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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-11-18; Independent Redistricting Commission; MinutesNov. 18, 2021 Independent Redistricting Commission Regular Meeting Page 2 • Consider boundaries by topography • Keep schools so parents do not have to drive throughout Carlsbad to drop off their children Commission Member Sardina's comments: • Agreed with Vice Chair Stanley and would also like to see a map with a beach in every district • Would like to review the quadrant idea in the city, north, south, southeast, southwest • Would like to review a map with one beach district • Agreed with geographical boundaries • Would like to review lagoons, the ocean, and how these might form a district • Include El Camino Real as it is a big divider Commission Member Arndt's comments: • Likes the idea of all districts having a part of the beach • Geographical boundaries sound like a good idea Commission Member Cadwallader's comments: • Agreed with Vice Chair Stanley but did not think City Council districts had an impact on schools. Suggested an overlay might be needed to see if what the commission is doing has an impact • Include El Camino Real • Would like to review and possibly add population unit numbers 25, 37 and 35 to District 1 instead of District 2 • Would like to consider moving tract 81 to District 4, • In the spirit of keeping the center cores of the district the way they are, the commission will be making moves around the edges of the districts to try to obtain a balance Commission Member Ashton's comments: • Would like to see data on where seniors are located are in community • Asked if there was a way to include any home-schooling data • Would like to see data on churches • Would like to get an overview of the entire community • Use the lagoons to an advantage • Would like to see data on future population growth with development planned in the city • Would like to see data on voting ages Chair Fabiano's comments: • Understands the sentiment about the beach in every district, should have maps presented that represent this sentiment • Would like to see maps offering many options for commission to review for consideration Nov. 18, 2021 Independent Redistricting Commission Regular Meeting Page 3 • Would be nice to see if commission can avoid dividing well-defined neighborhoods between districts • Would like a small change in District 4 to ensure that those who that live in the San Dieguito School District portion of Carlsbad are in the same district • Would like to see addresses of each of the current city council members marked on the maps. Commission Member Ashton added that she didn't know if residents in the northern part of Carlsbad were as aware as residents in the southern part of Carlsbad about the expansion of the Palomar Airport runway. She wanted commissioners to be reminded about the airport and what district it is located in. In response to a request from Chair Fabiano, Comm.ission Member Ashton identified areas for Ms. Kelly around the Carrillo Ranch and Poinsettia areas, with regard to flight paths and patterns and added that the airport should be acknowledged as a major landmark that could be a boundary at some point for one of the districts. Commission Member Cadwallader agreed that the commission should consider future growth, especially projects that have already been approved. She asked how many people per unit should be factored in. In response to an inquiry from Commission Member Sardina, Ms. Kelly explained the federal and state criteria and basic guidelines on the criteria for changing the core of a district. Vice Chair Stanley asked commission members if they were thinking that a change has to occur that moves District 3 over to District 2 and moves District 2 back into District 1 due to the fact that the current map presented shows District 1 with the smallest population and District 2 with the largest geographical area. Chair Fabiano responded he would like to see maps that offer a different approach to consider. The following individuals called into the meeting and voiced their comments for the record: Arnie Cohen questioned what happens to the District R maps that have been submitted with a lower population number than the actual. He added that almost all the differences between the estimated and the actual are in District 2. He further added that if his map were adjusted or other people's submitted maps were adjusted, it would throw the population deviation off. He further questioned that if District R was not going to get updated with the new population numbers, how the maps were going to be presented to the commission with accurate numbers. Jeanette Fee expressed that every district should have a foothold on the beach. She explained that this was necessary in case the beach area has an issue and was Nov. 18, 2021 Independent Redistricting Commission Regular Meeting Page4 represented by one council person, the other 4 council persons may not be interested in that issue and it could become a four against one issue. She added that if everyone has a portion of the beach, issues will be shared and will more bipartisan. She further added that on geographical uses, she agreed with using the Agua Hedionda Lagoon as a barrier and taking it up to its headwaters at El Camino Real as the other two lagoons are already barriers. She explained that there is nothing north of the lagoon at the north end of Carlsbad nor is there anything south of the lagoon located at the south end of Carlsbad. She also addressed schools, stating that she never had issues with a particular school's location in a specific district, and added that school districts are a-political, while council voting districts are political. Ms. Fee added that she was not sure that splitting up the school districts for political decisions is important. 2. PUBLIC INPUT RECEIVED IN THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS -Receive and discuss recent public input received from Oct. 28 through Nov. 14. (Staff Contact: Kristina Ray, Communication & Engagement Department) Communication and Engagement Department Director Kristina Ray and Community Relations Manager Bree Robertoy introduced the item and stated that they were available to answer any commission questions. Chair Fabiano inquired about the map depicting upcoming building projects that was included in the agenda packet. Ms. Ray explained that a member of the public included the map as an attachment to his email, regarding potential affordable housing sites. She added that there were currently sites already being processed by the city for development that may affect population, while the numbers on the included map may not. In response to an inquiry from Chair Fabiano, Ms. Ray said a list of pending developments in the city was linked to the redistricting website based on a commission request. She added it was possible to invite someone from the planning department to a future commission meeting to talk about future development. Chair Fabiano asked commission members to ask questions or express comments. Vice Chair Stanley Stanley stated she would like someone from the planning department to speak with the commission. She added that the Quarry Creek numbers should be included in District 1 or District 2. Ms. Kelly informed the commission she could review data to determine if the Quarry Creek area was populated during the count and could review this further with staff. Commission Member Sardina expressed that she didn't think it was necessary that all of the districts touch the beach. She added that everyone in Carlsbad cares about the beach and that the beach will be well represented even if not all districts touch the beach. Nov. 18, 2021 Independent Redistricting Commission Regular Meeting Page 5 Commission Member Arndt stated that the Quarry Creek area should be in District 1. She reiterated her earlier statement that all districts need to contain a portion of the beach. Commission Member Cadwallader stated that the Quarry Creek area contains the most of population units 1 and 6. She added that substantial changes would be evident if the people that located there were counted in the 2020 census. She asked about a tabulation on the comments and about neighborhood maps used by realtors. In response to an !nquiry from Commission Member Ashton, Ms. Robertoy stated that the city received one additional comment to the survey and additional public comments and emails. In response to an inquiry from Commission Member Ashton, Ms. Robertoy responded that there was no feedback or comments to a workshop, only social media posts were received. Commission Member Ashton stated that the beaches were important to everyone in the community not only as a tourist draw but also with the feel of the community. She suggested that trails be listed as a potential district boundary. She added she would like to see the survey continu~. Vice Chair Stanley expressed that every district should have a piece of the beach. In response to an inquiry from Commission Member Cadwallader, Ms. Kelly said no date was available on when the District R mapping program will be updated. Ms. Kelly also responded to Mr. Cohen's comment/inquiry. She explained that NDC has a version of Maptitude that will be used to bring the current draft maps into the program iil December. She added that on Dec. 1, all maps in the District R program will be pulled into the Maptitude program and will be updated with the final data. She further added that a member of the public created a balanced map and it is slightly off in Maptitude, this will be communicated, and information will be provided regarding the difference. In response to an inquiry from Commission Member Cadwallader, Ms. Kelly explained there are two versions of Maptitude, the public version and the version the demographers use when presenting maps to the commission. In response to an inquiry from Commission Member Ashton, Ms. Kelly said that at this time regarding population only, the paper maps contain the state adjusted population numbers. She further added that while the District R program did not have the adjusted population numbers, all other demographic data is accurate. Discussion ensued among the commission regarding the date the final district map is to be approved.