- Target:
- Washington, D.C., DC Council, Committee of the Whole
- Region:
- United States of America
We, the undersigned, who live in the the Chevy Chase DC community, urge the DC Council, Committee of the Whole, to reunite Ward 3 and specifically the "Ward 4 West" neighborhoods that comprise the upper portion of Chevy Chase, Barnaby Woods and Hawthorne neighborhoods.
The partitioning of Ward 3 since 2001 has denied equal representation to 8,354 residents who reside in Chevy Chase but are represented in Ward 4. To add insult to injury, Ward 3's minority population is underrepresented as long as the community of Chevy Chase remains partially in Ward 4.
The DC Council's continued failure to provide for equal representation and racial equity in Ward 3 is a violation of the 14th Amendment’s ‘equal protection’ clause as stated on pages 4 - 5 of the DC Council of the Whole, Subcommittee on Redistricting, "Report on B24-371, “Ward Redistricting Amendment Act of 2021”, published on November 19, 2021.
Despite this fact, the Subcommittee on Redistricting has recommended "No Change" to the ward boundaries for Ward 3 or Ward 4, for the next decade.
“Ward 4 West” residents have lived on an island between two Wards for the past 20 years. Chevy Chase is their town square and they have a vested interest in what happens along Connecticut Avenue where they shop, dine, bank, worship, exercise, read and play. But they live outside the Ward 3 boundary and are represented by the Ward 4 Council member for Georgia Ave. - three miles away.
Without proper ward alignment, neither Council member is accountable to serve the interests of Ward 4 West residents.
We seek to have all of the Chevy Chase DC neighborhoods restored to Ward 3, so that we may elect the DC Council and School Board members for the area in which we live. It is imperative, in 2022, that Ward 3 becomes whole again to ensure that all residents have input in all legislative and policy decisions; including the Chevy Chase Small Area Plan process and any redevelopment proposals along upper Connecticut Avenue now and in the future.
Therefore, we urge the DC Council Committee of the Whole to come into compliance with federal and local law and
1) Reject the Redistricting Subcommittee’s recommendation that no change be made to the boundaries of Ward 3 or 4.
2) Redraw Ward 3’s eastern boundary out to Rock Creek Park where it was in 2000.
3) Represent all of the Chevy Chase community in one ward - Ward 3.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The RESTORE ALL OF THE CHEVY CHASE COMMUNITY TO WARD 3! petition to Washington, D.C., DC Council, Committee of the Whole was written by Carolyn Cook and is in the category Politics at GoPetition.