Memorandum
From the desk of Tai J. Williams, Town Manager
Date: September 1, 2026
To: Mayor and Town Council
Subject: Town Manager’s Update – Month of August 2026
Executive Summary
August was a month marked by both meaningful implementation of long-anticipated initiatives and exciting new opportunities on the horizon. Two spotlight items receive detailed treatment in this month's report:
• Flannel & Foliage — A New Fall Festival Coming to Danville: Danville has been selected as the setting for a new fall festival inspired by the Gilmore Girls television series and its national fanbase. Scheduled for October 23–25, 2026 across several Town venues, the event is the kind of activity Danville is actively seeking to attract. • Parks Ordinance Implementation & Community Education: The updated Parks Ordinance took effect August 6. Consistent with the Town's information first, enforcement second approach, Danville PD deployed at all three middle schools on the August 13 first day of school. Community response has been predominantly supportive — with zero negative feedback received to date.
Across the rest of the organization, Finance is in the final phases of closing FY 2025/26 ahead of the September 21–25 annual audit. Community Engagement launched the "Walk Your Ride" campaign in support of the new Parks Ordinance — reaching more than 40,000 people on social media — and closed out Danville Loves Summer, which drew nearly 4,000 webpage visits (74% from new audiences).
On the capital projects side, the Town Studio Maker Space and Town Green Pavilion broke ground on August 12, and work on the Diablo Road Trail continues to advance on both eastern and western fronts. Maintenance began early winter preparations with creek inspections and HOA outreach. Recreation, Arts & Community Services hosted the 30th Anniversary Celebration of the Danville Library and Community Center, opened the new Theatre Plaza with its inaugural Jazz & Juice event, and sold out the Senior Variety Show in just four days. The Town's beloved mascot Auggie the Acorn also turned five.
Together, this month's work reflects the Town's bi-focal approach: advancing forwardlooking initiatives while maintaining the quiet, consistent service that residents rely on. .
Spotlight: Flannel & Foliage - A New Fall Festival Coming to Danville Danville has been selected as the setting for Flannel & Foliage, a new festival inspired by the Gilmore Girls television series and its devoted national fanbase. Produced by Small Town Venture, the privately organized event will take place the weekend of October 23– 25, 2026, with activities and installations spread across several of Danville's signature community venues — including the Village Theatre, the Danville Community Center, the Veterans Memorial Building, and Hap Magee Ranch Park.
Why Danville
Fan-based festivals celebrating Gilmore Girls have quietly grown into meaningful regional tourism draws in a handful of communities across the country — most notably annual gatherings in Connecticut and Michigan that recreate the charm of the fictional Stars Hollow, a fictional town in Connecticut best known to fans for its iconic town gazebo.
Small Town Venture selected Danville as the setting for the West Coast expression of this tradition — recognizing what many residents already know: Danville has the walkable Downtown, historic character, tree-lined charm, and community feel that make it a quintessential Stars Hollow-type setting.
Business Promotion Grant
Small Town Venture has also applied for a Business Promotion Grant to help create opportunities for local business participation. A number of Downtown businesses are already engaged, and Town staff continues to connect additional merchants with opportunities to participate as festival plans develop.
Notably, Flannel & Foliage is a good early example of the value of the Town's recent shift to the Business Promotion Grant Program. Previously structured as an annual application cycle, the program now accepts applications on a rolling, as-needed basis — allowing the Town to move at the speed of opportunity and support spontaneous or firsttime events that don't align neatly with a traditional grant calendar.
Anticipated Economic Development Impact
The organizers are anticipating strong attendance, including a meaningful share of visitors from outside the region, and have signaled the potential for media interest around the event's inaugural weekend.
Beyond the excitement of a new fall festival, Flannel & Foliage reflects the type of event Danville is actively seeking to attract. Unlike large-scale events requiring street closures - this event is hosted within existing Town facilities, minimizing operational impact. It draws visitors from within and outside the region, generates facility rental revenue, and is designed to be repeatable year-over-year. And when a boutique hotel eventually lands downtown, events like this become natural drivers for overnight stays, which will expand both the visitor experience and the local economic impact.
Additional details will be shared as plans are finalized. In the meantime, community members interested in learning more can visit thesmalltownventure.com.
Spotlight: Parks Ordinance Implementation & Community Education Following July's adoption of Ordinance No. 2026-02, the updated Parks Ordinance took effect on August 6, 2026, requiring all e-bikes, e-motorcycles, and motorized scooters to be walked (not ridden) within Town parks, along with a 15-mph speed limit for all wheeled devices on Town-owned trails outside of parks. Consistent with the Town's approach of information first, enforcement second, the past few weeks have focused on community awareness as the school year began.
First Day of School Deployment
On the August 13, the first day of school, the Danville Police Department was present at all three middle schools - particular focus on Charlotte Wood Middle School and Osage Station Park to provide direct, in-person education and reinforcement to students and families about the new ordinance and to establish appropriate rider habits.
The parent community's response has been predominantly supportive. To date, our Police Department has received zero negative feedback, reflecting both the strength of the pre-launch education campaign, credibility of our police officers’ in-person educational approach, and the collaboration of SRVUSD’s administration during the rollout.
