Planning Commission Makes Recommendation to City Council Regarding Use of Measure A-1 Funding –

“(Our community) needs time to understand and explore what this means… Development is more successful with community support behind it.” 

On September 13, 2021, the Planning Commission recommended that the City Council direct staff to continue developing an affordable housing program using Piedmont’s share of Alameda County Measure A-1 funding. The Commission supported the three-step approach for the funds recommended by the Planning Commission’s Ad-Hoc Subcommittee on Measure A-1.

The Commission recommended the City Council explore ways to: 1) Establish a Piedmont Affordable Housing Fund; 2) Launch a low-interest loan program for affordable housing, such as scattered site single-family homes, ADUs and JADUs, conversion of commercial land, small houses, and shared housing; and 3) Preserve $2.2 million in funding in the form of a low-interest loan for the development of an affordable housing development of up to 40 housing units on ½ to 1 acre of land in Piedmont.

The reason behind the Commission’s recommendation of a sequential use of the Measure A-1 funds, first for the low-interest loan program that then transitions for use towards a traditional multifamily development as the loans are repaid, is that the County’s timeline does not allow for the time necessary to successfully identify and analyze a site for a multifamily project and carryout robust community engagement for the General Plan amendments and zoning ordinance revisions that would be necessary to attract a developer.

Planning Commission Chair Rani Batra stated, “(Our community) needs time to understand and explore what this means… Development is more successful with community support behind it.”

Commissioner Tom Ramsey stated, “All of us support a traditional affordable housing development… Where we have discussion is how we get there.”

In making its recommendation, the Planning Commission determined that the development of a multifamily affordable housing project on City-owned land would have a greater chance of attracting a developer and gaining entitlement once the City had completed its update to the Housing Element, the related zoning code revisions and environmental review. That process is not expected to be completed within the constraints of the County’s timeline for receipt of Measure A-1 funds.

The City Council’s receipt of the recommendation for the approach for the use of the funds has not been scheduled but is expected to occur in October or November.

During the meeting, the Planning Commission heard comments from eleven community members. Many urged the Commission to recommend that the City Council approve the 2023- 2031 Housing Element update and associated changes by November 2022 so that the Measure A1 funding could be used towards the development of affordable housing in Piedmont within the faster timeline requirements set forth by Alameda County.

In 2016, Alameda County residents voted to adopt Measure A-1, a $580 million property tax revenue bond for affordable housing. The City of Piedmont is allocated $2.2 million in Measure 2 A-1 funding in the form of a low-interest (3%) loan program administered by the Alameda County Department of Housing and Community Development (County HCD). Piedmont’s Measure A-1 allocation must be used for the development of affordable rental housing or site acquisition.

State requirements have challenged City officials to find sites and policies to promote the construction of 587 new houses and apartments by 2031. Earlier this year the City Council engaged the services of Lisa Wise Consulting to assist the City in preparing a Housing Element update that facilitates the production of this allocation of housing units, and the services of Rincon Consulting to perform the related environmental review required by the California Environmental Quality Act.

At 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 29th, the Piedmont Planning Commission and Housing Advisory Committee will hold a joint study session about the basic requirements for Housing Element updates in California.

Senior City Planner Pierce Macdonald-Powell

For more information and project updates, please visit the City of Piedmont’s web site at http://piedmont.ca.gov

Compost Giveaway
Saturday, September 18, 2021
9 am – 12 pm
Piedmont Corporation Yard
898 Red Rock Road, Piedmont, CA

The City of Piedmont, in partnership with Republic Services, is holding a free compost giveaway for residents in advance of the Harvest Festival at the City’s Corporation Yard (898 Red Rock Road) on Saturday, September 18, 2021 from 9 am to 12 pm. All Piedmont households can pick up to two cubic-yards of compost while supplies last. Preorders are not available. Bring shovels, gloves, containers, and proof of residency (driver’s license or current Republic Services bill) to pick up compost. Residents must bag and load the compost themselves. Residents are strongly encouraged to wear masks or face coverings and follow the Alameda County Public Health Department’s COVID-19 guidance. While not required, it is strongly suggested encouraged to fill out the form here to indicate your estimated pick-up time Saturday.

The compost is made from yard trimmings and food waste collected from Republic Services communities participating in curbside organics collection services. Close the loop by using the finished compost, made locally. Mixing compost with your soil adds nutrients to the soil, aids in water retention and pest control, and helps plants thrive! Learn more about the benefits and uses of compost here.

Sign up for email notifications or visit the City’s news and notifications page for postings of giveaway events. For more information, contact Sustainability Program Manager, Alyssa Dykman.

