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Redistricting Plan for City Wards and Precincts_Staff Documents with MapsAMENDED AGENDA CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA PUBLIC NOTICE OF MEETING Government Body: City Council Date: Tuesday, July 5, 2011 Time: 6:30 PM Place of Meeting: Historic Federal Building, 350 W. 6 th Street NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the above identified governmental body will meet at the time, date and place as set forth above. The TENTATIVE AGENDA for the meeting is amended to add the following: ITEM TO BE SET FOR PUBLIC HEARING 1. Redistricting Plan for City Wards and Precincts City Manager recommending that a public hearing be set for July 18, 2011 for review and approval the new Ward and Precinct Redistricting maps. Suggested Disposition: Receive and File; Public Hearing 7/18/11 This notice is given pursuant to Chapter 21, Code of Iowa, and applicable local regulations of the City of Dubuque, Iowa and /or governmental body holding the meeting. Kevin S. Firnstahl Acting City Clerk Masterpiece on the Mississippi TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager SUBJECT: Ward and Precinct Redistricting DATE: June 30, 2011 Dubuque kittil Ai-America City 2007 Planning Services Manager Laura Carstens is recommending that the new Ward and Precinct Redistricting maps be set for a public hearing on July 18, 2011. I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council approval. MCVM:jh Attachment cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager Michael C. Van Milligen Masterpiece on the Mississippi Dubuque all- Amerlcacfr a , 2007 TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager ��pp,�� FROM: Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager '' � SUBJECT: 2011 Redistricting Plan for City Wards and Precincts — Set for Hearing DATE: July 1, 2011 INTRODUCTION The purpose of this memo is to transmit the proposed 2011 Redistricting Plan for City Wards and Precincts. The City Council is asked to set a public hearing date of July 18, 2011 for review and approval of the 2011 Redistricting Plan for City Wards and Precincts. In addition to new boundaries for wards and precincts, the 2011 Redistricting Plan will include a City /County Agreement for Extraterritorial Precincts. BACKGROUND Cities with a population over 3,500 must review all ward and precinct boundaries to determine if redistricting is needed to comply with State law. The current ward and precinct boundaries were adopted in the 2001 Redistricting Plan, based on the 2000 Census population data. These boundaries were amended as territory was annexed to the city over the last ten years. After consultation with the Dubuque County Auditor's Office, we have determined that the City of Dubuque is required to file a redistricting plan with the State. Finalized plans are due to the Secretary of State by September 1, 2011. If the City does not file a 2011 redistricting plan by this date, the Secretary of State will redraw the ward and precinct boundaries without City input, and then assess the cost to the City. A redistricting plan must be approved by ordinance after a public hearing. Prior to adoption, the County Auditor must be given 7 — 10 days to comment on the plan. The County Auditor's Office was provided a draft plan on June 29, 2011. Any comments from the County will be provided for the public hearing. Redistricting Plan Page 2 The redistricting plan must be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the city once each week for three consecutive weeks after the plan has been approved by the Secretary of State. The last publication must occur at 30 days before the next general election. This date is Sunday, October 7, 2012. Precinct and ward boundaries become effective January 15, 2012. They do not affect this November's election. DISCUSSION Wards and Precincts The 2011 Redistricting Plan has been created in accordance with State code and in consultation with the Dubuque County Auditor's Office. A map of the proposed ward and precinct boundaries is attached. These proposed boundaries meet all State requirements. The number of City wards — four — has remained the same, although the boundaries have been changed. The State requires that ward and precinct boundaries be adjusted to reflect population shifts, annexations and changes in legislative districts. The State recently redrew the legislative district boundaries for the City and County of Dubuque. With the new legislative districts, the ward and precinct boundaries had to shift as precinct boundaries cannot cross a legislative district boundary. The State has set population thresholds for wards that require that each ward be as close as possible to an "ideal ward