requests and may provide you with notice if it is required to disclose your data as part of responding to a public records request.

Data Retention

The City is required to follow record retention guidelines issued by the Washington State Archives. The City generally retains website data for two years. Certain data in forms may be downloaded from the website by City personnel and may have a longer retention period. For example, application records expressing interest in serving on boards or commissions must be retained for three years. In general, the City will retain your data only for as long as the City needs the data to carry out the purpose for which the City collected your data, including for retention purposes.

Accuracy of Your Data

The City is required by RCW 13.105.365 to ensure the accuracy of your data to the extent possible. To the extent possible, the City collects data solely with your consent and it has provided options for how to avoid sharing analytics data in the section of this privacy notice called “Your Data Sharing Choices”. If you believe that the City has collected inaccurate data from you, you may email the City at the contact information below to request to review and recommend corrections to your inaccurate data.

Your Data Sharing Choices

Sharing data with the City by using the forms on the City’s website is voluntarily. If you do not want the City to collect analytics data related to your City website use, you have options that require action on your part. If you use the Google Chrome browser, you may install the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on, which will prevent the City’s website from collecting your analytics data. DuckDuckGo and Brave also state that their browsers block analytics services like Google Analytics. Please review any browser’s policies regarding data analytics capture before using that browser to access the City’s website if you do not want the City to collect your analytics data.

Security of Your Data

The City uses reasonable administrative, physical, and technical safeguards that are designed to ensure the security of the data you share with the City when using the website.

Contact Information

Please contact the City with questions about this privacy notice at webmaster@cityofvancouver.us.