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Irondale council approves revised Plan 2 for redistricting after contentious public hearing
Summary
After a lengthy and sometimes heated public hearing, the Irondale City Council voted to adopt an amended version of redistricting Plan 2. The decision drew objections from residents and one council member who said the map split an existing neighborhood.
The Irondale City Council on Jan. 21 adopted an amended version of “Plan 2” to redraw council districts after public comment and debate that stretched into the evening.
Council supporters said the adopted changes keep neighborhoods and census blocks largely intact while meeting population-balance targets. Councilwoman Toni Cuellar and several residents objected that an amendment proposed during debate would split the Grants Mill Valley neighborhood and urged the council to preserve neighborhood boundaries when possible.
The council considered multiple drafts and amendments in public session. Councilman Aaron Sims described his amendment as a small swap of two census blocks: a block in Holiday Gardens moved to District 5 (population cited at about 70 in the 2020 census) and a block that includes The Heights and Sage Terrace (population 49) moved to District 3. Sims said the change avoided splitting the Carl Daley area and kept deviations within legally advised tolerances.
Councilwoman Cuellar argued the council should avoid dividing neighborhoods when it can reasonably be avoided. She presented an alternative amendment that would add only the Heights into District 3 while leaving the 49-person census block in District 1; residents who spoke at the hearing supported her version.
Brett Isom of the Regional Planning Commission (referenced in public comments) advised the council during earlier meetings about contiguity and how particular census blocks affect neighboring districts, but the council made the final choice. After debate and public comment, the council voted to adopt the amended Plan 2. Several residents said afterward that they remained concerned about neighborhood connections and asked for clearer outreach during future redistricting steps.
Why it matters: Redrawing council districts affects which voters are grouped together for representation and can change which communities share a councilmember. The council said its goal was to meet population-equality targets while minimizing disruption to established neighborhoods.
What’s next: The council took the action as an ordinance vote in the meeting; any technical steps required to implement the new lines (map filing, updates to election materials) are administrative next steps the city will carry out.
