CITY OF HERCULES · CITY COUNCIL
Goodwill Retail Store with Drive-Up
Donation Operations
Conditional Use Permit CUP 26-01 & Design Review Permit DRP 26-01 1551 Sycamore Avenue · Creekside Shopping Center · Hercules, CA
CITY COUNCIL CALL -UP REVIEW
Called up by the Council on July 14, 2026, following Planning Commission approval on July 6, 2026.
The Council specified review of the donation drop-off area operations and controls.
PUBLIC HEARING — JULY 28, 2026
1 Overview
Goodwill of the San Francisco Bay proposes to occupy the vacant former Big Lots building in Creekside Shopping Center — a change of tenancy with interior improvements, a new rear donation door, a trash compactor, and updated signage.
31,631 SF
Existing building
(no added floor area)
CC District
Community Commercial
zoning & GP designation
≈ 31 jobs
New employees
(max. 14 per shift)
9 AM – 9 PM
Daily hours
(staff from 8 AM)
Staff Recommendation:
Affirm the Planning Commission's approval of CUP 26-01 and DRP 26-01, subject to the recommended Conditions of Approval, and find the project categorically exempt from CEQA.
CUP 26-01 / DRP 26-01 · 1551 Sycamore Avenue City Council · July 28, 2026 2 Site & Setting
● 4.456-acre parcel (Parcel 3 of Parcel Map 477-82)
within Creekside Shopping Center
● Multi-tenant retail center anchored by Home Depot (±
190,567 SF total)
● Surrounding uses: general retail, food service, and
personal-service commercial
● Fully developed — building, surface parking, drive
aisles, and landscaping in place
● Most recently operated as a Big Lots store; that
entitlement has since expired
Creekside Shopping Center — aerial view
CUP 26-01 / DRP 26-01 · 1551 Sycamore Avenue City Council · July 28, 2026 3 The Proposal
USE & OPERATIONS
● Retail sale of new and donated used goods —
clothing, household items, furniture
● Hours 9 AM – 9 PM, Mon–Sun (employees from 8
AM)
● ≈ 31 employees; maximum 14 per shift
● No alcoholic beverages sold or served
PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS
● Interior tenant improvements: ADA restrooms, LED
retrofit, sorting/production area
● New 12' × 8' rear donation door with concrete
landing and ramp
● New trash compactor and pad in the existing
loading-dock area
● Replacement and new signage (reviewed under
DRP 26-01)
No expansion of building area, no change to the site plan, layout, or landscaping, and no reduction in parking.
CUP 26-01 / DRP 26-01 · 1551 Sycamore Avenue City Council · July 28, 2026 4 A D D R E SSING T H E C O UN CI L' S C A LL-UP C O N C E R N Drive-Up Donation Operations & Controls
Donations are received at the rear (north) of the building. Conditions of Approval — protect the center's character and directly respond to the Council's concerns:
Attended drive-up
Dedicated attendant
receives donations from
vehicles during all open
hours
Business hours only
No overnight drop-offs;
motion chime alerts the
attendant on arrival
No outdoor storage
No exterior storage or
display of donations or
merchandise at any time
24/7 monitoring
Live-streamed video plus an
after-hours deterrent
speaker system
Screened back-of-house
Tinted sliding doors screen
the interior work area from
public view
Efficient queuing
Under-1-minute turnover;
space for 4+ cars off the
parking & drive aisles
CUP 26-01 / DRP 26-01 · 1551 Sycamore Avenue City Council · July 28, 2026 5 Parking
No spaces removed
The project does not
remove, reconfigure, or
reduce parking anywhere
in the center
Comparable demand
Same retail use
classification and
intensity as the prior
retail tenancy
Pre-existing parking
The existing center-wide
parking supply was allowed
by prior approvals — not this
project
No new exception
Does not trigger a new
Parking Exception under
HMC § 13-32.500
CUP 26-01 / DRP 26-01 · 1551 Sycamore Avenue City Council · July 28, 2026 6 D E SI G N R E V I E W
Proposed Signage Program
CUP 26-01 / DRP 26-01 · 1551 Sycamore Avenue City Council · July 28, 2026 7 Sign Type Area
Sign A — Primary façade (south) Replacement face 154.17 SF Freeway pylon + 2 monument signs Replacement faces Existing structures
Sign B — Wall sign (south) New 33.92 SF
Sign C — Wall sign (north) New 28 SF
West entrance directional sign New 3.9 SF
Temporary banners Temporary Limited per HMC
Design Quality
• Halo-lit reverse pan-channel
brushed-aluminum letters on
Deep Brown panels — consistent
across all signs
• Freestanding signage limited to
new faces within existing cabinets
