Community Corner

Landscaping Proposals for Blair Park Due

Plans call for keeping the park in its natural state but removing damaged trees and enhancing the streetscape.

Proposals from landscape architects for improvements to Piedmont's Blair Park are due this week, according to a recent post on the Friends of Moraga Canyon website.

The proposals stem from a legal settlement between the Friends of Moraga Canyon (FOMC) and the City of Piedmont in 2012, several months after the city decided to drop a controversial plan to build privately financed soccer fields at the park on Moraga Avenue.

Under the settlement, the city will pay $15,000 to a consultant who will develop a landscaping plan for the park. If the consultant's fees are less than $15,000, the remainder of the money will go toward implementation of the plan.

The payments will come from a $125,000 indemnification fund deposited with the city earlier by the Piedmont Recreational Facilities Organziation (PRFO), the group which wanted to build the soccer fields under a public-private agreement.

A special committee within FOMC has been working with city staff to define the landscape improvement plan, according to the FOMC website.

It says, “The proposed project is to develop a low impact Landscape Improvement Plan that meets the general intent of preserving and enhancing the natural state of the existing open-space gateway to the City of Piedmont.

"It is the intent of the City to enhance the park as an attractive, ecologically diverse, natural setting for park users and wildlife habitat with a minimum of new physical improvements.

"At this time, there are no plans to increase the available off-street parking or create new pedestrian access, but to nevertheless make what is existing and to remain, more aesthetically pleasing. If deemed appropriate, new plantings and ground covers shall be limited to native, drought tolerant species that promote this natural setting.

"Specifically, the proposal requests a thorough assessment and recommendations for existing trees in the park; identification of replacement trees for any removal; and recommendations for removal of invasive plants, weed abatement, and erosion control;

"The proposal also calls for enhancing the appearance of the street scape, improvement of a trail within the park, and any additional recommendations that the consultant would suggest that would preserve and enhance the natural state of the park."

Under the settlement agreement, FOMC will confer with city staff about during the selection process, but final contract approval will be made by Piedmont City Council after review by the Parks Commission.

You may see the complete update on the Friends of Moraga Canyon website.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here