Following a public hearing, the City Council introduced an ordinance that formally re-adopts the current council district boundaries for the next decade. Basically, redistricting in 2022 amounted to leaving the five council districts unchanged. The issue is scheduled to return to the next council meeting for final approval.
(A copy of the map is available on the sunnews.org website. See “Seal Beach to keep current council district map for the next decade”.)
District One Councilman/Mayor Joe Kalmick opened the public hearing.
No one was on the phone to comment.
Kalmick closed the public hearing.
Council members had no comments.
The vote was 4 to zero. District Five Councilwoman Sandra Massa-Lavitt was absent.
The long, technical process of re-districting in Seal Beach isn’t over yet. The ordinance is scheduled to return to the council on March 28 for final approval.
“The purpose of this final redistricting public hearing is to receive any input from the public regarding the designated map of City Council election district boundaries for re-adoption based on 2020 U.S. Census data and other factors, and to introduce Ordinance 1693, which re-adopts the current City Council district map as the new Official Council District Map,” according to the staff report from City Attorney Craig Steele, City Clerk Gloria Harper, and Assistant City Attorney Chelsea Straus.
“The current total population of the City is 25,282, so the ideal population for each district is approximately 5,056,” according to the report.
Also according to the report, a 10% deviation is legal.
“The City’s total deviation from the ideal population is 7.18%, so the City’s current District Map is acceptable under the law,” according to the report. 2022 is an election year in Seal Beach. Districts One, Three, and Five will be in play. District Three Councilman Mike Varipapa and District Five Councilwoman Sandra Massa-Lavitt have termed out. The election will be held in November.
