Middlefield Park Master Plan
OCTOBER 2022
Attachment 8
Middlefield Park Master Plan
PROJECT APPLICANT / PROPERTY OWNER
GOOGLE
APPLICANT REPRESENTATIVE
LENDLEASE SILICON VALLEY DEVELOPMENT LLC
DESIGN + CONSULTANT TEAM
SERA ARCHITECTS: Master Planning
HASSELL: Urban Design
CMG: Landscape Design
KRISTEN HALL CITY DESIGN: Planning
SHERWOOD: Civil and Infrastructure
H.T. HARVEY & ASSOCIATES: Ecology
SAN FRANCISCO ESTUARY INSTITUTE (SFEI): Ecology
ARUP: Transportation and District Systems
FEHR & PEERS: Transportation
ALLEN MATKINS: Land Use and Entitlements
EPS: Fiscal Impact Analysis
HORTSCIENCE: Arborist Report
Project team
Middlefield Park Master Plan | i
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Document guide 2
1.2 Terminology 3
1.3 Location summary 4
2. DESIGN CONCEPT 5
2.1 Vision for a connected community 6
2.2 Community process 8
2.3 Delivering Precise Plan guiding principles 9
2.4 Design framework 12
3. PROGRAM SUMMARY 25
3.1 Program summary 27
4. EXISTING CONDITIONS 29
4.1 Site context 30
4.2 Open space and ecological context 33
4.3 Circulation and mobility context 34
4.4 Relationship to other regulatory documents 37
5. LAND USE 39
5.1 Land use 40
5.2 Block structure 42
5.3 Development program 43
5.4 Ground floor uses 46
5.5 Jobs-Housing Linkage Plan 49
5.6 Affordable housing 50
5.7 Bonus floor area ratio 50
6. OPEN SPACE 53
6.1 Open space approach 54
6.2 Open space network 58
6.3 Open space programming 59
6.4 Green connections 60
6.5 Ecological function and experience 61
6.6 Canopy phasing 64
6.7 Planting 66
6.8 Plant palettes 68
6.9 Land and easement dedication 72
6.10 City parks 73
6.11 Introduction to Ellis Park 74
6.12 Ellis Park and Ellis Plaza scale comparisons 79
6.13 Ellis Park design 82
7. CIRCULATION AND MOBILITY 93
7.1 District approach 94
7.2 Mobility futures 96
7.3 A multimodal network 97
7.4 Pedestrian network 98
7.5 Bicycle network 101
7.6 Transit network and stops 103
7.7 Street network 104
7.8 Street design 108
7.9 Parking strategy 112
7.10 Curb management plan 115
8. BUILDINGS 117
8.1 Architectural vision 118
8.2 Built form approach 120
8.3 EWPP Building Design Standards 122
8.4 Solar studies 129
8.5 EWPP Building Design Guidelines 130
8.6 Site planning flexibility 137
8.7 Garage strategy 139
9. UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE 143
9.1 Infrastructure at a district scale 144
9.2 Thermal energy 147
9.3 Power 147
9.4 Water 148
10. PROJECT BENEFITS 149
10.1 Community Benefits 150
10.2 Fiscal impact 150
Please see the accompanying Implementation Plan document for supporting materials. ii | Middlefield Park Master Plan
Figure 1.1.1 Middlefield Park Implementation Plan 2
Table 1.3.1 Site 4
Table 1.3.2 General Plan/Zoning framework 4
Figure 1.3.3 Site parcel map 4
Figure 2.1.1 Google's Principles of Place 6
Figure 2.1.2 Middlefield Park Master Plan Principles 6 Figure 2.1.3 Components of place 7
Figure 2.2.1 Illustrative rendering of open space character 8 Figure 2.4.1 Middlefield Park location between
downtowns and VTA stations 12
Figure 2.4.2 Middlefield Park location within the
East Whisman Precise Plan boundary 13
Figure 2.4.3 Middlefield Park land use framework 15
Figure 2.4.4 Illustrative rendering of a landscaped pathway 16 Figure 2.4.5 Illustrative rendering of Ellis Plaza 16
Figure 2.4.6 Range of open space experiences 17
Figure 2.4.7 Middlefield Park open space framework 17 Figure 2.4.8 Examples of human-scale building design 18 Figure 2.4.9 Bird’s eye view of massing concept 19
Figure 2.4.10 Physical and digital strategies for
supporting sustainable mobility 21
Figure 2.4.11 Circulation and mobility framework 21
Figure 2.4.12 Indicative resource management strategies 23 Figure 2.4.13 District systems precedent 23
Figure 2.4.14 Examples of proposed sustainable
infrastructure improvements 23
Figure 2.4.15 CLT precedent 23
Table 3.1.1 Middlefield Park program summary 26
Figure 3.1.2 Program summary 27
Figure 4.1.1 Existing area map 30
Figure 4.1.2 665 Clyde Avenue 31
Figure 4.1.3 Photos of existing site conditions 32
Figure 4.2.1 Existing planting and hardscape 33
Figure 4.3.1 Street Typologies per EWPP 35
Figure 4.3.2 Existing transit network 36
Figure 5. 1. 1 Comparative site coverage: Middlefield Park today and transformed tomorrow 40
Figure 5.1.2 Existing and future land use 40
Figure 5.1.3 Existing general land use 41
Figure 5.1.4 Land use plan 41
Figure 5.2.1 Transforming the East Whisman block structure 42 Table 5.3.1 Proposed unit count 43
Table 5.3.2 Proposed Active Uses 43
