Park commission backs Moraga Canyon plan, adds amendment to protect newly designated heritage trees

The Piedmont Park Commission voted June 4 to recommend that the City Council approve the landscaping, open‑space and right‑of‑way provisions of the Moraga Canyon Specific Plan, adopting the staff resolution with an amendment to include newly designated heritage trees.

Planning and Building Director Kevin Jackson presented the staff recommendation to the commission and turned the floor over to the project's consultant for a document overview. Consultant Tim Hagen described the plan as a framework for future development, including multifamily and single‑family parcels, public‑realm improvements and wildfire‑safety standards. Commissioners asked for clarity on funding and project sequencing; Jackson said the city would retain approval authority for right‑of‑way improvements and may seek grant funds or negotiate developer contributions.

Commissioner (speaker 6) moved to include "any heritage trees that are voted in between now and the time of construction as part of this plan," a change seconded by a fellow commissioner and folded into the staff recommendation. The commission adopted the resolution as amended by voice vote. The commission did not record an itemized roll‑call tally in the transcript; the chair announced, "The ayes have it." The motion and amendment mean that trees formally designated as heritage trees before project construction should be shown on plan materials and considered in mitigation and siting decisions going forward.

The presentation noted the plan's emphasis on wildfire safety and a right‑of‑way palette drawn from regional fire‑safe plant lists. The commission's recommendation proceeds to additional reviews: a recreation commission review of public‑recreation provisions, a planning commission recommendation later this summer, and eventual City Council consideration toward the end of the summer or early fall.