Eugene City Councilors narrowed their city ward redistricting options from five to three plans Wednesday.
The redistricting plans are designed to reflect changes in population from the 2000 census and will impact students who live on and off the University campus as well as other Eugene residents.
“Under all three scenarios, people who live on campus would remain in Ward 3,” said Keli Osborn, a planner for the City of Eugene. “But if you look at Westmoreland and Spencer View housing, as well as some other areas where students are concentrated in the community, it’s different.”
The three redistricting plans have been color coded as “Indigo,” “Violet” and “Green,” and they would impact all eight of the current wards.
Westmoreland residents, who are a part of Ward 1 under existing boundaries, would switch to Ward 3 under the “Green” scenario. This option would move Ward 3 to the east, with Chambers Street as its eastern boundary.
Councilors kept the “Green” scenario at the end of their Wednesday work session after Councilor Gary Rayor, who was originally opposed to keeping the plan, changed his vote.
Councilors Nancy Nathanson and Gary Papé supported the “Green” option because they wished to keep the Bethel community together.
“I don’t think Bethel should be divided into 3 (wards),” said Papé.
Each of the redistricting plans is designed to have equal populations within a range of 5 percent, at an average of 17,237 people per ward. The U.S. Census lists the population for Eugene in 2000 at 137,893.
The “Violet” scenario moves Wards 1 and 2 to the north. The “Indigo” scenario follows neighborhood association boundaries, which some residents spoke in favor of at a Monday night public hearing.
“Laurel Hill fits in much better with the University area,” said Tom Slocum, who was in favor of “Indigo.”
While the “Indigo” scenario incorporates current neighborhood associations, it does not address the fact that two associations in West Eugene are combining into one.
“Jefferson and Westside are uniting, and all of these (plans) divide that,” said Scott Meisner, the councilor for Ward 7.
The Eugene City Council will review the three scenarios on Nov. 14 and plans to decide on the final option Nov. 26. New ward boundaries have to be in place by the end of December as required by federal law.