Spotlight: Diablo Road Multi-Use Trail – July Status Update The Diablo Road Trail will create a 0.9-mile multi-use trail connecting the existing Barbara Hale Trail eastward to a new 0.7-mile path being built by the developer of the Magee Preserve project. Together, these segments will form the final link between Downtown Danville and Mt. Diablo State Park — a connection first envisioned in the Town's 1989 Trails Master Plan. The project also includes a new HAWK signal at Diablo Road and Fairway Drive to allow trail users to cross safely.
Latest Challenge: A Narrow and Eroding Creek Bank
Recent construction work along the western wall alignment has been complicated by an unusually narrow — and quickly eroding — creek bank. The erosion accelerated when a large tree stump, previously hidden beneath brush and located directly in the path of Soldier Pile Wall #2, toppled into the creek during CDFW deliberation of the Town's emergency permit request to remove it. Sediment discharge was successfully minimized through Best Management Practices already in place. Staff has since filed the necessary emergency notification with CDFW to complete the stump removal.
The soil lost from that event further narrowed an already-tight slope adjacent to Wall #2.
To keep work moving, the contractor rebuilt benching in the area using rock-filled sacks, allowing drilling and pile placement to resume, though the added preparation slowed what had otherwise been strong progress on Walls #2 and #3.
Despite the setback, the team continues to make measurable headway. As of August 25, all piles at Wall #3 have been placed and installation of precast concrete lagging panels
is underway. At Wall #2, 27 of 35 piles have been placed. Across the entire project, 52 of 72 piles are now in place.
Construction Impacts on Diablo Road
Consistent with prior reports, meeting the September 15 CDFW deadline for wet concrete work along the creek bank requires Diablo Road to remain reduced to one lane throughout the workday, including school pick-up and drop-off times, with occasional night and weekend work as needed. Limiting daytime restrictions to fully accommodate school schedules would push the project into spring 2027 — a significantly less favorable outcome. Staff continues to coordinate with SRVUSD and the Athenian School on ongoing communications.
Project History: The Long Road to Construction
Although the vision has been in place for more than three decades, bringing the project to construction required navigating a series of significant hurdles — securing public access easements across private property (made possible through the entitlement process for the Magee Preserve housing development), navigating subsequent developmentrelated litigation, and most recently, recovering from the 2022 and 2023 atmospheric river storms that caused significant damage to the creek bank along the trail alignment and required additional design work before construction could begin.
General Government
Community Engagement
The Town's Communications function serves as the primary bridge between Town government and the residents, businesses, and visitors it serves. The three-person team manages the Town's website and digital platforms, produces designed content across print, social media, video, podcast, and email channels, handles media inquiries, and delivers communications for every department in the organization — from capital project updates and construction advisories to Recreation programming and Police Department public safety messaging.
With in-house graphic design capacity, the team moves quickly, responds to real-time community needs, and maintains a consistent Town voice across every touchpoint • Capital Project Communications: Communications continued to keep the community informed about major Town construction projects during August, including ongoing work on the Diablo Road Trail and the Town Green Pavilion and Town Studio Maker Space. Highlights included updates on Diablo Road Trail construction impacts ahead of the school year, including coordination with SRVUSD, the Athenian School, and Contra Costa County Public Works — who is also planning a pavement project along Blackhawk Road. Additionally, the team coordinated and facilitated the Pavilion and Maker Space groundbreaking, marking the start of construction on two significant new community amenities in Downtown Danville.
• "Walk Your Ride" Educational Campaign: Communications launched the "Walk Your Ride" campaign to raise community awareness of the updated Parks Ordinance prohibiting the riding of e-bikes and motorized scooters within Town parks. Outreach spanned social media, park signage, educational materials, the Town's website, and coordinated engagement with local schools and SRVUSD to reach students and families as the new school year began. The campaign reached more than 40,000 people across social media in August, reflecting both the timeliness of the message and strong community engagement with the topic.
• Danville Loves Summer Campaign: The Town's first Danville Loves Summer campaign — which brought summer events and activities together into a single, easy-to-find resource — saw strong engagement throughout the summer season. Since launching on June 1, the campaign webpage has received 3,915 visits, with 74% coming from new website visitors — illustrating the reach of the campaign and value of providing a centralized, community-facing resource for what's happening around Danville. • Danville Town Talks Platform – June: This online engagement platform experienced significant growth in July, driven by a mix of high-interest topics. During this past month, the most visited pages include: Private Land Development, Housing Element, Town Talks with the Mayor, and Pickleball Courts.
Economic Development & Community Events
The Town's Economic Development and Community Events programs work to keep Danville a vibrant place to live, work, visit, and do business. On the economic development side, the team supports the retention, growth, and success of local businesses through direct engagement with business owners, targeted programs and resources, and ongoing coordination with regional partners across the Tri-Valley.
On the community events side, the team takes the lead in coordinating and supporting events – hosted by event sponsors - that draw people Downtown, enrich the quality of life for residents, and strengthen the local economy.
• Meet Me in Danville Campaign – Coming to Life: Staff continues to advance the Meet Me in Danville initiative, which repositions Town community facilities as professional meeting and event destinations. Over the past month, staff has been refreshing the facilities in advance of staged photoshoots that will support updated marketing collateral once active promotion begins.
