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The San Ramon City Council is set for its first public hearing Tuesday on the 2021-22 redistricting process for councilmember districts based on 2020 census data.
It will be the first of four required public hearings on the city’s redistricting process throughout the end of this year and early next year, with final maps due in April.
The council decided to take the lead on this process themselves last May, according to the staff report prepared by city attorney Mark Lysons, despite having the option of forming a commission solely aimed at assisting the process.
“Staff and the city’s consultants will facilitate public outreach and the required public hearings,” Lysons wrote in the staff report for Tuesday. “The decision on the final map will be made by the City Council, with public input provided directly to the council instead of to a separate redistricting commission.”
Michael Wagaman, the city’s third-party demographer, is set to lead the discussion following Lysons’ introduction at tomorrow’s meeting, in which he will discuss the steps of the redistricting process, and assist the council in soliciting public input and addressing comments, questions, and concerns from residents.
Wagaman is set to use input from the council and residents on Tuesday as guidance for drafting an initial map, or maps, in addition to providing residents tools for drafting and submitting their own maps, to be discussed at future public hearings.
Additional public hearings on redistricting are set for Jan. 25, Feb. 17 and March 22.
The meetings are planned to align with three steps in the public hearing process, following the initial meeting on Tuesday. These consist of presenting and soliciting comments on draft maps on Jan. 25, continued discussion on draft maps on Feb. 17, and final selection and adoption of a resolution by the council on March 22.
According to state law, a final decision must be reached by the council, and a resolution updating district boundaries adopted, no later than April 17.
The total cost of the redistricting process from the city’s general fund is conservatively estimated at $100,000, according to the staff report. This consists of $50,000 for legal counsel, $35,000 for demographer services and $15,000 for public outreach. If the council decides to have additional public hearings, or conduct additional public outreach, this could increase the total cost.
In addition to the four public hearings, the city is required to have a page on its website dedicated to general information, including procedures on participation in the process by residents, as well as a calendar and notice of public hearings, agendas, and recordings of past hearings.
The San Ramon City Council is scheduled to meet Tuesday (Nov. 9) at 7 p.m. The agenda is available here
In other business
* The council is set to discuss amending the Crow Canyon Gardens Master Plan at the request of city staff. Previously, the council approved a contract with Placeworks, Inc. which staff are recommending be amended to extend services for an additional year, through December 2022.
Staff are recommending that the council appropriate $137,000 from the city’s general fund reserves in order to fund the additional year of work, which would still be within the $300,000 that the city’s contract with Placeworks is capped at.
However, the amendment to the contract would have to be approved by the council in order for the contract to be extended for an additional year. Thus far, just over $40,000 has been spent on services through the contract.
Placeworks was awarded this contract by the city for services aimed at putting together a master plan for Crow Canyon Gardens Park, following the solicitation of proposals from the city’s on-call landscape and architecture firms.
Staff are recommending the appropriation of $137,000 from general fund reserves because the Crow Canyon Gardens facilities improvements project currently has insufficient funds ($28,352) for this portion of the overall project.
Previous work funded by the project has included a greenhouse renovation, parking lot upgrades, new fencing, and meadow restoration, which was funded with $148,063, from the Park Development Fund and bond proceeds.
* The council is set to hear a presentation by teen chair and student commissioner Jaanavi Thanamala on the Outstanding Teen Citizenship Award.
* The council is set to recognize San Ramon Government 101 graduates: Richard Adler, Mark Armstrong, Roger Bergman, Rick Butruce, Bob Davis, Jarrett Farias, Rashmi Goveas, Toni Hart, Brandon Hych, Jeanne Lee, Ethelyn Ryan, Sally Scholl, Stephanie Tirman, Srinivas Vadhri, Kenny Vuong, Jack Worthington and Simone Finney
* The council is set to evaluate the city attorney in a closed session.
