Nov 29 2022

Piedmont COVID 19 Testing Kiosk to Close Fri., Dec. 2

The Curative COVID-19 testing kiosk in the Community Hall parking lot will close permanently on Friday, December 2, 2022.

The kiosk has provided over 11,000 tests in Piedmont since opening in November 2021. Originally open only two days per week, the site expanded to Monday through Friday service in January 2022. Demand has waned in recent months, and Curative has cited low use numbers as the reason for the site’s closure.

“I’m proud that we’ve been able to provide this service to our community for over a year at no cost to the public,” said Fire Chief Dave Brannigan. “Bringing a test site to our civic center last winter – when testing lines stretched around the block throughout the region – gave Piedmont residents a critical tool to navigate last year’s Omicron surge. Since then, the site has supported thousands of community members as they resumed elements of pre-pandemic life, including return to offices, attending large events, and enjoying long-delayed travel plans.”

In contrast to when the site opened last year, COVID-19 tests are now widely available through many sources:

• At-home tests: Home antigen tests are now easy to purchase at pharmacies and online. Additionally, the FDA has extended the expiration dates for many brands of home test kits, so tests you already have may still be good even if the printed expiration date has passed. Information on extended expiration dates is available on the FDA website.

• Public testing locations: Use the California Department of Public Health interactive map and search tool at myturn.ca.gov/testing to find local testing options. This site provides information about community clinics sponsored by Alameda County Public Health as well as sites run by private testing providers. The tool allows you to filter results to display only free testing sites, or locations that offer both testing and treatment.

• Your healthcare provider: Health care providers are required by law to provide testing when you have symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19.

Health officials continue to advise getting tested before attending a gathering, staying home when sick, and getting vaccinated or boosted to provide the best protection against serious illness from COVID-19.

Community members with general questions about COVID-19 can call the Alameda County Public Health community support line (510) 268-2101.

Those seeking medical guidance related to COVID-19 should contact their health care provider, or call the 24/7 California Medi-Nurse line at (877) 409-9052,  if uninsured.

2022-11-29 Piedmont COVID-19 Testing Kiosk to Close December 3rd ?

Nov 28 2022

Last Chance to Submit Comments on City Administrator Recruitment

Public Input Sought via City Administrator Recruitment Survey

Comments are to be made by Wednesday, November 30, 2022 using the City survey > > https://piedmont.ca.gov/government/city_news___notifications/city_administrator_selection_survey

Residents are invited to help shape the selection process for Piedmont’s next City Administrator by completing a brief online survey.  The City is not collecting names or any other personal information from respondents to this survey.  The survey asks community members to share their thoughts regarding the recruitment:

• the most important challenges and opportunities the new City Administrator will face

• what skills and experiences are the most critical in a new City Administrator

• what management and leadership attributes should the City Council look for

• how the new City Administrator should interact with the community.

The City Council will use the input gathered in this survey to help guide its decisions during the selection process. Piedmont’s City Administrator is appointed by the City Council and is responsible for overseeing day-to-day City operations and addressing the priorities established by the City Council.

City Administrator Sara Lillevand intends to retire in Spring 2023 or after the City Council has appointed a successor. Lillevand was appointed City Administrator by the City Council in 2019, after spending five years as Piedmont’s Recreation Director.

The Piedmont City Charter states the role of the City Administrator as follows:

SECTION 3.02 CITY ADMINISTRATOR

The City Council shall appoint a City Administrator for an indefinite term and fix his/her compensation. The administrator shall be appointed on the basis of executive and administrative qualifications. The City Administrator shall be the chief administrative officer of the city and shall be responsible to the City Council for the administration of all City affairs placed in his/her charge by or under this charter.

The administrator shall have the following powers and duties:

(1) Shall appoint all city employees.

(2) Shall discipline, and, when deemed necessary for the good of the City, suspend or remove City officers and employees except as otherwise provided by law, this Charter, or personnel rules adopted pursuant to this Charter.

(3) Shall supervise the administration of all departments, offices and agencies of the City, except as otherwise provided by this Charter or by law and except further that the internal administration of each department shall remain with each department head.

