News from the City of Concord

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Welcome to the City of Concord's e-newsletter. This publication is designed to keep you informed about what's happening in your community. Sign up here to subscribe to our City News updates.

Stay Connected During Emergencies

Like other communities watching the devastation in Southern California, the City of Concord is deeply saddened by the tragic wildfires, and we express our sincere condolences to everyone who has been affected by these recent events.

We would like to take this opportunity to remind residents about ways to stay informed about local emergencies.

Please register for the Contra Costa County Community Warning System, which alerts residents and businesses within the county that are impacted by or are in danger of being impacted by an emergency.

The automated phone, text, and email messages sent through this system will include basic information about the incident and what specific protective actions (shelter in place, lockdown, evacuate, avoid the area, etc.) are necessary to protect life and health.

You can sign up online.

In addition, the Concord Police Department uses social media platforms Facebook and Instagram to communicate emergencies, including information about missing people. Please be sure to follow their pages:

Concord Police Facebook

Concord Police Instagram

To understand your evacuation zone, please utilize Zonehaven, a platform that allows residents to view real-time evacuation information, including evacuation routes, shelters, and resource centers in their immediate area.

The map is updated in real time, so residents can check regularly for zone status information. Knowing what to do before, during, and after an emergency evacuation is critical to saving lives, and understanding your emergency zone is a valuable tool for emergency preparedness.

In addition, the City of Concord utilizes other communications tools, including Concord TV, Nextdoor, X/Twitter, and the City’s website. Please bookmark these pages.

Learn more about how to prepare for disasters through the resources on our Office of Emergency Services web page.

Stay safe, Concord!

Concord's Emergency Training Program, CERT, to Begin May 31

Concord’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is offering a Basic CERT course this spring, hosted at the Concord Police Department over three weekends. While the Spring class is geared toward teens and young adults, it is open to participants of all ages.

The four-hour sessions will take place on the following dates:

May 31-June 1
June 7-8
June 14
June 21

Classes run from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. each day. Topics include personal and home preparedness for all-hazard emergencies, radio communications, utility and hazardous materials safety, fire safety, disaster medical response, and pet preparedness.

The session on June 14 will involve a four-hour skills exercise. Attendance at all sessions, including the exercise, is required for graduation. To register, please visit the Concord CERT website.

Concord Launches ADU Rebate Program

The City of Concord has launched a rebate program that will provide up to $15,000 to property owners who apply to build an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on their property. The rebates will be provided on a first-come, first serve basis while funds last, and applications must be submitted prior to Sept. 30, 2026 to be considered for the program.

The funds were provided through a $277,226 grant to the City of Concord by the California Housing Finance Agency to incentivize housing production, including low-income housing. This is part of a $2.5 million initiative to facilitate the construction of hundreds of ADUs in the East Bay.

Concord’s recently updated and approved Housing Element identifies the need for the City to plan for the addition of 5,000 more housing units of all types by 2031.

REBATE AMOUNTS

Low-Income Restricted ADUs (20-year property deed restriction required):

$15,000 for units smaller than 500 square feet
$10,000 for units 501-750 square feet
$5,000 for units 751-1,000 square feet

Non-Restricted ADUs:

$7,500 for units smaller than 500 square feet
$5,000 for units 501-750 square feet
$2,500 for units 751-1,000 square feet

No rebates will be offered for units larger than 1,000 square feet.

If approved, the rebate will be reserved for the applicant, but it is not paid until the ADU is complete and the building permit is finalized. The building permit must be issued within six months from the rebate application date, and the ADU construction must be complete, and the building permit finalized within 18 months of the permit being issued; otherwise, the rebate will be forfeited.

In addition to the rebate program, the City of Concord has made it easier for property owners to launch their ADU project by offering free, pre-approved ADU plans, which are available on the City’s website.

Learn more at: www.cityofconcord.org/ADU

Mayor Obringer to Deliver Annual State of the City Address Feb. 6

Concord Mayor Carlyn Obringer will deliver the annual State of the City address at the 40th Annual Mayor's luncheon on Thursday, February 6 from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at the Hilton Concord.

Tickets are now on sale for the event, which is hosted by the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce.

Participants will have the opportunity to network with business and civic leaders and learn about the City's priorities for the year ahead.

Willow Pass Road Construction Ramps Up, Includes Saturdays

Construction activities for two projects on Willow Pass Road have resumed following a holiday break. Work for these two projects will occur on Willow Pass Road between East Street and Landana Drive. This work is being coordinated to ensure that work areas do not overlap or become within close proximity of each other to avoid traffic control conflicts.

The Willow Pass Repaving Safe Route to Transit (SR2T) Improvement Project (Project No. 2449) will be constructing concrete sidewalk, curb, and gutter and curb ramps throughout the next few months on Willow Pass Road from Port Chicago Highway to Landana Drive. Additionally, for the next couple of weeks shoulder-widening work will take place adjacent to the Contra Costa Canal with paving work anticipated to begin in June.

The Willow Pass and Landana Sewer Capacity Improvements Project (Project No. 2702/2704) will be performing sewer main line replacement with a pipe-bursting method on Willow Pass Road between East Street and Landana Drive. There will be various lane closure alignments which will include shifting all traffic to one side of Willow Pass Road with one-way traffic in each direction. There will also be various side street closures and left-turn lane closures. Detours will be set up to guide motorists around these closures.

