From a City of Piedmont email on Oct. 31:
City of Piedmont staff will seek City Council authorization to submit the city’s Draft Housing Element to the California Department of Housing & Community Development (HCD) for review at a special meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 15.
The Planning and Building Department will host an informational open house on Wednesday, Nov. 9 (see details below) where community members can learn about proposed updates to the Draft Housing Element as well as timelines for submittal, certification, and implementation.
On Aug. 1, the Piedmont City Council directed staff to analyze the viability of potential changes to the Draft Housing Element, including:
• Increased reliance on Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) to meet state-mandated housing production targets
• Relocation of affordable units in the sites inventory from the Civic Center area to the mixed-use zone on Grand Avenue
• Expansion of the Moraga Canyon Specific Plan area to include all City-owned property along Moraga Avenue
Staff and consultants have completed the analysis directed by the City Council and will be presenting a revised sites inventory that reflects the results of that analysis.
The official state deadline for cities to adopt a compliant Housing Element is January 31, 2023.
Once the City submits a Draft Housing Element for review, HCD has up to 90 days to return comments with requested revisions. Working actively to minimize any potential period of non-compliance, Planning and Building staff are in regular communication with HCD reviewers. The city is optimistic that once submitted, Piedmont’s Draft Housing Element will move through the review process swiftly.