Walnut Creek Mixed Use Housing Development Could Still Face Questions Over Pollutants

WALNUT CREEK, CA — Plans for a 7-story apartment building on Mount Diablo Boulevard in Walnut Creek inched forward on Wednesday, albeit with open questions about parking, traffic, and a lawsuit.

Walnut Creek Design Review commissioners on Wednesday approved design plans for a 74-unit building at 2094 Mt. Diablo Blvd, which includes 8 low-income units and daycare.

The building would replace the Dutch Girl Cleaners, whose owner, Steve Depper, filed a complaint in February charging that emissions from a gas station on Mt. Diablo Boulevard could threaten the environmental viability of the development.

The site is on the north side of Mount Diablo Boulevard near the intersection with Oakland Boulevard and a Highway 24 on-ramp, and near the Walnut Creek BART station.

A retail space and a daycare center with an outdoor play area would occupy the bottom floor.

In addition to four studios, the number of apartments would be split equally between one- and two-bedroom units. All except the studios would have balconies.

Eight units are restricted to renters who qualify as very low income.

At the roof level, a landscaped deck is designed to reduce stormwater run-off.

The developer voluntarily included 88 parking places.

"It's a good location for a high-density housing project and pretty well designed, nice-looking building given the spot," Walnut Creek Transportation Commissioner Charles Krelin said.

However, he predicted the traffic and parking demand would outstrip the number of parking places in the plan. "There's not a lot of good parking in the area," Krelin said.

The owner of a hardware store across the street from the site asked for more lighting and surveillance around the proposed building.

The affordable housing non-profit California Housing Defense Fund urged commissioners in a letter to approve the project consistent with "obligations under state law."

Fire prevention authorities and the Walnut Creek Planning Commission will next review the project.