Special Planning Commission Agenda Tuesday, March 1, 2022 5:30 p.m. Via Teleconference *

COVID-19 NOTICE * In a continuing effort to reduce the public health effects of COVID-19, the Planning Commission meeting will not be physically open to the public and Planning Commissioners will be teleconferencing into the meeting via ZOOM Teleconference, pursuant to the provisions of Government Code 54953.

To maximize public safety while still maintaining transparency and public access, members of the public can participate in the meeting in several ways: See instructions for participation on the Tuesday, March 1, 2022 Agenda linked at the end of this article. 

Regular Agenda

Staff reports were not distributed for this meeting.

1. Approval of minutes for the December 13, 2021, regular meeting of the Planning Commission.

2. Scoping Session on the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Housing Element Update Staff and Rincon Consultants will conduct a public scoping session to receive comments on the scope and contents of the EIR being prepared for the 2023-2031 Housing Element Update and associated amendments to the General Plan.

3. Presentation on the Piedmont Community Pool Project. The design team from ELS Architecture and Urban Design will provide a verbal update and slideshow on the activities related to the development of a design for the Piedmont Community Pool.

4. Update on Housing Policy Presentation. Staff and Commissioners will provide a verbal update on the activities of staff, the Housing Advisory Committee and City’s housing consultants related to the development of fair housing policy. Adjourn

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk at (510) 420-3040. Notification at least two business days preceding the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting. [28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title II] In accordance with G.C. Sec. 54954.2 (a) this notice and agenda were posted on the City Hall bulletin board and also in the Piedmont Police Department on February 15, 2022.

Click Agenda below for details on participation and viewing:

PCA Plan Com 3 2022<

In an effort to improve customer service, the Departments of Planning & Building and Public Works are implementing a pilot program which will change counter service hours, effective February 28, 2022.

Counter service includes unscheduled inquiries at the counter as well as by phone and email. This is a pilot program, which will be effective into the fall of 2022.

Starting February 28th, the new hours will be:

Monday through Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday: Closed

The Planning & Building Department and the Department of Public Works are focused on providing the highest levels of customer service to the Piedmont community, but the past two years have placed unprecedented strain and demands on the departments. The result is a backlog of building permit applications.

Planning and Building Director Kevin Jackson states:

“Customer Service is about more than just being open and available to the public. It is also a function of how quickly we can efficiently process permit applications and approval,” said Planning & Building Director Kevin Jackson.

“In order to improve customer service overall while maintaining our high standard for responding to inquiries, the Planning & Building and Public Works Departments will remain open for unscheduled service during the lunch hour Monday through Thursday and devoting ourselves entirely to permit processing on Fridays. These hours are consistent with those provided by other cities in the Bay Area. We’re also seeking to hire two part-time staff to accelerate building permit review.”

This change in counter service hours is being made in conjunction with technology upgrades, available later this year, which will allow residents to submit permit and project applications, service requests, as well as pay business license taxes online. With this forthcoming system, project plans will be submitted, reviewed, and approved in digital, rather than paper format.

In addition, community members will no longer have to carve out time during the workday and make a trip to City Hall to engage with staff, review documents, ask for a pothole to be fixed, or request other services.

“Once the technology upgrades are fully implemented, we will be better placed to determine if the changes to counter service hours should end or continue,” Mr. Jackson added. “The operational changes forced upon us by the COVID pandemic affected services greatly and made technological upgrades more urgent. Thankfully, the City Council has been proactive in approving technological advances in all departments, ushering our ability to serve the community even farther into the twenty-first century. In the coming months and years the interim changes and long-term improvements will merge into a greatly enhanced customer service experience.”

CONTACT:

Piedmont Planning & Building Department 120 Vista Avenue Piedmont, CA 94611 Phone: (510) 420-3050 Fax: (510) 658-3167 Planning Email: ondutyplanner@piedmont.ca.gov
Building Email:
buildingpermits@piedmont.ca.gov
Current Office Hours: Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

PCA 2022-02-15 Public Works-Planning & Building Counter Hours to Change

The Piedmont Civic Association congratulates Jennifer Long as Piedmont’s newest councilmember and thanks all 11 candidates who were willing to offer their skills to the City in this volunteer position.

At a special meeting on February 7, 2022, the Piedmont City Council selected Jennifer Long to fill the vacancy on the Council created by the resignation of Councilmember Tim Rood from among eleven applicants for the position. Ms. Long will be sworn in at the City Council meeting on February 22, 2022, and her term will run until the results of the General Municipal Election of November 8, 2022 are certified, which likely will take place at a Council meeting in December, 2022.  John O. Tulloch City Clerk

City Press Release: 2022-02-08 Long Appointed to City Council. 

Long, an attorney, resides on Crocker Avenue, where she lives and works. 

Long’s application:   Long, Jennifer – Application 2022

Selection of the New City Council Member to Fill the Vacancy has Citizens Confused

The Resignation of former Council member Tim Rood makes way for a replacement City Council Member outside of the normal election process.  Citizens reading the public posting could not tell how to participate or observe the February 7, 2022. 4pm City Council meeting focused on the Council member replacement.  The agenda does not notice a virtual/teleconferenced meeting.  See Agenda and Staff report linked below:

2.  Staff report on reasons to hold virtual/teleconferenced meetings > 2.7.2022

SECTION 4. The City Council reconfirms and incorporates the findings made in Resolution 77-2021 regarding the need for the Council and all Commissions, Committees, or advisory bodies of the City of Piedmont to meet by teleconference.

