TO: CITY COUNCIL
VIA: CITY ADMINISTRATOR
Placentia City Council
FROM: DEPUTY CITY ADMINISTRATOR / SUPPORT AND EMERGENCY SERVICES DATE: MARCH 1, 2022
SUBJECT: PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE FINAL INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY
REGARDING THE DESIGNATED CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT MAP AND
INTRODUCE AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE 2022 ADJUSTED MAP
FISCAL
IMPACT: Expenses: $19,290.37 To Date for Legal, Publishing, and Translation Services Budgeted: $35,000.00 Legislative— Other Purchased Services (101002-6299) SUMMARY:
Following each federal Census, the City of Placentia is required to review new population data and to rebalance, if necessary, the population of its City Council election districts. Per the California Elections Code, the City Council is required to adopt a new district map or, if appropriate, readopt the existing district map following a series of public hearings. As required by law, the City Council districts must be "substantially equal in population" based upon the results of the 2020 Census. The districts are also required to comply with the United States Constitution, the California Constitution, the California Elections Code, and the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965. This public hearing is the last of a series of public hearings to receive input from the Placentia community regarding the revised City Council district boundaries.
Staff and the City's consultant National Demographics Corporation ("NDC") provided information to the City Council and public regarding the process during the first four (4) required public hearings. Extensive information regarding the process and considerations are available on the City's website. At the public hearings conducted on February 10 and 16 2022, respectively the City Council received public input and a presentation from NDC. NDC's written and oral reports indicated that some of the maps that have been proposed had deficiencies under either state or federal legal principles regarding redistricting, and the City Council elected not to move forward with those maps. The City Council asked for additional information and designated three (3) maps for further consideration. Subsequently, at the public hearing on February 16, 2022, the City Council received public input and an additional presentation from NDC. The City Council then designated Public Map No. 3 (Revised and Renumbered by Council) as the proposed City Council district map to be adopted.
The purpose of tonight's hearing is to receive final input from the public regarding the draft map designated by City Council and to introduce Ordinance 0-2022-02, adopting the designated district boundary map and adjusting the boundaries of the City Council Districts.
2. b.
Mar. 1, 2022
City Council Agenda
March 1, 2022
As always, the City Council's deliberations and choice of district boundaries is guided by the U.S. and California Constitutions, the redistricting priorities under California's Fair Maps Act, and other elements of state and federal law. The legal considerations have been explained to the City Council in prior public hearings, and the maps NDC has provided comply with those requirements.
The schedule for the public hearings is as follows:
Public Hearing No. 1 — Council Meeting
_Public HearingNo. 2 — S ecial Meeting
Public Hearing No. 3 — Special Meeting
i Public Hearing No. 4 — Special Meeting
Final Map Dpsllgnated
Public Hearing No. 5 - Council Meeting
Introduction of Ordinance Adjusting Council District
Map and Final Map Approval
Council Meeting
Second Reading and Adoption of Ordinance Adjusting
Council District Map - Tentative
RECOMMENDATION:
Wednesday, January 19, 2022
Thursday, Februarg 10, 2022
Wednesday, February 16, 2022
It is recommended that the City Council take the following actions:
Tuesday, March 1, 2022
Tuesday, March 15, 2022
1. Open and conduct Public Hearing No. 5 to receive public comments regarding the 2022 designated map containing the proposed adjustments to the boundaries of the City Council districts, and other matters related to the adjustments of boundaries for Council district elections; and
2. Receive the Staff Report, consider all public testimony, ask questions of Staff; and
3. Close the Public Hearing; and
4. Waive full reading, read by title only, and introduce for first reading Ordinance No. 0-2022- 02, an Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Placentia, California, adjusting the boundaries of the City Council Districts and adopting a new Council District map based on the results of the 2020 U.S. Census with the adjusted boundaries and identification number of each electoral district.
DISCUSSION:
The City of Placentia adopted a district -based voting system in 2016. Following the 2020 Census, the City is required to review new population data and to rebalance the population of its City Council election districts. Per the California Elections Code, the City Council is required to adopt a new district map or, if appropriate, readopt the existing district map following a series of public
City Council Agenda
March 1, 2022
hearings. As required by law, the City Council districts must be "substantially equal in population" based upon the results of the 2020 Census. The districts are also required to comply with the United States Constitution, the California Constitution, California Elections Code, and the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965. The districts must now also be in compliance with the Fair Maps Act ("Act"), which was adopted by the California Legislature as AB 849 and took effect January 1, 2020. Under the Act the City Council must, to the extent practicable, draw and adopt City Council district boundaries using the following criteria in the listed order of priority (Elections Code 21621(c)):
1. Comply with the federal requirements of equal population and the Voting Rights Act
2. Geographically contiguous
3. Undivided neighborhoods and "communities of interest"
4. Easily identifiable boundaries
5. Compact (do not bypass one group of people to get to a more distant group of people)
6. Shall not favor or discriminate against a political party The process to redraw the district boundaries is set forth in the California Elections Code. District boundary maps have been drawn by the City's professional demographer, NDC, in consultation with the City's legal counsel and the City Clerk's Office based upon the 2020 Census data, criteria in the law, and public input. This public hearing is the fifth of several public hearings to receive input from the Placentia community regarding the review of the proposed City Council district boundaries. A total of at least four (4) hearings are required; at least one (1) hearing must be held before a map is proposed, and two (2) public hearings are required after the City Council has proposed a map or maps. This meeting is the second of those hearings. Assuming the City Council does not designate a different map; the public hearing requirements will have been met and the Council may move forward with adopting an ordinance.
The City has also created a redistricting page on the City's website at https://www.placentia.org/944/City-Council-District-Boundaries , which has been used as a central location for all information related to the redistricting process. This page contains a link to a mapping tool which can assist the community in submitting draft district maps. Map submissions and inquiries about the redistricting process may be sent to cityclerkg1placentia.org. The City has met all of the public outreach requirements of state law.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impact to the City will consist of a demographer, special legal counsel, newspaper publishing of public hearing notices for two (2) languages, and translation of public hearing notices and agendas into Spanish. The cost to date has been $19,290.37. The final cost to the City will not be realized until completion of the process to adjust the district boundaries.
City Council Agenda
March 1, 2022
Prepared by:
-Wafth(I cZew—
Igen O'Leary
Deputy City Clerk
Reviewed and approved:
For
Craig A. Steele
Special Counsel, RWG Law
Reviewed and approved:
s nna Ramirez
Deputy City Administrate
c)
Reviewed and approved:
Dami n . Arrula
City Administrator
Attachments:
1. Draft Map — Public Map 3 (Revised and Renumbered)
2. 2019 Adjusted Map and Corresponding Demographic Data
3. Notice of Public Hearing No. 5 and Spanish Translation
4. NDC Report on Placentia Redistricting, February 15, 2022
5. Proposed Ordinance 0-2022-02, Adopting a Map with Adjusted Boundaries a. Exhibit A — 2022 Adjusted Map and Demographics