CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Following hours of discussion and adjusting several options, Charleston City Council’s Planning, Streets and Traffic Committee approved a redistricting map of wards Monday that will be turned over to full council next week for approval.
The discussions come weeks after the final US Census data for 2020 showed population loss in Charleston fell five percent from 2010, down to 48,864.
The committee finalized ‘Option 2b’ which was an adjustment from an original second option coming into the meeting. The finalized version kept 11 wards on the north side of the river and nine wards on the south side of the river. The six at-large city council seats do not change in numbers with the Census.
Kevin Baker, Charleston City Attorney told MetroNews flagship 580-WCHS following the meeting that wards are supposed to be as equal as possible in population so it takes work to adjust them, even going street by street.
“We’re looking at 2,440 people in each ward. We started with current wards, looked at the Census blocks and which way we needed to go. Whether we needed more people in one ward or fewer people in another and try and adjust the blocks to account for the population difference from the prior Census,” Ward said.
Baker said there were concerns expressed at the meeting with Ward 7, Bigley Avenue area, with how it went across the Elk River into Spring Hill Cemetary. He also stated concern was expressed about Ward 6, the West Side Flats, going into the hills.
Baker said a finalized map of what was approved Monday night would not be ready to be shown in a map link until Tuesday morning.
VIEW: City of Charleston wards map
Mary Beth Hoover, the Chair of Planning, Streets and Traffic Committee said to 580-WCHS that she is confident what was passed Monday will be passed in council based on the turnout of the meeting. Many councilmembers not on the committee spoke during the public hearing portion.
“I do think this was a compromise made here tonight (Monday),” Hoover said. “As we go to council floor on Monday, I’m pretty sure this will get passed.”
If passed next Monday in the full council meeting at 7 p.m., Baker said the city would then turn over the plan to the county for approval.
Baker said there is a 30-day public comment period that may go out at the beginning of December.
In other committee meeting news, Councilwoman Jennifer Pharr proposed creating a select committee to research reducing the size of council over the next year. Creating the committee is up for a vote Monday.