Moraga Canyon Specific Plan RFP Issued
Published January 27, 2023
The City of Piedmont took the first step towards implementing its updated Housing Element this week, when it issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the development of a Moraga Canyon Specific Plan. The RFP was issued on January 23rd and responses will be due March 13, 2023.
The final product of this process will be a detailed plan for how to maintain and improve existing City facilities, open space, and recreational amenities in the Moraga Canyon area while also:
- incorporating 132 units of new housing, including 60 units designated for lower income households
- improving wildfire safety
- improving pedestrian, bicycle, and traffic safety
The initiative will study all City-owned land in Moraga Canyon, including Blair Park, Coaches Field, Kennelly Skate Park, and the City’s Corporation Yard.
Public engagement key to successful planning process
Robust involvement from the community will be critical for a successful Specific Plan process.
Firms submitting proposals to lead this project will need to provide a detailed plan for how they intend to engage community members in the process. Staff will closely scrutinize the public engagement proposals during the selection process.
Community members can stay informed throughout the process by subscribing to the City’s Moraga Canyon Specific Plan email list.
Affordable housing top priority
Once the Specific Plan process is underway, the City’s first priority will be to identify a site within the plan area for the development of affordable housing.
The City hopes to pinpoint an appropriate site by late 2023, with the intention of using Piedmont’s allocation of $2.2 million from the Alameda County Measure A1 low-interest loan program to support this development. The City would then need to identify an affordable housing developer to build the new homes.
Specific Plans focus on implementation
The final Specific Plan will go beyond conceptualizing how land uses in this area could be reconfigured – it will include specific implementation measures, including:
- standards and criteria for new development
- infrastructure projects needed to support the Plan’s goals
- financing measures to support the construction of new facilities and housing
- an evaluation of the economic feasibility of the plan
- fiscal analysis of potential revenues and expenses (both one-time and ongoing) related to new development
The City hopes to select a consultant and begin the Specific Plan process in late Spring 2023. Once a consultant has been selected, the Specific Plan process is expected to take 18-24 months to complete.