The City of Piedmont invites community members to help shape the future of Moraga Canyon by weighing in on a series of potential land use development scenarios in an online survey or at a Planning Commission study session about the Moraga Canyon Specific Plan on Monday, Jan. 8.
Four development scenarios were first shared publicly at a hands-on workshop on Nov. 30, which was attended by nearly 100 community members. Each option offers a different concept for how existing uses of city-owned land in Moraga Canyon — including Coaches Field, Blair Park, Kennelly Skate Park, and the City’s Corporation Yard — could be reconfigured to accommodate 132 units of new housing, 60 of which would be reserved for households earning lower incomes.
A detailed breakdown of each scenario, as well as a video overview of all four concepts, is available on PiedmontIsHome.org, the City’s online hub for housing policy work and Housing Element implementation.
Survey asks community members to prioritize features and tradeoffs
Each alternative scenario includes different tradeoffs related to priorities and amenities. The final preferred plan selected by the City Council will most likely be a hybrid of the four options, combining features from multiple scenarios.
To help inform this decision, the survey asks community members to consider each alternative independently. For each scenario, respondents will be asked to identify which specific features of that concept resonate with them or concern them.
Suggested questions to consider while reviewing options include:
• Where do you think housing development should occur?
• What do you want to see improved in Moraga Canyon?
• What do you want to be preserved in Moraga Canyon?
Take the survey HERE; it will remain open through Jan. 16.
Responses will be shared with the City Council in advance of a Jan. 22 study session where they will aim to identify a preferred alternative.
Planning Commission study session on Jan. 8
The Planning Commission will hold a study session to discuss the Moraga Canyon Specific Plan and land use alternative options during their regular meeting on Monday, Jan. 8.
Community members can watch and provide comment in-person or via Zoom:
Planning Commission: Monday, Jan. 8, 5:30 p.m. (Agenda | Staff Report)
Piedmont City Hall, 120 Vista Avenue
Zoom: piedmont-ca-gov.zoom.us/j/81433792168
Each participant will have the opportunity to speak once on the Moraga Canyon Specific Plan study session after the presentation and before the discussion. The meeting chair will set a time limit for individual comments based on the number of participants.
Moraga Canyon Specific Plan is a cornerstone of Piedmont’s Housing Element
The Moraga Canyon Specific Plan is only one of over 70 programs called for in Piedmont’s 6th Cycle Housing Element – an ambitious plan for how the city can accommodate 587 new homes by 2031. This initiative is studying all city-owned land in the Moraga Canyon area, with the goal of creating a detailed plan for how to:
• Incorporate 132 units of new housing, 60 of which would be reserved for households earning lower incomes
• Maintain and improve existing City facilities, open space, and recreational amenities in the area
• Improve bicycle, pedestrian, and traffic safety
• Enhance wildfire safety and evacuation routes
Work on the Moraga Canyon Specific Plan began in summer 2023, with a deep dive into existing conditions in the plan area. The project team closely studied site topography, hydrology, utilities, environmental hazards, traffic patterns, and more to create a comprehensive picture of opportunities and constraints to development.
Simultaneously, the team gathered ideas and perspectives from stakeholders to better understand how Moraga Canyon is used today and what will be necessary to support existing functions in any future development. The team has sought input from residents in the Moraga Canyon area, local market-rate and affordable housing developers, athletic organizations, all City departments, the City’s Park Commission and Recreation Commission, and the community at-large, all of which was instrumental in creating the potential development concepts that are being considered now.
Learn more about Piedmont’s Housing Element and the Moraga Canyon Specific Plan at PiedmontIsHome.org. Sign up for the Moraga Canyon project email list to stay informed about future engagement opportunities. With questions, email PiedmontIsHome@piedmont.ca.gov.