REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Discussion and Direction on Ordinance Establishing a Public Process for Redistricting
Report
BACKGROUND
Sunnyvale voters adopted a six-district Council election system with a directly-elected mayor (Measure B) on March 3, 2020. As part of Measure B (Sunnyvale City Charter section 609(b)), Council is required to adopt an ordinance establishing a public process for redistricting. Staff provided an overview of the redistricting process at a study session on January 12. Council further discussed options at its Council Strategic Session on January 28. Council discussion focused on the option of establishing a redistricting commission. On February 2, Council provided direction on some of the key components for establishing a redistricting commission, summarized in Attachment 1.
EXISTING POLICY
Sunnyvale City Charter section 609(c): “The City Council shall adopt an ordinance establishing a public process for redistricting. Such ordinance shall be adopted in sufficient time for redistricting following release of the 2020 federal Census.”
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” with the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines sections 15320,15378 and 15061(b)(3) as it is an organizational structure change and does not have the potential to result in either a direct or reasonable foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
DISCUSSION
Based on the City Council’s comments on February 2, staff prepared a draft ordinance (Attachment 2) to create a public process for redistricting. It includes requirements established in federal and state law and a hybrid-format redistricting commission of seven members and three alternates. The Commission would be responsible for holding public hearings to gather public input and narrowing map options to three to five recommended maps. Recommended maps would be forwarded to the City Council for final approval.
It is important to note that the draft Ordinance includes certain elements that were not discussed on February 2. These elements are not staff recommendations, but are simply provided to help the Council visualize an Ordinance that describes the full redistricting process. In general, staff tried to include provisions that align with the City Council Policy on Boards and Commissions and common standards in redistricting ordinances from other jurisdictions. The Council should provide guidance to staff on elements it wishes to change, add, or delete. Staff will then revise the draft Ordinance based on the Council’s direction and bring forward a final Ordinance for introduction at a future meeting, ideally in March. This would provide sufficient time to complete the Commissioner application and appointment process before the City receives the Census data.
At its February 2 meeting, Council also requested a copy of the application for the Citizen’s Advisory Committee (CAC). Council formed the CAC in 2019. It advised staff on outreach efforts related to a transition to district-based elections. A Council subcommittee developed the CAC application (Attachment 3). A separate Council subcommittee reviewed applications and interviewed highly qualified candidates. The subcommittee nominated CAC members to the City Council. The City Council appointed CAC members in a public meeting.
Staff prepared a draft application for the redistricting commission for Council consideration (Attachment 4). The draft application borrows elements from the CAC application.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact at this time. Staff estimates that the public process for redistricting will cost approximately $150,000. Staff will request funding at a later time.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, Sunnyvale Public Library and Department of Public Safety. In addition, the agenda and report are available at the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Discuss and provide direction to staff on the draft redistricting ordinance.
Staff
Prepared by: Jaqui Guzmán, Deputy City Manager and Melissa Tronquet, Assistant City Attorney
Reviewed by: Teri Silva, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Redistricting Commission Components
2. Draft Ordinance
3. 2019 CAC Application
4. Draft Application for Redistricting Commission