Council to Consider Use of 801 Magnolia Avenue –

Staff Recommendation:

a. Approve a Facility Use Agreement between the City of Piedmont and the
Piedmont Center for the Arts (PCA) for use of the Main Hall at 801 Magnolia,Avenue (Main Hall);
b. Authorize the City Administrator to provide written notice of termination of the 2011 Lease Agreement between the City and Piedmont Center for the Arts on March 25, 2022; and
c. Establish user fees for community use of the Main Hall as set forth in the fee schedule listed in this staff report.

Proposed Use Agreement:

Under the proposed Facility Use Agreement, the City would manage the use of the Main Hall under the auspices of the Recreation Department, which manages other City facilities and event spaces. The Department of Public Works will manage maintenance of the building. The Agreement specifies that the City will reserve for itself the annual use of the Main Hall on all weekday mornings, two weekday evenings each week, and sixteen weekends. In turn, Piedmont Center for the Arts [PCA]  would have access to program the space for art related use on weekday afternoons, two weekday evenings each week, and up to thirty-six weekends each year. Hours not scheduled for use by PCA will be released for City use. The proposed agreement designates and assures at minimum, 2,492 hours (45% of the useable time) each year for City use of the Main Hall.

Key Provisions:

Approved Use: PCA use is limited to arts programming only
User Fee: PCA will pay a monthly user fee of $1,000 with an annual Consumer Price
Index (CPI) increase.
Calendar: Annually, PCA will be provided right of first refusal for 36 weekends,
weekday afternoons and two evenings per week within which to schedule
arts related events and programs. This allocation is intended to provide
flexibility for advance scheduling. It is expected that PCA will not utilize
all of this time and there are systems in place to allow for unscheduled
time to be released back to the City for broader community use.
Term: Six years
Termination: The proposed agreement allows the City to terminate the use agreement immediately if the Main Hall is needed for City operations due to an
emergency or unforeseen circumstance as well as with one year notice if
statutory requirements necessitate City use of the facility or if City facility
renovations require relocation of City Staff to 801 Magnolia Ave.
Parking: One parking place in the driveway located on Bonita Avenue will be
reserved for the Main Hall user group at any given time.

In the event Council approves the Facility Use Agreement, the next step would be for the City to formally provide notice to PCA that the current month-to-month tenancy is to be terminated with 30 days’ notice. In order to allow the Recreation Department time to organize implementation of this significant transition, Staff recommends issuing a notice of termination of the existing lease agreement on March 25, 2022, and upon expiration of the 30-day period, the proposed Facility Use Agreement would take effect on April 25, 2022.

User Fees:
Staff further recommends Council approval of a fee schedule for the Main Hall so that
community users can begin accessing the space as soon as possible. The fees as proposed are intended to provide relatively low-cost access to the Main Hall for meetings and small events and to serve needs not met by Community Hall or the Veterans Memorial Building. If approved these fees will also be incorporated in the annual review process for Recreation Department facilities undertaken during the approval of the annual budget.

Proposed Fees

• PUSD [Piedmont Unified School District] sponsored event with onsite supervision No Charge
• Piedmont Community Based Organization $30/hr
• Community Based Organization (CBO) $50/hr
• Private Rental Resident $80/hr
• Private Rental Non-resident $125/hr
As with the City’s other rental facilities, all uses will be subject to capacity and compatibility constraints. As a reminder, 801 Magnolia Avenue is a relatively small space without any kitchen facilities.

Community members are invited to attend the meeting virtually via Zoom or by coming to the City Council chambers. The meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. 

• Meeting Agenda (Including Participation Details)

• Agenda Report  Lease and Diagram of Spaces at 801 Magnolia Avenue.

Community members can provide comment on this topic by sending email to citycouncil@piedmont.ca.gov. If you have questions about the report, please email City Administrator Sara Lillevand. 

Now is the time !

by March 21, 2022

to volunteer for City of Piedmont Committees and Commissions –

Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee, Civil Service Commission, Park Commission, Planning Commission, Public Safety Committee, Recreation Commission,  Mosquito Abatement Representative

Information  is linked below:

Residents wishing to apply must take one of the following two actions on or before the posted deadline of Monday, March 21, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. Postmarks will not be accepted for paper applications.

