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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 10/15/2002 - HEARING AND FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 152, 20 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY ITEM NUMBER: t6 DATE: October 15, 2002 FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL FROM • Wanda Krajicek SUBJECT : Hearing and First Reading of Ordinance No. 152,2002,Adopting a Proposed District-Precinct Map. I RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: This Ordinance adopts a new District-Precinct Map,which is made necessary by changes in County precinct boundaries approved by the Larimer County Board of Commissioners on March 11. 2002, and a Charter requirement to review district boundaries before the next biennial election. CKGROUND: State Legislative Districts, County Commissioner Districts, and County Precincts Under the Colorado Constitution, redistricting of state legislative districts is done every 10 years, after each federal census of the United States. Redistricting involves redrawing the boundary tines of the 65 districts in the Colorado State House of Representatives and the 35 districts in the Colorado State Senate, using criteria set out in federal law and the Colorado Constitution. This redistricting, also known as reapportionment, was approved by the Colorado Supreme Court on February 22, . 2002. Changes to the boundaries of representative and senatorial districts, as well as changes to County Commissioner district boundaries required prior to the reapportionment,drive changes to the County precinct lines. County precincts are established taking into consideration (1) natural and artificial boundaries that meet the requirements of the U.S. bureau of the census; (2) district boundaries of each representative and senatorial district(precinct boundaries cannot cross over representative and senatorial district boundaries): and (3) the number of active eligible electors within each proposed precinct. In addition, potential growth is also taken into consideration. On March 11, 2002, the Latimer County Board of Commissioners approved new County precinct boundaries, and at the same time, implemented a new precinct number system required by Section 1-5-101.5, C.R.S. i DATE: October 15, 2002 2 ITEM NUMBER: 16 City Precincts and Council Districts Section 7-66 of the City Code, which provides for the establishment of election precincts, states: "Insofar as practicable,boundaries of election precincts in the city shall correspond with the election precincts established by the county." Section 7-66 gives the Council the power to change or alter election precincts at any time. I Charter Requirements Regarding District Boundary Changes Council district boundaries are reviewed each fall prior to the regular biennial election,pursuant to Article II, Section 1 of the City Charter, which requires that the City Clerk determine if the number of registered electors in the District containing the lowest number of registered electors is less than 85%of the number of registered electors in the District containing the highest number of registered 1 electors. If so, the City Clerk must recommend to the Council ,changes to the District boundaries, which must be established by ordinance at least 120 days before the election. This formula for determining District boundaries was approved by the voters at the April 8, 1997 election. 1 Proposed District-Precinct Map The proposed District-Precinct Map conforms the City precincts to the County precincts, and also draws district boundary lines that achieve the mandated balance of active registered voters in each district. In developing the proposed map, staff took into consideration the following: (1) Alignment of City and County precinct boundaries; (2) Alignment of Council district boundaries to precinct boundaries; (3) The number of active registered electors in each proposed district; and (4) The residence address of each Councilmember,so that no Councilmember is disenfranchised from his or her district. i i The recommended district boundaries will provide the following balance in registered voters.based on data obtained from the County as of September 27, 2002. Active Registered Voters District 1 10,653 District 2 10,104 District 3 9,463 District 4 10,983 District 5 10,593 District 6 10,677 TOTAL 62,473 These proposed district boundaries result in District 3 having the lowest number of active registered voters (9,463), which is 86% of the number of voters in the highest district, District 4 (10,5983. DATE: October 15, 2002 3 ITEM NUMBER: 16 Noteworthy Benefits of Collective Boundary Changes The changes made by the state reapportionment and County precinct changes are perceived by staff to have the following benefits for the City: (1) With few areas of exception,College Avenue is the dividing line between the east and west sides of town. (2) The number of precincts encompassing land inside of the city limits has dropped from 97 to 73, which will result in lower election costs by reducing the number of ballot styles by approximately 25%. i j Notice of Proposed Redistricting As required by Section 7-87 of the City Code, notice of the date, time and place of Council's consideration of this redistricting ordinance was published twice in the Coloradoan, on October 2 and October 4 (not less than 14 days and not less than 10 days before First Reading). In addition, notice was