3. Land Use Element
Adopted May 2023 Pleasant Hill 2040 General Plan 3-31
Focus Area 5 | Contra Costa Boulevard
The Contra Costa Boulevard area is located in central Pleasant Hill, serving as one of the primary roadway arterials in the City running parallel to Interstate 680. This area includes a mix of single-family residential, office, space, mixed-use development, and both strip and regional commercial. This area like other focus areas in the city faces challenges from compatibility of uses, specifically the existing single-family residential uses that are adjacent to the boulevard.
The 2040 General Plan envisions transforming Contra Costa Boulevard into a contemporary transitoriented corridor focused on multi-modal opportunities and denser development. In an effort to reduce incompatibility between development types, all single-family residential areas in this focus area will be re-designated to Mixed-Use to create consistency of development patterns. This shift in the fabric of Pleasant Hill from single-family to mixed-use will take decades to come to fruition and will require significant parcel consolidation.
The goal of transforming Contra Costa Boulevard is to create a lively, active environment, that is uniquely Pleasant Hill. The intent is to ensure high-quality projects and urban design characteristics as well as the integration of expanded pedestrian and bicycle facilities. To further create an energized corridor, the General Plan envisions the expanded allowance of creative outdoor spaces for the public as part of private developments. Additional opportunities for streetscape enhancements, outdoor dining, paseos connecting developments, and community gathering spaces will create a new and innovative neighborhood for the City. All new development proposed within the Contra Costa Boulevard focus area is subject to the policies in this section, as well as other relevant sections of the General Plan.
LU-6.25 Transit-Oriented Development
Encourage the design and development of transit-oriented developments along Contra Costa Boulevard to support future transportation system enhancements.
LU-6.26 Strip Commercial
Support compact commercial development by discouraging new “strip” center development patterns along Contra Costa Boulevard. Strip centers are characterized by low-density commercial frontage with parking in front of the building and multiple access driveways.
LU-6.27 Pedestrian Oriented Development
Support the transformation of existing auto-oriented and strip commercial uses into attractive pedestrian-oriented developments that enhance the visual character and interest of the boulevard.
LU-6.28 Parcel Consolidation
Support parcel consolidation in the East Vivian Neighborhood to stimulate future mixed-use development.
LU-6.29 Limit Driveways and Curb Cuts
Support limiting new driveways and curb cuts and encourage consolidating existing driveways and curb cuts as Contra Costa Boulevard redevelops.
Pleasant Hill 2040 General Plan | Policy Document
3-32 Pleasant Hill 2040 General Plan Adopted May 2023
LU-6.30 Street Activation
Encourage active street fronts to create vibrant spaces for the community to congregate, including paseos, courtyards, expanded outdoor dining, expanded sidewalks, and enhanced landscaping.
LU-6.31 Increased Residential Development
Support increased residential development along Contra Costa Boulevard in the form of either vertical or horizontal mixed-use projects.
LU-6.32 Commercial Use Design
Support the design of commercial uses on Contra Costa Boulevard that relate to, and reflect uses adjacent to and behind, those uses, with careful attention to design themes common to specific blocks along the boulevard.
LU-6.33 Mixed-Use Compatibility
Ensure that development of the mixed-use parcels on the west side of Contra Costa Boulevard considers the interface with the lower-density parcels to the west of Shirley Drive. The mixed-use area shall be connected to- not walled off from -, the lowerdensity residential area, but designed in a way that reduces conflict and promotes compatibility between uses.
3. Land Use Element
Adopted May 2023 Pleasant Hill 2040 General Plan 3-33