City of Walnut Creek
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Get Involved and Make Your Voice Heard
The Draft Safety Element and Environmental Documents are available for public comment from Monday, February 9, 2026 through Wednesday, March 11, 2026!
Submit a written public comment via email during the 30-day review period from February 9 to March 11. Comments can be sent via email to Associate Planner, Allison Rustick at rustick@walnutcreekca.gov, by no later than 4:00p.m. on Wednesday March 11th.
- Attend the Planning Commission meeting on March 26th, at 6:00 p.m. to provide your comments and feedback on the draft in person. At this meeting, the Planning Commission will consider making a recommendation to the City Council on the Safety Element and the environmental documents.
- Attend the City Council meeting, tentatively scheduled on April 21st at 6:00p.m., where the City Council will consider adopting the updated Safety Element into the General Plan and certify the Initial Study/Negative Declaration
What is the Safety Element?
The City of Walnut Creek is in the process of updating the Safety Element of its General Plan. California State law requires local governments to have a General Plan, a blueprint for meeting the community’s long-term vision for the future. The General Plan contains several chapters or “elements,” covering different topics. The City's Safety Element contained in Chapter 6 (Safety and Noise) of the General Plan incorporates safety considerations in the planning and decision-making process. It includes policies related to future development that will minimize the risk of personal injury, loss of life, property damage, and environmental damage associated with natural and human-made hazards. The Safety Element addresses the City’s natural hazards and human activities that may pose a threat to public safety within the following topic areas:
- Geologic and Seismic Hazards
- Flood Hazards
- Fire Hazards
- Hazardous Materials
- Climate Change
How is the Safety Element Implemented?
The Safety Element sets goals, objectives, policies, and programs that direct decision-making around hazard mitigation planning, disaster preparedness, and emergency response, in addition to climate change adaptation and resilience. The Safety Element provides policy direction that supports laws and regulations related to safety hazards, mitigation efforts, and resilience strategies in alignment with the guiding principles established by General Plan 2025, which serves as a guide for long-term development in the City.
What Does the Update Process Look Like?
The Safety Element Update was kicked off alongside the Housing Element Update in 2022. In the early stages of the update process, the City held two community workshops seeking community input on housing and safety needs in the city.
- The first workshop (watch a recording of the workshop here or click here to view the presentation) was held on March 21, 2022, where we introduced the elements, presented a community profile, and conducted live polling on housing and safety needs, challenges, and issues.
- The second workshop, held on April 20, 2022 (watch a recording of the workshop here or click here to view the presentation) covered the initial results of a community survey and conducted live polling to seek input on potential policies and programs.
Contact
Allison Rustick, Associate Planner