New plans take population from Second, Fourth, and Fifth WardsCOLUMBIA, 8/22/11 (Beat Byte) -- At its upcoming meeting this Tuesday, Columbia's Ward Reapportionment Committee will consider two new redistricting maps that expand the city's least populous Ward, the First Ward.
With three other plans -- A, B, and D -- mostly panned by citizens, pundits, and observers -- the new plans -- Plans E and F -- expand the First Ward west and south, respectively. Neither plan, however, gives the First Ward a growing boundary, a goal citizen testimony at a public July meeting suggested was important so that the First Ward grows with the rest of the city.
Like the previously-reported Citizens Plan, Plan E expands the First Ward west through the current Second Ward. But unlike the Citizens Plan, Plan E keeps the First Ward landlocked, stopping just short of giving it a western boundary.Plan F expands the First Ward south, taking population from the Fourth and Fifth Wards. Not only does it keep the First Ward landlocked, but it landlocks several neighborhoods presently in the Fifth Ward and newly landlocks the entire Sixth Ward.For these reasons and others, Plan F could become the most controversial plan yet. See following story.Check out the new Ward Reapportionment plans -- or "Trials" -- at these links:
Sidebar
Mobile Menu
The Columbia Heartbeat
COLUMBIA, MISSOURI'S ALL-DIGITAL, ALTERNATIVE NEWS SOURCE
27
Sat, Jul
If you leave the first ward as is, it will grow in population via the increased building of apartment complexes.
ReplyIf the new apartment buildings and lofts above the stores aren't enough, we can always build up the first ward's population by turning the new garage and the YouZeum into housing units.
Plan F would turn Columbia's relatively rational and competitive political situation into St. Louis, where suburbs are pitted against the city core. That is not what Columbia needs.