The long and contentious struggle over City Council redistricting appears to be over. The original plan adopted by the Council in early 2003 and employed in the 2003 local elections was challenged in federal court. Early this year, the City settled its disagreements with the civil rights advocates who were the primary plaintiffs in the case, and produced with them a revised compromise council district map. Unfortunately, this settlement was resisted by the local Republican Party leadership which chose to continue pursuing a legal battle. Last month the federal courts ruled in favor of the City, and this month the Council formally adopted the revised council district lines proposed in our settlement. The revised lines make the following changes to Council District Five (in some cases restoring patterns of representation that existed prior to 2003):
Additions
Western Bonnie Crest (from District 6)
Portions of Stephenson Park (from District 3)
Iona College Main Campus (from District 3)
Small Portions of Sunset View and Halcyon Park (from District 3)
Subtractions
Eastern Rochelle Heights (to District 3)
Chatsworth-City Park Neighborhood (to District 3)
MacLeay Houses (to District 3)
Sylvan Plan (to District 3)