HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 5488-10-2021A Resolution
No. 5488-10-2021
AMENDING RESOLUTION NO. 5375-04-2021
ANDESTABLISHING AMENDED PROCEDURES
FOR REDRAWING DISTRICT BOUNDARIES
WHEREAS the City Council on August 4, 2020, adopted Resolution No. 5259- 08- 2020,
appointing a Redistricting Task Force (Task Force) and charging the Task Force with
responsibility for advising the Council about the criteria and procedures by which the
Council should redraw its district boundaries after the U.S. Bureau of the Census has
published block- level population data from the 2020 census; and
WHEREAS the Task Force completed its assigned work and presented its final report
to the City Council at the Council's regular work session on March 2, 2021; and
WHEREAS the City Council on April 6, 2021, adopted Resolution No. 5375- 04- 2021,
accepted the Task Force's finding and recommendations as set forth in the final report and,
accordingly, to use the recommended criteria and procedures in redrawing its district
boundaries; and
WHEREAS the City Council also expressed wishes to engage Task Force members in
the redistricting process, even after the Task Force had accomplished its purpose and
ceased to exist, and, contemporaneous with this Resolution, the City Council is considering a
Resolution Reactivating the Redistricting Task Force and Charging It with Responsibility for
Evaluating Proposed District Maps, Conducting a Public Hearing on Such Maps, and
Selecting an Initial District Map for Consideration by the City Council (Resolution No. 21-
1767); and
WHEREAS the City Council wishes to amend Resolution No. 5375-04- 2021 to set forth
amended procedures for redrawing district boundaries that incorporate the work of the
reactivated and reappointed Task Force, as set forth in Resolution No. 21-1767.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS, as follows:
1. That the process of redrawing Council district boundaries as set forth in Resolution No.
5375- 04-2021, Sections (1)(b) (3) -(6) shall be hereby deleted and replaced in its entirety as
follows (a blackline of the changes is attached hereto as Exhibit "A", made a part
hereof for all purposes):
(3) Evaluation of Proposed District Maas: The Task Force shall evaluate proposed
district maps produced by residents, the City Council, and staff and shall conduct
a public hearing on such maps. The Task Force shall perform this evaluation
during the months of October, November, and December, 2021.
(4) Selection of initial map as starting point for further manaina.: The Task Force
shall designate one of the maps submitted to the Task Force by the residents, City
Council, and City staff, to serve as the starting point for further map drawing
deliberations. The Task Force shall formally submit its selected initial map to the
City Council no later than January 4, 2022.
(4) Rationale for proposed changes to initial man: After the City Council has
accepted from the Task Force an initial map as the starting point for map drawing
deliberations, all changes to the initial map made by the Council shall be
accompanied by a statement explaining the rationale for each such change and the
impact of such proposed change on all of the redistricting criteria established by
the Council.
(5)
Redistricting as a single agenda item: All map drawing meetings of the City
Council shall be conducted as separate meetings with no other items on the
meeting agenda and at least ten (10) days public notice shall be given in advance
of each such meeting.
(6) Public hearings
A quorum of the City Council shall conduct at least five public hearings,
including:
(a) One public hearing during the month of January 2022, after the Council
has received the initial map from the Task Force but before the Council
considers any changes to that map.
(b) Four public hearings during the month of February 2022, after the City
Council has produced a proposed map but before adopting the proposed map.
Each of the four February public hearings is to occur in an area comprised of
two existing Council districts, e.g., Districts 2 and 9, Districts 3 and 6,
Districts 4 and 7, and Districts 5 and 8 (these pairings are provided by way of
example only, and are not intended to be the definitive list of Council District
pairings for the public hearings).
Transparency : The City Council shall conduct all deliberations about
redistricting in official meetings, subject to all provisions of the Texas Open
Meetings Act. The communications about map drawing among City Council
members shall occur in such meetings, with any relevant computer screen visible
to the Council and public observers.
2. That except as modified by this Resolution, all of the terms and conditions of
Resolution No. 5375-04-2021 remain in full force and effect.
(7)
Adopted this 19th day of October 2021.
ATTEST:
By:?"-'1-P
Ronald P. Gonzales, Acting City Secretary
Exhibit "A"
Blackline of Changes to Resolution No. 5375-04-2021
A RESOLUTION
NO. 5375-04-2021
ACCEPTING THE FINAL REPORT OF THE REDISTRICTING TASK FORCE
AND ESTABLISHING CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES
FOR REDRAWING DISTRICT BOUNDARIES
WHEREAS the City Council on August 4, 2020, adopted Resolution No.
5259-08-2020, appointing a Redistricting Task Force (Task Force) and charging the
Task Force with responsibility for advising the Council about the criteria and
procedures by which the Council should redraw its district boundaries after the U.S.
