HAPPENING THIS WEEK:
FRIDAY
SUNDAY
TUESDAY
BBQ AXE BREW ROTARY EVENT
FREE MOTHER’S DAY ORCHESTRA CONCERT
CV ROTARY SOCIAL MIXER
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM A COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SERVING CASTRO VALLEY SINCE 1989
YEAR 35
INSIDE YOUR
FORUM
NEWS
WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 2023
NO. 19
101st Annual Rowell Ranch Rodeo: Fence, Big Kickoff Parade is This Saturday Variance Mulled MAC MEETING
By Mike McGuire
CASTRO VALLEY VALLEY FORUM FORUM CASTRO
A Huge Huge Win Win A
CVHS wins this year’s NorCal State Science Olympiad Tournament
Page 33 Page NEWS
Bud or or Bloom Bloom Bud
Connection between “success” and our perceptions over time
Page 44 Page NEWS
For You, You, Mom Mom For
Several Mother’s Day programs in the East Bay Regional Parks
Page 12 12 Page
INDEX INDEX Calendar ................ ................ 55 Calendar Classified Ads Ads ....... ....... 88 Classified Crosswords ........... ........... 99 Crosswords Health & & Fitness Fitness ..... ..... 44 Health Homes ...................... ...................... 66 Homes Opinions ............... ............... 11 11 Opinions Our Town Town ................. ................. 33 Our Sheriff’s Report Report ..... ..... 33 Sheriff’s Sports .................. .................. 12 12 Sports Weather ................ Weather ................ 22 WWW.MYCVFORUM.COM WWW.MYCVFORUM.COM
It’s Rodeo time again, and “Let’s Ride!” is the theme starting with the big kickoff By Amy Sylvestri parade down Castro Valley CASTRO VALLEY FORUM FORUM CASTRO VALLEY Boulevard this Saturday, May 13. The Castro Valley Rotary is A property owner with again a proud sponsor, joined a too-tall fence got a rejecby Carol Bigelow, Classy Cation from the Castro Valley nine’s Wiggle Rumps groomMunicipal Council (MAC) ing spa, Redwood Christian at its Monday night meeting, Schools, and Supervisor Nate while another homeowner got Miley, among many others. the go-ahead to expand their century-old home. Start Parade Day itself off with the Alameda County The MAC denied an appliFirefighters’ annual pancake cation for a variance that would breakfast, held at the fire have allowed a six-foot fence station on San Miguel Avenue in an area zoned for fences that across from Adobe Park and are a maximum of four feet at just north of Castro Valley 3675 Christensen Lane. The FILE PHOTO PHOTO CREDIT: CREDIT: MIKE MIKE KADY KADY property owner has installed a FILE Boulevard. It starts at 7 a.m. The Castro Castro Valley Valley Rotary Rotary is is once once again again aa proud proud sponsor sponsor of of the the Rowell Rowell Ranch Ranch and runs until 10 a.m. and wooden fence in the front yard The Rodeo parade, parade, taking taking place place this this Saturday Saturday at at 10 10 am am on on Castro Castro Valley Valley Boulevard. Boulevard. that reaches heights of six feet benefits the ALCO firefighters’ Rodeo charity fund. tall in places. The area isn’t Shriners, and the Alameda expected to march, or ride, The parade leaves the stag- community groups and local zoned for this, so they requested but were ultimately denied a County Sheriff’s Mounted ing area at the BART station, businesses, competing for priz- in the parade along Castro Posse. The Moose Lodge and variance. travels on Nunes Avenue, and es in several categories which Valley Boulevard. Among Masonic Homes of California reaches Castro Valley Boule- will be awarded immediately them are veterans from the The applicant, John Feeny, after its conclusion. American Legion and Veterans will be there, too. vard at 10. It features marchsaid the fence was necessary see ROWELL on page 4 for children’s safety. But the of Foreign Wars, the Aahmes ing bands and entries from More than 60 entries are MAC said they didn’t see a reason to make an exception to an existing rule in this case. “I think the residential guidelines should be upheld,” said MAC member Ken Carbone. “A four-foot fence is adequate.” The MAC said the site had a history of “poor planning” since it was approved for subdivision as a duplex on two “We have a retail core By Michael Singer parcels in the 1990s. Flash downtown that needs accesCASTRO VALLEY VALLEY FORUM FORUM CASTRO forward 30 years to February sible parking,” said Castro 2022, and the site was cited for It’s been 30 years since an- Valley Municipal Advisory a code enforcement violation by yone looked at Castro Valley’s Council (MAC) member Ken the County for having a fence development plan for its busi- Carbone on behalf of a small that exceeded allowable height. ness zones. So last Wednesday, group reporting back from a A subsequent appeal was the county initiated a series of brainstorming session. “Parkdenied by the Board of Zoning public meetings to understand ing on Castro Valley Boulevard Adjustments (BZA) in April what people want to see in the can be a problem because of that year, and the Board of many of the vehicles are next 10-15 years, whether it’s Supervisors later upheld the downtown, near BART, or oth- parked longer than the posted BZA’s decision in June 2022. er areas close to the Boulevard. 2-hour restrictions. We need The goal goal of of the the Castro Castro Valley Valley General General Plan Plan ImpleImpleThe mentation Project Project is is to to make make well-informed well-informed decideciThe fence was declared a “pubThe consistent request from better traffic enforcement and mentation sions consistent consistent with with the the community’s community’s long-term long-term sions lic nuisance.” The property the 75 people attending seemed perhaps a parking garage.” vision for for growth growth and and well-being. well-being. see MAC on page 2 see FUTURE on page 10 vision to be for more parking.
Shaping Future Of Downtown