The lane closure hours for weekday work will be 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Starting on Saturday, January 18, the Saturday lane closures hours will be 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. every Saturday until the completion of work which is anticipated for mid-May, weather permitting.

When possible, please avoid using Willow Pass Road during the aforementioned work hours to minimize traffic delays. Please observe all construction and detour signage for the safety of yourself and others.

A map of the project area and more information is available at: www.cityofconcord.org/WillowPass.

BART Weekend Construction Scheduled for Jan. 18-19

BART riders should expect some delays this weekend, January 18-19, as crews will be working on a section of trackway between the Downtown Concord station and the Walnut Creek station.

A free bus bridge provided by AC Transit and County Connection will transport riders between the Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre, and Concord stations. The Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre Station will be closed, but buses will still serve the station. Riders can expect delays of 20-30 minutes in the work area on the shutdown weekend.

Riders heading toward San Francisco may want to start their journey at the Walnut Creek station, where ample parking is available.

This project includes replacing 7,600 feet of aging rail and performing vegetation management on BART property. The work will be concentrated between Walnut Creek and Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre stations.

Replacing equipment that has outlived its design life improves the safety and reliability of our service. Proactive vegetation management prevents delays caused by trees falling onto the trackway during winter storms. By combining the work, BART will reduce the impact on riders and the community.

Because crews will be working around the clock, neighbors can expect noise from welding and grinding as well as chainsaws and other equipment for vegetation management. Crews will also use lights at night and back-up alarms for worker safety.

Appointments Available for One-on-One Business Advising

The East Bay Small Business Development Center (SBDC) has partnered with Concord's Economic Development & Base Reuse Department to provide no-cost, one-on-one in-person advising sessions to help small businesses start, grow, and thrive!

Location: Concord City Hall – Wing A conference room (Wing A is the building with the double glass doors), 1950 Parkside Drive Concord, CA 94519

Schedule: Mondays through June 30

1:15 p.m. – 5 p.m. (45-minute appointments)

For more information or additional support, please contact the East Bay SBDC directly by calling (510) 885-4801. If you require assistance in Spanish, please sign up at eastbaysbdc.org/join.

Summer Camp Registration Opens Jan. 15

Get a head start on summer planning!

Registration for all programs in the Summer Camps & Swim Guide is now open at www.concordreg.org. From Roblox World Creators and Parkour Foundation to traditional day camps and sports, there is something for everyone! Please note that popular programs like swim lessons and the Backyard Explorers day camp tend to fill quickly.

Summer Camp Expo & Hiring Fair

For people interested in meeting camp staff, learning more about specific programs, or pursuing a summer job as a camp counselor, swim instructor, or lifeguard, the Recreation Services team will host its annual Summer Camp Expo and Hiring Fair on Saturday, February 22 at Todos Santos Plaza from 10 a.m. to 1p.m. Come see us!

Help Local Teens Get Prom-Ready with Formal Attire

It's almost prom season, and the Concord Library is once again making sure that all local teens who need an outfit for prom have one.

Please consider donating a gently used or new dress, formal wear, suit, tie, formal accessories, or any prom-related items to a teen in need, who can find the perfect look through the Library’s Pop-Up Prom Shops.

Event dates at the Concord Library (2900 Salvio St.) are Tuesday, Feb. 18 and Wednesday, Feb. 19, and at Project Second Chance (2151 Salvio St.) on Feb. 5, 6 and 7. Other dates will be announced soon.

If you have any questions, please contact the Concord Library: 925-646-5455.

Concord Seeks Applicants for Iron Horse Corridor Advisory Committee

At its January 14 meeting, the City Council announced a recruitment for the City of Concord’s representative on the Iron Horse Corridor Management Program Advisory Committee to fill one opening for a two-year term ending January 31, 2027; and setting a deadline of Friday, February 14 at 5 p.m. for receipt of applications by the City Clerk.

The Iron Horse Corridor Management Program Advisory Committee includes seats for one representative from each jurisdiction or unincorporated community along the corridor (Alamo, City of Concord, City of San Ramon, Town of Danville, City of Walnut Creek, and City of Pleasant Hill); a District III seat; a District IV seat; and a seat for the East Bay Regional Park District.

The Corridor extends approximately 18 miles from near Mayette Avenue in Concord to the Alameda County line. In 2000, the Board of Supervisors expanded the Advisory Committee’s role to continue to work on implementing and monitoring the Landscape Element of the Management Program and to assist in completion of the Joint Use Criteria and Standards, Public Information and Finance Elements of the Management Program.

Apply today!

Civil Grand Jury Seeks Applicants for 2025-26 Term

The Contra Costa County Superior Court is accepting applications for Civil Grand Jury Service for the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 term.

Contra Costa County’s Grand Jury consists of 19 citizens. A new Grand Jury is impaneled each year. Grand Jurors are officers of the Court, and function as an independent body under the guidance of a Superior Court Judge.

Apart from the investigations mandated by the California Penal Code, each County’s Grand Jury decides what it will investigate. Investigations may be initiated in response to letters from citizens, newspaper articles, and personal knowledge

Learn more and apply today!

Public Meetings Calendar

The City of Concord's upcoming public meetings include:

Wednesday, January 15: Planning Commission
Wednesday, January 15: Commission on Aging
Wednesday, January 22: Zoning Administrator
Thursday, January 23: Design Review Board
Thursday, January 23: Community Services Commission - Special Meeting
Tuesday, January 28: City Council

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.

City of Concord | www.cityofconcord.org