PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY ON CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS TO BE ESTABLISHED FOR DISTRICT-BASED ELECTIONS

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1 Agenda Item No. 8A May 22, 2018 TO: FROM: SUBJECT: Honorable Mayor and City Council Attention: Jeremy Craig, City Manager Melinda C. H. Stewart, City Attorney Michelle Thornbrugh, City Clerk (Staff Contact: Melinda Stewart (707) ) PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY ON CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS TO BE ESTABLISHED FOR DISTRICT-BASED ELECTIONS DISCUSSION: Background: On May 8, 2018, in response to a threat of litigation, the City Council adopted Resolution No , declaring its intention to transition from at-large to district-based City Councilmember elections beginning with the general election in Pursuant to California Elections Code 10010, the City must hold at least 4 public hearings prior to adopting an ordinance that defines the district boundaries. This is the first of 2 public hearings to inform the public about the districting process, present options available to the City and receive community input on the criteria for drawing the voting district boundaries, prior to the City s independent demographer drafting district map boundary alternatives. Elections Code Section requires the 2 initial public hearings to occur over a period of no more than 30 days, which will be followed by preparation of draft maps and then 2 additional public hearings. At the 2 initial public hearings, before developing draft district boundaries, the City Council will take comments from residents and interested community groups to understand the community s view of where district boundaries should be drawn. Public testimony and Council discussion may also include such topics as the number of desired districts, whether to maintain a directly elected Mayor, and whether to include the State prison and medical facility inmates in the population count. The City Council will then define the criteria for the demographer to use to create one or more proposed district boundary maps. After the demographer prepares one or more draft district boundary maps, the maps will be published and posted on the City s website and the City Council will conduct 2 more public hearings and may further revise the maps. Ultimately, the City Council will determine the district boundary map to be included in the district elections ordinance. Voting District Criteria: The legally required criteria that apply to the creation of the districts are: Each council district shall contain nearly equal population, with any deviations justified by other traditional redistricting criteria, which are described below. A districting plan shall be drawn in a manner that complies with the state and federal Constitutions, the Federal Voting Rights Act and state law. Each council district shall not be drawn with race as the predominant factor in violation of the principles established by the United States Supreme Court in Shaw v Reno, 509 U.S. 630 (1993).

2 Each council district shall be contiguous, meaning that there are no islands or parts of the district that are not attached to the whole. The City Council may also consider other criteria. Additional criteria that have been used in other communities to define districts include: Compactness of districts, including their shape and appearance. Keeping communities of interest, such as neighborhoods, school attendance boundaries, etc., undivided by a district boundary, to the extent feasible. Respecting visible natural and man-made geographical and topographical features when drawing district boundaries, as much as possible. Including public facilities in each district, to the extent feasible. Including commercial interests in each district, to the extent feasible. The above criteria are examples only, and may or may not be applicable or appropriate in Vacaville. The public is encouraged to provide input on some or all of these additional criteria options, and may also provide input on other criteria not mentioned above including the number of districts to be created and whether to include the California State Prison Solano and the California Medical Facility inmates within the total population count for districting purposes. The City Council will be informed by the public input. To support the public providing input, a City boundary map is attached to this report as Attachment 1. Additionally, some basic Vacaville base maps will be presented at the public hearing. The City Council must balance criteria, and may choose to consider some, all, or no additional criteria. The Council may also choose to develop additional alternative criteria that it believes are applicable to the City when selecting a districting plan for the City. The second of the 2 initial public hearings to receive and consider further input from the public concerning the composition of voting districts prior to drafting maps is scheduled for Tuesday, June 12, The public is encouraged to provide input via to district.elections@cityofvacaville.com or to through the City s website at Written input may also be dropped off or mailed to the City Clerk at 650 Merchant Street, Vacaville, CA Boundary Map Drawing and District-Based Elections Transition Timeline: The public hearing schedule for the transition process is presented below. There will be Spanish/English translation services provided at the first 4 public hearings. PUBLIC HEARING DATE May 22, 2018 June 12, 2018 DESCRIPTION Hearing #1 Education on the process of drawing district boundaries. Take public testimony regarding appropriate districting criteria and communities of interest. Hearing #2 Respond to any questions referred to staff from first public hearing. Continue to receive public testimony on criteria. Obtain Council direction on criteria to be used in drawing district boundaries for the demographer.

