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Published February 12th, 2014
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A Matter of Transparent Government
Three ad hoc subcommittees will make a big difference
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| By Sophie Braccini |
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Three subcommittees will work on topics this year that could heavily impact Moraga's future: the ad hoc facilities planning subcommittee will join elected civic officials with representatives from the Moraga School District, Campolindo High School and Saint Mary's College to discuss cooperative planning of recreation resources; the country club golf course negotiating team will discuss a new rental rate with Moraga Country Club for the "back nine" parcel, which belongs to the town; and the hillside and ridgeline subcommittee will study potential updates to the town's regulations. Since not more than two elected officials participate on each of these subcommittees, the meetings are not governed by the Brown Act and do not have to be open to the public. However, the facilities planning subcommittee and the ridgeline and hillside subcommittee will hold public meetings in the name of transparency. Subcommittees make recommendations, not decisions.
The initial meeting of the Joint Facilities Planning Subcommittee was set for Feb. 10 at the Hacienda de las Flores. This subcommittee is tasked with taking an inventory of existing resources and recommending both short- and long-term facilities planning; from joint use agreements to improving and enhancing sports fields/facilities in Moraga. "The public is encouraged to attend," said Jay Ingram, parks and recreation director, who added that the monthly meeting dates will be posted on the town website. Members of the Moraga Sports Alliance and the Park and Recreation Commission will also participate in the discussion. Recommendations from this subcommittee are anticipated in the fall.
The Hillside and Ridgelines Subcommittee will also conduct its meetings in the public arena. Dates have not been determined yet, but the Town Council has hired a consultant, The Planning Center/DC&E, that staff presented as having extensive experience in planning and zoning for hillside development, technical expertise in geotechnical issues and hazards mapping. The consultant will interact with the subcommittee and will also conduct outreach meetings with residents.
The team that will negotiate with MCC has not started any preliminary work yet. Town staff will first conduct an appraisal of the property. The team will report the advancement of its negotiation to the Town Council during closed sessions; it is therefore unlikely that the meetings will be public. There again, the team will make recommendations, the final decision will be made by the Town Council during a public meeting.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA