GL-S-0001-02 Code and Policy Framework - Standard and Procedure

Document TypeStandard and Procedure
Number(s)GL-S-0001-02
CategoryGovernance & Legal
Policy FamilyCode and Policy Framework
Legal References
Effective Date08/24/2026
Last Revised Date08/24/2026
OwnerGL – City Clerk

Code & Policy Framework Standard and Procedure

Purpose

This standard and procedure implements the Code & Policy Framework Regulation. It defines how employees create, update, align, and retire Code & Policy Documents. It also explains, at a high-level, how they are managed administratively.

Scope

This document applies to all departments and staff who draft, revise, approve, publish, communicate, review, or retire code, regulation, standard, procedure, guidance, and form documents covered by the Code & Policy Framework Regulation.

Definitions

Document Types

The following are Code & Policy Documents:

TypeDefinitionDifferentiator
Code (C)Legislative authority adopted by ordinance of the Council; maintained in codification.Sets the law.
Regulation (R)An authoritative rule that operationalizes the City’s direction.What & how to comply. May also set the rule.
Standard (S)A technical or compliance requirement setting minimum thresholds. Repeatable and measurable.Defines the minimum.
Procedure (PR)Step-by-step instructions to perform a task consistently.Shows how to do the work.
Guidance (G)Non-mandatory clarification, interpretation, or best practice.Advises how to apply.
Form (F)A structured tool to capture, request, or transmit information.Collects information.

Note on Policy. The standalone “policy” type is retired. Existing policies remain valid and convert, retire, or grandfather through the normal lifecycle over time to a regulation.

Tools

  • Code & Policy Archive (archive): Where retired or superseded documents are kept for records purposes. They’re pulled out of everyday use so no one accidentally follows an outdated version.
  • Code & Policy Register (register): The master list of every document, what exists, who owns it, and when it's due for its next review. If a document isn’t in the register, it isn’t official.
  • Code & Policy Repository (repository): Where the current, approved version of a document lives. This is the one copy people should be using, not a saved-off draft or an old download.
  • Code & Policy Site (site): The published page where staff and the public go to read it. This is what people see when they look a document up.
  • Metadata: The basic identifying details associated with every document, like its title, type, category, owner, and effective date, that let the register track it and let people find it.

Responsibilities

  • City Council: Approves the adoption and amendment of city code.
  • Code & Policy Committee (committee): Governs the Code & Policy Framework; approves regulations under delegated authority; ensures strategic alignment; resolves cross-departmental ownership issues; and approves authorized exceptions.
  • Code & Policy Department Custodian (custodian): Maintain departmental document inventories and metadata; initiate and coordinate reviews and updates; track review deadlines; and serve as the department's liaison to the administrator.
  • Code & Policy Document Owner (owner): Draft and revise document content; engage appropriate stakeholders; serve as the point of contact throughout the workflow; respond to review feedback; and maintain the document's accuracy over time. Communicates and trains impacted stakeholders, through monthly supervisor meetings, the employee newsletter, departmental announcements, and targeted notices as needed.
  • Code & Policy Administrator (administrator/City Clerk): Responsible and accountable for the Code & Policy Framework; maintains the Code and Policy Register and documents; enforces lifecycle, review, approval, publishing, and audience-permission requirements; coordinates the review and approval pipeline; assigns risk tiers with Document Owners; monitors compliance and risk; provides executive reporting and escalation; and ensures that retired and superseded documents meet retention, archival, historical-access, and records-law requirements.
  • Community Engagement (CE): Sets and maintains the city’s writing style and brand standards; validates web presentation and accessibility (ADA/WCAG) compliance before and after publication and supports related communications.
  • Department Director (director): Approves standards and procedures; designates a Code & Policy Department Custodian; and ensures staff participate in required reviews and updates.
  • Employee: Comply with applicable documents and provide feedback for improvement.
  • Legal Reviewer (Legal): Reviews documents, as needed, for legal sufficiency and consistency with applicable law, code, and other documents.
  • Policy Site Technology Owner (IT): Technically administers and sustains the site, register, intake forms, and workflows; configures approved routing, permissions, metadata, controls, and approval logic; maintains system reliability, security, and accessibility; and makes no content or governance decisions.
  • Records Manager (City Clerk): Confirms retention requirements, archival designation, and historical-access obligations for retired or superseded documents; supports the administrator on records and compliance review.
  • Requestor: Any employee or owner who initiates a New Request, Revision, or Retirement through the intake process.

