At the Planning Commission’s meeting on May 9, 2016, the commissioners reviewed proposed changes to houses in Piedmont, considering their effect on the neighborhood and the city. The Planning Commision meets once a month to make sure that individuals who modify their residences don’t change Piedmont’s image or feel. On May 9th, two families house modifications were reviewed.

The residents at 122 Monte Ave were proposing building a new multiple car garage under their house. Trellises were being proposed to hide this new addition, but one neighbor objected saying that this garage would look unsightly and that someone pulling out of it may scrape his car. The Commission approved this addition, but suggested that pavers be introduced to reduce the hardscape.

However, another proposal for 132 Hillside Ave was denied. The residents of 132 Hillside wanted to increase the footprint of their guest house and of their main house. This would require the removal of one of the sycamore trees.

Multiple neighbors spoke out and said that these additions would greatly increase the bulk of the house and obscure views from their houses. The neighbors did not want their names mentioned.

I spoke at this point, expressing my concern that one of the sycamore trees was to be removed. I think that sycamore trees are a major part of Piedmont and characterize the city and it would be wasteful and unsightly to destroy an old tree for a larger garage.

The Planning Commission denied the proposal because they too thought that the sycamore tree should be preserved and the house would become too bulky after the additions.

After the meeting, I interviewed the architect for the 132 Hillside proposal, Gary Parsons, and he explained that many plans get denied and that he would rather see the plans denied than see the relationships between the neighbors ruined. He intended to revisit the plans with the owners and perhaps modify the drawings.

