The group that will draw the city of Austin's new voting districts asked for feedback before it started changing the city's political landscape.

The Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission held public hearings in August and September at locations throughout Travis County, including Oak Hill and Austin Community College's South Austin campus.

Video of the hearings can be viewed at www.austintexas.gov/department/10-one.

Many residents asked the ICRC not to divide neighborhoods or like-minded areas when drawing the new districts.

Another major issue is the placement of minority opportunity districts—areas in which most residents identify with a minority group.

ICRC members have discussed creating opportunity districts for Austin's black, Hispanic and Asian populations.

Grass-roots group Austinites for Geographic Representation has created a map with four proposed districts spanning most of East Austin.

The ICRC has debated how to group an area of Austin in Williamson County.

The ICRC will hold more public hearings in November and is expected to finish the boundaries by December for use in the November 2014 elections.

Since beginning its work in June, the ICRC has hired its own legal counsel, an executive director and a mapping expert.