3 July 10, 2018 August 14, 2018 September 11, 2018 September 25, 2018 Hearing #3 Present draft boundary map or maps provided by the demographer. Take public testimony on the draft maps. Provide direction to the demographer on revisions or adjustments to the maps. Draft maps under consideration at this hearing will be published in The Reporter and posted on the City s district elections webpage on or before July 3, Hearing #4 Review the revised map or maps, take public testimony. If no significant changes are proposed, select final boundary map for inclusion in the district elections ordinance. Draft maps under consideration at this hearing will be published in The Reporter and posted on the City s district elections webpage on or before August 7, Hearing #5 Introduce district elections ordinance. Agenda Item Adoption of ordinance. Public Outreach: In addition to the public hearing process, City staff is implementing a public outreach campaign. Following the City Council s adoption of the resolution of intent, City staff has taken several steps to engage in public outreach to help inform the public on district-based elections, the process associated with district formation, and to encourage and obtain feedback and input, including: Established and continue to update a webpage on district elections: which includes Information related to the City s boundary drawing and transition process. Issued a press release. Prepared a flyer in English and Spanish about the transition process and the public hearing dates, encouraging people to attend the meetings and seeking public input and participation. Distributed the flyer to a variety of non-profit organizations, service groups (e.g. Rotary Clubs, Soroptimist, etc.), local libraries, the Ministerial Association, the County Social Services Center, community centers, local food banks, and others (Attachment 2). Presented information at the May 18, 2018, Chamber of Commerce Business Issues Forum. Posted and continue to post information to City s social media platforms Facebook and Twitter. Any written public comment received on this topic prior to posting the agenda is attached (Attachment 3). Any written public comment received after posting of the agenda will be available for the City Council and the public at the meeting.

4 FISCAL IMPACT: The significant staff time required to implement the transition process is covered by General Fund through previously budgeted salaries and benefits. At its last meeting as part of approval of the Resolution of Intent (Resolution No ), the City Council allocated up to $90,000 from the General Fund to cover the retention of a demographer and specialized elections counsel. Staff also anticipates incurring expenses for the public outreach campaign and providing translation services of $10,000. These costs would also be paid from the General Fund. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: This action is not a project within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Sections 15320, 15378, and 15062(b)(3) as it is an organizational structure change and does not have the potential to result in either a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. RECOMMENDATION: Hold the first of 4 public hearings on the transition to district-based elections, to receive public input on the composition and number of voting districts and request any additional information needed for the public hearing scheduled for June 12, ATTACHMENTS: Attachment 1: Vacaville boundary map Attachment 2: Public outreach flyer Attachment 3: Written public comments (None)

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6 The City of Vacaville will be switching from at-large election of council members to district elections. Your input is vital! We want to hear from you! Make sure you are represented on the City Council! A series of public hearings will be held with a final decision possible on boundaries in early August. Please attend!

7 La ciudad de Vacaville cambiara de elecciónes generales de miembros del Consejo Municipal a elecciónes de distritos. Sus sugerencias son importantes! Queremos escucharlo! Asegúrese que usted sea representado en el Consejo Municipal de la Ciudad! Habrá una serie de audiencias públicas con una decisión final sobre límites de distritos a principios de Agosto. Por favor asista!

8 ATTACHMENT 3 WRITTEN COMMENTS No written comments were received by the City prior to publication of the agenda. Any written comments received after the publication of the agenda will be available at the Council meeting.