“Piedmont has a spending problem, not a revenue problem.”

Piedmont Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee report

Some highlights from the April Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee  (BAFPC) meeting:

Four Year Capital Improvement Program: 

Estimates to replace/renovate Essential Services facilities, City hall basement and Recreation Building:     $16, 450,000. – 52,585,425.

STAFF INCREASES:

Proposed FY23-24 will include a part-time Facilities Project Manager:            $100,000/year

Increase in Planning Department Part-time staff:                                           $180,400

Increase in Planning Department Supplemental and Consulting service:       $519,000

Consulting for Moraga Canyon Specific Plan:                                                  $700,000

2 new dispatch positions Police Department:       $282,000, 5-year cost = $1, 518,000

TAX INCREASES:

2 new dispatchers would require a 11% increase in the parcel tax.

TAX REVENUE:

Property taxes receipts were 8% above the previous year (well above expected) and the real property transfer tax for 20222/23 was projected to come in at $4.7M, almost $1M above estimates.

For more details email Finance Director Michael Szczech, mszczech@piedmont.ca.gov.

In year’s past, City Council would have the assistance of two citizen committees to assist in reviewing these spending and tax increases.   The Municipal Tax Review Committee (MTRC) would meet every two years prior to the parcel tax being put on the ballot for renewal. The MTRC held public meetings and met with all department heads to review service levels and department needs.

The Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee (BAFPC ) has replaced the MTRC but is not conducting the comprehensive review of city departments the prior committee once did. With the addition of the Measure UU assessments, the likely increase in the parcel tax, and a possible new bond for essential service buildings, the BAFPC should revisit its 2018 study of taxes in comparable cities to assess the long-term impact of these new tax adoptions on Piedmont.  That study found Piedmont’s tax levels acceptable based on comparison with Hillsborough.

The other committee was the Capital Improvement Projects Committee (CIP) which reviewed staff and citizen proposals for capital improvement projects.  With Piedmont’s conservative budgeting, there’s always a surplus in city revenues at the end of the year and CIP annually met to review proposals for capital projects from staff but also from residents.  Residents filled out a form and presented to the committee. The Indian Road, Ronada/Ramona and Kingston traffic islands all were initiated through the CIP process.  CIP seems to have been disbanded after COVID – the committee is no longer listed among the city’s commission and committees.  In my experience, the CIP provided a good reality check to staff proposals.  For example, in response to a question from a BAFPC committee member, staff said the primary criteria for CIP is safety and that is true.  This year’s top CIP project is the Piedmont Park – Guilford stairs at the cost of $388,000.  That project was initiated by a fall on the stairs and what could have been addressed with a handrail has morphed into a major beautification project.  Has this project diverted funding from other safety projects like Park Way and Highland where a pedestrian was hit by a car? A CIP committee asking these questions earlier in project development would provide significant cost savings.

The opening line of the first BAFPC report was: “Piedmont has a spending problem, not a revenue problem.”  That was speaking to the payroll and benefits obligations of the city at the time.  Piedmont is receiving record tax revenue and should reconvene the CIP and MTRC committees so it doesn’t slip back into a spending problem.

Garrett Keating, Former Member of the Piedmont City Council

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

 On Tuesday May 9, The Budget Advisory & Financial Planning Committee (BAFPC) will meet again at 6:00 pm in the EOC (Emergency Operations Center  of the Piedmont Police Department at Highland and Vista Avenues.)

The important BAFPC meetings, unlike Piedmont Commission meetings, are not broadcast or video recorded by the City. Minutes are not kept of the Committee meetings, although required by the City Charter.  The public may attend and participate in the meetings with a right to obtain all materials distributed to the Committee members. The public has a right to make audio and video recordings of the meetings.

City Council makes appointments to Commissions & Committees from a talented pool of 37 applicants.

The Piedmont City Council made 22 appointments to fill vacancies for City Commissions, Committees, and appointed volunteer positions at a special meeting on April 4, 2023.

In a testament to the spirit of volunteerism embedded in this community, 37 residents applied to serve on City of Piedmont bodies during this year’s recruitment. Applicants spanned all ages and stages of life, ranging from 5th generation Piedmonters to those who arrived less than two years ago. During interviews with the City Council on April 4th, prospective Commissioners were united in their passion for service and love for the city they’ve made home. With only 5 minutes to make their case, they spoke movingly of their appreciation for Piedmont’s “small town” feel, how much they value the outstanding services they receive, and their desire to give back. The nearly three hours of interviews painted a positive and hopeful picture of Piedmont’s future, with a deep and talented pool of residents eager to use their skills.

