Joint Special Meeting CC/BFPD/Odesa/Harvey House
02/7/22 06:00 PM
City Clerk / Records
Andrea Flores
Public Hearing
Doc ID: 4905
AGENDA ITEM
AGENDA MATTER:
CONDUCT A THIRD PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER FOUR DRAFT MAPS, PROVIDE INPUT AND
NARROW DOWN TO A FINAL MAP FOR ADOPTION FOR THE CITY OF BARSTOW REDISTRICTING
PROCESS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
State law requires the City to initiate the redistricting process following each decennial census. To complete the redistricting process by the April 17, 2022 deadline, the City has:
1) selected Redistricting Insights, LLC for demographic consulting services; 2) developed a public outreach program; and
3) will hold at least 4 public hearings before adopting a final district boundary map.
The third public hearing is intended to focus on presenting four draft maps for the public and Council to consider, provide input and narrow down to a final map for adoption.
Once the redistricting process is complete, the City Council may place a measure on the 2022 general election ballot asking voters whether they would like to transition from an at-large mayor with four bydistrict City Council members to a system with no at-large mayor and five by-district City Council members. The redistricting process and a transition to a five member district cannot happen simultaneously.
DISCUSSION:
Election Districts
On January 16, 2018, the City adopted Ordinance No. 956-2018 transitioning from an at-large election system to a district-based election system. Pursuant to Government Code section 34871, subdivision (c), the City Council chose an election system with four by-district election districts and one at-large mayor.
Redistricting
Elections Code section 21600 et seq. requires the City Council to:
1) adopt new district boundaries after each federal decennial census to make them “substantially equal in population,” and to comply with the U.S. Constitution, the California Constitution, and the federal Voting Rights Act;
2) solicit public input on communities of interest boundaries and proposed maps; and 3) encourage residents, including those in underrepresented and non-English speaking communities, to participate.
The City Council must complete the redistricting process by April 17, 2022.
Joint Special Meeting CC/BFPD/Odesa/Harvey House
02/7/22 06:00 PM
City Clerk / Records
Andrea Flores
Public Hearing
Doc ID: 4905
AGENDA ITEM
State law establishes standard criteria for local government redistricting, to be considered in the following order of priority:
(1) geographically contiguous districts (each city council district should share a common border with the next),
(2) the geographic integrity of local neighborhoods or communities shall be respected in a manner that minimizes its division,
(3) geographic integrity of a city shall be respected in a manner that minimizes its division, (4) easily identifiable boundaries that follow natural or artificial barriers (rivers, streets, highways, rail lines, etc.), and
(5) lines shall be drawn to encourage geographic compactness.
In addition, boundaries shall not be drawn for purposes of favoring or discriminating against a political party or incumbent.
Public Hearings
The City Council conducted the first public hearing on September 20, 2021 to solicit residents' input regarding communities of interest. The second public hearing was held on October 18, 2021 to solicit residents' input regarding communities of interest and training on DistrictR in order to submit online maps and communities of interest. The City Council will be holding hearings to receive public input on redistricting on the following dates:
February 7, 2022: Review Draft Maps
February 22, 2022: Adopt Final Map
Pursuant to the California Constitution, a community of interest is a contiguous population which shares common social and economic interests that should be included within a single district for purposes of its effective and fair representation. Examples of such shared interests are those common to an urban area, a rural area, and those common to areas in which the people share similar living standards, use the same transportation facilities, have similar work opportunities, or have access to the same media of communication relevant to the election process. Communities of interest shall not include relationships with political parties, incumbents, or political candidates.
Redistricting information, including dates and times of hearings, and how to participate in the process, can be found online on the City’s website at Redistricting Information | City of Barstow (barstowca.org) <https://www.barstowca.org/government/city-clerk-records/redistricting-information>.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Joint Special Meeting CC/BFPD/Odesa/Harvey House
02/7/22 06:00 PM
City Clerk / Records
Andrea Flores
Public Hearing
Doc ID: 4905
AGENDA ITEM
That the City Council conduct the third of four public hearings to consider four draft maps, provide input and narrow down to a final map for adoption.