07-22-2002 Regular Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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• • CITY OF LA PORTE INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM June 4, 2002 TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Robert T. Herrera, City Manager SUBJECT: Redistricting Following Council's discussion of the redistricting map on the evening of May 20, staff began to analyze the affects of the modifications proposed by Council. It was during this analysis that an error in calculating the populations for Districts 1, 3, and 4 was discovered. This error was hidden within the information submitted by the Redistricting Committee and creates erroneous population totals for Districts 1, 3, and 4. The base maps delivered to the City by the Census Bureau, show Block 3000 in Census Tract 3433. This particular Block takes in the entire airport, portions of Spencer Landing and Glenmeadows, and houses along the south side of "H" Street. In addition, this Block has a population of 567. On the redistricting map, parts of Block 3000 are included in Districts 1, 3, and 4. However, the entire 567 population is calculated only into the District 4 population. The effect of this error is an over-population of District 4 and an under-population of District 1. To correct this error, staff manually separated Block- 3000 into components for the three Districts. This subtracted population from District 4 and dropped its population considerably below the 5% threshold -and at the same time, this added population to District 1 and increased its population considerably above the 5% threshold. District 3 gained a small amount of population but stayed within the 5% threshold. Staff attempted to balance District 1 by shifting Blocks in Glenmeadows from District 1 to District 6. This reduced District 1 to a population below the 5% threshold and increased District 6 to a population that is still below the 5% threshold. District 4 is still below the 5% threshold and will need additional map changes to increase its population.