Contra Costa Health Officer Extends the Shelter-in-Place Order Through May 3, 2020
On March 31, 2020, the Contra Costa County Health Officer issued Order No. HO-COVID-19-03 directing all Contra Costa residents to continue sheltering at their place of residence except for essential needs; requiring essential businesses to implement social distancing protocols; clarifying and further limiting (click title for full story) essential business activities, including construction; and directing all businesses and governmental operations to further cease non-essential operations. Click here to view Order No. HO-COVID-19-03.
Town Council Ratifies the Declaration of a Local Emergency
On March 17, 2020 the Town's Director of Emergency Services (Town Manager) proclaimed the existence or threatened existence of a local emergency. Consistent with the requirement to ratify the proclamation within seven days, the Town Council ratified the proclamation declaring a local emergency in the Town of Moraga relating to COVID-19. (click title for full story) The disaster declaration allows public officials to exercise emergency powers to preserve life, property and public health in response to a disaster. Some of these powers include: the ability to obtain vital supplies, equipment and other needed items; ordaining evacuations and/or controlling access; suspending certain regulations; and requesting Federal and State government assistance for response and recovery. Click here to view the proclamation.
Town of Moraga Public Buildings Are Closed - March 20, 2020
Town of Moraga’s Public Buildings are closed through April 7, 2020, to meet the Contra Costa County Health Department’s shelter in place order. These closures affect City facilities at Town Office (329 Rheem Boulevard), the Hacienda de las Flores (2100 Donald Drive), and the Corporation Yard (335 Rheem Boulevard). Essential services, such as Town administration, police, and public works remain functioning. (click title for full story) Town of Moraga non-essential meetings, events, and programs have been canceled through April 7. The Town of Moraga parks and open spaces remain open, but the library, play structures, basketball courts, and skate park are closed to prevent the possible transfer of COVID-19.
During this time of declared Local Emergency, the Town is focused on providing essential services. Non-essential Town staff will be working/teleworking, but services will be conducted via telephone or computer. Contact information for the various departments follows:
Administration (925) 888-7022 TownClerk@moraga.ca.us
Park & Recreation (925) 888-7037 RecDesk@moraga.ca.us
Planning Dept. (925) 888-7040 Planning@moraga.ca.us
Police non-Emergency (925) 888-7055 Police@moraga.ca.us
Public Works (925) 888-7026 PublicWorks@moraga.ca.us
Additional information regarding the Town’s operations by department are included below. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience.
POLICE DEPARTMENT
Both Moraga Police and Moraga-Orinda Fire are on duty. However, most police reports will be taken by telephone. In case of an emergency, please contact the Police Department dispatch at (925) 284-5010 or 911. As a reminder, if you call for help regarding someone who is ill, please advise the Dispatcher that the person is sick and describe their symptoms. If possible, please have that person wear a mask when the first responders arrive. All of this is being done to provide first responders with advanced information so they can wear the appropriate personal protective equipment to avoid being contaminated, which would reduce our ability to assist other residents who need help.
ADMINISTRATION
The Town Manager serves as the Director of Emergency Services and is working in coordination with the Police Chief and Contra Costa County Emergency Operations
Center (EOC). This is a public health emergency being led by the Contra Costa County Public Health Department. Information is being updated regularly at www.coronavirus.cchealth.org
The Town Manager, Town Clerk, Finance, Human Resources and Risk Management staff are available by phone or email to assist you.
The Town has either extended the posting period of any vacant positions or re-scheduled any new hiring in progress.
PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT
Playgrounds, play structures and courts, and the skatepark are closed. Park restrooms, which include handwashing stations, remain open to the public. Trails and open space remain open for use as long as the social distance requirement is observed. All recreation programs, activities, and events at Town facilities are canceled through April 7, 2020. Future rentals and activities will be determined as soon as more information becomes available.
Registration for recreation classes can be done online at moragarec.com. Registration for summer camps and programs will begin online on April 1.
Applications for picnic area and facility reservations are being accepted via email at rents@moraga.ca.us for dates after June 1, 2020.
Recreation staff will continue to respond to emails at recdesk@moraga.ca.us.
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
Planning staff is available to answer general planning and zoning inquiries and process applications that were already submitted prior to March 16th, but at this time we are only accepting new application submittals through the mail or delivery by FedEx, UPS, etc. Please report any Code Enforcement issues to the Town’s Mobile Moraga (mobile app or website). The Mobile Moraga website version can be found at: https://webrai.mycivicapps.com/moragaca
Please expect longer response times to inquiries, new application submittals, and Code Enforcement matters, as staff is currently working from home and focusing primarily on essential services during this Local Emergency.
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
Engineering Division
Engineering staff are working remotely and will continue to periodically monitor and respond to your e-mails and calls. Please expect longer responses as staff is focused
primarily on essential services during this Local Emergency. Public Works contact phone and emails numbers are below:
Email: publicworks@moraga.ca.us
Office: (925) 888-7026
There will be a number of construction projects in Town that are exempted from stopping work per the Contra Costa County Health Services Order of March 16, 2020. These projects include, but are not limited to, abatement of the sinkhole at 398 Rheem Boulevard, utility and street repairs, and the Canyon Road Bridge replacement project.
Maintenance Division
Public Works Maintenance staff continue to provide essential services to the Town in order to keep the basic services available. Please report issues regarding streets and parks to the Town’s Mobile Moraga (mobile app or website). The Mobile Moraga website version can be found at: https://webrai.mycivicapps.com/moragaca
Encroachment Permit Division
The Town is not issuing encroachment permits unless deemed essential to public safety, and the nature of work is exempted by the Contra Costa County Health Officer issued “Shelter in Place” Order of March 16, 2020. If you have any questions, you may contact Sharon Chan, Assistant Engineer, at office phone (925) 888-7028 or via email at schan@moraga.ca.us. Your calls and emails will be returned as soon as possible.
