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File #: 311-2021    Version: 1 Name:
Type: Evening Public Hearings Status: Agenda Ready
File created: 8/10/2021 In control: CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NAPA
On agenda: 10/26/2021 Final action:
Title: 2021-2022 Redistricting Process - 1st Public Hearing Without District Boundary Maps
Attachments: 1. ATCH 1 - Final Memo on Existing Lines and 2020 Population Data, 2. ATCH 2 - Redistricting Save the Date! Flyer (English and Spanish), 3. ATCH 3 - Completed Community of Interest Worksheets
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To:                     Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council

 

From:                     Tiffany Carranza, City Clerk

 

Prepared By:                     Caitlin Saldanha, Deputy City Clerk

                                          

TITLE:

Title

2021-2022 Redistricting Process - 1st Public Hearing Without District Boundary Maps

 

LABEL

RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendation

 

Receive a presentation from the City’s consulting demographer, Redistricting Partners LLC, regarding the process and criteria for establishing new district boundaries under the 2021-2022 redistricting process; and hold the first public hearing without maps of proposed district boundaries to receive public input regarding the boundaries of districts.

 

Body

DISCUSSION:

 

Background

 

Each city with district-based elections is required to update (“redistrict”) the district boundaries every ten years, following the receipt of updated population data from each federal decennial census. Since the City of Napa has district-based elections for four Councilmembers, the City is required to redistrict the district boundaries prior to the next election of Councilmembers in 2022. Councilmember Districts 2 and 4 were on the ballot on November 3, 2020, and Councilmember Districts 1 and 3 will be on the ballot on November 8, 2022. Although the City recently established the district boundaries on May 5, 2020 for the November 2020 election, the boundaries are based on the 2010 federal census, which means the City must now update the boundaries through the redistricting process based on the 2020 federal census. The 2020 federal census was made available to the City on September 21, 2021 following the reallocation of the state prisoner population and is now published for official use.

 

As summarized in this report, State law establishes minimum procedural requirements for redistricting that the City must follow. The minimum procedural requirements are similar to the staff-led processes the City followed in 2020, when the City conducted a series of public hearings and community workshops with substantial public input to convert from the previous at-large elections to the current district-based elections for the four Councilmembers. On February 2, 2021, the City Council directed staff to proceed with a staff-led process without a redistricting commission and implement a community outreach plan to encourage substantial public participation for the 2021-2022 redistricting process.

 

Overview of Minimum Procedural Requirements for Redistricting

 

Before adopting a final map of district boundaries for the redistricting process, the City Council must hold at least four public hearings for the public to provide input regarding the composition of the Council districts (see California Elections Code Sections 21620-21629). These hearings shall include:

                     At least one public hearing before maps are drawn.

                     At least two public hearings after maps are drawn.

                     At least one public hearing or public workshop shall be held on a Saturday, on a Sunday or after 6 p.m. on a weekday Monday through Friday.

 

The City must take steps to encourage residents, including those in underrepresented communities and non-English speaking communities, to participate in the redistricting public review process. A good faith effort satisfies the requirement and includes:

                     Providing information to media organizations that provide City news coverage, including media organizations that serve language minority communities.

                     Providing information through local community groups and organizations (including those active in language minority communities, those that are based on good government, civil rights, or civic engagement, and those that have requested to be notified concerning City redistricting).

                     Additionally, the City is required, upon request, to conduct the public hearings with live translation in “an applicable language” (i.e., 3% of total population over four years old; which, for Napa, is Spanish language).

 

The City is required to publish information regarding the redistricting process and draft maps on the City’s website in English and Spanish. These publications are required to notify the public of upcoming hearings and explain the process, and to be maintained for at least ten years after the redistricting process is completed.

 

Generally, the City is prohibited from releasing any draft updated district boundary map until at least three weeks after the 2020 federal census data is published by the State due to the reallocation of the state prisoner population. The final dataset of the federal census data was published on September 21, 2021. The redistricting process must be completed, and a new district boundary map must be adopted by the City Council no later than April 17, 2022.

