PIEDMONT CITY COUNCIL
Regular Meeting Minutes for Tuesday 17, 2026
A Regular Session of the Piedmont City Council was held Tuesday, February 17, 2026, in the City Hall Council Chambers at 120 Vista Avenue. In accordance with Government Code Section 54954.2, the agenda for this meeting was posted for public inspection on February 12, 2026.
CALL TO ORDER Mayor Smegal Andersen called the Regular Session meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance.
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, City Attorney Deepa Sharma, Finance Director Kiran Bawa, Communications Program Manager Echa Schneider, Public Works Director Daniel Gonzales, Fire Chief Dave Brannigan, Recreation Director Chelle Putzer, Planning and Building Director Kevin Jackson, Senior Planner Gopika Nair, Associate Planner Tiffany Edwards, and Deputy City Clerk Lisa Argue
PUBLIC FORUM There was no Public Comment received.
PRESENTATIONS
Lunar New Mayor Smegal Andersen gave a proclamation for the 2026 Lunar New Year Year. The proclamation was accepted by Cassindy Chao of the Piedmont Asian Proclamation American Club and Jean Chen Takazawa of the PHS Affinity Mentorship Program.
CONSENT CALENDAR The following items were considered under one vote by the Council:
Meeting Minutes Approval of the minutes for the City Council meetings of January 20, 2026, and February 2, 2026.
Amending Zoning Approval of Second Reading and Adoption of Ordinance 788 N.S. Amending Ordinance the Zoning Ordinance, City Code Chapter 17. (CEQA Review: Consistent with Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Housing Element Implementation Project (SCH 2022020362), Exempt under CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) and 15183)
0705
Amending Accessory Approval of Second Reading and Adoption of Ordinance 789 N.S. Amending Dwelling Units Divisions 17.38 Accessory Dwelling Units, 17.62 Notice Requirements, 17.78 Appeals; Calls for Review; and17.90 Definitions; Measurements of Chapter 17 of the Piedmont City Code and Finding that the Ordinance is Exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act
0705
Revised Job Approval of Revised Job Classification for Planning and Building Director Classification 0582
Resolution No. 14-2026
RESOLVED, that the City Council adopts Consent Calendar Items 1 through 4 City Council Minutes
February 17, 2026
2 as submitted.
Moved by McCarthy, Seconded by Long
Ayes: Smegal Andersen, McCarthy, Long, Plimier, and Ramsey Noes: None
Absent: None
REGULAR AGENDA The Council considered the following items of regular business:
Fiscal Year 2025/2026 Finance Director Bawa gave a presentation on the City’s midyear financial Midyear Financial overview. She noted that overall, the city has executed excellent project Review, Capital management for the first half of the fiscal year.
Improvement Program
Items reviewed included ambulance response charges, outside funding sources for street projects, the city’s pavement condition index, and the volume of planning applications.
Public Works Director Gonzales presented a template of the schedule of several capital improvement projects and their estimated costs in each year up to fiscal year 2030/2031, and briefly summarized projects scheduled for fiscal year 2026/2027 that have been delayed, including the antiquated Piedmont Park irrigation system, synthetic turf at Hampton Field due for replacement, and the fire escape at the Piedmont Recreation Center which needs repair.
Projects scheduled in fiscal year 2027/2028 and 2028-2029 include upgrades in the Piedmont Police Department’s building, turf at Linda Beach, windows at the Recreation Department, sleeping quarters upgrades and seismic improvements in the Fire Department and replacement of the Piedmont Park play structure.
Director Gonzales emphasized the City has many projects that they do not have the funding for immediately, so the capital improvements program aids in prioritizing projects. There are other factors that have delayed these projects other than funding such as staffing, insurance, and assessing risk.
The Council discussed delaying smaller capital improvement projects for a few years and directing those funds instead toward road maintenance projects. City Administrator Bayon Moore explained there are some building projects that should not be deferred due to their importance.
The Council requested the Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee perform an evaluation of City’s current and future funding sources. Having an improved understanding of the City’s revenue sources will aid them in deciding whether the priority of any of the scheduled capital improvement projects needs to be changed.
The Council also directed staff to research if the rate of the City’s transfer tax has ever been increased, how long the tax has been in effect, and how much the tax would have collected if the Council approved the increase to the transfer tax in 2020.
There was no Public Comment received.
REPORTS AND Councilmember Plimier announced the next StopWaste of Alameda County ANNOUNCEMENTS event is on February 20. The event will demonstrate sheet mulching.
Mayor Smegal Andersen commended Fire Chief Brannigan for his presentation to the Piedmont Garden Club on wildfire mitigation strategies in January. She City Council Minutes
February 17, 2026
3 reported on her visit with the student body of Corpus Christi School and her attendance at the budget advisory and financial planning committee’s meeting.
City Administrator Bayon Moore reported the City will introduce introductory drop-in rates for the Piedmont Community Pool April 12 through April 30. The pool will open April 11. Registration for swimming lessons and aquatic programs will begin April 21. Resident pool pass sales will open March 24.
ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, Mayor Smegal Andersen adjourned the meeting at 8:50 p.m.