Bureau of the Census has published block -level population data from the 2020
census; and
WHEREAS the Task Force has completed its assigned work and presented its
final report to the City Council at the Council's regular work session on March 2,
2021; and
WHEREAS the Task Force's final report consists of the presentation titled
"Final Report of the Redistricting Task Force," dated March 2, 2021, and attached
hereto as Exhibit A; and
WHEREAS the City Council wishes to accept the Task Force's findings and
recommendations as set forth in the final report and, accordingly, to use certain
criteria and procedures as described in this resolution to redraw its district
boundaries; and
WHEREAS the City Council wishes to engage Task Force members in the
redistricting process, even after the Task Force has accomplished its purpose and
ceased to exist as a formal entity;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS, as follows:
1. That the City Council accepts the final report of the Redistricting Task Force and
declares its intent to use the following criteria and procedures in redrawing its
district boundaries.
a. Criteria
(1) High -priority criteria, not in any order of priority
(a) Approximately equal size: The populations of all districts shall be
approximately equal. In no event shall the population of the largest
district be more than ten percent greater than the population of the
smallest district.
(b) Legal compliance: The redrawing of district boundaries shall comply
with the U.S. Constitution, the Voting Rights Act, the Texas
Constitution, and other applicable laws to avoid impermissible packing,
fragmentation, or retrogression in the ability of minorities to participate
in the electoral process.
(c) Minority opportunity districts: The City shall create minority
opportunity districts, to the extent possible and in compliance with
federal law, to reflect the City's growing diversity. Such districts are
intended to create opportunities for fair representation rather than to
promote electoral outcomes. Electability is a function of many factors,
including candidate qualifications, appeal to voters, voting -age
population, voter registration, and voter participation as well as
demographic characteristics.
(d) Communities of interest: The City shall contain communities of interest
in single districts, where feasible, with community of interest defined as a
local population with shared socio-economic characteristics and political
institutions that would benefit from unified representation.
Communities of interest may include neighborhoods, groups of
neighborhoods, school attendance zones, and similar geographic areas.
(e) Contiguous territory: To the extent feasible, each district shall consist
of contiguous territory.
(2) Lower -priority criteria, not in any order of priority
(a) Compactness: Each district shall be geographically compact, with the
goal of attaining a Palsy -Popper ratio greater than or equal to 0.050. If
any proposed district yields a compactness score that is less than
0.050, then a detailed justification must be stated.
(b) Identifiable geographic boundaries: District boundaries shall consist of
easily identifiable geographic features, such as streams, railroad tracks,
and major thoroughfares to the extent feasible. To the extent possible,
dwelling units that are located on opposite sides of the same residential
street shall be assigned to the same district.
(c) Voting precincts: Districts shall consist of whole voting precincts,
where feasible.
(d) Census blocks and block groups: To the extent possible, districts shall
consist of whole census blocks.
(e) Places of residence: In redrawing district boundaries, the City shall not
consider the place of residence of any incumbent or potential candidate.
b. Procedures: The process of redrawing Council district boundaries shall
promote public participation and transparency as follows.
(1) Registration for communities of interest: The City Council requests the
City Manager to establish a registration process whereby interested
residents might self -identify communities of interest and the geographic
boundaries of such communities. This process shall be voluntary and
advisory in nature and should occur during the months of April through
September 2021, before redistricting begins.
(2) Resident -produced redistricting plans: The City Council requests the City
Manager through appropriate staff to provide redistricting software training
for interested residents during the months of April through September
2021, to assist residents in preparing redistricting plans during the months
of October and November 2021, to analyze such plans submitted by
residents, and to brief the Council about the merits of such plans, including
the extent to which they meet the City Council's adopted criteria.
(a) No later than the end of April 2021, City staff shall publish a catalog of
training resources, including a schedule of classes in which staff will
train interested residents on the use of ESRI redistricting software.
(b) Residents will be able to download the redistricting software and use it
on their private computers. City staff will specify hardware and
software requirements for using this software on private computers.
(c) Residents will also be able to use the redistricting software on public
computers at designated libraries and community centers and at other
suitable locations.
(3)
(d) No demographic data available in the redistricting software shall refer
to the party affiliations of registered voters.
(e) After City staff assesses the extent to which each resident -produced
plan meets the City Council's adopted criteria, staff shall discuss its
findings directly with the residents who produced each such plan.
Selection of initial map, us starting point for further mapping: The Gi-ty
Counc-il shall designate one of the traps :submitted to the Council by City
staff, or by residents and resident groups, to serve as the starting point for
furthe-r map drawing delib-c-rations.