population ". The boundaries of the proposed wards were adjusted so that the population of each ward is as equal as practical to an ideal ward population of 14,409 (which is 1/4 of the City's 2010 Census population of 57,637). The State also requires that each precinct's population be between 50 and 3,500 people. All proposed precincts fall within this range. With the small increase in city population from 2000 to 2010, it has been possible to reduce the number of precincts from 21 to 20. This reduction was requested by the Dubuque County Auditor's Office to lower the cost of City elections. Five maps have been attached for Council review. Map 1 - Proposed Precinct Alignment, indicates the proposed new precinct boundaries. Map 2 - Proposed Precinct Realignment Current vs. Realignment, superimposes the 2001 precinct boundaries over the new precincts to illustrate the proposed boundary changes. Map 3 - Proposed Ward Precinct Realignment, illustrates the proposed new ward boundaries and the new precinct boundaries. Map 4 - Proposed Ward Realignment, illustrates the proposed new ward boundaries. Map 5 - Proposed Ward Realignment Current vs. Realigned, superimposes the 2001 ward boundaries over the new wards to illustrate the proposed boundary changes. Redistricting Plan Page 3 Based on the population of each of the proposed wards, those City Council members elected by ward will represent approximately the same number of people, but some will be new constituents. Extraterritorial Precincts The County Auditor's Office has requested that the City of Dubuque expand some of the proposed precincts to include rural areas as "extraterritorial precincts ". These areas are adjacent to the city, but lie outside of the corporate limits. The map of the proposed ward and precinct boundaries delineates these extraterritorial precincts with a striped pattern. Precincts 1 and 4 in Ward 1 and Precinct 15 in Ward 3 have County areas within their boundaries. The County Auditor's Office is asking that the City expand its precincts to include these rural areas for a couple of reasons. First, because separate polling places and additional staff would be needed to serve these areas, County election costs would be higher. Second, because these areas do not meet the State's population requirements, the Secretary of State may reject a City redistricting plan that excludes these areas, and then require that the City include them. As was done with previous redistricting plans, a cooperative agreement between the City and County to combine these extraterritorial areas with the City precincts for voting purposes has been prepared by the County Auditor's Office. The inclusion of these extraterritorial areas does not create any additional expense for the City. Eligible residents of these County areas would not vote in City elections. If a shared City /County election were held, then these residents would be issued separate ballots for voting purposes. The County Auditor's Office will regulate all voting within all precincts in the city and in the county, including these extraterritorial precincts. RECOMMENDATION I recommend that the City Council set a public hearing on the 2011 Redistricting Plan for City Wards and Precincts for July 18, 2011. Enclosures cc: Randy Gehl, Public Information Officer Guy Hemenway, Assistant Planner Nikki Breitsprecker, GIS Coordinator GH /mkr Prepared by: Laura Carstens, City Planner Address: City Hall, 50 W. 13th St, Telephone: 589 -4210 Return to: Kevin Firnstahl, ActingCitv Clerk Address: City Hall, 50 W. 13th St. Telephone: 589 -4121 ORDINANCE NO. -11 ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA CODE OF ORDINANCES BY REPEALING CHAPTER 8, ELECTIONS, AND ADOPTING IN LIEU THEREOF A NEW CHAPTER 8, ELECTIONS, ESTABLISHING BOUNDARIES FOR FOUR (4) WARDS AND TWENTY (20) PRECINCTS. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA: Section 1. Chapter 8 of the City of Dubuque, Iowa Code of Ordinances is hereby repealed. Section 2. A new Chapter 8, Elections, of the City of Dubuque, Iowa Code of Ordinances, attached hereto and incorporated herein, is hereby adopted. Attest: Section 3. This ordinance shall take effect immediately upon publication, as provided by law. Passed, approved and adopted this day of 2011. Kevin S. Firnstahl, Acting City Clerk F:\ USERS \LCARSTEN \WP \COUNCIL \Chapter 8 Elections Redistricting ordinance.doc Roy D. Buol, Mayor PRECINCT AGREEMENT between Dubuque County and the City of Dubuque 1. This Precinct Agreement supplants agreements agreed upon in 2001 by the Dubuque County Board of Supervisors and the Dubuque City Council. 2. Residents of Dubuque and Julien Townships within Legislative House District 100, between the east corporate limits of the City of Dubuque and the boundary of the State of Iowa will vote in Precinct 12, with the exception of municipal elections. 