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Home My WebLink About11A - ORDINANCE SECOND READING NEW CITY COUNCIL WARD BOUNDARY LINES REQUEST FOR w...~= COUNCIL ACTION CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: CLERK OF COUNCIL USE ONLY: JANUARY 17, 2012 TITLE: APPROVED ? As Recommended ORDINANCE SECOND READING - NEW ? As Amended CITY COUNCIL WARD BOUNDARY LINES ? Ordinance on 15t Reading ? Ordinance on 2"d Reading ? Implementing Resolution ? Set Public Hearing For CONTINUED TO FILE NUMBER CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDED ACTION Place ordinance on second reading and adopt. DISCUSSION At the December 19, 2011 City Council Meeting, the City Council directed the Clerk of the Council to meet with members of the community interested in learning about the process taken to develop the proposed ward boundary map. It was noted that if reasonable suggestions were provided the City Council may reconsider final adoption of Ward re-boundary map. As of January 12, 2012, the Clerk of the Council Office has only received one request for a presentation from the Santa Ana Coalition for Better Government. The organization has submitted a letter for the record including suggestions for City Council consideration. An alternative ward re-boundary map is expected prior to the City Council Meeting, and will be made available for the record and public as soon as it is received. FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact associated with this action. Maria D. Huizar, Clerk of the Council Attachment 1 - Ordinance adopting proposed new Ward boundaries Attachment 2 - Correspondence received 11 A-1 I 11 A-2 ATTACHMENT 1 11 A-3 ORDINANCE NO. NS-XXXX AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA CHANGING AND ESTABLISHING THE BOUNDARY LINES OF THE WARDS OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA AND REPEALING ORDINANCE NO. NS-2156 WHEREAS, heretofore, on December 5, 2011, the City Council by its Resolution 2011-078, declared its intention to change the boundary lines of the Wards in the City of Santa Ana, which said Resolution was regularly published as required by Section 101.4 of the Charter of the City of Santa Ana and gave notice of public hearing to be held on December 19, 2011; NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: Section 1: That the boundaries of the wards of the City of Santa Ana are hereby changed and established as set forth on the map attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit 1. Section 2: That the Clerk of the Council shall cause a map diagram showing the new boundary lines of each and every ward to be published in the Orange County Register not less than thirty (30) days prior to the general municipal election. ADOPTED this day of )2011 Miguel A. Pulido Mayor APPROVED AS TO FORM: By: Melissa Crosthwaite Deputy City Attorney 11 A-4 AYES: Councilmembers NOES: Councilmembers ABSTAIN: Councilmembers NOT PRESENT: Councilmembers CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTATION AND ORIGINALITY I, MARIA D. HUIZAR, Clerk of the Council, do hereby attest to and certify that the attached Ordinance No. NS-XXX to be the original ordinance adopted by the City Council of the City of Santa Ana on , and that said ordinance was published in accordance with the Charter of the City of Santa Ana. Date: Clerk of the Council City of Santa Ana 11 A-5 11 A-6 LA VETA AV t s U) _ N 4= GARDEN GROVE BLVD O m • F z FAIRHAVEN AV > SANTA CLARA AV w J W p LL (n JO O LL ca W T I TER AV 17TH ST m m > 17TH ST zz U) WA HIN O V 4a ¢ U Z HAZARD F.. Q CIVIC C NTER DR m 3 ~ z SANTA ANA BLVD m m 1ST ST 1ST ST p 1ST ST cr J U Q N Q CHESTNUTA w = ~ (f)) IMLLITS ST p > O ¢ MC FADDE AV of LL m o z 2 a H co MC FADDEN AV EDINGER AV O ~ U) EDINGER AV T EDINGER AV F- F- co g (a w 0 ? 1 6LL m WARNER AV m WARNER AV ~y co o R~~P SEGERSTROM AV m DYER RD Oy qL ~ F~~G J P i LL O MACARTH BLVD AV 9~T tiG ~B DLO City of Santa Ana CITY COUNCIL WARD BOUNDARIES Adopted January 17, 2011 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 Miles 11 A-7 11 A-8 ATTACHMENT 2 11 A-9 11A-10 01 1 J!, 2- 10: 14 SANTA A At COALITION FOR BETTER Gov r= kNMEN'T PO BOX 4086, SANTA ANA, CA, 92702. FPPC ID # 1311410 January 12, 2012 Mr. Paul Walters Interim Santa Ana Manager 20 Civic Center Plaza, 8th Floor R O. Box 1988, M31 Santa Ana, CA 92701 Dear Mr. Walters: The Santa Ana Coalition for Better Government (SACBG) is a community organization comprised of local residents and stakeholders encouraging civic participation while promoting and advocating for efficient, transparent, accountable and ethical governance by the elected and administrative officials of the City of Santa Ana. We are writing this letter on behalf of the Board of Directors regarding concerning in response to the City Council's Ward redistricting process. It is apparent that the current process involving the public in this important decision is simply the bare minimum required by the City's Charter. While this satisfies existing legal precedent, we believe that a decision as important as defining new council ward boundaries, which will impact future decisions in the city for the next decade, requires public input from all sectors of the city. As such, we urge the city to involve the public in this important process before making its final decision. We are making this request because the new ward boundaries now under consideration were conceived behind closed doors by three council members. The product of these secret meetings was based solely on the population, and without regard to other critical factors that define a "community of interest." As we mentioned to City Clerk Maria Huizar in our recent meeting with her, the proposed redistricting further divides neighborhoods, particularly ones plagued by crime, poverty and lack of public participation while leaving the more affluent neighborhoods in tact. The proposed re-districting plan splits Willard, Madison Park, Memorial Park, Santa Anita Park, Riverview West, Central City, Pico Lowell, and Downtown neighborhoods. By giving these poorer neighborhoods more than one city council member, the new ward system dilutes the power of neighbors to organize to lobby for common interests. The Santa Anita neighborhood, which has long been represented by three council members, is an example 1 11A-11 of how numerous representatives have not helped combat problems that weaken our entire city. As City Council members, you are well aware of how public input can affect electoral representation. Some council members participated in recent public hearings that were conducted to determine federal representation. Under the City Charter, the council has until April 8, 2012, to conduct a more thorough, transparent process to determine council representation that will affect the city for a decade. In a city with low voter turnout and low median income, we must do more than just the bare minimum to encourage public participation in such a critical decision. Our Coalition recommends the following: 1. Two public hearings to get more public participation 2. Subsequent public meetings in which various proposals are considered 3. Greater dissemination of information about these hearings, their purpose and the long-term effect of redistricting. This effort would include press releases to Spanish and Vietnamese-language media, letters to all residents and emails to all registered voters. 4. Consideration of a Coalition map, which would leave Wards One and Three the same, make slight changes to Ward Two and retool Wards Four and Five. This map was submitted to City Clerk Maria Huizar. We look forward to your timely reply to tell us how this process will be modified to ensure the broader public participation. Thank you for your consideration of this very important issue. Sincerely, Alfredo Amezcua on behalf of the Santa Ana Coalition for Better Government CC: Mayor Miguel Pulido Mayor Pro Tern Claudia Alvarez City Council Member Michele Martinez City Council Member Sal Tinajero City Council Member David Benavides City Council Member Carlos Bustamante City Council Member Vincent Sarmiento Andrew Galvin, OC Register Nicole Santa Cruz, LA Times Adam Elmahrek, Voice of OC Gustavo Arellano, OC Weekly American Civil Liberties Union 11A-12