(4) Rationale for proposed changes to initial m-ap: After the City Council has
selected an initial m as t"e starting point for map drawing deliberations,
all changes to the initial m-ap shall include a statement e,.plaini
rationale for each such change and the impact of such change on all of the
redistricting criteria established by the Council.
(5) Redistricting as a single agenda item: All reap drawing meetings of the
Cit-y-Council shall be conducted as separate meetings with no other items
pu-blic notice shall be -
given in advance of each such meeting.
(-6 Public hearings
(a) D-u -i--ng--t-he—fn-e-n-th-o-r-y-2-0-2 a-quo r, f t' C i+ Gc i 1 shall
conduct at least two in person, virtual, 3r hybrid public hearings,
including:
(1) At least one hearing after the Council has received plans from
residents and City staff, but before the Council selects an initial map as
a starting point for map drawing deliberaticns; :-nd
kii) ., ('
r�At�l-e��+e—h-ea-r-i-��g--�•r€te-r-th�e-u-rcil has selected an initial m-ap
but before the Council considers any changes to that map.
(b) During the month of April 2022, after the City Council has produced a
proposed map, a quorum of the Council shall conduct at least four in
person, virtual, or hybrid public hearings before adopting the proposed
map. At least one of these public hearings shall be conducted for each
of Jar pairs of existing adjacent districts.
(7) Transparency: The City Council shall conduct all deliberations about
redistricting in official meetings, ubj-ect to all provisions of the Texas
Open Meetings--Ac-t-A-n-y--communications about map drawing among City
Council members shall occur in such meetings, with any relevant computer
screen visible to the Council and public observers.
(3) Evaluation of Proposed District Mans: The Task Force shall evaluate
proposed district mans produced by residents. the City Council. and staff
and shall conduct a public hearina on such mans. The Task Force shall
perform this evaluation during the months of October. November. and
December. 2021.
(4) Selection of initial map as startin_g__point for further mapping: The Task
Force shall designate one of the mans submitted to the Task Force bv the
residents. City Council, and City staff, to serve as the starting point for
further map drawing deliberations. The Task Force shall formally submit its
selected initial map to the City Council no later than January 4. 2022.
(5) Rationale for proposed chanaes to initial man: After the City Council has.
accented from the Task Force an initial map as the starting point for map
drawing deliberations. all chanaes to the initial man made bv the Council
shall be accompanied by a statement explaining the rationale for each such
change and the impact of such proposed change on all of the redistricting
criteria established by the Council.
(6) Redistricting as a single agenda item: All man drawing meetings of the City_
Council shall be conducted as separate meetings with no other items on the
meeting agenda and at least ten (10) days public notice shall be given in
advance of each such meeting.
(7) Public hearings
A quorum of the City Council shall conduct at least five public hearings.
including:
a1 One public hearing during the month of January 2022. after the Council.
has received the initial map from the Task Force but before the Council
considers any changes to that map.
t Four public hearings during the month of February 2022. after the City
Council has produced a proposed map but before adopting the proposed map.
Each of the four February public hearings is to occur in an area comprised of
two existing Council districts. e.g.. Districts 2 and 9. Districts 3 and 6.
Districts 4 and 7. and Districts 5 and 8 (these pairings are provided by wav
of example only. and are not intended to be the definitive list of Council
District pairings for the public hearings).
(8)
Transparency: The City Council shall conduct all deliberations about
redistricting in official meetings. subiect to all provisions of the Texas
Open Meetings Act. The communications about map drawing among City_
Council members shall occur in such meetings. with any relevant computer
screen visible to the Council and public observers
2. That the City Council acknowledges the following recommendations by the
Redistricting Task Force but defers action on these recommendations pending
consideration after the 2021 municipal elections.
a. Plans to be produced by consultant(s): The City shall retain one or more
consultants to propose an initial map or maps applying the criteria adopted by
the Council, such map or maps to be considered, along with initial maps
proposed by City staff and residents or resident groups, as a starting point for
further map drawing deliberations.
b. Charter review task force: The City Council shall appoint a charter review
task force that would study and make recommendations concerning the
advisability of establishing an independent redistricting commission. Upon
formation, the charter review task force shall, after providing for full and
meaningful public participation, submit its recommendations to the City
Council in time for redistricting to proceed on an orderly basis promptly after
the 2030 federal census.
3. That the City Council requests the City Manager to arrange a joint work session
of the Council and Task Force members for an appropriate date, time, and
location after the U.S. Bureau of the Census has published block -level population
data from the 2020 census but before the Council has begun the redistricting
process.
Adopted this 6t}' day of April, 2021.
ATTEST:
By:
Mary J. Kayser, City Secretary