By Oliver Hsu, Piedmont High School Senior

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

~~~~  DRAFT – ABBREVIATED PIEDMONT PARK COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES of Wednesday, May 4, 2016 ~~~~~~~~

Chairperson Totsubo called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.  Present: Chairperson Jamie Totsubo; Vice Chairperson Jonathan Levine; Commissioners Betsy Goodman, Jim Horner, John Lenahan, Brian Mahany and Patty Siskind

Staff Present: Parks and Project Manager Nancy Kent, Public Works Supervisor Dave Frankel and Public Works Director Chester Nakahara

Also Present: Councilmember Robert McBain

Alex Chueh, Senior at Piedmont High School requested there be 1 or 2 lights around the dog park, specifically around the softball field.

Samuel Cheng, Senior at Piedmont High School, echoed the previous speaker’s request and also suggested lights leading up to Wildwood Avenue, as there are many people coming back from sports and they must walk in darkness.

Kalen Davison, Senior at Piedmont High School spoke regarding the tennis courts at Beach School, specifically the nets. He said the nets are well below the regulation height and considering they are used by many people, he asked that they be checked every few months.

Kaelli Thiel and Madison Tenney proposed installing a drinking fountain at the dog run at Dracena Park.

Parks and Project Manager Nancy Kent presented a request from residents near Lorita Ave Tree Planting Request on Lorita Avenue to add additional street trees and remove acacia trees on the street. Ms Kent also provided information on a 2012 petition from a resident at 32 Lorita Avenue asking the City to plant street trees along the end of Lorita Avenue.

Ann Hall, 208 Ramona Avenue, voiced concern about the planting of new trees due to issues with backyard sunlight and root infiltration. She stated her familiarity with a dwarf crape myrtle which would be great and believes they would be watered, but she asked that no trees be planted which would affect the integrity of their property.

The Commission discussed the request, focusing on whether ginkgos are the appropriate tree for the area and how the trees would grow. After discussion, the consensus was reached that Ginkgo was the appropriate tree for the area due to the existing ginkgos on the block and the propensity of this type of tree to remain small when planted in a confined space.

Through this discussion, the Commission came to a consensus that the developer would be allowed to purchase street trees with Ginkgo trees and replace the Agapanthus with dwarf Crepe Myrtles which is what residents want.

Resolved, that the Park Commission approves the request by the petitioners to plant new Ginkgo trees along the street in locations and quantities to be determined by staff and residents; that staff work with residents to determine what existing trees need replacement and that staff work with residents of Lorita and Ramona to determine what planting is appropriate for the fence at the end of the cul-de-sac as long as it is not a tall tree; and that the Commission accept the offer of the developer at 36 Monticello to donate 5 Ginkgo trees.  Moved by Levine, Seconded by Siskind Ayes: Goodman, Horner, Lenahan, Levine, Totsubo, Mahany and Siskind Noes: None

Linda Kingston Triangle Parks and Project Manager Nancy Kent gave the following update:

At its meeting of April 18th, the City Council awarded the project to Suarez and Munoz out of Hayward and the total bid price was $1,573,435.50. He noted an incredible amount of private donations have been received which now exceed $350,000. There have been continued pledges from various people to continue fundraising through the construction period and afterwards.

• The contractor has been responsive, they are scheduling a pre-construction meeting in the next couple of weeks with the goal to start on June 13th which is the Monday after school lets out.
• Work around the Piedmont Playschool will start first with the idea that when school comes back in session on August 16th they will have access and use of their yard area.
• Further updates can be provided once the work begins.

Commissioner Goodman provided the following update:

• Arbor Day was celebrated on April 26th at the Piedmont Community Hall with 150-175 people in attendance.
• The Piedmont High School Jazz Band performed and guest speaker Bill McNamara, Director of Quarry Hill Botanical Gardens in Glen Ellen, showed slides and spoke of his travels to China where he would look for seeds of endangered plants which were planted in Quarry Hill and they created one of the largest collections of wild collected Asian plants in the world.
• Emily Phillips was honored as the winner of the Arbor Day Logo Contest by creating a logo using the Piedmont Etc.
• The closing event of the evening was acknowledgement of the newly planted Japanese Maple tree at the Japanese Tea House. The tree was donated by the Anderson family in memory of late Pete Anderson.  Chair Totsubo thanked Commissioner Lenahan for his public relations work and recruiting the jazz band to play at the event.
• Commissioner Siskind recognized the AP Environmental Science class which had 6 exhibits.
• Councilmember McBain thanked everybody for their hard work to put on the Arbor Day celebration.
• Former Park Commission members commented on how much this event has grown from a fairly modest kids related event to becoming a great community event, who think this event is very rewarding and speaks well for Piedmont.The Commission thanked all the volunteers and City Staff who worked to create such a wonderful event.Park, Open Space and Street Tree Update for the Month of April: Public Works Supervisor Dave Frankel provided the following highlights, Arbor Day and Monthly Maintenance Report
  • Preparing the park for Arbor Day took most of the efforts of their department this past month.
  • Staff trimmed all hedges that surround the Tea House and Community Center, trimmed up and dead wooded all trees, prepared the new Arbor Day tree planting site by excavating down deep enough to plan the new 6,000 lb., 5 foot box tree. There was a massive block of roots they discovered at the 3 foot level and they worked for one day to remove the rest of the stump by hand, with 3 wheel barrels worth of roots.’
  • They were lucky to have the crane work donated by Professional Tree to the City of Piedmont. It saved them thousands in cost but he also recognized the owner, Brian Fenske who was at the controls. He is one of the most experienced, qualified operators and is extremely good at his craft.

• After the tree was safely in place, they began landscaping around it. Staff installed about 1 1⁄2 tons of boulders, making sure they were placed in such a way that the overall feel of the Tea House was maintained.
• Staff planted over 100 plants which he briefly described and they topped off the entire Tea House area with 20 yards of fresh mulch.
• They were extremely happy with the outcome and his staff received numerous compliments.
• He thanked the Anderson family for their generous donation as a memorial for long-time resident Pete Anderson.
• They have begun the street tree reforestation project on Warfield. Last month all diseased and over-matured trees were removed. All of the concrete sidewalks were removed adjacent to those trees and stumps which allowed them more access to grind them out.
