City Council Considers $100,000 Spruce Up of City Hall Entry, Speed Limit Increase on Oakland Avenue, Pavement Plan, City Water Conservation: April 20
City Council reviews need for $100,000 redecoration of the City Hall entry hallway and vestibule plus other agenda items as noted below.
A $100,000 budget estimate for redecorating the entry hall of City Hall includes a permanent new tribute to the Piedmont Beautification Foundation (PBF) for advocating projects it wants the City to fund. In addition to creating a dedicated space to illustrate projects and note PBF donors, the project includes new flooring, wainscoting with chair rail, lighting, two bulletin boards, the City Seal, and organized receptacles for meeting agendas. The redecoration and PBF tribute is reportedly the idea of Mayor Margaret Fujioka and City Administrator Paul Benoit.
PBF has promised to provide $20,000 for the new display area, reducing the City’s cost to an estimated $80,000 from the City’s Facilities Maintenance Fund. PBF often provides seed money of 5% to 10% of approved project installation cost.
Bids have been obtained from three contractors/firms: McCutcheon Construction, Mueller/Nichols and Wooden Window. Staff indicates that Mueller/Nichols provided the “most competitive bid.” If the Council approves the project concept, staff would be directed to bring back a contract with Mueller/Nichols for Council approval in May.
The staff report does not include the Capital Improvement Project (CIP) budget or how the $80,000 City expenditure would be measured against maintenance for other City facilities.
See the design concept and read the details.
April 20, 2015 Council agenda: Click items below to read the staff report.
Approval of the First Amendment to the Employment Agreement between the City of Piedmont and Paul Benoit Increases Benoit salary 3% to $206,000 plus benefit improvements.
Receipt of 2014 Report from the Public Safety Committee
Informational Update on the 2015 Pavement Project Some previously referred streets remain off of the pavement list.
Progress Report on LED Street Light Conversion Project
Approval of the Concept Plan and Overall Budget for the City Hall Entry Hallway Update and Renovation $80,000 City expenditure
Approval of the 2015 Engineering and Traffic Speed Zone Survey as Required by the California Vehicle Code Report recommends an increase in speed limit to 30 MPH on Oakland Avenue.
The Council meeting will occur in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 120 Vista Avenue on Monday, April 20, beginning at 7:30 p.m. and will be live streamed on the Piedmont website and broadcast on KCOM Channel 27.
Was the City Hall project vetted by the CIP committee?
Staff is not recommending a new 30 mph speed limit for Oakland Ave, the consultant is. Staff’s recommendation is to keep the speed at 25 mph. In the 2015 traffic survey, San Carlos at Oakland had an 85% speed of 38 mph (85 out of 100 cars drive at or below this speed). That’s the highest 85% speed recorded in Piedmont over 15 years of the survey. With the intersection of El Cerrito and Oakland being a major crossing point for PMS and PHS students, this speed report should motivate city hall to do something to improve pedestrian safety at this intersection.
After attending Monday’s Council meeting, I learned that city hall has done something to improve pedestrian safety at the intersection of El Cerrito/Oakland Ave. Chief Goede announced that the city has purchased two mobile digital speed monitors that will flash vehicle speeds and warnings and that one will be posted at the El Cerrito/Oakland Ave intersection. Permanent pedestrian safety measures are probably needed at this intersection but the signs are a great start. She also indicated that PPD wrote more citations in 2014 than in 2011 and 2012 combined. Given that, it would be useful to compare the data from the 2008 and 2015 surveys to see how increased enforcement effected vehicle speeds in town.
Three other quick observations from Monday’s meeting:
City has received over $800,000 in street paving money, doubling this annual program. And new street rating, the Pavement Condition Index, will be generated in 2015. Staff suggested that in the future, sewer replacement funds be used to repave streets undergoing sewer repair which would could possibly extend the need for the sewer tax.
Using a project estimate developed for the City of South South San Francisco, replacements of all city street lights with energy-efficient LEDs would cost about $170,000. PG&E will loan the city the funds to do this at 0%, replacement will save $22,000 on the city’s annual electric bill and the project pays off in 6 years. A demo LED street light is at the corner of Vista and Hillside for those who want to see the light.
Piedmont is a Tier 4 city in the state-wide water reduction program – there are 9 tiers. Piedmont is expected to reduce water usage by 16%. Street medians will not be watered and the city is looking at alternate landscaping for the medians. Bulbs will still be planted.