HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 4106-07-2012A Resolution
NO. 4106 -07 -2012
ADOPTING A SINGLE - MEMBER CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT PLAN
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Fort Worth is composed of a mayor elected at -large and
representatives elected from eight single- member districts, as required by Chapter IV, Section 3 of The Charter of
the City of Fort Worth Texas; and
WHEREAS, the last Single- Member City Council District Plan was established in 2002, based upon the
2000 census; and
WHEREAS, between 2000 and 2010, the population of the City of Fort Worth increased by 202,374
residents, an increase of thirty -eight and six - tenths percent (38.6 %); and
WHEREAS, this growth was not evenly distributed across the City of Fort Worth; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to redraw boundary lines for single- member districts to adjust for the growth
and shifts in population among the districts; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has certain redistricting responsibilities under federal law, including but
not limited to, the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution and the Voting Rights
Act, 42 U.S.C.A. section 1973, et seq.; and
WHEREAS, on June 14, 2011, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 3998 -06 -2011 (Establishing
Criteria for Use in Redistricting of Single- Member City Council Districts) which established the following criteria
to be used in the redistricting process:
• Districts should be relatively equal in total population according to the 2010 census;
• Plan should not fragment or pack geographically compact minority communities;
• Plan should be narrowly tailored to avoid retrogression in the position of racial and language
minorities in accordance with Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act;
• Single- member districts should be compact and contiguous;
• Where possible, districts should be divided using easily identifiable geographic boundaries;
• Where possible, communities of interest should be contained in a single district and attempts should
be made to avoid splitting neighborhoods unless requested by neighborhood representatives;
• Where possible, each single- member district should encompass areas located inside Loop 820 and
outside Loop 820;
• To the extent possible, single- member districts should be composed of whole voting precincts;
• Where possible, single- member districts should be comprised of whole census block groups or
blocks; and
• Consideration may be given to the preservation of incumbent - constituent relations; and
Resolution No. ,q /ab-07 -2012 Page 2 of 4
WHEREAS, the redistricting process was divided into two phases: Phase I, a determination of the
number of single- member districts, and Phase II, the establishment of new single- member district boundary lines;
and
WHEREAS, Phase I of the redistricting process involved a series of eight public workshops during the
month of August, 2011, which were held in various sectors of the City of Fort Worth, with a meeting specifically
held for the Spanish - speaking community, for the purpose of gathering public comments on whether the number
of single- member districts should be expanded or remain at eight; and
WHEREAS,_ between June and September, 2011, staff gave presentations to community organizations
and City commissions for the purpose of gathering public comments on whether the number of single- member
districts should be expanded or remain at eight; and
WHEREAS, on October 18, 2011, the City Council held a public hearing on whether to increase the
number of single- member districts; and
WHEREAS, on November 15, 2011, the City Council, after receiving comments from interested
residents, adopted Resolution No. 4044 -11 -2011 (Concerning the Number of Single- Member City Council
Districts) whereby the City Council reaffirmed and amended the established criteria for redistricting by replacing
the phrase "where possible" with the phrase "when appropriate" in the factors to be considered in drawing
single- member districts; and
WHEREAS, the approval of Resolution No. 4044 -11 -2011 (Concerning the Number of Single- Member
City Council Districts) retained the current configuration of eight single- member districts and a mayor elected at-
large, which concluded Phase I of the redistricting process; and
WHEREAS, during Phase IIA of the redistricting process, residents were afforded the opportunity to
submit proposed redistricting plans using mapping software free to the public and available on the City's website;
and
WHEREAS, Phase IIA of the redistricting process involved a second series of eight public workshops
across the City during the month of February, 2012, with a meeting specifically held for the Spanish - speaking
community, for the purpose of gathering public comments on district boundary lines and providing training on the
mapping software; and
WHEREAS, between January and April, 2012, staff gave presentations to community organizations and
City commissions for the purpose of gathering public comments on district boundary lines; and
WHEREAS, residents submitted ten redistricting plans, two of which were later withdrawn, including
Lebo/North Fort Worth Alliance Four District and Florez/United Hispanic Council Plan 12A; and
WHEREAS, during Phase IIB, staff reviewed each redistricting plan for compliance with the criteria set
forth in Resolution No. 3998 -06 -2011, as amended by Resolution No. 4044 -11 -2011, and determined that the
Goodman, Boren/Conlin, Florez/United Hispanic Council Plans 12A and 12B, Lowy /Hillwood, Lebo/North Fort
Worth Alliance Three District, and Blair /Stop Six Sunrise Edition Neighborhood Association plans failed to
comply with the established criteria for redistricting because each of these plans split five or more neighborhoods,
in violation of the criterion to avoid splitting neighborhoods when appropriate; and
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No. glgb -07 -2012 Page 3 of 4
WHEREAS, during Phase I1B, staff additionally determined that the following plans were not preferred
for the following reasons:
Edmonds plan — meets the criteria adopted by the City Council; however, it split the Lake Worth
Alliance between two districts which is at odds with the Lake Worth Vision Plan adopted in 2011;
moved neighborhoods from districts they have been in since 1982; and
Florez/United Hispanic Council — Plan 12C meets the criteria adopted by the City Council; however,
it split the Downtown sector into three districts and moved a neighborhood from the district it has
been in since 1982; and
WHEREAS, during Phase IIB, a third series of five public workshops, with a meeting specifically for the
Spanish - speaking community, and additional community meetings were held across the City for the purpose of
soliciting public input regarding the resident - submitted redistricting plans and the draft plan submitted by staff;
and
WHEREAS, the City Council has held public hearings over the course of three evening City Council
meetings and engaged in deliberations regarding a redistricting plan, debating the merits of the various proposed
plans;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT
WORTH, TEXAS, THAT:
Section 1. The redistricting plan dated July 17, 2012, attached hereto as Exhibit A, is hereby adopted as the Fort
Worth Single- Member City Council District Plan for the purpose of electing members of the City Council.
Section 2. The City Attorney is directed to submit the Fort Worth Single- Member City Council District Plan, as
shown on Exhibit A, to the United States Department of Justice for pre - clearance under the procedures for
administration of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, as amended.
Section 3. The Fort Worth Single- Member City Council District Plan, as shown on Exhibit A, shall be
implemented for the general election of the City Council to be held in May, 2013, and for each subsequent City
election, until the City Council shall again establish new single- member district boundaries in accordance with
Chapter IV, Section 3 of The Charter of the City of Fort Worth, Texas.
Adopted this 24`" day of July, 2012.
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Resolution No. 4100.07 -2012
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY
Sarah J.,F_ul enwider, City Attorney
ATTEST:
Mary J. Kayser, City Secretary
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Exhibit A