PIEDMONT CITY COUNCIL
Special and Regular Meeting Minutes for Monday, March 18, 2024 A Special and Regular Session of the Piedmont City Council in the City Hall Council Chambers, 120 Vista Avenue, was held on March 18, 2024. In accordance with Government Code Section 54954.2, the agenda for this meeting was posted for public inspection on March 14, 2024.
CALL TO ORDER Mayor Cavenaugh called the Regular Session meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance and announced no reportable actions from the Special Meeting.
ROLL CALL Present: Mayor Jennifer Cavenaugh, Vice Mayor Betsy Smegal Andersen, and Councilmembers Jennifer Long, Conna McCarthy, and Tom Ramsey Staff Present: City Administrator Rosanna Bayon Moore, City Attorney Michelle Marchetta Kenyon, Fire Chief Dave Brannigan, Planning and Building Director Kevin Jackson, Recreation Director Chelle Putzer, Public Works Director Daniel Gonzales, Police Chief Jeremy Bowers, Communications Program Manager Echa Schnieder, and City Clerk Anna Brown PUBLIC FORUM There was no Public Comment received.
CONSENT CALENDAR The Consent Calendar consisted of the following items:
Minutes Approval of City Council Minutes for 1/22/2024, 3/1/2024, and 3/4/2024 Approval of the 2022-
2023 Audited
Financial Statements
Approval of the Acceptance of the 2022-2023 Audited Financial Statements (0100)
Approval of a
Consultant Services
Agreement for a
Staffing and
Organizational
Assessment and Fee
Study
Approval of a Consulting Services Agreement with Matrix Consulting Group in an Amount Not to Exceed $69,955 to Conduct a Staffing and Organizational Assessment, a Fee Study for Piedmont’s Planning & Building Department
(0045)
Approval of
Amendments Related
to the Piedmont
Community Pool
Project
Approval of a Third Amendment to the City’s Agreement with Griffin Structures at an Amount Not to Exceed $248,433, with an Amended Overall Budget of $1,462,448, and Approval of a Second Amendment to the City’s Agreement with ELS Architecture for the Piedmont Community Pool Project in an Amount Not to Exceed $34,324.25 and an Amended Overall Budget of $2,585,118.25.
(0045)
Public Comment was received from:
Keith Dierks asked for speakers to move closer to the microphones to be audible.
Resolution 15-2024
RESOLVED, that the City Council approves the Consent Calendar as presented.
Moved by Andersen, Seconded by McCarthy
City Council Minutes
March 18, 2024
Ayes: Andersen, Cavenaugh, Long, McCarthy, Ramsey
Noes: None
Abstain: Andersen (meeting minutes for 1/22/24)
REGULAR AGENDA The Council considered the following items of regular business:
Consideration of an
Award for the
Piedmont Emergency
Dispatch Center
Modernization Project
Contract
Public Works Director Daniel Gonzales presented the consideration of an award for the contract of the Piedmont Emergency Dispatch Center Modernization Project to Giant Construction LLC in the Amount of $1,815,400, approval of an Overall Construction Budget of $2,087,710, and a finding that the Project is categorically exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). He recapped the 2017-2019 Facility Assessment Reports for the police department building and recommendations, American Rescue Plan Act funding, consultant support and bidding, a complete and responsive low bid within the 2023-24 facilities budget amount from Giant Construction LLC, itemized project improvements, timeline, and team.
Additional comments and response to Council questions were provided by Police Chief Jeremy Bowers and Fire Chief Dave Brannigan.
There was no Public Comment received.
Resolution 16-2024
RESOLVED, that the City Council Approves of the Award of a Contract for the Piedmont Emergency Dispatch Center Modernization Project to Giant Construction LLC in the Amount of $1,815,400, Approval of an Overall Construction Budget of $2,087,710, and a Finding that the Project is Categorically Exempt Under the California Environmental Quality Act.