1) Apply online OR

2) Complete and return the paper application form A link to the electronic application and a downloadable application for paper submission are available on the city’s website at https://piedmont.ca.gov or from the office of the City Clerk, Piedmont City Hall, 120 Vista Avenue, Piedmont, or by telephone at (510) 420-3040.

All applicants must be available for an interview with the City Council the evening of Monday, March 28, 2022, at which time appointments may be made.

Read links below:

PCA Commission Application 2022

PCA Commission Description of Duties 2022-02-28

PCA2022-02-28 Volunteers for Commissions-Committees

PCA Notice of Appointive Vacancies 2022

The Piedmont Police and Fire Pension Board has no authority in Pool or City financial matters.  However, in a staff report for an expanded meeting with the City Investment Sub-committee, the Pension Board is jointly involved in consideration of City assets  (separate from Pension funds) and the Pool Complex Bond funds.  City_Investment_Report_FY21-22_Q2   Fiscal Year 2021-22: 2nd Quarter Report on the City’s Investment Portfolio

City Code: SEC. 26.1 PENSION BOARD [Charge]

“A board is hereby created whose duty it shall be to handle and administer pensions for retired members and benefits for members, their nominees and the widows and minor children of deceased members of the police and fire departments of the City of Piedmont.

The Pension Board shall be comprised of the mayor, one member of the City Council, one member of the police department, one member of the fire department, and one community representative appointed by the Council for a three-year term of office commencing April l. Each said department member shall be selected from the rank and file of each respective department. The Council member and the community representative shall be selected by the members of the Council of the City of Piedmont.

The pension board shall select its own chairman and secretary and shall administer all matters pertaining to pensions in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter 26. The pension board shall have power, by resolution, to provide rules and regulations for the administration of all matters pertaining to pensions and benefits hereunder, and shall invest the pension fund, or direct that their investments be made by or through investment counsel, trust companies, or trust departments of banks, or any combination thereof, in accordance with City ordinances applicable to the investment of funds of municipal retirement systems, and if there be none, in accordance with state law. (Ord. No. 396 N.S., §1; Ord. No. 42l N.S., §l)”

City of Piedmont Police & Fire Pension Board & City Investment Subcommittee

Agenda Wednesday, January 26, 2022 4:00 p.m.

Via Teleconference

See agenda details below:

Pension Board Agenda 2022-01-26

Pension 2021-10-27

Finance Director’s Memo 1:2022

City_Investment_Report_FY21-22_Q2

The Finance Director’s staff report regarding a disability applicant is purposely omitted from this article to protect the privacy of the applicant’s medical condition.   https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/opinions/pdfs/04-408.pdf 

If readers need more information on the disability application, please contact the City Clerk at 510/420-3040.

January 22, 2022, Saturday AM Piedmont Police Advisory

SHELTER IN PLACE ADVISORY  Lakeview and Poplar Avenues

There are multiple trees and wires down in the area due to high winds. PG&E is on the scene with Piedmont Fire & Police. Tree limbs are continuing to fall and the fire department has requested that residents in the area stay inside their homes until they can ensure the area is safe for pedestrian and vehicle traffic.

Public Works crews are out working to clear trees. Please avoid these areas.

Road closures due to downed trees:

Requa blocked at Wildwood
Grand from Lower Grand to Arroyo
Moraga from Monticello to Estrella
Blair from Dracena to Carmel
Lakeview from Sheridan to Seaview
Boulevard from Crofton to Warfield
Moraga from Highland to Monte
Hampton east of Lexford.

View where the new Electrical Vehicle (EV) charging station will be on Magnolia Avenue near the Exedra at Main Park.

Scroll down on the link below to view EV maps and information for the December 1 Park Commission Meeting Agenda. 

Park Commission Agenda 12-1-2021 FINAL

Pedestrian issues missing in the proposed Piedmont Safer Streets Plan. 

• Where is the plan for better sidewalk maintenance?
• Where is the plan for enforcement of Piedmont laws prohibiting vehicle parking on sidewalks? 
• Where is the plan to restrict parking on dangerously narrow streets?

