City Redistricting Options Unveiled

The Fredericksburg City Council had its . City planners were challenged to find an equal balance between the populations of the city's four wards.City planners were also challenged to preserve the minority voting strength of Ward 4, a requirement of federal voting law. With the city's minority populations concentrated in disparate areas on the northern and southern end of the city, Ward 4 comes out in the maps as looking a tad stretched out to encompass both areas, preserving the city's only minority-majority ward.  

Option 1:

Ward 1 decreased by the subtraction of Kings Mill Townhomes, Kendalwood Apartments and Townsend Square Apartments to Ward 3. Under this plan, Ward 1 also loses the Crestview Apartments, Heritage Park, a portion of the Hills at Snowden and the Preserve. 

Ward 2 increased by the addition of the Fairview Neighborhood from Ward 3, Jackson Street area west of Prince Edward Street behind Hanover Street and Lafayette Boulevard from Ward 4, and the southwest side of Charles Street from Faquier Street to the canal, also from Ward 4. 

Ward 3 would lose the Fairview neighborhood from Ward 2. It would gain an area on the west side of Route 1, southeast of Hazel Run including Kings Mill Townhomes, Kendalwood Apartments, and Townsend Square Apartments, all from Ward 1. It would also gain territory on the southeast side of Lafayette Boulevard between Hazel Run and Charles Street, including the Cobblestone Square Condominiums and Apartments from Ward 4. 

Ward 4 would lose the southwest side of Charles Street from Faquier Street to the canal to Ward 2, the Jackson Street area west of Prince Edward Street between Hanover Street and Lafayette Boulevard to Ward 3, and the southeast side of Lafayette Boulevard between Hazel Run and Charles Street including Cobbleston Square Condominiums and Apartments from Ward 3. It would gain the Crestview Apartments, Heritage Park, a portion of the Hills at Snowden and the Preserve, all from Ward 1. 

Under this plan, Ward 1 would have an initial population of 6,041, Ward 2 would have a population of 5,965, Ward 3 would have a population of 6,093 and Ward 4 would have a population of 6,187. 

Option 1 creates the largest majority-minority district, leaving Ward 4 with a 66.25 percent minority population to 38.42 percent white population. 

Option 2: 

Ward 1 decreases through the subtraction of Normandy Village to Ward 2, an area west of Route 1, southeast of Hazel Run including the Kings Mill Townhomes, the Kendalwood Apartments and the Townsend Square Apartments as well as the Altoona Subdivision and the west side of Huntington Hills, all to Ward 3. Under this plan, Ward 1 also loses all territory north of Fall Hill Avenue and west of I-95, including the River Woods Apartment Townhomes, the Haven and Celebrate Virginia to Ward 4. 

Ward 2 loses no territory, gaining Normandy Village from Ward 1 and the Fairview Neighborhood from Ward 3. 

Ward 3 loses the Fairview Neighborhood to Ward 2 and the Fredericksburg Industrial Park, which includes the Thurman Birsben homeless shelter, to Ward 4. It gains the Altoona Subdivision, the Kings Mill Townhomes, the Kendalwood Apartments and the Townsend Square apartments and the west side of Huntinton Hills, all from Ward 1. 

Ward 4 loses no territory, gaining  all territory north of Fall Hill Avenue and west of I-95, including the River Woods Apartment Townhomes, the Haven and Celebrate Virginia from Ward 1 as well as the Fredericksburg Industrial Park and the homeless shelter from Ward 3.

This plan leaves Ward 1 with a population of 6,180, Ward 2 with a population of 6,006, Ward 3 with a population of 6,072 and Ward 4 with a population of 6,028. Ward 4 would also be left with a 62 percent minority population. 

Option 3: 

Ward 1 loses territory on the west side of Route 1, southeast of Hazel Run, including the Kings Mill Townhomes, the Kendallwood Apartments and the Townsend Square Apartments to Ward 3. Also going to Ward 3 under this option is the Altoona SUbdivision and the west side of Huntington Hills. Ward 1 would also lose Eagle Village, the northern half of the Mary Washington Hospital Campus and Normandy Village, and the Stratford Apartments to Ward 4. 

Ward 2 loses no territory, gaining 14 blocks of downtown real estate between Charlotte Street and Canal Street, the Jackson Street area west of Prince Edward Street behind Hanover Street and Lafayette Boulevard from Ward 4, and the Fairview Neighborhood from Ward 3. 

Ward 3 loses the Fairview Neighborhood to Ward 2 and the Fredericsburg Industrial Park and the homeless shelter to Ward 4.  It would gain an area on the west side of Route 1, southeast of Hazel Run including Kings Mill Townhomes, Kendalwood Apartments, and Townsend Square Apartments, as well as the Altoona Subdivision and the west side of Huntington Hills, all from Ward 1. 

Ward 4 loses 14 blocks of downtown territory between Charlotte and Canal streets and the Jackson Street area west of Prince Edward Street behind Hanover Street and Lafayette Boulevard to Ward 2. It gains Eagle Village, the norther half of Mary Washington Hospital's campus, Normandy Village and the Stratford Apartments from Ward 1 and the Fredericksburg Industrial Park and homeless shelter from Ward 3. 

Under this plan, Ward 1 would have a total population of 6,203, Ward 2 would have 6,173, Ward 3 would have 6,072. This plan has the smallest minority-majority population at 60.95 percent.