Feb 17 2023

After an extensive recruitment process, the City Council has selected Rosanna Bayon Moore to serve as Piedmont’s next City Administrator. The Council will vote to confirm Ms. Bayon Moore’s appointment at their regular meeting on Tuesday, February 21st.

Ms. Bayon Moore currently serves as Assistant City Manager for the City of Antioch, CA, a role she began in 2020 after nine years as City Manager for the City of Brawley in Imperial County, CA.

Key accomplishments in these roles include successful delivery of a new fire station and Emergency Operations Center, strengthening partnerships and alignment with local school districts, advancing affordable housing projects with support from the State of California’s Strategic Growth Council, and developing a community crisis intervention program.

Previously, she served as Regional Affairs Officer for the Southern California Association of Governments, where she established a subregional hub for major transportation and regional planning initiatives.

She is well versed in building and development, having managed land acquisition, permitting, and entitlement processes at multiple civil engineering firms.

Bayon Moore holds a Masters of Public Administration with an emphasis in urban policy and advanced management techniques from the Columbia University School of International & Public Affairs and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California at Berkeley.

“I am thrilled to welcome Ms. Bayon Moore to Piedmont,” said Mayor Jen Cavenaugh. “Among a wealth of exceptional applicants, Bayon Moore stood out for her depth of executive experience, collaborative leadership style, and deep appreciation for Piedmont’s core values of fiscal responsibility, community engagement, and high-quality service delivery. I am confident she is the right person to build on current City Administrator Sara Lillevand’s success. The entire City Council is looking forward to working with Bayon Moore as we continue to make progress on our goals for the city.”

“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as Piedmont’s next City Administrator,” said Bayon Moore. “I was drawn to Piedmont’s engaged community, the Council’s vision for welcoming and belonging, and the City’s commitment to fostering both community safety and healthy living as centerpieces for quality of life.”

Bayon Moore continued, “Local government work is never carried out by a single person. The achievements I am most proud of have all been team efforts, made possible by a shared commitment to delivering results at a high level. I am excited to partner with Piedmont’s exceptional City staff, City Council, and dedicated community as we navigate the road ahead.”

After City Administrator Sara Lillevand announced her intention to retire last August, the City Council retained an experienced recruiting firm with a track record of successful executive leadership placements in local governments across California to conduct the search for her successor. The recruitment garnered 42 applications.

Bayon Moore was selected for the position after several rounds of screening and interviews with the City Council and the City’s leadership team.

“I’m grateful to know I’m leaving the City in excellent hands,” said City Administrator Sara Lillevand. “Bayon Moore’s experience leveraging state and federal resources to meet local challenges and successfully bringing new facilities online will be vital as we begin implementation of the Housing Element, complete construction of our new community pool, and plan for the future of our essential services buildings.”

Ms. Bayon Moore is expected to begin her term as City Administrator in early April 2023, following Lillevand’s retirement.

2023-02-16 City Council Selects Rosanna Bayon Moore as Next City Administrator

Feb 17 2023
City of Piedmont Press Release – February 17, 223

The City of Piedmont received written comments on its proposed Housing Element from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) on Thursday, February 16th, following the conclusion of the State’s 90-day review period.

As expected, State reviewers requested a number of technical revisions to Piedmont’s Draft Housing Element, primarily asking for specific additional analysis to support a number of findings and proposals in the document.

Additionally, reviewers requested that the City adjust or clarify implementation timelines for several proposed programs. Reviewers did not identify major structural issues or call for significant redirection of the City’s plans.

“I am gratified that HCD broadly supports the City’s plan to accommodate more housing,” said City Administrator Sara Lillevand. “Developing this plan over the past two years was a tremendous collective effort on the part of Planning staff, consultants, the Housing Advisory Committee, Planning Commission, City Council – and most important, the more than 1,000 community members who participated in this process. While we have some additional technical work to do before final adoption, the State’s letter confirms that we are on the right path and nearing the end of the road.”

Planning staff have been in regular communication with State officials since first submitting the City’s draft for review on November 18, 2022, holding multiple meetings to answer questions about how the proposed Housing Element addresses each of more than 100 specific requirements.