— no new structures, height, or
area
• Materials compatible with the
center's established character
R E P LA C EM E NT W A LL SI G N
Sign A — Primary Façade (South)
Halo-lit reverse pan-channel aluminum letters and logo on Deep Brown background panel CUP 26-01 / DRP 26-01 · 1551 Sycamore Avenue City Council · July 28, 2026 8 N E W W A LL SI G N
Sign B — Wall Sign (South)
“Donation Drop Off / Around Back” directional copy — 33.92 SF CUP 26-01 / DRP 26-01 · 1551 Sycamore Avenue City Council · July 28, 2026 9 N E W W A LL SI G N
Sign C — Wall Sign (North)
“Donation Drop Off” informational sign above the new donation door — 28 SF CUP 26-01 / DRP 26-01 · 1551 Sycamore Avenue City Council · July 28, 2026 10 R E P LA C EM E NT F R E E STAN DI NG SI G N S
Freeway Pylon + 2 Monument Signs
CUP 26-01 / DRP 26-01 · 1551 Sycamore Avenue City Council · July 28, 2026 11 N E W D I R E C TIO N AL SI G N
West Entrance Directional Sign
Single-sided, ground-mounted sign with logo, “Donation Drop Off” copy, and arrow — 3.9 SF CUP 26-01 / DRP 26-01 · 1551 Sycamore Avenue City Council · July 28, 2026 12 D E SI G N R E V I E W
Wall Sign Area — Analysis
HMC § 13-34.302(3)(A) allows 1 SF of wall sign area per lineal foot of customer-serving storefront. 191.5 SF
baseline allowance
Single frontage
(south, 191.5 LF)
226.5 SF
allowance applied
Two storefronts
(south 191.5 + rear 35 LF)
216.09 SF
Signs A + B + C
Proposed combined
wall signage
Conforms on a two-storefront basis (rear is a customer-serving donation entrance). Each elevation also independently conforms to its own frontage-based allowance.
CUP 26-01 / DRP 26-01 · 1551 Sycamore Avenue City Council · July 28, 2026 13 D E SI G N R E V I E W
New Donation Door & Signage
Donation area
Rear elevation
CUP 26-01 / DRP 26-01 · 1551 Sycamore Avenue City Council · July 28, 2026 14 Donation Area
D E SI G N R E V I E W
New Trash Compactor
CUP 26-01 / DRP 26-01 · 1551 Sycamore Avenue City Council · July 28, 2026 15 Required Findings
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT — HMC § 13-50.300 DESIGN REVIEW PERMIT — HMC § 13-42.500 Consistent with the General Plan (CC designation)
Conforms to the purposes of the CC district &
zoning
Compatible in design, scale & operating character
Adequate access, traffic, utilities & services
No significant environmental impacts
In the interest of public health, safety & welfare
Sound site design, circulation & access
Quality architecture, materials & screening
Landscaping consistent with design standards
Complies with all provisions of the Design Review
chapter
The finding can be made for all ten findings. Supporting analysis is provided in the staff report.
CUP 26-01 / DRP 26-01 · 1551 Sycamore Avenue City Council · July 28, 2026 16 E N V I R O N ME NTA L R E V I E W
CEQA Determination
Categorically Exempt — Class 1 (Existing Facilities)
CEQA Guidelines, 14 CCR § 15301
● Change of occupancy within an existing commercial building ● Minor alterations only — interior work, one rear door, a compactor pad, and signage ● Negligible expansion of use; consistent in type & intensity with the prior tenancy ● No unusual circumstances; none of the § 15300.2 exceptions apply CUP 26-01 / DRP 26-01 · 1551 Sycamore Avenue City Council · July 28, 2026 17 Key Conditions of Approval
Hours of operation
9 AM–9 PM daily; no
operations or donation
acceptance outside
approved hours
Attended donations
Attendant present all hours;
no unsupervised bins; items
removed within 1 hr of
opening
No outdoor storage
No merchandise, goods,
trash, or equipment stored
or displayed outside
Signage
Install per approved package
& Creekside Master Sign
Program; banners time-
limited
Trash compactor
Maintained clean per solid-
waste & vector-control rules
Security & cameras
Install and maintain video
security equipment to
discourage off-hours
donations
Full conditions — including Building, Fire, and Public Works requirements — appear in Staff Report, Attachment 2.
CUP 26-01 / DRP 26-01 · 1551 Sycamore Avenue City Council · July 28, 2026 18 Recommendation
1 Find the project categorically exempt from CEQA
Class 1 — Existing Facilities, 14 CCR § 15301
2 Affirm the Planning Commission Decision and approve CUP 26-01 / DRP 26-01 Subject to the Conditions of Approval in the Staff Report (Attachment 2) CUP 26-01 / DRP 26-01 · 1551 Sycamore Avenue City Council · July 28, 2026 19 Questions & Discussion
CUP 26-01 · DRP 26-01 · 1551 Sycamore Avenue