DRAFT
PIEDMONT CITY COUNCIL
Special and Regular Meeting Minutes for Monday, December 1, 2025 A Special and Regular Session of the Piedmont City Council in the City Hall Council Chambers, 120 Vista Avenue, was held on December 1, 2025. In accordance with Government Code Section 54954.2, the agenda for this meeting was posted for public inspection on November 26, 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 Closed 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 and Building Director Kevin Jackson, Finance Director Kiran Bawa, Communications Program Manager Echa Schneider, Public Works Director Daniel Gonzales, Fire Chief Dave Brannigan, Police Chief Frederick Shavies, Recreation Director Chelle Putzer, Parks and Project Manager Nancy Kent, Deputy City Clerk Lisa Argue, and City Clerk Anna Brown PUBLIC FORUM Public Comment was received from:
Dr. Steve Sydney provided an update on his Run to Feed the Children, which successfully raised over $11,000.
PRESENTATION Fire Chief Dave Brannigan announced the start of the annual Toys for Tots program and drop-off sites through December 23 and dedicated the drive to the legacy of Carol Davis.
CONSENT CALENDAR The Consent Calendar consisted of the following items:
Meeting Minutes Approval of the Minutes for the City Council meeting of 11/17/2025 There was no Public Comment received.
Resolution 65-2025
RESOLVED, that the City Council adopts Consent Calendar Item 1.
Moved by McCarthy, Seconded by Plimier
Ayes: Andersen, Long, McCarthy, Plimier, and Ramsey
Abstain: None
Absent: None
Approval of Second
Reading of Ordinance
787 N.S.
Approval of Second Reading of Ordinance No. 787 N.S., Amending Division 8.14 of the City Code to Declare the City of Piedmont a WildlandUrban Interface (WUI) Area; Amending Sections 8.14.010, 8.14.030, and City Council Minutes
December 1, 2025
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
At Councilmember Long’s request, the item was pulled for additional discussion.
Fire Chief Brannigan provided a progress update about the effect the WUI designation may have on insurance rates and coverage, noted that insurance companies use a different risk analysis tool and model to determine rates and cancelations, and agreed to provide progress reports on the subject. (0705)
There was no Public Comment received.
Resolution 66-2025
RESOLVED, that the City Council adopts Consent Calendar Item 2.
Moved by McCarthy, Seconded by Plimier
Ayes: Andersen, Long, McCarthy, Plimier, and Ramsey
Abstain: None
Absent: None
REGULAR AGENDA The Council considered the following items of regular business:
Approval & Second
Reading of Ordinance
786 N.S.
Approval and Second 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, California Code of Regulations Parts 1, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12), Together With Local Amendments to Parts 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 11 The item was introduced by City Administrator Rosanna Bayon Moore.
Planning and Building Director Kevin Jackson noted that the code remains unchanged from the first reading and code changes will be effective January 1, 2026, if approved, except for the Reach Code amendments to part 6 applicable to the California Energy Code which will become effective after the California Energy Commission grants approval. He recognized staff for their time to prepare the code and amendments.
There were no questions from Council.
There was no Public Comment received.
Resolution 67-2025
BE IT RESOLVED that the Council conduct and approve a second reading of Ordinance 786 N.S.:
1) Amending division 8.02 of the Piedmont City Code to adopt by reference 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, 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 Part 6 of the California Building Standards Code with requirements for Energy Efficiency Measures for City Council Minutes
December 1, 2025
Existing Single-Family Buildings, making required cost-effectiveness findings, and
3) Determining that (1) amendments to Parts 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 11 are substantially equivalent to amendments adopted and in effect September 30, 2025, and (2) amendments to Parts 2, 2.5 and 7 relate to home hardening, and amendments to Parts 2.5, 3 and 6 are adopted for compliance with the City’s General Plan.
4) Determining that the Ordinance is Exempt from CEQA.
Moved by McCarthy, Seconded by Long
Ayes: Andersen, Long, McCarthy, Plimier, and Ramsey
Abstain: None
Absent: None
(0705)
Presentation on
Pierce’s Pledge
Police Chief Frederick Shavies introduced Lesley Hu, Founder of Pierce’s Pledge, who shared the intentional and tragic loss of her son at the hands of his father with a gun. She relayed gun violence statistics and the birth of Pierce’s Pledge – the only organization exclusively working at the intersection of child custody and gun violence to identify intervention points and propose solutions to reduce risk for children and keep them safe.
Cody Dougherty, Pierce’s Pledge team member and long-time friend to Ms.
Hu, supports the mission with firearm storage solutions and introduced the Federal Firearms License (FFL) gun storage national map.
Ms. Hu explained that Pierce’s Pledge is working with attorneys to remove guns for the duration of divorce proceedings and provide education to judges, lawyers, and family law professionals to reduce firearm risk in legal decision making. She outlined secure gun storage and relinquishment categories, appropriate security based on situations, off-site firearm storage data 2024 and 2025, no licensed FFL holders for gun storage options in Alameda County, and gun storage data for Alameda County. She asked if the Council would allow the Piedmont Police Department (PPD) to become a safe gun storage site.
There was no Public Comment received.
Council inquired about the steps to become a safe gun storage site and if the PPD had the capacity. Staff responded, stating that policies would need to be put in place in coordination with the City Attorney’s Office.
The report was informative, and no further action was required.
Presentation on AI in
Local Government
Deputy City Clerk Lisa Argue presented AI in local government and highlighted the reasons for implementing AI now, defined AI and chatbots, relayed two use cases, and reviewed assessing AI readiness and bridging the gaps, stakeholder buy in, implementation steps, potential risks and mitigation efforts, staff awareness and training, the call to action, and survey results from City of Piedmont staff.
There was no Public Comment received.
Staff addressed questions from Council regarding policy development and suggested staff make strategic AI use selections.
The report was informative, and no further action was required.
City Council Minutes
December 1, 2025
REPORTS AND
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Councilmember Long announced open registration for the winter-spring recreation activity guide for residents tomorrow, 6 p.m. and December 9 for non-residents, Lights Up on December 3, 6 p.m. in Piedmont Community Hall, Surfs Up Santa on December 13, 10- 12 p.m., Donuts & Dreidels on December 14, 10-12 p.m., the Girls Plus Sports survey open until December 19 on the City’s homepage, and a Public Safety meeting on December 4, 5:30 p.m.
Councilmember Plimier announced a Planning Commission meeting on December 8, 5:30 p.m.
Councilmember Ramsey announced the Sustainable Park Management Plan popup in the park at Linda Beach on December 8, field maintenance at Coaches Field and Hampton Park beginning December 20, and there is no Park Commission meeting on December 3.
Mayor Smegal Andersen thanked staff for their Appreciation Luncheon preparation efforts, those who worked over the holiday, and the Turkey Trot organizers.
ADJOURNMENT With no further business, Mayor Smegal Andersen adjourned the meeting at 7:34 p.m. in memory of Carol Davis, longtime Piedmont resident and First Lady of Raider Nation.