(4) Shall attend Council meetings and shall have the right to take part in discussion, but may not vote.

(5) Shall see that all laws, provisions of this Charter and acts of the Council, subject to enforcement by him/her or by officers subject to his/her supervision, are faithfully executed.

(6) Shall prepare and submit the annual budget to the Council and shall supervise its administration after its adoption.

(7) Shall submit to the Council and make available to the public a report on the finances of the City each fiscal year.

(8) Shall make such other reports as the Council may require concerning the operations of City departments, offices and agencies.

(9) Shall keep the Council fully advised as to the financial condition and future needs of the City and make recommendations to the Council concerning the affairs of the City.

(10) Shall administer the personnel system of the City and, in particular, those matters involving the City’s personnel classification system and employee benefit and retirement plans.

(11) Shall maintain a system of City records.

(12) Shall perform such duties as are specified in this charter or may be required by the Council. (Charter Amendment 11/06/2018)

Comments may also be sent directly to the Council.

To send comments to the City Council as a whole, send an email to citycouncil@piedmont.ca.gov.

2022-11-07 City Administrator Recruitment Survey

Nov 28 2022

OPINION: Is the Draft Piedmont Housing Element in a 30 Day Comment Period ?

Does this mean the draft Piedmont Housing Element is in a 30-day comment period which commenced November 17?

From the California Housing and Community Development (HCD) website:
“Housing Element Submittal Requirements:”
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“For first draft submittals: With the first draft submittal, please include in the cover letter how the local government complies with new public participation requirements pursuant to AB 215 (Chapter 342, Statutes of 2021). AB 215 requires that prior to submittal of the first draft to HCD, the local government must make the draft available for public comment for 30 days and if any comments were received, take at least 10 business days to consider and incorporate public comments. Please note, HCD cannot review any first draft submittals that have not demonstrated completion with this requirement. The housing element will be considered submitted to HCD on the date that documentation has been received verifying compliance with AB 215 public participation requirements.”
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Garrett Keating, Former Member of the Piedmont City Council
Editors’ Note: Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Nov 27 2022

Multifamily Development Design Standards Can Impacted All Piedmont Properties

Any property in Piedmont can become the site of a new Multifamily density increasing project.

The recently released City legal opinion points to the 2017 definition of “reclassify” inserted in the Piedmont City Code that no one thought of great import.  It now seems that the new definition created for the City Code in 2017 may have been inserted for the purpose of nullifying the Piedmont City Charter specifying the zoning control designation to Piedmont voters in an attempt to reclassify Piedmont’s zones and uses without voters approval.  

Can a City Charter be nullified by a non-standard definition inserted many decades later by a City Council enacting a separate document, an ordinance, not approved by enacting voters who approved the actual language in the City Charter ?

Without voters amending the approved City Charter, can a non-standard definition retroactively replace a well-established term, “reclassify,” when the standard meaning of “reclassify” had been approved by voters and acted upon over years and years of the existence of the voter approved City Charter?

The Piedmont City Charter states:    Section 9.02 Zoning system.

“The City of Piedmont is primarily a residential city, and the City Council shall have the power to establish a zoning system within the City as may in its judgment be most beneficial. The Council may classify and reclassify the zones established, but no existing zones shall be reduced or enlarged with respect to size or area, and no zones shall be reclassified without submitting the question to a vote at a general or special election. No zone shall be reduced or enlarged and no zones reclassified unless a majority of the voters voting upon the same shall vote in favor thereof; provided that any property which is zoned for uses other than or in addition to a single-family dwelling maybe voluntarily rezoned by the owners thereof filing a written document executed by all of the owners thereof under penalty of perjury stating that the only use on such property shall be a single-family dwelling, and such rezoning shall not require a vote of the electors as set forth above.”

Since all Piedmont zones allow single-family residential buildings, the attorney’s opinion opens all Piedmont properties to multi-family high density housing without voter approval of the increase in residential density. 

