OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Walnut Creek Design Review Commission Meeting - April 15, 2026

City Council — Wednesday, April 15, 2026
BodyWalnut Creek, California
SessionCity Council
DateWednesday, April 15, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 48:35

Transcript — Verbatim
2:14

Welcome everyone.

2:15

So first we are gonna do a roll call.

2:19

To the March 18th Walmart Creek Design Review Commission meeting.

2:22

It is the March eighteenth design review commission meeting.

2:27

Um we have a roll call, please.

2:30

Can we have a roll call, please?

2:32

Thank you, Vice Chair.

2:34

Uh Commissioner Newsom.

2:36

I am here.

2:36

Commissioner Prose.

2:38

Vice Chair Riley.

2:39

Here.

2:40

Commissioner Bass Basting and Commit Well, Commissioner Bassing is absent tonight.

2:45

She uh let us know that last week, and Commissioner Case had to recuse from this item.

2:50

So we have three, and we have a quorum.

2:53

Great.

2:55

All right.

2:56

So next is the consent calendar.

2:59

Is there anything that we have for the consent calendar?

3:03

Nothing on the agenda, nor are there any recommendations to move anything to consent.

3:08

Great.

3:09

Uh next we have public communications.

3:11

This portion of the meeting is reserved for comment on items that are not under the on the agenda.

3:18

Is there anything anyone here to speak on those things that are not on the agenda?

3:29

All right.

5:00

The existing joy-bound facility is located at the corner of Oak Grove Road and Mitchell Drive.

5:04

And the site is zoned business park.

5:06

It is roughly 10-acre site, and the surrounding area consists primarily the immediate area consists of office and commercial uses, and there are residential uses on the other side of Oak Grove Road.

5:23

And here are just some photos and a layout of the existing site.

5:27

And this is a nonprofit organization which does provide animal rescue and shelter services.

5:36

And it was formerly known as the Ranimal Rescue Foundation facility.

5:47

And the new 12,000 square foot building will be located.

5:54

The clicker's not working.

6:21

Sorry about this.

6:38

Okay, let's try again.

6:40

Let me see if I clicker works.

6:41

Yes, so this is the location for the proposed daycare, and this is roughly 1.5 acres of vacant land along the Mount is facing the Mount Diablo.

6:52

Sorry, no, Mitchell, the Mitchell Drive frontage.

6:56

And the existing facility does currently operate 11 programs that includes dog and cat training, food share, pet adoptions, other community services, as well as providing service animals to military veterans that reside in the Bay Area.

7:18

And so tonight the project before you is a new 12,577 square foot animal daycare building that will also include outdoor training areas, four outdoor exercise yards, as well as a new covered trash enclosure that will be dedicated to this building.

7:36

New parking stalls are also proposed, and tree removals that consist of 10 trees, new landscaping with 55 new trees that will be installed, and new building signage.

7:49

So tonight the design review commission will review the project, provide any design-related comments or feedback for the design review as well as the conditional use permit, which this is a cultural institution use, the existing operations, and they're essentially expanding the existing use on site.

8:12

So what we're looking for tonight is feedback on the design as well as a recommendation to the planning commission if the commission tonight feels the project is sufficiently developed.

8:24

So here is a look at the entire site.

8:26

What I've highlighted in blue for you is the is the existing Animal Rescue Foundation, and here's that veteran services building that was approved, I believe, in 2016 by this commission.

8:39

And so tonight, what we're reviewing is this is just a closer look at that location in reference to this is the entire site.

8:48

The yellow area is the new location for the building.

9:01

And from the point from here, this is the existing drive aisle, and then they will extend into the new site, creating this driveway access access that that connects to the rest of the site, and it goes, it circulates across the entire site.

9:18

And the new parking stalls are located right along here as you enter the site.

9:25

And I believe there's a new entry gate that's being proposed and perimeter fencing, as well as ornamental metal fencing that will be along the project frontage facing Mitchell Drive.

9:40

And here's a look at the proposed elevations or renderings.

9:45

This is the front entrance of the building that will be facing internally into the existing site.

9:52

The primary material does consist of cement stucco plaster.

10:00

And these renderings depicted as a gray color, but it's really a like a light or a cream color, and I believe the material board is being passed around to the commissioners.

10:09

And then the accent colors consist of beige and brown, that'll be along the base of the building as well as along the along the entrance of the primary entrance of the building.

10:20

Metal panel accents and dark framed windows are also proposed, as well as a recessed entry with metal metal panel and canopy above it.

10:31

And the articulate the architectural articulation as well as the materials do compliment complement the existing buildings on site.

10:39

And here is the elevation that's facing the adjacent property.

10:44

Again, the same colors, the articulation, the recessed windows and the canopies are carried along to each of all of the elevations.

10:57

Here is the west elevation.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Animal Welfare█████████████████████████████████████████████80%
Procedural██████10%
Zoning and Planning██████10%
Summary of Proceedings

Walnut Creek Design Review Commission Meeting

The Design Review Commission met on April 15, 2026, to review a proposal by Joybound (formerly Animal Rescue Foundation) for a new 12,577-square-foot animal daycare building with outdoor exercise yards, parking, landscaping, and signage. Commissioners provided design feedback and reached a consensus to recommend the project to the Planning Commission, subject to addressing several items.

Consent Calendar

  • No items were on the consent calendar.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No members of the public spoke.

