Government » Community Development Department » Planning Entitlements

Design Review

Design Review is conducted by various City bodies including the Community Development Director, the Zoning Administrator, and the Planning Commission. The Design Review Commission also plays a key role within the Design Review process by providing design advice to the Planning Commission. The purpose of Design Review is to:

  • Enhance the community character and create an individual identity for Walnut Creek
  • Promote quality architectural design, site planning, and landscape development
  • Provide a clear set of design criteria to guide development
  • Enable streamlined review and approval of housing, pursuant to State law

NEW: On June 4, 2024, the City Council adopted the Residential and Mixed-Use Design Review Standards + Guidelines which replaces the residential and mixed use design standards in the 1996 Design Review Guidelines. On September 17, 2024, the City Council subsequently adopted the Non-Residential Design Review Standards + Guidelines which replaces the non-residential standards in the 1996 Design Review Guidelines.

What Projects Require Design Review

Almost all construction or alteration of the exterior of any building, structure, or sign, or substantial alteration of any landscape or hardscape feature, including parking layout, will require Design Review approval prior to the issuance of a Building Permit or Site Development Permit. Certain projects which are specified in the Walnut Creek Municipal Code are exempt from Design Review approval including Accessory Dwelling Units and SB9 Units.

View Design Review Process Manual

 View Non-Residential Design Review Standards + Guidelines

 View Residential and Mixed-Use Design Review Standards + Guidelines

  Apply for Design Review

1. Information gathering

2. Preliminary review (recommended, but not required)

Review the Planning Application checklist with City staff.  Get early feedback, identify potential problems, and improve the quality of your application.

Schedule preliminary review

3. Submit the application package

Complete the Planning Application form. Application package submittals must include a signed Application form and all applicable documents noted on the Planning Application checklist. For residential projects, complete the applicable design standards and guidelines checklists (Single-Family, Plexes/Townhomes, Multifamily) and development standards checklists (Single-Family, Plexes/Townhomes, Multifamily).

All applications must be submitted via the City's Online Permit Portal, ACA Portal. First-time users will need to create a new account prior to submittal.

4. Pay fees

Please note an application is not considered filed until the application fee is paid. Pay the application fee or deposit by check or credit card. Learn more about fees.

5. Initial review and notice of application status

After submittal, a planner will be assigned to your project. Within 30 days after the submittal, you will get a Notice of Application Status.  Comments from the planning division, other internal divisions and outside reviewing agencies will be included in the notice.  Your assigned planner will determine:

  • If the application is complete
  • If outside agencies or other divisions will also need to review the application.
  • If environmental review will be needed

6. City staff review

City staff will be checking that your application meets land use, design standards and municipal code requirements. During this review, there may be multiple rounds of comments from staff that you will need to respond to by making changes to your plans and resubmitting your application. 

7. Outside Agency Review

If outside agencies need to review the application, your assigned planner will send it to them. Each agency has two weeks to respond to the application. They will send their responses directly to the applicant. Failure to respond within the requested two-week period is not an implied approval or lack of comments.

8. Environmental Review (many projects are exempt)

During project review, City staff will assess whether an Environmental Impact Report or other studies will be required. Learn more about Environmental Review.

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9.  Project Processing Assignment

There are three processing pathways a project can follow: 1) Ministerial Design Review, Objective Design Review, or Discretionary Design Review. Staff will determine the appropriate processing path when reviewing the application. Each pathway is explored in greater detail below. 

Ministerial Design Review
Objective Design Review
Discretionary Design Review

10. Permit Issued

Once your application is approved, City staff will issue the Design Review permit.

Timeline

Projects are generally processed on a first come, first serve basis. The length of time necessary to process a Design Review application varies. Projects subject to Ministerial or Objective Design Review are processed in accordance with State-mandated processing times while processing time for projects subject to Discretionary Design Review cannot be guaranteed at the initial phases of an application. Only a few weeks may be required for small, staff delegated projects. Many months may be required for complex projects requiring an Environmental Impact Report. Timing depends on the quality of the application, timely responses from outside agencies and the diligence of the applicant. The staff planner can provide a tentative time estimate after an initial review of the project.

Forms and documents

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