Presents map of its own to Redistricting Commission

By Jocelyn Maggard | SDUN Reporter

A group of Kensington residents has created the Keep Kensington 3 Committee and has proposed a map to contest the 2010 Redistricting Commission of the City of San Diego’s preliminary plan creating a new ninth City Council district that includes the neighborhood of Kensington, which is currently in District 3.

The Redistricting Commission’s preliminary map, which the Commission adopted July 21, will be decided upon in late August.

After adopting the preliminary map, the Commission held five meetings to gather public input about it.

Worried that moving Kensington from District 3 to the newly created District 9, as the map delineates, would result in a loss of the characteristics that distinguish the Kensington neighborhood, The Keep Kensington 3 Committee attended each session.

“We sent more than 50 members to the Aug. 3 meeting [alone],” said Thomas Hebrank, Keep Kensington 3’s co-chair.

Explaining why the Committee believes Kensington should stay in District 3, Hebrank said, “We share many of the same issues as our neighboring communities within District 3. Communities that all formed about the same time.”

Kensington shares history, business district and City Council representation with District 3 neighbors

Kensington was developed as a streetcar suburb as were University Heights, North Park and Normal Heights, and, like its western neighbors, Kensington’s founding and development was designed to coincide with the 1915 Panama-California Exposition.

Consequently, the historical characteristics of Kensington’s infrastructure, the Keep Kensington 3 Committee argues, would be better represented if Kensington remains in District 3.

The Committee also contends that the business district along Adams Avenue is a core tether joining Kensington to its western neighbors.

“Adams Avenue, from the west in University Heights, to the eastern end in Kensington, is a thriving place for small mom-and-pop businesses that are well patronized by Kensington residents,” a Committee member wrote in a July 25 email to the Commission.

Because the Kensington business district is part of the Adams Avenue Maintenance Assessment District (MAD) and Business Improvement District (BID), both of which are managed by the Adams Avenue Business Association, maintenance benefits, such as tree trimming, and promotional benefits to the businesses are shared, says, Guy Hanford, owner of Kensington Video.

Hebrank said that if Kensington moves into District 9, businesses would be able to stay in the BID but their participation and relevance within it would be jeopardized.

Another issue Keep Kensington 3 is addressing with the Redistricting Committee is how redistricting will affect City Council representation.

“Business owners and property owners of the Kensington business area are very pleased with the representation we receive from Todd Gloria and would love to continue that relationship, [although] that is not the argument for staying in District 3,” said Hanford.

Other groups chime in

Other local groups are also contesting the Commission’s preliminary map with maps of their own.

In May, the Latino Redistricting Commission submitted a map to Kensington in District 3, said the Commission’s chair, Mateo Camarillo.

The Latino Redistricting Commission’s map proposes that District 9 be another Latino District, and Camarillo, a Kensington resident, says Kensington’s demographic doesn’t include a large Latino population.

“I could count the number of Latino families in my neighborhood on one hand,” he said.

The Latino Commission’s map suggests moving Golden Hill instead of Kensington. According to Camarillo Golden Hill is a heavily Latino community.

Another local group, The Kensington-Talmadge Planning Group notes that although Kensington shares interests with its western neighbors it also shares them with Talmadge.

Kensington shares Talmadge’s infrastructure, transportation and land use needs, said David Moty, Kensington-Talmadge Planning Group’s chair.

At a Kensington-Talmadge Planning Group meeting May 11, 15 board members voted unanimously to keep the neighborhoods in the same City Council voting districts despite how the boundaries are redrawn.

Hanford said he told the Redistricting Commission at the Aug. 3 hearing that although “[s]everal people associated with the City of San Diego have told me that this map is a ‘done deal’ and my efforts will be futile. I wish to express my optimism in believing this Commission is extremely receptive to the community’s input.”

Every 10 years City Council district boundaries have to be redrawn according Census data. This year, it added the ninth district to comply with voters’ decision last June to keep the strong mayor form of government.