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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Zoning Administrator Special Meeting – August 12, 2026

City Council — Wednesday, August 12, 2026

BodyWalnut Creek, California

SessionCity Council

DateWednesday, August 12, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 3:12

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:03

Okay.

0:05

Well, thank you to everyone for attending today's zoning administrator hearing.

0:10

I'll quickly go down the agenda.

0:13

And this portion of the meeting is reserved for comments on items not on the agenda.

0:20

Under the Brown Act, the zoning administrator cannot act on items raised during public communications, but may respond briefly to statements made or questions posed, request clarification, or refer the item to staff.

0:34

Is there anyone in the audience that would uh want to speak on any item on not on the agenda?

0:43

Seeing none, we'll move on to our public hearings for today.

0:49

And uh the item we have today is the Allen single family residential edition.

0:55

And I believe there's been a reduced scope of work.

0:59

Uh Stephen, um, the project planner, um, have you received any new information that's not in the zoning administrator agenda packet before us today?

1:08

Uh no, so all items are included in the agenda report.

1:11

However, staff would like to bring to your attention that one public comment was received and included as attachment five.

1:18

Staff contacted the public member and addressed their concerns, uh, which were not applicable to the design review or variance request.

1:27

Got it.

1:28

Thank you.

1:30

And uh would anybody on the applicants team um wish to speak or have any new information to share.

1:41

Thank you.

1:45

So I did uh review the staff report.

1:47

I've looked at the uh revised plans.

1:50

Firstly, I wanted to say thank you, and I do appreciate uh for you to work with the city, work with Steven, and find a path forward.

1:58

Um based on uh the revised variance request, um, I believe the applicant has made a meaningful effort to reduce the extent of the relief that's being requested today.

2:09

The project has been redesigned, so the addition now follows the existing wall planes of the resident, and it does not extend any further into the required rear yard setback than the existing home.

2:22

And I also want to state for the record it's important to note that the revised plans um have reviewed removed several accessory structures, reducing the lock coverage from approximately 29% to 25%, bringing that into compliance with the city's lock coverage requirements of 25%.

2:40

So again, um that is appreciated.

2:42

And as a result, the remaining variance is now limited to the existing nonconforming rear yard setback only.

2:50

And um, it is minimizing the requested uh zoning relief and does not intensify the existing setback encroachment.

2:58

And for these reasons, um, the zoning administrator can make the required findings.

3:03

And today I do support the request before me.

3:07

And that is all I have, and um the meeting is adjourned.

3:11

Thank you.

3:12

Okay.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Zoning and Planning█████████████████████████████████████████████100%

Summary of Proceedings

Zoning Administrator Special Meeting – August 12, 2026

The Walnut Creek Zoning Administrator held a special meeting on August 12, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. in the Second Floor Conference Room at City Hall. The sole agenda item was a public hearing for the Allen Single-Family Residence Addition, a reduced-scope Design Review and Variance application (Y26-087) for property at 40 Anderson Circle.

Public Comments & Testimony

No members of the public spoke during the oral comment period. One written public comment was received prior to the meeting (Attachment 5). Staff contacted the commenter and addressed their concerns, which were determined not applicable to the design review or variance request.

Discussion Items

Allen Single-Family Residence Addition – Reduced Scope of Work – The project planner, Steven Cook, presented the revised proposal. The applicant had redesigned the addition so that it follows the existing wall planes of the residence and does not extend farther into the required rear-yard setback than the existing home. The revised plans also removed several accessory structures, reducing the property’s nonconforming lot coverage from approximately 29% to the permitted 25%, eliminating the need for a lot coverage variance. The remaining variance request was limited to the existing nonconforming rear-yard setback only. The Zoning Administrator noted that the applicant made a meaningful effort to reduce the extent of relief requested and that the revised proposal minimizes zoning relief without intensifying the existing setback encroachment.

Key Outcomes

The Zoning Administrator stated support for the request and affirmed that the required findings could be made. The meeting was then adjourned, indicating approval of the reduced-scope Design Review and Variance. The decision is subject to appeal within ten calendar days after mailing of the decision, as per the Walnut Creek Zoning Ordinance.

Meeting Transcript

Okay. Well, thank you to everyone for attending today's zoning administrator hearing. I'll quickly go down the agenda. And this portion of the meeting is reserved for comments on items not on the agenda. Under the Brown Act, the zoning administrator cannot act on items raised during public communications, but may respond briefly to statements made or questions posed, request clarification, or refer the item to staff. Is there anyone in the audience that would uh want to speak on any item on not on the agenda? Seeing none, we'll move on to our public hearings for today. And uh the item we have today is the Allen single family residential edition. And I believe there's been a reduced scope of work. Uh Stephen, um, the project planner, um, have you received any new information that's not in the zoning administrator agenda packet before us today? Uh no, so all items are included in the agenda report. However, staff would like to bring to your attention that one public comment was received and included as attachment five. Staff contacted the public member and addressed their concerns, uh, which were not applicable to the design review or variance request. Got it. Thank you. And uh would anybody on the applicants team um wish to speak or have any new information to share. Thank you. So I did uh review the staff report. I've looked at the uh revised plans. Firstly, I wanted to say thank you, and I do appreciate uh for you to work with the city, work with Steven, and find a path forward. Um based on uh the revised variance request, um, I believe the applicant has made a meaningful effort to reduce the extent of the relief that's being requested today. The project has been redesigned, so the addition now follows the existing wall planes of the resident, and it does not extend any further into the required rear yard setback than the existing home. And I also want to state for the record it's important to note that the revised plans um have reviewed removed several accessory structures, reducing the lock coverage from approximately 29% to 25%, bringing that into compliance with the city's lock coverage requirements of 25%. So again, um that is appreciated. And as a result, the remaining variance is now limited to the existing nonconforming rear yard setback only. And um, it is minimizing the requested uh zoning relief and does not intensify the existing setback encroachment. And for these reasons, um, the zoning administrator can make the required findings. And today I do support the request before me. And that is all I have, and um the meeting is adjourned. Thank you. Okay.

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