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Walnut Creek council authorizes Alta Planning team for General Plan 2050 update
Summary
The council approved a consultant services agreement to lead Walnut Creek's General Plan 2050 update, authorizing the city manager to execute a contract after a presentation by Alta Planning and Design and a staff recommendation. Council emphasized community engagement and flexibility in the multi-year process.
Walnut Creek City Council on March 17 approved a consultant services agreement to lead the city's General Plan 2050 update, authorizing the city manager to execute a contract after a presentation from Alta Planning and Design.
The council voted unanimously to carry the motion moved by Mayor Pro Tem Francois and seconded by Council member Darling. Staff recommended the team assembled from Alta (which acquired Ramey & Associates) after an RFP and interview process; staff described the recommended agreement as a four-year term with a 12-month extension option. Staff presentation listed a budget figure of $3,160,705 (staff wording in presentation: "3,160,705 million dollars"), while the motion recorded on the floor authorized an amount not to exceed $3,100,000.
Eric Yerkovich, principal at Alta Planning and Design, outlined a five-phase update process and said the project would emphasize robust, multi-channel community engagement. "Our goal really is to create a general plan that helps to really center priority populations and to really engage the community in a meaningful and inclusive engagement process," Yerkovich said.
Council members pressed Alta on how the work would remain adaptable to changing conditions such as autonomous vehicles and advances in artificial intelligence. Yerkovich and the Alta team described tools including a "digital general plan" with implementation tracking metrics and a suite of engagement methods — workshops, an interactive online open house and partner meetings — to reach different audiences.
Staff said the consultant team will participate in roughly 30 commission and council meetings during the scope of work, with flexibility for up to four additional meetings as needed. Mayor Pro Tem Francois said establishing clear project outcomes early would help residents follow the process over multiple years.
The resolution authorizes the city manager to execute the agreement and directs staff to return with contract documents and next steps for kickoff. The motion passed 4-0; Council member Silva was absent.
