Core Requirements for U.S. City Government Websites

Essential Features

1. Homepage & Navigation

   • Clear, intuitive navigation menu
   • Mobile-responsive design
   • Search functionality
   • Language translation options
   • Emergency alerts banner system
   • ADA compliance and accessibility features

2. Public Information

   • City news and announcements section
   • Events calendar
   • City council meeting schedules
   • Public notices board
   • Employment opportunities
   • Contact directory for departments
   • Interactive city maps

3. Government Operations

   • City council information
   • Department listings and services
   • Municipal codes and ordinances
   • Budget and financial reports
   • Public records request system
   • Bid opportunities and procurement
   • Permits and licensing information

4. Resident Services

   • Online bill payment system
   • Utility services management
   • Permit applications
   • Service request system (311)
   • Property tax information
   • Trash/recycling schedules
   • Parks and recreation programs
   • Library services integration

5. Community Engagement

   • Public comment submission forms
   • Newsletter signup
   • Social media integration
   • Community surveys
   • Volunteer opportunities
   • Neighborhood resources
   • Report issues feature

Technical Requirements

1. Security Features

   • SSL certification
   • Secure payment processing
   • Data encryption
   • Regular security audits
   • Two-factor authentication for staff
   • Backup systems

2. Content Management

   • Easy-to-use CMS for staff updates
   • Document management system
   • Digital asset management
   • Version control
   • Content approval workflow
   • Automated content archival

3. Performance

   • Fast loading times
   • High availability (99.9% uptime)
   • Traffic spike handling
   • Regular performance monitoring
   • Scalable infrastructure
   • CDN integration

Compliance Requirements

1. Legal & Regulatory

   • ADA compliance (WCAG 2.1)
   • GDPR compliance
   • Privacy policy
   • Terms of service
   • Cookie consent
   • Section 508 compliance
   • Open records law compliance

2. Government Standards

   • .gov domain requirements
   • NIST cybersecurity framework
   • Federal/state data protection standards
   • Records retention policies
   • Emergency communication protocols

Analytics & Reporting

1. Usage Metrics
   • Website traffic analytics
   • User behavior tracking
   • Popular content monitoring
   • Search term analysis
   • Mobile vs desktop usage
   • Page load time monitoring
   • User satisfaction metrics

Maintenance & Support

1. Regular Updates

   • Security patches
   • Feature updates
   • Content reviews
   • Broken link checking
   • Performance optimization
   • Accessibility testing

2. Support Systems

   • Technical support desk
   • User training documentation
   • System documentation
   • Disaster recovery plan
   • Incident response plan
   • Change management procedures

Innovation Features

1. Smart City Integration

   • IoT device data displays
   • Real-time traffic updates
   • Air quality monitoring
   • Public transportation tracking
   • Emergency service status
   • Smart parking availability
   • Weather alerts

2. Digital Democracy

   • Online town halls
   • Public meeting livestreams
   • Digital voting systems
   • Participatory budgeting tools
   • Community feedback platforms
   • Open data portal