Click below to read the names of the appointees:

2023-04-13 Commission and Committee Appointments

The annual call for city volunteers to serve on Piedmont commissions and committees is open until the deadline of March 29.

All residents have to do is fill out a simple form and sit for a brief interview with City Council ( City Volunteer Information). In particular are there any real estate gurus or prognosticators out there who are willing to serve on the Budget and Financial Planning Committee (two vacancies)? This influential committee conducts long-range projections of city revenues that form the basis for tax increases and bond initiatives and these projections consistently come up short by several millions of dollars due to spiky home prices and property taxes.

One committee residents cannot apply for is, for lack of a better name, the Climate Action
Committee. Rather than solicit volunteers, Council decided to have the City Administrator
select this committee to seek experts in energy technology/efficiency and residential
retrofitting to assist the city in developing a building electrification strategy. The two key words
in that charge are “residential” and “electrification”. As the city’s Climate Action Plan (CAP)
noted in 2018:

“Piedmont is a built-out city, which means energy efficiency gains will largely need to come
from upgrades to existing buildings. While California’s building code is moving towards zero-net
energy (ZNE) for new residential construction, this will only apply to the few Piedmont homes
either constructed on the City’s remaining empty lots or as a result of the demolition and
rebuilding of existing homes. … The combination of the age of Piedmont homes, their size, and
the low rates of new home construction mean Piedmont will have to aggressively pursue
energy efficiency upgrades for existing homes to meet its climate goals. The following
measures address building energy consumption through a strategy of first disclosing
information, then reducing electricity and natural gas consumption, and ultimately, fuel-
switching from natural gas to electricity.”

And where is Piedmont on meeting its climate goals? The goals are defined as reduction in
metric tons of CO2 since 2005 and as the figure below shows, Piedmont is making little or no
progress. The slight declines from 2018 to 2020 basically track the decrease in home heating
which has gone up in the ensuing years. The 2021 GHG inventory will be telling as that year had
the highest number of home heating days over the past decade. And for 2023, turning out to
be another cold year, the number of home heating days is 16% ahead of 2021. On top of that,
the State has lowered the GHG reduction targets to 50% by 2030 (24.5 Metric ton CO2 for
piedmont) and to ZERO by 2050. So try as Piedmont might, Sacramento has moved the targets
but doing so follows the science.

This state of affairs is why staff came forward this month with a proposal to establish a
committee to develop a building electrification strategy (several Bay area cities have already
done so). To underscore the City’s commitment to meeting its GHG reduction goals, the City
Administrator cited two recent achievements: the hiring of a full-time sustainability coordinator
and the building of an all-electric pool. On the first point the City Administrator is correct.
Alyssa Dykman, Sustainability Program Manager, has an advanced degree in
sustainability/environmental management, has made incredible gains in city sustainability
programs during her short tenure and is an excellent communicator – sign up to receive her
program newsletter: Sustainability Newsletter. The all-electric pool, while a great symbol for
the future, has little impact on reducing the City’s GHG, less than 1%. An all-electric pool will
save substantial operating costs over its lifetime.

The City Administrator should also have mentioned a third achievement – the adoption of the
Reach codes. First, they won an award! Reach codes are local building code requirements that
go beyond the California Building Code (CBC) to achieve higher levels of energy efficiency and
GHG reduction – cities can “reach” beyond the CBC – and Piedmont was one of the first cities to
develop these codes for home remodels, the bulk of construction in town. Secondly, the Reach
codes dovetail with the symbolism of the pool – home rebuilds/remodels need to be all-electric
if the City is going to meet its GHG targets. Reach codes only apply to building permits above
$50,000, which is why staff’s idea of a building electrification strategy for the whole city is
forward-thinking.

Some on Council critiqued how the Reach codes were brought forward, suggesting they were
done so stealthily by advocates who didn’t do sufficient community outreach. The Reach Codes
held multiple public meetings and hearings at City commissions, were discussed extensively on
local forums, and were vetted with the California Energy Commission. What staff and advocates for the Reach codes didn’t have was Zoom, a full-time City Communications Director and a
$750,000 consultant as other recent city initiatives have. With these new communication tools
now at the City’s disposal, no doubt a building electrification strategy will be well publicized and
vigorously discussed. But there’s no need to re-invent the wheel here – community surveys
have consistently shown that 66% of Piedmont support electrification. What is needed are
elected leaders who will back up community sentiment and the past proclamations of City
Council and get moving on implementing substantive change that will reduce Piedmont’s GHG.

