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The San Ramon Planning Commission is set to continue ongoing discussions about next steps for Sunset Development Company’s recently reacquired Chevron Park property in a special meeting this week.
Commissioners — including the newly appointed S. Ashar Ahmed, who was selected by the City Council to fill the seat vacated by the resignation of Rick Marks at the end of March — will be joined by officials with Sunset Development and members of the public as developers continue to solicit feedback from city officials and the community about the next phase of the 92-acre property in central San Ramon.
“The preliminary vision for the property is to create a pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use community that includes concentrated commercial, residential and recreational uses that are integrated with Bishop Ranch and City Center,” city division manager Lauren Barr said in a staff report prepared for the upcoming meeting.
The upcoming study session and workshop are the latest in a series of discussions between city officials, developers, and residents about the future of the former site of Chevron’s headquarters, which the company sold back to Sunset Development last fall while also purchasing a smaller site in Bishop Ranch as part of a relocation and downsizing effort in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
At a Jan. 19 workshop, commissioners and members of the public provided input on desired density levels and emphasized the need to protect Inverness Park from potentially negative impacts brought on by redevelopment efforts.
“Comments were generally supportive of the redevelopment opportunity, provided there is appropriate mitigation of impacts to the surrounding properties,” Barr said in the staff report.
Developers returned to commissioners with a revised concept that aimed to incorporate feedback from the Jan. 19 workshop on March 7.
“The commission was supportive of the proposed revisions and provided some general comments recognizing that many of the detailed comments will need to be refined as part of future project approvals,” Barr’s report said. “In all, the commission appreciated the iterative nature of the workshop process and recommended that staff work with the applicant to continue to refine the project.”
Sunset Development officials provided the presentation to the city’s Housing Advisory Committee and Economic Advisory Committee in a joint meeting between the two bodies on March 8, where they received additional feedback.
“The joint committee and public feedback was generally supportive of the project direction, and related to the need for alternative transportation, walkability, a desire for more retail for teens and younger age groups,” Barr’s report said.
The presentation at the latest workshop will seek to inform commissioners and residents about revisions to prior concepts aimed at incorporating feedback from previous workshops, as well as additional reflection on how to incorporate the proposed project into the ambitious vision for the future of the city’s central core.
“The Chevron Park vision continues to be refined in response to input from the past workshops/study sessions; however, it is also important to view the potential project in the context of the City Center project and the ongoing development associated with the CityWalk Master Plan and Summerhill projects,” Barr’s report said.
The CityWalk Master Plan is a key portion of city and Sunset Development officials’ vision for the future of the city, aimed at creating a mixed-use, transit friendly and walkable neighborhood that combines residential, retail, and office sites over the course of 25 years.
“In addition to the refinements to Chevron Park concepts, Sunset Development continues to refine their future vision for Bishop Ranch as a dynamic community made up of a variety of housing types, with different ownership opportunities, supporting retail and commercial services, and a strong employment base,” Barr’s report said.
The San Ramon Planning Commission is set to meet on Thursday (April 13) at 6 p.m. The agenda is available here.
