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City Council reaches consensus on redistricting map

Jeremy M. Lazarus | 3/3/2022, 6 p.m.
The redistricting work of setting boundaries for the nine Richmond City Council and School Board districts appears to be complete.

The redistricting work of setting boundaries for the nine Richmond City Council and School Board districts appears to be complete.

City Council reached a consensus Monday and is scheduled to introduce its proposed map at a special meeting on Monday, March 7, ushering in boundary adjustments due to population changes found during the 2020 Census.

The map will be open for public comment for 41 days, with the council now scheduled to vote on the final map at its second meeting in April. The map would become effective in late May under the current schedule for approval.

All of the changes, which are mostly small, are taking place north of the James River. District lines and precincts in South Side will remain unchanged, according to J. Gerald Hebert, City Council’s redistricting consultant.

The most significant changes involve the 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th districts.

The 3rd District, now represented by CouncilwomanAnn-Frances Lambert, needed more population. That district is proposed to gain a section of the current 2nd District north of Westwood Avenue, south of Laburnum Avenue and east of Interstate 95-64.

The 3rd District also is proposed to pick up a section of Barton Heights bounded by Fendall and Hanes avenues, Hooper and Dove streets and the Richmond-Henrico Turnpike. That section is currently part of the 6th District, now represented by Councilwoman Ellen F. Robertson.

Separately, Main Street would become the new border for the 2nd, 5th and 6th districts in and near Downtown. As result, the 5th District, now represented by Councilwoman Stephanie A. Lynch, would gain a portion of the Monroe Ward area, bounded by Main, 2nd, Canal and Adams streets.

The 2nd District, now represented by Councilwoman Kath- erine Jordan, would move south to the new Main Street border with the 5th District, mainly in the area near the Virginia Com- monwealth University campus.

There are two other small adjustments. The 7th District, now represented by Council President Cynthia I. Newbille, would send a few blocks of Shockoe Valley to the 6th District. Also, the 5th District would give up one block to the 1st District, currently represented by Councilman Andreas D. Addison.

City Council members who will not see any changes to their districts include Kristen Nye, 4th District; Reva M. Trammell, 8th District; and Michael J. Jones, 9th District.