Those interested in serving on a Climate Action committee should contact Alyssa Dykman, Sustainability Program Manager at sustainability@piedmont.ca.gov.

Garrett Keating, Former City Council Member

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

 Application deadline 5pm on Wednesday, March 29th

The City of Piedmont is now accepting applications to fill upcoming vacancies on several Commissions and Committees. Applications can be completed online and are due by 5:00 p.m., March 29, 2023. Mandatory in-person interviews will be held the evening of Tuesday, April 4th.

Serving on a Commission or Committee helps keep Piedmont moving forward. Piedmont is a city of volunteers of residents who serve on one of the City’s 13 volunteer Commissions, Boards, and Committees. The Piedmont residents entrusted to serve on these bodies act as the City’s eyes and ears, listening to community input, identifying and studying percolating issues, and making recommendations to the City Council for action. Many of the programs that Piedmonters enjoy today were initiated and/or first reviewed by Commissions, including pickleball at City courts, Heritage Trees, annual Planning Commission design awards, and the Map Your Neighborhood program.

Apply Online by March 29th

To apply, submit an online application by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 29th. When applying, you’ll be asked to provide contact and basic background information (education, occupation), select which body or bodies you would like to apply to serve on, then provide brief written answers to three questions:

• What experience do you have related to this appointment?

• Why are you seeking this appointment?

• What will you bring to this Commission or Committee?

The application also asks whether you have previously attended or watched a meeting of the body you’re applying to serve on. Archived meeting videos are available streaming on the City’s website.

Interviews on Tuesday, April 4th

To be considered for appointment, applicants must attend an in-person interview at City offices in the evening of Tuesday, April 4th. Interviews will be conducted by the City Council and will last roughly 5 minutes each. The interview schedule will be provided to applicants on Friday, March 31st.

Applicants needed for vacancies on seven bodies

This year, there are vacancies to fill on seven Commissions and Committees, as well as two additional appointed volunteer positions. For most bodies, members are appointed to 3-year terms, with a limit of two consecutive terms.

Commission/Committee Duties and additional information provided in link below:

2023-03-06 City Seeking Volunteers to Serve on Commissions and Committees

Piedmonter and Architect Donald Chandler has offered several recommendations to the City in a series of 3 prepared statements:

1/17/2023 – Agenda Item #10 –
Consideration of an RFP for the Moraga Canyon Specific Plan

I would like to recommend an addition to the Scope of Work of the Moraga Canyon Specific Plan –
namely to add new Police and Fire Departments and related buildings to the list of activities which
should be included in the Project Area. Assuming that we don’t have a comprehensive Master Plan or a
complete evaluation of the structural integrity of our Essential Services Buildings – and these are two big assumptions but if you will bear with me on that – wouldn’t it be prudent to include these two Essential Services in the RFP Scope of Work in the event that the Master Planning process may identify Moraga Canyon as the best location for these activities.?

Moraga Canyon may turn out to be the most accessible site in the case of a major emergency like a wildfire or an earthquake. I don’t know the answer to that issue, but a comprehensive Master Plan would explore that option in addition to, of course, other sites including the City Center with all its pedestrian and vehicular traffic issues. It would also balance out the issues of routine vs major emergency response times and other City requirements during a major emergency.

My personal opinion is that we may very soon have too many activities in our small City Center – with
the added traffic from the new Community Pool, continued discussions about new housing units per the Housing Element and the large number of parking spaces devoted to City and School employees. If that is a finding of the Master Plan exercise, then it may be best to relocate some of the City Center
functions. Isn’t it a good idea to have a placeholder in the Specific Plan for some of those functions?

Regarding the priorities of use in the Specific Plan, there is some mention that housing is of the highest priority in order to satisfy the Housing Element submittal. That housing is for future residents, and I do not in any way discount or diminish their importance to the City – but how can we know the priorities for Moraga Canyon – the one last major parcel in Piedmont – without a Master Plan that examines all the City’s needs – and the needs of all it’s residents – current and future?
Thank you, Council Members and Staff for your consideration of this proposal.
Donald Chandler AIA

____________________________________

2/6/2023  Open Forum – Piedmont City Council Meeting

I would like to expand on some of the issues which I raised in my call to you on January 17th. As you may recall, I discussed the Moraga Canyon Specific Plan and the need for a City Master Plan and the urgency that I feel to develop a plan to improve the Essential Services Buildings which are of course an integral part of the Master Plan.