Table 5.3.3 Proposed open space areas 44
Table 5.3.4 Proposed office area 45
Figure 5.4.1 Conceptual ground floor activation strategy 47 Figure 5.4.2 Examples of neighborhood-serving uses 48
Figure 5.5.1 Jobs-Housing Linkage phasing 49
Figure 5.5.2 Jobs-Housing Linkage plan 49
Figure 5.7.1 EWPP Bonus FAR Tiers 51
Table 5.7.2 Development Reserve entitlement 52
Table 5.7 .3 Proposed office FAR 52
Table 5.7.4 Proposed residential/mixed-use FAR 52
Figure 5.7 .5 Middlefield Park FAR by character area 52 Figure 6.1.1 Open space character images 54
Figure 6.1.2 Open space key plan 55
Figure 6.1.3 Open space concept 55
Figure 6.2.1 Open space plan 58
Figure 6.3.1 Key open spaces 59
Figure 6.3.2 Potential programming 59
Figure 6.4.1 Green connections diagram 60
Figure 6.5.1 Ecological connections 61
Figure 6.5.2 Proposed tree species composition 61
Figure 6.5.3 Ecological typologies 62
Figure 6.5.4 Contribution of East Whisman to 62
ecological context
Figure 6.6.1 Canopy phasing diagrams 64
Figure 6.7.1 Planting design precedent images 67
Figure 6.8.1 Ecological typologies 68
Figure 6.8.2 Street trees 68
Figure 6.8.3 White alder mix 69
Figure 6.8.4 Oak mix 69
Figure 6.8.5 Canyon mix 70
Figure 6.8.6 High canopy mix 70
Figure 6.8.7 California sycamore mix 71
Figure 6.8.8 Pollinator meadow mix 71
Table 6.9.1 Public access and dedication 72
Figure 6.9.2 Public park dedication and easements 72
Figure 6.10.1 Landscaped multi-use path vignette 73
Figure 6.11.1 Ellis Plaza + Ellis Walk = Ellis Park 74
Figure 6.11.2 Character gradient from vivid arrival 74
to immersive garden
Tables and Figures
Middlefield Park Master Plan | iii
Figure 6.11.3 Complementing nearby parks and park elements 75 Table 6.11.4 City of Mountain View demographics 76
Table 6.11.5 Outreach organizations 78
Table 6.11.6 Proposed program areas 78
Figure 6.12.1 1-acre Ellis Plaza scale comparisons 79
Figure 6.12.2 Design precedent photos of Bay Meadows 80 Figure 6.12.3 Ellis Park scale comparison of Bay Meadows 80 Figure 6.12.4 Design precedent photos of Klyde Warren Park 81 Figure 6.12.5 Ellis Park scale comparison of Klyde Warren Park 81 Figure 6.13.1 Open space design character images 82
Figure 6.13.2 Ellis Park plan 83
Figure 6.13.3 Ellis Park programming plan 84
Figure 6.13.4 Ellis Plaza vignette 85
Figure 6.13.5 Ellis Plaza section view looking north 86 Figure 6.13.6 Ellis Plaza plan enlargement 86
Figure 6.13.7 Precedent images 86
Figure 6.13.8 Ellis walk at Residential 2 vignette 87
Figure 6.13.9 Ellis walk at Residential 2 plan 88
Figure 6.13.10 Ellis walk at Residential 2 section, view 88 looking north
Figure 6.13.11 Precedent images 88
Figure 6.13.12 Ellis Walk at Office 1 vignette 89
Figure 6.13.13 Ellis Walk at Office 1 plan 90
Figure 6.13.14 Ellis Walk section at Office 1 fit lot and bridge 90 Figure 6.13.15 Precedent images 90
Table 7.1.1 Citywide mode share in Mountain View 95
Table 7.1.2 Googlers in Mountain View today 95
Figure 7 .3.1 Middlefield Park multimodal network 97
Figure 7 .4.1 Middlefield Park AM peak-hour pedestrian flow 98 Figure 7.4.2 Proposed pedestrian network improvements 99 Figure 7.4.3 Residential Paseos 100
Figure 7.4.4 Non-residential Paseo 100
Figure 7.5.1 Proposed bike network improvements 101
Table 7.5.2 Bicycle parking per land use 102
Figure 7.7.1 Street network typology 105
Figure 7.7.2 Truck access and routing 106
Figure 7.7.3 EVA network 107
Figure 7 .8.1 Typical section - Middlefield Road 109
Figure 7.8.2 Typical section - Ellis Street 109
Figure 7.8.3 SR 237 frontage road with two-way cycle track 109 Figure 7.8.4 Typical section - Logue, Maude, and
Clyde Avenues 110
Figure 7.8.5 Typical section - Service Streets 111
Figure 7.9.1 Examples of parking and car-sharing strategies 113 Table 7.9.2 Proposed Off-Street parking ratios 113
Table 7.9.3 Parking locations and capacity 113
Figure 7 .9.4 Approximate AM parking flows and distribution 114 Figure 7 .9.5 Approximate PM parking flows and distribution 114 Figure 7.10.1 Curb management plan 115
Table 7.10.2 Expected loading space for private transit 116 Figure 8.1.1 Building design precedents 119
Figure 8.2.1 Height zones 120
Figure 8.2.2 Development blocks 120
Figure 8.2.3 Open space 121
Figure 8.2.4 Built form 121
Figure 8.3.1 Maximum building height 123
Table 8.3.2 Building heights summary 124
Figure 8.3.3 Maximum average street wall height standards 125 Figure 8.3.4 Maximum average street wall height standards in axon 126
Figure 8.3.5 Setback standards applied to the Master Plan 126 Figure 8.3.6 Indicative development envelopes 127
