CITY OF PACIFICA
COUNCIL AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
1/10/2022
1 SUBJECT:
Public Hearing to Receive Input from the Community Regarding the Redrawing of Election District Boundaries
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Receive a report from Staff and City demographer, National Demographics Corporation (NDC), on the redistricting process and permissible criteria to be considered to redraw district boundaries; review existing boundary map 505b with 2020 census data and discuss the ability of re-adopting map 505b; and conduct a public hearing to receive public input on the composition of the districts.
STAFF CONTACT:
Sarah Coffey, City Clerk
650-738-7307
[email protected]
BACKGROUND:
On December 17, 2018, the City Council of the City of Pacifica adopted Ordinance No. 839- C.S., establishing a district-based system for the election of members of the City Council by five districts, establishing the boundaries and identification number of each district and establishing the election order of each district. This ordinance added Chapter 9 “District Elections” to Title 2 of the Pacifica Municipal Code. By this action, the City of Pacifica changed from an at-large election system to a by district election system for the election of City Council members.
The City engaged National Demographics Corporation (NDC) to provide demographer services to assist in the process of transitioning from an at-large election system to a by district election system. In conducting the process, NDC utilized the population information from the 2010 U.S.
Census data to create the selected district map included in Ordinance No. 839.
The City held its first ever district election in November of 2020, with Districts 1 and 4, electing Councilmembers to the City Council. Districts 2, 3 and 5 will elect Councilmembers to the City Council in 2022.
Every ten years after the federal census is complete, district lines must be reviewed and, if necessary, adjusted to keep the boundaries as nearly equal in population as possible, allowing for certain variances due to geography, topography, communities of interest, etc., as required by federal and California law. This process of reviewing the census data and adjusting the district boundary lines is called redistricting.
In California, the process for redistricting is established by the Fair and Inclusive Redistricting for Municipalities and Political Subdivisions Act (“Act”). Under the Act, cities and counties must conduct certain outreach, maintain websites with publicly available information about draft maps and hold at least four public hearings on the issue.
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January 10, 2022
In 2020, the Legislature amended the Act to, among other things, adjust the deadline when the final district map must be adopted. Agencies with a Nov. 8, 2022 election (consolidated with the Statewide General Election) must adopt their maps no later than 205 days before the election, or April 17, 2022. Because the City of Pacifica will hold district-based elections for Councilmembers in District 2, 3 and 5, the City’s redistricting maps would need to be approved no later than April 17, 2022.
General Overview of Redistricting Process
The procedural requirements in the Act are different from the processes the City followed in 2018 to transition from general elections to by district elections under the California Voting Rights Act.
For redistricting, the Act requires that the City must hold at least four public hearings at which the public is invited to provide input regarding the composition of council districts before adopting a final map. These hearings must include:
(1) At least one public hearing before the City draws a draft map or maps of the proposed council boundaries.
(2) At least two public hearings after the City has drawn a draft map or maps of the proposed council boundaries.
(3) At least one public hearing or public workshop held on a Saturday, Sunday, or after 6 p.m. on a weekday at a public hearing building that is ADA accessible.
The Act provides that when drawing the maps, district boundaries for each council district must be substantially equal in population as determined by the most recent federal decennial census and the boundaries must comply with the United States Constitution, the California Constitution, and the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965. When adopting new district boundaries, the Act requires that certain criteria be used to establish the boundaries, in the following order of priority:
(1) To the extent practicable, council districts shall be geographically contiguous. Areas that meet only at the points of adjoining corners are not contiguous. Areas that are separated by water and not connected by a bridge, tunnel, or regular ferry service are not contiguous.
(2) To the extent practicable, the geographic integrity of any local neighborhood or local community of interest shall be respected in a manner that minimizes its division. A “community of interest” is a population that shares common social or economic interests that should be included within a single district for purposes of its effective and fair representation. Communities of interest do not include relationships with political parties, incumbents, or political candidates.
(3) Council district boundaries should be easily identifiable and understandable by residents. To the extent practicable, council districts shall be bounded by natural and artificial barriers, by streets, or by the boundaries of the city. (4) To the extent practicable, and where it does not conflict with the preceding criteria in this subdivision, council districts shall be drawn to encourage geographical compactness in a manner that nearby areas of population are not bypassed in favor of more distant populations.
