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HomeMy WebLinkAbout023 - 04/03/2012 - AMENDING CHAPTER 7 OF THE CITY CODE RELATING TO REDISTRICTING ORDINANCE NO. 023, 2012 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS AMENDING CHAPTER 7 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS RELATING TO REDISTRICTING WHEREAS, by the approval of the voters at the regular City election held April 5, 2011, Article 1I, Section 1 of the City Charter was amended to change the method for adjusting City Council district boundaries so that the size and configuration of Council districts is now based upon the number of people residing in each district rather than the number of registered electors; and WHEREAS, on June 7, 2011, the City Council adopted on second reading Ordinance No. 63, 2011, which, in relevant part, requires the City Clerk to make a recommendation to the City Council, within one year after the official decennial publication of the United States Census concerning the population of the City, as to whether any district boundary changes are necessary to ensure that, to the extent reasonably possible, there is no more than ten (10) percent deviation between the most populous and the least populous district; and WHEREAS, the U.S. Census Bureau small area population data was released to individual states between February 3, 2011 and March 24, 2011; and WHEREAS, in response to that census data, City staff had begun to formulate a recommendation to Council to make a minor adjustment to the City Council districts; and WHEREAS, City staff then received information from Larimer County indicating that . significant revisions had been made to County voting precincts and that, as a result, some City Council districts no longer consist of contiguous, undivided general election precincts as required by Section 1, Subsection(c), Article 11 of the City Charter; and WHEREAS, because of this new information, the City Clerk's office and other City staff have found it difficult to meet the one-year time frame currently required by Section 7-87(b)of the City Code; and WHEREAS, City staff has therefore recommended that the period of time specified in City Code Section 7-87(b)be changed from one year to 18 months to allow more time for the City Clerk to formulate a recommendation to the City Council with regard to any district boundary changes. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: Section 1. That Section 7-87 of Article III of Chapter 7 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is hereby amended to read as follows: Sec. 7-87. Redistricting; notice. (a) The City Council shall,by ordinance,amend the boundaries ofthe foregoing districts as necessary to comply with the provisions of Article II, Section 1(c)of the Charter. The City Clerk shall cause to be published twice, in a local newspaper of general circulation in the City,notice of the date,time and place of the City Council's consideration of any such redistricting ordinance. The first such notice shall be published no less than fourteen (14) days prior to the date of first hearing of the redistricting ordinance,and the second notice shall be published no less than ten(10) days prior to the date of the first reading of the same. (b) Not less than eighteen (18) months after the official decennial publication of the United States Census concerning the population of the City of Fort Collins,the City Clerk shall recommend to the City Council any district boundary changes necessary to ensure that, to the extent reasonably possible, there is no more than a ten percent (10%) deviation between the most populous and the least populous district. (c) Not less than once every five (5) years after making the determination required under Subsection (b) above, the City Clerk shall again review the district boundaries to determine whether the maximum deviation between the most populous and the least populous district meets the standard described in Subsection(b)above. If the standard in Subsection (b) above is not met, the City Clerk shall recommend to the City Council any district boundary changes necessary to ensure that the districts conform to such standard. (d) Any changes to district boundaries shall be established by ordinance no less than one hundred twenty (120) days before a regular municipal election. Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 20th day of March, A.D. 2012, and to be presented for final passage on the 3rd day of April, A.D. 2012. FORTCO�` ATTEST: ���• ••• ''•�y Mayr oy N V L // Interim City Clerk OLORP Passed and adopted on final reading on the 3rd day of April, A.D. 2012. Xora 4ORTC9< ATTEST: �,;' • tiN Interim City Clerk . CO.....