Moraga Canyon Specific Plan at Nov 15 Recreation Commission
Posted on 10/30/2023

Learn about Moraga Canyon Specific Plan at November Commission meetings

Published October 30, 2023

The City of Piedmont invites community members to learn about the Moraga Canyon Specific Plan at two upcoming Commission meetings – Park Commission on November 1 and Recreation Commission on November 15.

The Moraga Canyon Specific Plan is a cornerstone of Piedmont’s updated Housing Element, which the City Council adopted in March 2023. 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
  • Improve bicycle, pedestrian, and traffic safety
  • Enhance wildfire safety and emergency evacuation

At both meetings, Planning staff will give a short presentation about the Specific Plan, then invite the Commissioners to share their priorities for Moraga Canyon as they relate to the Commission’s charge. The presentation will cover Specific Plan goals, how this work relates to the Housing Element, and findings from the work the project team has done so far.  

Both meetings will be held in City Council Chambers at Piedmont City Hall, 120 Vista Avenue:

Community members in attendance will have an opportunity to speak once on the item. The meetings will also be broadcast live on KCOM-TV and available for streaming on the City’s website.

Over 1,100 community members have already participated in shaping the future of Moraga Canyon

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 in the area.

Simultaneously, the team has been gathering 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. Over 1,100 community members participated in a recently completed online visioning survey, weighing in on what they value most about Moraga Canyon, the type of improvements they see as most important for future development, and what concerns they have about development in this area.

Visioning survey responses, as well as information gleaned from a recent meeting with project area neighbors, individual stakeholder interviews, and input from the Park and Recreation Commissions, will be used to develop a series of potential development concepts which will be shared at a community workshop scheduled for November 30th. 

Specific Plan part of Housing Element implementation

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.

In the coming months, Planning staff will bring forward several other Housing Element implementation measures, including:

  • General Plan Amendments: Staff are preparing draft amendments to the Land Use Element and other elements (or chapters) of the General Plan to make the elements consistent with the Housing Element.

  • Zoning Code Revisions: The Housing Element calls for the City to study changes to the Zoning Ordinance, part of the Piedmont City Code, in order to increase the development potential of land in Piedmont.

  • Housing Element Implementation EIR: The City’s team of staff and consultants is preparing an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to analyze and disclose the potential environmental impacts of development facilitated by implementation of programs in the Housing Element and related General Plan amendments.

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 [email protected].