Vashaundra Edwards, Lynn Clouser and Monica Riley, the council member at large for Position 1, council member at large for Position 2 and council member for District A, respectively, voted against approving the ordinance, which redraws the city’s electoral district boundaries for voter representation based on data from the 2020 U.S. census.
The ordinance approved Map C Revised, a revised version of one of five available district maps the council considered during the redistricting process, which changes the boundaries of all four districts within the city from when they were last adjusted in 2012.
That means several subdivisions have moved into new districts, according to the new map, including Meadowcreek and Pebblebrook, which move to District A; all of Creekmont, Olympia Estates, Newpoint Estates and Shipmans Cove, which move to District B; and Waterbrook West, Sienna Plantation Municipal Utility Districts 6 and 7, and Villas at Sienna Plantation Apartments, which move to District C, according to Missouri City agenda documents.
The redrawing of the maps comes from requirements by Missouri City’s charter that stipulate the boundaries of each council district be determined no less than once every 10 years. In addition, the difference in size between districts must be less than 10%.
During public comments ahead of the council’s vote on the redistricting ordinance, more than a dozen Meadowcreek residents spoke in opposition to Map C Revised, which moved the subdivision from District B into District A.
“In all due respect for the members and communities of District A, we’re just different,” said resident Pat Hercules. “We don’t have the same issues, the challenges, concerns. It’s just not the same.”
The city first kicked off the redistricting process on Nov. 15, when it hired Bickerstaff Heath Delgado Acosta LLP to conduct a redistricting assessment. The firm recommended Feb. 7 to redistrict council member districts, according to agenda documents.
In total, the census found that 75,189 people live in Missouri City. In Map C Revised, 19,683 people live in District A, with 17,888 in District B, 18,857 in District C and 18,761 in District D, according to agenda documents.
In the new map in Districts A and B, the Black population is over 50%, with the Hispanic population in District A down to a little over 31% as a result.
Jim Fonteneaux, president of the Meadowcreek Association, raised concerns about this demographic change.
“When you get through with this map, we will be at 50% Blacks in both districts,” Fonteneaux said. “I’m not complaining about that, but this is supposed to be a fair and equal voting process. And it’s not to the Hispanics. And it doesn’t matter that they’re not here screaming for themselves. That’s your responsibility to make sure that it’s fair. And if you can’t do it, then the federal court has to step in.”
The council, meanwhile, acknowledged the difficulty in selecting any of the plans, as any map would make some portion of residents unhappy, said Jeffrey Boney, council member of District B and mayor pro tem.
“I can’t say to you, Meadowcreek, or you, Hunters Glen IV and V, you, Bradford Village, you Creekmont South, you Hunters Point Estates, or any subdivision within the city that you are more important than another,” Boney said during the meeting. “All of you are important, which is why this is a tough decision.”
According to the approved ordinance, the new boundaries went into effect May 2.
