CITY OF GLENS FALLS -LEGALS - Ad from 2023-01-12

CITY OF GLENS FALLS COUNTY OF WARREN STATE OF NEW YORK NOTICE OF ADOPTION-LOCAL LAW NO. 5 - 2022 A LOCAL LAW AMENDING THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF GLENS FALLS TO RE-DRAW THE FIVE WARD BOUNDARY DIVISIONS OF THE CITY OF GLENS FALLS PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that on the 26th day of July 2022, the Common Council of the City of Glens Falls adopted Local Law No. 5-2022, A Local Law amending the Charter of the City of Glens Falls to redraw the five ward boundary divisions of the City of Glens Falls and then was approved by the voters on the November 8, 2022, Warren County ballot. RESOLUTION NO. 279 On the motion of Councilman Lapham, seconded by Councilman-at-Large Clark, all voting affirmatively, it was RESOLVED THAT, the Common Council hereby approves Local Law 05-2022, a Local Law to accept the revised Ward Boundaries within the City, and to amend the Charter of the City of Glens Falls pending the approval of the public referendum on election day, November 8, 2022 and to authorize the City Clerk to send the referendum to the Warren County Board of Elections for inclusion on the November 8, 2022, City ballot and to take all actions necessary to publish notice of the Local Law if approved. LOCAL LAW NUMBER 5 OF 2022 (Revised on 07/08/2022) A LOCAL LAW AMENDING THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF GLENS FALLS TO RE-DRAW THE FIVE WARD BOUNDARY DIVISIONS OF THE CITY OF GLENS FALLS BE IT ENACTED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GLENS FALLS AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Purpose. The Common Council of the City of Glens Falls finds that it is in the best interest of the City to enact amendments to the City’s Five Ward divisions so as to comply with the One Person/One Vote Principal whereby every citizen of Glens Falls is guaranteed equal legislative representation. The Common Council, per recommendation of a City of Glens Falls Independent Redistricting Task Force, accepts amendments to the City’s Ward boundaries so as to minimize Ward population differentials so that, per New York State law, the difference between the least populous and the most populous Ward cannot exceed 5%. SECTION 2. Section 1.8 of the Charter of the City of Glens Falls, Ward Divisions, as originally adopted by the Common Council of the City of Glens Falls on November 5, 1963 as Local Law No. 1 of 1963, and Section 1.8.4, Fourth Ward, amended on October 23, 2003 as Local Law No. 6-2003, is amended to read as follows (note that amended Ward Divisions replace previous Section 1.8 of the Charter in its entirety): Chapter C. Charter ARTICLE 1. Incorporation, Boundaries, Civil Divisions, Definitions 1.8 Ward divisions. The city is hereby divided into five wards as follows: 1.8.1 First ward. The first ward shall include all that part of the city lying within the following boundaries, namely: Beginning on the east line of the city, where the same strikes the southerly line of Warren County; thence westerly up and along the southerly line of Warren County to the center of Glen Street; thence northerly along the center of Glen Street to the intersection of Ridge Street to Dix Avenue; thence easterly along the center of Dix Avenue to the city line; thence easterly along the center of Dix Avenue to the easterly line of the city; thence southerly along the east line to the river, the place of the beginning. 1.8.2 Second Ward. The second ward shall include all that part of the city lying within the following boundaries, namely: Beginning at the intersection of Ridge Street and Glen Street; thence northerly along the center of Glen Street to the intersection of Glen and Bay Streets; thence northerly along the center line of Bay Street to Sanford Street; thence easterly along the center of Sanford Street to Stoddard Avenue; thence northerly along the center of Stoddard Avenue to the intersection of Mason Street; thence easterly along the center of Mason Street to the intersection of Cameron Avenue; thence southerly along the center of Cameron Avenue to the intersection of Sanford Street; thence easterly along the center of Sanford Street to the Warren County Bikeway; thence northerly along the center of the Warren County Bikeway to the northern boundary of the city; thence easterly along the northern boundary of the city to the intersection of the eastern border of the city; thence southerly along the eastern border of the city; thence westerly along the center of Dix Avenue to the intersection of Ridge Street; thence southerly along the center of Ridge Street, the place of beginning. 1.8.3 Third Ward. The third ward shall include all that part of the city lying within the following boundaries, namely: Beginning at the intersection of Glen Street, South Street and Bay Street; thence northerly along the center of Glen Street to the intersection of Bacon Street; thence southwesterly along the center of Bacon Street; thence northerly along the center of Elm Street to the intersection of Sherman Avenue; thence westerly along the center of Sherman Avenue; thence northerly along the center of Liberty Avenue; thence easterly along the center of West Notre Dame Street; thence northerly along the center of Charlotte Street to Marion Avenue; thence easterly along the center of Marion Avenue to Glen Street; thence northerly along the center of Glen Street to Harrison Avenue; thence westerly along the center of Harrison Avenue to Davis Street; thence northerly along the center of Davis Street; thence westerly along the center of Lincoln Avenue; thence northwesterly along the center of Kensington Road to the city line; thence northerly along the western boundary of the city; thence easterly along the northern border of the City to the Warren County Bikeway; thence southerly along the Warren County Bikeway to Sanford Street; thence westerly along the center of Sanford Street to Cameron Avenue; thence northerly along the center of Cameron Avenue to Mason Street; thence westerly along the center of Mason Street to Stoddard Avenue; thence southerly along the center of Stoddard Avenue to Sanford Street; thence westerly along the center of Sanford Street to Bay Street; thence southerly along the center of Bay Street, the place of beginning. 