Discussion Items

  • Staff planner Simmer Kaur presented the project: a new 12,577 sq ft building with four outdoor exercise yards, 207 total parking stalls (197 required), removal of 13 trees (three pre-approved by city arborist), planting of 55 new trees, and 61 sq ft of signage within code limits. The project is under CEQA review pending traffic and noise studies.
  • Applicant team (architect Greg Bua, CEO Susan Lee Vick, CFO Cheryl McKenna, and others) answered questions.
  • Commissioners discussed:
    • Color scheme: Building will match the existing campus's recent cream/tan repaint (not gray as renderings suggest).
    • Visibility: Existing monument sign on Mitchell Drive; limited visibility from Oak Grove. Commissioners requested better visibility from Oak Grove.
    • Wayfinding: Applicant plans to add wayfinding signage; commission recommended making it part of the submission.
    • Pedestrian crossing: Located near handicap stalls; acceptable.
    • Fencing: CMU walls with cement plaster finish and decorative metal toppers matching existing site; black chain-link on side.
    • Landscaping: Coastal live oaks, native shrubs, and low-growing manzanita along Mitchell frontage to create a coherent streetscape.
    • Stormwater treatment: Bioretention swales with irrigation; still under development.
    • Noise mitigation: Walls, berms, and design to minimize dog noise; commission requested an acoustic analysis.
    • Exercise yards: Shade structures and cool artificial turf to manage heat; astroturf is dog-specific and kept cool with sub-base drainage and hosing.
    • Security gates: Will be open during day, closed at night; fire department access must be ensured.
    • Water conservation: Applicant mentioned an existing canal pump that needs repair; no rainwater harvesting planned but open to discussion.
  • Commissioners expressed strong support for Joybound and the project, but emphasized the need for improved wayfinding, acoustic study, cut-off lighting, and denser landscaping along the Oak Grove boundary (adjacent to a vacant lot zoned for senior housing).

Key Outcomes

  • The commission reached a consensus to give a positive recommendation to the Planning Commission, subject to the following conditions:
    • Provide cut sheets for full cut-off shielded lighting for all pole lights.
    • Include a comprehensive wayfinding signage plan as part of the application.
    • Conduct an acoustic analysis to assess and mitigate noise from kennels and exercise yards, especially along the property line adjacent to the future senior housing lot.
    • Explore denser landscaping (taller, denser plantings) along the Oak Grove side of the property for additional sound mitigation.
  • No formal vote was recorded; the chair summarized the consensus and no commissioner objected.
  • Staff noted that future Design Review Commission agendas are currently empty.

Meeting Transcript

Welcome everyone. So first we are gonna do a roll call. To the March 18th Walmart Creek Design Review Commission meeting. It is the March eighteenth design review commission meeting. Um we have a roll call, please. Can we have a roll call, please? Thank you, Vice Chair. Uh Commissioner Newsom. I am here. Commissioner Prose. Vice Chair Riley. Here. Commissioner Bass Basting and Commit Well, Commissioner Bassing is absent tonight. She uh let us know that last week, and Commissioner Case had to recuse from this item. So we have three, and we have a quorum. Great. All right. So next is the consent calendar. Is there anything that we have for the consent calendar? Nothing on the agenda, nor are there any recommendations to move anything to consent. Great. Uh next we have public communications. This portion of the meeting is reserved for comment on items that are not under the on the agenda. Is there anything anyone here to speak on those things that are not on the agenda? All right. The existing joy-bound facility is located at the corner of Oak Grove Road and Mitchell Drive. And the site is zoned business park. It is roughly 10-acre site, and the surrounding area consists primarily the immediate area consists of office and commercial uses, and there are residential uses on the other side of Oak Grove Road. And here are just some photos and a layout of the existing site. And this is a nonprofit organization which does provide animal rescue and shelter services. And it was formerly known as the Ranimal Rescue Foundation facility. And the new 12,000 square foot building will be located. The clicker's not working. Sorry about this. Okay, let's try again. Let me see if I clicker works. Yes, so this is the location for the proposed daycare, and this is roughly 1.5 acres of vacant land along the Mount is facing the Mount Diablo. Sorry, no, Mitchell, the Mitchell Drive frontage. And the existing facility does currently operate 11 programs that includes dog and cat training, food share, pet adoptions, other community services, as well as providing service animals to military veterans that reside in the Bay Area. And so tonight the project before you is a new 12,577 square foot animal daycare building that will also include outdoor training areas, four outdoor exercise yards, as well as a new covered trash enclosure that will be dedicated to this building. New parking stalls are also proposed, and tree removals that consist of 10 trees, new landscaping with 55 new trees that will be installed, and new building signage. So tonight the design review commission will review the project, provide any design-related comments or feedback for the design review as well as the conditional use permit, which this is a cultural institution use, the existing operations, and they're essentially expanding the existing use on site. So what we're looking for tonight is feedback on the design as well as a recommendation to the planning commission if the commission tonight feels the project is sufficiently developed. So here is a look at the entire site. What I've highlighted in blue for you is the is the existing Animal Rescue Foundation, and here's that veteran services building that was approved, I believe, in 2016 by this commission. And so tonight, what we're reviewing is this is just a closer look at that location in reference to this is the entire site. The yellow area is the new location for the building. And from the point from here, this is the existing drive aisle, and then they will extend into the new site, creating this driveway access access that that connects to the rest of the site, and it goes, it circulates across the entire site. And the new parking stalls are located right along here as you enter the site. And I believe there's a new entry gate that's being proposed and perimeter fencing, as well as ornamental metal fencing that will be along the project frontage facing Mitchell Drive.

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