Land Development Division
Certain land development projects are exempt from the stopping work per the Contra Costa County Health Officer “Shelter in Place” Order of March 16, 2020. If you have any land development questions, you may contact Mark Summers, Associate Engineer, at office phone (925) 888-7038 or via email at msummers@moraga.ca.us. Your calls and emails will be returned as soon as possible.
Parks & Recreation Department COVID-19 Closures / Cancellations - Updated March 31, 2020
The parks in Moraga remain open, but due to the unprecedented use (possibility exacerbated by the closure of parks in neighboring jurisdictions) and continued violations of the health order to maintain physical distance, the park parking lots will be closed beginning Friday, March 27. (click title for full story) Pedestrian access, walking, biking, and hiking are permitted providing all County, State, Federal, and CDC guidelines regarding COVID-19 are followed. Playgrounds, play structures and courts, picnic areas at all Town parks and the skate park remain closed. Park restrooms, which include handwashing stations, will remain open to the public with increased sanitation. All recreation programs, activities and events at Town facilities are cancelled through May 3, 2020. Moraga Parks and Recreation is working toward an online After School Enrichment Program that will be available for spring classes. More information will be available soon.
Canyon Road Bridge Replacement Cost Update
Town Council received an update on the Canyon Road Bridge Replacement project budget. The estimated project budget is $11,645,000 including engineering, project management, construction and rental costs for the temporary bridge. The Highway Bridge Program grant is $8,780,000 or 88.53%. The Town’s match is $1,136,750 or 11.47% recommended to be appropriated from CCTA Measure J transportation funding. The construction of the bridge is tentatively scheduled to begin April 20, 2020. (click title for full story) The most up-to-date information on the project can be found on the project’s website.
Town Council Approves Annual Assessment For Drainage Maintenance
A portion of Moraga’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System compliance activities are funded by a countywide Stormwater Utility Area assessment. Annually the Town Council must determine the Equivalent Runoff Unit (ERU) rate, the basic unit by which a storm sewer charge is calculated and is based upon the typical runoff volume of stormwater (click title for full story) from one residential property during a 10-year, 24-hour rainfall event. The Town Council approved renewing Moraga’s current rate of $35.00/ERU, which has been in place since Fiscal Year 2003/04.
Planning Department Update
Planning Department staff remains available to answer general planning and zoning inquiries and process applications that were already submitted prior to the March 16 emergency shutdown, but at this time Planning is only accepting new application submittals through the mail or delivery by FedEx, UPS, etc. (click title for full story) Staff will do their best to process applications as quickly as possible, but applicants/residents should expect longer response times to inquiries, new application submittals, and Code Enforcement matters, as staff is currently working from home and focusing primarily on essential services first and foremost.
Hauling Permit for PG&E's St. Mary's Pipeline Project
Town Council adopted a resolution to ratify a hauling permit for PG&E’s St. Mary’s Pipeline Project on St. Mary’s Road near Bollinger Canyon Road to the City of Lafayette’s city limit to off-haul approximately 675 cubic yards of soil. PG&E is completing (click title for full story) restoration work of the staging area off St. Mary’s Road used for the pipeline project. The proposed haul route would begin at the staging area and continue to the Lafayette City limit via St. Mary’s Road, approximately a quarter mile. The proposed start date is May 4, 2020.
Grand Jury Requests Agencies Report on Trash Reduction Efforts
The San Francisco Water Quality Control Board (Water Quality Board) determined that trash is a pervasive problem near and in local creeks, rivers, and the SF Bay. The Water Quality Board’s Stormwater Permit required that local agencies reduce trash load by 80% by 2019. The Town of Moraga achieved 95% trash reduction and has surpassed that mark. (click title for full story) The Contra Costa County Grand Jury reviewed Moraga’s Fiscal Year 2018/19 Stormwater Annual Report and requested that the Town Council receive a report on trash reduction accomplishments, costs and challenges. A detailed trash reduction staff report was presented at the March 23 meeting.
Report of Vendors/Consultants
A report including a list of all vendors to whom the Town paid more than $15,000 per year during the past three fiscal years was provided to the Town Council. Information on the vendors (including a description of the services rendered, the amount paid per year, and the date a Request for Proposals was completed for the work) was also included. (click title for full story) The vendors include: industry primary providers (e.g. PG&E); specialty service contract providers (e.g. County Dispatch); and vendors who provided services for one-time projects. The report includes more detailed information on six vendors that staff has been evaluating to determine if there are cost saving opportunities.
Purchase of Two New Vehicles
Town Council authorized the purchase of two priority vehicles to replace vehicles in the Town fleet that have reached the end of their service life. The Parks and Recreation passenger van used by the department to transport seniors and children and a Public Works truck will both be replaced at a total cost of $81,922. (click title for full story)
Keeping Informed During Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Town staff continues to monitor and work to stop the spread of COVID-19. Everyone can do their part and protect themselves and neighbors by washing your hands, staying home when sick, avoiding touching your face, covering your mouth when coughing or sneezing and cleaning frequently touched surfaces. We all need to (click title for full story) watch out for our neighbors and support each other through these times. By working together, we can slow the spread of the Coronavirus. For more information, go to the Contra Costa Health Services website: www.coronavirus.cchealth.org.
.jpg)
