PIEDMONT CITY COUNCIL
Special and Regular Meeting Minutes for Monday, November 17, 2025 A Special and Regular Session of the Piedmont City Council in the City Hall Council Chambers, 120 Vista Avenue, was held on November 17, 2025. In accordance with Government Code Section 54954.2, the agenda for this meeting was posted for public inspection on November 13, 2025.
CALL TO ORDER Mayor Smegal Andersen called the Regular Session meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance and noted no reportable action from the Special Session study session.
ROLL CALL Present: Mayor Betsy Smegal Andersen, Vice Mayor Conna McCarthy, Councilmember Jennifer Long, Councilmember Lorrel Plimier, and Councilmember Tom Ramsey
Absent: None
Staff: City Administrator Rosanna Bayon Moore, Deputy City Attorney Deepa Sharma, Planning & Building Director Kevin Jackson, Finance Director Kiran Bawa, Communications Program Manager Echa Schneider, Public Works Director Daniel Gonzales, Sustainability Program Manager Deniz Ergun, Fire Chief Dave Brannigan, Recreation Director Chelle Putzer, and City Clerk Anna Brown
PUBLIC FORUM Public Comment was received from:
John Reining, Piedmont Mountain Biking team member, is seeking a parking spot in Piedmont for the team trailer.
Zach Dupree, Piedmont Water Polo member, asked for more clarity on the pool construction timeline.
Jack Meyjes noted empty idle police cars along Piedmont roadways that are causing community safety concerns.
Dr. Steve Sydney announced a fundraising event on November 28 for the Feed the Children charity walk at Witter Field track to feed hungry children domestically and internationally.
CONSENT CALENDAR The Consent Calendar consisted of the following items:
Meeting Minutes Approval of the Minutes for the City Council meeting of 11/03/2025 Approval of Policy No.
18: Travel
Reimbursement
Approval of Updated Travel Reimbursement Policy (Policy No. 18) (0795)
Approval of an
Employment
Resolution
Approval of an Employment Resolution for Mid-Management Personnel for the Period of 7/1/2025 through 6/30/2029
(0750-0655)
There was no Public Comment received.
Resolution 61-2025
RESOLVED, that the City Council adopts Consent Calendar Items 1 – 3.
City Council Minutes
November 17, 2025
Moved by McCarthy, Seconded by Long
Ayes: Andersen, Long, McCarthy, Plimier, and Ramsey
Abstain: None
Absent: None
Mayor Smegal Anderson postponed to a future agenda Item 8:
Consideration of an Employment Resolution for Management Personnel for the Period of 7/1/2025 through 6/30/2029 (0750-0655) and Item 9:
Consideration of Approval of a First Amendment to Employment Agreement Between the City of Piedmont and Rosanna Bayon Moore (0750-0655).
REGULAR AGENDA The Council considered the following items of regular business:
Introduction & First
Reading of Ordinance
786 N.S.
Public Hearing: Introduction and First Reading of Ordinance 786 N.S.
Repealing and Replacing Division 8.02 [Adoption of California Building Standards Code and Amendments] of the Piedmont City Code by Adopting by Reference the 2025 California Building Standards Code (Title 24, With Local Amendments to Parts 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 11 City Administrator Rosanna Bayon Moore noted an interdisciplinary effort to develop the code and Planning & Building Director Kevin Jackson introduced the item.
Building Official Paki Muthig presented the City of Piedmont Building, Fire, and Reach Code Adoption and reviewed the Building Code cycle, changes, clarifications, and local amendments.
Fire Chief Dave Brannigan presented the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Code background, designation benefits, public outreach, enforcement, and education.
Sustainability Program Manager Deniz Ergun presented the Energy Efficiency Reach Code updates and additions to give homeowners more compliance options, ensure consistency, and promote higher energy efficiency menu items. Furthermore, she reviewed public outreach and next steps.
Staff addressed questions from Council regarding approval timelines from the California Energy Commission, impacts to homeowners’ insurance from the WUI, vegetation management and ember resistant zone enforcement and criteria, public outreach responses, and value of energy efficiency guides for sellers/buyers.
There was no Public Comment received.
Resolution 62-2025
RESOLVED that Council introduces and conducts a first reading of Ordinance 786 N.S.:
1) Amending division 8.02 of the Piedmont City Code to adopt the 2025 California Code of Regulations, Title 24, including the California Administrative, Building, Residential,
Mechanical, Plumbing, Electrical, Energy, Wildland Urban Interface, Fire, Green Building Standards, Reference
Standards, Historical Building and Existing Building Codes, City Council Minutes
November 17, 2025
with local amendments to Parts 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 11, making required findings related to the climatic, geological and topographical conditions warranting more stringent local requirements.
2) Adopting local amendments to Parts 3 and 6 of the California Building Standards Code with requirements for Energy
Efficiency Measures for Existing Single-Family Buildings, making required cost-effective findings, and
3) Determining that the Ordinance is Exempt from CEQA and meets requirements for exemption from AB 130.