In researching past City Council minutes, I found references on April 20th and July 6 th of 2020 indicating some urgency to proceed with further studies of the ESB ‘s structural and operational capacities. The April 20 th minutes contained an extensive discussion including comments from the Police Chief and Fire Chief about the deficiencies in their departments. The Fire Chief had an comprehensive list of deficiencies or inadequacies, one of which was, and I’m quoting here “seismic features such that an earthquake would cause significant structural damage to the Fire Station.” In the same meeting, City Staff stated that, quote “ high quality public safety services are a core function of the city .“  I think we can all agree with that statement.

Studies were undertaken and then In the July 6th meeting, Staff reported that Glass Architects had
developed a cost estimate of $33-51 million for the potential combined Essential Services Building. At
the same meeting there was extensive discussion about funding both the Community Pool and the ESB’s and, for reasons you all know much better than I, the result of that meeting was to proceed only with the Pool Bond Measure on the November 2020 ballot.

We all recognize the impact of the COVID emergency on all City and other activities, but we also know
that there was some urgency up until mid-2020 to investigate and proceed further with what we can call the ESB project. Two and one-half years have passed. If we all agree with that earlier statement that “ high quality public safety services are a core function of the city”, then one must ask the question: How does the City reestablish that URGENCY exhibited in 2020 to move the ESB and Master Plan processes forward?

I submit these observations and questions for your consideration.
Thank you very much for your time and for your service to the City

Donald Chandler AIA, Piedmont Resident

____________________

2/21/2023 – Open Forum – Piedmont City Council Meeting

I appreciate the comments in the Council Meeting of February 7, that reinforced the need to
renew the process of investigation and determination of the proper solution for upgrading the
Essential Services Buildings (ESB) and their inclusion in a revised Piedmont Master Plan. The
very preliminary costs for that project, as included in various City meeting notes, ranged from
$33 million to well over $ 80 million. That range of estimates is understandable, given the
general scope of work completed at the time – almost 3 years ago.

With a project of that scope in our near future, one must ask the question – do we want to
replicate the project management model used on the Community Pool on the ESB project or
for that matter any project moving forward?

The management process on the Pool resulted in, 1) a major scope change/redesign before
construction bids were even solicited, 2) then when bid, only two bids were received and both were
over the City’s budget , 3) a rebid process 4) in the rebid, all bidders except 1 were over budget. And
even the low bid could not meet the City’s budget if not for the generosity and understanding of PRFO
and many Piedmont residents and their contributions. The Pool design process was, unfortunately, not
uncommon and generally follows this pattern: Design – Estimate – Over budget – Redesign – Re-
estimate, Over budget, etc., etc. Basically, the weakness of this process is that it is iterative and it tends
not to be collaborative.

Let’s look at an alternative process. It is one where the design team, the project management team and
the estimating team all have equal weight and input into the project from the very early stages. It is
critical that design and estimating teams must go forward simultaneously if this process is to be
successful in reducing the design time ( saving money ) and meeting an established budget. This
management model is not new. It is a model used by many major corporations and also municipalities
which have a significant building programs. The goals of this process are to reduce design time and fees and minimizing those iterative design exercises experienced on the Community Pool.

What is key is that it is a top-down process – it must be initiated and empowered by the Client/Owner if it is to be successful.

I realize this is a very abbreviated description of a complex process, but I do hope the Council will give
some consideration to revising the City’s project management system going forward.
Thank you very much for your time and consideration of this proposal.

(Notes for a phone call to the Open Forum – Piedmont City Council Meeting of 2/21/2023 –

Donald Chandler AIA )

After an extensive recruitment process, the City Council has selected Rosanna Bayon Moore to serve as Piedmont’s next City Administrator. The Council will vote to confirm Ms. Bayon Moore’s appointment at their regular meeting on Tuesday, February 21st.

Ms. Bayon Moore currently serves as Assistant City Manager for the City of Antioch, CA, a role she began in 2020 after nine years as City Manager for the City of Brawley in Imperial County, CA.

