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Walnut Creek design panel approves Alpine Square master sign program and CEQA exemption
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Summary
The Walnut Creek Design Review Commission voted to exempt and approve a revised master sign program for Alpine Square (1777 Patello Drive), including two freeway-facing skyline signs, after staff and the sign subcommittee recommended changes.
The Walnut Creek City Design Review Commission voted to find the Alpine Square master sign program exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act and approved the updated sign program for the commercial property at 1777 Patello Drive.
City planning staff said the program updates existing site signage and adds two new freeway-facing skyline signs, a garage entry/exit sign and revised tenant and site identification signage. Stephen Cook, assistant planner in the city’s community development department, told the commission the site is approximately 1.5 acres and developed with a three-story office building of roughly 100,000 square feet. He said the sign subcommittee asked the applicant to remove one proposed skyline location and to include the full street address on the site identification sign; the applicant made those changes.
Cook said the two proposed skyline signs exceed 20 square feet and are within the distance threshold that qualifies them as “freeway signs,” and because they would sit more than 25 feet above ground they are also treated as skyline signs and therefore require an exception to the city sign ordinance. Each skyline sign could be up to 80 square feet and may be illuminated by halo, face or push-through methods. Staff recommended approval, noting similar skyline sign approvals previously granted in Walnut Creek’s Golden Triangle and downtown areas.
After staff’s presentation and no public comment, a commissioner moved to approve the staff recommendation to adopt the CEQA exemption and the updated master sign program; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously. The commission’s action authorizes the updated master sign program subject to the written conditions of approval included in the draft resolution on the agenda.
The action cites an exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act, specifically section 15301 (existing facilities), as the basis for the finding that the project is exempt from CEQA review.
The applicant and staff were present at the hearing and answered commissioner questions before the vote. The approved program retains four existing tenant wall signs (31 square feet each, nonilluminated) while changing the site identification sign to a 15-square-foot aluminum cabinet with quarter-inch aluminum letters, consolidating garage wayfinding signs into a single 12-square-foot directional/address sign, and adding a six-square-foot adhesive vinyl entry/exit decal for the roll-up garage door.
