Apr 18 2020
Does COVID-19 change Piedmont’s priorities for spending?
Are Piedmonters interested in taxing themselves further for additional city expenditures?
Year after year, Piedmont taxpayers have generously approved bond measures for school facilities and parcel taxes for school and city operations. Currently, there are no voter approved city bonds.
The Piedmont City Council’s long list of capital projects for new expenditures without sufficient funding include extensive new and revised recreation facilities, the municipal pool, playgrounds, etc. Also on the list are improvements to City Hall, Police Department, Fire Department and other municipal facilities. Not on the list for improvements are streets, sidewalks and undergrounding of utility wires.
Streets and Sidewalks:
During COVID-19 restrictions, many Piedmonters are walking or running on Piedmont’s streets and sidewalks to get exercise and recreate. One cannot help but notice the many cracked, lifted, eroded, and dangerous sidewalks in the city. Many streets have faulty pavement and have not been repaved in decades. Curbs and gutters on numerous streets have lacked care, thus leaving pools of water and uneven surfaces.
Most funding for Piedmont sidewalks and street resurfacing comes from outside sources.
The City of Piedmont is charged with and oversees the maintenance of the city’s streets and sidewalks. The city owns Piedmont’s beautiful street trees and is responsible for damage caused by these trees to sidewalks and gutters. Property owners are not allowed to trim or remove street trees. Changes by residents to sidewalks and gutters require city permits.
Street Infrastructure Maintenance & Replacement
“The City’s FY 2019-20 budget for street infrastructure maintenance and replacement is $1.4 million. Funding sources include Measure B, Measure BB, Measure F, and the Gas Tax, which also now includes funds from SB-1 that was recently approved by the state legislature. The majority of available funding is dedicated to street resurfacing and sidewalk repair work, with the balance dedicated to important sub-categories such as the implementation of projects prioritized by the approved Pedestrian & Bicycle Master Plan, and those related to the Complete Streets program.” Piedmont 2019-20 Budget
Undergrounding of Utility Wires:
Most areas in Piedmont do not utility wires placed underground, yet undergrounding of utilities has been deemed an important mechanism for providing safety during fires and earthquakes. Undergrounding is also considered a highly desired aesthetic improvement to Piedmont. No money is set aside in the Piedmont budget for undergrounding projects.
Consultant for City Selected Projects
Currently, the Council is looking toward a city bond measure to finance either partially or totally their long list of selected improvements or changes to city facilities including the Municipal Pool, Playfields, city facilities – police, fire departments, etc. Streets, sidewalks and underground utilities are not on the city list.
An expenditure of $50,000 to hire a consultant related to the Planning Process for Possible City Facility Renovation Projects will be undertaken at the April 20, 2020, City Council meeting. Public outreach would be part of the process.
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Due to the COVID 19 Stay at Home order, the April 20 Council meeting will be a virtual meeting, and as such will only be available online. Piedmonters can participate via the online connections as described on the agenda below:
READ the staff report below to see the select list of projects identified and proposed process.
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