Council Votes to Reject Base Reuse Project Term Sheet

At the continued special meeting on Jan. 28, the Concord City Council considered and voted on the proposed Term Sheet for the Base Reuse Project at the former Concord Naval Weapons Station.

The Council rejected the Concord First Partners, LLC (CFP) Term Sheet to develop the former Concord Naval Weapons station and directed staff to let the Exclusive Negotiating Agreement with CFP expire as of Jan. 31, 2023.

After Council questions of CFP and staff, the action was taken on a 3-2 vote (Mayor Hoffmeister, Councilmember Nakamura and Councilmember Obringer voting in the affirmative; Vice Mayor Birsan and Councilmember Aliano voting against the motion). Staff will determine the next steps for the Base Reuse project and will return to Council with their recommendations in the coming weeks.

A recording of the Jan. 28 meeting can be viewed here.

Homeless Strategic Plan Working Group Seeks Additional Members

The City of Concord is seeking a substance abuse professional, a mental health professional, and a business community representative (owns a business or commercial property in Concord) for its Homeless Strategic Plan Working Group. Applications for these three positions are due to the City Clerk by Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, at 5:00 p.m.

The Homeless Strategic Plan Working Group will act as an advisory body to Council, staff and the project consultants, and will meet in person once per month, at minimum, for approximately 9 to 12 months to hear, discuss, and provide feedback as the strategic plan is shaped. Members are expected to attend all meetings, read all materials, and be prepared to listen and engage on the topics discussed.  

The public recruitment for the other four positions (lived experience, nonprofit, veteran services, resident/property owner) is closed, and Council will be interviewing candidates for the closed positions at its Jan. 24 Council meeting.

At its Jan. 17 meeting, the Council extended the recruitment period for the substance abuse professional, mental health professional, and business community representative to encourage more application submittals.

Learn more about the Homeless Strategic Plan Working Group

Substance abuse professionals, mental health professionals, and Concord business/commercial property owners can Apply Here!

Concord Dog Parks to Close for Annual Maintenance

The City of Concord’s two dog parks are scheduled to be closed for annual turf renovation and general maintenance.  

• Newhall Dog Park will be closed from Monday, February 6 through Monday, March 13, 2023.  

• Baldwin Dog Park will be closed beginning on Tuesday, March 14 and will reopen on Monday, April 17, 2023.  

Renovations will include aeration, re-seeding, and fertilizing of the park’s natural turf. Newhall and Baldwin Park are one of Concord's popular amenities, and the City’s consistent maintenance and renovations help maintain the quality of the parks for Concord residents and their canine companions.   

Signs will be posted at the two facilities to inform and remind the community of the closures. Concord also has its “Rain Information” hotline at 925-671-3479 that will be updated with any future changes. 

Concerts Announced for Concord Pavilion 2023 Season

Live Nation has begun announcing shows for the upcoming 2023 concert season! Playing at the Concord Pavilion will be:

• April 20: Mastodon and Gojira. The heavy metal bands will be coheadlining with opener Lorna Shore as part of their Mega-Monsters Tour.
• August 5: Beck and Phoenix. Pairing together their indie-rock and French pop genres for their Summer Odyssey Tour, the Grammy-winning musicians will be playing with openers Jenny Lewis and Sir Chloe.
• Sept. 22: Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper. This heavy metal duo will be headlining together with openers Ministry and Filter for the Freaks on Parade Tour. (Note: Concord residents can purchase their tickets at the box office on Thursday, Feb. 2, one day before they go on sale to the general public. Learn more.)

You can purchase your tickets and find more information regarding the shows on the Live Nation website. Concord resident on-sale opportunities are announced on our social media pages. Stay tuned for more announcements!

Microbusiness & Nonprofit Grant Program Opens Second Round

A second round of funds is available from the Microbusiness and Nonprofit Grant Relief Program provided by the Chabot-Los Positas Community College District. The program provides grants of $2,500 to microbusinesses and nonprofits who were impacted by the COVID-19 health restrictions.

They are accepting applications from Jan. 18 to March 12 for Alameda, Contra Costa, and El Dorado counties. For more information about the grants and eligibility, visit their website or call 925-416-5143.

