Mar 5 2019
The Piedmont Park Commission on March 6 will consider consultants’ work reducing the landfill stream originating from Piedmont public activities.
In 2018, the City hired Abbe and Associates using money from ratepayers waste removal charges to provide outreach and technical assistance for waste reduction, recycling, and composting to reduce the landfill stream. The consultants have been working with City staff, Piedmont Unified School District (PUSD) staff and students to streamline and improve waste reduction, recycling, and composting at City and School facilities. Purpose of the consultants work is to:
- To increase the City’s and PUSD’s rate of diversion from landfill to 75% by working with staff and students.
- To educate about proper sorting habits to reduce contaminants in recycling and organics.
[Read the report Abbe Environ EXHIBIT A piedmont evergreen ]
On Wednesday, March 6, Laura McKaughan of Abbe and Associates will report on the progress achieved from July through December, 2018, the first six months of the program.
Civic events in Piedmont generate significant waste.
Another focus of the consultant work was the challenge to bring large celebrations and civic events –Harvest Festival, Turkey Trot, and Christmas Tree Lighting – into less wasteful patterns.
In 2018, the Harvest Festival achieved an 87% recycling rate (1635 gallons of waste material generated at the Festival was recycled or composted and only 245 gallons went to the landfill). The 2018 Turkey Trot achieved a 96% recycling rate (548 gallons of waste material generated at the race was recycled or composted and only 24 gallons went to the landfill). Preferred foodware options were identified for use at other events and even staff meetings.
The consultants work with the Piedmont Unified School District to reduce waste going to landfill.
The consultants worked with Piedmont Unified School District personnel by making site assessments of the High School and Middle School. New outdoor recycling containers were installed at the High School with additional installations planned at all school campuses.
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Piedmont Park Commission Meeting Agenda: Wednesday, March 6, 5:30 p.m., in City Hall:
- Approval of Park Commission Minutes for February 6, 2019
- Update on Olive Ave. Street Tree Replacements
- Report from Abbe and Associates: Piedmont Evergreen Team Abbe Environ EXHIBIT A piedmont evergreen
- Consideration of New Trash, Recycle and Green Waste Containers for Outdoor Public Spaces
- Update on Heritage Tree Nominations for 2019
- Update on Arbor Day 2019
- Monthly Maintenance Report
The meeting will be broadcast live on Cable Channel 27 and on the City website for the Piedmont Park Commission meetings http://www.ci.piedmont.ca.us/video/.
For additional information, contact Nancy Kent at NKent@piedmont.ca.gov
Mar 5 2019
The Piedmont City Council at their March 4 meeting approved the eight month trial dual use of tennis courts at Linda Beach and Hampton Parks for pickleball. The times and locations for pickleball are in the attached notice. The striping and other work needed will be done in about four weeks.
Numerous pickleball supporters spoke enthusiastically to the Council to encourage the trial period. There was some opposition from court neighbors concerned about additional noise emanating from the courts.
1-16-19-RC-Public-Notice-Pickelball-Trial (1)
Feb 28 2019
On February 27, 2019, the Piedmont School Board voted 4 – 1 to reject a grant to place a School Resource Officer – SRO – (Armed Police Officer) in Piedmont’s secondary schools. School Board President Amal Smith supported the SRO grant.
Hearing SRO opposition statements by numerous students, teachers, parents and community members, the Board made the decision to reject the SRO grant devised by Police Chief Jeremy Bowers and Superintendent Randall Booker. The grant had been applied for prior to consultation with and acceptance by the Piedmont School Board and Piedmont City Council. To accept grant funding for the SRO, Board and Council approval is required.
There was a complaint concerning lack of notice prior to Board consideration and insufficient community involvement regarding the SRO proposal.
After rejecting the grant, the Board undertook an off-agenda discussion regarding redirecting efforts to reach school goals.
Interest in obtaining a full time Piedmont police officer assigned to the Piedmont schools was brought up by Board member Andrea Swenson.
Superintendent Booker appeared unwilling to give up the concept of an SRO; however, upon hearing the emphasis on additional professional opinions and greater community involvement to solve identified problems, he informed the Board the upcoming grant deadline meant grant amendments would be difficult to obtain.
It was unclear if Superintendent Booker would or would not be coming back to the Board with a new approach to gain grant funding through a revised proposal.
Feb 27 2019
The public is invited to the Veterans’ Hall on Tuesday, March 5th at 7 p.m.
Surveillance Camera Locations: the intersections of: Grand and Wildwood Avenues; Oakland and Grand Avenues; Grand and Rose Avenues; Sunnyside and Olive Avenues; Trestle Glen Road and Cavanaugh Court; as well as Kingston and Monte Cresta Avenues. These locations may change.
The City of Piedmont is in the process of evaluating and considering a Public Safety Camera program. The evaluation has taken the form of a pilot which has been in process since September of 2017. While the Piedmont Police Department has experienced successes with the pilot, the City is seeking to engage the public to provide information on a proposed program, seek input and answer questions the public may have.
The Police Department is partnering with the Public Safety Committee to aid with public outreach on this important topic. The City has created a web page at http://www.ci.piedmont.ca.us/public-safe… to provide the public with information including frequently asked questions, important dates for public meetings and the police department’s existing Public Safety Camera Policy. Again, no decision of whether to approve the Public Safety Camera Program has been made. The City of Piedmont, Piedmont Police Department and Public Safety Committee thanks you for your time and interest.
