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Record of Proceedings

Walnut Creek Planning Commission Meeting - March 27, 2025: Rossmoor Pickleball Courts Approval and Officer Elections

City Council — Thursday, March 27, 2025
BodyWalnut Creek, California
SessionCity Council
DateThursday, March 27, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:41:35

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:14

Thursday, March 27th, 2025 meeting of the Walling Creek Planning Commission.

0:19

Um the Secretary please call the rule.

0:24

Yes.

0:24

Commissioner Kwak here.

0:26

Commissioner Ward here.

0:28

Commissioner Klopp here.

0:30

Commissioner Neeting?

0:31

Here.

0:32

Vice Chair Anderson.

0:34

Here.

0:34

And Chair Strongman.

0:36

Here.

0:36

Thank you.

0:37

Thank you.

0:37

And we'll move on to the consent calendar.

0:40

So I understand that we have nothing of the consent calendar.

0:44

Correct.

0:45

That's correct.

0:46

Thank you.

0:47

Moving on to public communications.

0:49

This is an opportunity for the public to make any comments towards us they would like on any subject.

0:54

But if you're here to talk about pickleball, this is not your time.

0:58

You will have an opportunity when we get to the official hearing.

1:03

But if you have any other comments you would like to make to us, please come to the podium and make them see nobody rushing to the podium.

1:17

We will close public uh communications and move on to disclosure of exportate communications with our uh the commission.

1:28

Hi, Commissioner Strongman.

1:30

I'd like to disclose that I am a Rossmore resident.

1:33

I do not live within a thousand feet of this planned development.

1:37

I have received multiple communications from via the paper and from neighbors.

1:42

I've stayed firmly neutral on the topic.

1:45

So I just want to disclose that.

1:47

Thank you.

1:48

Thank you.

1:50

And is there a way of increasing the microphone?

1:58

That I we'll work with our tech support, okay?

2:07

Moving on to public hearings.

2:16

This is Rothbard.

2:29

Okay, hopefully we are ready to proceed with public hearings, and the project will be the Rossmore Pickleball Courts 4A.

2:38

And we'll start with a staff presentation.

2:44

Just so everyone understands, it's the rendering for the pickleball courts.

2:48

I'm gonna face it.

3:14

Can everybody hear me?

3:15

Okay, I'm gonna speak louder than usual.

3:20

So good evening, Chair Planning Commissioners.

3:22

My name is Gerardo Victoria, assistant planner with the community development department.

3:28

The project before you today is the Rossmore pickleball courts.

3:35

Just some site context.

3:37

The project is located at 1021.

3:41

Excuse me.

3:45

This is Stanley Dollar Drive right here.

3:48

And this is Rossmore Parkway.

3:57

The zoning is Plan Development 1483.

4:01

The permitted uses at the planned development are residential, clubhouse uses, and open space.

4:10

The pickleball facility is an accessory use to the existing clubhouse.

4:15

This star right here indicates where the pickle fall pickleball facility is going to be located.

4:20

As you can see, the nearest residential area is a little bit over 300 feet away.

4:26

The existing site is made up of the Stanley Dollar Clubhouse located here, and the parking lot, which is adjacent to the event center here, and the golf course.

5:00

This star indicates where the pickleball court is going to be located, and the open space areas with the squiggly lines are notated here.

5:08

So under the Plan Development 1483, the clubhouse facilities are permitted.

5:15

However, open space may be used for additional clubhouse facilities.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Parks and Recreation█████████████████████████████████████████████47%
Architectural Design Review█████████9%
Procedural████████8%
Community Engagement████████8%
Public Engagement███████7%
Noise Control███████7%
Zoning and Planning███████7%
Environmental Protection██2%
Engineering And Infrastructure██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Walnut Creek Planning Commission Meeting - March 27, 2025

The Walnut Creek Planning Commission held a regular meeting on March 27, 2025, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chamber. The primary agenda item was the Rossmoor Pickleball Courts project, involving design review, tree removal permits, and a CEQA exemption. The commission also conducted elections for Chair and Vice Chair for the upcoming term.

Consent Calendar

  • There were no items on the consent calendar.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public comments were made on items not on the agenda during the Public Communications period.

Disclosure of Ex-Parte Communications

  • Chair Strongman disclosed that he is a Rossmoor resident, does not live within 1,000 feet of the planned development, and has remained neutral on the topic.