Concord Preschools Host Open House Feb. 11

Concord's Parks and Recreation Department will host its annual Preschool Open House on Saturday, Feb. 11, from 10 a.m. to noon at its two sites:

• Baldwin Park (2790 Parkside Circle)
• Centre Concord (5298 Clayton Road)

The Open House is a valuable resource for families seeking preschool options for the 2023-2024 school year, encouraging parents and children to get comfortable with the classroom and interact with the teachers. Concord's Preschool Program has offered its affordable half-day, play-based classes for 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds for more than 30 years. 

Enrollment for the 2023-2024 school year opens for new students at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 1, online only at Registration for 2023-2024 Preschool. 

Due to high demand, classes tend to fill quickly and caregivers are encouraged to view the 2023-2024 Class Schedule in advance online.

We look forward to meeting your family on Feb. 11!

Housing Element Update Process Moving Forward

At its Jan. 17 meeting, the Concord City Council provided direction regarding changes to the City's draft Housing Element Update (HEU) in response to comments from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). The next steps and public hearings have been set, as follows:

• On Friday, Feb. 24, a revised draft HEU will be released, incorporating Council’s direction. The draft will be provided in strikethrough/underline format, to allow easy identification of changes from the previous draft.

• On Monday, Feb. 27, the Planning Commission will conduct a Special Meeting to consider the revised draft and make a recommendation to Council regarding adoption. The meeting agenda and staff report will be posted here by Feb. 24.

• On Tuesday, March 14, the Council will consider adoption of the revised draft HEU. The meeting agenda and staff report will be posted here by March 10.

• If Council adopts the HEU, it will be submitted to HCD approximately one week later. HCD will then have 60 days to review the HEU and determine whether to certify it, or provide further comments.

• If HCD certifies, then the HEU process is complete. If not, then the above steps will repeat, with new Council and Planning Commission meetings announced via e-mail and the website. 

The City welcomes your input, and the above meetings will all provide an opportunity for public testimony and two-way Spanish translation. If you have any questions, please reach out to us at info@concordhousingelement.org or (925) 671-3465.

We're Hiring!

No need to commute when you can work locally here in Concord!

Concord is hiring for the following positions:

• Construction Inspector (Community Development) NEW
• Landscape Gardener (Public Works)
• Lifeguard/Swim Instructor I & II (Parks & Rec)
• Permit Center Technician (Community Development)
• Senior Application Software Analyst (Information Technology) NEW
• Senior Network System Engineer (Information Technology) NEW
• Police Dispatcher (Police Dept.)
• ...and more

Apply Today!

Learn More About Your City: Apply Now for the Concord Community Academy

Want to know more about how City decisions are made, funds are allocated and local government operates?

Join us for the Spring 2023 session of the Concord Community Academy! This program is free and open to individuals age 18 years and older who live, work or own a business in Concord.

Through the six-week program, you will meet and talk with City elected officials and staff, participate in lively discussions and interactive exercises, connect with fellow residents, expand your knowledge about City operations, and become more informed about projects that will shape Concord's future.

Participants must be able to attend all six sessions, which will be held:

• Saturday, April 22, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Thursday, April 27, 6-9 p.m.
• Thursday, May 4, 6-9 p.m.
• Thursday, May 11, 6-9 p.m. 
• Thursday, May 18, 6-9 p.m.
• Saturday, May 20, 8:30 a.m.-noon

Learn More and Apply Today!

The City of Concord's upcoming public meetings include:

• Wednesday, Feb. 1: Planning Commission
• Tuesday, Feb. 7: City Council
• Wednesday, Feb. 8: Zoning Administrator - CANCELLED
• Thursday, Feb. 9: Design Review Board
• Tuesday, Feb. 14: City Council
• Tuesday, Feb. 14: Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Steering Committee
• Wednesday, Feb. 15: Planning Commission
• Wednesday, Feb. 15: Concord/Pleasant Hill Health Care District Grant Committee - CANCELLED

See the full calendar.

To receive email or text notifications when the meeting agendas are posted, please subscribe to alerts using the "Notify Me" tool on the City's website.

City Council and Planning Commission meetings are broadcast live on Concord TV (Astound/Wave 29 and 1026, Comcast 28, U-verse 99) and streamed through the City's website as well as rebroadcast at later times.