Dublin Planning Commission Special Meeting: November 19, 2025 (Request Metadata Date March 11, 2026)
Dublin Planning Commission Special Meeting: November 19, 2025 (Request Metadata Date March 11, 2026)
The Dublin Planning Commission met in special session beginning at 7:00 p.m. and adjourned at 8:16 p.m. The commission administered the oath of office to a new commissioner, approved prior meeting minutes, heard public testimony, and voted to recommend two City Council approvals: amendments to allow outdoor live entertainment in the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan and amendments to the Dublin Municipal Code sign regulations. The agenda and transcript identify the meeting date as November 19, 2025; the meeting metadata supplied with this request lists March 11, 2026, at 10:00:00 UTC. Draft minutes were not available for this meeting.
Oath of Office
- Staff administered the Oath of Office to Margaret Simuro as Planning Commissioner. She repeated the oath, signed both copies, and was welcomed to the commission.
Consent Calendar
- The commission unanimously approved the September 9, 2025 Planning Commission meeting minutes by voice vote, with a motion and second. No commissioner requested removal.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public speaker slips were submitted for the general non-agenda public comment period.
- Outdoor Live Entertainment item (6.1):
- Amber Ma, a recent Dublin resident, opposed the proposed Friday/Saturday 10 p.m. end time and asked that it be changed to 9 p.m. She cited concerns about preserving Dublin as a quiet town, blue-collar workers with early schedules, nearby senior housing, and students who need quiet evenings to study.
- Monique Richardson, a longtime Dublin resident living directly behind the downtown commercial strip on Village Parkway in Amador Valley, said she supports downtown vitality but asked for balance with neighboring homes. She requested that amplified outdoor live music be restricted near established residential property lines and also requested a sound barrier/dampening wall. She stated that earlier assurances about noise from the ACE Hardware expansion had not held up.
- Darren Richardson asked whether outdoor dining/live entertainment could be placed on the back side of businesses directly adjacent to residences and requested that location limitations be considered.
- Sign Regulations item (6.2): No public speakers.
Discussion Items
Outdoor Live Entertainment Amendments (PLPA-004212-2025)
- Principal Planner Jennifer Bias presented the City-initiated proposal, noting Assistant Planner Christine Begins' work. The amendments would add a definition of outdoor live entertainment to DMC Chapter 8.08, add new Chapter 8.41, update Chapter 8.12 and 8.116, and amend DDSP Section 3.4.
- The proposed use would be limited to the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan, generally east of San Ramon Road and west of Village Parkway, and only within associated outdoor dining areas. Hours would be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Activities must meet building/fire codes and the city's noise ordinance.
- Staff explained the permitting process: a ministerial zoning clearance if all standards are met; a discretionary minor use permit for proposals that cannot meet standards or need flexibility. Staff recommended a CEQA exemption.
- A regional comparison included Pleasanton, Livermore, and San Ramon; common themes were neighborhood compatibility, discretionary/temporary permits, managed hours, and noise/safety conditions.
- Commissioner questions focused on how hours were chosen, decibel limits and noise enforcement, minor use permit triggers, parking/access constraints, distance from residences, private-property limitations, and the potential for outdoor dining in rear areas. Staff responded that the city's noise standard is a reasonable standard rather than a fixed decibel or distance threshold, and complaints would be investigated.
- One written public comment (Attachment 6) opposed the changes because of existing and additive downtown noise concerns.
- Commissioner discussion generally supported the economic vitality goal but raised concerns about amplified sound and compatibility with nearby residences. One commissioner suggested explicitly restricting outdoor entertainment to front areas; another asked for noise-monitoring guidance in permits. Staff noted the commission could recommend changes to City Council.
Sign Regulations Amendments (PLPA-004290-2025)
- Staff member Amy presented amendments to DMC Chapter 8.84, responding to City Council direction from September 2, 2025. The amendments would require removal of temporary non-commercial signs within seven days after the conclusion of the event, require proof of property owner consent for signs on private property, and implement a sign retrieval fee process.
- Staff also presented minor cleanup amendments: restoring a missing banner sign sentence, clarifying that one freestanding sign is allowed by right while two or more require a master sign program, fixing section lettering order, and updating application content/property owner signature requirements.
- Commissioner questions covered enforcement, retrieval and storage fees, liability for retained signs, and whether a permit would be needed. Staff explained temporary non-commercial signs remain permit-exempt, the seven-day end date helps enforcement, signs would be held for 15 days, and a 42-day waiting period applies before the same type of sign can be displayed again.
Key Outcomes
- The commission recommended City Council approval of the outdoor live entertainment amendments with an added condition that the permit process include noise-level monitoring or guidance to ensure businesses do not exceed the city's noise ordinance. The motion carried unanimously, 5-0, with Commissioner Prasad characterizing approval as conditional on the changes.
- The commission recommended City Council approval of the amendments to DMC Chapter 8.84 (Sign Regulations). The motion carried unanimously, 5-0.
- The September 9, 2025 meeting minutes were approved unanimously as part of the consent calendar.
- Staff announced the next regular Planning Commission meeting is December 9, 2025, and that the first meeting of the year will include the election of officers. No vice chair was appointed at this meeting.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. Um I would like to call to order the Dublin Planning Commission meeting of November 19th, 2025. Please join me for Pledge of Allegiance. Okay, um moving on to agenda number three. We have something exciting here. Um so uh I guess uh somebody Marcia, you're gonna administer the oath of uh Office of Planning Commissioner for Margaret Simuru. Did I say it right? All right. I guess please stand up and raise your right hand. Got it, perfect. And you're gonna repeat after me. Okay. I state your name. I Margaret Cimarrow. And if you want to raise your hand right there, we go. Do you solemnly swear? Do you solemnly swear that I will support and defend that I will support and defend the constitution of the United States? Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of California. And the Constitution of the State of California. Against all enemies, against all enemies, foreign and domestic, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance. That it will be true, faith and allegiance to the Constitution of the United States. The Constitution of the United States. And the Constitution of the State of California. And the Constitution of the State of California. Did I take this obligation freely? Did I take this obligation freely? Without any mental reservation. Without any mental reservation. Or purpose of evasion or purpose of evasion. And then I will well and faithfully discharge. And then I will well and faithfully discharge upon which I'm about to enter. The duties by which I'm about to enter. Perfect. Congratulations. If you want to sign both copies of the oath, we'll do. Yes, I do. Well, congratulations and welcome welcome to the commission. Right. Um at this point, uh, we will move to agenda number four, which is about public comment. At this time, the public may address the planning commission on items that are not on the agenda. Um in accordance with state law, no action or discussion may take place on any item not on the agenda. The planning commission may briefly respond to statements made or questions asked. Um Kathy, do we have any speaker cards? No, I do not have any speaker cards for item number four. All right. Okay. Um we're gonna move on to consent calendar. Um sent calendar items are typically non-controversial in nature and are considered for approval by the planning commission uh with one single action. Members of the audience, staff or the planning commissioners who would like to an item removed from the consent calendar for purposes of public input, may request the chair to remove the item. I don't believe we have any at this point.
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