Piedmont’s Centennial in 2007 opened our eyes to the rich history of our town.  Here is an opportunity to rediscover some stories of Piedmont 100 years ago.  You are invited to join retired City Clerk, Ann Swift, for a look at some of the historic homes near our city center.  In addition you will hear some  fascinating tales about early residents.  Meet at City Hall at 10 am on Saturday, June 11, for a stroll around some of Piedmont’s Centennial homes.   The book Cottages and Castles will be available for purchase, but the walk is free.  Please call Mary Ann Benson (510-595-4015) to reserve a space.

Piedmont’s Beach Elementary School parents will be fund raising to create a “green schoolyard” in conjunction with the completion of the schools seismic retrofitting in 2012.  Their tentative plans for the schoolyard include a shaded lunch area, shaded seating, murals, a water garden, a butterfly garden, a garden classroom, a garden arch, and plantings.  See pictures: > Click to read more…

The alternative plans for Moraga Canyon can be reviewed on the city website:

http://www.ci.piedmont.ca.us/recreation/docs/mcsfp/2011-02-24_planning_comm/oraftik.pdf

http://www.ci.piedmont.ca.us/recreation/docs/mcsfp/2011-01-19_rec_comm/blackwell_alt.pdf

Another plan can be obtained from the Recreation Department – this is the EIR for Coaches Field which found no significant impacts from the development of regulation soccer and baseball fields and relocation of the Corporation Yard to Blair Park.  That plan was not implemented, but its design for Coaches Field shows how that site can be modified to accommodate the large soccer field/baseball field proposed for Blair Park.   Just like Blair Park, the Coaches EIR identified a need to get pedestrians safely across Moraga Avenue so traffic analyses currently being prepared for Blair Park can likely be used to complete the Coaches EIR.

Environmental impact, aesthetics and construction costs aside, Ms. Peters does identify two keys differences between the proposals that bear on the costs to the city of Moraga Canyon development.  One is underground infrastructure. The Blair proposal requires relocation of private and city sewer and water lines and the construction of underground storage vaults to store storm water runoff. The construction and operation costs of this infrastructure has not been determined (sic).   The Coaches proposal does not require this infrastructure. Likewise, the city takes on the liability of earthquake and other damage to this infrastructure and potentially to the private residences above Blair Park. The Coaches proposal has virtually none of this liability.

A special meeting for a final decision on the design for the Moraga Canyons Sports Fields project has been scheduled for Tuesday, June 14 in City Hall.

Editor’s Note: Councilman Keating’s comment is in response to a question regarding publication of alternative plans for Coaches Field and Blair Park.  Read original post and comments at: Opinion: Working Together on a Plan to Enlarge Coaches Field

Questions on the Budget submitted to the City Council by a resident:

1.  5 Year Cost Projections: Many cities do a five year cost projection.  Has Piedmont done such a projection?  If so, will costs exceed revenues in the next five years?

2.  General Fund Reserve: The City’s general fund reserve is quite low, compared to generally recognized reserve requirements for cities of its size.  How will the City build reserves back to a level that will ensure the City can handle a fiscal emergency?

3.  Employee Contributions to Pension Benefits: The costs for 3 percent at 60 for miscellaneous employees and 3 percent at 50 for public safety employees will likely rise sharply in the future.  Are the projected increases in these costs incorporated into the budget?  Are there plans for negotiating with employees to have them pay for the employee share of their California Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) costs?  How much would the City save if all employees paid their share of PERS? > Click to read more…

Comment during Open Forum at the Recreation Commission meeting of May 18, 2011:

The Recreation Commission’s contribution is so vital to Piedmont. Our town’s excellent recreational facilities are a testament to the job you do. I have lived in Piedmont for a very long time and there have seen so many additional sports facilities brought on line.  The downside of this expansion is the loss of mixed-use facilities, such as Linda Beach.   Family and passive recreational opportunities have been entirely superseded by organized sports clubs. > Click to read more…

A letter to the Fire Department requests additions to Piedmont’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan prior to approval and submission to FEMA > Click to read more…

In order to establish the City’s eligibility to receive post disaster recovery funding, a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan must be filed every five years with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA.

The Piedmont Fire Department seeks public comments on its draft Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex.

> Click to read more…

The 4 members of the Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) Review Committee appointed by the City Council, 3 liaisons from other committees or organizations, and several members of the public toured the 801 Magnolia building on Monday, May 16th.  Following the tour, Committee Members discussed the desire for public input on potential public uses for the remaining unleased portion of the building.  (The sanctuary and rooms to the north of the sanctuary have been leased for the next ten years to the Piedmont Center for the Arts.) > Click to read more…

A PCA Editorial urging the Council to videotape budget and CIP meetings and consider funding priorities with all residents in mind

Every year the Piedmont City Council goes through a budget approval process to determine how Piedmont taxes will be spent. Instead of being held in City Council chambers in City Hall, the pivotal initial budget “workshop” meeting will be held on Saturday, May 21, at 9:00 am in the Piedmont Police Department Emergency Operations Center  (EOC) on Highland Avenue.  Meetings held outside of the City Council chambers are rarely videotaped or broadcast.  The only way that Piedmont residents can see and hear the  workshop discussion is to attend the meeting.  (Two prior CIP Committee meetings held in the EOC were not videotaped, as well.)

At the workshop, Department heads and the City Administrator will present their budget requests and respond to questions from the Council.   Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) recommendations will also be discussed.   Further information, direction or explanation of specific expenditures may be requested by the Council from staff.  The public may address the Council or raise questions on a limited basis during the workshop.

Due to previous major events impacting the City’s finances, this year’s budget is important.  Various items having an impact on the budget include: > Click to read more…

The Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for a townhouse development project has been prepared and is now available for review.  The project is located at the site of the defunct PG&E Substation below the Oakland Avenue Bridge on Linda Avenue.  The 5,688-square-foot concrete PG&E structure would be demolished to create a roughly triangular .4 acre site that abuts the bridge, a two-story apartment building and a single-family home on Linda Avenue.

LSA Associates of Point Richmond, contracted to provide the DEIR, is the same firm that produced the CEQA Initial Study, “Piedmont Station LLC,” and the Moraga Canyon DEIR in 2010.  > Click to read more…