3.  Interviews of candidates

4.  Consideration of Appointment of Candidate to Vacant City Council Seat. > council-special-agenda 2.7.2022  

Council selection process thwarts public viewing and participation.

Per the California Brown Act (Sunshine law), Council candidate interviews and their actual applications seeking appointment to public office are required to be open and available to the public. The City is not following their own meeting procedures on COVID safety for virtual meetings.  The City has also not publicly disseminated the written applications.

The City has decided to hold the interviews and selection process in the Piedmont Police Department Emergency Operation Center (EOC) on Highland Avenue rather than in the Council Chambers wherein cameras can readily record and broadcast proceedings.  Only COVID compliant individuals can physically enter the Police Department to potentially observe and participate in the Council selection process. 

Candidate interviews had originally been scheduled “virtually” and would have been held in the Council Chambers allowing at home viewing through Zoom of the interview sessions and the Council selection process.

For years, the EOC and Council Conference Room have been selectively used for meetings where video recordings were not produced.  Some past noteworthy meetings held away from camera access have been the Piedmont Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee, interviews of candidates for commission appointments, and the City Department Budget presentations. 

Persons interested in participating in the interview process may enter the Police Department EOC on Highland Avenue at their own risk and observe the interviews and the selection process Monday, February 7, 2022 at 4 p.m.

City of Piedmont 2022 City Council Vacancy Applicant List:

Robert Dickinson

Connie Herrick

Deborah Leland

Jennifer Long

Hugh Louch

Thomas MacBride

Richard Raushenbush

Steve Roland

Andrea Ruiz-Esquide

Billy Rusteen

Ruchi Shrivastava Medhekar

Agenda council-special-agenda 2.7.2022

Staff report continuing virtual meetings.2.7.2022

Editors’ Note:  On February 7, 2022, at the Special Council meeting held away from broadcast capability in the Police Department EOC, Jennifer Long was selected by the City Council to fill the Tim Rood vacancy. Once the City Clerk releases information about Jennifer Long, it will be published on this site.

Natural Gas Green?  Piedmont says NO, California says NO

Europe says YES –

European Union Commission Classifies Natural Gas as Green Power, while the CA Grid Estimates $30.5 billion for New Electric Transmission Lines to End Use of Natural Gas  –

In 2020 (the latest data year), California’s in-state created electricity was generated by coal (.17%), by natural gas (48.35%), by oil (.02%), by nuclear (8.53%), by large hydro (9.40%). California also gets electricity from other states.  California’s imported (from out of state) electricity was powered by coal (8.76%), by natural gas (10.68%), by nuclear (11:21%), by large hydro (18.78%), and 17.% was generated by “unspecified ” or unnamed sources.

California’s intended switch from natural gas and other fuels to clean power will require $30.5 billion for electric transmission lines and substations by 2040 in preparation for hooking up solar, wind and geothermal plants, according to a report by the state’s grid operator, California Independent System Operator (CAISO).  New connections would be needed to more than 2 gigawatts of new, onshore wind power in California, 12 gigawatts of wind turbines in other western states that could supply California, 53 gigawatts of large-scale solar plants, and 37 gigawatts of batteries plugged into the grid by 2040.  $8.1 billion of the projected budget would be required just to connect 10 gigawatts of future coastline offshore wind turbines.

The report shows the challenge California faces to end greenhouse gas electricity grid emissions by 2045.  The most recent data is for 2020 when renewables contributed a third to California’s electricity power, including contributions from neighboring states.

Read CA power generation sources here

Read January 31, 2022 Transmission Outlook here.

NOMINATION PERIOD FOR 2022 ARTHUR HECHT VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD

This award is presented annually to individuals who have volunteered their efforts over a period of time and made a difference because of their involvement and commitment to Piedmont’s youth. Following are the previous recipients: Hunter McCreary (1998); Ann Chandler (1999); Ruth Cuming (2000); Lisa Lomenzo (2001); jointly by Cathie Geddeis and Marion Souyoultzis (2002); jointly by Fritz and Mary Wooster (2003); Elizabeth (Betsy) Gentry (2004); Cynthia Gorman (2005); Grier Graff (2006); Julia Burke (2007); Maude Pervere (2008); jointly to Anne-Marie Lamarche and Mark Menke (2009); Janiele Maffei Tovani (2010); Andrea Swenson (2011), June Monach (2012), Bill Drum (posthumously) and Mary Ireland (2013), Ray Perman (2014), Jennifer Fox (2015), Katie Korotzer (2016), Hilary Cooper (2017) Holly Hanke (2018), Cathy Glazier (2019), Sue Smegal (2020), and Ken Li (2021).

Art Hecht was a tireless community volunteer, and was dedicated to students in both Piedmont and Oakland. He served on Piedmont’s Board of Education from 1970 to 1982. Art also was very active with the Piedmont Continuation High School (now called Millennium High School). In 1998, the Art Hecht Volunteer of the Year Award was established in his memory.

Nominations for this award are now being sought and will be kept strictly confidential. The deadline for nominations is 4:30 p.m. on March 18, 2022. A selection committee will vote on the award recipient, who will be recognized at the May 11, 2022 Board of Education meeting, where the honoree’s good works will be acknowledged. They also will receive the gift of a work of student art. The student will receive a monetary award and commendation from the Board.

Nomination Forms are available on the PUSD website, in the District Office or by calling Sylvia Flores Eggert, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent, at (510) 594- 2614.

Art Hecht press release for 2022