Proposed Piedmont Density Changes: VIRTUAL Town Hall Tues. June 7, 6 -8 pm
Is more resident engagement needed for the Housing Element?
Many Piedmont residents do not understand or approve of plans for adding 587 new housing units within Piedmont’s built-out city limits of 1.8 square miles. The Piedmont City Council, unlike other City Councils in the region, has energetically and swiftly pressed to further densify Piedmont and add the 587 new housing units.
No survey has been mailed to Piedmont residents, the most direct, useful, and inclusive means of gaining resident opinions.
Expensive banners are up throughout the city creating dismay about their meaning: their grammar; insulting slogans; and seeming downgrading of neighboring communities. Despite hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on staff, mailers, meetings, banners, postcards, City news releases, consultants, puzzles, preferred interest-group participation, committee and commission presentations, fewer than 300 Piedmonters have participated by writing to the City in the process.
The City printed “Piedmont is home.” postcards for residents, yet sent no questionnaire or survey by direct mail to Piedmont residents to gather their input. Most outreach of the Housing Element draft was conducted during the raging pandemic via the internet, eliminating many seniors not current with the internet. A mailed survey would no doubt have produced far greater input.
Wait Until the New Council is Elected in November to Act on the Housing Element
Piedmont is holding its election for 3 Council seats this November, 2022. Of the three seats, one seat is totally open (Mayor King is termed out of office.), one seat has an incumbent (Councilmember Andersen), and one seat is held by an appointed incumbent (Councilmember Long). A citizen suggested allowing the Housing Element to be thoroughly aired during the election process and campaigns. This would conform to state extended deadlines while allowing greater resident participation and understanding of the Housing Element. The current Council plans are:
“Summer 2022: With the City Council’s consent, submission of Draft Housing Element to the CA Housing and Community Development Department for certification.”
“May 2023: Deadline for adoption of the final draft of the updated Housing Element, date amended due to recent state law requiring additional review and longer comment periods.” City publicity.
Summary Information and Question Answers missing from publicity.
Most residents have no idea of how proposed changes will impact Piedmont as a whole or their homes. Additionally, some input has been ignored by the City. While little direct information is provided to residents, notions abound and concerns persist.
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Is safety the foundation of all proposals in the Housing Element?
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Have safety considerations been given for high fire areas, substandard streets, overhead utilities, public safety access, traffic, parking, transit, mud slides, water, sidewalks, city staffing requirements?
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The City Charter specifically prescribes Piedmont voters have a right to approve zoning changes. Will the proposals require this to be ultimately taken away from Piedmont voters?
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What zoning or land use changes are proposed?
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How much will the expanded staffing and public safety needs cost in taxes or other sources of funding?
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Will the proposed changes make Piedmont a less desirable city?
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Is loss of air and light to be considered with proposed new higher height limits for each garage/ADU living unit?
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When will the public be allowed to provide input on building proposals in their neighborhood?
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The Moraga Avenue Corporation Yard was chosen for high-rise buildings. What public transit is available, new streets, new electric signaling, sidewalks, water, sewer, waste?
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Trees in Piedmont are prized. How does the proposal protect the trees on public and private property?
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The current pandemic has pointed out the vital need for open space and air for healthy living conditions. How has this been addressed in the proposal?
City News Release below:
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City news release below:
The City of Piedmont will host a Town Hall on June 7th at 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. to provide an opportunity for Piedmont residents to learn more about the Draft Housing Element. This Town Hall
will provide an opportunity for community members to pose questions about the document.
Following a short presentation addressing some of the issues, a panel [names not listed] will provide responses to questions submitted by attendees.
“We have received over 275 written comments from community members on the Draft Housing
Element via email and the Piedmont Puzzle. And have heard from over 50 community members at
the April 19th Housing Advisory Committee meeting and the May 12th Planning Commission
meeting,” said Kevin Jackson, the City’s Director of Planning & Building. “Several of those
comments included questions. We intend to provide answers to those questions and clarity on the
purpose and scope of the Draft Housing Element at this Town Hall Q&A meeting.”
Residents can participate in the Zoom meeting or watch the meeting by tuning to KCOM TV,
Comcast channel 27 or AT&T channel 99.
Housing Element Update Timeline:
June 7, 2022: Virtual Town Hall Q&A Meeting at 6:00 p.m.
June 20, 2022: City Council Consideration of Draft Housing Element.
Summer 2022: With the City Council’s consent, submission of Draft Housing Element to the CA Housing and Community Development Department for certification.
May 2023: Deadline for adoption of the final draft of the updated Housing Element, date amended due to recent state law requiring additional review and longer comment periods.
Four informational videos about the 2023-2031 Housing Element have been produced by City staff.
Please visit Piedmont’s Youtube channel at
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX3RUnN7wcyGgnnjmYmFnXQ
or watch these videos on the homepage of https://piedmontishome.org.
The City has created a web site, https://piedmontishome.org, which is a one-stop shop for information
on the City’s housing efforts. This site contains information about the 2023-2031 Housing Element
process, as well as other fair housing programs.
Community members are encouraged to review the materials on the site and submit comments,
questions, ideas, and concerns to piedmontishome@piedmont.ca.gov. This email address will capture
official public correspondence about City of Piedmont housing policy work, including the 2023-2031
Housing Element Update.
2022-05-24 Housing Element Town Hall Meeting
Why isn’t there an online survey for the Housing Element? The City just did one for the Reach codes. Many of the policies and programs in the draft Housing Element were not included in the workshops and only came to light when the draft was released in April. The City really owes the community a better notification of all the policies and programs in the Housing Element.