Planning process started: 2012
Plan and EIR scheduled for adoption: 2016
Campaign team: Greenbelt Alliance, East Bay Housing Organizations
Location on Transit Line: Walnut Creek BART Station
See the campaign platform here.
Great Communities Collaborative (GCC) is supporting a campaign to help guide the City of Walnut Creek’s planning process for “West Downtown,” a 150-acre area just south of a BART station and a few steps from the city’s successful downtown.
The campaign is led by Greenbelt Alliance and East Bay Housing Organizations (EBHO).
The GCC Campaign
Done well, the West Downtown Plan can strengthen the local economy, foster a healthier community, improve housing and transit opportunities for all residents, and alleviate development pressure on nearby natural lands.
In 2013, with the support of Greenbelt Alliance and EBHO, residents and non-profit leaders came together to form the Coalition for a Vibrant and Inclusive Walnut Creek (C-VIEW). This new coalition has adopted a platform that focuses on the following:
Vibrant neighborhoods: making efficient use of the land to create great neighborhoods with approximately 2,800 new homes and space for a variety of new businesses to help the area become an even more thriving, attractive component of the community.
Homes we can all afford: ensuring the city remains a great place for everyone by building upon the city’s commitment to serving those most in need with new homes and safeguards against displacement.
Safe, pleasant places to walk and bike: drawing on features on the city’s walkable downtown and instituting bike-friendly design, complemented with programs for residents and employees such as carsharing, bulk transit passes, and unbundled parking.
Access to nature: incorporating areas for relaxation and recreation within the area and strong connections to the region’s trails, parks, and open spaces.
Green buildings: for high-performance architecture and natural resource protection.
Current projects and status of the plan area:
Spring/Summer 2015 – Committee review of Draft Plan
Winter 2015 – Planning process delayed until 2016
Spring 2016 – Resume planning process and completion of Final Plan
Fall/Winter 2016 – Adoption of the Specific Plan
