Comment on Recommendations of Investigative Committees-

Piedmonters are invited by the City Council to comment on a list of 35 recommendations drawn from the reports of the City Council Audit Subcommittee, the Municipal Tax Review Committee, and League of Women Voters Task Force to investigate and report on the problematic Piedmont Hills Underground Utility District. > Click to read more…

Check out Piedmont’s Rock Formations-

Have you ever wondered about the different types and formations of rock in Piedmont?  Now, you can take a self-guided walk through town and identify notable rock types.  > Click to read more…

ABAG Stipulates More Housing and Jobs in Piedmont – 

At the March 19, City Council meeting City Planner Kate Black explained the new housing and jobs allocations for Piedmont that have been designated by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG).  Based on California’s projected needs, ABAG, the regional planning agency for the nine Bay Area counties, apportions specific requirements for each city and county .  Piedmont has historically struggled with meeting ABAG’s requirements because of the lack of  available sites for businesses, parks and housing.

Despite Piedmont’s limitations as a built-out city with little opportunity to expand, ABAG continues to place demands on the City.  > Click to read more…

Meetings May Return to Police Department Emergency Room – 

At the Monday, March 19 Council meeting,  Council member Garrett Keating inquired as to where the FY 2012-13 budget workshops would be held.  He expressed a desire to provide an easy opportunity for the public to observe the meetings via KCOM (Piedmont’s Cable Station).

Without support from the staff or the Council for Keating’s idea of televising the  workshops, the meetings evidently will return to the Police Department’s Emergency Room.  The room is not equipped for KCOM broadcasting or videotaping, and, according to staff, would require the increased cost of 3 KCOM staff members to televise the proceedings.

Keating pointed out that if the meetings were held in the Council Chambers, they could be televised and require only one staff member. He also mentioned the heightened interest and concern by residents about budgetary decisions.  Other Council members expressed no need for further transparency of the budget proceedings, preferring the more casual free flow of information afforded by the Police Department meeting room.

Observers in the past have complained about lack of seating for the public, difficulty in hearing speakers, and crowded conditions in the Police Department room.  Also, in previous years, no recordings have been made of the budget meetings held in the Police Department room.  Following suggestions by PCA and other interested residents last year, the Municipal Tax Review Committee moved its final three meetings to the Council Chambers, where they were broadcast on KCOM and could be viewed at home.

Want to give back to the community?  It is time to apply for the 20 vacancies on Piedmont Commissions and Committees. > Click to read more…

Bankruptcy Looms for Bay Area Cities –

California cities that fail to rein in their costs continue to struggle with the prospect of bankruptcy.  San Carlos and Half Moon Bay narrowly skirted bankruptcy by outsourcing city services such as law enforcement and recreation management.  > Click to read more…

A new resource for parents and teachers –

Last year Piedmont resident Bernard Pech was delighted to discover the free online educational Kahn Academy, the brainchild of one man producing tutorial videos to help his young cousins in Louisiana with their schoolwork. > Click to read more…

Superintendent Projects Deficit in 2013-14 –

Piedmont School Superintendent Connie Hubbard will submit a required multi-year budget plan on Wednesday, March 14, 2012 for certification by the Piedmont Board of Education. The board will meet in the City Council Chambers beginning at 7 p.m. > Click to read more…

League of Women Voters and Piedmont Connect Joint Event – 

“Rethinking Plastics,” a thought-provoking program on the role and perils of plastics in our everyday lives, will be presented at #3 Richardson Way in Piedmont on Thursday, March 22, at 7 p.m.  The program is co-sponsored by the Piedmont League of Women Voters and Piedmont Connect. > Click to read more…

The Planning Commission will hold a hearing to discuss potential changes to the City’s Municipal Code and Residential Design Guidelines at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, March 12, in  City Hall Council Chambers. 

This hearing will be the first of several hearings to consider changes to the Code to implement General Plan, Housing Element, and  Climate Action Plan objectives, and recommendations from the Environmental Task Force.   Subjects to be considered include hot water heaters, impermeable  surfaces, artificial turf,  grey water systems and the color of roofs. > Click to read more…