Council approves list of outside plan‑check consultants; staff to monitor contractor metrics
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Summary
Council approved a multi‑vendor plan‑check consultant list and asked staff to publish performance metrics; staff said most firms were previously used but three are new and the city plans to add one in‑house plan‑check engineer over two years to reduce reliance on consultants.
Walnut Creek — The City Council on June 3 approved a resolution to select a pool of outside plan‑check consultant firms to assist with plan review work used by the Community Development Department.
Staff presentation and council questions: Frank Com, the city’s building official, said most selected firms were previously used by the city but that the list adds two or three new firms to broaden available expertise and match consultants to project types and scope. Council member Craig asked how the city monitors consultant performance; Com said the city tracks two primary metrics: published turnaround time targets and internal staff review of consultants’ plan‑check comments for code accuracy and compatibility with city practices. Com said those metrics are posted on the city’s website.
Why it matters: The city uses outside consultants to handle workload surges and specialized reviews when in‑house staff are insufficient; the city currently has four plan‑check engineers and staff proposed adding one new plan‑check engineer over the next two fiscal years to reduce dependence on consultants.
Council action: Council voted unanimously to approve item 2D (the consultant list). Councilmembers asked staff to ensure that performance data be accessible to the public so applicants and contractors can see turnaround times and that staff and firms be held to the city’s published performance matrix.
Ending: Staff said the city will continue monitoring consultant performance and that adding an in‑house plan‑check engineer is included in the proposed FY26–27 budget to reduce external spending over time.