Piedmont’s City Attorney determined that Piedmont voters rights outlined in the City Charter and the long history of zoning control by voters in Piedmont are not applicable to density, thus without voter approval multi-family high density housing is opened in all of Piedmont: Single-family Residential Zones, Public Zone, and Commercial Zone properties.  
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Vital now are the design standards for how these multi-family dwellings including high density housing are approved for construction in Piedmont by City staff, who will have “ministerial” control of the permitting process outside of public view and notice requirements. The staff simply refers to a check list of approved “objective design standards”, MODS, to decide if a project qualifies for a building permit.   Public hearings and neighborhood input are not a part of the permitting process. Only the staff can unilaterally determine qualification for a building permit based on the adopted standards.
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Importantly, the development of the City’s Design Standards for Multifamily Objective Design Standards (MODS) will impact all of Piedmont, since every property in Piedmont is zoned for single-family dwellings, and thus according to the City’s legal opinion makes all zones have a potential for a higher density multifamily use.  

The “Objective Design Standards (MODS)” are a response to state laws attempting to promote lower cost housing throughout the state, including Piedmont, by allowing Planning staff to make permit decisions based on adopted MODS design standards without public input.  Additional new legislation, further impacts housing in Piedmont by promoting multiple housing, yet not mentioned by the City in this proposed action.

The time to provide your input on matters such as set-backs, safety, parking, landscaping, etc. is now.

READ the draft proposal >

Piedmont Multifamily Objective Design Standards,

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

City Announcement———— below.  Notations inclosed in brackets are not part of the City announcement.

Comments Sought on Draft Multifamily Objective Design Standards for Commercial and Mixed-Use Areas

[The standards will apply to all areas in Piedmont when multifamily housing is considered.]

Published October 7, 2022 by the City of Piedmont

Piedmont’s Planning & Building Department has published draft updated multifamily development design standards for public review and comment. The draft standards, officially called the Piedmont Multifamily Objective Design Standards, or “MODS,” would govern new development in existing commercial and multifamily zones.

[As Piedmont is currently proposing multifamily use in other zones, such as the Public Zone and Commercial Zone, the MODS criteria will be paramount to staff’s ministerial decisions on permitting development of multifamily structures without public input.]

[Piedmont’s City Attorney’s opinion has stated density in all zones is not controlled by voters. making these standards important for the exclusionary ministerial permitting purpose.   As applied by the City to the Commercial Zone and Public Zone, both are zoned for single-family use, as all of Piedmont, opening the Single-family Zone to multifamily high density usage ]

[ The City of Piedmont is proposing multifamily high density dwellings within Piedmont’s Public zone, which includes parklands and municipal properties, because the Public zone permits single-family residential dwellings and density can be increased without voter approval.  The design standards (MODS) would apply in all areas where housing is proposed for multifamily use. The new design standards are subject to implementation  for: Piedmont Public properties, Commercial, and Single-family zoned properties. ]

This project is separate from Piedmont’s Housing Element update and began in 2019, when the City applied for an SB2 planning grant to fund development of the standards. The purpose of objective design standards is to ensure new multifamily and mixed-use development aligns with and enhances the character of Piedmont’s neighborhoods.

[ Single-family residential zoning is contiguous to all Public, Commercial, and Multifamily use zones in Piedmont.]

These standards would apply to proposed developments in Piedmont’s Zones C and D, where mixed-use and multifamily development is already allowed. These areas constitute less than 5% of total land in Piedmont.

[The City Attorney’s opinion does not separate uses or limit residential uses in a particular zone.  The recently devised Mixed Use Zone was never approved by Piedmont voters as required by the Piedmont City Charter. The City Attorney’s opinion notes density increases are allowed because single-family zoning is permitted, announcing voters do not control density.]

The standards are intended to help maintain privacy and mitigate other possible impacts to neighbors and surrounding single-family properties. They provide specific guidelines for design elements like:

  • Setbacks, building placement, and façade design
  • Size, placement, and materials for windows and outdoor spaces like balconies and decks
  • Location and visibility of parking areas

Objective design standards are required by State laws, including > SB 35 (2017) and SB 330 (2019). The purpose of these laws is to streamline the review process for multifamily properties statewide, with the goal of easing development of housing that is affordable to both owners and renters at all income levels. Piedmont’s draft standards support this goal while ensuring new development will not compromise existing community character.

