Very low income housing units top the list –

At the Council meeting on August 5, the Council approved an agreement with Barry J. Miller in the amount of $34,780 for preparation of an update to the City’s Housing Element of the General Plan.  The planning costs for compliance with the state law continue to rise.  State laws require all cities to update their General Plan Housing Element every 7 years. Piedmont’s element needs to be updated in 2014.

Allocation of housing is based on State and regional determination of projected needs. This process is ongoing as population growth in the State and out-of-state migration results in increasing numbers of California residents. The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) apportions specific new housing and jobs requirements for each city and county within its nine county Bay Area jurisdiction. 

Piedmont has struggled to meet ABAG’s requirements in the past because of the lack of available sites for new businesses and housing. As a fully built-out city with no opportunity to expand borders or annex properties, the City faces a dilemma every time the housing needs are allocated. Piedmont has argued against the allocation by demonstrating the problems associated with providing the housing units, specifically pointing to the City’s Charter, limited land area, costs, and zoning restrictions.  After a protracted process of negotiations and revised drafts, Piedmont achieved State certification of its Housing Element in 2011. (Read consultant Miller’s recitation of the months of rejections and revisions.) The Housing Element is the only part of a city’s general plan that is subject to State certification.

The Piedmont staff report states:

“As the Council is aware, one of the goals of the Housing Element is to define how the City has planned for its Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) – the amount of new housing units the City must show the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) it can accommodate.

Under the existing Housing Element, the City was required to accommodate 40 new units, but the new RHNA allocation for the 2015-2022 Housing Element is 60 new units broken down by income category as follows:

Very Low Income  –  24 units
0-50%*
Low Income –  14 units
51-80%*
Moderate Income – 15 units
81-120%*
Above Moderate Income –  7 units
120%+*

*The income levels are expressed as percentages of Alameda County median income”

As a primarily single family residential city, Piedmont has long attempted to maintain its character through zoning and planning. Piedmont has addressed prior allocations through encouraging second units and infill of vacant lots.  New second units in Piedmont have frequently avoided parking requirements by agreeing to provide the units to very low income individuals for a ten year period.  A question has been raised about what happens to Piedmont meeting low income housing needs when the original ten-year period for the units has elapsed. Voter approval of zoning changes would be necessary to significantly increase Piedmont housing units.

To some, increased population is beneficial and indicates the desirability of the State’s strong economy. Advocates of infill and densification hope open space will be spared if people are housed in existing urban areas.

Opponents of infill and densification have described the imposition of housing unit allocations in urban areas as “the Manhattanization of California” changing the character of cities.

Compliance with State laws require a General Plan Housing Element that includes how a city will provide for the increases in housing units.   As of January 1, 2008, an amendment to the State Housing Element Law, mandates that cities strengthen provisions to respond to the housing needs of the homeless by identifying a zone or zones where emergency shelters are a permitted use without a conditional use permit.

For now, there is no penalty for not providing the prescribed number of units.  Piedmont currently has an approved Housing Element meeting all State requirements.  

Read the staff report.

At the August 5 City Council meeting, Geoffrey Grote Piedmont’s long time City Administrator announced he would retire effective February 2014.   Grote came to Piedmont almost 25 years ago and has steered Piedmont through many events and changes.

More information on Grote and his retirement will be published when available.

Through the efforts of Piedmont City Planner Kate Black, the City has won a highly competitive grant of $102,000 from the Alameda County Transportation Commission (CTC) to fund the City’s proposed Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan, including a Safe Routes to School component.

At the Monday, August 5 City Council meeting, the Council will be asked to approve a $120,000 consulting contract to hire Niko Letunic of Eisen-Letunic to develop the City’s first pedestrian/bicycle master plan. The $18,000 shortfall in the contract will be paid for by local “pass through” funds from the City’s existing Measure B bike/pedestrian funds, with no money anticipated coming from the city’s General Fund.  The contract with Leutunic is contingent upon an agreement with the CTC. 

If approved by the Council and agreement with the CTC, during the next year, Leutunic will examine existing conditions and issues related to biking and walking in Piedmont, assess the barriers, challenges and opportunities. He will assess and analyze concerns and needs of pedestrians and cyclists in Piedmont, and based on the assessment, develop a designated citywide network of bicycle routes and prioritized capital or physical improvements to the City’s pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. He will recommend policy decisions the City can make to improve non-motorized transportation and identify the top priorities and an implementation strategy. Throughout the process, there will be numerous opportunities for Piedmont residents to participate in the plan’s development through public hearings and workshops.

According to Black, the Alameda CTC received 29 applications for pedestrian and bicycle projects, requesting a combined $18.2 million in funding. After reviewing and scoring the applications, the CTC awarded only $3.7 million (20% of the total amount requested) toward only eight projects, including the Piedmont plan. Black said, “The City’s application was greatly bolstered by the 120 thoughtful letters of support submitted by Piedmont residents and organizations, including 55 written by Piedmont Middle School students.”

Staff report