Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission Regular Meeting of the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission / Reunion Regular de la Comision Ciudadana Independiente de Redistritacion - This regular meeting will follow a hybrid format (virtual and in-person). Please see agenda for details
Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (ICRC) Sept. 8, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. Permitting and Development Center (PDC); Event Center 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr. Austin, TX 78752 Some members of the Commission may be participating by videoconference. CURRENT COMMISSION MEMBERS: Prabhu Kannan Brigham Morris Errol Hardin Eugene Schneider Erin Dempsey Luis Gonzalez, Vice-Chair Dr. Sterling Lands Hoang Le Shaina Kambo Sara Inés Calderón Selina Yee Christina Puentes, Chair Joshua Blank Camellia Falcon AGENDA Meeting Goals: Discussion on presented draft maps; Discussion on public forum structure; Receive Updates from Working Groups/Subcommittees CALL TO ORDER CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first three speakers who register to speak no later than noon the day before the meeting will be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Discussion and possible action on the Sept. 1, 2021, ICRC meeting minutes. 2. UNFINISHED BUSINESS The ICRC may discuss and take action on the following agenda items A. Discussion on public forum structure & protocols B. Updates from Working Groups/Subcommittees 1. Communications Working Group 2. Public Forums Working Group 3. Finance Subcommittee 4. Final Report Subcommittee 3. NEW BUSINESS The ICRC may discuss and take action on the following agenda items A. Presentation of map from the NAACP/Hispanic Coalition B. Presentation of draft map by George Korbel, ICRC mapping specialist C. Discussion of draft map presented by Korbel D. Housekeeping FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please call Matt Dugan at the Housing and Planning Department, at 512-974-7665 and matthew.dugan@austintexas.gov, for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, please contact Matt Dugan at 512-974-7665 and matthew.dugan@austintexas.gov or Lisa Rodriguez at 512-974-3119 and lisa.rodriguez@austintexas.gov.
Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (ICRC) Sept. 1, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. Permitting and Development Center (PDC) 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr. Austin, TX 78752 CURRENT COMMISSION MEMBERS: Prabhu Kannan Brigham Morris Errol Hardin Eugene Schneider Erin Dempsey Luis Gonzalez, Vice-Chair Dr. Sterling Lands Hoang Le Shaina Kambo Sara Inés Calderón Selina Yee Christina Puentes, Chair Joshua Blank Camellia Falcon Staff In Attendance Matthew Dugan, City's Planning Manager George Korbel, Mapping Specialist Christine Granados, ICRC Administrative Manager Members in Attendance Christina Puentes, Chair Luis Gonzalez, Vice Chair Joshua Blank Sara Inés Calderón Camellia Falcon Errol Hardin Shaina Kambo Dr. Sterling Lands Hoang Le Eugene Schneider Selina Yee DRAFT MINUTES Meeting Goals: Discussion on public forums and mapping process; Receive Updates from Working Groups/Subcommittees CALL TO ORDER Chair Puentes called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m. with nine members present. Commissioner Lands joined at 6:07 p.m. and Commissioner Le joined virtually at 6:30 p.m. CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first three speakers who register to speak no later than noon the day before the meeting will be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. Fred Lewis addressed the commission on behalf of the NAACP and Hispanic Coalition about the need to follow the City Charter during the mapping process. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Discussion and possible action on the Aug. 25, 2021, ICRC meeting minutes. The Aug. 25, 2021 draft minutes were approved without objection. 2. UNFINISHED BUSINESS The ICRC may discuss and take action on the following agenda items A. Discussion on mapping process with mapping specialist 1. Presentation on city demographic data Korbel presented his methodology for the mapping process using Census numbers. 2. Individual commissioner conversations Korbel discussed why one-on-one input from commissioners was helpful during the mapping process. Chair Puentes shared the details for signing up for the optional, recorded one-on-one meetings scheduled Sept. 9-12, 2021. B. Update from Public Forum Working Group 1. Discussion of calendar changes Vice Chair Gonzalez shared the addition of two public meeting dates for the county precinct forums. On Vice Chair Gonzalez’s motion, Commissioner Blank's second, the ICRC unanimously approved the proposed 2021 county precinct public forum dates. 2. Discussion on better way to integrate and address questions asked by public at public forums Commissioner Hardin shared suggestions for how to structure the second round of public forums and address questions from the public. C. …
From: Sent: To: Subject: Betsy Greenberg Monday, September 6, 2021 9:30 AM HPD ICRC Commissioners Draft redistricting maps > *** External Email - Exercise Caution *** I hope you will make sure that electronic copies of the draft maps are posted to the commission website. Thank you! Betsy Greenberg CAUTION: This email was received at the City of Austin, from an EXTERNAL source. Please use caution when clicking links or opening attachments. If you believe this to be a malicious and/or phishing email, please forward this email to cybersecurity@austintexas.gov. 1