A list of these requirements and how Piedmont has addressed them is available for download at PiedmontIsHome.org, along with a copy of the HCD comment letter.

The State’s requests for technical amendments to Piedmont’s Draft Housing Element are consistent with those received by nearly every city in the region.

The volume and complexity of State laws related to housing has grown substantially in recent years, making preparation and compliance significantly more complex than for previous Housing Elements.

Next steps for adoption Planning staff and consultants are carefully reviewing each of the State’s comments and will work with HCD to complete the requested revisions, then bring proposed updates to City Council for approval.  Staff anticipate bringing the revised Housing Element to City Council for adoption in March.

Planning & Building Director Kevin Jackson will provide a verbal update on the receipt of the State’s comments and status of the Housing Element at the February 21, 2023 City Council meeting.

Implementation already underway

If the City Council adopts the Housing Element by May 31, 2023, the City will have three years to implement a substantial number of the proposed programs and regulatory changes outlined in the document.

Some of this work has already begun:

The City is currently soliciting proposals for a consulting firm to lead the preparation of the Moraga Canyon Specific Plan, one of the core elements of the City’s plan to accommodate 587 new homes by 2031. Piedmont’s Moraga Canyon area was one of two sites in the region to be selected this year as a study subject by the James R. Boyce Affordable Housing Competition Studio at UC Berkeley.

• Staff have begun discussions with affordable housing organizations about possible future developments.

• The City has already established a new incentive for affordable ADUs and made it easier to convert existing spaces into new housing.

For more information about the Housing Element update, visit PiedmontIsHome.org, or subscribe to the City’s Housing Update email newsletter to receive news directly.

With questions, email PiedmontIsHome@piedmont.ca.gov.

2023-02-17 City Receives Housing Element Comments from State Reviewers

Feb 14 2023

Starting March 1, 2023, the City of Piedmont will discontinue remote participation for most
Commission and all Committee meetings. Community members will still be able to comment
remotely via Zoom for City Council and Planning Commission meetings. Park Commission and
Recreation Commission meetings will continue to be broadcast live on KCOM and streamed on the
City website.

This format change was prompted by changes to State regulations governing public meetings,
which had been relaxed at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to support remote participate
for members of legislative bodies. Governor Newsom has announced his intention to rescind the
COVID-19 State of Emergency at the end of February 2023, at which point members of City
Councils, Boards, Commissions, and Committees statewide will be required to attend meetings in
person, with limited exceptions.

At their January 17, 2023, the City Council was briefed on changes to teleconference regulations
and was asked to give direction to staff on whether to continue providing remote participation
options for community members at Council, Commission, and Committee meetings.

After a detailed discussion, the Council chose to continue offering remote public comment for City
Council and Planning Commission meetings only, due to low remote participation for other bodies
and the strain on staff resources required to support hybrid meetings. Each remote or hybrid
meeting requires an additional staff member, working overtime, to manage the logistics and
operations of the virtual meeting.

More information is available in the agenda report, minutes, and meeting video for the January 17th City Council meeting.

City Press Release – February 14, 2023

Jan 16 2023

Hello City Council:

I’ve reviewed the staff report and draft RFP for the Moraga Canyon Specific Plan (MCSP) and submit the following comments and questions. Hopefully you can delve into them.

The MCSP is good planning, but clearly the RFP is being developed to expedite a City application for Measure A funds by 2024.  Perhaps for that reason, the RFP is short on explaining how the plan addresses important city policies.  Table 2 list these policies but the RFP states that these policies “may” be considered and only stipulates that the consultant team will demonstrate “professional experience and knowledge of the personnel general principles and background law applicable to specific plans, land development and affordable housing development requirements”.   There are important sustainability policies outlined in the General Plan and Climate Action Plan and the City should stipulate this a credential it seeks on the consultant team.  Does the team have a sustainability expert like our City does?  Traffic safety is another core credential that should be requested.

The staff report and RFP suggests that additional environmental review beyond the programmatic EIR will be conducted based on the impacts of the specific projects in the MCSP.  That makes sense but is predicated on a robust programmatic EIR which has yet to be released.  Without the programmatic EIR being public at this time, the generalities of that assessment may be used to gloss over specific impacts of the projects at a later date.  One way to alleviate this concern is to assure that the programmatic EIR will have a response to comments process as a project specific EIR does.  Staff should confirm this publicly.  Subsection m. in scope of services should clarify this point as well.

