Why Can't Walnut Creek Build 3 Bedroom Apartments with a Playground?

4 hours ago

Walnut Creek's Design Review Commission is reviewing a new apartment building on Botelho Drive that uses state density bonus law to bypass zoning restrictions.
The proposed building lacks three or four-bedroom units and has an interior courtyard with limited sunlight, reducing options for families.
Most apartments have only one window wall, hindering ventilation and increasing HVAC costs, while the double-loaded corridor design limits natural light.
Other countries like Denmark offer denser, family-friendly designs with multiple-aspect windows, balconies, and sunlit courtyards with playgrounds.
Key constraints in Walnut Creek include minimum parking requirements, outdated parking standards, two-stairway exit rules, height restrictions, and costly elevator codes.
Suggested solutions include reducing parking space, updating codes for self-driving cars, reforming stairway regulations, and advocating for elevator code changes.
The author urges city commissions to acknowledge regulatory issues and pursue reforms to enable affordable, livable family housing with amenities like playgrounds.

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