Walnut Creek City Council Regular Meeting on July 15, 2025
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Walnut Creek City Council Regular Meeting on July 15, 2025
The Walnut Creek City Council held a regular meeting on July 15, 2025, beginning at 6:00 p.m. after a special closed session. The meeting included a proclamation, presentations from county supervisors and the summer arts program, a consent calendar with numerous routine and financial items, public communications focused on the California Climate Superfund legislation, a public hearing on zoning amendments for state housing law compliance, and consideration of a downtown outdoor dining incentive program and a clean water program overview. The meeting was adjourned at 9:16 p.m.
Consent Calendar
- Unanimous approval of minutes from June 17, 2025 (as revised), warrant registers, and several resolutions: the Salary and Wage Plan (Resolution 25-32), the 2024 Contra Costa County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan annex (Res. 25-33), the Debt Policy (Res. 25-34), and the purchase of 900 Homestead Avenue for $1.6 million (Res. 25-35).
- Awarded contracts: Hofmann Sound System Replacements to EDIM Group Inc. for a total authorized amount of $375,733; and the 2025 Unsignalized Pedestrian Crossing Improvements (11 crossings) to DC Electric for $562,447 base bid plus contingency.
- Employee agreements: Approved side letters for professional development plans with the Professional, General Management, and Confidential Units (Res. 25-36, 25-37, 25-38); special compensation side letters with the Police Officers Association and Police Management Association (Res. 25-39, 25-40); and Memoranda of Understanding with the Police Officers Association (effective July 1, 2025, Res. 25-41) and Police Management Association (effective August 1, 2025, Res. 25-42).
- Appointment: Gloriann Sasser appointed to the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Commission to fill an unexpired term through March 2, 2026, and a subsequent full term through March 5, 2030.
- Crossing guard contract: Authorized the City Manager to execute a consultant services agreement with Crossing Guard Services, LLC for the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 school years, not to exceed $527,483, with options for two-year extensions up to a total of $1,663,880.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Thirteen speakers, including Ilana Weisman, Margo Thilander, Patricia Sharaf, Carol Weed, Valerie Ventrc Hutton, Ellen Leng, Karen Perkins, Hina Fullar, Herb Solomon, M.D., Marcia Liberson, Laura Bernell, Philip Mertz, and Elliott Tertes, all urged the City Council to pass a resolution supporting the California Climate Superfund Act (AB 1243 and SB 684). Speakers argued that fossil fuel companies should pay for climate disaster recovery, citing that 70% of California voters support such a bill, and that it would not raise gas taxes. Councilmember DeVinney and Mayor Darling noted the organization of the comments. By consensus, the council directed staff to bring the legislation to the Legislative Committee for review.
Discussion Items
- Proclamation and Presentations: The meeting opened with a proclamation declaring July 17 as Port Chicago Remembrance Day, accepted by Lewis Thrower of the Port Chicago Alliance. County Supervisors Candace Andersen (District 2) and Ken Carlson (District 4) presented county updates, including a 26% reduction in the homeless population (Walnut Creek dropped from 64 to 50 persons point-in-time), a $1 million per district allocation from repurposed ARPA funds, and the dual-tracking pilot on the Iron Horse Trail from Bollinger to Crow Canyon. The Summer Arts Program was presented by Donna Labriola, reporting over 50 artisan vendors at Locust Street Festivals and free concerts.
- Public Hearing – Zoning Ordinance Amendments (Item 5a): Acting Principal Planner Crystal De Castro presented amendments to Title 10 (Zoning Ordinance) to comply with state housing laws, including removal of General Plan Policy 9.3 (growth control housing cap) as required by the Housing Element Program H.4.G. Amendments addressed bedroom additions (AB 916), permit expiration tolling (AB 2117), noticing periods (AB 2904), and accessory dwelling unit allowances on multifamily lots (SB 1211). No public comments were received. The council unanimously voted to waive first reading, introduce the ordinance (including errata sheet changes), and adopt Resolution 25-43 approving the General Plan amendment, with CEQA exemption findings.
- Consideration – Downtown Outdoor Dining Structures (PODS) Incentive Program (Item 6a): Economic Development Manager Mike Nimon presented a $100,000 incentive program funded from the Downtown Parking Management Fund, offering $10,000 per restaurant on a first-come, first-served basis for constructing Permitted Outdoor Dining Structures (PODS) in the public right-of-way. The program is retroactive to the original Outdoor Dining Program (adopted December 2022) and requires pod completion and grant application by December 31, 2025. Funds may be used for rent, payroll, or other business expenses. Public comments from Kathy Hemmenway (Walnut Creek Downtown Association) and Rolla Ghaben (business owner) supported the program. A motion to adopt Resolution 25-44 approving the guidelines passed unanimously. A subsequent motion by Councilmember DeVinney to agendize a discussion on the current parking space rental fee ($48 per square foot per year) failed due to lack of a second.