 

Overview of Substantive Requirements for Redistricting Boundary Lines

 

The substantive requirements of the Fair and Inclusive Redistricting for Municipalities and Political Subdivisions (“FAIR MAPS”) Act for drawing district boundaries are set forth in California Elections Code Section 21621, as summarized below. These legal requirements are virtually identical to the requirements the City used when drawing the existing district boundaries of Councilmember Districts 1 through 4:

 

                     Substantially equal population of residents in each district (10% or less of overall deviation - see discussion in “Demographer and Census Data” section, below) based on census data.

                     Compliance with the Constitutions of the United States and California, and with the Federal Voting Rights Act (“FVRA”). These criteria are satisfied by developing districts that have substantially equal populations, are not designed with discriminatory intent, do not result in discriminatory effects, and are not designed with race as the predominant consideration.

                     Geographically contiguous, to the extent practicable. A district is not contiguous if it includes areas that: (a) meet only at the point of adjoining corners, or (b) are separated by water and not connected by a bridge.

                     Geographic integrity of any local neighborhood or local community of interest shall be respected in a manner that minimizes its division, to the extent practicable. 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.

                     Boundaries should be easily identifiable and understandable by residents. To the extent practicable, districts shall be bounded by natural and artificial barriers, by streets, or by the boundaries of the City.

                     Districts shall be geographically compact in a manner that nearby areas of population are not bypassed in favor of more distant populations, to the extent practicable.

                     Districts must not be adopted for the purpose of favoring or discriminating against a political party.

 

Demographer and Census Data

 

On November 25, 2020, the City entered into an agreement with Sacramento-based firm named Redistricting Partners, LLC, led by Paul Mitchell, for demographic services for the 2021-2022 redistricting process. This is the same demographic consultant the City used for the conversion of at-large to district-based elections, that resulted in City Council’s approval on May 5, 2020. Redistricting Partners will be assisting the City of Napa again during the 2021-2022 redistricting process in order to establish new district boundaries.

 

At the October 26, 2021 City Council meeting, Redistricting Partners will provide a presentation about the overall population changes within the City according to the 2020 federal census data, as well as an overview of the legal requirements under the FAIR MAPS Act that must be considered when drawing district boundaries.

 

When considering the first requirement of the FAIR MAPS Act (identified in the bulleted list, above), to measure the total deviation for a “substantially equal” population between the districts: (a) identify the ideal population for each district (total City population divided by four); (b) subtract the ideal population from the actual population for each district to identify each district’s deviation; (c) divide the district’s deviation by the ideal population, and multiply by 100 to identify the district’s percentage deviation; and (d) compare the percentage deviation for the most populated district to the least populated district to identify the total deviation. 

 

A brief comparison chart of the 2020 federal census data compared to the 2010 federal census data is shown in the table below. In addition to these two comparison charts, a detailed memorandum prepared by Redistricting Partners which outlines data from existing districts in comparison to the 2020 federal census data has been attached as Attachment 1.

 

2020 Census Populations and Growth

(2010 Census to 2020 Census)

District

2020

2010

Change

1

19,664

19,311

353

1.8%

2

20,521

20,165

356

1.8%

3

20,125

18,933

1,192

6.3%

4

19,029

18,437

592

3.2%

Total

79,339

76,846

2,493

3.2%

 

 

2020 Census and Deviations

District

Population

Deviation

1

19,664

-171

-0.9%

2

20,521

686

3.5%

3

20,125

290

1.5%

4

19,029

-806

-4.1%

Total Deviation

7.6%

 

In addition to the first public hearing on October 26, 2021, Redistricting Partners staff will also be available at the remainder of the public hearings and community workshops to assist with questions and provide guidance related to the development of new district boundaries.

 

City Staff-Led Community Outreach Plan

 

During the City’s conversion to district-based elections in 2020, City staff led a successful community outreach process over a four-month period that included a series of five very well attended public hearings and two community workshops, many public comments and approximately 44 proposed district boundary maps from members of the public, resulting in City Council’s approval of the current district maps on May 5, 2020. (See Napa Municipal Code Chapter 1.10.) 

 

Staff plans on building upon the successes of the 2020 process by using a variety of creative methods to reach community members and holding additional Community Workshops since this was one of the most effective ways to obtain input from the public. The City Clerk’s Office has begun implementing the following community outreach plan under City Council’s direction.