[The standards will be applied ministerially without neighborhood input.] 

The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the draft standards this winter, likely in December or January.

The timeline as set by the City Planning Department states acceptance of public comment on the draft standards through November 21, 2022. Community members can email comments to Piedmontishome@piedmont.ca.gov.

[If comments have not been sent by November 21, 2022, responders are welcome to send their comments after that date addressed to the Piedmont Planning Commission via the Planning Director Kevin Jackson, ]

kjackson@piedmont.ca.gov.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Additionally, comments may be sent to members of the Piedmont City Council, as the matter will be considered by the Council on a future Agenda.

To send comments to the City Council as a whole, email citycouncil@piedmont.ca.gov or send via U.S. Mail to the following address:

Piedmont City Council, 120 Vista Avenue, Piedmont, Ca 94611

Nov 25 2022

OPINION: Housing Element: City Staff Underestimates SB9 Potential to the Detriment of Piedmont

The City produced an HE that increases density and development pressure in neighborhoods where it need not be.

The City of Piedmont will submit its draft 6th Cycle Housing Element without any SB9 projections. SB9 allows 30-day approval of the subdivision of residential lots for the development of new housing/ADUs, a very likely development given Piedmont’s large lot sizes.   The city’s consultant claimed that Housing and Community Development (HCD) was setting a very high bar for accepting SB9 projections and advised against including such estimates in the city’s Housing Element.

Two cities I know of that have submitted SB9 projections are Atherton and Woodside (San Mateo County).  These cities share characteristics of Piedmont, namely large estate lots that could contribute to housing growth over the next 8 years under SB9.  Atherton projects 96 SB 9 units over the next 8 years based on the following methodology:

“Seventy parcels listed on the table from row 8 (60 Parkwood) to row 78 (172 Tuscaloosa) are residential parcels included as underutilized since they are of sufficient size to be further subdivided according to the existing zoning and lot size limits. Six of these parcels are vacant and have the capacity to yield 7 new dwellings for above moderate-income households if subdivided and developed in accordance with existing zoning regulations or to yield 14 new dwellings for above moderate-income households if subdivided and developed in accordance with SB 9 regulations. Sixty-four of these parcels are developed with one single-family house. Those parcels have the capacity to yield 93 net new dwellings for above moderate-income households if subdivided and developed in accordance with existing zoning regulations. Under the allowable provisions of SB9, these 64 parcels could be split into two legal parcels, with each parcel further allowed development capacity of 2 dwelling units. It follows that under SB 9, if each parcel were to meet the required criteria for an urban lot split, the overall development capacity could result in a total 123 dwelling units.”

 https://www.hcd.ca.gov/housing-elements/docs/atherton-6th-draft080222.pdf

This methodology is quite simple.  First, a GIS analysis of the city’s parcels was done to identify parcels that can be subdivided under existing zoning rules.  Then Atherton surveyed these parcel owners to determine their interest to develop their properties and combined with unsolicited SB9 applications since January 2022, assumed 12 SB 9 lots a year, 96 total over the 8-year cycle.

In a letter to the City of Atherton, this is how HCD responded to that methodology:

“SB 9 Sites: The element identifies SB9 as a strategy to accommodate part of the Town’s RHNA. To support these assumptions, the analysis must include experience, trends and market conditions that allow lot splits and missing middle uses. The analysis must list the potential SB9 sites and demonstrate the likelihood of redevelopment, including whether existing uses constitute as an impediment for additional residential use. The analysis should describe how the Town determined eligible properties, whether the assumed lots will have turnover, if the properties are easy to subdivide, and the condition of the existing structures. The analysis should also describe interest from property owners as well as experience. The analysis should provide support for the units being developed within the planning period. Based on the outcomes of this analysis, the element should add or modify to establish zoning and development standards early in the planning period and implement incentives to encourage and facilitate development as well as monitor development every two years with and identify additional sites within six months if assumptions are not being met. The element should support this analysis with local information such as local developer or owner interest to utilize zoning and incentives established through SB9.”

https://atherton.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=406

Woodside projects 18 SB 9 units and received a similar response from HCD (https://www.almanacnews.com/news/reports/1666208419.pdf ).  Los Gatos projects 92 and has yet to receive a response from HCD.