In parallel and as an early illustration of exactly the type of opportunity this initiative is designed to attract, Economic Development staff has been working with Small Town Venture, in close collaboration with the Recreation, Arts & Community Services Department, to bring Flannel & Foliage to Danville. Inspired by the Gilmore Girls television series and its devoted national fanbase, the privately organized festival is scheduled for the weekend of October 23–25, 2026, with activities across the Village Theatre, Danville Community Center, Veterans Memorial Building, and Hap Magee Ranch Park. Small Town Venture has also applied for a Business Promotion Grant to support local business participation. Flannel & Foliage is exactly the kind of event Danville is actively seeking to attract — hosted within existing Town facilities, drawing visitors from within and outside the region, generating facility rental revenue, and structured to be repeatable year over year. When a boutique hotel eventually lands Downtown, events like this become natural drivers of overnight stays and expanded local economic impact.
• Business Promotion Grant Program – Strong Early Momentum: The FY 2026/27 Business Promotion Grant Program is off to a strong start, with $14,000 already awarded early in the fiscal year. Staff anticipates that the full $30,000 program budget will be requested and awarded before year end. Three new event sponsors have applied and been awarded funding to date: Joybound Around Town in Danville, Crawlo-ween, and Paws and Klaus. This reflects continued growth in community-hosted events and the value of the Town's shift to a rolling grant application process that allows staff to respond as new opportunities surface.
• Hot Summer Sunday Car Show – August 30: The Hot Summer Sunday Car Show returned to Downtown on August 30, drawing thousands of attendees who came to see the cars and enjoy the full range of Downtown activities. The social media
promotion surrounding the event was also notably well received, generating more than 110,000 views — reinforcing the value of pairing signature Downtown events with active, coordinated communications outreach.
• Business-Related Social Media Posts: As part of the Town's ongoing effort to support local businesses, a portion of the Town's social media content is dedicated to promoting Danville merchants and reinforcing the "shop local" message. These posts increase visibility for local businesses, highlight seasonal promotions and events tied to local commerce, and complement the Town's economic development work.
Administrative Services
Finance
The Town's Finance Division is a five-person team responsible for managing the fiscal operations that keep the Town running — payroll, accounts payable and receivable, treasury and investment management, business licensing, budget development, financial reporting, and coordination of the Town's annual audit. Working across every department, the Division ensures resources are tracked, reconciled, and reported in compliance with California Government Code and generally accepted accounting principles. Much of Finance's work is behind-the-scenes but foundational — enabling the Town to plan responsibly, spend within its means, and maintain the strong fiscal health that has long been a hallmark of Danville.
• Payroll: Processed two biweekly payrolls for the month, including implementation of the Pay for Performance salary adjustments coordinated with Human Resources. Also processed monthly retirement contributions to the Town's to the 401(a) and 457(b) plans that Danville operates in lieu of participation in the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS).
• Fiscal Year Transition Continues: Staff is into final phases of closing out FY 2025/26 with FY 2026/27 open in the Town's financial system. "Closing the books" involves securing all prior fiscal year invoices from vendors (one of the most extensive work efforts), reconciling invoices and revenue receipts to the correct fiscal year, completing
account reconciliations, posting accruals, rolling forward encumbrances, verifying grant and capital project balances, and coordinating with every operating department to confirm accurate revenue and expenditure capture. This work sets the foundation for the Town's annual audit and the integrity of its financial reporting. • Accounts Payable and Receivable: Ongoing processing of invoices and generating payments (AP) as well as generating invoices and processing incoming payments (AR), for both fiscal years in parallel as part of the ongoing fiscal year transition. • FY 2025/26 Audit Preparation: Continued preparation for the upcoming FY 2025/26 annual audit, scheduled for September 21–25. As part of that preparation, staff completed reconciliation of the Town's operating financial accounts, a critical step in ensuring accurate year-end financial reporting.
• Treasurer's Report: Completed the Monthly Treasurer's Report, summarizing the Town's investment balances and activity — including buy/sell transactions and interest revenues — in accordance with California Government Code, and updated and reconciled the Town's books accordingly.
Human Resources
The Town's Human Resources Division is a two-person team that supports the full lifecycle of the Town's workforce - from recruitment, hiring, and onboarding to benefits administration, employee relations, training and development, and compliance with the wide range of state and federal employment laws that govern public sector employers.
The Division serves every department in the organization, playing a quiet but essential role in ensuring the Town can attract, develop, and retain the staff needed to deliver services to the community.
• Recruitment: Active recruitments are underway for four key positions: Community Events Specialist, Executive Assistant to the Town Manager, Planning Technician, and Building Inspector. These recruitments reflect the continued staffing needs across multiple departments, and staff is actively working through outreach and interview processes to fill each role with qualified candidates. In the meantime, the Transportation Division is operating at two-thirds staffing. • Annual Evaluation & Pay for Performance: Human Resources completed the Town's annual Pay for Performance review cycle, coordinating the review process across all departments and implementing corresponding merit-based salary adjustments for eligible employees. The Pay for Performance model is intentionally not an automatic annual salary adjustment. Rather, any increase is tied to how well each employee contributes as an individual, as a team member, and toward the Town's broader
organizational goals. The purpose is to reinforce a culture of performance, mutual accountability, and shared success.
Information Technology
The Town's Information Technology Division is a three full-time and one part-time person team that keeps the technology backbone of the organization running — network and server operations, cybersecurity, help desk support, phone systems, audio/visual technology, security cameras and servers across Town facilities, full technology support for the Police Department, and the growing portfolio of software and cloud services.