Figure 8.3.7 Visual studies 128
Figure 8.4.1 Solar studies 129
Figure 8.5.1 Examples of corner buildings and
Key Corner architectural treatments 130
Figure 8.5.2 Key Corner design and corner buildings 131 Figure 8.5.3 Key Corner precedents 131
Figure 8.5.4 Building relationship to open space 132
Figure 8.5.5 Examples of residential building ground floor relationships to open space 133
Figure 8.5.6 Examples of residential building
ground floor relationships to open space 133
Figure 8.5.7 Examples of building relationship to open space 133 Figure 8.5.8 Examples of building differentiation 134
Figure 8.5.9 Building massing breaks 135
Figure 8.5.10 Example building massing breaks 135
Figure 8.5.11 Examples of office/R&D buildings where
street frontage lengths are limited to 300 feet 136
Figure 8.5.12 Examples of building massing breaks 136
iv | Middlefield Park Master Plan
Figure 8.6.1 Example options of site planning for
residential and office buildings 138
Figure 8.7.1 Proposed P2 garage section 140
Figure 8.7.2 Garage, Site Frameworks 140
Figure 8.7.3 Garage structure goals 141
Figure 8.7.4 Garage facade treatment precedents 142
Figure 8.7.5 District garage parking strategy 142
Figure 9.1.1 Alignment with City of Mountain View
sustainability goals 144
Figure 9.1.2 Overview of District Systems in a
in a mixed-use development 145
Figure 9.1.3 Potential district system corridor
and CUP location 146
Figure 9.3.1 East Carolina Central Utility Plant 147
Figure 9.3.2 Barangaroo Plantroom (Sydney, Australia) 148 Figure 9.4.1 Water balance concept 148
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 1
INTRODUCTION
1. INTRODUCTION
“The East Whisman Area advances as a sustainable,
transit-oriented residential neighborhood and
employment center with an increased diversity of
land uses, multiple mobility choices, numerous high-
quality open spaces, vibrant local and local serving
businesses, and housing options for all incomes and
stages of life.”
— East Whisman Precise Plan
2 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Document guide
A master plan is required to fulfill the
criteria set forth by the City of Mountain
View (CMV) for the site that includes the
Neighborhood Park described in the East
Whisman Precise Plan. The Middlefield
Park Master Plan describes the vision
and proposal for re-development of this
area around the Valley Transportation
Authority's (VTA) Middlefield Station,
and is compliant with all East
Whisman Precise Plan requirements
for a Neighborhood Park Master Plan,
including submittal requirements
in Precise Plan Section 6.3.2.1.b.
This project also requires a master
plan under the East Whisman
Precise Plan, as the development
proposes district parking, net new
commercial square footage qualified
through the Jobs-Housing Linkage
Program, phased construction, and
a site that spans multiple character
areas within the Precise Plan.
The Middlefield Park Master Plan
document starts with the design
vision and concepts, a summary of the
development program, and a description
of existing conditions. It then lays out
strategies for land use, open space and
ecological communities, circulation and
mobility, buildings and massing, utility
infrastructure, and implementation.
The Implementation Plan document
contains additional information
demonstrating compliance with
the East Whisman Precise Plan,
Mountain View Municipal Code,
and other key information for the
implementation of the Master Plan.
Within the Implementation Plan, the
Urban Design Objectives provides
additional detail and direction to future
development teams to apply the Master
Plan vision at the individual building level.
The section includes detailed guidance
on implementing the placemaking vision,
open space character, and architectural
character through examples of ground
floor frontages, street walls and key
corners and conceptual block-scale
elevations. Through imagery, diagrams
and text, future designers are provided
a rich and diverse range of inspirations
to fulfill the placemaking ambitions
of the Middlefield Park Master Plan.
Companion documents
and Approvals
Supporting the Middlefield Park Master
Plan are the following companion
documents and approvals, including:
• Project Environmental Impact Report;
• Development Agreement;
• Vesting Tentative Map and
subdivision conditions of approval;
• Vacation of a portion of Logue Avenue;
• Park Land credit for a Privately Owned,
Publicly Accessible (POPA) Open Space;
• Master Plan Conditions of Approval.