HPD ICRC Commissioners From: Sent: To: Subject: Attachments: Pete Gilcrease Wednesday, September 8, 2021 10:56 AM HPD ICRC Commissioners District Mapping Suggestions - D9 - Hyde Park (From Friends of Hyde Park President) HPBoundaries2.png *** External Email - Exercise Caution *** Dear Commissioners, I'm the president of Friends of Hyde Park. Friends of Hyde Park is currently the largest neighborhood association in our neighborhood with over 500 members. Friends of Hyde Park is not aligned with the Austin Neighborhoods Council (ANC). Hyde Park is made up of approximately 70% renters with a diverse background, including a large number of students that attend the University of Texas. This type of representation is almost completely absent in ANC aligned neighborhood associations. Unfortunately, because of the way the initial district lines were drawn, which didn't fully follow the charter guidance on socio economic grouping, there's a very small group of mainly wealthy older white property owners that dominate the representation for Hyde Park at the city council level. The majority of the people that live within Hyde Park have almost no representation because of this. I'd like to propose a change to the redistricting maps to ensure that Hyde Park and surrounding neighborhoods in central Austin receive better representation in the future. According to the latest population numbers by district, District 4 lost population and needs to incorporate more people into the district. I'd suggest, if it is compatible with the goals of building a minority opportunity district, incorporating the north part of Hyde Park, known as North Hyde Park, into District 4. North Hyde Park is the area north of 45th St and is more similar to the North Loop and Highland neighborhoods that are part of District 4 than neighborhoods to the south of it. Despite how ANC aligned neighborhood associations characterize it, North Hyde Park is a completely separate neighborhood with different housing types, different history, and a different diversity of people than the original Hyde Park neighborhood that's south of 45th St. An example of this cultural and historical split can be seen in Ridgetop Elementary School, located in North Hyde Park, that has a large percentage of hispanic children, and the school that Hyde Park feeds into, Lee Elementary, has a mainly white population. The reason that North Hyde Park has the name Hyde Park in it is because it was annexed as a way for the people …
HPD ICRC Commissioners From: Sent: To: Subject: Donna Beth McCormick Wednesday, September 8, 2021 12:45 PM HPD ICRC Commissioners Redistricting *** External Email - Exercise Caution *** I live in Dist. 7 ‐ we need to keep the boundries of the district the same as much as possible after considering the growth. In drawing districts, it is important to have populations that are very similar values in the same district. The majority of Dist. 7 are family friendly homes with family activities. Tall buildings should be downtown where they are and attract a certain population. Donna Beth McCormick ‐ Allandale neighborhood former president and board member CAUTION: This email was received at the City of Austin, from an EXTERNAL source. Please use caution when clicking links or opening attachments. If you believe this to be a malicious and/or phishing email, please forward this email to cybersecurity@austintexas.gov. 1
Current Plan Suggested alternative A VTD and a Precinct are essentially equivalent terms I refer to the existing redistricting plan as the current plan and the one we are discussing here as an alternative 9/9/2021 Draft Analysis 1 9/9/2021 Draft Analysis 2 The redistricting starts with a large movement of population from District 6 (the most overpopulated district) into 10 and 7. Precincts 343, 234 and parts of precincts 232, moved from current district 6 to alternative district 10. Then precinct 246 and 267 are moved from Current 10 to alternative 7. 6 10 7 9/9/2021 Draft Analysis 3 Move from precinct 325 and part of 206 from current district 1 to alternative district 9. Precinct 206 was split and in the alternative plan is made whole. 9/9/2021 Draft Analysis 4 9/9/2021 Draft Analysis 5 These 2 vtds (118 and 130) as well as part of 113 are moved from current district I to alternative 4. In doing so former split vtd 113 is made whole. 2 remains the same 9/9/2021 Draft Analysis 6 VTD 340 moved from 5 to 9 9/9/2021 Draft Analysis 7 37 blocks from VTD 307 (pop. 407) and 10 blocks from VTD 364 (pop. 53) moved into District 10 9/9/2021 Draft Analysis 8 Parts of VTDs 274 and 214 were added to 9 combined and made precincts whole. 9/9/2021 Draft Analysis 9 One whole VTD (422) and part of split precinct (433) were removed from 6 and moved to 3. This had the effect of making three split VTDs (424, 433 and 420) whole 9/9/2021 Draft Analysis 10 One whole VTD (422) and three partial were removed from 6 and moved to 3. This had the effect of making three split VTDs (424, 433 and 420) whole 9/9/2021 Draft Analysis 11 9/9/2021 Draft Analysis 12 Compare current district 9 with alternative district 9 9/9/2021 Draft Analysis 13 Move 428 from current district 7 into alternative district 4 Move from 1 into 4 9/9/2021 Draft Analysis 14 Compare current district I and alternative district 1 9/9/2021 Draft Analysis 15 9/9/2021 Draft Analysis 16 9/9/2021 Draft Analysis 17 9/9/2021 Draft Analysis 18 9/9/2021 Draft Analysis 19
