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Home My WebLink About2022-04-18 Minutes Meridian Districting Committee Meeting Agenda City Council Chambers, 33 East Broadway Avenue Meridian, Idaho Monday, April 18, 2022 at 3:30 PM CALL TO ORDER The City Clerk called the meeting to order at 3:34 p.m. ROLL CALL ATTENDANCE Committee members present: Jo Greer, Pam Jagosh, Megan Larsen, John Nesmith, Steve Cory, Walter Steed, Brian McClure, Doug Green, Kurt Starman, Trent Tripple Others in attendance: Chris Johnson ACTION ITEMS 1. Committee Member Introductions Members of the committee were introduced. The six voting members are Jo Greer, Pam Jagosh, Megan Larsen, John Nesmith, Steve Cory, and Walter Steed. Ex-officio members include Doug Green (Information Technology), Brian McClure (Community Development/Planning), and Trent Tripple (Ada County Clerk's Office). Kurt Starman and Chris Johnson were also introduced. 2. Overview of Idaho Open Meetings Law and Public Records Act Deputy City Attorney Kurt Starman reviewed the Idaho Open Meetings Law and the Public Records Act. Document submitted to the record. 3. Overview of Idaho State Law Requiring Districting, Commission Duties as outlined in Ordinance 22-1972, and Current Case Law Deputy City Attorney Kurt Starman reviewed Idaho Code section 50-707A and reviewed the duties of the committee as outlined in City of Meridian Ordinance 22-1972 and case law as it relates to the duty of the committee. Trent Tripple spoke about the differences between how Ada County Election precincts are set (registered voters) and City Council Districts (census population data). Document submitted to the record. The Meridian Districting Committee convenes to establish City Council districts for the City of Meridian pursuant to Idaho Code section 50-707A and the Ordinances of the City of Meridian 4. Review and Discussion of Potential District Maps and Methodology Doug Green presented three potential maps and discussed the methodology used in their creation. Brian McClure provided additional background information. Trent Tripple observed that the districts provided by Ada County may have been incorrect. Presentation included in the record. 5. Election of Chair and Vice-Chair Jo Greer was nominated as Chair by Larsen, Seconded by Nesmith. All in favor. Megan Larsen was nominated as Vice-Chair. Seconded by Greer. All in favor. 6. Adoption of Committee Meeting Schedule The committee set the date for the next meeting as Friday, April 29, 2022 at 1:30 p.m. At that meeting, the Chair will present a meeting schedule for adoption. ADJOURNMENT 4:58 p.m. NEXT MEETING: Friday, April 29, 2022 at 1:30 p.m. A recoding of the meeting is on file with the City Clerk’s Office Page | 2 Meridian Districting Committee Background Information Open Meetings Law All Committee meetings must:  Be noticed;  Be open to the public;  Provide the opportunity for all persons to attend;  Follow published/adopted agenda; and  Be memorialized via summary minutes. Public Records Act A public record includes “any writing containing information relating to the conduct or administration of the public’s business prepared, owned, used or retained by any . . . local agency regardless of physical form or characteristics.” I.C. § 74-101(13). Idaho Code section 50-707A (1) Any city having . . . more than one hundred thousand (100,000) inhabitants based upon the most recent federal decennial census shall establish districts and shall elect councilmen by districts for districts so established. . . . (2) Each district shall consist of one (1) or more contiguous election precincts as established pursuant to the provisions of chapter 3, title 34, Idaho Code, and each district shall, to the nearest extent possible, contain the same number of people based upon the most recent federal decennial census. (3) Each city establishing districts for the election of councilmen by districts shall establish the number of districts corresponding to the number of council seats determined by the city pursuant to section 50-701, Idaho Code . . . . Legal Considerations “Each district shall consist of one (1) or more contiguous election precincts . . . .” I.C. § 50- 707A(2). “\[E\]ach district shall, to the nearest extent possible, contain the same number of people . . . .” I.C. § 50-707A(2). Constitution of the United States / Equal Protection Clause (one-person, one-vote). “\[T\]he overriding objective must be substantial equality of population among the various districts . . . .” Reynolds v. Sims, 377 U.S. 533, 579 (1964). 1 An apportionment plan with a maximum population deviation of 10 percent or more creates a prima facie case of discrimination. Brown v. Thomson, 462 U.S. 835, 842-43 (1983). “Maximum population deviation expresses the difference between the least populous district and most populous district in terms of the percentage those districts deviate from the ideal district size. (The ideal district size is calculated by dividing the total population by the number of districts.)” Idaho Legislative Reapportionment Plan of 2002 v. Ysursa, 142 Idaho 464, 467 n.1 (2005). City of Meridian Ideal District Size: 117,635 / 6 = 19,606 Committee’s Primary Duties Act independently without regard to the residency of elected officials or potential candidates. MCC § 1-7-11(B)(3). Establish and number six City Council districts. MCC § 1-7-11(B)(1). Assign numbered City Council seats to the numbered City Council districts. MCC § 1-7- 11(B)(2). Conduct a minimum of two public hearings concerning the draft districting map. MCC § 1-7- 11(E)(2). Transmit the Meridian Districting Plan to the City Clerk no later than June 28, 2022. MCC § 1-7- 11(E)(3); Resolution 22-2320. 