Politics & Government

City Sets Process For Sale of Mount Diablo Boulevard Parcel

Walnut Creek council discusses environmental and economic impacts.

The City Council Tuesday moved forward with plans for the sale of a city-owned parcel in a prime retail location.

The plot in question, a former Standard Oil service station, is at 1500 Mount Diablo Blvd., at the corner of Main Street. It's a prime location for shoppers with a fancy new Neiman Marcus store opening in March.

Council members advised staff to proceed with a plan for reviewing bids from three parties.

With the idea that construction excavation might uncover more underground pollution than is now anticipated, the council directed staff to explore the comfort level of the three potential developers with the potential of brownfield cleanup. Staff is to interview the three applicants and then schedule a time for them to present plans to the full council in the next couple of months.

Council member Kristina Lawson asked that, as the process proceeds closer to a sale, the council discuss where the tax revenue generated by the sale of the parcel will be directed for the city. There has been some discussion of directing revenue to the downtown parking fund, Lawson said.

Council member Gary Skrel said the economic development of this parcel is an "important connection of south of Mount Diablo (Boulevard) and north of Mount Diablo."

The city has owned the land since 1976. In the late 1990s, it was used as a temporary location for Bank of America.

The site includes underground storage tanks with "the presence of hydrocarbons in the soil," according to the staff report. There are three wells monitoring the pollutants.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here