The Plan

Alameda County is undertaking a comprehensive update of the 1985 Castro Valley General Plan—“A New General Plan for Castro Valley.” The Castro Valley Planning Area (see map) is generally bounded by Foothill Boulevard on the west, the City of Hayward to the south, the Pleasanton Ridge to the east and the Contra Costa County line to the north and east. The General Plan will cover the urbanized areas of Castro Valley within the urban growth boundary that County voters adopted with the passage of Measure D. In July 2008, the Board of Supervisors revised the boundaries of the Castro Valley Urban Area to include El Portal Ridge, Fairmont, and Hillside Knolls, areas that were within the 1985 Plan boundaries but shifted to the Eden Planning Area in 2002.

The new plan will provide a framework for decisions relating to growth and development, provision of public services and facilities, and protection and enhancement of the natural environment within the Measure D boundary. Land use and resource policies for lands outside the urban growth boundary will be addressed by the Alameda County Resources, Open Space, and Agriculture (ROSA) Element that the County will adopt in the near future.

Preparation of a new General Plan for Castro Valley gives the community an opportunity to decide how additional development, both residential and non-residential, shall be accommodated in the future.

Residential development policies for Castro Valley will respond to three major considerations: Castro Valley's share of Alameda County's regional housing needs; the Measure D urban growth boundary on urban growth; and residents' desire to maintain the quality of Castro Valley's neighborhoods.

Non-residential development will concentrate on the areas adjacent to “The Boulevard” (Castro Valley Boulevard, the area’s main commercial street.) A critical component of this planning effort will be exploration of alternative approaches to promote the development of a vibrant town center offering a range of retail goods and services and public facilities, as well as additional housing and employment.

Concurrent with the general planning process, a targeted Redevelopment Strategic Plan for Castro Valley Boulevard and the Central Business District (CBD) is underway. The Strategic Plan is intended to present an economic development strategy and streetscape design that will enhance the economic potential of the CBD, consistent with the General Plan’s broader goals, objectives, and policies. In addition to synchronizing project schedules and convening joint meetings to the extent practicable, the two consultant teams will share findings to produce coordinated results and make both efforts as efficient as possible.

In addition to guiding development and land use decisions, the new plan will address issues of concern to residents such as traffic circulation, community character & quality of life, cultural facilities, and open space & recreation.

Once complete, the New General Plan for Castro Valley and the Castro Valley Redevelopment Strategic Plan will replace the existing 1985 Castro Valley Plan. Together with the County’s Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance, these plans provide the rules that govern physical and economic development in Castro Valley.