Following the official publication of each decennial census by the United States Bureau of the Census for the area embraced by the Merged Government, the Council shall, if necessary, adopt an ordinance to redistrict the twelve (12) council districts in accordance with the rules and provisions contained herein. The Council shall determine, on the advice of the planning agency designated in this Charter, the population of each existing council district. The Council shall then prepare and adopt a redistricting ordinance which shall provide for population equality among council districts as near as reasonably practicable. The Council shall not create or establish a council district that is not compact and contiguous.
Within the limits established above, the Council may take cognizance of such factors as "community or diversity of interest," "relative rates of population growth" based on official United States census returns, and "patterns of social and economic interests."
In no case shall the Council fail to pass a redistricting ordinance, if necessitated by the provisions of this Charter, later than April 1 preceding the primaries for any regular election in which a seat on the Council of the Merged Government is at stake. Should the Council fail to comply with this requirement, the Circuit Court of Fayette County shall prescribe a redistricting plan in accordance with the rules and limitations of this Charter.
Annotation—The boundaries of the council districts were redistricted by Ordinances No. 123-82 and No. 72-92. See KRS 67A.023.