City Council Poised to OK New Medical Office

The Labor Day holiday is over, and Piedmont City Council members will labor once more, starting tonight.

In its first meeting since the August hiatus, the council will consider a range of issues: 

• A five-year conditional use permit for Piedmont Primary Care, scheduled to open at 1345 Grand Ave. (where and are located). The medical office, with a physician and a nurse practitioner, will occupy a suite that has been vacant for two years. It will offer pediatric, family and internal medical services on weekdays, including early evening, and Saturdays. The Planning Commission has recommended approval of the use permit. According to a staff report, the new office is not expected to have a negative impact on neighborhood parking.

• A report on and discussion of pension reform at the state level, centering on the agreement reached by Governor Brown and legislative leaders last week regarding changes to public employee pensions in California.

• A policy governing for paperless meeting agendas. According to a report by City Clerk/IS Manager John Tulloch, the iPads should be in use on or before the council meeting of Oct. 15, 2012.

• An update on the progress of repairs following that closed a portion of Moraga Avenue and caused a power outage for several Piedmont residences. According to a report by Public Works Director Chester Nakahara, the owners of the property at 3 Maxwelton Rd., where the landslide occured, have agreed to reimburse the city for all related costs. Nakahara's report says that soil and debris from the slide were removed from Blair Park on Aug. 16. It also says that repairs to the property are likely to begin this week. The work may require some partial closures of Moraga Avenue, and crews will be working between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday (but not Sundays). Work is expected to be completed within 30 days.  

• Authorization for minor changes in a previously approved plan to replace several Piedmont Police Department vehicles. Under the new plan — expected to cost about $13,000 less than the budgeted amount — the city would buy three new Dodge Charger sedan patrol cars; a new SUV patrol vehicle, to be used by the on-duty patrol sergeant; and an economy-sized pick-up truck to be used for parking enforcement. The SUV and pick-up will allow for carrying equipment associated with those jobs, according to the report.

In closed session at 7 p.m., the council will discuss pending litigation in the matter of Friends of Moraga Canyon v. City of Piedmont and labor negotiations with the city's police and fire department employees.

The public portion of the meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. in the City Hall council chambers, 120 Vista Ave. The meeting agenda and related staff reports are available on the City of Piedmont website.

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