 

Public Messaging via Social Media, City’s Website, Press Releases, newsletters, and other public communications, in English and Spanish, including:

                     Social media engagement on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and NextDoor in both English and Spanish

                     New dedicated webpage on City’s website for redistricting updates and information: www.cityofnapa.org/redistricting <http://www.cityofnapa.org/redistricting>

                     Information provided via the City’s electronic newsletter “Napa News Weekly,” articles published in the Napa Valley Marketplace magazine, and updates sent via the Napa Valley Unified School District parent newsletter

                     Press releases sent to various outlets and groups

                     Public notices posted at various City buildings

                     Collaboration with Community Partners to post flyers on their website, event calendars and/or at their own facilities. For example, St. John’s Church posted flyers on their Facebook page and in their main office bulletin board for visitors to see while they are waiting inside the lobby area.

                     Display advertisements on local public access network by using Napa Valley TV’s Channel 28

                     Newspaper articles and Public Hearing Notices published in the Napa Valley Register

                     Mailers, infographics, and videos created by the City’s outreach consultant

                     Word of mouth through various community groups such as Voters Choice Napa, League of Women Voters of Napa County, and many more

                     Joint meetings and coordination efforts with other local governmental agencies who are also participating in the 2021-2022 redistricting process such as the County of Napa, Napa Valley College, Napa County Office of Education, and Napa Valley Unified School District

 

Online Interactive Tools:

                     A new online interactive mapping tool, DistrictR, has been established to allow residents to draw their own lines. The City’s consulting demographer will also provide a training video for the public on how to use the new online mapping tool.

                     A designated email address has been established for members of the public to provide input and comments: redistricting@cityofnapa.org <mailto:redistricting@cityofnapa.org>

                     An online form has been created to encourage electronic submissions for “Community of Interest Worksheets” in both English and Spanish: www.cityofnapa.org/COI <http://www.cityofnapa.org/COI> 

 

City staff will lead (with assistance from expert consultants, including a demographer) five public hearings and five community workshops. Spanish interpretation services will be offered at all public hearings and community workshops, and outreach materials such as flyers, FAQs, COI worksheets, social media posts, press releases, and website content will be provided in Spanish as well. City staff has already conducted several educational kick-off events to increase public interest in the redistricting process and will continue to take advantage of opportunities to spread the word at local gatherings. The proposed timeline for the redistricting process is outlined below: 

 

EDUCATIONAL KICK-OFF EVENTS:

Farmers Market Pop-Up Event  Tuesday, August 31, 2021 8:00 a.m. - noon  1100 West Street

Farmers Market Booth hosted by City staff to enhance engagement opportunities and encourage residents to participate in the redistricting process

Redistricting Virtual Workshop Multi-Agency Kick-Off Meeting  Hosted by Napa County Thursday, September 16, 2021 7:00 p.m.

The City of Napa participated in a Multi-Agency Kick-Off Meeting where multiple government agencies such as the County of Napa, Napa Valley College, and Napa County Office of Education explained how the redistricting process works at the County, City, and educational institution levels and shared how members of the public can get involved

Farmers Market Pop-Up Event  Tuesday, September 18, 2021 8:00 a.m. - noon  1100 West Street

Farmers Market Booth hosted by City staff to enhance engagement opportunities and encourage residents to participate in the redistricting process

 

PUBLIC HEARINGS:

Tuesday, October 26, 2021 6:30 p.m. City Hall - Council Chamber 955 School Street

1st Public Hearing without maps of proposed district boundaries, to provide information to the public and solicit input from the public and Council on composition of the districts

Tuesday, December 14, 2021 6:30 p.m. City Hall - Council Chamber 955 School Street

2nd Public Hearing with maps of proposed district boundaries produced by the demographer and published seven days in advance, and with a summary of comments received during the Community Workshop, for consideration and feedback by the public and Council

Tuesday, January 25, 2022 6:30 p.m. City Hall - Council Chamber 955 School Street 

3rd Public Hearing with maps of proposed district boundaries produced by the demographer and published seven days in advance, and with a summary of comments received during the Community Workshop, for consideration and feedback by the public and Council

Tuesday, February 8, 2022 6:30 p.m. City Hall - Council Chamber 955 School Street 