Approval Authority

The following parties approve the following documents:

Document TypeApproval Authority
CodeCity Council (by ordinance), notice/visibility to Policy Committee
RegulationPolicy Committee (delegated by mayor)
StandardDepartment Director or designee
ProcedureDepartment Director or designee
GuidanceDepartment Director or designee (CE inclusion if external-facing)
FormDepartment Director or designee (CE inclusion if external-facing)


Procedures

The following workflows describe how documents move through the lifecycle.

New Request

Create and approve a new document that does not yet exist.

StepRoleActionsOutcome

Step 1
Request initiation

Requestor
  • Submit a New Document Request via the intake form.
  • Provide required inputs: document type, owning department, proposed Document Owner, purpose/summary statement and legal justification, priority level, desired review cadence, and desired effective date.
Request enters the triage queue.
Step 2
Intake & governance validation
Administrator
  • Confirm this is a net-new document; validate classification, review cadence, and approval authority.
  • Confirm Document Owner and department accountability.
  • Communicate the approval path and expectations to the Document Owner.
Request is accepted, returned for clarification, or rejected.
Step 3
Drafting & review coordination
Document Owner
  • Draft the document using the approved template and writing guide.
  • Engage stakeholders; distribute to required reviewers with purpose, expectations, and deadline.
  • Collect and consolidate feedback; confirm revisions are addressed.
Draft submitted for coordinated review.
Step 4
Approval preparation
Administrator
  • Review the final draft; confirm required legal and stakeholder review occurred.
  • Validate alignment with templates and guidelines.
  • Place the document on the agenda for authoritative review and prepare the Document Owner for it.
Review-ready version prepared for approval.
Step 5
Approval
Approving Authority (by type)
  • Review the final draft.
  • Approve, approve with conditions, or deny.
Formal approval decision recorded.
Step 6 Finalization & publicationAdministrator
  • Confirm approval documentation and metadata completeness.
  • Validate accessibility compliance with CE.
  • Publish on the authoritative site and schedule the review cycle.
Document becomes active and governed.


Revision

Revise an active document to reflect legal, operational, or organizational change while preserving governance, approval authority, and auditability. Triggered on an ad hoc basis, by legislative changes, or by a routine review. Routine reviews are based on time elapsed since last effective/review date. Legislative changes are initiated through the city’s annual review of each Idaho Legislative Session and are incorporated into code and policy by July 1 or the effective date of the legislation.

StepRoleActionsOutcome
Step 1 Revision requestRequestor / Document OwnerSubmit a Revision/Update request with the Register ID, description and reason for change, a preliminary impact assessment (minor or substantive), and requested effective date.Revision request enters governance review.
Step 2
Intake & impact determination
AdministratorConfirm the document is active and in scope; validate the change description. Determine whether the change is minor or substantive and confirm required reviewers and approval authority.Revision path assigned.
Step 3 RevisionDocument OwnerRevise using the approved template with changes tracked; engage stakeholders as appropriate. Submit the revised draft for review. When a substantive code amendment is identified, a council explanatory memo may be required to document the proposed changes, rationale, impacts, and recommendations.Revised draft ready for review.
Step 4
Review coordination
AdministratorDistribute to required reviewers; communicate the scope of change and expectations. Collect feedback and confirm revisions are addressed. When a council explanatory memo is required, confirm it is complete, save the approved memo with the case, and transmit it through the established processRevision ready for approval.
Step 5 ApprovalApproving Authority (by type)Approve, approve with conditions, or deny. Required when changes are substantive or alter risk, intent, or compliance.Approval decision recorded.
Step 6 Publication & review-cycle resetAdministratorConfirm approval, update metadata and version history. Publish the revised version and reset the review cycle as appropriate.Revised version becomes active.


