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Record of Proceedings

Walnut Creek Planning Commission Meeting – July 9, 2026: Conditional Use Permit for YC+D Architecture

City Council — Thursday, July 9, 2026
BodyWalnut Creek, California
SessionCity Council
DateThursday, July 9, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 27:04

Transcript — Verbatim
0:12

Hello and welcome to the July 9th Planning Commission meeting.

0:15

Will the Secretary please take the role?

0:18

Yes.

0:19

Commissioner Anderson?

0:20

Yeah.

0:21

Commissioner Moran is absent.

0:23

Let us know ahead of time.

0:24

Commissioner Cound?

0:26

Here.

0:26

Commissioner Strongman.

0:28

Commissioner Quok?

0:29

Yeah.

0:29

Vice Chair Clock?

0:30

Here.

0:31

And Chair Needing.

0:32

Here.

0:33

Thank you.

0:34

Do we have anything on the consent calendar?

0:38

I don't think so.

0:39

We do not.

0:40

Okay.

0:41

Okay, there are two opportunities for the public to provide comment.

0:45

The first is for each item on the agenda when the agenda comes up, or right now, which is a comment that is within the purview but not on an item on the agenda, which we only have one tonight.

0:59

So are there any public comments on items not on the agenda?

1:04

Seeing a lot of shaking heads, okay.

1:07

Perfect.

1:08

So now I'd like to go with item number four.

1:11

Oh, pardon me.

1:13

Um, any ex parte communication also lots of head shaking.

1:18

So with that, let's move on to item number four, which is the public hearing.

1:23

We have one item, which is Project YC D architecture, conditional use permit application number Y261 located at 1402 at Newell Avenue.

1:35

And it sounds like we also have a presentation from staff as well.

1:43

Thank you.

1:44

Good evening, planning commissioners.

1:46

My name is Jessica Gonzalez, Senior Planner, and tonight I will be presenting the conditional use permit for YC plus D.

1:57

Getting started with the project location.

1:59

The project site is an existing single story building located at 1402 Newell Avenue.

2:05

The site is zone central retail.

2:08

I have included a portion of our zoning map on the screen showing the project site.

2:14

As you can see, the area is surrounded by a mix of zoning districts, including Broadway Plaza, pedestrian retail, central retail, and office commercial.

2:25

And so as such, the surrounding uses for the site include various offices, commercial, and retail uses.

2:35

Just some more project context.

2:37

I've included some photos of the building on this screen.

2:40

The photo on the left side shows the building side facing Newell Avenue.

2:45

The photo on the right side shows the proposed project location and tenant space.

2:57

So some understanding on the application.

3:00

YC plus D is an architectural firm that proposes to occupy one of the three existing tenant spaces at the building.

3:09

A conditional use permit is required to allow office use on the ground floor in the Central Retail Zoning District.

3:16

As such, they have applied for a C UP.

3:23

Some details on the proposed use.

3:30

Um with administrative tasks, office work, and occasional in-person meetings.

3:35

Proposed hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.

3:39

to 6 p.m.

3:40

Closed on the weekends.

3:54

I've included the existing floor plan for the entire building on the screen.

4:02

So here again is the existing uh floor plan with the proposed tenant space highlighted.

4:09

The proposed tenant space was previously occupied by a medical office.

4:16

So here's the proposed floor plan showing the changes that will be made.

4:21

Um interior work for the office includes really just breaking up the tenant space to provide for uh small conference rooms and work areas.

4:31

Aside from the interior tenant improvements shown on this screen and parking restriping, uh no other exterior changes were proposed.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Zoning and Planning█████████████████████████████████████████████70%
Transportation Equity██████10%
Procedural██████9%
Public Engagement████6%
Economic Development███5%
Summary of Proceedings

Walnut Creek Planning Commission Meeting – July 9, 2026

The Walnut Creek Planning Commission held a regular meeting on July 9, 2026, at 2:00 PM. The sole public hearing item was a conditional use permit (CUP) application for YC+D Architecture to occupy office space at 1402 Newell Avenue. The commission also received reports on the TransPAC meeting and the Walnut Creek 2050 General Plan update, and approved the project unanimously.