Implementation Plan
This document contains
more detailed content for
implementing the Master Plan:
• Phasing Plan;
• Precise Plan Compliance;
• POPA Compliance;
• Urban Design Objectives;
• Master Plan Level Arborist Report;
• Planting Design;
• Tree Framework Plan;
• Affordable Housing Plan;
• Fire Access;
• Logue Avenue Diagrams;
• Transportation Demand
Management Plan;
• District Systems Concept Plan;
• Review and Approval Framework.
Figure 1.1.1 Middlefield Park
Implementation Plan
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 3
INTRODUCTION
1.2 Terminology
East Whisman Precise Plan
(EWPP)
This document presents the City's
vision, guiding principles, plan
strategies, and development standards
for the East Whisman Precise Plan
area (“Precise Plan” or “EWPP”). The
EWPP was adopted by the City of
Mountain View on November 5, 2019.
Middlefield Park Master Plan
(MPMP)
"Middlefield Park" describes a ± 40
acre area surrounding VTA Middlefield
Station; and the “Middlefield Park
Master Plan” (MPMP) refers to Google’s
master plan proposal for this area.
Throughout this document, “the Project”
is also used to describe the Middlefield
Park Master Plan. Elements of the
Project are anticipated to be funded
and delivered by multiple parties —
including but not limited to Google,
Lendlease, or, other private entities
or landowners, as well as the City of
Mountain View or other public agencies
or jurisdictions — in compliance with
the Precise Plan or other documents,
ordinances, statutes, etc., as applicable.
Document notes
• Figures: All figures in this document
are provided for illustrative purposes
only. The conceptual renderings used
throughout the Middlefield Park Master
Plan, and other supporting documents,
are representative of architectural
design concepts or design intent for
new mixed-use and office buildings.
They are provided to give a general
impression of the buildings’ scale and
massing relative to the public open
spaces and streetscapes that their
ground floor uses’ help to frame and
activate. Building and site-specific
architectural designs will be provided
with each phase of permit entitlements.
• Measurement: Unless otherwise
noted, all area measurements
throughout this document indicate
gross square feet (GSF).
• Residential units: Total units shown are
targets within the range provided, are
represented in total as minimums and
maximums, and are subject to further
refinement in future permit entitlements.
• Office Square Footage : Total office
square footages are targets, and are
represented in total as minimums and
maximums, and are subject to further
refinement in future permit entitlements.
• Active Uses: Total active use square
footages are also targets, and are
represented in total as minimums
and maximums, and are subject to
further refinement in future permit
entitlements. Active uses collectively
encompass all community, civic, retail
and neighborhood commercial uses
currently contemplated in the plan area.
• District Systems : District Systems
are contemplated as a design
option within the framework of this
Master Plan and are at Google's full
discretion whether or not to pursue.
• Parks: New parks have been given
placeholder names, inspired by the
local context, to be used during the
planning process. Final names of
publicly dedicated parkland shall be
determined by the City of Mountain
View. Privately owned accessible public
spaces (POPAs) shall be named by the
land owner with approval by the City.
• Parcel Names: The naming of each
residential/mixed-use location directly
pairs with the parcelization in the
Tentative Map (e.g. R1 is Parcel R1).
For each public park, the Middlefield
Park Master Plan and Tentative Map
names align with the following parcels:
Bridge Open Space at Ellis
Street: Parcel Park 1
Bridge Open Space at Logue
Avenue: Parcel Park 2
Maude Park: Parcel Park 3
Gateway Park: Parcel Park 4.
4 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
INTRODUCTION
1.3 Location summary
Table 1.3.1 Site
Address/APN: 440 Logue Avenue 160-58-001
500 East Middlefield Road 160-58-016
401 Ellis Street 160-58-017
433 Clyde Avenue 160-57-004
485 Clyde Avenue 160-57-006
495 Clyde Avenue 160-57-007
500, 510, 520, 530 Logue Avenue, 500-
506, 510, 516, 520, 526 Clyde Avenue 160-57-008
440 — 450 Clyde Avenue 160-57-009
420 Clyde Avenue 160-57-010
880 Maude Avenue 160-57-01 1
800, 830, 840-850 Maude Avenue 160-57-012
441 Logue Avenue 160-57-013
885 — 889 Maude Avenue 160-59-005
891 Maude Avenue 160-59-006
Site Area: 39.88 acres/1,736,969 sf
Table 1.3.2 General Plan/Zoning framework
General Plan: East Whisman Mixed-Use
High Intensity Office
Zoning Map: Planned Community/Precise Plan
East Whisman
Precise Plan:
Mixed-Use Character Area
• High Intensity Sub-Character Area
• Medium Intensity Sub-Character Area
Employment Character Area
• Low Intensity Sub-Character Area
Figure 1.3.3 Site parcel map
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 5
2. DESIGN CONCEPT
The Middlefield Park Master Plan builds on the East
Whisman Precise Plan to envision a transit-oriented,
mixed-use community at VTA Middlefield Station,
complete with stores, services, and restaurants for
residents, neighbors, and workers, as well as a range
of plazas and open spaces.