A community meeting will be held at 7 pm on Tuesday, March 5th in the Veterans’ Hall at 401 Highland Avenue. Members of the Community are invited to come and hear a presentation from the Police Chief Jeremy Bowers, ask questions, and provide feedback on the possibility of the City of Piedmont undertaking this program.
Read the City of Piedmont’s Public Safety Camera Frequently Asked Questions document here.
Community members with question about the proposal are encouraged to contact Police Chief Jeremy Bowers at jbowers@piedmont.ca.gov or via telephone at (510) 420-3010.
Feb 19 2019
Information for Piedmonters considering financing options for the installation of solar systems.
Piedmonters, and Californians in general, were encouraged to install solar energy systems following the passage of California Assembly Bill 2188 in 2014. Given the substantial cost * of the systems, some homeowners were enticed by the solar lease option, which required no initial cost. The February 18, 2019 Bloomberg Businessweek investigative report explained that the third-party-owner solar systems have no initial cost for the homeowner, but tie the property to a 20 year lease.
The offer to install a free solar system seemed to be an easy way to add value to a home and lower electric bills at the same time. A few years later as the lease payments escalate, some homeowners are less enthusiastic. Because the homeowner does not own the system, the tax credits are not available to them –instead they go to the solar company that owns the system. In addition, the solar array may have been sized too large as more energy saving devices (appliances, light bulbs, etc) replace previous units. One purchaser cited by Bloomberg saw monthly electric costs actually increase a year after the installation. When a house goes on the market, the lease obligation goes with it as an obligation of the future owner for the remainder of the 20 year lease. The result is that instead of making the home more attractive to prospective buyers, it can be a barrier. Buying out the remainder of the lease is an expensive proposition for the seller, but may be required by the buyer’s mortgage provider. Purchasing a solar panel system may be more economical than than the lease option.
As of 2020, California will require solar panels on all new homes, likely to be third-party-owner solar systems rather than the fully paid solar installations that would belong to the home purchaser. California Assembly Bill 2188 passed in 2014 required all city and county governments to adopt expedited/streamlined permitting processes for small residential rooftop solar energy systems.
* $22,000 was the cost in 2018 for a typical 6-kilowatt residential rooftop PV (Photovoltaic) system, according to the National Council of State Legislatures, but cost of a PV system varies depending on capacity, labor, permitting fees, inter-connection fees, taxes, transaction costs and indirect expenses.
Feb 17 2019
City of Piedmont
CIP (Capital Improvement Program) Review Committee
Wednesday, February 20, 2019 – 7:00 p.m. – City Hall Conference Room, 120 Vista Avenue, Piedmont, CA
This meeting will not be broadcast. The public can attend the meeting and make comments.
Public Forum: This is an opportunity for members of the audience to speak on an item not on the agenda. The 10 minute period will be divided evenly between those wishing to address the Committee.
Regular Agenda
- Introduction of Committee Members and Election of Chair
- Review of Proposed Work Schedule for the CIP Review Committee for Fiscal Year 2019-2020
- Review of Solicitation Methods for Public Input on Potential CIP Projects
- Presentation of Current CIP Projects and CIP Wish Lists
Announcements, old business and consideration of future agenda items
No background information has been publicly provided. Information will be available at the meeting.
For additional information, contact: Staff Liaisons:
Chester Nakahara – cnakahara@piedmont.ca.gov – (W) 420-3061 & Nancy Kent – nkent@piedmont.ca.gov – (W) 420-3064
Feb 17 2019
Beginning on Monday, February 25th, the City of Piedmont will conduct an emergency removal of four mature Eucalyptus trees and one Monterey Pine tree located in upper Dracena Park near the intersection of Park Way and Dracena Ave. These trees are being removed because they pose a significant fall risk and could endanger public safety. This removal was recommended in the report of an independent arborist which assessed seventeen Eucalyptus trees in Dracena Park. The report provided an assessment of tree health and structural conditions, assessment of tree risk, and management recommendations for these and other trees in the park. The Park Commission was notified of the pending removal at its regular meeting on December 2, 2018.
The work is scheduled to begin on February 25, 2019 and will last for approximately two to three weeks. To ensure the safety of the surrounding neighborhood and park users, a section of upper Dracena Park will be closed for the duration of the project. Though inconvenient, this closure is necessary to ensure public safety during the tree removal.
Tree removal work will be undertaken weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. The removal is expected to generate substantial dust and noise. As part of the removal process, a tree chipper and crane will be on site and our contractors will need to maintain safe zones around the equipment. In addition, to allow safe operation of equipment related to the tree removal, Dracena Ave. between Park Way and Blair Ave will be closed to through traffic and parking will be prohibited on this block during work hours. Street parking will also be prohibited on Park Way adjacent to Dracena Park. Signs will be posted to define no parking zone. Traffic controls will be in place and staff will be on site to assist residents with access to their homes.
Please drive carefully in this area and respect all traffic instructions as this will assist us in completing the project as soon as possible.
If you have any questions about this or have any special circumstances that the City should be aware of, please contact Parks & Project Manager Nancy Kent at (510) 420-3064 or (510) 406-6342 or via email at nkent@piedmont.ca.gov. You may also contact Public Works Supervisor Dave Frankel at (510) 207-2114 or via email at dfrankel@piedmont.ca.gov.
