Chico City Council to consider alternative district maps

CHICO, Calif.- The City of Chico has released four new potential district maps.

They are marked with bolder colors, which include tangerine, navy, lavender and emerald.

Just like the original six, they were created by city demographer Michael Wagaman.

Wagaman says the four new maps address specific concerns that were brought up by council members and community members at last week's council meeting.

"They wanted some additional options, some of the modifications better conform overlapping jurisdictions," said Wagaman.

The new maps give alternatives for concerns about zones overlapping highways or landmarks, or splitting up neighborhoods.

Councilwoman Kasey Reynolds says, "we asked Wagaman to make some alterations to the original set of maps. We have a new set of maps so we will be reviewing those four. We can accept one of those maps we can accept a map from previous."

Reynolds says the council can also ask Wagaman to make changes to the maps during the meeting.

"We will then vote on it, then it will be prepared to come back to the first meeting in March," said Reynolds.

Reynolds says that is when the final readings will be. She says there are protocols the city needs to follow to make sure all the items are correct.

"The public has to have time to read them, and it's the proper way of the government working that way, it protects the community, rather than throwing ordinances and going through the proper process to be a government," said Reynolds.

The previous six maps are still on the table for the council to consider, accompanied with maps drawn up from the public.

The next Chico City Council meeting will include the fourth public hearing on the district maps, it will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, January 21st.

Also, because districts are redrawn after every census, they will be redrawn next year since 2020 is a census year.