City Council Considers Preservation of Tri-City Status Within County Supervisorial District 5

The Pasadena City Council on Monday will take up a proposal for the city to advocate for the preservation of the tri-city communities of Pasadena, Burbank and Glendale within the County Supervisorial District 5 during the 2021 redistricting process.

Represented by Supervisor Kathryn Barger, the tri-city communities “share similar historical, cultural, and economic backgrounds, and partner on numerous regional efforts,” according to a city staff report.

“As a result of these shared characteristics, the City of Pasadena would like to advocate for the classification of the tri-city area of Pasadena, Burbank and Glendale as a Community of Interest (COI) and its continued inclusion within the current County electoral district,” the report states.

Staff is recommending Mayor Victor Gordo sign a letter to the Los Angeles County Citizens Redistricting Commission expressing the city’s intent for the tri-city communities to be preserved.

The commission oversees redistricting for the five supervisorial districts for Los Angeles County.

According to the staff report, the tri-cities should be considered as one district, pursuant to Section 2 Article XXI of the state Constitution which provides that the population with common social and economic interests should be regarded as a single district.

The report also highlighted projects the tri-cities accomplished in the past and the projects that are underway, including the transit fleet electrification study for local routes to respond to state-mandated regulations that promote zero-emission transit vehicles.

“The cities of Pasadena, Burbank and Glendale are connected through economic, historical and demographic similarities, legislative objectives, and joint partnerships that promote safety and reliable services for their communities,” the report states.

Most notably, the report continues, “Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority, a separate government agency, was created under a joint powers agreement between the three cities in 1977 for the sole purpose of owning and operating Hollywood Burbank Airport.

“Maintaining the tri-cities within County Supervisorial District 5 would allow these municipalities to continue to leverage resources toward meeting local and state goals, advocate their policy stances from a regional perspective, and provide a high quality of life and economic vitality for residents and businesses.”

Redistricting occurs every 10 years and utilizes U.S. Census data to draw boundaries or electoral districts that determine which voters are represented by each elected official.

The redistricting process for L.A. County must be completed by December 15.