City Council approves an agreement with a consulting company to develop objective design standards for new development
Councilmembers unanimously approved a $250,000 consulting services agreement with the Good City Company (Good City) for services related to the preparation of objective design standards for residential buildings. The consultants plan to hold two community open houses and to work closely with the Planning Commission’s subcommittee on objective design standards said architect Kevin Gardner, the company’s representative at the meeting.
The purpose of objective design standards is to ensure new multifamily and mixed-use development aligns with and enhances the character of Piedmont’s neighborhoods. These standards would apply to proposed developments in Piedmont’s Zones C and D, where mixed-use and multifamily development is already allowed
City of Piedmont
These standards only apply to development of new housing units or a home remodeled into a new housing unit like a duplex, the city said, and updating the city’s permitting process is expected to help streamline the approval process.
Council approves re-striping of Linda Beach Courts for pickleball play
Councilmembers unanimously approved a Linda Beach Courts Renovation Project contract for $206,800 to Vintage Contractors, Inc. based on their submitted bid of $188,000. The final number includes the construction cost and a 10% contingency.
The city said the project was exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guideline 15301(c).
Before approving the expenditure, Councilmembers heard from pickleball enthusiasts in favor of the project and also from residents who reside near the courts who said that the city had still not adequately addressed their concerns about noise and court usage. One resident said that council should not vote with two outstanding pickleball-related lawsuits pending against the city.
Piedmont residents who live near the Linda Beach courts have complained about the sport’s noise ever since the city proposed turning the former tennis courts into pickleball-only use. The City Council approved the permanent change last fall.
Council considers proposed revisions to conditional use permits and procedures
The city of Piedmont currently only has 16 parcels total that are zoned for commercial use, the city said on Monday night. Updating the city’s conditional use permits and procedures is meant to streamline the approval process for any future mixed use commercial development and councilmembers spent most of an hour debating the definition of permitted uses, trying to understand what a “retail space” actually means and whether or not the city has the ability to limit the type of commercial enterprises that file for approval (i.e., can the city limit the number of banks operating in town if it decides there are too many.)
This was a study session only and no action was taken.
In other actions
*The Council appointed Raffi Zaroukian to an unscheduled vacancy on the Planning Commission.
*Approved the designation of Councilmember Conna McCarthy as Voting Delegate and Mayor Jennifer Cavenaugh and Councilmember Jennifer Long as Alternates for the League of California Cities 2024 Annual Conference
*Approved the first amendment to the agreement with Ava Community Energy for the installation of electric vehicle charging stations on Magnolia Avenue.
*Approved the proposed first amendment to the city’s agreement with Kimley-Horn for additional services related to the City of Piedmont’s Clean Water Program and municipal regional permit compliance for stormwater in the amount of $53,200 and amended the agreement term to expire in February 5, 2026, bringing the total contract amount to $596,725.
*On October 16, 2023, the Council authorized award of the 2023-24 Annual Sidewalk Repair Program Project to Rosas Brothers Construction in the amount of $458,200. All work associated with this project was recently determined to be complete.