The Atherton City Council met last week to address HCD comments and anticipates it will lower its SB9 projections, but that is open to negotiation.  Nonetheless, Atherton is in the position to account for some SB9 growth because its Planning Department took initiative and conducted ADU and SB9 surveys of its residents to compile a baseline of intent to show HCD.  In Woodside’s case, councilmembers developed the SB9 projections after staff did not.  HCD may push back but these cities can demonstrate real potential because they reached out to their communities about SB9.

Assuming these projections are accepted, they demonstrate how Piedmont lost out on an important planning tool in developing its HE.  Atherton projects adding 96 SB9 units to its 2560 total parcels – 3.75%.  Woodside, 18 to its 1919 – 1%.  Imagine if Piedmont had projected just 1% SB9 units for its 4000 parcels – 40 over the next 8 years.  Including that estimate in the HE would have eliminated the need to place 30 moderate units in the canyon.  At 3% (120 units) it would have reduced the need to increase density at the Ace Hardware properties on Grand Avenue.

Piedmont certainly has the land for SB9 growth – there are 200 lots of 20,000 square feet or more in the estate zone. 50 of those lots are over 40,000 sq ft and could be subdivided today.  30 are over 60,000 sq ft and could be tripled if zoning allowed it.  SB9 applies to any parcel in Zones A and E that meet certain requirements and large residences can be partitioned into “plexes” so there’s lots of SB9 potential to go around.  Piedmont should have accounted for this in its HE.

Staff has always said the RHNA projections were about housing potential, but by underestimating that potential has produced an HE that increases density and development pressure in neighborhoods where it need not be. Staff has said SB9 units that develop in the future will count towards the RHNA target, but that doesn’t help now with the current HE site analysis and policy development.  Built-out cities like Piedmont should be using every planning tool to address what seem to be unrealistic RHNA projections.  It’s better planning as well.

Garrett Keating, Former Piedmont City Council Member

Editors’ Note: Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Nov 22 2022

POOL: Operational Analysis, Costs, Revenue, Expenditures, Programs: Tues. Nov. 29, Pool Committee

Community Pool Advisory Committee

AGENDA

1. Update on Piedmont Community Pool Project

2. Receipt of an Operational Analysis Report for the Piedmont Community Pool and Consideration of a Request to the City Council for Direction on Next Steps 

Tuesday, November 29, 2022 6:00 p.m.

City Council Chambers, 120 Vista Avenue, Piedmont, CA  AND Via Teleconference 

CLICK BELOW TO READ THE ANALYSIS OF STAFFING  COSTS, PROGRAMS, REVENUE, CITY EXPENDITURES and view the AGENDA

Piedmont Community Pool Advisory Committee Meeting 11-29-22

Nov 22 2022

Wed., December 7 at 7:00 pm Holiday Tree Lighting, Menorah, and Festivities

Lights Up! Longstanding Piedmont holiday tree lighting event returns with new celebrations, activities on December 7.

The City of Piedmont and the Piedmont Beautification Foundation invite community members to kick off the holiday season on Wednesday, December 7th at 7:00pm at Lights Up! A New Community Holiday Lighting Celebration in front of Piedmont Community Hall.

This event represents an expansion and evolution of Piedmont’s beloved holiday tree lighting ceremony, which dates back to 1969. Longstanding traditions, including the illumination of the 80-foot redwood tree and a cappella serenades by Piedmont High School’s Troubadours will continue, enhanced this year by new additions intended to create a more inclusive and welcoming event that celebrates the diversity of our community.

