Photo Credit: YouTube

(SAN RAMON, CA.) – The San Ramon City Council held a special meeting on Apr. 7 to discuss the Public Hearing of the Orchards Development Project. The objective of the Public Hearing was to listen to the Appeal made by lifelong San Ramon resident Brian Swanson regarding the approval by the Planning Commission of the Orchards Development Project.

Sunset Development Company purchased the Chevron Corporation Office Park located at 6001 Bollinger Canyon Road back in 2022. Between 2022 and 2023, there was a series of public study sessions on the potential redevelopment of the property.

Exact dates of those sessions as provided in the agenda: Dec. 6, 2022, Jan. 24 and 31, 2023, Mar. 7 and 8, 2023, Apr. 14, 2023, and Jul. 18, 2023.

The Planning Commission conducted three public hearings (Dec. 16, 2025; Jan. 20, 2026; and Feb. 3, 2026) on the proposed Project.

On Feb. 3, 2026, after receiving public comments, the Planning Commission closed the public hearing, deliberated, and approved the Orchards Development Project applications. Within the 10-day appeal period following the Planning Commission’s approval, the City received an appeal on Feb. 12, 2026 from Brian Swanson opposing the Planning Commission’s action related to eight specified points.

Photo Credit: Screenshot of email from Swanson to City Clerk

This meeting began with the staff presentation, given on behalf of Planning Division Manager Cindy Yee. As stated on the Planning Services website, “The proposed development project would demolish the former Chevron office park; subdivide the property to create three Districts on approximately 92 acres for Mixed-Use, Multi-Family, and Single Family/Townhomes uses; a master plan to construct 2,510 residential units over the course of 20 years; a development plan for the Neighborhood District consisting of 368 units and 58 accessory dwelling units, and develop associated private roads, parking and landscape.”

Yee concluded her presentation by recommending that the council deny the appeal filed by Swanson and approve the Orchards Project.

Both Swanson and public commenters state how baffling it is for residents to keep up. I myself researched and read through hundreds of pages of combined documents and watched the entire meeting video. This level of effort to obtain enough information for just a basic understanding of the situation is frustrating for residents, who time and time again have asked for the transparency and digestible information that defines clear communication.

One fact that was certain was how obvious it felt that Swanson was essentially doomed from the start.

Photo Credit: City of San Ramon

The agenda was posted on Apr. 6, the day before the meeting commenced. As evidenced by the documents, the time stamp of when the entry was created was on Mar. 31 and last modified on Apr. 2, way before the Apr. 7 meeting even took place. Multiple documents posted online clearly show how the Planning Commission swayed the City Council before the meeting even took place, making up their minds for the council without truly giving Swanson a fair chance.

The council went through the motion of letting Swanson step up to the mic and give his appeal speech, even extending his 15-minute time allotment to further discuss his reasoning; but in the end, it didn’t matter, as Swanson was seemingly ill-fated all along.

Councilman Robert Jweinat became very heated, standing up at one point and throwing stacks of documents on the desk, shouting back and forth with Swanson; even Vice Mayor Marisol Rubio sounded exasperated with Swanson.

Video Credit: YouTube

After the presentation by Swanson was given, Mayor Mark Armstrong opened the floor to public comments. Many residents took to the mic to raise their concerns, and this meeting was not the first time it’s happened.

Our very own OpGov.News reporter Angela Underwood first published an article back on Dec. 17, 2025 on the proposed Orchard Development, and how at that meeting, residents voiced their concerns against the project. “Residents oppose development, elected officials don’t care, and before you know it, construction signs line the streets,” Underwood reports.

Former Mayor Greg Carr spoke first addressing how the appeal “had 8 points…I would like to see us go back to that, address each of the 8 appeal points.”

Bollinger resident Kirsten Dunatov stepped up to the mic for the first time, extremely concerned about the traffic issues this development will cause.

“Traffic is terrible already and I can’t imagine what’s going to happen when all this housing comes in.” Dunatov ends by saying, “It just seems like we raise issues and nobody listens to us.”

Three more speakers expressed their support for Swanson’s appeal and reiterated their valid worries.

After public comments closed, Mayor Armstrong went on to parrot everything that was already stated by the Planning Commission: “I am inclined to support the Planning Commission’s decision and deny the appeal.”

All council members agree that there is not enough evidence given by the appellant and the resolution was with the motion unanimously passing to deny the appeal filed by Swanson.

I was able to reach out to Swanson via email and attached to this article is a screenshot of what he shared exclusively with me.

Photo Credit: Screenshot of email Swanson shared with me

“I've addressed all the issues and provided the required details. Council members chose not to read or comprehend what was written, any parts of my presentation, or the accompanying slide deck.” One line in particular that stood out was the fact that he admitted, “I was not surprised by the unanimous decision to deny my appeal.”

Even though the appeal was denied, Swanson will not let this set him back. He personally shared with me his submitted written public comment to be read during the upcoming Architectural Review Board Meeting on Apr. 9. Updates to be added when that meeting concludes and how the public reacts to these ongoing discussions.

If you have any comments or questions, please email me at kathleen.p@lead4earth.org or comment below.

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