Click below to learn tax dates and other financial information based on government decisions.
In response to the Shelter in Place Orders from the State of California and the County of Alameda, the City of Piedmont has extended the deadline for Commission and Committee applications until Friday, April 10th. This extension will allow residents who have been working to adjust their lives to shelter in place additional time to complete and submit applications to serve on city Commissions and Committees.
Interested residents may view the Commission Description of Duties, download the Application for Appointive Vacancy, and/or apply online on the City’s web site at https://piedmont.ca.gov.
Applications are due to City Hall on or before the EXTENDED DEADLINE of Friday, April 10th .
Interviews with the City Council for these positions will be scheduled for a later date. Applicants will be notified of the interview date once it is set. No appointments will be made without a Council interview.
Links to information and forms are below:
Notice of Appointive Vacancies 2020
Commission Description of Duties 2020-02-14
Commission Application 2020 (Fillable)
2020-02-14 Volunteers for Commissions
Volunteers are needed on the following Commissions/Committees, and other positions:
Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee, CIP Review Committee, Civil Service Commission, Park Commission, Planning Commission, Public Safety Committee, Recreation Commission, Mosquito Abatement Representative, Parking Hearing Officer.
Contact: City Clerk John O. Tulloch (510) 420-3040
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. Review of Work Schedule for the CIP Review Committee for Fiscal Year 2020-2021
2. Presentation on Public Safety Facilities by the Fire Chief and Police Chief
3. Tour of Police Department and Fire Department Facilities
Announcements, old business and consideration of future agenda item
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The CIP Review Committee makes recommendations to the City Council regarding the expenditure of the capital budget (construction, repair, or rehabilitation of city facilities).
Council Liaison: Robert McBain | rmcbain@piedmont.ca.gov | (510) 420-3048
Staff Liaisons:
Chester Nakahara | cnakahara@piedmont.ca.gov | (510) 420-3061
Nancy Kent | nkent@piedmont.ca.gov | (510) 420-3064
The public is welcome to attend and participate. The meeting will not be broadcast.
Agenda:
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 Covid-19 Communications
2. Update on H1 Construction
The Piedmont City Council has placed before Piedmont voters a parcel tax, Measure T, at the Tuesday, March 3, 2020 Presidential Primary Election to “essentially renew” Piedmont’s long standing parcel tax. The current parcel tax expires June 30, 2021.
Approval of Measure T requires 2/3rds approval by those voting on the measure. Full text of Measure T proposed rates and ordinance are found at the end of each Alameda County Voter Information Guide. Measure T is on the last page of ballots.
Tax measure proceeds will be deposited into the Piedmont General Fund. There is no differentiated record of how the Special Municipal Services Tax have been spent in prior years.
Piedmont was one of the first cities in California to go before voters following approval of Proposition 13 in 1978 limiting the taxing ability of school, cities, counties, and special districts to raise taxes beyond their 1978 level while allowing an annual 2% increase without gaining approval by 2/3rd of the voters.
Voters can go to their assigned polling location on Tuesday, March 3 and cast their ballot, or if having received a ballot in the mail can place their ballot in the Alameda County ballot box located in central Piedmont near the Wells Fargo Bank, or simply place their ballot in any regular mailbox. Postage is not required on mailed ballots.
Editors Note: PCA does not support or oppose ballot measures.
The City Council of Piedmont is looking for talented Piedmont volunteers for vacancies on Piedmont commissions, committees, and appointed positions.
Interested Piedmonters may view the positions and Description of Duties, download the Application for Appointive Vacancy, and/or apply online on the City’s web site at https://piedmont.ca.gov.
Links to information and forms are below:
Notice of Appointive Vacancies 2020
Commission Description of Duties 2020-02-14
Commission Application 2020 (Fillable)
2020-02-14 Volunteers for Commissions
Interviews with the City Council for the volunteer positions will be scheduled for the evening of Monday, March 30, 2020 (CANCELLED). No appointments will be made without a Council interview.
Piedmonters with questions are invited to contact the City Clerk’s office at (510) 420-3040.
