Castro Valley's hillside neighborhoods fall in Cal Fire's Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. Alameda County Code Chapter 6.04 adopts the California Fire Code and Public Resources Code §4291 - 100 feet of defensible space around any structure is mandatory.
Alameda County Fire Department (ACFD) enforces PRC §4291 in unincorporated areas. Owners must maintain 100 feet of defensible space (or to the property line) around any structure, in two zones: Zone 1 (0-30 ft) - 'lean, clean, and green' with no dead vegetation, leaves cleaned from roofs/gutters, and woodpiles relocated; Zone 2 (30-100 ft) - reduce continuous fuels with horizontal/vertical spacing between trees and shrubs per CAL FIRE specs. The 2024 'Zone 0' rule under SB 3074 will add a 5-foot ember-resistant zone around homes. ACFD conducts inspections in Castro Valley's hillside neighborhoods every spring.
Non-compliance triggers a written notice with 30 days to correct; failure leads to a forced abatement (county contractor clears the lot and bills the owner) plus a Civil Penalty under §6.04 up to $500 per violation. The cost becomes a property lien if unpaid. Cal Fire can also issue PRC §4291 citations up to $500.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Castro Valley, CA
Alameda County Code §6.60.050 prohibits repairing, rebuilding, modifying or testing vehicles in residential areas between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. if it produces so...
Castro Valley, CA
Alameda County Code §6.60.050 limits use of electric or gas leaf blowers, sweepers, vacuums, mowers, trimmers, edgers and hedgers in residential areas to 7 a...
Castro Valley, CA
Alameda County Code §5.08.060 makes it unlawful for any person owning, keeping, or having custody of a dog or other animal to knowingly permit or suffer that...
Castro Valley, CA
Alameda County Code §6.60.080 exempts construction activity from Chapter 6.60 only if it occurs between 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturd...
Castro Valley, CA
Castro Valley is unincorporated and operates under Alameda County Code Chapter 6.60 (Noise). §6.60.050 makes it a violation to operate any sound-producing de...
Castro Valley, CA
Heavy commercial vehicles - generally over 10,000 lbs GVW or 22 feet long - cannot be parked overnight on Castro Valley residential streets, and cannot be pa...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Alameda County.
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