6 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
DESIGN CONCEPT
2.1 Vision for a connected community
The vision for a new community at Middlefield Park is conceived from Google’s Principles of Place, which inform the Master Plan Principles.
These Principles guide the elements and implementation of this proposal.
Community
Places are about people and
the connections between them.
We want to contribute to vibrant
places that promote well-being,
inclusion and interconnectivity.
Google’s Principles of Place
Nature
The wellbeing of people depends on the
health of the planet. We aspire to build
spaces and places that are resilient and
circular, connect people to nature, and help
us conserve resources and reduce waste.
Economics
We invest in bold ideas that create
replicable solutions for a better
future. We want our designs to
give something back to the world
that wasn't already there.
Innovation
Have a healthy disregard for
the impossible. We design for
adaptability and flexibility.
Shared
Activating a range of shared
places to create an authentic
and vibrant community.
Middlefield Park Master Plan
Principles
In Nature
Healing this area through
ecology, creating a meaningful
connection to place.
Diverse + Inclusive
Attracting people from diverse
backgrounds, offering a range of
choice in housing and recreation.
Active + Connected
Creating a setting that
increases connectivity and
promotes health and wellbeing
through active mobility.
Figure 2.1.1 Google's Principles of Place Figure 2.1.2 Middlefield Park Master Plan Principles Middlefield Park Master Plan | 7
DESIGN CONCEPT
Connections are at the core of
Middlefield Park: physical connections
to invite the surrounding communities
to access transit and new parks, and
social connections for future residents,
employees, and visitors to form new
communities and robust social bonds.
A mix of uses will bring life and diversity
to what is currently a single-use
office area, in the form of a complete
neighborhood – with residents and
workers filling the streets, supporting
local businesses, and enjoying the
health and well-being offerings of
parks all throughout the week.
The components of place
• Balanced live and work: Proportional
new housing units for every 1000
gross square feet of net new office;
• Generous open space : Over
12 acres of open space for the
broader East Whisman and
Mountain View community;
• Active VTA transit hub with retail :
Including market and >20,000 square
feet of neighborhood services
around a new station plaza;
• Thriving natural canopy : Aim to plant
and preserve trees whose canopy
provides shade over the site, and are
beginning to restore the native ecology;
• Connected bike/pedestrian
network: 1.5 miles of safe
separated bike/ped paths linking to
over 500 miles of the Bay Trail;
• Sustainable district systems : Shared
infrastructure used to target net-zero
carbon and a holistic, healthy place;
• Inclusive public programming :
To connect a diverse community
with shared experiences.
Figure 2.1.3 Components of place
Balanced live/work
Generous open space
VTA transit hub
Thriving natural canopy
Active public realm
Connected bike/
ped network
Sustainable district
systems
Inclusive public
programming
8 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
DESIGN CONCEPT
2.2 Community process
Starting in July 2016, the City of
Mountain View led a robust public
planning process to create a
transformational vision for the East
Whisman Precise Plan area. City staff
convened two community workshops in
2016, and between 2016 and 2019 held
twenty public hearings that included
public comment periods to receive
additional community feedback.
The input from this process informed
the Precise Plan, which was formally
approved in November 2019. The
approved Precise Plan has, in turn,
shaped the concepts for the proposed
Middlefield Park Master Plan.
Since September 2020, the Project team
has conducted over 55 meetings with
community members and local groups,
representing over 275 unique individuals,
to inform and receive feedback on the
Master Plan proposal. In addition, three
publicly noticed community meetings
were held in December 2020, which 50
unique community members attended
across the three sessions with identical
content. In April 2022, the team held two
publicly noticed community meetings
with identical content to provide an
update on the project and receive
additional input, where 60 unique
community members attended.
The following City of Mountain
View advisory and approving bodies
have reviewed the Middlefield Park
Master Plan and/or Development
Agreement via public meetings:
• Development Review Committee;
• Zoning Administrator (only reviewed
Development Agreement);
• Environmental Planning Commission;
• City Council.
Figure 2.2.1 Illustrative rendering of open space character Middlefield Park Master Plan | 9
DESIGN CONCEPT
The East Whisman Precise Plan
sets out a series of guiding
principles that envision the
district transformed – from a
largely single-use office park –
into a vibrant neighborhood, alive
with a mix of uses, and oriented
to support the rich opportunity
of abundant transit, bicycle,
and walking connections. The
plan for Middlefield Park and
corresponding Urban Design
Objectives respond directly to
the East Whisman Precise Plan
guiding principles, and builds
on them in the following ways:
2.3 Delivering Precise Plan guiding principles
Transform East Whisman into a
mixed-income community with a
balance of renters and owners
Neighborhoods that have a diversity of land uses
and incomes make for more vibrant, resilient,
and healthy communities — where everyone
can benefit from proximity to transit, jobs, and
enhanced access to open space and recreation.
Middlefield Park will be a mixed-use community with
jobs, housing, and services for a livable, complete, community, one that is open and accessible to all incomes, ages, and lifestyles.
The Project takes full advantage of the Precise Plan's density allowances to maximize its housing offer. This includes units that are affordable by deed restriction, and also affordable by design, with units offered at a range of sizes. In addition to offering rental housing units, the project will be condo mapped to allow for future ownership structures should the market support that approach.
