Neighbors Weigh in on Redistricting Plans

How do you divide a county of nearly 10 million people into five districts with an equal number of people in each district? 

That is the task before the Boundary Review Committee as it seeks to redraw the district lines for the five-member Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. For the past three weeks, the BRC has been holding public meetings to get input from residents. Monday night, the members came to.  

A portion of Hollywood falls into District 3, which comprises much of the Westside and the San Fernando Valley. The district’s eastern boundaries are Griffith Park and Silver Lake Boulevard. Its southern boundaries are Wilshire or Pico boulevards, until it juts down to include much of Venice. It's represented by Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky.

Redistricting is done every decade after the census to reflect population changes. According to 2010 census figures, Los Angeles County has a population of 9,818,605, up almost 300,000 from the 2000 census. 

Some areas of the county have seen huge population increases: District 5, which includes most of northern L.A. County, has increased by 176,000 people. Others have seen population decreases: District 1, which includes downtown L.A. and much of the area to the east, has 12,500 fewer people than it did in 2000.

In drawing new boundaries, the BRC may split cities, putting neighbors in different districts with different supervisors. But the Los Angeles County Charter prohibits cutting off an incumbent by redrawing him or her out of office.

Monday night’s meeting was the second and final BRC community meeting for District 3. The first was held on May 2 in Van Nuys.

About three dozen people attended the Weho meeting, some driving from as far away as Agoura Hills and Topanga to express their opinions. Of the 12 people who spoke, all urged the committee to leave District 3 intact.  

No residents from Hollywood made a public comment.

West Hollywood City Councilwoman Abbe Land said that cities in District 3 have “like interests” and should be kept together. Land made it clear that she was speaking as an individual, not as a council member, saying the West Hollywood City Council had not yet discussed redistricting.

Stan Trita of Hancock Park spoke on behalf of his neighborhood's Orthodox Jewish community. He asked the BRC to keep predominantly Jewish areas such as Beverly/Fairfax, Pico/Robertson, Hancock Park, Beverly Hills and Valley Village together. He said that clustering those areas in the same district allows them to adhere to certain religious traditions.

Andy Pavely of Agoura Hills noted that large portions of District 3 are in unincorporated portions of the county (toward Ventura County), so “supervision is very important.” Pavely also noted that that portion of the district is defined largely by geography with the mountains.

Ken Mazer of Topanga Canyon also noted that the mountains define the region. Pat McNeil of Topanga talked about the history and community which has developed in that area, urging the BRC not to divide it.  

One speaker from Studio City, Barry Johnson, pleaded to keep that area in District 3, noting that the current dividing line is very close – Toluca Lake is in District 3, Burbank is in District 5. “We’re a part of the Valley,” Johnson said. “We don’t have the same interests as Downtown. Please keep us together with the rest of the Valley.”

West Hollywood resident Jeanne Dobrin said she realized the process of setting electoral districts has to occur in order to get the population balance. “I hope the gerrymandering will not be for political reasons,” Dobrin said, “but rather for topography.”

Another West Hollywood resident, Victor Omelczenko, pointed out that of the five districts, District 3 is closest to the benchmark population of 1,963,000 desired for each district. District 3’s population according to the 2010 census is 1,972,000. Since that is less that half a percentage point from the ideal population, he encouraged the committee to keep District 3 intact.

Citizens can submit their own plans for redistricting on the Redistricting LA County 2011 website. Two citizen-made plans have already been submitted and can be viewed on the site. The deadline for submitting plans in June 2.

The Boundary Review Committee will make its recommendations to the Board of Supervisors in mid-July. The Board of Supervisors is not bound by their recommendation, but must adjust the new supervisor districts before Nov. 1.