Kate Black, Piedmont’s City Planner, hosted a site tour of the proposed Blair Park sports complex on February 15.  As cars whizzed by on the perimeter of the site, local media and interested Piedmonters were led into the park.  Blustery winds blew pollen through the air from the many flowering trees.  Underfoot the soil was mushy from the recent rains.

Black displayed a plot plan and explained the poles were installed according to the proposed plan Click to read more »

A letter from a Piedmont resident providing history and analysis on storm water runoff:

Are Mountain View Cemetery’s 3 Earthen Dams Safe?

A.  Before obtaining a building permit for construction of the Blair Park (BP) project, PRFO (Piedmont Recreational Facilities Organization) and the City of Piedmont has to meet the RWQCB C-3 provisions and obtain a NDPES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit from the RWQCB (Regional Water Quality Control Board). The NDPES permit entails how all storm water runoff and discharge from the BP project will be handled into the existing storm culvert water infrastructure system, eventually reaching Lake Merritt (LM). The Piedmont Blair Park-Coaches Field projects will need specialized solutions to meet C-3 requirements to properly discharge their storm water Click to read more »

A Letter from a Piedmont Resident on Blair Park:

Dear friends,

If you haven’t had a chance to inspect the story poles at Blair Park and hear an explanation of what they mean, there is an excellent narrated short video at www.moragacanyon.org.  Click on “Video showing size of story poles” or just go to YouTube and search “Moraga Canyon”.

After closely following this proposed sports complex project for over two years with its various “revisions”, Al and I are more opposed than ever.  It is far too massive for the narrow strip of land and will forever change Moraga Canyon.  Click to read more »

Piedmonters view story poles

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon a large group of Piedmont and Oakland residents gathered to rally under the flowering trees along Moraga Avenue in Moraga Canyon and view the proposed location of the proposed sports complex called Blair Park.  Those present found themselves in the midst of an area where no houses are visible because of screening by numerous mature trees.  Many present at the rally chanted and waved signs at passing cars, while others viewed the recently installed story poles. Click to read more »

The Piedmont Civic Association is pleased to announce its first pubic forum and looks forward to sponsoring more forums focusing on civic topics in the future.  The Piedmont Civic Association will be co-sponsoring a forum on public school funding with the League of Women Voters and the Piedmont Educational Foundation on public school finances.

The forum, to be held on Wednesday, February 16, from 7 to 9 p.m., at the Piedmont Community Center, 711 Highland Avenue, is free and open to the public.  Audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions about the financial situation facing California public schools and to provide input by completing a survey.

State Senator Loni Hancock, Tony Smith, Superintendent of the Oakland Unified School District, and Ray Gadbois, board member of the Piedmont Unified School District will be offering their insights and perspectives on school budget challenges, including how two diverse local school districts, Oakland and Piedmont, deploy their financial resources.

A Letter from Tim Rood, President of the Piedmont Swim Club, concerning a Piedmont Post article on Swim Club lease negotiations.

Your February 9 article’s suggestions that the City staff didn’t know about the renovation in the 1990’s that removed the pool gutters and that the language the City was seeking in the new lease was needed to prevent a similar occurrence was wrong on both counts. First, both the Club’s and City’s lease proposals required the City’s prior approval of projects over $25,000. Second, the City approved the renovation plans that removed the gutters in the 1990s – the renovation plans stamped “Approved – City of Piedmont” are on file at City Hall. Click to read more »

PUBLIC NOTICE – REVISION

Moraga Canyon Sports Fields Project

Notice is hereby given that the City of Piedmont Park Commission will hold a public hearing regarding the Moraga Canyon Sports Fields Project pursuant to City Council direction given at their public hearing of December 6, 2010.  The hearing will be held on Thursday, February 17, 2011 at 5:30pm in the City Council Chambers, 120 Vista Avenue, Piedmont, CA. Click to read more »

PUBLIC NOTICE

Moraga Canyon Sports Fields Project

Notice is hereby given that the City of Piedmont Planning Commission will hold a public hearing regarding the Moraga Canyon Sports Fields Project pursuant to City Council direction given at their public hearing of December 6, 2010. The hearing will be held on Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 6:30 pm in the City Council Chambers, 120 Vista Avenue, Piedmont, CA. Click to read more »

On February 9, 2011 , the Citizens’ Advisory Committee will recommend to the Board of Education that the parcel tax be increased by the maximum possible amount of 5% for the year 2011-12 – but with 2 caveats.  Click to read more »

New committee members are now being solicited for the Citizens’ Advisory Committee on School Parcel Taxes.  The Charter of the Committee along with an Application are on the District website.  All applications must be received by no later than 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 10, 2011.