The Council District Boundary Commission selected two options for new Council District boundaries for the public hearing at its meeting on February 22, 2022. These options were discussed at the meeting and public hearing on March 22, 2022, with Option A being recommended for City Council consideration at their upcoming public hearing. 

Option Criteria

The Commission considered the following criteria as considerations for Council district boundaries:

• 10% Maximum Deviation: The total maximum deviation is computed by determining the percentage by which each district exceeds the ideal district size (i.e., total population divided by 4). Then the lowest deviation is added to the highest deviation, ignoring the negative sign for the smallest district. The total is the total maximum deviation.
  • Example: District No. 1 is 9 percent above the ideal district size. District No. 3 is 8 percent below the ideal district size. The deviation is 17 percent, well above the permissible 10 percent maximum deviation.
• Identifiable Boundaries: Districts should have identifiable boundaries such as highways, streets, and creeks so that citizens can easily determine what district they are in.
• Compact/Contiguous: Districts should be compact and contiguous. Much like the consideration of following identifiable boundaries, this makes it easier for the public to understand what district they are in.
• Neighborhood Splitting: Residential districts have the effect of ensuring that all portions of the city are represented on the Council. Ensuring geographic diversity is a primary purpose and effect of residential districts. Thus, the Commission may want to avoid splitting neighborhoods and communities of interest.
• Dual Member Districts: The Commission may want to avoid placing current district Council members in the same district. This is not as important a consideration as would be the case in a single-member-district plan, since even if district Council members are paired, one can always run at-large and will be facing the same group of voters as if he or she had run for a district place.

Current Boundaries

Boundary Map

Status

• Total Population: The 2020 Census lists Richardson’s population as 119,469. This is an increase of 20,246 from the 2010 Census population of 99,223.
• Target District Population: Divided between four Council districts equally, each Council district would be home to 29,867 residents.
• Current District Deviation: Based on the target district population, the current total deviation for Richardson’s current City Council districts is 41.7%, well above the goal deviation of 10%.

Option A

• Detailed description of Option A boundary adjustments

Boundary Change Map

Criteria Review

• Maximum Deviation of 10%: Deviation for this option is 6.0%, well below the 10% threshold.
• Identifiable Boundaries: District boundaries follow identifiable roads and the DART Rail corridor.
• Compact/Contiguous: Districts are compact and contiguous, with District 2 being somewhat less compact.
• Neighborhood Splitting: No neighborhoods are split by District boundaries.
• Dual Member Districts: All Council members remain in their current Districts.

Option B

• Detailed description of Option B boundary adjustments

Boundary Change Map

Criteria Review

• Maximum Deviation of 10%: Deviation for this option is 4.5%, well below the 10% threshold.
• Identifiable Boundaries: District boundaries follow identifiable roads and the DART Rail corridor.
• Compact/Contiguous: All Districts are compact and contiguous.
• Neighborhood Splitting: The CityLine area west of Plano Road is split between District 2 and District 4, with the DART Red Line being the dividing line.
• Dual Member Districts: All Council members remain in their current Districts.