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 must 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 discussed options at its Council Strategic Session on January 28. It provided direction on key components of a draft ordinance on February 2 and February 23, 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
Staff revised the draft Ordinance (redline of prior draft is Attachment 2, clean copy is Attachment 3) based on the City Council's feedback on February 23. Key updates in the draft for this meeting include:
* Revisions and clarifications to the review process for proposed maps by the Redistricting Commission and the City Council (section 2.31.020(c)(4)).
* A new section that addresses scenarios of inaction by either the Redistricting Commission or the City Council (section 2.31.020(c)(5)).
* Changes related to alternate redistricting commissioners, including increasing the number of alternates from a total of three to a range of...
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