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Record of Proceedings

Design Review Commission Meeting - February 19, 2025 (Discrepancy: Agenda Listed as Cancelled)

City Council — Wednesday, February 19, 2025
BodyWalnut Creek, California
SessionCity Council
DateWednesday, February 19, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

To the conditions of approval.

0:02

Thank you.

0:06

Thank you.

0:10

Does anybody have any questions about the presentation?

0:16

Okay.

0:17

Is there so no questions?

0:20

I'm good.

0:21

Okay.

0:21

I mean, I actually let me ask a question.

0:24

So how does like in terms of the height, because it's above the height.

0:29

How is how does it compare to the Cheesecake Factory?

0:38

I don't have the exact height of the Cheesecake Factory sign.

0:41

I know I did prove those approvals and it has similar uh illumination as the North Italian sign that's proposed.

0:48

I just remembering being out there, I believe it's pretty similar in terms of being on the upper facade of the wall.

0:56

It is.

0:56

Yeah.

0:57

I was just doing the same.

1:00

Yeah.

1:00

So it's so not really creating a precedent.

1:03

This precedent has been allowed before.

1:06

Yeah, and how about small.

1:08

No.

1:09

Yeah.

1:10

Like other signs go further down the line.

1:14

Do they have exceptions or is this the only one?

1:16

Looks like the Cheesecake Factory has one.

1:18

Yeah, so there was an amendment to the master sign program to allow the Cheesecake Factory sign, and that was done, I believe, shortly after the master sign program was put into place.

1:29

Okay.

1:30

And it was done for this portion of the site too.

1:32

However, the site still hadn't been combined.

1:35

Okay.

1:35

Or the tenant spaces.

1:37

There's a couple other shops down there that had amendments too.

1:41

I think it was the men's men's warehouse and also uh Nick the Greek.

1:45

I believe I think they had one.

1:47

Yeah.

1:48

Okay.

1:49

Well, that's that's the sum total of questions.

1:51

Thank you.

1:52

Um how about public comment?

1:56

Do we have any public comment?

2:00

No.

2:01

Hearing none.

2:02

Do we have any commissioner comments?

2:07

No.

2:08

I think it looks nice.

2:10

Yeah.

2:11

Fresh.

2:12

Me too.

2:14

I mean, Mike, I I agree.

2:16

I think first of all, I'm really excited to have them come in because we we certainly have enjoyed going in Southern California go to the ones of Southern California.

2:26

Um it's great business.

2:28

I it's interesting fact, it's the same ownership as Cheesecake Factory.

2:33

Right.

2:35

I I learned, which is kind of interesting.

2:37

But I mean I think it if that's it, I think maybe let's just how about we do a vote?

2:46

I move to approve the draft resolution that we have in our packet granting final master program exceptions.

2:53

Okay.

2:54

About a second?

2:55

I second it.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Arts And Culture█████████████████████████████████████37%
Community Engagement███████████████15%
Procedural█████████████13%
Housing Development Considerations████████████12%
Signage██████6%
Climate Resiliency████4%
Community Development Block Grant████4%
Affordable Housing███3%
Housing██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Design Review Commission Meeting - February 19, 2025

The Design Review Commission met on February 19, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber. Note: The agenda for this meeting stated it was cancelled due to no business, but the transcript reveals that a public hearing and discussion did take place. The meeting adjourned at 6:36 p.m.

Consent Calendar

  • No consent calendar items were identified.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public comments were made during the public hearing on the sign exception.

Discussion Items

  • Public Hearing: Master Sign Program Exception – The Commission considered a request for a master sign program exception for a new restaurant (same ownership as Cheesecake Factory). Staff noted that similar exceptions had been granted to Cheesecake Factory, Men's Warehouse, and Nick the Greek. The sign height was compared to the Cheesecake Factory sign, and it was determined not to create a new precedent. The Commission expressed support for the new business.
  • Commission Consideration: City Council Priority Setting – The Commission provided input on the City Council's proposed priorities for 2025-2027: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Economic Development and Job Creation; Environmental Sustainability and Climate Action; Parks, Facilities, and Other Infrastructure; and Public Safety and Social Wellness. Commissioners discussed the need for a General Plan update, better integration of infill housing into neighborhoods, addressing infrastructure impacts, and linking climate action and public safety in light of wildfire risks. Suggestions included prioritizing the General Plan update and incorporating disaster preparedness into climate action.

Key Outcomes

  • Vote on Master Sign Program Exception: Motion to approve the draft resolution granting final master program exceptions. Passed unanimously (3-0; Commissioners Basting, Riley, and Vice Chair Newsom voting yes; Chair Case present).
  • Input on Council Priorities: The Commission's feedback will be summarized and conveyed to the City Council for their priority-setting discussion on February 11, 2025.
  • Special Joint Meeting Announcement: There will be a special joint meeting of the Planning Commission and Design Review Commission on February 30, 2025 (Thursday) at 6:00 p.m. for a study session on the city's sign program and ordinance update.

Note: The transcript also includes unrelated content (Mayor's update and Arts Commission meeting) which are not part of this meeting.

Meeting Transcript

To the conditions of approval. Thank you. Thank you. Does anybody have any questions about the presentation? Okay. Is there so no questions? I'm good. Okay. I mean, I actually let me ask a question. So how does like in terms of the height, because it's above the height. How is how does it compare to the Cheesecake Factory? I don't have the exact height of the Cheesecake Factory sign. I know I did prove those approvals and it has similar uh illumination as the North Italian sign that's proposed. I just remembering being out there, I believe it's pretty similar in terms of being on the upper facade of the wall. It is. Yeah. I was just doing the same. Yeah. So it's so not really creating a precedent. This precedent has been allowed before. Yeah, and how about small. No. Yeah. Like other signs go further down the line. Do they have exceptions or is this the only one? Looks like the Cheesecake Factory has one. Yeah, so there was an amendment to the master sign program to allow the Cheesecake Factory sign, and that was done, I believe, shortly after the master sign program was put into place. Okay. And it was done for this portion of the site too. However, the site still hadn't been combined. Okay. Or the tenant spaces. There's a couple other shops down there that had amendments too. I think it was the men's men's warehouse and also uh Nick the Greek. I believe I think they had one. Yeah. Okay. Well, that's that's the sum total of questions. Thank you. Um how about public comment? Do we have any public comment? No. Hearing none. Do we have any commissioner comments? No. I think it looks nice. Yeah. Fresh. Me too. I mean, Mike, I I agree.

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