Housing is set within a dense, urban neighborhood designed to support connections to transit, open space, and bike and pedestrian networks, in order to increase connections between residents, employees, and visitors.
Create a complete neighborhood
Middlefield Park conceives of a “complete
neighborhood” as one where residents,
employees, and visitors of all income
levels, ages, and abilities can easily access
the things they need for daily life — without
having to get into their cars. Whether one
travels by train, bus, bike, foot, or wheelchair,
it will be easy to get to the neighborhood. The existing VTA Light Rail station can become a gateway to a true community, with neighborhood services like a market and restaurants, and opportunities for social connection.
Once there, it will be an easy, enjoyable and safe place to move around, whether on larger streets with generous sidewalks and bike lanes, or on paseos that wind between small, walkable blocks. It will be a place where the streets are alive with ground floor uses that spill onto sidewalks during the day and on into the warm evenings with a variety of activities to bring residents and neighbors together. Parks, promoting physical and mental well-being, will offer abundant opportunities to gather and play with friends young and old, as well as quiet moments of solo respite.
Everywhere, the experience of the public realm will be comfortable, with plenty of places to sit or lock a bike, and a lush canopy of healthy trees overhead offering dappled shade. Throughout the year there will be a variety of ways to observe the passing seasons and connect with nature: the changing colors and textures of the landscape; the migration patterns of birds and butterflies; and the seasonal events that engage fellow residents, workers, and visitors.
10 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
DESIGN CONCEPT
Focus activity and development around
VTA Middlefield Light Rail Station
Foundational to this Master Plan is the idea of locating density in proximity to transit. Not only does this create a more walkable community — one where residents,
employees, and visitors can easily access transit
— it also improves ridership on VTA Light Rail. Ellis
Park will also be the first park located immediately
adjacent to a VTA Station, which could increase
ridership on this system while improving park access
for other communities located along the line.
The Project has been designed to support a station
experience that is lively, convenient, and walkable. The station will front onto Ellis Plaza, an active urban node of public space ringed by a welcoming mix of eateries,
shops, services, and possibly a market, creating a sense of arrival at an urban destination that serves the daily needs of local residents. Extending from Ellis Plaza is an enhanced greenway designed to support safe, easy,
and enjoyable bike and walking connections which will
also be located immediately adjacent to a VTA Station.
Integrate new housing harmoniously
with office uses
One of the most transformative elements of the EWPP is the introduction of housing into what is currently a homogeneous, low-density employment area. The Middlefield Park
Master Plan makes maximum benefit of this mix of uses
by organizing residential and office zones so that central open spaces are fronted by both uses. This ensures that Maude Park and Ellis Park will be activated by the coming- and-going of residents, employees, and visitors throughout the work week, on weekends, and in the evenings.
The Project is designed to maximize the benefit of mixed-use development while minimizing the impact of office servicing and loading on residential buildings. Parking, loading, equipment, and utilities will be consolidated and located at the perimeter of the site, generally away from residential buildings, or provided within the parking garage of the office buildings.
Maximize land use flexibility while
balancing jobs and housing
The MPMP responds to the need for a balance of jobs and housing by providing a mix of uses at the ratios prescribed in the EWPP . Net new office will support the Jobs/
Housing Linkage Program which has been specifically
designed to facilitate residential development and
integrate housing into the East Whisman plan area.
The strategy for the ground floors of these buildings will also support a lively public realm with flexibility for many different types of active uses to inhabit and enliven the edges of streets and parks, thereby inspiring and bringing together the community. Uses found at the ground floor may include: restaurants; cafes; shops; residential lobbies and units; and office social spaces that welcome new concepts and provide an opportunity for local entrepreneurs.
Because connections are at the heart of the MPMP, residential buildings will offer space for community gatherings and events to complement the site's community-focused and connected public realm. This will allow residents and employees to use these spaces to gather with friends, to meet with organizations, to celebrate life events, and connect with one another in many other creative ways that support and strengthen the social bonds of the community.
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 11
DESIGN CONCEPT
Minimize motor vehicle trips
Middlefield Park is designed around transit, walking, and bike connections. By locating a dense mix of housing, jobs, and services close to transit, the Project will reduce the need for residents and employees to drive to work or to run errands.
This will not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions; it will also help commuters avoid the social isolation of spending ever-increasing time alone in the car, stuck in traffic.
The entire site is within a 10-minute walk of VTA Middlefield Station, and all buildings will be just a few steps from one of the site’s large parks. A bike path passes through the site that connects to the larger 500-plus miles of Bay Trail.
Downtown Mountain View and Downtown Sunnyvale, and
their associated Caltrain Stations, are reachable within a safe, 15-minute bike or light rail ride, as are the employment centers at North Bayshore and Moffett Park. A local
elementary school (Vargas) is minutes away on foot.
Google is at the forefront of innovating for changes
in how people and goods will move around cities
in more sustainable and convenient ways. This site
captures that thinking and major changes in the future
of mobility are anticipated in the Project, including:
curbside flex-zones; adaptive parking standards; and
accommodating emerging micro-mobility modes.