Extensive plans for the Piedmont Municipal Pool, Coaches Field, Linda Beach Park, and other facilities have been undertaken by the city. A method of funding the millions of dollars necessary to move the projects forward is under consideration at the:
Budget Advisory & Financial Planning Committee, Thursday, February 27, 2020, 7:00 p.m., Emergency Operations Center, 403 Highland Avenue, Piedmont, CA
The meetings are never broadcast and minutes are not kept of the meetings. Members of the Committee do not file conflict of interest statements.
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. Review of FY 2019-20 Mid-Year Fiscal Report
2. Discussion of Potential Financing Options for Improvement of City Facilities
3. Consideration of Scheduling Future Meetings
As of this publication, no materials related to an item on the agenda of the Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee meeting have been publicly made available.
So, don’t tune out the March Primary election waiting for anybody in November.
Vote for Measure T.
Garrett Keating, Former Piedmont City Council Member
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Piedmont is financially impacted by the new housing requirements made at the state level increasing densification. Piedmont’s system of supporting itself has for decades been based on taxing single-family properties in Piedmont containing one single-family residence/household on a parcel.
Many California cities have increased their sales taxes to gain needed revenue. Piedmont, zoned primarily for “single-family” residences, has relatively little commercial property and thus very little opportunity for increased sales tax revenue. Voter approved parcel taxes in Piedmont, property transfer taxes, and increased property valuations have allowed Piedmont to prosper.
Those parcels with the newly allowable 3 housing units on their property will pay no more for the densification of their properties despite windfall income without additional taxes for the service needs of additional families.
Increasing the number of households in Piedmont will require additional services – street safety, parking, fire protection, public schools, city administration, public open spaces, police services, etc. – without commensurate increases in revenue.
In 2019, the population outflow from the State of California was more than 200,000 citizens relocating to other states. The figure reported by the US Census Bureau is 203,414. While California is expected to lose a Congressional Representative after 2020, Texas may gain three Congress persons due to dramatic population increase.
“In the 1970’s citizen activists [in CA] created urban growth boundaries and land trusts to preserve open space and delicate coastal habitats.” Following Prop 13, “Cash hungry cities opted to zone for commercial uses, which would generate sales taxes, instead of affordable housing.” (New York Times 12/1/19)
With the press of political demands for more housing, the State of California has taken a dramatic step to remove restrictions on Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). When ADUs are added to single-family zoned parcels, many requirements have been eliminated: setbacks, floor area ratios, view protections, parking, owner occupancy, public participation, notification, and other factors.
In November 2019, Piedmonters voted overwhelmingly by over 82% to tax individual parcels. Every parcel has the same tax basis of approximately $2,700. An additional tax based on square footage of living space is also added to individual parcel taxes. The taxation needs for the school parcel tax were based on expected student populations.
Unlike San Mateo, the Piedmont City Council accepted the new State laws and has shown no effort to enforce the City Charter which gives Piedmont voters the right to have a say in what happens to Piedmont’s zoning. Further, the Piedmont City Council took no action or policy position on the various housing initiatives put forth in Sacramento that take away local laws even though the legislation was contrary to Piedmont’s City Charter.
Piedmont’s Charter was written to guarantee Piedmont voters the right to control many aspects of the City including elections, finances, budgets, police and fire departments, public schools, public borrowing, zoning, etc.
Charter cities in California have lost significant local authority over land use and public participation in decisions.
The recent court decision in a San Mateo County Court to uphold and acknowledge San Mateo’s City Charter regarding a housing project could eventually impact Piedmont. The San Mateo Court decision does indicate a judicial act protecting Charter City rights.
The Piedmont City Council per the City Charter has the responsibility of enforcing the City Charter and putting before Piedmont voters recommended changes to zoning – single-family, multi-family, commercial, and public zones, yet nothing has been placed before the voters. Other City Charter changes and amendments were on a recent ballot and approved by Piedmont voters.
Piedmonters for over a century held control over land use decisions, police and fire services, public schools, parks, etc. through the City Charter.
In Piedmont, the abandoned PG&E property on Linda Avenue next to the Oakland Avenue Bridge, was noted in Piedmont’s General Plan, as an optimal location for affordable housing – close to schools, transportation, stores and parks. Disregarding Piedmont’s General Plan and Piedmont’s City Charter, the City Council permitted a number of market-rate townhouses to be built on the former PG&E site without including any affordable housing and illegally rezoning the property from public usage to the multi-family zone without a citizen vote on the rezoning, as required by Piedmont’s City Charter.
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