The plan appears to focus on money oriented capital projects and bicycles rather than general pedestrian safety.  Studies produced do not mention accidents caused by improperly maintained sidewalks.  The City inventoried all public paths in Piedmont (in other words, walkways other than sidewalks) to assess conditions and identify any needed repairs.  Sidewalk conditions throughout the City were not inventoried. 

“A secondary walking-related concern is gaps in sidewalk coverage and existing sidewalks in poor condition.” Plan

“Remove on–street parking and fill in missing sidewalks in order to address concerns about pedestrians having to walk in the roadway.” Resident

The elaborate, costly, and studied final proposal for Safer Streets in Piedmont is to be considered by the City Council on Monday, December 6, 2021.  Agenda  here. 

COVID 19 brought out pedestrians and exercisers in numbers never seen before on Piedmont streets and sidewalks. A repeated complaint from readers was dangerous sidewalk conditions caused by years of damage from trees, water, vehicles, and old age.

Those attempting to walk on sidewalks around corners on narrow streets, frequently found cars and trucks parked on the sidewalk blocking their ability to stay on the sidewalk, particularly those pushing a baby carriage.  Police enforcement prohibiting parking vehicles on the sidewalk is generally absent in Piedmont.

The plan emphasizes vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians crossing or interfacing with Piedmont streets, while not mentioning the number of pedestrians falling or injured by sidewalk problems.

The City of Piedmont, which prides itself on otherwise excellent customer service, does not have an online form for the public to request repair and maintenance of streets and other public infrastructure.  The plan suggests the City should have an online repair request form. 

READ the full proposed FINAL DRAFT PLAN below:

https://p1cdn4static.civiclive.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_13659739/File/Government/Departments/Planning%20Division/General%20Plan/PSS_final%20draft%20plan_Oct.%2028,%202021.pdf

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Email comments may be addressed to the City Council and sent to the City Clerk at jtulloch@piedmont.ca.gov

FREE COVID-19 PCR TESTS FOR ALL

Travelers, students home for the holidays, general public and potentially exposed individuals can be tested now at no charge in Piedmont at a mobil unit provided by Curative.

The mobile testing vehicle will be in front of Piedmont City Hall, 120 Vista Avenue, on Sundays and Mondays between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. until the end of December. The free test is a nasal swab test.  Results will be available one to two days after the tests.

The City of Piedmont’s Fire Department is working with Curative, the provider of the free tests. Bring your identification card and vaccination record with you.  Appointments are not necessary.  Those desiring an appointment or more information may contact curative.com.   

Who is fighting to stop the State takeover of local land use planning?

California residents, including Piedmonters, are becoming more and more aware of the loss of control over local land use planning in their cities and neighborhoods. Public interest groups are forming to fight State takeover of local planning processes.

Developers are projected to be the monetary gainers of State control over housing and planning.

The continuing loss of local citizens’ ability to control development and feel confident of their community’s future is felt and shown in the number of homeowners deciding this is the time to leave California. 

To date, the Piedmont City Council has fully supported the Piedmont Regional Housing Need Assessments (RHNA) calling for an additional 587 housing units added in Piedmont.  Proposals call for the Piedmont Planning Department to ministerially take action on approvals without neighborhood input on Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) that meet certain criteria. Areas in Piedmont, including a park, are  being considered to be designated for multiple housing units. 

State legislation impacts Piedmont’s two “single family” residential zones differently.   Zone A where smaller parcels are typically found in “lower Piedmont,” there is a requirement of a 5 foot setback from side and rear property lines for habitable buildings.  Zone E (Estate), an elite zone where parcels are generally located in upper Piedmont,  require more space  around their homes for the greater 20 foot side and rear yard setbacks.   Roof overhangs are allowed into the setbacks further narrowing the distance between buildings.  Zone E has been questioned as illegally established as never having been established by voter action per the City Charter . 

The required number of RHNA housing units was assigned to Piedmont without consideration of the numerous substandard, narrow, and winding road ways impacting safety and emergency vehicles.   Deficient municipal open space, lack of local employment, and other local problems were also not factored into Piedmont’s 587 new housing unit assessment.

Various groups opposing State imposition of housing requirements are linked below for information.

 www.stopsacramento.org

https://www.livablecalifornia.org/livable-california-endorses-the-our-neighborhood-voices-initiative/