(a) The Council shall subdivide the city into wards, equal in number to the members of the Council to be elected from wards, within ninety days after:
(1) The first day of October of the year following the decennial census year.
(2) The approval of the adoption, change or abandonment of an alternative plan for the composition of the Council of the City under Ohio R.C. 731.01(B) or (C), if the number of wards is changed;
(3) The annexation of territory containing, according to the last Federal census or a census authorized by the Council, such population as will entitle the City to an additional member of the Council under Ohio R.C. 731.01(A).
(b) If the Council fails to make such subdivision within the time required, it shall be made by the Director of Public Service and Safety.
(c) In order to provide substantially equal population in each of the wards, the Council may redivide the City into wards at any time.
(d) All wards shall be bounded, as far as practicable, by county lines, streets, alleys, lot lines, avenues, public grounds, canals, watercourses, Municipal corporation lines, centerlines of platted streets, or railroads, and shall be composed of adjacent and compact territory, and substantially equal in population.
(e) The Council may authorize and provide for conducting a census of the population of the City at any time in order to carry out the powers granted by this section.
(f) Action of the Council to divide the City into wards shall be taken by ordinance and shall be effective for the first Municipal primary election occurring at least 150 days after the passage of the ordinance.
(ORC 731.06; 1978 Code § 31.11)