Consent Calendar

  • No consent calendar items were presented.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public comments were offered, either on non-agenda items or on the hearing item.

Discussion Items

  • Project YC+D Architecture (CUP Y26061) – Senior Planner Jessica Gonzalez presented the application for an architectural firm to lease a ground-floor tenant space in a single-story building zoned Central Retail. The previous tenant was a medical office. Because the proposed professional office use reduces required parking (from 6 to 4 spaces for the unit, and site-wide from 17 to 15 spaces), no additional parking is triggered. The site is considered unsuitable for retail due to lack of visibility from Newell Avenue, and the surrounding area includes existing offices and office-commercial zones, making office use compatible. The applicant, Yen Chen and Dara Doragi (owners/principal architects), described their current co-working office in Broadway Plaza, the need for larger space, and their commitment to downtown Walnut Creek. Commissioners expressed support, noting the building's poor retail potential and the benefits of a local business. Commissioners also discussed the need to revisit specific plans and zoning districts that force retail in unsuitable locations.
  • Commission Reports – Commissioner Cound reported attending the TransPAC meeting, which focused on the upcoming replacement of Measure J (transportation sales tax expiring 2034) and the public outreach process for the next transportation plan.
  • Staff Announcements – Staff highlighted the July 21 study session with City Council on the General Plan Update, and upcoming community pop-up events in August/September (Locust Street Festival, Broadway Plaza's Once Upon a Time Fair, Shadelands Farmers Market).

Key Outcomes

  • Approval of Conditional Use Permit Y26061 – The commission voted unanimously (6-0, with Commissioner Moran absent) to adopt the resolution approving the CUP for YC+D Architecture at 1402 Newell Avenue. The motion was made by Vice Chair Claw and carried without opposition.
  • No other formal actions were taken.

Meeting Transcript

Hello and welcome to the July 9th Planning Commission meeting. Will the Secretary please take the role? Yes. Commissioner Anderson? Yeah. Commissioner Moran is absent. Let us know ahead of time. Commissioner Cound? Here. Commissioner Strongman. Commissioner Quok? Yeah. Vice Chair Clock? Here. And Chair Needing. Here. Thank you. Do we have anything on the consent calendar? I don't think so. We do not. Okay. Okay, there are two opportunities for the public to provide comment. The first is for each item on the agenda when the agenda comes up, or right now, which is a comment that is within the purview but not on an item on the agenda, which we only have one tonight. So are there any public comments on items not on the agenda? Seeing a lot of shaking heads, okay. Perfect. So now I'd like to go with item number four. Oh, pardon me. Um, any ex parte communication also lots of head shaking. So with that, let's move on to item number four, which is the public hearing. We have one item, which is Project YC D architecture, conditional use permit application number Y261 located at 1402 at Newell Avenue. And it sounds like we also have a presentation from staff as well. Thank you. Good evening, planning commissioners. My name is Jessica Gonzalez, Senior Planner, and tonight I will be presenting the conditional use permit for YC plus D. Getting started with the project location. The project site is an existing single story building located at 1402 Newell Avenue. The site is zone central retail. I have included a portion of our zoning map on the screen showing the project site. As you can see, the area is surrounded by a mix of zoning districts, including Broadway Plaza, pedestrian retail, central retail, and office commercial. And so as such, the surrounding uses for the site include various offices, commercial, and retail uses. Just some more project context. I've included some photos of the building on this screen. The photo on the left side shows the building side facing Newell Avenue. The photo on the right side shows the proposed project location and tenant space. So some understanding on the application. YC plus D is an architectural firm that proposes to occupy one of the three existing tenant spaces at the building. A conditional use permit is required to allow office use on the ground floor in the Central Retail Zoning District. As such, they have applied for a C UP. Some details on the proposed use.

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