Comprehensive General Plan Update and Environmental Review Consultant

The City of Walnut Creek’s Community Development Department (“City”) requests proposals from qualified, innovative firms (“Consultant” or “Proposer”) to prepare a visionary, yet implementable General Plan with a 25-year planning horizon.

To accomplish this General Plan Update, the selected Consultant shall design and implement a broad based, topic-driven public engagement plan that creatively and inclusively involves the community. This approach shall draw upon topic-area experts and existing City Commissions to provide technical insight to inform the process, with City Council direction at key milestones. Additionally, the Consultant(s) will conduct all necessary environmental analyses, prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Report (EIR), background studies, technical documents, public notices, and related deliverables and filings to support the draft General Plan. The City anticipates completing the update within a four-year period.

Following completion of the update, the City intends to pursue a comprehensive Zoning Code Update. The consultant selected through this RFP process may be considered for that subsequent effort under a separate agreement, at the City’s sole discretion. However, selection for this General Plan update project does not guarantee any award or participation in future work, including the Zoning Code update.

The City expects proposals from either a single firm with comprehensive capabilities or a multidisciplinary team. Proposals should include cost-effective strategies, leverage City resources where appropriate, and clearly outline which tasks will involve City staff participation. Additional background on the City’s history and General Plan update can be viewed here: General Plan Update 2050.

Proposals are due January 16, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.