The Planning Commission on Monday night unanimously voted to move the Draft Moraga Canyon Specific Plan forward to City Council for consideration and approval at its October 6 meeting. The Plan has been in development since 2023 and outlines a framework for a new neighborhood of up to 199 housing units in Moraga Canyon. The Specific Plan is part of Piedmont’s Sixth Cycle Housing Element – a plan for how the city can accommodate a state-mandated 587 new homes by 2031.
Around 20 Piedmont and Oakland residents who live in the vicinity of the development site along Moraga Avenue showed up in person or by Zoom to voice their objections or support for the project. Some opponents, who in recent days have launched a lawn sign and letter-writing campaign to highlight their concerns, cited the project’s impact on wildfire safety, emergency response and evacuation, traffic, and parking along the arterial street. Many cited the harrowing evacuation of the 1991 Oakland Hills fire as a reason for worry.
Fire department says improvements in the Moraga Canyon area will enhance, not hinder, wildfire safety and evacuation plans
“Any improvements [to that area] will help us protect the city,” Captain Mike Carlyle from the Piedmont Fire Department told Commissioners during the city’s presentation earlier in the evening. Carlyle noted that the fire department had been part of the Moraga Canyon planning process from the beginning. “That area is now currently difficult to access and has a poor water supply,” he said. “All the new building codes and landscaping will help, and help us do a better job of protecting the houses up on [Echo, Maxwellton], an area we are always concerned about,” he said, also noting that street widening and new traffic lights will help with evacuations and the movement of heavy equipment or vehicles if necessary.
Carlyle also said that many of the problems that contributed to the 1991 Oakland fire disaster have been addressed, especially communication among agencies. He highlighted the Genasys emergency alert system — now in use across the state — as one example of improved communications technology.
“There are a lot of opinions and disputes .. about traffic, emergencies, use of public space …the list is extensive,” said Commissioner Michael Beuselinck before the final vote. He said it would be premature to weigh in until an actual development plan is proposed and in design review. He said he believed the Plan itself adheres to the direction of the City Council and recommended it move forward.
“It’s a fair framework and still allows opportunities for us to consider very carefully the aspects of public safety that are so important to us,” said Commissioner Wayne Rowland.
You can watch the full Planning Commission meeting HERE