The Walnut Creek City Council is set to consider two appeals regarding the Mitchell Townhomes Project, a 422-unit townhome development within the Shadelands Business park.
The item will be taken up at the April 7 city council meeting is in response to the planning commission decisions.
The Project proposes 422 townhomes and seeks approvals from the City of Walnut Creek (City) for a major subdivision (vesting tentative map), lot line adjustment, tree removal permit, design review, and development standards waivers under state Density Bonus Law. The Project will set aside 13 percent of the total 422 units, or 55 units, as affordable to low-income households. This exceeds the City’s inclusionary requirements of 7 percent low-income.
The Project contains voluntary off-site improvements as community benefits, which entail: (1) construction of a single-lane roundabout at the Shadelands Drive/Via Monte intersection, immediately south of the Project site. The Shadelands Multi-Modal Improvement Plan, previously adopted by the City Council, identifies this intersection for further evaluation and contemplates a roundabout; and (2) extension of Class IV bicycle facilities beyond the Project frontage along portions of Shadelands Drive and Mitchell Drive within the existing public right- of-way through striping, signage, and vertical separation posts. The Project is also making a voluntary monetary contribution of $60,000 towards video detection cameras at the Ygnacio Valley Road/Via Monte signalized intersection and at the Oak Grove/Contra Costa Canal Trail intersection, as well as $12,000 for median and striping improvements at Oak Grove/Contra Costa Canal Trail crossing.
According to the staff report:
Two appeals of the Planning Commission’s decision were timely filed within the 10-day appeal period.
- Appeal 1 was submitted on February 20, 2026, by Steve Elster on behalf of Friends of Walnut Creek and residents in the vicinity of the Project (FOWC Appeal). The FOWC Appeal raises concerns regarding the adequacy of the environmental analysis, including traffic impacts, evaluation of a senior living alternative, the applicability of the Builder’s Remedy, and the adequacy of public noticing.
- The second appeal was submitted on February 23, 2026, by Mike Heller et al., residents of the adjacent Viamonte Senior Living community (Viamonte Appeal). The Viamonte Appeal raises concerns regarding potential impacts to nearby residents, including construction-related air quality, tree removal, and traffic circulation, and requests additional mitigation measures and conditions of approval. Matters raised in the appeals are summarized below and responses to each point of appeal are provided in detail in the analysis section of this report.
Pursuant to Walnut Creek Municipal Code Section 10-2.4.102, the City Council is the hearing body for the appeal of the Planning Commission’s decision on the approved Project.
The project was submitted in October 2023 as a SB 330 project – as a builders remedy under the Housing Accountability Act. Under the Housing Accountability Act (HAA), Builder’s Remedy projects are processed without requiring General Plan amendments or rezoning. The Project includes 55 low-income units, qualifying it for a density bonus, incentives/concessions, and waivers from development standards under State Density Bonus Law. A formal application was submitted on April 9, 2024, and deemed complete on July 26, 2024.
According to the city, in the Concluding Statements Regarding Both Appeals of the staff report, the concerns raised in the two appeals related to the applicability of the Builder’s Remedy, adequacy of public noticing, traffic analysis, construction-related air quality, tree removal and landscaping, construction communication, traffic circulation, and emergency access were evaluated as part of the Environmental Impact Report and the City’s Project review process. The EIR determined that these issues would either result in less-than-significant impacts or would be reduced to a less-than-significant level through the implementation of identified mitigation measures and standard conditions of approval.
Documents:
- 5b Agenda Report
- Attachment 1 City Council Draft Resolution for Appeal 1
- Attachment 2 City Council Draft Resolution for Appeal 2
- Attachment 3 Planning Commission Resolutions
- Attachment 4 Planning Commission Staff Report
- Attachment 5 Appeal 1
- Attachment 6 Appeal 2
- Attachment 7 – First Carbon Solutions (FCS) Response to Appeals
- Attachment 8 Applicants Response to Appeals
- Attachment 9 Draft EIR (Exhibit A) to Attachments 1 and 2)
- Appendix A to Attachment 9
- Appendix B to Attachment 9
- Appendix C to Attachment 9
- Appendix D to Attachment 9
- Appendix E to Attachment 9
- Appendix F to Attachment 9
- Appendix G to Attachment 9
- Appendix H to Attachment 9
- Appendix I to Attachment 9
- Appendix J to Attachment 9
- Appendix K to Attachment 9
- Attachment 10 Final EIR (Exhibit B to Attachments 1 and 2)
- Attachment 11 Findings of Fact (Exhibit C to Attachments 1 and 2)
- Appendix 1 to Attachment 10
- Appendix 2 to Attachment 10
- Attachment 12 Mitigation Monitoring Reporting Program (Exhibit D to Attachments 1 and 2)
- Attachment 13 Part 1 Project Plans
- Attachment 13 Part 2 Project Plans
- Attachment 13 Part 3 Landscape Plans
- Attachment 13 Part 4 Tentative map plans
- Attachment 13 Part 5 Offsite community benefit
- Attachment 14 Aerial View and Vicinity Map
- Attachment 15 Arborist Report
- Attachment 16 Objective Design Standards Checklist
- Attachment 17 Applicants Requested Waivers
- Attachment 18 Senior Living Alternatives
- Attachment 19 Public Comments Prior to Packet Publication
If You Go
Walnut Creek City Council Meeting
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
6:00 pm
City Hall at 1666 N. Main Street, Walnut Creek
Full Agenda- click here