Build complete streets for active
transportation
“Complete streets” are streets that are designed and
operated to enable safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities. They make it easy to cross the
street, walk to shops, and bicycle to work. Complete
streets also allow buses to run on time and make it
safe for people to walk to and from train stations.
The MPMP envisions a complete mobility network where
all streets on-site and along the project site frontages are designed as complete streets, enhanced by an expanded
network of pedestrian and bicycle paths. The Project's
streets and paths have also been organized to convey a
sense of hierarchy and easy and intuitive wayfinding.
The MPMP supports the City's idea for a bike/
ped bridge over the VTA corridor to further advance
the vision for a complete mobility network, not
just in Middlefield Park but in all of East Whisman.
Accordingly, the Project Applicant has agreed to fund
up to $250,000 toward a design concept/feasibility
study for such a bridge within the MPMP area.
Create a highly sustainable community
Designing sustainable master plans — as opposed to individual buildings or open spaces — presents a unique opportunity: to build a holistic set of systems, both environmental and social, that benefit from the connectivity and diversity of the collective place.
A holistic approach to sustainability also brings co-benefits, where interrelationships between systems amplify the
benefits of one another. For example, Middlefield Park
prioritizes sustainable modes of transit (like walking, biking, and public transit). This strategy alone may reduce carbon emissions. When combined with the strategy of a diverse mix of land uses, it can improve public health by increasing active modes of transit and enhance social and physical connectivity. Paired with opportunities for affordable housing, non-transactional public spaces and a range of neighborhood- serving retail, this is a place where systems of support in the design and program of the place allow everyone to thrive.
Google's sustainability strategy for the Master Plan prioritizes decarbonization, resilience, ecological restoration, resource management, and healthy communities. The sustainability strategy is embedded in all topic areas discussed in the MPMP:
land use; parks and open space; circulation and mobility; building design; and opportunities with district infrastructure.
12 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
DESIGN CONCEPT
2.4 Design framework
Figure 2.4.1 Middlefield Park location between downtowns and VTA stations Located between the downtowns
of Mountain View and Sunnyvale,
NASA Ames, North Bayshore,
and Moffett Park, Middlefield
Park will be a community at the
heart of eastern Mountain View.
Contextual design
The Master Plan site is located within
a triangle formed by three freeways:
US 101, SR 85 and SR 237. This area is
currently defined by a landscape of office
parks, parking lots, a lack of services and
amenities, and fragmented connections
to surrounding jobs and retail. However,
just beyond the EWPP boundary are
regional job centers, main streets,
existing residential neighborhoods,
and regional transit connections that
the Project will leverage to create a
new locus of activity and community.
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 13
DESIGN CONCEPT
Building on existing opportunities
The site is served by the existing VTA
Orange Line, which stops within the site
at VTA Middlefield Station and connects
to Downtown Mountain View and Caltrain
to the west, and the job center of Moffett
Park to the north. It will eventually
connect further on to the Bay Area Rapid
Transit (BART) connection in Milpitas.
In the area surrounding the site, a
growing network of regional bicycle
lanes will become available for
residents, neighbors and employees
wanting to travel safely by bike to
Downtown Mountain View, Mountain
View Transit Center (including
Caltrain Station), major Mountain
View and Sunnyvale employment
centers, and bayfront open spaces.
This Master Plan looks to unlock
the potential of this area to connect
to surrounding job centers, existing
neighborhoods, and regional bike routes,
while adding housing, retail, community
uses, and open spaces in a walkable
setting of a complete neighborhood.
Figure 2.4.2 Middlefield Park location within the East Whisman Precise Plan boundary
14 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
DESIGN CONCEPT
Shaping the Master Plan:
three big moves
The Master Plan is shaped
by three main strategies
to deliver a connected
community. These strategies
build upon the intent of
the Precise Plan and form
the structuring elements
related to movement, open
space and land use.
New east-west and north-south connections:
Linking neighborhood-wide access to the
station, joining regional routes for transit and
bike commuting, and connecting adjoining
neighborhoods into this place, thereby increasing
mobility and promoting active lifestyles.
New parks at the heart: Generous shared
amenities that connect residents, neighbors, and
employees of all ages, incomes, and abilities to
opportunities for quiet and restorative spaces in
nature along with larger areas to accommodate a
wide variety of interests and types of recreation.
A balanced live/work neighborhood: The introduction
of residential uses accessible to a range of incomes
into what is currently a single-use office park, in
alignment with the jobs/housing target, establishes
a balanced neighborhood with greater utilization of
new parks and services for a vibrant public life.
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 15
DESIGN CONCEPT
Land use framework
A mix of residential, office, retail,
and community space uses are
proposed for Middlefield Park.
This mix of uses is organized to
create a complete community
that will support a walkable
lifestyle, where people can
easily access amenities close
to where they live and work.
