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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 2021-070 Electoral Redistricting Advisory Committee (2)Resolution No. 2021-70 RESOLUTION NO.2021-70 RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA, ESTABLISHING THE ELECTORAL REDISTRICTING ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHEREAS, the Fair Maps Act requires the City to go through a redistricting process every 10 years, following the completion of the United States (U.S.) Census that reestablishes the boundaries of the City's electoral wards to reflect new population data and shifting populations; and WHEREAS, a Census was completed by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2020 and the data will be released in 2021; and WHEREAS, Article VII, Section 802 of the City Charter stipulates that the City is to be divided into seven (7) wards; and WHEREAS, Article VII, Section 803 of the City Charter stipulates that periodic adjustments to ward boundaries are to be made to maintain each in compact form and as nearly equal in population and possible, consistent with applicable State and Federal laws; and WHEREAS, Article VII, Section 800 of the City Charter stipulates that City primary and general elections are to be held in consolidation with the State Primary Election and the State General Election every two (2) years; and WHEREAS, Under the Fair Maps Act, the City's ward map must be adopted at least 174 days before the next City election (Elections Code §21622); and WHEREAS, the next local municipal election will be the primary election currently scheduled on June 7, 2022; and WHEREAS, it is important to engage individuals and groups throughout the City in a transparent and inclusive redistricting process to ensure that residents have fair representation in government that reflect their interests; and WHEREAS, the City Council desires to establish the Electoral Redistricting Advisory Committee by enactment of this resolution, and establish its duties and membership; and WHEREAS, participation by the members of the Committee is temporary and will terminate when the ward map based upon the 2020 U.S. Census data is adopted by the Mayor and City Council. Resolution No. 2021-70 April 7, 2021 Pagel of 4 Resolution No. 2021-70 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. The above recitals are true and correct and are incorporated herein by this reference. SECTION 2. The City Council hereby forms the Electoral Redistricting Advisory Committee, which shall be an advisory body to the Mayor and City Council. The purpose of the committee is to allow for active participation, engage community members and provide recommendations to the Mayor and City Council regarding the establishment of ward boundaries based upon the 2020 U.S. Census data, taking into consideration the following factors: (a) population, (b) topography, (c) geography, (d) cohesiveness, contiguity, integrity and compactness of territory, and (e) communities of interests. A community of interest is a contiguous population that shares common social and economic interests that should be included within a single ward for purposes of its effective and fair representation. Communities of interest shall not include relationships with political parties, incumbents, or political candidates. The geographic integrity of any local neighborhood or local community of interest shall be respected in a manner that minimizes its division to the extent possible without violating the requirements of the federal Voting Rights Act, the California Voting Rights Act, California Fair Maps Act, and the California Election Code. To the extent practicable, wards shall be drawn to encourage geographical compactness such that nearby areas of population is not bypassed for more distant areas of population. SECTION 3. The committee will be made of a total of seven (7) members with one resident of each ward to be appointed pursuant to Article VI, Section 601 of the City Charter. Participation by the members of the Committee is temporary and will terminate when the City's ward map based upon the 2020 U.S. Census data is adopted by the Mayor and City Council. SECTION 4. Each member of the committee shall serve without compensation. The Committee shall organize by electing from among its membership a chairman and a vice chairman and operate pursuant to Chapter 2.17 of the San Bernardino Municipal Code. The Committee shall meet at designated times to allow for participation by its members and the public. SECTION 5. While serving on the committee a member may not be a candidate for office nor can they endorse, work for, volunteer for, be an immediate family member of, or make Resolution No. 2021-70 Apri17, 2021 Page 2 of 4 Resolution No. 2021-70 a campaign contribution to, a candidate for any City elective office. Pursuant to Chapter 2.17 of the San Bernardino Municipal Code, no member of the committee can be employed by the City. SECTION 6. The Committee shall hold one (1) hearing and work with City staff and consultants to ensure that one (1) workshop is held in each ward before the drawing of any maps are completed and two (2) workshops are held in each ward after draft maps are prepared for review. SECTION 7. The City Council finds this Resolution is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in that the activity is covered by the general rule that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty, as in this case, that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. SECTION 8. Severability. If any provision of this Resolution or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications, and to this end the provisions of this Resolution are declared to be severable. SECTION 9. Effective Date. This Resolution shall become effective immediately. APPROVED and ADOPTED by the City Council and signed by the Mayor and attested by the City Clerk this 7b day of April, 2021. John Valdivia, Mayor City of San Bernardino Attest: Genoveva Rocha, CMC, City Clerk Approved as to form: 'Sonia Carvalho, City Atto Resolution No. 2021-70 April 7, 2021 Page 3 of 4 Resolution No. 2021-70 CERTIFICATION STATE OF CALIFORNIA) COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO) ss CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO ) I, Genoveva Rocha, CMC, City Clerk, hereby certify that the attached is a true copy of Resolution No. 2021-70, adopted at a regular meeting held on the 7t` day of April, 2021 by the following vote: AYES NAYS ABSTAIN ABSENT SANCHEZ X IBARRA X FIGUEROA X SHORETT X REYNOSO X CALVIN X ALEXANDER X WITNESS my hand and official seal of the City of San Bernardino this 8 h day of April, 2021. Genoveva Rocha, CMC, City Clerk Resolution No. 2021-70 April 7, 2021 Page 4 of 4