1 STAFF REPORT
DATE: June 14, 2023
TO: Justin Hess, City Manager
FROM: Joseph H. McDougall, City Attorney
BY: Jill Vander Borght, Senior Assistant City Attorney
SUBJECT: Public Hearing Regarding Draft Maps for the City’s Transition to District - Based City Council Elections
RECOMMENDATION
Note and file.
BACKGROUND
On August 23, 2022, the City received a notice of a potential violation of the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) on behalf of a Latino voter in the City of Burbank, Mr. Nick Gutierrez. (Elec. Code §§14027- 14032.) On January 24, 2023, Council adopted a Resolution of Intent to Initiate a Transition to District Elections and authorized staff in paragraph 3 of the Resolution to retain National Demographics Corporation (NDC), proven expert demographers serving local governments in California in successful districting, to guide the process.
In consultation with NDC, staff developed a robust timeline of workshops and public hearings for the districting process . Thus far, Council has held two pre- map public hearings on March 14 and April 11 and separately the public was encouraged to submit draft maps at three community forums on March 30, April 6, and April 8. Council has also directed, and staff and a communications partner have delivered substantial and wide- reaching outreach to the community regarding the process and opportunities to engage.
Prior to the June 2, 2023, deadline, 26 draft maps were submitted along with 14 submissions in the “Draw Your Neighborhood” tool.
CITY ATTORNEY’S
OFFICE
2 Separately, Council has previously requested information on and a formal inquiry into Ranked Choice Voting of the Los Angeles County Registrar. The City Clerk’s Office has provided that memo for reference as Attachment 1.
June 14, 2023 Public Hearing
Draft maps submitted on or before June 2, 2023 1, may be considered by City Council at the third public hearing on June 14. At this hearing, the Council will r eview the 26 maps submitted by the deadline, and the 14 areas provided by the public in the “Draw Your Neighborhood” tool and hear public comment on draft maps and communities of interest.
Council may narrow the draft map submissions for NDC and the public to consider “focus” maps and provide direction to the demographer regarding revisions or combinations of maps to add (if any).
Five additional community forums, both in person and online, scheduled after the third public hearing will allow constituents multiple opportunities to discuss and debate Council’s “focus” maps or other direction provided at the hearing. Forums and public hearings can be added or rescheduled as warranted by public and Council input.
The public hearing on June 14, 2023, is designed for Council to consider and discuss any proposed district maps and neighborhoods submitted on or before June 2 (Elections Code § 10010(a)(2)). Information and updates on the districting process, community forums, public hearings, and more is available on the City’s districting website at www.burbankcouncildistricting.com
.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This activity involves organizational and administrative activities of the government related to election procedures and eligibility requirements, and such internal procedural and eligibility changes have no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. As such, this action is not a “project” subject to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) 14 Cal. Code Regs § 15378.
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
CONCLUSION
The third public hearing is scheduled in accordance with state law and the Council approved schedule (Attachment 2).
1 Note: the public can continue to draw and submit additional maps until July 7. 3 ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – City Clerk Memo Re: Ranked Choice Voting Information & Update Regarding Status in Los Angeles County
Attachment 2 – Phase 1 Amended Districting Process Schedule