Workshop For Rancho Santa Margarita Residents Redistricting Saturday

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, CA — The city of Rancho Santa Margarita invited residents to a workshop Saturday morning to learn more about the current city council districts and the need for redistricting.

The second Community Worksop for community members to weigh in on new district lines was planned to be held on Saturday, September 23, 2023, from 10 a.m. to noon in the La Miranda Room of the Bell Tower Regional Community Center.

A fourth public hearing is planned for Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. at the Council Chambers, as well as the potential selection of a map and an introduction of the districting ordinance. The second reading of that ordinance would then take place on Oct. 11, according to the DrawRSM.org website. According to a staff report released in July, the city manager and city attorney recommended a resolution to transition from "at large" to "by district" elections.

"Since incorporating as a city on Jan. 1, 2000, members of the City Council of the City of Rancho Santa Margarita have been elected by the at-large method of election rather than by the by-district election system," the wrote.

In order to transition to the district-based system, the city council is adopting an ordinance for City Council members to be elected by district or by district with an at-large elected mayor, according to the staff report. The draft maps and proposed election year sequencing by map were released on Sept. 20 by the city.

Please visit drawrsm.org to view the schedule, staff reports, demographer presentations and other meeting-related materials. Please send any questions, comments, and map suggestions to districts@cityofrsm.org or contact the City by phone at (949) 635-1806.