The 801 Magnolia Avenue building would be the perfect place for a Senior Center.

I am amazed that there is no Senior Center in Piedmont and the 801 Magnolia building would be the perfect place to have such a center.  We who live here and have helped build this community have nowhere to go in Piedmont. 

There is a Senior meeting held once a month (during non-Covid times) that does not engage the community very well. 

Seniors need to be able to get together in their own communities for arts, crafts, exercise, classes, excursions and social engaging. Those of us who still live here need to go outside the community for such endeavors, now and as Covid is still strongly present, I have realized the lack of such in our community.

Carol Warren, Piedmont Resident

Editors Note: Opinions expressed are those of the author.

The City Council talked to candidates for hours on March 29, 2021, before diligently considering who to appoint to each available position.  The public meeting allowed viewers via Zoom to see the Council struggle amongst the talented group of applicants.  Residents should be pleased by the conscientious selection process. The meeting lasted for four hours, and in the end with one motion a slate was approved unanimously by the Council.  Service on the bodies is for 3 year terms as volunteers.

Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee: Robert McBain and Vanessa L. Washington

Civil Service Commission: Laura Isaacs and Michael Reese*

Park Commission:  Amber Brumfiel* and Patty Dunlap*

Public Safety Committee:  Stella Ngai and Jeffrey Horner*

Recreation Commission:  Rebecca Posamentier and Lisa Gardner

CIP Review Committee: Sharon Shoshani

Police & Fire Pension Board & City Investment Subcommittee: Robert Dickinson

* Incumbent

Open Meeting: Monday, 6 pm March 29, 2021 

Interview Schedule 2021-03-29  <

  AGENDA >  City Council Agenda 2021-03-29 (Special)                * Incumbent

Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee (2 Vacancies)

6:15 p.m. Vanessa L. Washington

6:20 p.m. Jill Tanner (Also applied for Public Safety)

6:25 p.m. Robert Dickinson (Also applied for Housing Advisory, Planning)

Robert McBain (Also applied for Police & Fire Pension Board)

Michael Reese* (Also applied for Civil Service, Public Safety)

BAFP 2021_Redacted    Applications

Civil Service Commission (2 Vacancies)

6:30 p.m. Amy Kelly

6:35 p.m. Laura Isaacs

Michael Reese* (Also applied for Budget Advisory, Public Safety)

Civil Service 2021_Redacted   Applications

Park Commission (2 Vacancies)

6:40 p.m. Sharon Shoshani

6:45 p.m. Jenny Feinberg (Also applied for Recreation)

Amber Brumfiel*

Patty Dunlap*

Park 2021_Redacted Applications

6:50 p.m. BREAK

Public Safety Committee (2 Vacancies)

7:00 p.m. Jamie Totsubo

7:05 p.m. Michael Reese (Also applied for Budget Advisory, Civil Service)

7:10 p.m. Stella Ngai

7:15 p.m. Sara Kaplan

Jeffrey Horner*

Jill Tanner (Also applied for Budget Advisory)

Public Safety 2021_Redacted Applications

Recreation Commission (2 Vacancies)

7:20 p.m. Brooke Wall

7:25 p.m. Rebecca Posamentier

7:30 p.m. Mike McConathy

7:35 p.m. Lisa Gardner

7:40 p.m. Caroline Davis

7:45 p.m. Derek Cheung

Jenny Feinberg (Also applied for Park)

Recreation 2021_Redacted  Applications

CIP Review Committee (1 Vacancy) No Applicants

Police & Fire Pension Board & City Investment Subcommittee (1 Vacancy)

Robert McBain (Also applied for Budget Advisory)

Police & Fire Pension 2021_Redacted   Application

Interview Schedule 2021-03-29  <

Piedmonters will get a rare at home view of the all important Budget Advisory & Financial Planning Committee considerations.

Tuesday, March 23, 2021 3:00 p.m.  by Teleconference and Zoom

Taxes, tax measures, the budget and large expenditures are funneled through the Committee.  Historically minutes and video recording have NOT been made of the Committee’s meetings.  Typically, a report has been drafted by the Chair and reviewed by the Committee after a number of meetings.  

The March 23rd agenda includes the Municipal Pool, PERS pension project costs, and the annual budget actuals.

Stay up to date:

• Call to Order 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

• 1. Update on FY 20-21 General Fund Revenue and Expenditures: Projected Actual vs Budget

• 2. Presentation of Ten Year Projections of CalPERS Pension Costs

• 3. Update on Piedmont Community Pool Project and Bond Oversight Committee

Read Agenda and Participation >2021-03-23 Budget Advisory & Financial Planning Committee

 To maximize public safety while still maintaining transparency and public access, members of the public can participate in the meeting in several ways:  Computer or smart phone: Click https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89251231925  Telephone: Dial (669) 900-9128 and enter webinar/meeting number 892-5123-1925 To participate in the meeting by providing public comment, members of the public may use the ZOOM platform to make live, verbal public comments. To speak to the Committee click the “Raise Your Hand” button when the item on which you would like to comment is called. If you are connected to the meeting by phone, please dial *9. When it is your turn to speak, the City Clerk will call your name and unmute your line, at which point you will have three minutes to address the Committee. After the allotted time, you will then be re-muted.

