Placement: New Business
Action Requested: Discussion
title
Consideration of the Districting Commission Report and Recommendations Amending City Council District Boundaries Within the City of Port St. Lucie.
body
Submitted By: Anne Cox, AICP, Assistant Director.
Strategic Plan Link: The City's Goal of a high-performing city government organization.
Executive Summary (General Business): With the completion of the decennial U.S. Census, the City of Port St. Lucie is required to establish a Districting Commission to reassess that City’s election districts. The commission held several meetings and is providing their recommended City Council District Map for consideration.
Presentation Information: Anne Cox is available to answer any questions regarding the recommendation.
Staff Recommendation: Move that the Council accept the Districting Commission’s recommendation and have staff prepare the legal description and ordinance to adopt the new District Map.
Alternate Staff Recommendation:
1. Move that the Council amend the Districting Commission’s recommendation and have staff prepare the legal description and ordinance to adopt the new District Map.
2. Move that the Council provide staff direction.
Background: The Districting Commission met on September 20, 2021; October 18, 2021, and November 8, 2021 to consider recommendations for realignment of the election districts within the City. The Commission was convened by the City Council to make recommendations based on the 2020 Federal Decennial Census with the goal of balancing the population among the districts.
When formulating its recommendation, the Districting Commission utilized the support of City staff and computer mapping resources that facilitated the required balancing of the districts. These same resources will be available should the Council wish to consider amending any of the district boundaries recommended by the Districting Commission.
Issues/Analysis: Pursuant to Section 5.05 of the City Charter, each Council District “shall be formed of compact, contiguous territory [and] shall be based on the principle of equal and effective representation as required by the United States Constitution and as represented in the mathematical preciseness reached in the legislative apportionment of the state”. An ordinance will be presented which includes a map and description of the proposed Council Districts which requires public notice and a public hearing. The Council “shall adopt the redistricting ordinance at least ninety (90) days before the next regular city election” (August 23, 2022), which will be the regular Council meeting of May 23, 2022.
Financial Information: N/A
Special Consideration: N/A
Location of Project: Citywide.
Attachments:
1. Staff memorandum.
2. Proposed District Map.
NOTE: All of the listed items in the “Attachment” section above are in the custody of the City Clerk. Any item(s) not provided in City Council packets are available upon request from the City Clerk.
Internal Reference Number: 6354
Legal Sufficiency Review:
Reviewed by Frank Moehrle, Deputy City Attorney. Approved as to Legal form and sufficiency by James D. Stokes, City Attorney.