Moved by Ramsey, Seconded by McCarthy
Ayes: Andersen, Long, McCarthy, Plimier, and Ramsey
Abstain: None
Absent: None
(0705)
Introduction & First
Reading of Ordinance
787 N.S.
Public Hearing: Introduction and First Reading of Ordinance No. 787 N.S., Amending Division 8.14 of the City Code to Declare the City of Piedmont a Wildland-Urban Interface Area; Amending Sections 8.14.010, 8.14.030, and 8.14.040; and Repealing Section 8.14.050 and 8.14.060 of the City Code, to Update the City’s Fire Hazard Abatement Regulations Fire Chief Brannigan indicated that staff is recommending the entirety of Piedmont be changed to a WUI designation after changes to the Very High Hazard Severity Zone map by the state in February 2025. Additionally, he noted ordinance language updates and the removal of vegetation standards.
Staff addressed questions from Council regarding impacts on homeowners’ insurance by WUI, designation options, code modification plans, and the possibility of an award for homes that have defensive landscaping, much like the sustainability and design awards.
Public Comment was received from:
Bill Ashton, Piedmont High School student, expressed concern for enforcement and inquired about public notice and who will be inspecting homes.
Resolution 63-2025
RESOLVED that Council Introduces and conducts a first reading of Ordinance 787 N.S., amending Division 8.14 the City Code to Declare the City of Piedmont a Wildland-Urban Interface Area; Amending Sections
8.14.010, 8.14.030, and 8.14.040; and Repealing Section 8.14.050 and
8.14.060 of the City Code, to Update the City’s Fire Hazard Abatement Regulations.
Moved by Long, Seconded by McCarthy
Ayes: Andersen, Long, McCarthy, Plimier, and Ramsey
Abstain: None
Absent: None
(0705)
Consideration of
Correction to the
FY2025-26
Appropriations Limit
Finance Director Kiran Bawa relayed a correction to the FY2025-26 appropriations limit to increase the ceiling by $166,519 for the annual spending limit. She noted this correction is an administrative action with no fiscal impact.
City Council Minutes
November 17, 2025
There was no Public Comment received.
Resolution 64-2025
WHEREAS, Article XIII B of the California Constitution and Government Code Section 7910 require the City Council to annually establish, by resolution, an appropriations limit for the City; and
WHEREAS, on June 16, 2025, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 28- 2025 establishing the Fiscal Year 2025–26 appropriations limit at 34,809,985 using the population growth for the County of Alameda and the California Per Capita Personal Income growth factor; and WHEREAS, during the course of the FY 2024–25 financial audit, the City’s independent auditors identified a clerical error in the calculation worksheet resulting in a $166,519 understatement of the appropriations limit; and WHEREAS, after correction, the City’s appropriations limit for FY 2025– 26 is properly stated as $34,976,504; and
WHEREAS, the City’s appropriations subject to the total limit is $33,319,800, which is below both the previously adopted and corrected limits, and the City therefore remains in full compliance with Article XIII B requirements;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Piedmont hereby corrects the FY 2025–26 appropriations limit to $34,976,504, and directs that this corrected figure be reflected in the City’s financial records and used as the base for future appropriations limit Calculations.
Moved by McCarthy, Seconded by Plimier
Ayes: Andersen, Long, McCarthy, Plimier, and Ramsey
Abstain: None
Absent: None
(0088)
Review of Alternatives
for Broadcast Control
System and City
Council Chambers
Audio / Visual
(A/V) Replacement
Project
City Administrator Bayon Moore introduced the interests in the matter before turning it over to Communications Program Manager Echa Schneider who reviewed alternatives for a Broadcast Control System and City Council chambers audio/visual (A/V) replacement project. She indicated that live meeting video is the Bay Area standard even though it is not required, reviewed the current broadcast control system and Council chamber A/V end-of-life, noted funding in place since 2019 and repeated project delays, outlined three options, and requested Council’s preferred project alternative.
Option 1 - Restore the essential broadcast system reliability Option 2 - Add dais-mounted displays in Council Chambers Option 3 - Fully modernize audience-facing displays
Staff addressed questions from Council regarding cost estimate clarifications, displays and site lines in the Council Chambers, broadcast complaints, maintenance costs, and technology change timelines.
There was no Public Comment received.
City Council Minutes
November 17, 2025
Discussions ensued among the Council about the options represented and concluded with Council in favor of option 1 and a request for additional information and examples for option 2.
No additional action was required.
(0220)
Consideration of an
Employment
Resolution for
Management
Personnel
Consideration of an Employment Resolution for Management Personnel for the Period of 7/1/2025 thorough 6/30/2029 postposed to a future agenda (0750-0655)
Consideration of
Approval of a First
Amendment to
Employment
Agreement
Consideration of Approval of a First Amendment to Employment Agreement Between the City of Piedmont and Rosanna Bayon Moore postponed to a future agenda
(0750-0655)
REPORTS AND
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Councilmember Long noted a great turnout at the Piedmont Adult Expo on November 16 and announced Lights Up on December 3 at 6 p.m. in Piedmont Park - hosted by the Piedmont Beautification Foundation (PBF), and the 2026 winter-spring activity catalog and registration on December 2.
Councilmember Plimier announced limited tickets for the League of Women Voters holiday luncheon at the Piedmont Center for the Arts (PCA) building on December 5, 11:30 a.m.
Councilmember Ramsey announced that the Linda Beach Tot Lot is open, Piedmont Park Swing replacement project is underway, and schedule for the Sustainable Park Management Plan pop ups in the park is on the City website.
Mayor Smegal Andersen provided a positive update on the workings of the bioswale.
ADJOURNMENT With no further business, Mayor Smegal Andersen adjourned the meeting at 7:55 p.m. in memory of Coach John Beam.