4th Public Hearing with revised map(s) of proposed district boundaries produced by the demographer and published seven days in advance; consideration of public input regarding the revised map(s), and introduction an ordinance establishing new district boundaries for Councilmembers

Tuesday, March 8, 2022 6:30 p.m. City Hall - Council Chamber 955 School Street

5th Public Hearing to adopt an ordinance with a final map establishing new district boundaries for Councilmembers before the April 17, 2022 deadline

 

COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS:

Wednesday, December 1, 2021 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Napa Valley College - Community Room 2277 Napa Vallejo Highway

Community Workshop where Demographer will provide a brief presentation to the public and solicit input from the public regarding proposed district boundaries.   Following the presentation, members of the public are invited to draw their own maps during hands-on exercises and provide feedback.   Presentation on the process begins at 6:30 p.m.  Drop by any time between 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. for hands-on exercises to draw maps

Saturday, January 15, 2022 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.   Harvest Middle School - Library  2449 Old Sonoma Road      Saturday, January 15, 2022 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.   Las Flores Community Center - Gym  4300 Linda Vista Avenue 

Community Workshops where Demographer will provide a brief presentation to the public and solicit input from the public regarding proposed district boundaries.   Following the presentation, members of the public are invited to draw their own maps during hands-on exercises and provide feedback.   Presentations on the process begins at 10:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.  Drop by any time between 10:00 a.m.- 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.- 3:00 p.m. for hands-on exercises to draw maps

Sunday, January 30, 2022  10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.   Irene M. Snow Elementary School - Library  1130 Foster Road      Sunday, January 30, 2022  1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. St. John the Baptist Catholic Church -  Parish Hall  924 Napa Street

Community Workshops where Demographer will provide a brief presentation to the public and solicit input from the public regarding proposed district boundaries.   Following the presentation, members of the public are invited to draw their own maps during hands-on exercises and provide feedback.   Presentations on the process begins at 10:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.  Drop by any time between 10:00 a.m.- 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.- 3:00 p.m. for hands-on exercises to draw maps

 

As shown above, City staff has secured a different location site for each Community Workshop in order to attract a wide range of participants from across the City. The locations were selected based on feedback received from the public and suggestions on from community partners dates/times. It is also important to note that City staff will hold more than the legally required amount of Community Workshops because City staff believes an increased number of Community Workshops will facilitate better engagement and a higher level of participation.

 

Next Steps

 

After completion of the first public hearing on October 26, 2021 and the first Community Workshop on December 1, 2021, Redistricting Partners will propose draft versions of district boundary maps for both the public and Council to review and provide input on. The City will publish draft maps of proposed district boundaries produced by our demographer for consideration by the public and City Council at least seven days in advance of each public hearing. The draft maps will be published on the City’s Draft Maps webpage which is available on the City’s website using this link: <https://www.cityofnapa.org/1013/Draft-Maps>.

 

Over the next upcoming months, City staff will continue their ongoing community outreach efforts and promote the City’s online mapping tool for the public to draw their own maps. Between the time period of October 2021 - February 2022, a series of public hearings and community workshops will be held before City Council will be asked to adopt a final map on March 8, 2022. This final map will establish new district boundaries for Councilmembers, which will go into effect for the November 8, 2022 General Municipal Election.

 

FINANCIAL IMPACTS:

For the 2021-2022 redistricting process, the City Clerk’s Office has $88,000 available in the budget, and the City Attorney’s Office has $45,000 available in the budget. Staff estimates that these currently budgeted funds will be sufficient to pay the costs of staff’s recommended approach summarized in this report, including holding a total of five (5) Public Hearings and (5) Community Workshops throughout the City.

 

CEQA:

The City Clerk has determined that the recommended action described in this agenda report is not subject to CEQA, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c).

 

DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:

ATCH 1 - Final Memo of Existing Lines for the City of Napa and 2020 Population Data Prepared by Redistricting Partners 

ATCH 2 - Redistricting Save the Date! Flyer (English and Spanish)

ATCH 3 - Completed Community of Interest Worksheets (Total of 2)

 

NOTIFICATION:

A public hearing notice was published in the Napa Valley Register on Friday, October 15, 2021.