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Sandra Rivera, Agency Director

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General Plan, Specific Plans & Ordinances

General Plan

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 seven elements: Land Use; Circulation; Housing; Open Space; Conservation; Safety and Noise. The plan expresses the County's vision for the future and is the roadmap for achieving the community's desired quality of life. It is an assessment of current and future needs, and the resources needed to implement the goals and policies established. As the needs of the County change, the Planning Department with citizen comment and input makes recommendations to the Board of Supervisors to reflect the direction for the future and to update the General Plan.

The County General Plan consists of several documents. Three area plans contain land use and circulation elements for their respective geographic areas, as well as area specific goals, policies and actions for circulation, open space, conservation, safety, and noise. The Eden Area comprises the communities of Ashland, Cherryland, Hayward Acres, San Lorenzo, and Fairview. The Castro Valley Area includes the Castro Valley urban area and the surrounding canyonlands. The remaining unincorporated area makes up the East County. The countywide Housing, Conservation, Open Space, Noise, Seismic and Safety, and Scenic Route Elements contain goals, policies, and actions that apply to the entire unincorporated area.

General Plan Annual Report

Government Code Section 65400(b)(1) mandates that the County to prepare an annual report on the status of the General Plan and progress in its implementation. In addition, it is required that this report be submitted to the State Department of Housing and Community Development (State HCD) and the Governor's Office of Planning and Research (OPR). The Reports are provided below.

Castro Valley Area Plan

• Entire Document   (PDF - 64.5Mb) *
• Cover   (PDF - 4.2Mb) *
• Title Page   (PDF - 431Kb) *
• Table of Contents   (PDF - 429Kb) *
• Chapter 1 - Introduction   (PDF - 1.39Mb) *
• Chapter 2 - Vision for Castro Valley 2025   (PDF - 221Kb) *
• Chapter 3 - Community Development Strategy   (PDF - 1.56Mb) *
• Chapter 4 - Land Use and Development   (PDF - 27.9Mb) *
• Chapter 5 - Community Character and Design   (PDF - 18.1Mb) *
• Chapter 6 - Circulation   (PDF - 1.1Mb) *
• Chapter 7 - Biological Resources   (PDF - 2.39Mb) *
• Chapter 8 - Community Facilities, Parks, and Schools   (PDF - 2.77Mb) *
• Chapter 9 - Public Services and Utilities   (PDF - 407Kb) *
• Chapter 10 - Natural Hazards and Public Safety   (PDF - 4.2Mb) *
• Chapter 11 - Noise   (PDF - 692Kb) *
• Chapter 12 - Air Quality and Climate Change   (PDF - 639Kb) *
• Appendix A - Measure D Text   (PDF - 639Kb) *

Eden Area Plan

• Entire Document   (PDF - 39Mb) *
• Cover   (PDF - 778Kb) *
• Title Page   (PDF - 149Kb) *
• Table of Content   (PDF - 74Kb) *
• Chapter 1 - Introduction   (PDF - 2.8Mb) *
• Chapter 2 - Vision   (PDF - 2.7Mb) *
• Chapter 3 - Land Use   (PDF - 9.4Mb) *
• Chapter 4 - Circulation   (PDF - 6.7Mb) *
• Chapter 5 - Parks and Recreation Element   (PDF - 2.5Mb) *
• Chapter 6 - Public Facilities   (PDF - 449Kb) *
• Chapter 7 - Noise   (PDF - 7.8Mb) *
• Chapter 8 - Public Safety   (PDF - 6.5Mb) *
• Chapter 9 - Green House Gas Action   (PDF - 128Kb) *
• Glossary   (PDF - 249Kb) *
• List of Preparers   (PDF - 87Kb) *

East County Area Plan   (PDF - 3Mb) *

• ECAP Draft EIR June 1993 (archive item) (PDF - 25Mb) *
• ECAP EIR Response Comments, 1993 (archive item) (PDF - 16Mb) *

Environmental Justice Element (PDF - 26Mb) *

• Appendix A: Implementation Table of EJ Element Actions (PDF - 1.6Mb) *
• Appendix B: Community Engagement Plan (PDF - 1.7Mb) *

Countywide Elements of the General Plan:

• Community Climate Action Plan Element  (PDF - 7.15Mb) *
  • CCAP Implementation Status Report (archive item) (PDF - 1.88 Mb) *
• Conservation Element (PDF - 1.74Mb) *
• Recirculated Draft Initial Study - Mitigated Negative Declaration (archive item) and Final Initial Study - Mitigated Negative Declaration (archive item)
• December 31, 2024, Certification Letter (archive item)
• Find the website here.
• Noise Element (PDF - 3.38Mb) *
• Open Space Element (PDF - 2.84Mb) *
• Recreation Plan (PDF - 1.49Mb) *
• Safety Element (archive item)   (PDF - 8.03Mb) *
  • Appendix A - Alameda County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (archive item)  (PDF - 30.4 Mb) *
  • Appendix B - Disaster Preparedness Plans, Appendix C - Critical Facilities, and Appendix D - List of Acronyms (archive item)  (PDF - 614 Kb) *
• Scenic Route Element  (PDF - 1.5Mb) *

Specific Plans

A Specific Plan is a tool for implementing the General Plan. A Specific Plan provides the standards for development within designated parts of the unincorporated county.

• Ashland and Cherryland Business Districts   (PDF - 11Mb) *
• Castro Valley Central Business District   (PDF - 5.2Mb) *
• The Ashland and Cherryland Parking Demand and Management Strategy Study Final Recommendations (archive item)   (PDF - 73Mb) *
• Fairview Area   (PDF - 19Mb) *
• Madison Avenue  (PDF - 2.1Mb) *
• San Lorenzo  (PDF - 3.8Mb) *
• Little Valley   (PDF - 4.4Mb) *
• South Livermore Valley  (PDF - 1.4Mb) *

To purchase a hard copy of the plans, please go to the Planning Office, located at 224 West Winton Avenue, Suite 111, Hayward CA, 94544.

General Plan Archives - Historical Documents