Key accomplishments in these roles include successful delivery of a new fire station and Emergency Operations Center, strengthening partnerships and alignment with local school districts, advancing affordable housing projects with support from the State of California’s Strategic Growth Council, and developing a community crisis intervention program.

Previously, she served as Regional Affairs Officer for the Southern California Association of Governments, where she established a subregional hub for major transportation and regional planning initiatives.

She is well versed in building and development, having managed land acquisition, permitting, and entitlement processes at multiple civil engineering firms.

Bayon Moore holds a Masters of Public Administration with an emphasis in urban policy and advanced management techniques from the Columbia University School of International & Public Affairs and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California at Berkeley.

“I am thrilled to welcome Ms. Bayon Moore to Piedmont,” said Mayor Jen Cavenaugh. “Among a wealth of exceptional applicants, Bayon Moore stood out for her depth of executive experience, collaborative leadership style, and deep appreciation for Piedmont’s core values of fiscal responsibility, community engagement, and high-quality service delivery. I am confident she is the right person to build on current City Administrator Sara Lillevand’s success. The entire City Council is looking forward to working with Bayon Moore as we continue to make progress on our goals for the city.”

“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as Piedmont’s next City Administrator,” said Bayon Moore. “I was drawn to Piedmont’s engaged community, the Council’s vision for welcoming and belonging, and the City’s commitment to fostering both community safety and healthy living as centerpieces for quality of life.”

Bayon Moore continued, “Local government work is never carried out by a single person. The achievements I am most proud of have all been team efforts, made possible by a shared commitment to delivering results at a high level. I am excited to partner with Piedmont’s exceptional City staff, City Council, and dedicated community as we navigate the road ahead.”

After City Administrator Sara Lillevand announced her intention to retire last August, the City Council retained an experienced recruiting firm with a track record of successful executive leadership placements in local governments across California to conduct the search for her successor. The recruitment garnered 42 applications.

Bayon Moore was selected for the position after several rounds of screening and interviews with the City Council and the City’s leadership team.

“I’m grateful to know I’m leaving the City in excellent hands,” said City Administrator Sara Lillevand. “Bayon Moore’s experience leveraging state and federal resources to meet local challenges and successfully bringing new facilities online will be vital as we begin implementation of the Housing Element, complete construction of our new community pool, and plan for the future of our essential services buildings.”

Ms. Bayon Moore is expected to begin her term as City Administrator in early April 2023, following Lillevand’s retirement.

2023-02-16 City Council Selects Rosanna Bayon Moore as Next City Administrator

Starting March 1, 2023, the City of Piedmont will discontinue remote participation for most
Commission and all Committee meetings. Community members will still be able to comment
remotely via Zoom for City Council and Planning Commission meetings. Park Commission and
Recreation Commission meetings will continue to be broadcast live on KCOM and streamed on the
City website.

This format change was prompted by changes to State regulations governing public meetings,
which had been relaxed at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to support remote participate
for members of legislative bodies. Governor Newsom has announced his intention to rescind the
COVID-19 State of Emergency at the end of February 2023, at which point members of City
Councils, Boards, Commissions, and Committees statewide will be required to attend meetings in
person, with limited exceptions.

At their January 17, 2023, the City Council was briefed on changes to teleconference regulations
and was asked to give direction to staff on whether to continue providing remote participation
options for community members at Council, Commission, and Committee meetings.

After a detailed discussion, the Council chose to continue offering remote public comment for City
Council and Planning Commission meetings only, due to low remote participation for other bodies
and the strain on staff resources required to support hybrid meetings. Each remote or hybrid
meeting requires an additional staff member, working overtime, to manage the logistics and
operations of the virtual meeting.

More information is available in the agenda report, minutes, and meeting video for the January 17th City Council meeting.

