The 7/20/2015 Castro Valley MAC meeting included discussion of three options for relandscaping the Norbridge median. The representative from Questa Engineering explained their 3 options the cost differences, and the reasons behind this project. She mentioned that they had begun this project in the Fall, long before the new drought regulations that took place in April.

Public Comments

• I spoke in favor of re-landscaping. I pointed out that some of the plants may need to be tweaked, and I recommended option #3.
• Michael Kusiak spoke in favor of option #1, noted that Norbridge is part of a neighborhood redevelopment district, and mentioned that this is an opportunity to help form an neighborhood improvement option.

MAC Discussion

• Chair Marc Crawford asked where the money was coming for this project and Bill Leperre said that the County has a contingency fund in the budget for projects like this this. Crawford also asked for more color and does not want to repeat the mistakes made on the Library Landscaping. He wants gravel or “DG” instead of bark. He is not concerned about the water use. According to Crawford, “low water use plants are not attractive…if some of the plants use a little more water, it should be okay.”
• Vice-Chair Cheryl Miraglia prefers a hybrid of options 1 and 3. She emphasized color and wanted more plantings and no native grasses.
• Shelia Cunha agreed with Marc about the bark and noted that it fades and needs to be replaced over time.

Meeting Outcome

All of these comments and recommendations from the MAC and the public were taken down by the Landscape Architect and will be used to modify the proposals and then the project will come back before the MAC again. Susan Teague asked if the community would be given more notice about these meetings and given more chances to comment. Miraglia suggested that it could be better publicized, and the community could have another chance to comment at that MAC meeting.