In the depths of winter, celebrations centered around light are common to cultures across the globe. Building on this theme, Lights Up! will include new lighting around the park, the lighting of a menorah concurrently with the tree, and an interactive activity hosted by Piedmont’s Girl Scouts inviting attendees to document how they plan to share their own inner light in the new year. Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area will provide a recipient to flip the switch for the lights.

Piedmont Boy Scouts will serve warm apple cider and hot cocoa generously provided by Piedmont Grocery and Heafey Baum Group, respectively, while Chabad Oakland will add to the festivities this year with a latke station. The Piedmont Recreation Department will provide a variety of activities to entertain young children.

Per tradition, Santa Claus will be available for photos inside Community Hall, and children are invited to write letters to Santa and deposit them in a special mailbox addressed to North Pole. Santa will read every letter. Children with special needs will be able to see Santa starting at 6:00pm.

Lights Up! will take place rain or shine.

The Piedmont Beautification Foundation (PBF) obtains, maintains, installs, and removes the colorful LED lights that adorn the illuminated tree each year. Throughout the year, PBF partners with the City to provide research and funding for projects that increase safety, beauty, and function of Piedmont’s extensive and unique public facilities. Community members can support these efforts by donating at piedmontbeautificationfoundation.org/donate. A donation to PBF this time of year provides an opportunity to extend warm wishes to friends and neighbors as part of the group’s 54th Annual Holiday Greeting Campaign by way of names of donors being listed in the Post and the Exedra.

For questions regarding Lights Up! or Piedmont Beautification Foundation’s work, contact Barbara Love at pbf.piedmont@gmail.com. For general questions about the City’s winter holiday events, including Lights Up!, Santa’s Workshop (December 10th), Donuts & Dreidels (December 18th), and Noon Year’s Eve (December 31st), contact City of Piedmont Recreation Director Chelle Putzer at cputzer@piedmont.ca.gov.

Published November 22, 2022

This is a joint message from the City of Piedmont and the Piedmont Beautification Foundation.

Nov 21 2022

City Intends to Award Pool Construction Contract – Dec. 2022

City of Piedmont announces intent to award pool construction contract; PRFO fundraising campaign remains underway

November 21, 2022

The City of Piedmont has issued a notice of intent to award a contract for construction of the new community pool. Staff could bring a contract to City Council for approval as soon as December 5th, 2022, with construction anticipated to begin early in 2023.

The City received four bids for construction of the new pool on November 16th, 2022. The low base bid of $21.35 million is line with construction cost estimates and anticipated available funding – a combination of Measure UU bond proceeds, private donations from an ongoing Piedmont Recreational Facilities Organization (PRFO) capital campaign, as well as ongoing efforts to secure funding specific to full electrification of the facility.

“I’m thrilled to have reached this milestone,” said City Administrator Sara Lillevand. “After working on this project since 2015, when we began the master planning process for a new aquatics center, it is deeply gratifying to be in a position to move forward with construction of a modern facility that meets the athletic and recreational aquatic needs of our community.”

While the bid is in line with previous cost estimates and expectations, the project continues to face a funding shortfall. To close the gap, the City is partnering with PRFO to raise $2.1 million for the completion of the new community pool as designed. This capital campaign, which began in August 2022, hopes to build on the success of previous PRFO fundraising in support of Hampton Park and the Corey Reich Tennis Center.

“Time and again, the people of Piedmont have shown tremendous generosity in supporting the City’s efforts to create modern recreational spaces for our whole community to enjoy,” said Mayor Teddy Gray King. “A new aquatics facility in the center of town will bring joy and delight for generations to come. The City is grateful to PRFO for its support to bring this remarkable project across the finish line.”

This was the second round of bidding for construction of the project. Previously, the City received bids from two pre-qualified contractors on September 26th , 2022. Both bids exceeded the project team’s estimates by more than 15%, with the lowest bid coming in at $24.6 million. Expecting that increased competition would result in a bid that better aligned with the City’s resources, the City Council unanimously approved staff’s recommendation to reject both bids and re-open the project for bidding to a wider range of contractors on October 17th, 2022. The second round yielded four bids, two of which are lower than both bids from the first round.

