Longtime MAC Councilmember Ken Carbone Resigns
There are now two empty spots on the seven-member Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC), as long-time member Ken Carbone announced he was stepping down at the conclusion of Monday night’s meeting.
Carbone has been involved in community governance for over 25 years, serving on the MAC and the County Planning Commission. He said the decision to resign has been on his mind for a while, and he wants to focus more on his work and personal life.
“I’m really thankful for having an opportunity to be a voice in this community,” said Carbone. “I want you guys to realize the value of the work you’re putting in.”
Carbone said that the highlights of his time serving Castro Valley included getting Trader Joe’s to come to town, working on the downtown streetscape, and helping the Lake Chabot Public Market open its doors.
“Serving the community has been a privilege and an honor,” said Carbone.
Carbone’s resignation comes about a month after Al Padro stepped down from the MAC. Applications to fill the vacancies will be available on Supervisor Nate Miley’s website: https://district4.acgov.org
Also, at Monday night’s meeting, the County planning staff provided the MAC with the latest in a series of updates on the “Central Business District Specific Plan” (CVCBDSP).
Beginning in the fall of 2022, the county has been focusing on the CVCBDSP, which is part of the larger Castro Valley General Plan.
The goal is to determine the community’s long-term vision for growth downtown. At this most recent workshop, county planner Rodrigo Orduna said they focused on urban design, mobility, and land use.
On the wish list from workshop participants:
Variety of restaurants with outdoor dining
A retail center with shops and restaurants
A bocce court and ice rink at the Rite Aid site
A gym and recreation center
A small business incubator
Parks, plazas, and open spaces that could host events and live music
The MAC thanked staff for collecting the information and the public for participating in the workshop but once again questioned how these big ideas would translate into reality.
As with previous meetings focused on the CVBDSP, the MAC expressed concerns about how traffic and parking coexist with a pedestrian-centered downtown. They said that while it’s natural for people to want to emulate downtowns like Pleasanton, Livermore, and Danville, those models may not translate to Castro Valley.
MAC member Chuck Moore reminded everyone that while we might have a wish list of businesses we’d like to see come to town, having a storefront sit empty while we hope for a better tenant is not ideal.
“One of our biggest challenges up here is managing the community's expectations,” said Moore. “We can’t just say, ‘We want something- do it.’ We have to be friendlier to businesses, or else we will not get them.”
Speaker and business owner Hera Alikian agreed, saying national retailers do extensive research before opening in communities, and they simply won’t come where they can’t turn a profit. So, realistically, Castro Valley will probably attract smaller businesses and should focus on better communicating with property owners.
“Sitting here and dreaming about what Castro Valley is going to become is not what will happen,” said Alikian. “We need to engage with property owners.”
The next step for the CVBDSP will be another community workshop in late June or early July.
Also, at Monday night’s meeting, the MAC unanimously approved an application to merge two lots and subdivide them into four parcels at 19351 Carlton Avenue for residential use. Another agenda item to add an extension to a single-family home at 17713 Chateau Court was continued.