Layered onto this is the ongoing challenge of maintaining legacy systems that have outlived their intended life cycle. The highlights below reflect special projects being advanced in addition to routine daily operations.
• Town Offices – Community Room Enhancements: The IT team is in the process of working with a variety of consultants and contractors to implement enhancements at the Town Offices to support remote participation at Study Sessions, including more user-friendly microphones that are auto captioning-friendly as well. In addition, sound-deadening panels are planned to be installed to improve overall acoustics.
Installation of the new equipment is expected in the fall. • Backend Systems Upgrades: Completed a major server upgrade for the Town's keycard access control system, migrating to the latest release of the access control software. The upgrade delivers enhanced features, improved system stability, and continued security for all Town facilities relying on keycard access. • Munis VPN Retirement: As part of the recent Munis upgrade, IT retired the physical VPN appliance that had previously been required to connect to the system. Users can now access Munis directly, streamlining connectivity, reducing infrastructure overhead, and eliminating one of the Town's remaining legacy hardware dependencies.
• EOC Activation Alert Method: IT is developing a new alert method to quickly notify management and staff (disaster workers) in the event of an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) activation. Designed as a simple one-send group notification, the new method will supplement or replace the older, more time-intensive approach of manually working through a phone tree. Beyond reaching key personnel quickly and reliably when a time-critical response is required, the new system also frees up leadership capacity to focus on incident response and to keep the Town Council informed throughout an unfolding event.
Development Services
Traffic Safety – Street Smarts
The first Street Smarts Assembly of the 2026/27 school year kicked off at Diablo Vista Middle School on Thursday, August 20. The assembly focused on Danville’s new Parks e-bike/e-scooter ordinance and e-bike safety. On Thursday, August 20, the Transportation staff attended back to school night at Diablo Vista, Los Cerros and Charlotte Wood Middle schools to hand out flyers to parents with Safe Routes to School survey information.
Capital Improvements & Engineering
Since 1991, the Town has invested more than $277.9 million in capital projects — an average of $7.9 million per year, or roughly $14.6 million annually when adjusted to today's dollars. That sustained investment is what has kept Danville's infrastructure — its streets, storm drains, parks, trails, bridges, traffic signals, and public buildings — functioning at the level residents expect, even as much of the community's original infrastructure now reaches 30 to 70 years of age. The Town's Capital Improvement Program (CIP) is delivered by the Engineering Division, which plans, designs, bids, and oversees construction of these projects in close coordination with Maintenance Services, regional agencies, utility providers, and outside consultants. The updates below reflect the status of active and upcoming projects during the reporting period:
• A-330 - Storm Drain Master Plan – SRVB and Hill Meadow Place Storm Drain Rehabilitation Project: The project rehabilitates storm drain infrastructure at the intersection of San Ramon Valley Boulevard and Hill Meadow Place to improve system performance and extend its service life. A construction contract bid for CIP A-
330 San Ramon Valley Boulevard & Hill Meadow Place Storm Drain Rehabilitation Project was posted on the Town’s website on July 21, 2026. The Bid Opening has been scheduled for August 18, 2026. Contract will be awarded at the September 1, 2026, Town Council meeting. • B-628 & 629 - Town Studio Maker Space & Town Green Pavilion: Award of Contract occurred at the May 19, 2026, Town Council Meeting. The project is currently in the contract submittal phase. A groundbreaking event was held on Wednesday, August 12, 2026. Green privacy fence has been installed, site clearing, grubbing and demolition of the existing bandstand has begun.
• C-055 - Diablo Road Trail: The Diablo Road Trail — a 0.9-mile multi-use trail that will form the final link between Downtown Danville and Mt. Diablo State Park, connecting to a new 0.7-mile path being built by the Magee Preserve developer.
Grading on the east side of the project is substantially completed, with some minor realignments needed along with the placement of drainage systems and debris walls. Soldier pile wall construction continues along the western portion adjacent to the creek. The in-creek construction window closes September 15 for work with wet concrete, which can potentially be extended if necessary by CDFW. The full permit for work in the creek ends on October 15.
All creek work is still on target to be completed prior to that date. Full completion is being pushed to meet a fall deadline in anticipation of a significant El Nino weather event. • C-055 – Diablo Road Trail Crossing Improvements (HAWK Signal @ Fairway Drive): The Diablo Road Trail will be connected to the Barbara Hale Trail via a crossing at Fairway Drive, facilitated by a HAWK signal (a high-intensity activated crosswalk) at Diablo Road and Fairway Drive, which would allow users to safely cross by stopping traffic on demand. The bid opening took place on June 25, with the apparent low bid coming in below the Engineer’s Estimate. A contract was awarded in July and the project is in the submittal phase.
• C-392 – Bridge Preventative Maintenance: A request for proposals (RFP) for engineering design services for the Bridge Preventive Maintenance Program is currently posted. Deadline for submission was June 26. The design work will include minor maintenance repairs for eligible Town bridges and is federally funded. The contract was awarded at the July 21, 2026, Town Council meeting to Biggs Cardosa Associates, Inc. The design work will include minor maintenance repairs for eligible Town bridges and is federally funded. Following contract execution, design work is anticipated to begin later this summer.
