Report Prepared by: Jennifer Levesque, Assistant City Clerk, City Clerk’s Department
Title
SUBJECT: Second Reading and Final Adoption of an Ordinance Amending Chapter 1.17 Entitled City Council Districts Adding the UC Merced Annexation Area and the Virginia Smith Trust (VST) Annexation Area to City Council District 6 of the Council District Map
REPORT IN BRIEF
Second reading and final adoption Ordinance amending Chapter 1.17 adding the newly UC Merced Annexation area and the newly Virginia Smith Trust Annexation area to City Council District 6 of the Council District map.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion adopting Ordinance 2576, an Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Merced, California, Amending Chapter 1.17 Entitled “City Council Districts” of the Merced Municipal Code.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve with recommend changes by City Council; or,
2. Deny; or,
3. Refer to Staff for reconsideration of specific items; or,
4. Continue to a future meeting.
AUTHORITY
Election Code 21623, subd. (a).
DISCUSSION
Since 2012, the City has been comprised of six single-member electoral districts. In 2021/2022, after the federal decennial census and under the Fair and Inclusive Redistricting for Municipalities and Political Subdivisions (FAIR MAPS) Act (AB 849), the City Council held numerous redistricting public hearings. On March 15, 2022, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2022-07, adjusting the boundaries of City Council Election Districts following the 2020 United States Census.
Pursuant to the California Elections Code (EC), after redistricting, a city council shall not adopt new council district boundaries until after the next federal decennial census, except under the following circumstances: 1) court order; 2) the council is settling a legal claim that its boundaries violate the U.S. Constitution, the federal Voting Rights Act; 3) the boundaries of the city change by the addition of territory due to annexation or by subtraction of territory; 4) the number of council members by districts is increased or decreased; or 5) an independent redistricting commission is established to adopt new council districts between federal decennial census. (EC § 21625, subd. (a)).
On July 18, 2024, the UC Merced Annexation was approved by the Merced County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) with an effective date of August 22, 2024. This annexation added approximately 1,139 acres to the City of Merced, including Bellevue Road from G Street to the UC Merced Campus boundary (generally at Lake Road), Lake Road in front of the UC Merced Campus, and the UC Merced Campus located at the Northeast and Southeast corners of Bellevue and Lake Roads.
On September 12, 2024, the Virginia Smith Trust (VST) Annexation was approved by the Merced County LAFCO with an effective date of October 16, 2024. This annexation added approximately 649 acres to the City of Merced, including the portion of Lake Road in front of the VST property, and the VST Specific Plan area itself located east of Lake Road and directly south of the UC Merced Annexation boundary.
Since the annexation adds territory to the City, state law specifies that the City Council shall add the new territory to the nearest existing council district without changing the boundaries of other council districts. (EC § 21623, subd. (a)).
City staff reviewed the City’s current boundaries and recommends the UC Merced annexed area be absorbed by District 6 as the annexed area is adjacent to District 6. Accordingly, District 6 is the most appropriate designation until the City reviews its boundaries during the next decennial census. This adds approximately 210 registered voters to District 6. City Staff also recommends the VST annexed area be absorbed by District 6 as the annexed area is adjacent to District 6. There are no registered voters in the VST area.
Upon City Council adoption and approval, the City Clerk will transmit the City Council action to the County of Merced Registrar of Voters (ROV) to allow the ROV sufficient time to finalize boundaries. The City’s last regular municipal election was on November 5, 2024, but the new District boundary was not in place more than 125 days prior to the election, those 210 registered voters were not eligible to vote in that election but will be eligible to vote at the next City elections in 2026. The City is not expected to adjust voting districts until the next decennial census in 2030.
At the January 21, 2025, City Council meeting, Council approved the introduction of Ordinance 2576.
IMPACT ON CITY RESOURCES
None at this time.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Ordinance 2576
2. Revised Council District Map
3. Revised Council 6 District Map