Richmond Planning Commission 11/5/2026

The Richmond Planning Commission meeting on November 5, 2026, approved Resolution 26-17 for Chevron Richmond refinery’s wet gas scrubber project, including the addendum to the 2018 environmental impact report, a conditional use permit, and a design review permit (PLN24-098). The project is intended to reduce particulate matter emissions by about 44% and includes a roughly 199-foot scrubber and supporting infrastructure. The commission’s approval included revised tribal cultural-resource conditions and a lighting-related condition for staff to finalize after considering feasibility. No contract award or project cost was reported. A representative of the construction trades council said the work could generate hundreds of thousands of union construction hours and local apprenticeship opportunities. The project still requires additional air-district, water-quality, and building approvals before construction and operation.

The commission also received, without taking action, the 2025 housing element annual progress report. Staff said two RFPs for groups of surplus city parcels in downtown Richmond would be issued shortly to create housing-development opportunities. Staff also reported that Metro Walk Phase 2, a 150-unit affordable housing project, received a HUD award of approximately $42 million, with building permits under review. The presentation reviewed state housing laws that streamline approvals and shape local review processes; no related procurement vote was taken.