An Update on the Castro Valley Specific Plan Update
On Tuesday January 6th, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors held their regular Planning Committee meeting. One item on the agenda was a recap by Albert Lopez, Director of the Alameda County Planning Department on the status of the major initiatives of the Planning Department. A large part of his recap …
The Week Ahead: The meetings that matter for the week of January 5, 2015
Tuesday, January 6, 2015 Alameda County Board of Supervisors Board of Supervisors Chamber – 5th Floor County Administration Building 1221 Oak Street Oakland Regular Meeting starts at 9:30 a.m. Planning Meeting starts at 1:00 p.m. There are quite a few items on the Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting agenda; however, it is …
The “Town Council” Movement of LA County
While researching the different ways unincorporated areas around California work with their Counties, I learned about the unique Town Councils of Los Angeles County. They act in an advisory role and are much like a Municipal Advisory Council (MAC,) but are not connected to the county government in any way. …
1960 Castro Valley General Plan – What Might Have Been
So, what exactly is a “General Plan?” According to the Alameda County Planning Department, it is: A General Plan is a long range policy document approved by the Board of Supervisors to guide physical, economic, and environmental growth. State law requires the County to have a General Plan which contains …
Paying for Sidewalks in Castro Valley
At the October 20, 2014 Castro Valley MAC meeting, Art Carrera of Alameda County Public Works estimated that installing sidewalks on Anita Avenue and Somerset Avenue would cost up to $4 million for each street. Carrera also noted that about “ten years ago”, the cost of installing sidewalks everywhere needed in …
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 …
An Elected Castro Valley MAC: The Affordable Truth
Castro Valley could elect its Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) at a fraction of the cost asserted by Alameda County officials at recent Eden Area Livability Initiative (EALI) Governance Working Group meetings. Based on research of elections within Alameda County and throughout the State of California coupled with publicly available information, something …
A Community Advisory Council – Better Than a MAC?
One of the ideas being examined by the Eden Area Livability Initiative is that of having the Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) be an elected body rather than an appointed one. The County has reported that this would be very expensive, and not “economically feasible.” In a previous article, …
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 …
Proctor Court and Neighborhood Concerns
UPDATE: The Proctor Court Development will be addressed at the MAC Meeting on Monday, September 8. This Monday, August 25, the Castro Valley community will hear the latest plan for the “Proctor Court” Development. The project has come before the MAC two previous times and each MAC meeting resulted in …