Decision rule.
Substantive changes (intent, scope, risk, compliance) require full review and re-approval. Minor changes (clarity, formatting, administrative) may follow an expedited path, except when changing code.

Retirement

Formally retire and archive a document that is obsolete, superseded, or no longer required, while preserving records, auditability, and historical access. Remove from site and manage in accordance with the Records Retention Schedule.

StepRoleActionsOutcome
Step 1 Retirement requestRequestor / Document OwnerSubmit a Retirement/Archival request with the Policy Register ID, reason for retirement, replacement document (if any), and requested retirement date.Request enters governance validation.
Step 2
Intake & validation
AdministratorConfirm the document is active and in scope; validate the rationale. Confirm whether a replacement exists or is required and identify the approval authority.Request accepted, returned for clarification, or rejected.
Step 3 Records & compliance reviewRecords Manager (with Administrator)Confirm retention requirements and archival designation. Validate historical-access expectations.Records clearance granted.
Step 4 ApprovalApproving Authority (by type)Review and approve, approve with conditions, or deny. Authority mirrors the original approval.Formal decision recorded.
Step 5 Archival executionCode and Policy AdministratorUpdate Register status to Archived; remove the document from active listings and link any replacement. Confirm the review cycle is closed.Document formally retired.
Step 6
System enforcement & closeout
Policy Site Technology Owner (IT)Remove the document from active guidance while preserving access for records purposes. Confirm the audit trail is complete.Workflow closed; document preserved as a historical record.


Standard

This section describes the standards for the Code & Policy Framework.

Accessibility & Style

Documents are to be written in accordance with the city’s writing guide and meet WCAG 2.1 AA; use approved templates; keep headings, labels, and link text screen-reader friendly and consistent with brand standards.

Categories

Documents will be classified by following categories:

CategoryAbbrevExamples
City CodeCCZoning, permits, licensing
Governance & LegalGLLegal/ethical framework: policy development, ethics, records, IP, nondiscrimination, signing authority.
FinanceFINBudgeting, revenue, expenditure, purchasing, grants, accounting, money handling.
Human ResourcesHRRecruitment, classification, compensation, benefits, conduct, discipline, separation.
Risk, Safety & Physical SecurityRSSEmergency prep, hazard control, workplace violence, safety, physical security.
City Facilities & AssetsCFAFacilities, assets, fleet, parking, ADA access, real estate, archives, artifacts, public art.
Community EngagementCEPublic information, media, social media, internal comms, City brand.
Technology & DataTDIT, cybersecurity, data privacy, open data, emerging technology.
DepartmentalDEPDepartment-specific documents, subcategorized by department.

Metadata

Every document recorded in the Register requires basic information, including the following:

FieldDefinition
IdentifierUnique key
Title / Type / Category / SubcategoryClassification and naming
Description1–2 sentence summary of purpose and scope
Legal ReferencesGoverning law and regulations
Review TimelineReview cadence
Division/OwnerTeam and person responsible
Department CustodianThe department’s records-and-coordination steward for the document
Effective / Revised / Last RevisedDates


Quality Control and Reporting

  • The administrator will work with custodians on a quarterly basis to resolve overdue document reviews
  • The administrator will escalate overdue reviews to the committee, as needed

Compliance

All code and policy documents must comply with this standard, or they are not considered valid or enforceable.

Related Information

  • Code & Policy Framework Regulation
  • City Regulation Template
  • City Standards and Procedure Template
  • Records Retention Schedules (City Clerk / Records Manager)

Approval and Revision History

DatesChanges
08/24/2026Establishes the operational workflow that carries out the Code & Policy Framework Regulation, the day-to-day steps for creating, revising, and retiring documents; merges the code review and policy review procedures into a single workflow.

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