More information on COMPOST –

SB 1383

Short-lived Climate Pollutants: Organic Waste Reductions

What is SB 1383?

In September 2016, Governor Brown signed Senate Bill 1383 into law. SB 1383 establishes methane reduction targets as part of a larger strategy to combat climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The law establishes a mandated target to achieve a 75% reduction in statewide disposal of organic waste by 2025 and requires the state to increase edible food recovery by 20% for human consumption by 2025. To achieve these targets, the California Department of Resources, Recycling, and Recovery (CalRecycle) developed a series of rules for all cities and counties throughout California to implement. The regulations were finalized by CalRecycle in November 2020 and take effect on January 1, 2022.

Why is SB 1383 important?

The state is experiencing the effects of a climate crisis – extreme droughts, increasing number of wildfires, warmer temperatures, and rising sea levels. As a response to the crisis, California has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, particularly those most potent and are short-lived. Methane is such an example. Methane gas is a potent climate pollutant that is released when organic waste, which includes surplus edible food, food scraps, food soiled paper and yard waste, decomposes in a landfill. It is 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide and degrades in the atmosphere in approximately 12 years. About 20 percent of statewide methane emissions comes from landfills. In an effort to cut methane emissions, SB 1383 sets targets to reduce organic waste.

What does SB 1383 mean for me?

SB 1383 requires everyone in California to recycle organic waste, including paper, cardboard, yard materials, food scraps, and food-soiled paper.

Requirements for Residents: Residents must subscribe to and participate in the City’s recycling and organic waste curbside collection services or self-haul to a recycling or composting facility. The City’s franchise waste hauler, Republic Services, provides trash, recycling, and organic containers to customers for weekly waste collection. Collection service for recyclables and organics is unlimited in volume and provided at no additional cost. Additional or larger carts for recyclables and organics can be ordered by contacting Republic Services at (800)320-8077. Residents that elect to self-haul waste generated at the premises directly to a disposal or processing facility holding all applicable permits to accept the materials. Any resident desiring to do so as a means to satisfying the City’s proposer waste disposal obligation under Municipal Code Section 9.03.010 must obtain a self-hauling permit. The rules for self-haul permits are covered under Municipal Code Section 9.03.060.

Requirements for Businesses: Businesses are required to follow certain rules regarding waste sorting, collection, and education. These rules also apply to: all organization; nonprofits; and all multi-family properties with 5 or more units. Businesses must subscribe to and participate in the City’s recycling and organic waste curbside collection services or self-haul to a recycling or composting facility. The City’s franchise waste hauler, Republic Services, provides trash, recycling, and organic containers to customers for weekly waste collection. Additional or larger carts for recyclables and organics can be ordered by contacting Republic Services at (800)320-8077. Businesses that elect to self-haul waste generated at the premises directly to a disposal or processing facility holding all applicable permits to accept the materials. Any business desiring to do so as a means to satisfying the City’s proposer waste disposal obligation under Municipal Code Section 9.03.010 must obtain a self-hauling permit. The rules for self-haul permits are covered under Municipal Code Section 9.03.060. Businesses must ensure they have adequate access to recycling and organics recycling services for their employees, contractors, customers, and tenants, including supplying and allowing access to an adequate number, size, and location of bins either clearly labeled or the appropriate color (i.e., green for organic waste, blue for recycling, and grey for solid waste). Any new waste bin purchased on or after January 1, 022 must either have the correct colors or labeling. Businesses also must periodically inspect recycling and organic waste bins for contamination and remind employees about proper sorting.  Businesses must provide information to employees, contractors, tenants, and customers about waste diversion requirements and the proper sorting of waste annually. Businesses will also need to provide new residential and commercial tenants with information on how to properly sort waste within 2 weeks of occupation and thereafter on an annual basis. StopWaste provides annual outreach to all business and will create materials to satisfy some of the requirements.

Exemption: Businesses that meet the De Minimis or Physical Space criteria can be exempted from some of the SB 1383 requirements. Businesses will be able to apply for SB 1383 De Minimis and Physical Space waivers. Multi-family properties will only be able to apply for Physical Space waivers. The City may waive certain requirements if a business provides documentation or has evidence demonstrating the following:

1. De Minimis Waiver
   • Business generates two cubic yards or more of waste per week (trash, recycling, and organics) and the organic material subject to recycling or compost generated is less than20 gallons per week per applicable container OR
   • Business generates less than two cubic yards or more of waste per week (trash, recycling, and organics) and the organic material subject to recycling or compost generated is less than 10 gallons per week per applicable container.
   • The City must verify the generation meets the waiver thresholds. If the City receives information at any time of generation above threshold, the jurisdiction shall the rescind waiver.
2. Physical Space Waiver
   • The commercial business or property owner provides documentation or the City has evidence from its staff, hauler, licensed architect, or licensed engineer demonstrating that the premises lack adequate space for any of the container configurations allowed.