Instructions of how to “Raise Your Hand” is available at https://support.zoom.us/hc/enus/articles/205566129%0D-Raise-Hand-In-Webinar

The following link is for the video of the Linda Beach Phase I Master Plan meeting held on Saturday March 6. Click below.

Linda Beach Phase I Master Plan Virtual  Neighborhood Meeting Recording

Rick Schiller writes: “Above is the link to the March 6, 2021 City webinar concerning Phase I of the Linda Beach Master Plan. Phase I is about obtaining grant funding for the bathrooms, play area behind the bathrooms and the area next to and under the Oakland Avenue Bridge.  At 39:30 in the tape there is reference to pickleball that goes to about 44:00. My sense is that City Staff are aware of the presence and growth of Pickelball; the consultant dismissed pickleball stating the decision had been made to incorporate Bocce instead. I believe Linda Beach is the only available space in town for dedicated pickleball courts and not just dual-use tennis courts which require daily pickleball net setup and breakdown.”

Linda Beach Park Item: #5 on Recreation Commission meeting March 17, 2021.  Click agenda link below:

March Recreation Commission Meeting  Agenda March 17, 2021

March 15, 2021 City Council Closed Session.

The property at 223 Linda Avenue consists of 4 apartments across from Beach Elementary School.  There is no known public discussion of City purchase of the property until the announcement of the Closed Session. 

Council: Adjourn to a Closed Session a. CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS (Govt. Code §54956.8) 223 Linda Ave; Negotiating Parties: City and Linda Paramount Properties LLC Negotiators: City Admin. & Atty; Under Negotiation: Price & Terms of Payment

AGENDA HERE

The question of reopening the Piedmont Municipal Pool was brought up under Announcements by Councilmember Betsy Andersen at the March 1, 2021 Council meeting.  Andersen requested a report from the staff regarding the possible reopening of the closed pool.  No discussion was held on the matter. 

Housing Element Update for the 6th Cycle 2023-2031

Piedmont expects a Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) 6 of approximately 587 new housing units, compared to 60 units in RHNA 5, representing a 979%  increase from the last planning cycle.

The expected allocation includes:

• 163 very low income units
• 94 low income units
• 92 moderate income units
• 238 above moderate income units
• 587 total units

To ensure adequate inventory of adequate sites, City staff anticipates the element update will necessitate modifications to the uses and regulations for each of the City’s five zones.

The 3rd, 4th, and 5th cycle Piedmont Housing Elements were prepared by Barry Miller, FAICP, a contractor who has provided certain long-range planning services to the City since 1991. Mr. Miller has advised the City that he does not have the capacity to be the prime contractor on the City’s 6th Cycle Element, given the significant increase in the RHNA and need for a multidisciplinary team to complete the work.

While a number of important housing issues will need to be considered and addressed through the update process, the most significant work effort is expected to be meeting Piedmont’s RHNA numbers in the site inventory. To achieve that, the City expects the need to consider several approaches, including: amending the site development standards and densities for key housing opportunity sites and for one or more zones, implementing AB 1851 (a bill that allows the conversion of parking areas for religious institutions to housing development), and streamlining review of proposals for the construction and development of affordable housing projects.

Click below to READ the full staff report being considered by the

City Council at 6:00 pm, Monday, March 1, 2021. 

RFP for a Housing Element Update, a Safety Element Update, Other Related General Plan Amendments, and Related Regulatory Modifications as Required by State Law

Send comments to the City Council to> citycouncil@piedmont.ca. gov

Agenda > https://piedmont.ca.gov/UserFiles/Servers/Server_13659739/File/Government/City%20Council/Agenda/council-current-agenda.pdf

Editors Note: Opinions expressed are those of the author.

Do you have the time and interest in volunteering for the City of Piedmont ?

Deadline: Wednesday, March 17, 2021

The City of Piedmont is looking for a few talented volunteers for vacancies on commissions and committees. Interested residents may view [also linked below] the Commission Description of Duties, download the Application for Appointive Vacancy, and/or apply online on the City’s web site at https://www.ci.piedmont.ca.us/. 

Applications are due to City Hall on or before the deadline of Wednesday, March 17th.

Interviews with the City Council for these positions will be scheduled for the evenings of Monday, March 22nd and Monday, March 29th. Applicants will be notified of their interview date after the application period closes. No appointments will be made without a Council interview.  All interviews will be virtual. 

The vacancies are as follows:

Commission and Committee Descriptions of Duties 2021-02-17

Commission and Committee Fillable Application 2021

Notice and Procedural Details of Appointive Vacancies 2021

Residents with questions are invited to contact the City Clerk’s office at (510) 420-3040.

2021-02-23 Volunteers for Commissions-Committees