Walnut Creek No Longer Accepting Public Comments Made Remotely On Zoom

WALNUT CREEK, CA — The city of Walnut Creek will no longer accept public comments made remotely via Zoom for Walnut Creek City Council and City Commission meetings, the city announced Wednesday.

The new policy takes effect Oct. 16, just prior to the next City Council meeting on Oct. 17, city officials said in a news release.

"The City of Walnut Creek appreciates the participation of residents in City Council and Commission meetings and invites the community to provide public comments in person rather than remotely," city officials said.

Since 2021, Walnut Creek City Council and Commission meetings have been a hybrid of both in-person and remote Zoom comments. Episodes of hate speech made during public comments have made the remote option no longer appropriate, the city said.

"We are conducting business meetings with City and resident issues and interests at the core," City Manager Dan Buckshi said. "Some of the comments we are hearing are deeply disturbing and sickening. Those making the hateful comments are not residents of Walnut Creek and in many instances are not residents of California. These types of hate-filled comments do not reflect the values of Walnut Creek."

The Anti-Defamation League identified a group of people who called into multiple Bay Area meetings to make antisemitic comments, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

"Individuals are abusing the opportunity for public comment to spew racist and antisemitic rhetoric in front of what they believe is a large and captive audience," Marc Levine, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League’s Central Pacific office, told the newspaper. "It is a coordinated, premeditated attack."

In addition to Walnut Creek, the "Zoom-bombers" recently went on similar antisemitic and racial rants during public meetings held in Sacramento, Sonoma County and Contra Costa County, and for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

Last week, both the city of Healdsburg and the county of Sonoma announced they were putting an end to public comments made remotely.

Walnut Creek city officials said Wednesday that people can still watch meetings on the city’s website or on YouTube or cable television but public comments must now be made in person or via email or hard copy mail. Written comments are shared with all members of the City Council or the appropriate City Commission.

To submit a public comment in writing, residents can email PublicComments@walnut-creek.org. To submit a public comment through U.S. mail, address it to the City Clerk, 1666 N. Main Street, 3rd Floor, Walnut Creek, CA. 94596.