Walnut Creek Developer Wants To Build Residential Care Center

WALNUT CREEK, CA — A Walnut Creek-based developer wants to build a 114-unit residential care facility in a business park that isn't zoned for that, and the City Council is scheduled on Tuesday to discuss whether a zoning change may be considered.

Hall Equities Group wants to redevelop a 9.5-acre commercial site within the Shadelands Business Park for not only the assisted living and memory care facility, but also a 300-unit multifamily residential complex for seniors.

That site currently hosts the Joint Genome Institute, operated by the U.S. Department of Energy. The Joint Genome Institute, according to a city report, plans to leave its five-building campus there by Jan. 31.

The Shadelands park's zoning, however, does not allow for residential uses. Hall Equities proposes a change to the park's land use designation to allow residential uses in some circumstances.

The Shadelands park, established in the mid-1970s, has generally hosted office buildings and research facilities. But in 2014, the Walnut Creek City Council approved a rezone to accommodate the "Orchards at Walnut Creek" shopping/restaurant development on the southeast edge of Shadelands.

And in 2016, the council approved zoning changes to allow a "broader array of land uses" within Shadelands' 246 acres.

The regular Walnut Creek City Council meets Tuesday at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 1666 North Main St.

—Bay City News Service