Broken Arrow City Council
Meeting of: June 6, 2022
Title:
title
Consideration, discussion, and possible approval of Broken Arrow City Council Ward Boundaries, based on 2020 U.S. Census and authorize the drafting of a Resolution and Ordinance accepting the same
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Background:
The existing City Council Ward Boundaries for all four wards were conceptually approved by the City Council on August 2, 2011. Subsequently the current ward boundaries were approved by the City Council on September 20, 2011. Ordinance No. 3179 was approved by City Council on October 4, 2011, confirming the current ward boundaries.
The United States Census population count for Census 2020 lists Broken Arrow’s population at 113,540 on April 1, 2020. The latest census data allows cities to realign wards, as necessary, taking into account population shifts that have occurred over the last decade. One of the reasons for redistricting, as required through federal guidelines, is to assure that no particular ward or voting district is under or overrepresented in population and is in compliance with the “one-person, one-vote” principle as established through the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
During the last decade, between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the City of Broken Arrow’s population grew by almost 14,690, which is a 14.8 percent increase. Broken Arrow is the fourth largest in Oklahoma and ranked 267 in the Country according to the U.S. Census.
Ward redistricting generally occurs once every 10 years, after the census. For a fast-growing community like Broken Arrow, Ward Boundaries have been aligned with expected future growth, to maintain an appropriate balance as much as possible for the following decade, while following established criteria used over the last four redistricting procedures.
CRITERIA FOR ESTABLISHING CITY WARD BOUNDARIES
In an effort to maintain consistency and follow federal and state guidelines, the City of Broken Arrow has followed redistricting parameters, which were first approved by the City Council in 1983. These parameters and re-districting protocols have been followed over the last four decades.
Legally mandated requirements
Each ward shall consist of:
• Contiguous area- (State statute)
• Compact territory- (State statue)
• Be substantially equal in population as possible- (State statute). Each Broken Arrow ward should be close to 25% of the total population and not exceed ten percent (10%) deviation.
City of Broken Arrow has successfully allowed approximately 5% deviation.
• Meeting Voting Rights Act requirement- (federal law)
Secondary criteria to consider:
• Ward boundary lines should be based upon major physical features, such as rivers, expressways or arterial streets to the extent possible. City of Broken Arrow has followed Arterial & Collective Streets as ward boundaries
• Follow precinct boundaries as near as possible
• Minimize the displacement or re-assignment of population and precincts between council wards.
Redistricting Criteria within City of Broken Arrow
(Adopted since 1983/redistricting process)
• Place ward boundaries on arterial streets or collector streets
• Maintain platted neighborhoods within a single ward and avoid displacement of traditional neighborhood boundaries
• Maintain percentage deviation among wards to five percent (5%) or less.
• Ideal ward boundaries should have twenty-five percent (25%) of City’s population.
• Maintain geographical contiguity with previous ward boundaries as much as possible
On April 5, 2022, the City Council appointed a 5-person citizen advisory panel to work with staff towards future ward boundaries.
The 5-person panel (Carlos DeLeon, Kristen Ward, Dale DeReign, Shelley Gwartney, Joshua Stenos) met on April 25, 2022, with staff and reviewed the cities demographics and growth patterns. After discussing several proposed plans, the panel recommended one option to be reviewed in detail. The panel met again (second & last time) on May 9, 2022, and unanimously recommended the enclosed proposal (Plan A), based on the 2020 Census count.
The proposed plan has a deviation of 5.6%, based on 2020 figures, however based on construction and growth of the last 2 years and the existing platting activity, which favors WARD 3 and 1, the current deviation has decreased to approximately 5% and may narrow further in the next 4 to 5 years.
Cost: None
Funding Source: None
Requested By: Farhad K. Daroga, Community Development Placemaking Manager
Approved By: City Manager’s Office
• Attachments:
Current May 2022, Ward Boundaries
Plan A- Demographics and Growth Areas
Plan B, C, D (9 pages)
2000 to 2020 Ward Populations & Deviations
Historic Population Chart (1900 to 2020)
Historic Census Population Data
Recommendation:
recommend
Approve the proposed Plan A Ward Boundary unanimously recommended by the Citizen Advisory Panel and Staff and authorize the drafting of a Resolution and an Ordinance, accepting the same.
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