Update:
The King County Districting Committee is rescheduling its public hearing on a proposed redistricting plan until Nov. 1 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting was previously scheduled for Oct. 3.
The change will allow residents and local city councils, who usually meet only a few times per month, a better opportunity review the plan and provide comment. The deadline for written testimony has also been extended until Nov. 1.
The hearing will be held:
Tuesday, November 1, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
King County Courthouse
Council Chambers, 10th Floor
516 Third Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104
Previous story:
The Highline area will continue to be split between the 5th and 8th King County Council districts, according to a draft plan approved this week by the King County Redistricting Committee.
Please click the links above for more information and a larger map.
Julia Patterson currently represents the 5th district while Joe McDermott is the 8th district representative.
The border between the two districts meanders from S.W. 152nd St. on the mainland, west to Southwest 160th and South 164th streets going east. Seventy-eight percent of Burien residents and 99 percent of Tukwila residents would be in McDermott's district. Twenty-two percent of SeaTac residents would also be a part of the 8th district.
However, West Seattle residents would dominate the district. Fifty-eight percent of the total district population resides in the city of Seattle. Vashon and Maury islands are also within the district.
All of Des Moines and Normandy Park are within the proposed redistricted 5th district. Seventy-eight percent of SeaTac residents would be in Patterson's district. Patterson is a former SeaTac City Councilwoman. Twenty-two percent of Burien residents would also be in the district.
But Kent would be the dominant city with 48 percent of the district's total population residing in the city of Kent. Twenty percent would reside in Renton.
Former Burien Mayor Sally Nelson is among the members of the redistricting committee, which under the King County charter has sole responsibility for redistricting council districts.
Here is the press release from the committee:
The King County Districting Committee on Monday voted 5-0 to release a single King County Council redistricting plan for public review and comment. The plan is now online at www.kingcounty.gov/districting.
The Committee will hold a public hearing on the plan: Monday, October 3, 6:30-8:30 p.m. King County Courthouse Council Chambers, 10th Floor 516 Third Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104
The public may also provide online testimony through October 3. The public hearing is the last phase of public review prior to final action by the Committee.
"This redistricting plan was carefully drafted to balance population, meet legal requirements, and incorporate the public input we received," said Committee Chair Terrence Carroll. "I greatly appreciate the Committee members' hard work and their willingness to come together to find solutions that serve the people of King County."
The Districting Committee's public process included seven public hearings in Bellevue, Des Moines, Kent, Kirkland, Seattle, and Shoreline. The Committee released four draft redistricting proposals in June that explored different approaches to meeting redistricting requirements.
"Public testimony raised new ideas and helped us better understand communities of interest," said Chair Carroll. "Public input helped members come together around common principles and reach unanimous agreement on a proposed plan three months ahead of schedule."
By law, Council district boundaries must be redrawn after each U.S. Census to make each district as nearly equal in population as possible. The target population for each 2011 Council district is 214,583. All districts in the proposed plan are within one-quarter of one percent of the target.
Under the law, the new district boundaries must be compact, contiguous, and composed of economic and geographic units. To the extent feasible, the districts must correspond with the boundaries of existing municipalities, election precincts, census tracts, recognized natural boundaries, and preserve communities of related and mutual interest.
Population data may not be used for purposes of favoring or disfavoring any racial group or political party. A final plan must be approved by January 15, 2012.
The County Charter places sole responsibility for redistricting with the independent, citizen Districting Committee. Four members were appointed by the King County Council in January: Rod Dembowski, John Jensen, Sally Nelson, and Sally Poliak. The four members chose mediator, law professor, and retired Superior Court Judge Terrence Carroll to serve as Chair. The contracted Districting Master (GIS expert) is John Schlosser of Schlosser Geographic Systems, Inc.