Moved by Andersen, Seconded by McCarthy
Ayes: Andersen, Cavenaugh, Long, McCarthy, Ramsey
Noes: None
Absent: None
(0045)
Consideration of a
Refined Draft Moraga
Canyon Specific Plan
Approach
City Administrator Rosanna Bayon Moore expressed gratitude to staff and the community for participating in the study session to refine the parameters of the Moraga Canyon Specific Plan and consider a resolution directing staff to refine the approach to the preparation of Draft Moraga Canyon Specific Plan.
Planning & Building Director Kevin Jackson noted the housing crisis in the State of California, State legislation in the Housing Element Update for the 6 th Cycle, 587 housing unit allocation certification and zoning code and General Plan Amendments to reflect the changes, Program 1-L for development of 132 units on underutilized City land, and California Department of Housing and Development (HCD) review, approval, and goals of the Housing Element. He relayed research, community outreach, and study sessions efforts which revealed a preliminary consensus for four plan options for the project, concerns, and preferences. Mr. Jackson stated that the preliminary conclusion at the March 1 study session directed staff to prepare a refined Draft Moraga Canyon Specific Plan and relayed the suggested refinements and development characteristics and preferences for a request for proposal (RFP).
City Council Minutes
March 18, 2024
Andrew Watkins, Principal, Director of Urban Design & Planning of JZMK was in attendance and responded to questions from Council.
Public Comment was received from:
Pam Hertzer and Marj Blackwell expressed support for option 3 and concern for traffic safety, Ralph Catalano cautioned the Council if selecting option 1, Karen Harley plead with the City Council to distribute income groups throughout the City and reconsider the density, Elise Collins supported building on the south side, economic diversity, increasing the population, and prioritizing housing, and Randy Wu proposed keeping Coaches Field.
The following speakers expressed support for option 1: Jill Lindenbaum, Claire Parisa, Carol Galante, Rick Holliday, Irene Cheng, Sarah Karlinsky, Alice Talcott, Vincent Fisher, Deborah Leland, and Andy Madeira.
After a lengthy deliberation, Council reached consensus on providing the following direction for the preparation of a Draft Moraga Specific Plan:
1- Exclude site plan options 2 and 4 as presented to the City Council on March 1, 2024;
2- Include site plan options 1 and 3 to provide flexibility to potential developers to choose a plan that optimizes the development of housing and community benefits, including improvements to the Moraga Avenue roadway;
3- Explore increasing the number of market-rate units, currently at 72, to up to 139 in order to better fund community amenities;
4- Eliminate a skating facility as a goal of the plan, and instead seek the development of other community facilities, such as a dog park, a playground, or a pickleball court; and
5- Include the community benefits of an under-14 soccer field, youth baseball/softball field, batting cages, artificial field turf, and ballfield seating.
(0775)
Piedmont Community
Pool Project Update
Mr. Gonzales noted the progress of the project despite the challenges presented by the weather.
George Sanen, Project Executive of Griffin Structures, relayed the significant progress on the project site and completed tasks in the past quarter and related photos, weather challenges, next quarter activities, construction schedule, project challenges, budget management, and hard work to resolve issues and accelerate the project.
There was no Public Comment received.
(0270-1022)
REPORTS AND
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Councilmember Long announced that on April 24 the Planning Commission will hold a Design Sustainability Awards Gala.
Councilmember McCarthy announced the completion of the tree trimming contract, plantings in Piedmont Park for Bushy Dell Creek, the formation of a subcommittee to prepare an annual Parks Commission report for Council, replacement tree at Bellevue and Mountain Avenues, Linda Off Leash Park use, Dracaena ADA ramp access, online Hertiage Tree nominations due on City Council Minutes
March 18, 2024
March 22, April 3 Park Commission meeting, Arbor and Earth Day celebration on April 26 from 3-6 pm, and public safety survey on disaster preparedness on the City’s website.
Councilmember Ramsey announced the Bunny Blast event this Sunday in Piedmont Park and Play Like a Girl event on May 5.
Vice Mayor Andersen announced the Food Fest on April 20 in Piedmont Park.
Mayor Cavenaugh announced the volunteer recognition event on April 1 and looked forward to incoming volunteers.
ADJOURNMENT With no further business, Mayor Cavenaugh adjourned the meeting at 9:44 p.m.