Proposed Castro Valley Boulevard Landscaping Changes A Waste of Water, Money and Time
Anyone who is interested in the look of our downtown — specifically landscaping on Castro Valley Boulevard — should attend a meeting slated for Wednesday, October 29, at 5 p.m. in the Castro Valley Library. Alameda County is considering changes to the existing plantings, detailed in a press release issued …
The History of “Castro Valley Tan”
“Why is Castro Valley Boulevard so tan?” Many people have spoken up complaining about the overall drabness in our Downtown business district. How did this come to be? Why is colorfulness discouraged, and remodeled buildings are awash in “50 Shades of Beige?” Lets take a look at the history. Castro …
Where to Save on Sales Tax
Note: This is the second post in a series about sales taxes and how they apply to unincorporated areas like Castro Valley. Click here for the first post. How far would you travel to save $20 when you purchase your next flat screen TV? If you’re like me, you’re looking forward to football …
Sales Tax and Castro Valley: Fireworks that Fizzle
If you thought that the addition of T.J.Maxx would bring lots of sales tax money into Castro Valley, well, you’d be wrong. If you thought that a renovated and bustling Daughtrey’s Building would bring in lots of sales tax revenue into Castro Valley, well, you’d still be wrong. The truth …
Castro Valley Billboards Become Outdoor Museum Galleries
A new project is fighting billboard blight on Castro Valley Boulevard with art…at least temporarily. The Art Everywhere US Project aims to make art more accessible and “is the first of its kind in the US and follows a successful 2013 version in the UK, with plans to be repeated this summer. It affords …
EALI Joint Leadership Meeting Report
On Wednesday, July 29, the Eden Area Livability Initiative (EALI) Joint Leadership met to give the community an update on the progress of each working group. Each update was followed by a chance for Q&A with the attendees. There were also updates on a few of the Phase I EALI …
MAC Land Use Meeting Recap
On Monday, July 28, a small crowd gathered at the Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) meeting to hear the MAC consider 3 issues. Here is a brief summary of the night. Item One: The MAC considered the issuance of a conditional use permit to Verizon Wireless, allowing them to …
What is the Alameda County Community Development Agency up to?
Chris Bazar, Director for the Alameda County Community Development Agency (CDA), presented on the goals and accomplishments of his agency at last night’s Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) meeting. According to CDA’s Financial Statement in the 2014-2015 Alameda County budget, CDA’s appropriation for the 2014-2015 fiscal year is $69,264,745. …
The Daughtrey Contract and (lack of) Local Control in Castro Valley
The provisions in the developer contract for the Daughtrey building highlight the lack of local control in Castro Valley.
What’s Going into the Former Daughtrey Building? Let’s Check the Contract!
We’ve been reading the developer agreement for the Daughtrey’s Building, trying to understand what Castro Valley will get out of it, and what say, if any, we will have in it. Section 6.2 (page 25) of the agreement stipulates: “The Developer acknowledges that certain proposed uses, and/or tenants of the …