• C-610J – 2025/26 Pavement Slurry Seal: The contract was awarded on March 3 to American Pavement Systems, Inc. Crack sealing, dig-out repairs, slurry seal resurfacing, and cat tracking phases are complete. The next phase is traffic striping and pavement marking replacement. Striping will begin during the last week of August. • C-305 – Iron Horse Trail RRFBs: Installation is substantially complete. The final location at Stone Valley Road/Monte Sereno Drive has been completed as of July 1.
• C-607 – Iron Horse Trail Crossing Improvements: Construction contracts have been executed for raised crosswalk installations at Paraiso, Greenbrook, and El Capitan Drives. Construction has been delayed by an unresponsive contractor. With the school summer recess now underway, staff is prioritizing the crossings based on their proximity and heavy usage near schools to ensure the highest-priority locations are completed first. • C-634B - Traffic Signal Modernization: The Smart Signals Program groundbreaking took place on May 27, 2026, with Congressman DeSaulnier in attendance. Led by the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA), the countywide Smart Signals Program is designed to build a smarter, better-connected traffic signal network across the region — and Danville's Traffic Signal Modernization project is the first in a suite of projects advancing that effort. A total of 79 new video detection cameras have been installed at 26 different intersections on the Camino Tassajara and Sycamore Valley Road. All the camera work has been completed. The traffic signal cabinet replacement at Sycamore Valley Road and Camino Ramon has been completed. The remaining work includes a traffic signal cabinet upgrade at Camino Tassajara and Crow Canyon Road which has been delayed due to a wiring harness issue with the new cabinet. This work should be completed by September 2026 following acquisition of a new wiring harness.
• C-635 & A-620 - Sycamore Valley Road and Fiber Optic Cable Interconnect Improvements Project: This project provides a new surface on Sycamore Valley Road from Camino Ramon to Camino Tassajara. The overall scope of the project includes dig out repairs and an overlay, replacement of green bike lane striping, the addition of Class II buffered bike lanes and ADA curb ramps. Construction began in late July with fiber optic cable work. Concrete work including trenching, pedestrian ramps, an Iron Horse Trail queueing area, and additional curb and gutter work were completed in August. Fiber work is ongoing. Paving is scheduled to begin in September and continue through October.
Private Development Projects
The Planning Division reviews and processes private development proposals in accordance with the General Plan, Municipal Code, applicable Specific Plans, and Town design guidelines — ensuring that new development is consistent with Danville's longterm vision. This work also involves monitoring and implementing changes to State law that affect local land use authority and requirements. The updates below reflect the status of significant private development proposals during the reporting period:
• Evergreen Estates (Mission/Sherburne Hills): Draft EIR is underway for the proposed 18-lot single family residential development.
• Woodranch Event Venue: Proposed administrative approval of an event venue, that could host up to 250 people, at Wood Ranch Headquarters was appealed late last week. The appeal was denied by the Planning Commission on July 14th and there was no subsequent appeal received, so the approval is final.
• Community Presbyterian Church (222 West El Pintado): This project proposes 49 townhomes, 19 ADUs, and a major expansion of the Church facility. The application is currently under review. The project was approved by the Planning Commission at the May 26, 2026, meeting. The Church is currently looking for a developer to build the residential part of the project. The Town Council heard an appeal on July 21, 2026, and upheld the Commission’s approval but added conditions of approval that include – among other things - sending the project back to the Design Review Board to minimize the visual impact of the Youth/Ministry Building.
• Martin Hills Ranch (Elworthy East Property): The Martin Hills Ranch Development was submitted by Bates Stringer Martin Hills Ranch, LLC as a 20-unit single-family home development on 100 acres. The draft EIR was published on April 7, 2026, for public comments and a public hearing will be held during the April 28, 2026, Planning Commission meeting for feedback from the public. The 45-day public review period for the Draft Environmental Impact Report was completed on May 22, 2026. The project was presented to the Design Review Board on June 11, and a Public Hearing for this project will be scheduled for an upcoming Planning Commission meeting, likely in fall 2026. • The Ivy (828 Diablo Road): Phase II of the site remediation is complete, and storm drain infrastructure has been installed. Grading and Building permits have been issued.
Next steps include underground and foundation work including plumbing and site preparation for concrete pouring of the foundation.
• The Orchard (3020 Fostoria Way): The Orchard is a 124-unit townhome development by Trumark Homes. The first set of townhomes is currently under construction and will serve as the model homes. The first six-unit townhome building has been completed and granted temporary occupancy for use as model homes. Building permits have also been issued for another two eight-unit townhome buildings.
• Walnut Apartments (3020 Fostoria Way): The Walnut Apartments is a 44-unit affordable housing development by the Pacific West Company. Building permits have been issued, construction process and building inspections have started. The framework and roof coverings for the buildings have been completed. Currently they are working on frame and trades inside the buildings.
• San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District – Station 31 (800 San Ramon Valley Boulevard): his project includes the demolition of the existing one-story, three-bay fire station that houses up to 10 fire personnel, and the construction of a new twostory fire station that can house up to 14 personnel with a four-bay drive-through apparatus garage. The permit for the communication tower relocation has been issued.