How is Piedmont preparing for SB 1383?

Fortunately for Piedmont, we are already well on our way toward compliance with SB 1383 since Piedmont has had mandatory organics waste collection service since 2008. Nonetheless, there are other requirements of SB 1383 that will be implemented.

23rd Annual Harvest Festival

Piedmont Police Department Advice Responding to Mountain Lion Sightings in Piedmont –

• Do not jog or hike alone. Go in groups with adults supervising children.
• Keep children close to you. Do not allow children to play along river banks, in heavy vegetation, or alone at dawn or dusk. When hiking with children, watch them closely and never let them run ahead of you. Observations of captured wild mountain lions reveal that the animals seem especially drawn to children.

If you encounter a lion, remember the goals are to convince it that you are not prey and that you may be dangerous. Follow these safety tips:

• Do not approach a lion. Most mountain lions will try to avoid a confrontation. Give them a way to escape.
• Do not run from a lion. Running may stimulate a mountain lion’s instinct to chase. Instead, stand and face the animal. Make eye contact. If you have small children with you, pick them up if possible so that they don’t panic and run. Although it may be awkward, pick them up without bending over or turning away from the mountain lion.
• Do not crouch down or bend over. A human standing up is just not the right shape for a lion’s prey. Conversely, a person squatting or bending over resembles a four-legged prey animal. In mountain lion country, avoid squatting, crouching or bending over, even when picking up children.
• Do all you can to appear larger. Raise your arms. Open your jacket if you are wearing one. Again, pick up small children. Throw stones, branches, or whatever you can reach without crouching or turning your back. Wave your arms slowly and speak firmly in a loud voice. The idea is to convince the mountain lion that you are not prey and that you may be a danger to it.
• Fight back if attacked. A hiker in southern California used a rock to fend off a mountain lion that was attacking his son. Others have fought back successfully with sticks, caps, jackets, garden tools and their bare hands. Since a mountain lion usually tries to bite the head or neck, try to remain standing and face the attacking animal.

The Piedmont Police Department would like to make our community aware that we have had two different reported sightings and received a video clip of what appears to be a mountain lion. The sightings were in the area of Davies Tennis Stadium and Nace Avenue. Our Animal Services Officers have been in contact with the Fish & Wildlife Department and have been advised that due to drought conditions and wildfires these animals are coming down into urban areas looking for food and water. Do not leave pets or pet food and water bowls outside.

Encounters with mountain lions are rare and we have copied the safety guidelines below from the National Park Service website if you are interested in more information.
https://www.nps.gov/articles/mountain-li…
Please report all mountain lion sightings to Piedmont Animal Services at 510-420-3000.

Where are we now?

Back by popular demand – please join the League of Women Voters Piedmont to hear the latest on Covid-19 from our all-time most viewed speaker, internationally renowned epidemiologist and Piedmont resident, Dr. George Rutherford. As we are all aware, Dr. Rutherford has been instrumental in helping the Bay Area contend with Covid and is quoted frequently in the media.  He will address the latest findings, the status of delta and other variants and the likely effectiveness of boosters and therapeutics.  He will also speak about Covid safety for schools.

Date:  Wednesday, September 15, 2021
Time:  4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.

>Register for Zoom Link

Dr. Rutherford leads the Global Strategic Information group within UCSF’s Institute for Global Health Sciences. He is the Salvatore Pablo Lucia Professor of Epidemiology, Preventive Medicine, Pediatrics and History; Head of the Division of Infectious Disease and Global Epidemiology in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics in School of Medicine at UCSF and Professor of Epidemiology and Health Administration in the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley.

Educated at Stanford University and Duke University School of Medicine, he is board certified in pediatrics and in general preventive medicine and public health. He has worked extensively in public health, with an emphasis on the epidemiology and control of communicable diseases, both domestically and internationally and has held a number of positions in public health agencies, including having served as State Health Officer and State Epidemiologist for California, Director of the AIDS Office for the San Francisco Department of Public Health, Director of Immunizations for the New York City Department of Health and an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer at CDC.

Register above to receive an email with the Zoom link information.

This program will be recorded, and you can also watch it live  or at a later date on LWVP  YouTube channel.

What’s Coming Up . . at the

8-25-2021, 7 pm

School Board Meeting?

