The county's Boundary Review Committee meets this week to consider maps that could move Altadena from the Fifth District, or split it among districts
Pictured: Altadena is currently in the Fifth Supervisorial District under Michael D. Antonovich, but that could change as new district boundaries are drawn in coming months.
While one citizen’s panel is reviewing changes in congressional districts that may affect Altadena, an even more important debate is taking place, according to local officials.
Los Angeles County supervisorial districts are also under review -- and some of the plans call for changing the boundaries and severing Altadena entirely or partially from the Fifth Supervisorial District and incorporating it into the First.
If that happens, it would no longer be Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich looking out for Altadena's interests, but the supervisor for District 1, currently Gloria Molina.
The County's Boundary Review Committee is meeting this Wed., July 6, with the intent to “seriously consider the plans currently under review,” according to community volunteer Carolyn Seitz, who has sent out emails to alert residents about the meeting.
The Boundary Review Committee is looking at 17 maps that have been submitted by members of the public, or such groups as MALDEF. Two of the maps under review would remove Altadena entirely from the Fifth District, and two would apparently split Altadena among the FIrst and Fifth Districts.
Some community leaders are concerned if either outcome happens.
“Supervisorial -- that’s our entire elected official for 90 percent of what happens. If [Altadena] splits into two, we’ll be totally overlooked.”
Altadena officials have also expressed some trepidation about working with Molina as a supervisor. One mentioned Molina's management style, and there is concern that Molina -- who, they said, has no field offices -- would be as pro-active or responsive to Altadena's concerns as Antonovich has been.
Sund, Seitz, and others are urging Altadena residents to submit comment letters and emails to the Board of Supervisors before Wednesday's meeting.
These boundary changes are being taken seriously by the committee, according to one county staffer, who also warned: “A split of any community is not a good idea.”
These changes are on a fairly fast track: the redistricting website says that the Board of Supervisors is planning to approve new district boundaries in August.
The Redistricting Commission's website is here: http://redistricting.lacounty.gov/
Under "Boundary Review Committee" is the list of submitted plans that are under review.
Comment letters can be mailed or emailed to:
Executive Officer, Board of Supervisors
383 Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration
500 West Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Attention: Commission Services
Phone: (213) 974-1431
Email: Commserv@bos.lacounty.gov
Here are the proposed boundary maps that will affect Altadena:
I1 (Kan) Map: Altadena moves to First District
P1 (Hoffman) Map: Altadena is moved to First District
H1 (Estrada) Map: Altadena is split between First and Fifth District
H2 (Estrada) Map: A separate proposed map from the same source, but no change in Altadena boundaries, still split between districts.