Building permit plans for the new fire station have been submitted, have been reviewed by the building division, and comments have been sent back to applicant. The tenant improvement permit for the temporary fire station at 510 La Gonda Way has also been issued, with construction scheduled to begin the fourth week of August. • The Lanes (Former Bowling Alley Site): The 49-unit townhome development, including two ADUs, has received full entitlements. Demolition of the existing building began the first week of August and is now complete. Further demolition of the parking lot will continue this week. The Developer is planning a groundbreaking event on September 16, with the exact time of the event to be confirmed.
• Permit Ready Garden Cottage Program Update: Staff is currently working on updating the Permit Ready Garden Cottage Program launched in August 2020, to incentivize construction of quality ADU’s that meet Danville’s design and neighborhood compatibility standards. The Town received three proposals from its posted Request for Proposals process, and consultant interviews are scheduled for late August. Of the three proposals, two were identified to be interviewed by Town staff. First round of interviews were conducted the third week in August. Staff conducted site visits to ADU’s built by each firm. Final interviews will be conducted last week in August.
Permit Processing & Plan Review
The Town's permit processing and plan review function spans four Development Services Department divisions — Building, Planning, Engineering, and Transportation — each reviewing project plans against established standards, codes, and regulations within its area of expertise. Together, these Divisions coordinate closely to move projects efficiently through the review process while maintaining the standards that protect residents, property, and the broader community. The metrics below reflect the volume and performance of this work year-to-date:
• Building Division: During the first month of the new 2026/27 fiscal year, this sevenperson division has processed 647 permits – 237 applied, 216 issued, and 194 finaled – with 86% submitted online. The division has also completed 177 plan reviews and 744 inspections, sustaining an on-time plan review rate of 99%, well above the 90% target. In addition, staff provided direct customer service to 319 walk-in customers. • Planning Division: During the first month of the new 2026/27 fiscal year, this fourperson division processed 11 permit applications, completed 39 plan reviews, and finaled 2 ADUs. These figures capture only part of the workload. Planning's work is inherently complex, and the data doesn't reflect the daily volume of inquiries the team fields - from prospective business owners considering vacant tenant spaces, to residents exploring home expansions, to property owners weighing new uses for their land. Much of the Division's value lies in this front-end advisory work, helping applicants navigate options before a formal application is filed.
• Engineering Division: This six-person division - three engineers, one construction manager, and two inspectors - handles a wide range of infrastructure design and construction management work, including delivery of the Town's capital improvement projects in the field. Much of the Division's effort isn't easily captured in data: designing capital improvements, preparing biddable project documents, managing the construction contracts and costs, and coordinating with large state agencies and utilities such as Caltrans, PG&E, EBMUD and Central Sanitary District.
As a partial snapshot, activity during the first month of the new 2026/27 fiscal year includes 34 encroachment permits applied, 54 encroachment permits issued, 67 field inspections, and 65 plan reviews.
• CRM Response: Beyond their technical responsibilities, Development Services staff also respond to inquiries and complaints submitted through Danville Connect, the Town's Customer Response Management system.
During the first month of the new 2026/27 fiscal year, majority of inquiries were handled by the Building Division (52), followed by the Engineering Division (29), then the Transportation Division (9), and finally the Planning (2) Division.
Retirement - Building Inspector, Chris Flanders
Chris Flanders joined the Town in 2021, bringing decades of private-sector construction experience as a General Contractor. He embodied the Danville Way, long before he joined the Town as an employee and every day since. He quickly became the Building Division’s go-to inspector for larger, more complex, projects including the Magee Preserve 69- home development, the multi-family projects at 600 Hartz Avenue and 375 West El Pintado, and many others that
have shaped the current chapter of construction in
Danville. His dependability, sense of humor, practical
knowledge, and generosity in mentoring others made him
the kind of colleague who quietly makes the entire
organization better. Chris wore the Town logo proudly,
and his absence will be felt across Development Services and beyond. Please join all of us in wishing Chris a welldeserved and happy retirement!
Maintenance Services
The Town's Maintenance Services Department cares for a substantial portfolio of community infrastructure — 16 public buildings totaling 140,000 square feet, 16 parks and a 198-acre trail network, 158 centerline miles of streets, 17 bridges, 54 traffic signals, 3,519 street lights, 60 acres of medians and roadside landscaping, and a storm drain system with more than 128 miles of underground pipe.
The Department's day-to-day work — repairing sidewalks, repainting crosswalks, maintaining park landscaping, resurfacing courts, and responding to storm damage and vehicle collisions — keeps the Town's infrastructure functional, safe, and welcoming. The highlights below reflect notable projects during the month, in addition to the routine care that happens every day across the Town:
• Town Meeting Hall – Tile Floor Deep Cleaning: The tile flooring at the Town Meeting Hall received a specialized deep cleaning by an outside contractor following a summer of classes and activities, resulting in a significantly improved appearance for the venue that hosts Council meetings, public hearings, and community rentals.
• Theatre Plaza – Event Preparation: Staff prepared the Theatre Plaza for its inaugural event on August 21, coordinating site setup and operational readiness to support this new community-facing venue.
• Rose Street Parking Lot Refresh: The Rose Street Parking Lot received a visual refresh, including new plant material and golden nugget mulch installed along the perimeter — improving the appearance of one of the Town's frequently used Downtown parking areas.