City Press Release – February 14, 2023

Piedmont Pool Complex Costs Continue to Rise Beyond the Bond Package Fund Approved by Voters –

The Piedmont Recreational Facilities Organization (PRFO) is seeking $2.1 million additional funds for the project.  The City Council will receive an update on the fundraising campaign and authorize staff to develop naming agreements for contributions of $250,000 or greater to the project. Consideration will be at the Tuesday, January 17, 2023 Council meeting. council-agenda 1.17.23

Staff report linked below:

1.17.23

Loss of 57 Parking Spaces offset by 45 Diagonal Slots and Reassigned Parking Spaces, Elimination of 2 Bus Stops, and One-Way Bonita Traffic –

On Tuesday, January 17th at 6:00pm the City Council will consider recommended Civic Center parking and circulation changes for the construction of the new Piedmont Pool Complex.  >council-current-agenda 1.17.23

See the staff report for diagrams of the proposed parking changes on Bonita Avenue, Vista Avenue, Hillside Avenue, Highland Avenue, removal of bus stops, etc. >  Staff Report 1.17.23 Changes to Parking and Traffic in the Civic Center Area to Accommodate Piedmont Community Pool Construction

These proposals are intended to mitigate the loss of 57 parking spaces in the area due to pool construction, including 20 “Permit A” spaces and 21 spaces reserved for City employees. The proposed changes would:

• Convert Bonita Avenue between Vista and Oakland Avenues to one-way traffic towards Oakland Avenue

• Convert existing parallel parking on Bonita Avenue between Vista and Oakland Avenues to diagonal parking, creating 10 new spaces

• Remove two bus stops on Highland Avenue near the Sheridan strip and add diagonal parking

Details of the proposal are available in the agenda materials:

• Full agenda report > Staff Repprt 1.17.23 Changes to Parking and Traffic in the Civic Center Area to Accommodate Piedmont Community Pool Construction

• Exhibits illustrating proposed changes

Give feedback on proposed changes

The City Council will consider this proposal at its next meeting: Tuesday, January 17th, 2023 6:00pm City Council Chambers, Piedmont City Hall (120 Vista Avenue) Agenda

Community members can provide feedback on the proposed changes in advance of the meeting by email or speak at the meeting virtually or in-person:

• Email: Send comments to citycouncil@piedmont.ca.gov

• Comment remotely: Join the meeting on Zoom at https://piedmont-cagov.zoom.us/j/86233381014

If approved, the new configuration would remain in place until pool construction is complete, which could happen as soon as summer 2024.

2023-01-13-proposed-changes-to-civic-center-parking-and-circulation

Parking 2023-01-13-proposed-changes-to-civic-center-parking-and-circulation

Staff Repprt 1.17.23 Changes to Parking and Traffic in the Civic Center Area to Accommodate Piedmont Community Pool Construction

Groundbreaking Ceremony for New Community Pool Saturday, December 17th, 11 a.m.

Construction is expected to begin in early 2023, and the new pool could open as soon as summer 2024.

The City of Piedmont invites community members to a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Piedmont Community Pool on Saturday, December 17th at 11am. The ceremony will be held on the grounds of the pool site at 777 Magnolia Avenue.

…………………

The Piedmont City Council voted unanimously to award a contract for construction of the new pool to Wickman Development & Construction at their December 5th, 2022 meeting.

Construction is expected to begin in early 2023, and the new pool could open as soon as summer 2024.

“It took the collective effort of hundreds to reach this point, including current and former Councilmembers, City staff, Commission and Committee volunteers, consultants, and most important – the community advocates who have tirelessly pursued the vision for an aquatics facility that truly meets Piedmont’s needs, some of whom have been working towards this goal for over two decades” said City Administrator Sara Lillevand. “I hope many community members will join us on December 17th to celebrate this monumental milestone.”

Originally opened in 1964, Piedmont’s now-shuttered pool had exceeded its useful lifespan and had long lacked adequate space to meet the community’s diverse aquatic athletic and recreational needs. Although there have been several efforts to explore feasibility of a new facility over the years, work on the pool replacement project began in earnest in 2015, with the development of the Aquatics Center Conceptual Master Plan.

This vision drew closer to reality in November 2020 with the passage of Measure UU, which authorized the sale of $19.5 million in general obligation bonds to fund the new facility. A sharp rise in construction costs beginning in 2020 further threatened the project’s feasibility, leaving a gap of more than $2 million between project cost estimates and available funds even after the City Council scaled back the original design to include only essential components.

To close the gap, the City has partnered with the Piedmont Recreational Facilities Organization (PRFO) to raise $2.1 million for the completion of the new community pool as designed. This capital campaign, which began in August 2022, looks to build on the success of previous PRFO fundraising in support of Hampton Park and the Corey Reich Tennis Center.

As of December 5th, 2022, PRFO is nearly halfway to the fundraising goal of $2.1 million. The City of Piedmont and the Piedmont City Council remain grateful to the community for their ongoing 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.