Piedmont’s City Charter
The City of Piedmont has been a charter city since 1923. The City Charter is essentially Piedmont's city constitution. The charter sometimes supersedes state law, but we are not exempt from state laws regarding housing.
We have 2 programs in our Housing Element related to the City Charter:
Educate residents on what the Charter says about zoning changes
Modify the municipal code to clarify how the Charter relates to zoning
Voting requirements
In 2018 the charter was amended to require a ballot measure to reduce, enlarge, or reclassify a zoning district. The measure would need a majority (more than 50%) to pass.
This means that a vote is required if the City proposes changing:
Boundaries or size of an existing zone
A property from one zone to another
A vote is not required if the City proposes changes to regulations within a zone, such as allowed uses or density.
Housing Element
The City Council’s action to adopt the Housing Element does not result in automatic changes to the City’s zoning ordinance, therefore it also doesn’t require a vote.
The Housing Element does include policies and programs that call for revisions to the zoning ordinance, including changes to:
Building height
Setbacks, lot coverage, and floor area ratio
On‐site parking
Number of dwelling units per acre (density)
Permitting processes
These changes are expected to happen within the next 3 years. Before any changes are made, there will be a public process where the community can provide feedback. This will include public hearings with the Planning Commission and the City Council.
| Location | Number of Units |
|---|---|
| Moraga Canyon Specific Plan Study Area | 132 |
| Highland Avenue | 77 |
| Grand Avenue | 149 |
| Park Boulevard | 62 |
| Scattered throughout the city | 227 units |
For the 227 units that are scattered throughout the city, 160 are accessory dwelling units and 62 are on vacant lots.
Affordability
Here is the breakdown of the affordability of the units:
~43% are for low incomes
~18% are for moderate incomes
~40% are for above moderate incomes
Download Housing Element Appendix B, which details the sites inventory, for a detailed explanation of how the inventory was developed and a complete list of identified sites.