One important EIR consideration is whether an assessment of GHG emissions will be undertaken in the MCSP.   This assessment may occur in the “built out” programmatic EIR so this may not be a factor but without that document, who can say?   To resolve this question, staff should clarify whether these GHG emission calculations are being conducted as a part of the programmatic EIR.  According to state guidance, GHG emissions are to be part of a CEQA analysis: CEQA GHG.  However, based on certain criteria, affordable housing projects under 100 units are exempt from CEQA and staff should clarify this as well CEQA Housing. Indeed, staff should clarify whether CEQA is applicable to all the projects being considered in the MCSP, particularly the low-income housing projects.

The staff report and RFP do not clarify whether the relocation of the Corporation Yard will be studied as part of the MCSP.  The only possible reference to this is that “replacement” of the Corporation Yard be considered.  The City should clarify this in the RFP so as to provide consultants the widest latitude to develop creative proposals for the canyon.  Indeed, this latitude may provide for the subdivisions of parcels and development standards that are attractive to builders of housing at all income levels. As staff envisioned with civic center sites, the City could leverage better housing for the project if the Corporation Yard is moved to less desirable building site in the canyon.

Following are more specific comments/questions to the RFP:

The project timeline on page 5 of the staff report is particularly short on detail.  The City seems not to have identified the type of public process it intend to conduct. 

Under “Specific Plan for Success” there is no mention of field lighting as part of the recreational facilities to be developed.  Is it the intent of the City and this Council not to proceed with the installation of lights at Coaches Field?  There is some precedent for this.

The landscape plan makes no mention that it is to comply with the City’s municipal Bay Friendly Landscape Ordinance which has specific criteria for vegetation and water use.

Garrett Keating, Former Piedmont City Council Member

Moraga Canyon Plan Consultant 1.17.23

Editors’ Note: Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Jan 15 2023

Another Consultant is proposed to be hired at an unspecified cost to produce a Moraga Canyon specific plan.

The RFP does not set a price, but … [in 2019]  … the preparation of a specific plan cost an average of $544,237.”  according to ABAG.

On the Council Agenda, Tuesday, January 17, 2023 the City of Piedmont returns to the previously unexamined, controversial legal opinion of the Piedmont City Charter when the City Attorney dismissed the specific language within the Piedmont City Charter of requiring voter approval of proposed zoning changes. Agenda > >council-agenda 1.17.23

 This program requires an amendment to the City’s General Plan and the preparation of a specific plan to accommodate the density and create development standards for the unique site conditions. The required amendments would be reviewed by the City Attorney for conformance with the City Charter and other legal requirements. If it is determined that it is infeasible to develop this site during the planning process, the City will consider utilizing other City-owned properties as alternative sites (see Appendix B).

Funds generated by General Plan Maintenance fee instituted by the City on July 1, 2019 will provide significant funds for General Plan costs – plans and zoning changes. 

Currently, the fee is $0.013 x the construction cost valuation on building permits. The fee  generated $427,000 in FY 21-22 and the City expects a similar amount this fiscal year. The funds must be spent on updates and amendments to the General Plan and other auxiliary  documents (e.g., Climate Action Plan, Zoning Ordinance, Hazard Mitigation Plan, and a  specific plan). The City Council might consider increasing this fee to help cover the rising costs of land use planning.

READ the full staff report in the link below:

Moraga Canyon Plan Consultant 1.17.23

Stay Informed about the Moraga Canyon Specific Plan

After the City adopts a 6th Cycle Housing Element, a key piece of the implementation process will be the creation of a Moraga Canyon Specific Plan. This initiative will study all City-owned land in Moraga Canyon with the goal of creating a detailed plan for how to maintain and improve existing amenities while also incorporating new housing in the area.

The City expects to issue an RFP in late January seeking professional services to lead this process. Stay informed by subscribing to our Moraga Canyon Specific Plan email list.

Jan 15 2023

Will the Council revert back to not recording, broadcasting, or archiving video recordings of certain public meetings?  The cost of transparency via video broadcasts has proven to be minimal given the City budget. On the council-agenda 1.17.23

The California Brown Act has been amended and provisions changed.