1.8.4 Fourth Ward. The fourth ward shall include all that part of the city lying within the following boundaries, namely: Beginning at the intersection of Hudson Avenue and Glen Street; thence northerly along the center of Glen Street; thence southwesterly along the center of Bacon Street; thence northerly along the center of Elm Street; thence westerly along the center of Sherman Avenue; thence northerly along the center of Liberty Avenue; thence easterly along the center of West Notre Dame Street to Charlotte Street; thence northerly along the center of Charlotte Street to Marion Avenue; thence easterly along the center of Marion Avenue; thence northerly along the center of Glen Street; thence westerly along the center of Harrison Avenue; thence northerly along the center of Davis Street to Lincoln Avenue; thence westerly along the center of Lincoln Avenue; thence northwesterly along the center of Kensington Road to the western boundary of the city; thence southerly along the western boundary to Fifth Street; thence easterly along the center of Fifth Street to Staple Street; thence northerly along the center of Staple Street to Broad Street; thence easterly along the center of Broad Street to South Street; thence southerly along the center of School Street to Hudson Avenue; thence easterly along the center of Hudson Avenue, the place of the beginning. The fourth ward shall also include the territory set forth within Section 1.6.1 of this Charter, as amended 10-23-2003 by L.L. No. 62003. 1.8.5 Fifth Ward. The fifth ward shall include all that part of the city lying within the following boundaries, namely: Beginning at the center of Glen Street where said street intersects the southerly line of Warren County; thence northerly along the center of Glen Street; thence westerly along the center of Hudson Avenue; thence northerly along the center of South Street; thence westerly along the center of Broad Street to the intersection of Staple Street; thence southerly along the center of Staple Street to Fifth Street; thence westerly along the center of Fifth Street to the city line; thence southerly along the west line to the southerly line of Warren County; thence easterly along the said southerly line of Warren County, the place of beginning. SECTION 3. Invalidity. If any section of this Local Law, including any given amendment or portion of any amendment to the Charter of the City of Glens Falls hereby, shall be adjudged invalid or held unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of this Local Law as a whole or any part or provision thereof other than the part so decided to be invalid or unconstitutional. SECTION 4. Repealer. All prior ordinances or resolutions or parts of ordinances or resolutions of the City of Glens Falls inconsistent with the provisions of this Local Law are hereby repealed, provided, however, that such repeal shall be only to the extent of such inconsistency, and in all respects this Local Law shall be in addition to other legislation regulating and governing the subject matter covered by this Local Law. SECTION 5. Mandatory Referendum. In accordance with Section 23-1 of the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, this Local Law shall be submitted for the approval of the electors of the City of Glens Falls at the next general election of state government officers to be held no less than sixty days after the adoption of this Local Law, such general election being the general election to be held on November 8, 2022. At such election the following ballot proposal shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the City of Glens Falls: Resolved, that Local Law Number 5 of 2022 of the City of Glens Falls amending the Charter of the City of Glens Falls to re-draw the Five Ward Boundary Divisions is hereby approved. SECTION 6. Election Districts Review (to be inserted into Charter of City of Glens Falls as Section 1.9 Election Districts Review). Within 12 months of the United States census final report for years ending in zero (0), the Common Council shall review the population for each of the Five City of Glens Falls Wards. If there is a population difference exceeding 5% between the least populous and most populous Ward, the Common Council shall convene a City Independent Redistricting Task Force to review, recommend and submit a plan to Amend Section 1.8, Ward Divisions, of the Charter of the City of Glens Falls. The Common Council shall submit a Redistricting plan at the next November general election, in accordance with Section 23-1 of the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York. The resolution shall cover specific criteria for task force to consider such as the resolution approved on Tuesday, April 12, 2022 covering such topics as eligibility to the task force, how the task force is nominated, whether incumbency will be honored (that is, not moving incumbent representatives into different wards), ward composition (whether the downtown business district will remain represented in each ward, whether Communities of Interest will be preserved), whether compactness of the new district is to be desired, whether contiguity is to be desired. (NOTE: Compactness refers to the shape of the district. It describes boundaries that are drawn closely and neatly packed together unless there are good reasons such as VRA compliance or following oddly shaped boundaries, like city boundaries or rivers. Contiguity means that the boundaries of a district are a single, uninterrupted shape.) SECTION 7. Effective Date. If approved at the General Election referenced in Section 5, hereof, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the qualified electors of the City of Glens Falls voting upon the proposition, this Local Law shall take effect at 12:00 a.m. on January 1, 2023. AYES: Councilman-at-Large Clark, Councilwomen Gooden & Palmer, and Councilman Lapham. NAYES: None. ABSENT: Councilman Donohue and Landry. Said resolution hereby declared as ADOPTED. Megan Nolin City Clerk City of Glens Falls 42 Ridge Street Glens Falls, NY 12801 PUB: JANUARY 12, 2023