• "Walk Your Ride" Signage: The Maintenance team fabricated and installed 26 signs across all Town parks in advance of the new school year, supporting implementation of the updated Parks Ordinance and reinforcing the Town's education-first approach to the new rules.
• Hap Magee Ranch – Playground Safety Surface Repair: After receiving an outside proposal in excess of $20,000 to repair damaged poured-in-place safety surface at the Hap Magee Ranch playground, staff completed the repair in-house for the cost of materials alone — delivering excellent results at a fraction of the anticipated cost. • Winter Preparation Underway: Preparations for the winter season are already in motion. Creek inspections began in mid-August, and notices have been sent to homeowners’ associations reminding them of their responsibility to maintain creeks and drainage facilities on private property. These proactive steps help minimize flooding and property damage as the region moves into the winter storm season.
• Customer Response Management: In August 2026, Maintenance responded to a total of 87 service requests.
• Routine Street Safety Maintenance: The Maintenance team's day-to-day work includes repairing sidewalks, repainting crosswalks, filling potholes, and maintaining street lights across the community.
• Utility Cost Monitoring: One key responsibility of Maintenance is the monitoring, maintenance, and repair of Town facilities to minimize utility costs. The most recent EBMUD and PG&E invoices reflect lower figures than last month's update, as a portion of the costs were billed to prior months. This is expected to be a one-time variation in the reported amounts.
Police Services
The Danville Police Department works in partnership with the community to safeguard lives, rights, and property, and to make Danville a safer and better place to live. Services are delivered through a hybrid model that combines contract services provided by the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff with Town personnel and resources, augmented by four Reserve Officers and a strong corps of trained Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS).
Beyond day-to-day enforcement, the Department invests significantly in building trust and connection with the community it serves. Officers engage residents and students through programs such as Coffee with the Cops, Recess with the Cops, National Night Out, neighborhood vacation house checks, and the Department's Police Academies for teens and adults, while dedicated School Resource Officers work directly within local schools to build relationships with students, staff, and families. The Department also maintains active partnerships with the City of San Ramon, the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District, and the San Ramon Valley Unified School District, ensuring coordinated response and shared awareness across the region.
The metrics below reflect the volume and performance in June 2026.
Statistics for Month of July 2026
• Calls for Service: 2,255 – This reflects the total volume of dispatched calls (598) and officer-initiated activity (1,657) requiring a police response, offering a broad measure of overall workload and community engagement.
• Citations Issued: 375 - This tracks enforcement activity across traffic and code-related violations, providing insight into where officers are focusing proactive enforcement based on observed community concerns.
• Traffic Warnings: 284 vehicle stops coded as warnings – This reflects proactive traffic stops resolved through education rather than citation, illustrating the Danville Police Department's balanced enforcement approach and emphasis on communityoriented policing. • Arrests: 42 total, including 16 DUI arrests – This captures the volume and type of arrest activity, with DUI arrests specifically tracked given their direct link to roadway safety and impaired driving prevention efforts.
• Crime Reports Written: 105 – This represents notable documented criminal incidents reported during the month, providing a baseline for identifying trends and emerging public safety concerns.
• Volunteers in Police Service (VIPs): 387 hours donated – This represents the contribution of community volunteers supporting Department operations, reflecting strong civic engagement and the extension of the relatively finite Police Department capacity through community partnership.
Emergency Preparedness & Response
The Town's Emergency Preparedness function develops and maintains disaster response plans, coordinates readiness across departments, and engages the community through outreach, training, and regional emergency exercises. All Town employees serve as disaster service workers in the event of a declared emergency and receive basic preparedness training accordingly. The Town also works closely with regional partners — including the San Ramon Valley Emergency Preparedness Citizen Corps Council (SRVEPCCC), which recruits and trains CERT volunteers — to ensure that Danville and the greater San Ramon Valley are prepared to plan for, respond to, and recover from natural, technological, and human-caused emergencies.
• Care and Shelter Exercise: Planning continues for the Care and Shelter Exercise scheduled for September 2, 2026 at the Danville Community Center. The exercise represents a collaborative effort between Contra Costa County, the San Ramon Valley Emergency Preparedness Citizen Corps Council (SRVEPCCC), and the Town, and will test coordinated response protocols for sheltering displaced residents during an emergency.
• Weather Outlook: Weather forecasts continue to project a strong El Niño event for the upcoming season — possibly the strongest in the historical record. While it remains too early to predict specific rainfall totals for Danville, staff is preparing for the possibility of above-normal precipitation and associated storm activity. • Hydrology Update: Rainfall is tracking at 89% of the long-term average, while statewide reservoirs remain mostly average to above average for this date. Water resources remain adequate to meet current water needs across the region. • Colorado River Watch: The Colorado River is experiencing a long-term decline in water flows due to a combination of factors including reduced snowpack in the Rocky Mountains, sustained overuse, and other environmental pressures. The federal government has recently directed Arizona, California, and Nevada to reduce water usage, though it remains unclear whether the required cuts will apply only to areas supplied by the Colorado River or extend statewide. If Lake Powell and Lake Mead levels continue to decline, the impact could extend beyond water supply to affect
energy generation across Southern California and the broader Southwest in the years ahead, a trend staff will continue to monitor as it may inform future regional planning and resilience efforts.