The Piedmont Unified School District has a new Director of Communications & Community Relations, Brian Killgore,      bkillgore@piedmont.k12.ca.us. 

Director Killgore has already made a significant difference in providing information on the School District to the community.

Piedmont Unified School School District Board Meeting Wednesday, August 25th, 2021 – 7:00 pm PUSD District Office Board Room – Join Zoom Webinar 760 Magnolia Ave., Piedmont, CA 94611    Agenda > here.

Presentation –

● The Piedmont Education Foundation will present a donation of $2,750,000 to the District.

Discussion –

● District staff will provide the Board of Education with an overview of the District’s COVID-19 Staff Testing/Vaccination Program.

● District staff will provide the Board of Education with an overview of the PUSD Health and Safety Steering Committee.

● District staff and the Board of Education will discuss issues and options regarding student vaccinations.

Action –

The Board of Education will discuss and may take action on the following items. Public comment will be invited before action is taken.

● Approve and Adopt Resolution 06-2021-22 – Authorizing The Establishment of Fund 08 Student Activity Special Revenue Fund.

● Hold First Reading, Revised Board Policy/Administrative Regulation 1312.3 – Uniform Complaint Procedures.

● First Reading, Revised Board Policy/Administrative Regulation 5141.4 – Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Procedures. * * * * *

This summary is provided for the community’s information and convenience. Read the full agenda and instructions for joining the meeting webinar here. The PUSD Board of Education values community input and welcomes public comment during its meetings and comments via email at any time.  See link below.

READ the full notice with links to information and participation  SCHOOLS What’s Coming Up – 8-25-21 (1)

FREE COVID VACCINE CLINIC FOR ALL AGES 12+

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 1st

2pm – 6pm

Piedmont Middle School Buzz Redford Gymnasium

WALK-INS ARE WELCOME!

1. Information about Consent for Minors: ACPHD Youth Vaccination Facts page https://covid-19.acgov.org/youthvaxfacts has information about minor consent, including the Alameda County Minor Consent Guidance and a downloadable Written Consent Form

2. Please see the California Department of Public Health Minor Consent Guidance for more information: https:// www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/ Pfizer-Vaccine-Minor-Consent-Guidance.aspx

3. Though severe allergic reactions are rare, we will have trained staff on site.

Pre-Register Now: Select:Piedmont High School/Middle School

READ THE DETAILED  VACCINE FLYER LINKED BELOW FOR MORE DETAILS

PIEDMONT UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Vaccine Clinic Flyer

Dear Editor,

It is obvious that the procedure for recalling a Governor is
flawed.  Instead of prescribing that the Lieutenant Governor ascend in the
case that a Governor can no longer serve us; the process for replacement is
a free-for-all.  Republicans have glommed onto this flaw with a
vengeance.   Please urge your state legislators to fix this destructive
feature; it’s a wrench in the gears of good government.

Meanwhile, please make sure to vote NO on the recall.  Don’t let
anti-democracy Republicans win with a minority of votes because the
majority didn’t vote.

Sincerely,
Bruce Joffe, Piedmont Resident

Ballots for the Tuesday, September 14 recall election have arrived in Piedmont households for all eligible voters.

The September 14, 2021, California Gubernatorial Recall Election ballot will have two parts.

Every voter is asked to mark their  ballot YES or NO to the question, “Shall GAVIN NEWSOM be recalled (removed) from the office of Governor?”

On the opposite side of the ballot, each voter, whether for or against the recall, can select from the 40+ names for a replacement of the Governor, IF he is recalled. Voters are not required to vote on a replacement.

 The Certified List of Candidates can be found on the state website at: https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/statewide-elections/2021-recall/certified-list.pdf.  Write-in replacement candidates for the office of governor can also run in the California Gubernatorial Recall Election.  The Certified List of Write-in Candidates will be available on September 3, 2021.

If a majority of the votes on the recall question are “Yes,” Governor Newsom shall be removed from office and the replacement candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall be declared elected for the remainder of the governor’s term of office (ending January 2, 2023).  If one-half or more of the votes on the recall question are “No,” Governor Newsom shall remain in office.

(Cal. Const., art. II, § 15(c); Elec. Code, §§ 11320, 11322)

After marking, sealing, and signing your ballot …

BALLOT DROP BOX: Piedmont has a Ballot Drop Box in Central Piedmont next to the Wells Fargo Bank and mail boxes, where voters can place their ballots. Drop Boxes will be operational until 8 pm on Election Day.  

OR

Mail your ballot.  No postage is needed.  Ballots must be postmarked no later than Election Day, so vote early.   

Make your vote count by remembering to sign the back of your return envelope!