3. Residents of Table Mound Township within Legislative District 99, between the east corporate limits of the City of Dubuque and the east township line will vote in Precinct 1, with the exception of municipal elections. 4. Residents of Dubuque and Table Mound townships within Legislative House District 99, south and east of North Cascade Road will vote in Precinct 1, with the exception of municipal elections. 5. Residents of Dubuque Township within Legislative House District 99, north and west of North Cascade Road and south of the corporate limits of the City of Dubuque will vote in Precinct 4, with the exception of municipal elections. 6. Residents of Dubuque Township within Legislative House District 99, west of the corporate limits of the City of Dubuque, north and east of Seippel Road, and south of Chavenelle Road will vote in Precinct 4, with the exception of municipal elections. 7. Residents of Center Township in Legislative House District 99 will vote in Precinct 4, with exception of municipal elections. This agreement approved by the Dubuque City Council and Dubuque County Board of Supervisors on Roy D. Buol, Mayor Wayne Demmer, Chair City of Dubuque Dubuque County Board of Supervisors NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING The Dubuque City Council will hold a public hearing on the proposed 2011 Redistricting Plan for City Wards and Precincts. The public hearing will be held: DATE: Monday, July 18, 2011 TIME: 6:30 p.m. PLACE: City Council Chamber, Historic Federal Building 350 W. 6 Street, Dubuque, Iowa At the public hearing, all interested parties may present oral and written comments regarding the proposal. Information about the proposed 2011 Redistricting Plan for City Wards and Precincts is on file at the Office of the City Clerk, City Hall, 50 W. 3th Street, Dubuque IA 52001 and is posted on the City of Dubuque's website, www.cityofdubuque.org. Proposed Precinct Realignment * Precincts must contain 3,500 people or less. * Precincts may include unincorporated areas within the same Iowa House District. * Precincts may not cross Iowa House District Boundaries. * Populatot rurrb ers Arai cad by L10 is Ce nsus.0 1 l Legend Iowa House District Boundary Proposed Ward Realignment Unincorporated Areas - included in Precincts Current Precinct Boundary Precinct 4 2j r _J I I 1 1 1 L, - - DAGIS, llUB Mn the skryiece on Nie,4i_ pyi l l 1 1 ....... _ L 7 1 1 v 1 1 1 YENNSY _ _ KEN EDY 1 rw■ 1 1 1 1 1 ass Imo Air Proposed Ward Realignment r' * Ward populatm Dunt s ra st be het ye en 11, 14 aid 11, 33. * Wards contain Census Blocks completely within the City Limits. * Populatm rurrb ers 4rai abd Ly L10 15 Census.0 * Wards may cross Iowa House District Boundaries. r a � Current Ward Boundaries Legend Iowa House District Boundary 1st Ward 2nd Ward 3rd Ward 4th Ward Proposed Ward Realignment 1st Ward 2nd Ward 3rd Ward 4th Ward DAGIS DU yis .i«; �bter��ean d� m —MI NM = %AP ` a 2 rd 1 U � qy :Ward 3 , Ntt4A,, ,6 , k** Nov* • //4 .4 1 4 44 44 44 -ti. r♦ 0 f R f Nor SPreanct 0 0 VI/ Precinct- ill ■�� ' .Precinct 8 1.4 '4" ANNL. Proposed Precinct Realignment * Precincts must contain 3,500 people or less. * Precincts may include unincorporated areas within the same Iowa House District. * Precincts may not cross Iowa House District Boundaries. * Populatot rurrb ers Arai cad by L10 LS Census.0 1 l �r J Legend Iowa House District Boundary Proposed Ward Realignment Unincorporated Areas - included in Precincts Current Precinct Boundary DAGIS 1J UBlY _ E Maskrpiereon the,44.i__ ppi l - - I _1 MM F 1 - -- 1 1 MIM -- MN NSYi r oiJkaok -- _ ME - MME - - - -- i 1 Imloas ___ 1 m . • 1 1 1 � ass Imo s r 1 t 4 1 Air 1p14, • 6-5 `� Precinct 10 %, : P, recinc Proposed Precinct & Ward Realignment 1 - 11 * Precincts must contain 3,500 people or less. * Precincts may include unincorporated areas within the same Iowa House District. * Precincts may not cross Iowa House District Boundaries. * Populatan rurrb ers Arai abd L 110 is Census.0 Legend Iowa House District Boundary Proposed Ward Realignment Unincorporated Areas - included in Precincts Current Precinct Boundary DAGIS CITV LJUB Q CJE Mnskryie, on the ppi lI \r 1 . p f Proposed Ward Realignment r * Ward populatm counts ra st he let vv en 11, 14 aid 11, 33. * Wards contain Census Blocks completely within the City Limits. * Populatm rurrb ers 4rai abd Ly L10 15 Census.0 * Wards may cross Iowa House District Boundaries. 1st Ward 2nd Ward 3rd Ward 4th Ward Legend EN I + Iowa House District Boundary Proposed Ward Realignment DAGIS,�, DUB Maeterplece Ow Ms. 1 1 1 1 1 11 L -- BU i 1 L ■ � — — mit 4• t 1 1 1 a — — — a 1 1 ON • 1 • • • At R f • tat Mr