posted on the City's web site. No comments were received in the City Clerk's Office. Attachments • Proposed District-Precinct map • Copy of the notice that was published in the Coloradoan • ORDINANCE NO. 152, 2002 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS ADOPTING A PROPOSED DISTRICT-PRECINCT MAP WHEREAS, Article 11, Section 1 of the Charter requires that the City be divided into six Council districts, each representing one contiguous, reasonably compact unit; and WHEREAS, no later than 180 days before each regular biennial election, the City Clerk is to determine if the number of registered electors in the district containing the lowest number of registered electors is less than 85%of the number of registered electors in the district containing the highest number and,if so,the City Clerk is to recommend to the Council district boundary changes, which shall be established by ordinance at least 120 days before the election; and WHEREAS, in February, 2002,pursuant to the requirements of the Colorado Constitution, the Colorado Supreme Court approved a plan for redistricting of state legislative districts; and WHEREAS, following the redistricting of state legislative districts, the Larimer County Board of Commissioners approved new County precinct boundaries; and WHEREAS, Section 7-66 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins requires that city election precincts correspond, insofar as practicable, with the election precincts established by the County; and WHEREAS,the election precincts established by the City,as shown on the District-Precinct Map dated November 17, 2000, no longer correspond with the election precincts established by the County as required by Section 7-66 of the City Code; and WHEREAS, due to the establishment of new County precinct boundaries, the City Clerk is unable to obtain voter registration information specific to the City's existing Council districts and therefore is unable to perform the comparison of numbers of registered electors in each District as described in Article 11, Section 1 of the Charter; and WHEREAS, alternatively, the City Clerk has prepared a proposed District-Precinct Map which aligns the City's election precincts with those established by Larimer County, as required by Section 7-66 of the City Code, and which achieves a balance of registered voters in each Council district as set forth in Article II, Section I of the Charter; and WHEREAS, the City Council wishes to adopt the proposed District-Precinct Map, dated November 15, 2002, and to establish the applicability of the District-Precinct Map for certain purposes. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS that the District-Precinct Map, dated November 15, 2002, which is on file in the office of the City Clerk and available for public inspection, is hereby adopted and shall be in effect for the following purposes: (1) to determine eligibility for appointment to fill any vacancy in Council office which may occur following the effective date of this ordinance; (2) to determine residency for voter registration purposes for any initiative, referendum or recall process which may commence following the effective date of this ordinance; (3) to determine residency for voter registration purposes for any actions required during any recall effort which may occur following the effective date of this ordinance, regardless of the date that such recall effort may have been commenced; (4) to determine residency for voter registration purposes for any special municipal election held following the effective date of this ordinance, regardless of the date of any actions taken prior to the effective date of the ordinance which result in a special election; and (5) to be used in all matters relating to the next regular biennial election to be held on April 8, 2003, including eligibility for District Council offices. Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 15th day of October, A.D. 2002, and to be presented for final passage on the 5th day of November, A.D. 2002. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk Passed and adopted on final reading this 5th day of November, A.D. 2002. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk NOTICE OF PROPOSED ® e 0 CITY PRECINCT AND _ COUNCIL DISTRICT BOUNDARY CHANGES The Fort Collins City Council will be considering an ordinance on October 15,2002 to amend the city precinct and Council district boundaries. The proposed changes are a direct result of recent reapportionment of state legisla- tive district boundaries and changes to the Larimer County precinct boundaries. Interested individuals are invited to comment on the proposed boundary change at the October 15,2002 City Council meeting,which begins at 6:00 p.rrL in the City Council Chambers,City Hall West,300 Laporte Avenue. Any registered elector desiring to protest the proposed redis- tricting may file a written protest setting forth with particularity the grounds of protest. The notice of protest must be submitted to the City Clerk's Office, City Hall West,300 LaPorte Avenue,P.O. Box 580,Fort Collins, CO 80522, no later than Tuesday,October 8,2002. For more information,contact Rita Harris, Chief Deputy City Clerk,at 221-6516. The Dry of Fort CalGnr uaUmake reasonable t; aaommodatrons for aaess to City sennees, programs and aetmrtres and mall make,pedal eommmmeation arrangements for persons math drrabdaes. Please eaam6i 16 for assrstanse. jij%o FF