Primary funding for the pool replacement project comes from Measure UU, approved by Piedmont voters in November 2020. Measure UU authorized the sale of $19.5 million in general obligation bonds to fund a new community pool. The new community pool is anticipated to include a 27-meter competition pool with a diving well, a 3,177 square foot activity pool with three 25-yard lap lanes, and a single-story building featuring locker rooms, an indoor multi-purpose room, two gender neutral changing rooms, and a rooftop pavilion.

The City of Piedmont and the Piedmont City Council are grateful to the community for their continued support for the new community pool project. For more information on the project, visit piedmont.ca.gov/newpool. For information on the PRFO capital campaign, visit prfo.org/piedmont-community-pool.

Nov 19 2022

ADUs: Added Bedrooms, ADUs in Front Yards, Conveyance of ADUs to Separate Owner, City Charter

Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, City Council –

The City Charter once more is considered when adding housing units in Piedmont.  The City’s controversial Charter interpretation is presented in relation to the proposed ordinance expanding housing in Piedmont.

The City claims a recently adopted ordinance #17.02.C prevails over the City Charter, as copied below:

“CITY CHARTER The modifications to the City Code are in conformance with the City Charter, including section 9.02. No zones have been reduced or enlarged, and no zones have been reclassified. City Charter provisions are expressly referred to in City Code division 17.02.C.”

Not all Planning Commissioners approved recommending approval of the proposed ordinance.  On a 3-1 vote the ordinance was recommended to the Council. There are  6 commissioners eligible to have participated in the consideration.

Should the Council approve a first reading of the recommended ordinance on November 21, 2022, a second reading could occur as soon as December 5, 2022, and the Code amendments would go into effect thirty days after that.

Perpetuated is the unequal distribution of housing in Piedmont.  One zone (Zone E) continues to require a lot size Minimum of 20,000 square feet, subject to exception for accessory dwelling unit construction set forth in division 17.38, whereas Zone A  location of the majority of Piedmont properties  require a Minimum lot size of 8,000 square feet.

 “Objective standards in the Piedmont Design Guidelines” are required, however these are yet to be approved and are forthcoming.  These standards have the potential to impact every property and neighbor in Piedmont.

 

“B. Ministerial review. The Director shall review each application ministerially to determine if the development standards in section 17.38.060 are met, and shall within 60 days of a completed application approve or deny the application, except if the application to create an accessory dwelling unit or a junior accessory dwelling unit is submitted with an application to create a new primary single-family or multi-family dwelling on the lot, the Director shall delay acting on the permit application for the accessory dwelling unit or the junior accessory dwelling unit until permits for the new single-family or multi-family dwelling are approved. The Director will review the application without notice or public hearing. The time period for review may be tolled at the request of the applicant.”

READ the entire ordinance to be considered by the Council on Monday, November 21, 2022 by clicking HERE.

Participation and Nov. 21 Agenda > HERE.

 

Nov 15 2022

Housing Element Authorized by Council to Be Sent to State

On November 15, 2022 at the Special Council Meeting on the Housing Element, the Council unanimously voted to:

“Approve the attached Resolution authorizing staff to finalize and submit the City of Piedmont’s Sixth Cycle Draft Housing Element to the California Department Of Housing And Community Development For Review.”

 No Council changes were made to the proposal. 

All participants appeared to understand the necessity of moving forward on the Housing Element in meeting the January 31, 2023 deadline and responding to the Housing and Community Development Department.

A number of speakers wanted additional consideration of housing on city property in the center of Piedmont.  Others were supportive of the changes made to the November 15, 2022 proposal.

Interest was expressed regarding evaluating public safety facilities in conjunction with housing in Central Piedmont, recognition of safety issues related to adding housing next to schools in the congested center of Piedmont, need to support recreational spaces given the increase in population, potential of isolating low-income families in Moraga Canyon, and renewed planning study of Central Piedmont.

READ the authorized Housing Element >HERE.

 

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