Naperville may approve 2015 election district maps

Naperville City Council members may give preliminary approval Tuesday to a proposed map that would create election voting districts for the first time.

The newly updated maps are up for a first reading on the city council agenda, but some officials say that reading may be waived to allow for a final vote.

Beginning in 2015, five city councilmen will be elected from districts and three councilmen and the mayor will be elected at-large. Until now, all council members have been elected at-large.

A committee of city staff members used 2010 census results and a special geography software to construct the map of the five proposed “compact and contiguous” districts that voters backed during the November 2010 election.

Since unveiling the map, the city received just two suggested changes, one of which was incorporated into the final version. Residents between Washington Street and the DuPage River within the Elmwood Elementary School boundaries were shifted to District 2 from District 3.

The northern and western boundaries of proposed District 1 are formed by the city limits. The southern boundary extends to 75th Street and the eastern boundary generally follows Rickert Drive, Plainfield/Naperville Road and the DuPage River.

Proposed District 2 extends from 75th Street to the northern city limits. Generally the eastern boundary is Washington Street to Hillside Road and the western boundary is formed by Plainfield/Naperville Road and the DuPage River.

The northern boundary of District 3 is formed by segments of Chicago Avenue, Prairie Avenue and Hillside Road. The western boundary runs primarily along Washington Street. The eastern and southern boundaries are formed by the city limits.

The two staff changes provide a clearer division between proposed Districts 3 and 4, so all residents of the Hobson’s Pond and Waterfront Estates neighborhoods would be part of District 3. On earlier map versions, those areas were part of District 4.

The proposed District 4 would extend between Washington Street and Route 59, and surrounds significant portions of the Springbrook Prairie Forest Preserve. The southern boundary of the district generally follows 95th Street to the city limits and the northern boundary is defined by 75th Street.

District 5 would encompass the southernmost portions of the city. Most of the property is south of 95th Street between the DuPage River and the western city limits.

“I’m going to support it because I think staff did a good job drawing a reasonable map with logical boundaries,” Councilman Steve Chirico said.

Councilwoman Judith Brodhead also has supported the maps and the most recent proposed changes.

“The staff has done a very good job making sure these districts are equal, contiguous and compact and we’ve gotten very little feedback from the public,” Brodhead said, “so I certainly will be supporting this map.”