• Sidewalk scallops were formed around the tree planting sites to allow a wider planting space and the concrete sidewalk was just finished being poured back today so all concrete work is done.
• They expect to follow with planting the crape myrtle trees by the end of the week and will report back next month with a follow-up on this project.
• They are continuing to solicit bids for some large tree removals in their park system. At Crocker Park, 2 large Canary Island Pine trees need to be removed.
• Dracena Park has a large half dead Monterey Pine tree that sits up by the quarry and there is also a group of Acacia trees that need to be removed.
• Grand Avenue median has a big dead Monterey Pine tree in it and staff will solicit bids to have this work done shortly.
• They are also in the process of vetting out their new SMART irrigation controllers. They will allow the City to use water much more efficiently and have the ability to react to real time weather data; they have rain sensors and the ability to manage the entire system through the Internet, IPads, phones and computers.
• They have taken one supplier out in the field to evaluate the technical signal challenges that Piedmont’s topography can create. Another field trip is scheduled this Friday and they will report back on this at the next meeting.
• Those with newly planted street trees in parking strips, now is the time to use gator bags to water the trees.
• Commissioner Horner asked if after tree removals, was it routine for maintenance staff to replant trees. Mr. Frankel said they typically replant street trees. For larger street trees like those in Crocker Park, they most likely would consider a different species and bring the matter to the Park Commission.Ms. Kent confirmed that most removed trees are the result of the drought and Mr. Frankel agreed and said most are Monterey Pine and Canary Island Pine trees.

Due to a lack of quorum, the July 6th meeting would be cancelled. There being no further business, Chairperson Totsubo adjourned the meeting at 6:51 p.m.

Comments for the Park Commissioners can be sent via: nkent@piedmont.ci.ca.us

On May 4, 2016, I attended the Piedmont Park Commission meeting held in the City Council Chambers within City Hall. As soon as the conversation among the Commissioners tapered off, Chairperson Jamie Totsubo called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. Everyone stood solemnly. Briefly remembering elementary school blackboards and the faded 1970s American flag half furled on a stick, I joined in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Beginning the meeting were seniors from Piedmont High School, speaking during the Public Forum. The Commissioners were particularly attentive, half bemused at civic duty incentivized with gradebook points, but all genuinely wished to hear proposals.

In a terse forty­ five second speech, Alex Chueh and I proposed to add lights around the softball field near the dog park ramp by Wildwood Elementary School. Alex introduced the two of us and briefly outlined the possible locations for a new electric light, similar to the new white lamps replacing flickering orange sodium flames. Explaining the need for lights, I mentioned that students often return in the dark after sports practices as they walked near the park’s exit, especially when Daylight Savings Time ends. Some Commissioners nodded at the mention of students and Daylight Savings.

After answering a few questions, we exchanged the podium with Kalen Davison, also a senior, who proposed that the nets at the Beach tennis courts be raised to regulation height. Following Davison, PHS seniors Kaelli Thiel and Madison Tenney suggested adding a water fountain to Dracena Park.

Once Public Forum ended, Chair Totsubo introduced the main item on the agenda ­ the Lorita Avenue tree debate. As each speaker rose, the slight silence before speaking gave the otherwise commonplace topic the atmosphere of a performance.

First, residents Maggie and Lannie Spencer explained how ginkgo trees could replace the agapanthus flowers at the end of the cul­ de ­sac, emphasizing that they did not want “total uniformity” as to tree choice. Anne Hall, another resident, added that the trees should not develop potentially problematic roots ­and reminisced that she was quite young when the great trees were planted.

Suddenly remembering Twelfth Night ­ “when I was a little tiny boy…” I remembered a story about the pine tree my dad planted outside his lawn when he was very young, and how it still flourishes, a rare pine tree in that stretch of Indiana, a tree with significance as part of his Chinese name.

As the main item stretched into the 6:00 p.m. hour, some others suggested crepe myrtle at the end of the street, instead of trees. PHS Senior Devan Joseph, also a Lorita resident, succinctly supported planting ginkgo trees, “to make the whole cul­ de ­sac aesthetically pleasing.”

After Joseph’s speech, the discussion’s direction shifted and­ most of the speakers began to favor the trees.

Perhaps from my own experience, when a younger person speaks among many adults, somehow, the adults subconsciously agree with the youth, as a reflection of themselves. But without too much philosophy, once resident Andrew Coleman agreed to water the plants efficiently in this State of drought, the Commission seemed to be convinced.

Public Works Supervisor Dave Frankel spoke briefly about the botanical upsides of male ginkgo plants, including their slow growth rates, particularly in the Bay Area clay soil, and the lack of smelly fruits. Soothing as popular educational PBS shows, the tree lecture was the final piece of information needed to convince the Commission.

All Commission members, ­ Betsy Goodman, Jim Horner, Jonathan Levine, John Lehanan, Brian Mahany, Patty Siskind, and Chair Jamie Totsubo ­ approved the motion for new trees.

For the next hour, the commission addressed ongoing updates, including the Linda Kingston Triangle power from PG&E, and updates on Hampton Park. To lighten the detail ­heavy presentation, Chair Totsubo suddenly asked for recognition of the East Bay Garden Club’s Arbor Day celebration, and the PHS Jazz Band’s performance. A vague comment about students sent all but the PHS seniors into long laughter. At around 6:50 p.m., the meeting adjourned.

Interview with Nancy Kent, Parks and Projects Manager

At the end, Alex and I interviewed Nancy Kent, the staff liaison for the Commission. She spoke on how she began work with the City in a volunteer function, and through her voluntary role, she naturally transitioned into City government. Briefly outlining her concerns about water conservation, she highlighted the Commission’s role in Piedmont’s xeriscaping and rainwater reusal.

Kent ending by explaining to us the importance of local government in even the smallest issues, I noticed that everything ­ from the largest policy issues in Congress, the White House, and the Supreme Court ­ to even the swimming pool debates in Piedmont ­ can profoundly impact most people’s lives. Policy and politics often have less of an impact than the daily issues people debated in the Park Commission. We are lucky to be able to determine government at every level, through public discussion and debate.

Sam Cheng, Piedmont High School Senior

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