• Front Street Slide Repair Appeal: The Front Street slide repair appeal, associated with the winter 2022/2023 atmospheric storms, remains under review by CalOES and FEMA. On July 3, 2026, the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) sent a letter to FEMA requesting obligation of numerous public assistance and hazard mitigation grants in California that have been pending for extended periods.
While Danville's Front Street project was not specifically named in the letter, the broader advocacy is welcomed given that FEMA just approved $1.4 billion in projects outside of California the day prior.
Recreation, Arts & Community Services
The Recreation, Arts & Community Services (RACS) Department delivers the programs, classes, events, and cultural experiences that enhance daily life in Danville — from summer camps and youth sports to senior programs, aquatics, community events, gallery exhibitions, and performances at the Village Theatre. The Department also manages the Town's community facilities, coordinates volunteer and youth engagement initiatives, and partners with community organizations to activate public spaces throughout the year. Much of the work happens through a combination of a small full-time team and a large seasonal workforce, allowing the Department to scale up during peak summer months to meet community demand.
• Danville Community Center & Library 30th Anniversary Celebration: On August 4, the Town partnered with the Danville Library to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Danville Community Center and Library. Held on the Town Green, participants enjoyed a performance by popular children's musician Asheba, story time on the grass, and hands-on arts and crafts activities. Community members also had the chance to guess how many bookworms were in a jar for a chance to win a book. • Senior Variety Show – Sold Out in Days: Tickets for the ever-popular Senior Variety Show went on sale on Wednesday, August 5, and were sold out by August 9 — reflecting the strong community demand for this beloved annual event.
• Theatre Plaza Inaugural Event – Jazz & Juice: The inaugural event at the newly opened Theatre Plaza — Jazz & Juice — was held on Friday, August 21. Over 86 attendees enjoyed a warm summer evening on the plaza, featuring a four-piece professional jazz ensemble and refreshments. Hosted in partnership with Katie Rubin of Sixth Line Studios, the event marked a promising debut for what is expected to be an active new performance and gathering space in Downtown Danville. • Village Theatre & Art Gallery: hosted a reception for its latest exhibition, More Than a Line, on July 10. All nine artists were in attendance, giving community members
a chance to see the work and talk directly with the artists about their inspiration and process. The exhibition
explores how a single medium can produce an
extraordinary range of styles, textures, and expression.
The exhibition spans colored pencil drawings to
chrome-dipped pencil sculptures and is on track to be
one of the Gallery's most successful shows with more
than 20 pieces sold to date.
• Prospect Park Plaza – August Programming: Located at Hartz and Prospect Avenues in the heart of Downtown, Prospect Park Plaza continues to serve as an active gathering space for small-scale performances, activities, and community-facing events. As part of the Town's ongoing effort to activate the Downtown core and support local businesses, Recreation programmed a full lineup of free, family-friendly events at the plaza during August:
Saturday, August 8 (4:00 – 6:00 p.m.) – Live music featuring Sean Lightholder Tuesday, August 11 (5:00 p.m.) – Performance by I Can Do That Performing Arts Center
Saturday, August 15 (4:00 – 6:00 p.m.) – Play at the Plaza with games and activities Saturday, August 22 (4:00 – 6:00 p.m.) – Live music featuring Jeff Tamelier Saturday, August 29 (4:00 – 6:00 p.m.) – Play at the Plaza with games and activities.
Individuals interested in performing at Prospect Park Plaza may apply for an annual permit here: https://danville.ca.gov/FormCenter/Recreation-Arts-CommunityServices-6/Prospect-Park-Plaza-Annual-Permit-Applic-133 • Auggie the Acorn Turns Five: The Town's beloved
Recreation, Arts & Community Services mascot,
Auggie the Acorn — full name August J. Acorn, the
self-described "Grand-Nut" of Danville's iconic Old
Oak Tree on Diablo Road — celebrated his 5th
birthday on August 1. Introduced in 2021, Auggie
has since become a familiar and much-loved
presence at Recreation programs, community
events, and Town-hosted gatherings. A
commemorative social media video created for the
occasion allowed the entire community to wish
Auggie a happy birthday — a lighthearted moment
that reflects the small-town character residents love
about Danville and the Town's deep-rooted
connection to the oak trees that define its landscape.
• Registration Growth: Building on strong momentum from earlier in the year, registration numbers continued to trend upward with more than 13,900 registrations processed between January and July, compared to roughly 12,750 during the same period last year. The recently implemented automated waitlist notification system continues to streamline enrollment activity and reduce administrative workload during peak transfer and withdrawal windows.
• Recreation Program Enrollment: The figures below reflect *new* enrollments during June and do not include participants who enrolled in prior months and whose programs continue into May and beyond.
• Facility Rentals Activity: Recreation tracks rental activity across Town-managed venues — including the Village Theatre, Art Gallery, Community Center, Oak Hill Park Community Center, Town Meeting Hall, as well as park picnic areas and sports fields. This data allows the Town to monitor cost recovery, provides insights into community demand, helps balance rental use with Town-programmed activities, and informs long-term facility planning.
• Looking Ahead – Fall Programming and Acorns of the Old Oak: The Fall Activity Guide reached mailboxes at the end of July, with resident registration for fall programs opening August 18 (general public on August 25). The fall season will also debut programming for the Acorns of the Old Oaks.
Closing Note
That’s it for now. As always, I’m happy to provide further information or context on any of these updates.