Recommend the City Council introduce for first reading an Ordinance establishing a by-district election process in five City Council districts pursuant to California Elections Code Section 10010, adding Chapter 2.06 of Title 2 to  the Roseville Municipal Code to provide for City Council by-district elections.

On September 4, 2019, the City Council adopted a resolution of intention to transition from at-large to by-district based elections.  Pursuant to California Elections Code Section 10010, this is the fifth and final public hearing to receive public input on the adoption of an Ordinance converting to by-district elections.

At the fourth public hearing held on November 6, 2019, the City Council selected Map 117B as the district boundary map. The City Council also decided the order of districts in future elections: 

Election Year 2020 - Districts 1, 3, 5

Election Year 2022 - Districts 2, 4

Following the 2020 election in which Vice Mayor Krista Bernasconi will be seated as Mayor, the City Council also approved a procedure to select the future Vice-Mayor and Mayor by self selection of the City Council.

Map 117B  was selected as it considered traditional district criteria and considered precinct boundaries in order to avoid as many divisions of census geography as possible. The City Council also considered public testimony and written correspondence relating to communities of interest including potential boundaries identified in the City Council's discussion (such as keeping Sun City in one district and keeping Westpark and Fiddyment Farm Neighborhood Associations in one district).

Following the 2020 decennial census, the City of Roseville will begin the process of redistricting pursuant to the provisions outlined in Assembly Bill 849, a bill for the fair and inclusive redistricting for municipalities and political subdivisions.

There is no fiscal impact associated with this specific public hearing.  The overall fiscal impact for conversion to by-district elections is estimated to be between $35,000.00 to $50,000.00. Costs include the contract for National Demographics Corporation to assist with drawing boundaries for the voting districts which was approved at the August 21, 2019 Council meeting with a cost not to exceed $30,750.00.  There are also costs for time spent by the City Clerk Department, the City Managers Office, and the City Attorney's Office.  Funds are available in the City Manager's Contingency budget.  

Should the City Council not implement the transition from an at-large election system to a by-district election system, the fiscal and administrative impacts could result in economic exposure and litigation costs.

Based upon the whole of the administrative record before it, the transition from at-large to district-based elections is exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) (Pub. Resources Code, § 21000 et seq.) pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 15000 et seq.) sections 15061(b)(3), 15320, and 15378(b)(5).  Adoption of Ordinance is an organizational and administrative activity of the City, does not have the potential to result in either a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and is therefore not a project for purposes of CEQA.  (State CEQA Guidelines, §§ 15061(b)(3); 15378(b)(5).)  In the event adoption of the Ordinance does constitute a project, it is categorically exempt under the Class 20 (Changes in the Organization of Local Governments) categorical exemption.  (State CEQA Guidelines, § 15320.)  Further, none of the exceptions to the exemptions found in State CEQA Guidelines section 15300.2 apply.  If Council adopts the Ordinance, staff will prepare, execute and file with the Placer County Clerk a CEQA Notice of Exemption within five (5) working days of the adoption of the Ordinance.

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Dominick Casey, City Manager