NEW REQUIREMENTS:

If members participate remotely using the just cause or emergency provisions, the following additional rules apply:

• The legislative body must provide a way for the public to remotely participate in the meeting and must provide notice of how to access the meeting and offer comments

• The public must also be permitted to attend the meeting in person

• The body cannot require public comments to be submitted before the meeting but rather must be allowed in real time.

• Remote members must participate through both visual and audio (i.e. cameras and microphones on)

• Before any action is taken, remote members must disclose whether any other people over 18 years old are present in the room at the remote location and the general nature of the member’s relationship with the individual

 

Editors’ Note:  The Piedmont Civic Association has long advocated maximum adherence to Brown Act applicable public meetings such as commissions, committees, and City Council.  The Piedmont City Charter prescribes these meetings are to keep minutes, which has not been adhered to for even critically important Council appointed committees such as the Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee. 

The Public Safety Committee during the COVID protocols was newly recorded and live streamed.  Some meetings, the Annual City Budget Workshop and the interviewing of candidates for City Council, commission and committee appointments have historically not been recorded, broadcast, or archived leaving access to only those present at the meeting.

Transparency and accountability are important to the public and should be maximized by the City Council by improving the archiving of recordings, providing minutes, and live streaming of public meetings.

READ the staff report linked below:

Changes to Brown Act and Next Steps 1.17.23

League of California Cities – report > https://www.calcities.org/news/post/2022/12/15/brown-act-changes-are-coming-to-cities-in-2023.-here-is-what-to-expect

Jan 14 2023

Loss of 57 Parking Spaces offset by 45 Diagonal Slots and Reassigned Parking Spaces, Elimination of 2 Bus Stops, and One-Way Bonita Traffic –

On Tuesday, January 17th at 6:00pm the City Council will consider recommended Civic Center parking and circulation changes for the construction of the new Piedmont Pool Complex.  >council-current-agenda 1.17.23

See the staff report for diagrams of the proposed parking changes on Bonita Avenue, Vista Avenue, Hillside Avenue, Highland Avenue, removal of bus stops, etc. >  Staff Report 1.17.23 Changes to Parking and Traffic in the Civic Center Area to Accommodate Piedmont Community Pool Construction

These proposals are intended to mitigate the loss of 57 parking spaces in the area due to pool construction, including 20 “Permit A” spaces and 21 spaces reserved for City employees. The proposed changes would:

• Convert Bonita Avenue between Vista and Oakland Avenues to one-way traffic towards Oakland Avenue

• Convert existing parallel parking on Bonita Avenue between Vista and Oakland Avenues to diagonal parking, creating 10 new spaces

• Remove two bus stops on Highland Avenue near the Sheridan strip and add diagonal parking

Details of the proposal are available in the agenda materials:

• Full agenda report > Staff Repprt 1.17.23 Changes to Parking and Traffic in the Civic Center Area to Accommodate Piedmont Community Pool Construction

• Exhibits illustrating proposed changes

Give feedback on proposed changes

The City Council will consider this proposal at its next meeting: Tuesday, January 17th, 2023 6:00pm City Council Chambers, Piedmont City Hall (120 Vista Avenue) Agenda

Community members can provide feedback on the proposed changes in advance of the meeting by email or speak at the meeting virtually or in-person:

• Email: Send comments to citycouncil@piedmont.ca.gov

• Comment remotely: Join the meeting on Zoom at https://piedmont-cagov.zoom.us/j/86233381014

If approved, the new configuration would remain in place until pool construction is complete, which could happen as soon as summer 2024.

