10-12-2021 CC RPT 18 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Redistricting Report • Page 3 a manner that minimizes its division. Council wards should be easily identifiable and understandable by residents. 3. Council wards shall be drawn to encourage geographical compactness in a manner that nearby areas of population are not bypassed in favor of more distant populations. 4. Council wards boundaries shall not be established for the purpose of favoring or discriminating against a political party. Riverside City Charter Section 402 sets forth an additional criterion that Council ward boundary adjustments during a Councilmember's term shall not result in disqualification for membership on the Council during such term. Public Hearings and Community Engagement Before adopting a final redistricting ordinance, the Fair Maps Act requires the City to conduct at least four public hearings to provide input about the composition of wards. Those include: • At least one hearing before any maps are drawn; • At least two hearings after maps are drawn; and • At least one hearing or workshop to be held on a Saturday, Sunday, or after 6 p.m. on a weekday. The public hearings shall begin at a fixed time regardless of its order on the agenda, and the City shall properly notice the time of the public hearing. The City must also take steps to encourage residents, including those in underrepresented and non-English speaking communities, to participate in the redistricting public review process. The City's outreach components will include, but are not limited to: • Utilize all of the City's media outlets, including those serving language -minority communities • Provide information through good government, civil rights, civic engagement, and community groups or organizations that are active in the City, including those active in non- English speaking communities and those that have requested to be notified about City redistricting • Produce all redistricting materials in multiple languages (including sign language) • Invite the public to submit their own maps • Conduct the public hearings with live translation in Spanish • Publish draft maps on the City's dedicated redistricting website at least seven days prior to adoption. • Record or prepare a written summary of each public comment and council or redistricting authority deliberation made at every public hearing or workshop and make available to the public within two weeks Further, the City is required to establish and maintain a website page dedicated to redistricting that includes: 1. A general explanation of the redistricting process. 2. Procedures for a member or public to comment during a public hearing or submit written testimony. 3. A calendar of all public hearings. 4. The notice and agendas for those hearings.