- Consideration – Clean Water Program Overview (Item 6b): Clean Water Project Manager Lucile Paquette provided an overview of the city and county clean water programs, covering history from the Clean Water Act, the Municipal Regional Permit (MRP), the Stormwater Utility Assessment (maxed at $35 per parcel since 2003), and compliance activities including street sweeping, trash capture, C3 green infrastructure requirements (4.2 acres retrofit required), and new provisions for discharges from unhoused populations. The program revenue is approximately $1.3 million annually, with expenditures around $1.9 million; the gap is covered by the city's general fund. No formal action was taken; the item was informational.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar: All items approved unanimously (5-0).
- Public Hearing (Zoning/Housing): Ordinance introduced and Resolution 25-43 adopted unanimously.
- PODS Incentive Program: Resolution 25-44 adopted unanimously; motion to revisit parking fees failed.
- Public Communications: Council directed staff to refer the California Climate Superfund legislation (AB 1243 and SB 684) to the Legislative Committee for review.
- City Manager Report: New lights at Tice Valley Parks Sports Field were completed on July 8.
- Council Reports: Councilmembers reported on various regional meetings, events, and assignments (e.g., Recycle Smart, ABAG, NLC).
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. I'm Cindy Darling, mayor of the city of Walnut Creek. And welcome to the regular meeting of the Walnut Creek City Council. The City Council is conducting this meeting from the City Council Chamber. This meeting is being video streamed and can be viewed live or later on the city's website. As some attendees may be participating in their first Walnut Creek City Council meeting, I wanted to welcome everyone and talk briefly about the public comment process. For each agenda item, there will be an opportunity for public comment on that item. Thus, if you desire to speak to an item on the agenda this evening, please hold your comments until the city council considers that item. Additionally, we have a section on the agenda titled Public Communications, which is for public comments for items not on the agenda. Any comments during public communication should not relate to an item that is on the agenda this evening. Consistent with section 9.5 of the City Council handbook. 30 minutes will be initially allocated for public communication for items not on the agenda. Additional time for public communications for items not on the agenda will be provided at the end of the open session portion of the meeting if necessary. If you desire to provide a public comment, please complete a speaker identification card and line up behind the lectern at the appropriate time. Wait your turn, and then when you approach the lectern, please state your name, City of Residence for the record. You will have two minutes to address the city council. Please keep in mind that this is a city business meeting. The City Council has adopted rules of decorum to ensure that meetings are conducted efficiently and effectively, and that all members of the public have a full, fair, and equal opportunity to be heard. The City Council handbook outlines decorum expected in the council chamber and can be found on our website. All remarks should be addressed to the City Council. Please do not use threatening, profane, or abusive language, which disrupts, disturbs, or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of the council meeting. Again, each speaker will have two minutes to make your remarks. Written comments submitted and received up to two hours before the meeting have been posted to the city website for public review and are included in the meeting record, but will not be separately read into the record. Good evening. I'm Cindy Darling, mayor of the City of Walnut Creek, and welcome to the Tuesday, June 17, 2025 regular meeting of the Walnut Creek City Council. Why don't we all stand and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. One question individuals of justice. Councilmember DeVinny. Here. Councilmember Francois. Here. Councilmember Silva. Here, and I'm attending the meeting from Columbus, Ohio, where I'm attending a summer leadership meeting for the League of National Cities. Mayor Pro Tem Welk? Here. Mayor Darling. Here. All right. That brings us to our first order of business, which is the Port Chicago Remembrance Day. You know, Port Chicago was one of those things that happens that makes you realize that we are not yet truly a country of equality. For those of you that haven't been exposed to this before, there's at the Port Chicago Naval Magazine, about seven miles north of here, was a site where African American soldiers were assigned during World War II to the dangerous task of loading explosives onto cargo ships. And on the night of July 17, 1944, a catastrophic explosion resulted in the deadliest home front disaster of the war, killing 320 people, most of them African American soldiers or sailors, and injuring 390 others and widespread damage to the nearby town of Port Chicago. And this is where the story even takes a dark turn. You know, the surviving sold sailors said, we don't feel safe going back. This is not safe. We don't want to go back in. They ended up court-martialing them. Fifty of the sailors known as the Port Chicago 50 were wrongfully charged and convicted of mutiny. Well, thanks to Congressman Mark DeSaulmier and a lot of other local folks on July 17, 2024.
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