City Council expected to revise hearing schedule

Public discussion of transition from at-large to district-based voting was to begin Tuesday

The Santa Clarita City Council is expected to revise its approved schedule of steps necessary to be completed in order to transition from at-large to district-based voting.

Among those steps is to hold public hearings to collect feedback from the community on suggested district map ideas. The first of several hearings was scheduled for May 19, but will now be pushed to a later date, according to City Attorney Joseph Montes.

On Tuesday, the City Council met in closed session to discuss the matter. Montes later reported during the regular meeting that council members gave unanimous direction to city staff to monitor any amended orders coming out of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health regarding public gatherings, such as the general public attending City Council meetings.

“If there’s no county approval for those types of meetings prior to the May 19 previously scheduled hearing, that hearing will not take place and will have to be postponed,” he said, adding that council members would then have to revise the schedule at the council’s upcoming meeting.

The county’s “Safer at Home” order had a previous expiration date of May 15, but on Wednesday, Public Health officials announced the health officer order won’t expire then, as the county plans to incrementally ease restrictions.

The new order included only the reopening of additional businesses and outdoor spaces, but did not lift the directive that continues to prohibit public gatherings.

That said, the City Council is expected to update its timeline, which was originally set to run from May 19 through June 23, at its Tuesday, May 26, meeting.