City Council Special Meeting 5pm (Closed Session)/ Regular Meeting at 6 pm (Amended) Tuesday, October 21, 2025
CITY HALL
1666 N. MAIN STREET, WALNUT CREEK
CouncilMembers:
DEVINNEY
FRANCOIS
sILVA
mAYOR pRO tEM Wilk
mayor Darling
Meeting minutes were approved by the City Council at their regular meeting held on November 4, 2025.
CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING AT 5:00 PM - CLOSED SESSION Council Chamber, 1st Floor
1. OPENING AND PUBLIC COMMUNICATION
Consider and take action on any request from a Councilmember to participate in a meeting remotely due to emergency circumstances pursuant to Government Code Section 54953(f)(1). Receive notice that a Councilmember is participating in the meeting due to just cause circumstances pursuant to Government Code Section 54953(f)(1) - none.
Councilmember Francois arrived at 5:07 p.m.; all other Councilmembers were in attendance. Mayor Darling reported that under California law, public comments at special meetings are limited to subjects on the agenda only. No public comments were received for the Closed Session items.
2. CLOSED SESSION
After an opportunity for public comment, the City Council reconvened in closed session in the 2nd Floor Conference Room pursuant to:
a.
CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS
(Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.8)
Property: 1540 Marchbanks Drive, Walnut Creek, CA
Agency negotiators: Dan Buckshi, City Manager; Rich Payne, Public Works Director; and Valerie Sukhu, Administrative Analyst II Negotiating parties: City of Walnut Creek and Heather Farm Garden Center Under negotiation: Price and Terms for lease of property.
Report on Closed Session: City Attorney Steve Mattas reported that the City Council, by 5-0 vote, authorized a settlement agreement with the Heather Farm Gardens and directed staff to bring back a lease agreement for Council Consideration and public input at the next City Council meeting.
3. ADJOURNMENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING - CLOSED SESSION at 5:35 p.m. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING AT 6:00 PM
Council Chamber, 1st Floor
1. OPENING
Consider and take action on any request from a Councilmember to participate in a meeting remotely due to emergency circumstances pursuant to Government Code Section 54953(f)(1). Receive notice that a Councilmember is participating in the meeting due to just cause circumstances pursuant to Government Code Section 54953(f)(1) - none. a.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
b.
ROLL CALL - all Councilmembers were in attendance.
c.
PROCLAMATION: Pedestrian Safety Awareness Month
d.
PROCLAMATION: Domestic Violence Awareness Month
e.
PRESENTATION: Sister Cities - Siofok Hungary & Noceto, Italy
2. CONSENT CALENDAR
Councilmember Silva thanked staff for all their work on the Tice Valley fields in regards to Consent Calendar Item 2c. No public comments were received for items on the Consent Calendar.
Motion by Silva, second by DeVinney,
carried unanimously
, to APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR as follows:
YEAS:
DeVinney, Silva, Wilk, Mayor Pro Tem Wilk, Mayor Darling. a.
APPROVED CITY COUNCIL MINUTES dated October 7, 2025.
Minutes
b.
ACCEPTED WARRANT REGISTERS dated October 3, 2025 (2) and October 10, 2025 (2) ; and DIRECT PAYROLL TRANSFERS dated October 3, 2025 (2).
Warrant Registers
c.
ACCEPTED WORK for Contract 24-05, the Tice Valley Park Sport Field Lighting project as complete; and AUTHORIZATION OF THE CITY CLERK to file a Notice of Completion for the project with the County Recorder. 2c Agenda Report
d.
ACCEPTED WORK for Contract 24-08, the Trinity Avenue and Oakland Boulevard Bike Improvement project as complete; and AUTHORIZED THE CITY CLERK to file a Notice of Completion for the project with the County Recorder. 2d Agenda Report
e.
ADOPTED A PROCLAMATION declaring October 23-31, 2025 as Red Ribbon Week (Drug Abuse Prevention) in the City of Walnut Creek. 2e Agenda Report
Attachment Proclamation
3. PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS
Public comments were received from: Linda Rimac Colberg, Shadelands Walnut Creek; and Kayla Turnage, representing Assemblymember Anamarie Avila Farias.
4. COUNCILMEMBER AND STAFF ANNOUNCEMENTS, REPORTS ON ACTIVITIES OR REQUESTS a.
Closed Session announcement - City Attorney Steve Mattas reported that the City Council, by 5-0 vote, authorized a settlement agreement with the Heather Farm Gardens and directed staff to bring back a lease agreement for Council Consideration and public input at the next City Council meeting. b.
City Manager reports - City Manager Dan Buckshi reported on positive news - the City was awarded $1,000,000 in Pro-Housing Incentive funds from the state; Consultant Ken Hampian is receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International City County Management Association for his over 30 years of contributions to the city management profession; and City Clerk Suzie Martinez was recognized by the International Institute of Municipal Clerks for her continuing education and contributions to the City Clerk profession. c.
City Councilmember reports on AB1234 Activities, Councilmember assignments and various activities and upcoming events.
Councilmembers announced upcoming events, reported on meetings; and other local events attended since the last meeting; and made comments on issues of concern.
The meeting was recessed briefly.
5. CONSIDERATION
a.
APPROVE TRANSMITTAL OF COMMENT LETTER TO THE METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION REGARDING THE TRANSIT ORIENTED COMMUNITIES POLICY AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION Community Development Director Erika Vandenbrande provided the staff presentation. She reported that in September 2022, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) adopted a Transit Oriented Communities Policy (TOC Policy). The TOC Policy is intended, in part, to guide regional funding decisions. In analyzing the City of Walnut Creek’s ability to comply with the policy based on a complex compliance scoring rubric, significant concerns have emerged that have the potential to impact the City’s ability to access regional funds.
No public comments were received.
The City Council provided feedback on the comment letter.
Motion by Silva, second by Wilk,
carried unanimously
, to APPROVE the transmittal of the letter commenting on the Transit Oriented Communities Policy and its implementation to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, incorporating the feedback provided, including changes to the policy requirements (building upon existing Priority Development Plans) and implementation (collaboration with investments in planning such as the West Downtown and North Downtown Specific Plans) of the proposed TOC Policy and, the inclusion of a graphic showing the 1/2 mile travel distance from BART stations in Walnut Creek.
YEAS:
DeVinney, Silva, Wilk, Mayor Pro Tem Wilk, Mayor Darling. 5a Agenda Report
5a Attachment 1 - Draft Letter
5a Attachment 2 - MTC Admin Guidance
5a Attachment 3 - Draft TOC Criteria
b.
CONSIDERATION AND DIRECTION ON THE CITY’S E-BIKE SAFETY ACTION PLAN Assistant City Manager Charles Ching provided the staff presentation. He reported that over the past several years, cities across the country have faced safety issues arising from the growth in popularity of electric bicycles (E-bikes). While E-bikes provide a new and effective mode of transportation, their increased use has raised safety concerns in the community. Assistant City Manager Ching reported that staff has created an E-Bike Safety Action Plan (Action Plan) to promote safe and responsible use of electric bicycles within the community. The Action Plan provides targeted strategies to reduce collisions and injuries involving E-bikes.
Public comments were received from Ron DeCristoforo.
The City Council provided comments on the Action Plan. No formal action was taken. 5b Agenda Report
5b - Public Comments Received Since Packet Distribution
6. ADJOURNMENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING at 9:02 p.m. ________________________________________
Suzie Martinez, MMC
City Clerk of the City of Walnut Creek
Approved:
_______________________________________
Cindy Darling
2024-25 Mayor of the City of Walnut Creek