Discussion Items

  • Rossmoor Pickleball Courts (Application No. Y23-053)

    • Location: 1021 Stanley Dollar Drive, a 2.4-acre site adjacent to the existing Event Center.
    • Proposal: Construction of a 12,309 sq. ft., six-court covered pickleball facility as an accessory use to the existing clubhouse. Includes new landscaping, lighting, tree plantings, and removal of 8 trees (2 highly protected Valley Oaks).
    • CEQA: Staff recommended a Class 32 (Infill) Exemption.
    • Staff Presentation (Gerardo Victoria): Noted over 100 emails received, ~80% in support; a petition opposing the project had over 200 signatures. Noise study showed compliance with the General Plan (all residential receptors below 60 dB).
    • Applicant Presentation (Jeff Matheson, GRF General Manager; David Masseton, ELS Architects): Detailed site selection process, design matching the Event Center (standing seam metal roof, stucco, wood accents), acoustic measures (walls, roof, acoustic blankets). Operations hours planned 8 AM to 6 PM.
    • Public Speakers (in person):
      • Mary Rose: Raised concerns about compliance with General Plan open space protections, parking calculations, and a recent lot line adjustment. She requested denial or further staff review.
      • Mary Ramos, Danielle Green, Harold Kershlin, William Bollin, Katie Fox, Lou Lynn DeSilva, Kailani Komodo, Roy Young, Julie Foley, Scott Burrell, Danny Wong, Frank Reynolds, Carol Saroni, Nancy Munson, Dana Ng, Joe Hayner, Leslie Winslow, Steve Welty, Raj Gizvani: Speakers expressed both support and opposition. Supporters highlighted health benefits, community building, fundraising (e.g., $82,000 for Parkinson's), and economic value. Opponents cited noise, parking shortages, traffic, safety concerns (especially for seniors), and inadequate sound mitigation. Some requested fully enclosed building or use of quiet foam balls.
    • Commissioner Questions and Discussion:
      • Questions addressed sound study methodology, acoustic treatments (blankets, trees), and hours of operation.
      • Staff clarified that parking analysis was done by the Transportation Administrator and a shared parking agreement is in place; the lot line adjustment was a ministerial process; the open space ordinance allows clubhouse facilities with planning commission approval.
      • Applicant stated they oppose using foam balls as it changes the sport; they believe the designed structure addresses noise adequately and will respond to future complaints individually.
    • Motion and Vote: Commissioner Ward moved to adopt the resolution (Attachment 1) approving CEQA exemption, design review, tree removal, and tree drip line encroachment permits, with an amendment to clarify hours of operation as 8 AM to 6 PM (not dusk). The motion passed unanimously (6-0).

  • Election of Chair and Vice Chair

    • Commissioner Kwok was nominated and elected as Chair (unanimous 6-0).
    • Commissioner Neeting was nominated and elected as Vice Chair (unanimous 6-0).

Key Outcomes

  • Approved the Rossmoor Pickleball Courts project (design review, tree removal, and tree drip line encroachment permits, including CEQA Class 32 Exemption) with an amendment specifying facility hours from 8 AM to 6 PM.
  • Elected Commissioner Kwok as Chair and Commissioner Neeting as Vice Chair for the upcoming term.
  • No other business was discussed; the meeting adjourned.

Meeting Transcript

Thursday, March 27th, 2025 meeting of the Walling Creek Planning Commission. Um the Secretary please call the rule. Yes. Commissioner Kwak here. Commissioner Ward here. Commissioner Klopp here. Commissioner Neeting? Here. Vice Chair Anderson. Here. And Chair Strongman. Here. Thank you. Thank you. And we'll move on to the consent calendar. So I understand that we have nothing of the consent calendar. Correct. That's correct. Thank you. Moving on to public communications. This is an opportunity for the public to make any comments towards us they would like on any subject. But if you're here to talk about pickleball, this is not your time. You will have an opportunity when we get to the official hearing. But if you have any other comments you would like to make to us, please come to the podium and make them see nobody rushing to the podium. We will close public uh communications and move on to disclosure of exportate communications with our uh the commission. Hi, Commissioner Strongman. I'd like to disclose that I am a Rossmore resident. I do not live within a thousand feet of this planned development. I have received multiple communications from via the paper and from neighbors. I've stayed firmly neutral on the topic. So I just want to disclose that. Thank you. Thank you. And is there a way of increasing the microphone? That I we'll work with our tech support, okay? Moving on to public hearings. This is Rothbard. Okay, hopefully we are ready to proceed with public hearings, and the project will be the Rossmore Pickleball Courts 4A. And we'll start with a staff presentation. Just so everyone understands, it's the rendering for the pickleball courts. I'm gonna face it. Can everybody hear me? Okay, I'm gonna speak louder than usual. So good evening, Chair Planning Commissioners. My name is Gerardo Victoria, assistant planner with the community development department. The project before you today is the Rossmore pickleball courts. Just some site context. The project is located at 1021. Excuse me. This is Stanley Dollar Drive right here.

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