In establishing a new map, the Council cannot adopt boundaries for the purpose of favoring or discriminating against a political party.
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January 10, 2022
During the redistricting process, the Act also requires that the City take certain steps to encourage residents, including those in underrepresented communities and non-English speaking communities, to participate in the redistricting process. Additionally, the City must establish a redistricting website and disseminate certain specified information.
DISCUSSION:
The purpose of this public hearing is to conduct Public Hearing #1 to inform the public about the redistricting process and permissible criteria to be considered to redraw district boundaries; review existing boundary map 505b with 2020 census data and discuss the ability of re-adopting map 505b; and conduct a public hearing to receive public input on what factors should be taken into consideration while creating district boundaries.
Map 505b
NDC has completed its analysis of the 2020 census data and map 505b and has determined that the map is population balanced as all of the Council districts only deviate by a total of 1.87%.
The analysis are attached for reference as Attachment 1. Additionally, the map would meet the criteria specified in Elections Code section 21601(c). Thus, the Council could consider the existing map 505b for re-adoption at the end of the redistricting process.
Communities of Interest
The public is requested to provide input regarding communities of interest and other local factors that should be considered while drafting district maps.
A community of interest under the relevant Elections Code for cities (Section 21601(c) / 21621(c)] is “a population that shares common social or economic interests that should be included within a single district for purposes of its effective and fair representation.” Possible features defining community of interest might include, but are not limited to:
A. School attendance areas;
B. Natural dividing lines such as major roads, hills, or highways; C. Areas around parks and other neighborhood landmarks; D. Common issues, neighborhood activities, or legislative/election concerns; and E. Shared demographic characteristics, such as:
(1) Similar levels of income, education, or linguistic isolation; (2) Languages spoken at home; and
(3) Single-family and multi-family housing unit areas.
Following the public hearing, draft district maps will be posted to the City website and available at City Hall.
The proposed process timeline to complete the map adoption process includes:
• Public Hearing #1 January 10, 2022 - review process and laws, review 2020 census data, receive input on composition of districts
• Public Hearing #2 February 14, 2022 - review draft maps • Public Hearing #3 February 28, 2022 - selection of final map and election sequencing and introduction of ordinance
• Public Hearing #4 March 14, 2022-Final adoption of ordinance This schedule may change, as necessary.
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January 10, 2022
The City has also developed a website dedicated to the redistricting process which can be found here: www.cityofpacifica.org/Redistricting
City staff has made the following efforts to inform people of the City’s redistricting process:
Public Hearing Notice for January 10, 2022 was published in the Pacifica Tribune on January 5, 2022 and posted at City Hall. Information on redistricting and public hearing dates will be distributed in the City of Pacifica’s “Connect With Pacifica” weekly e-newsletter throughout the process. Public comments and input regarding redistricting can be sent to the City via email to [email protected]; please indicate “Redistricting” in the subject line.
RELATION TO CITY COUNCIL GOALS AND WORK PLAN:
The process of evaluating City Council districts with respect to updated 2020 census data and consideration of redistricting is consistent with the following Council adopted Goals:
“A Connected Community” includes taking actions to restore trust in City government, expanding communication and building community.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impact of engaging NDC as the consulting demographer ranges from $3,500 to a notto-exceed amount of $45,000 per the attached agreement, with the low-range cost being associated with concluding the redistricting process with a finding that the current districts are “still balanced.”
Additional costs for the redistricting process that are not reflected in the agreement not-toexceed cost include city attorney legal expenses, publication expenses related to notices of public hearings associated with the redistricting process, printing and publication expenses for additional informational community outreach and advertising, and translation costs for meetings or printed materials, if necessary. The primary expense related to redistricting would be the engagement of the demographer per the attached agreement. Expenses for redistricting would be budgeted under the general fund City Manager - Election Expenses fund
01.200210.52331.0000.000.
ORIGINATED BY:
City Clerk
ATTACHMENT LIST:
Attachment A - Existing District Map 505b (PDF)
Attachment B - NDC 2020 Census Data Analysis (PDF)