Piedmont residents vow to continue fighting approved residential unit plan amid California mandate to build more housing

PIEDMONT, Calif. (KGO) — Cities in California are being forced to build more housing as part of a state mandate. The city of Piedmont, a small enclave surrounded by Oakland, recently approved a site for additional housing, but not everyone is happy with the plan.

Piedmont has often been described as a small city with an abundance of residential character.

It’s just 1.7-square-miles in size and independent by choice. In 1907, residents refused to annex with Oakland. That spirit of self-determination has never faded.

So when a group of residents in both Piedmont and Oakland decided to take on City Hall over a housing plan, no one was surprised, not even the planning department.

“We’re all for housing for people, that is not the issue,” insisted Jane Holland, an Oakland resident who would be affected by the proposed plan.

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Here’s the issue: the Piedmont City Council approved a plan to add a minimum of 132 residential units, right here in a narrow stretch of Blair Park — 60 units must be affordable.

The next step will be to open it up to developers.

“We hope to start that process at the beginning of next year and then, by the end of 2027, we’re scheduled to have building permits issued,” anticipated Kevin Jackson, Piedmont’s Director of Planning and Building.

ABC7 News decided to walk through the proposed location, owned by the city, to get a feel for what will come. We even flew our drone to get a better view of the area.

The city admits the number of units could potentially go up to 199, at the discretion of the developer.

It’s the location, location, location that has some people upset.

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The plan suggests building the housing development right off Moraga Avenue, a rather short, two-lane road that goes from Oakland through Piedmont and back out to Oakland.

This is a designated emergency evacuation route for nearby Piedmont and Oakland residents.

“That’s our biggest concern, we neighbors who have been ‘fighting,’ this is the safety issue and the evacuation issue in case of fire, earthquake, you name it,” said Holland

But part of the plan calls for making that roadway safer by widening a portion of it.

Still, the Piedmont fire chief suggested residents should think about other ways to evacuate, in a recorded message.

“We ask everyone to think about what they would do if they couldn’t evacuate by vehicle,” Chief Dave Brannigan.

Neighbors are also concerned about the traffic congestion the development would create.

According to a study done two years ago, an average of 11,0000 cars use this road per day. But that was before more people started returning to work in person.

But again, the planning director assured us the impact would be minimal, according to estimates he has seen.

“It was basically a 10% change, which is really the difference between rush hour and non-rush hour,” insisted Jackson.

The plan also calls for installing calming devices to force drivers to reduce their speed.

Still, those who disapprove of the site’s location say time is still on their side.

“Well, it’s not over and, yeah ,with labor, with tariffs on goods, with fire insurance, if I were a contractor I would not touch it with a 20-foot pole, that’s just me, you know,” said Holland.