2 Explanation of Council Districting Sources and methods of preparing maps and reference data IT GIS February 17, 2022 uskltk Cloverdale S ,�SNiidi Perkins City of Meridian, County of Ada, Esri Canada, Esri, HERE, Garmin, SafeGraph,GeoTechnologies, Inc, METI/NA... Powered by Esri Meridian City Ordinance 22-1972 specifies that 6 City Council Districts must be established based on decennial Census data published on April 1, 2020. So we began with the area designated by the US Census Bureau as Meridian, Idaho. Population 117,635 NJ !I ■ i F, i� ��_ '� G ��r.'l � i�'L'1�� - UsOck nig }��}, 'lira � � ;IMF��■■//++ � �I- F. Ai—.rr� � it C41� z. � =-Cloverdale r.� +TRE 5onna'�iile. . f1�12;11" I r izra-'�N% Perkins Xg #MR �dL � City of Meridian,County of Ada, Esri Canada, Esri, HERE, Garmin, SafeGraph,GeoTechnologies, Inc, METI/NA... Powered by Esri Census Blocks were then selected that cover the area within the City of Meridian. A validation step was performed to confirm that the sum of the population of the individual blocks matched that of the total City of Meridian Population: Population 117,635 Ustick off. -- fl nrrl�ln City of Meridian,County of Ada, Esri Canada, Esri, HERE, Garmin, SafeGraph,GeoTechnologies, Inc, METI/NA... Powered by Esri Every ten years following the national census, the Idaho Commission on Reapportionment establishes new Congressional and Legislative district boundaries. Based on those districts, Ada County defines voting precincts within the county. Precincts are used to determine where residents vote and how many residents vote in the same location. State law specifies that Council Member Districts must align with voting precincts and the precincts are mostly aligned with Census Blocks. View Aligned Boundaries However, there are two Census blocks that were split by a precinct boundary. Block 2017 with a population of 133 and Block 2009 with a population of 215. View Census Block 2017 View Census Block 2009 Because of this and due to the Census block borders not perfectly aligning with precinct boundaries, a map analysis technique was used which creates points of the Census blocks and assigns the sum of the population values from these points to the precincts they fall within. The 4 precincts affected by these splits will have a slightly misrepresented population. Show Census Block Points 8s Ustick 2.823 : 3.44 2,73z � 3.68*7 I. erdaIe i 3 :3.326 i-in3 1 45 Perkins 4 � 3 15m%.103 City of Meridian,County of Ada, Esri Canada, Esri, HERE, Garmin, SafeGraph,GeoTechnologies, Inc, METI/NA... Powered by Esri Why not divide the population of split blocks? Splitting Census Blocks and trying to estimate what portion of the population should be assigned to each portion introduces error into our analysis. Without a standardized method for splitting these blocks or a resurvey of these areas (which would be time consuming, expensive, and heavily scrutinized), using the point method above is a widely used and acceptable method of addressing this type of issue. In this case, the maximum error possible is <215 persons. How will this data be used? Understanding the process illustrated above is important for citizens and members of the Meridian Districting Committee because the precincts will be used as building blocks to form the Council Districts. The new Council Districts will be formed by grouping sets of precincts together. ,9s7 86 Ustick _a2 l erdale 3.}13 M ian � a Perkins City of Meridian,County of Ada, Esri Canada, Esri, HERE, Garman, �diUUIaph, GeoTechnologies, Inc, METI/NA... Powered by Esri Potential District Maps The City's ordinance requires that three potential districting maps be prepared for the Committee's initial consideration. Scroll down to view the three maps. The Committee may utilize one of these potential districting maps, or develop one of their own. Option #1 - Variance: 13.9% District 1: Pop. 18,133 District 2: Pop. 19,839 District 3: Pop. 20,852 District 4: Pop. 20,091 District 5: Pop. 20,252 District 6: Pop. 18,468 Show District Map Option #1 Option #2 - Variance: 11.4% District 1: Pop. 19,749 District 2: Pop. 19,568 District 3: Pop. 18,645 District 4: Pop. 20,885 District 5: Pop. 18,738 District 6: Pop. 20,050 Show District Map Option #2 Option #3 - Variance 9.7% District 1: Pop. 19,496 District 2: Pop. 20,601 District 3: Pop. 20,614 District 4: Pop. 18,712 District 5: Pop. 19,254 District 6: Pop. 18,958 F Show District Map Option #3 Aligned Boundaries fa gie K 1,44.0 236 9 Garden City ,66 15 3,99.7 .86 u5tick 3,424 2,823 4,459 3,323-l(iercale d�.:3,917 PorkIns 3,583 343 1,103 2,120 —A Ki.w Census Block 2009 Example Population of 133 precinct#2001 assigned to prec _ 1 Census Block 2017 4M split by precinct boundary Precinct#2001 Precinct#2014 Census Block 2017 Example Mi } Population of 215 assigned to precinct#2009 k: Precinct#2009 Precinct 02015 J Census Block 2009 split by precinct boundary M 5[ar Census Block Points £agie CI erdale IT r.:D District Map Option 1 Eagle 1,446 236 Garden City 4,606 3.597 3,664 2,990 4,653 5.183 �4.000 3,532 3,997 86 Ustick �3,424 . 2.823 4.459 2.734 3.398 3.BSr7 3.323_i erdale 3.113 3.826 4:235 3,917 Perkins 4.483 1.598, 3,533 3.714 1,772 Nampa 4.720 343 3.712 4.584 1.103 1,036 Kings Corner District Map Option Z 3 4024 86 2.120 ''' . District Map Option 3 1,446 236 4.606 3,59.7 2;990 3,684 $.997' 4,653 5,183 , 'pp 3,52 - 86 3,424 2.823 4,459 2 734 3,398 3. 8+7 3,323 3,113 3,826 4:235 3,917 d,4$5. 1,588 3.583 3,714 1,772 a 4,72U J7343 3,712 4.5.84 1.103 2.120 1,036 LLMLL Kings Corner