Walnut Creek council outlines five priorities for 2025–26: general plan, economic development, sustainability, parks and public safety

Walnut Creek city staff presented the recommended scopes of work on May 20, 2025 for the City Council’s five priorities covering calendar years 2025–26: economic development and downtown vitality; environmental sustainability and climate action; a multi‑year general plan update; parks and recreation facilities; and public safety and social wellness.

Economic development: Mike Neiman, Economic Development Manager, said staff will continue the downtown action plan, focus on business retention and targeted recruitment of higher‑paying jobs, explore a “wellness corridor” near health‑care employers, and promote downtown experience and tourism. Staff proposed a concierge permitting service and improvements to the permitting and outreach process to reduce friction for businesses and homeowners.

Sustainability and climate action: Candace Rankin Mumbi, Sustainability Manager, said the Sustainability Action Plan (adopted July 2023) guides measures to decarbonize buildings and transportation, expand EV chargers and fleet electrification, improve water conservation, increase waste diversion with RecycleSmart partners and evaluate a community-wide policy on gas‑powered leaf blowers. Staff reported an EV‑charging strategic plan is under development.

General Plan update: Erica Vandenbrand, Community Development Director, outlined a four‑year update to the city’s general plan, intended to define Walnut Creek’s vision to 2050 and document tradeoffs across land use, infrastructure, environmental and economic outcomes. Staff plans robust community engagement, scenario analysis and an RFP for consultant support later this summer.

Parks and recreation / Heather Farm Aquatics and Community Center: Rich Payne, Director of Public Works, reported progress on capital projects. Phase 1 of the Heather Farm aquatics/community center—realignment and expansion of the lake/pond edge—has received required environmental permits and is out to bid; staff expects to award and begin construction on the lake work this year. Phase 2 (the new aquatic and community center building) will be prequalified and then bid, with construction targeted to begin in early 2026 and substantial completion targeted in late 2027, pending bids and scheduling. Additional park projects include synthetic turf at Heather Park, field-lighting at Tice Park, tennis/basket court resurfacing at Rudgear and Arbolado Parks, and planning study funding for reuse of the Clark Pool site after the new center opens.

Public safety and social wellness: Chief Jamie Knox described priorities to modernize department technology, maintain community policing and targeted crime‑prevention programs (including a new crime‑prevention specialist), coordinate responses to homelessness and mental health, and advance Vision Zero and traffic‑safety work. Staff proposed a traffic‑safety working group and renewed emphasis on emergency preparedness and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) revitalization.

Council feedback and next steps: Councilmembers asked for more detail about funding sources and timelines, stressed the need for strong public outreach for the general plan and Clark Pool reuse, and urged cross‑department coordination on pedestrian, bicycle and transit improvements that cut across multiple priorities. Staff will return quarterly with timelines, budgets and progress updates and will begin the RFP for the general plan this summer.