2023-01-13-proposed-changes-to-civic-center-parking-and-circulation

Parking 2023-01-13-proposed-changes-to-civic-center-parking-and-circulation

Staff Repprt 1.17.23 Changes to Parking and Traffic in the Civic Center Area to Accommodate Piedmont Community Pool Construction

Jan 14 2023

The City of Piedmont encourages residents to take steps to prepare for the ongoing storms:

  • Clear basement drains, gutters, and outdoor debris around your property
  • Check submersible pumps and sump pumps to make sure they are working
  • Have flashlights and spare batteries on hand in case of power outages

During the storms, use extra caution when driving and call to report issues:

  • Fallen trees, clogged drains, and other infrastructure damage: Call (510) 420-3050 during business hours (8:30am-5pm, M-F) or (510) 420-3000 after hours
  • Downed power lines: Call (510) 420-3000
  • Sparking or smoking power lines: Call 911

Dec 21 2022

Attached is a press release providing anticipated key dates for the City’s Housing Element update in January. Staff expect to bring Piedmont’s 6th Cycle Housing Element to the Planning Commission for review on January 12, 2023 and to the City Council for adoption on January 30, 2023.

Additionally, staff intend to issue an RFP in late January seeking professional services to lead the preparation of a Moraga Canyon Specific Plan. Once a consultant has been selected, the Specific Plan process is expected to take 18-24 months to complete. The City has created an email list community members can subscribe to for updates about the Specific Plan. Also attached is an informational poster about the Moraga Canyon Specific Plan that we shared with community members at the Housing Element Open House in November.

12.22 Poster+3+Moraga+Canyon+Specific+Plan+Study  Map

Morga 2022-12-20 Housing Element Update Key Dates in January Press Release

Dec 21 2022

City of Piedmont Fair Housing Bulletin

Housing Element Update: Key Dates in January

Planning & Building staff expect to bring the City’s proposed 6th Cycle Housing Element to City Council for adoption at a special meeting on January 30th, 2023.

Adoption of the Housing Element will mark the culmination of a public engagement process that began in Spring 2021, as well as the beginning of a new chapter as the City implements the policies and programs outlined in the Housing Element over the next three years.

Moraga Canyon Specific Plan

A key piece of the implementation process will be the creation of a Moraga Canyon Specific Plan.

This initiative will study all City-owned land in Moraga Canyon, including Blair Park, Coaches Field, Kennelly Skate Park, and the City’s Corporation Yard, with the end goal of creating a detailed plan for how to maintain and improve existing City facilities, open space, and recreational amenities in this area while also incorporating 132 units of housing, 60 of which would be available to lower income households.

Map of Moraga Canyon Specific Plan study area

The City expects to issue an RFP in late January seeking professional services to lead the preparation of the Moraga Canyon Specific Plan. Staff will bring the draft RFP to the City Council for authorization at the January 17th, 2023 meeting. Once a consultant has been selected, the Specific Plan process is expected to take 18-24 months to complete.

Robust public participation will be critical to a successful Specific Plan process. Throughout the process the City will conduct significant and ongoing public outreach, hold community meetings and workshops, and provide a variety of options for community members to weigh in and help shape the Specific Plan.

Community members can stay informed by subscribing to the City’s Moraga Canyon Specific Plan email list.

Important Dates and Next Steps ……………..

January will be a busy month for Housing Element followers. Key tentative dates include:

  • January 8, 2023: Comments due on Housing Element Initial Study-Negative Declaration
  • January 12, 2023: Planning Commission review of proposed Housing Element
  • January 17, 2023: City Council consideration of RFP seeking a consultant to develop the Moraga Canyon Specific Plan
  • January 30, 2023: Special Meeting of the City Council to consider adoption of the Housing Element
  • January 31, 2023: State deadline for cities to adopt a Housing Element or face penalties

The City submitted the Draft Housing Element to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for review on November 18th, 2022.

After the City Council adopts the Housing Element, the City will have three years to implement a substantial number of the proposed programs and regulatory changes outlined in the document. This process involves additional environmental review, which is already underway – the City is currently in the process of preparing a programmatic EIR that studies the impacts of the new homes and residents that could come to Piedmont once implementation is complete.

A wealth of information about the Housing Element update process is available at PiedmontIsHome.org, the City’s online hub for the Housing Element update and housing policy. For questions about the Housing Element process, write to PiedmontIsHome@piedmont.ca.gov.

Do you have questions about the Piedmont Housing Element update? The City has produced short informational videos, which are posted to the City’s Youtube Channel and at Piedmontishome.org. Watch the videos by clicking here.

Sara Lillevand and Kevin Jackson

Subscribe to Piedmont Fair Housing News and Updates