Open spaces and streets will be fronted
by a variety of uses, enlivened by a
diversity of residents, employees, and
visitors coming and going throughout
the work week into the evenings and
on weekends. Neighborhood retail
and services, along with food and
beverage options programmed with a
range of events, pop-ups, and markets
will energize the area around VTA
Middlefield Station. These will provide
a real town square feel for residents,
workers, and visitors to feel welcomed
into the community. Residential
stoops and/or active ground floor uses
around Maude Park could help activate
this new destination through events
and neighborhood programs that are
intriguing and interesting for people
of all ages, lifestyles, and abilities.
Figure 2.4.3 Middlefield Park land use framework
16 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
DESIGN CONCEPT
Open space framework
The site will offer a range of open
spaces, from active plazas and
promenades hosting a mix of
events, to generous green spaces
that provide for active recreation
and passive recreation. A series
of smaller open spaces will
link the network and create
a variety of inviting places
throughout the neighborhood.
Overarching the entire network
is a lush and expansive tree
canopy connects the public
realm, creates shade to reduce
heat island effect, improves
outdoor thermal comfort and
air quality, sequesters carbon,
and advances ecological goals.
Though important remnants of the
Santa Clara Valley's historical ecology
persist within Mountain View and
surrounding regions today, the current
landscape's ability to support native
species and ecological communities is
extremely limited. To address this, the
Project will use a variety of native plant
communities to create much-needed and
well-connected ecological landscapes
across Middlefield Park. The open space
network will give a rare opportunity
for residents to experience the natural
heritage of the region — including
lost native ecosystems — as part of
their daily life in a resilient and healthy
urban landscape. These native plant
communities will also help differentiate
various open spaces within the plan area.
The continuous tree canopy connecting
these spaces is a visual reminder of
the site’s goals as a green oasis of
health for people and the environment.
Google's tree farm, started in 2021 in
the south bay, will ensure the availability
of quality, native tree species of all
different sizes to enable the creation
of mature or nearly mature landscapes
at the time of planting. Through an
expanded urban forest, re-oaking,
green corridors, high-value ecological
patches, and nature-based enhanced
stormwater management systems,
the MPMP can regenerate the site’s
ecological functions and transform
the landscape to support native plant
communities and beneficial functions.
Ellis Park, a shaded urban plaza ringed
by neighborhood retail and transit
connections, will offer varied uses and
activities throughout the day. The active
outdoor programs along the adjacent
greenway bring together picnicking
families, joggers, book clubs, and
many others in a public realm meant
for exploration and participation.
The City will lead the design and
development of Maude Park, Gateway
Park, and the Bridge Open Space
within the MPMP area. According to
the EWPP, neighborhood parks greater
than 3 acres in (as proposed with
Maude Park) size are meant to provide
larger open space amenities than mini-
parks can provide, such as playing
fields, restrooms, and playgrounds.
Figure 2.4.4 Illustrative rendering of a landscaped pathway Figure 2.4.5 Illustrative rendering of Ellis Plaza
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 17
DESIGN CONCEPT
Figure 2.4.6 A range of open space experiences
© CMG© CMG
© CMG © Bruce DaMonte for CMG
Figure 2.4.7 Middlefield Park open space framework
18 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
DESIGN CONCEPT
Building and massing framework
This Master Plan builds on
the Principles in the EWPP
and is compliant with its
Development Standards and
Building Design Guidelines to
create a context-responsive
and connected community.
The urban form of Middlefield Park
will be designed to establish a clear
set of public, semi-private, and private
spaces that integrate harmoniously with
public streets, paseos and parks, while
enclosing courtyards for local residents
and workers. Blocks will be shaped
to a walkable scale with a range of
building scales in a contemporary design
with the use of context-appropriate
materials, textures, and tones.
The ground floors of buildings will
create a vibrant public realm throughout
Middlefield Park, and will be designed
to adapt over time. Building entry
points will punctuate and activate Ellis
Street, Clyde Avenue, Logue Avenue
and Maude Avenue, while commercial
facade treatments will welcome and
engage pedestrian traffic, supporting
a lively retail realm. Residential
frontages will be activated by a range
of housing types and edge conditions
with gardens and stoops, as well as by
frontages that are adaptable for live/
work opportunities and aging in place.
Buildings will be designed to hold
a consistent street wall condition,
particularly along Ellis Street and
Maude Avenue. This consistent street
wall frames a continuous “street
room” formed by the height of the
building frontages and the width of
the street. At the building scale this
is given greater variation and interest
through building breaks and changes
in material. The overall effect is one
of a unified district that also provides
variety and interest at the human scale.
The Urban Design Objectives included
in the supplementary Implementation
Plan document provide more detail
on the urban and building forms
envisioned within the Project area.
Figure 2.4.8 Examples of human-scale building design
© SERA © SERA
© SERA
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 19
DESIGN CONCEPT
Figure 2.4.9 Bird’s eye view of massing concept (Artist's rendering, subject to change)
20 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
DESIGN CONCEPT
Circulation and mobility
framework
Middlefield Park provides a
variety of healthy, affordable,
and convenient ways to move
around. Walking and biking
are encouraged by design.
Extensive on-street and off-street
infrastructure ensures a variety
of routes for people to choose
from and allows them to select
their desired experience, whether
that is the shortest distance from
a transit stop, a ramble through
open parkland, or an easy detour
to shops and restaurants.
Middlefield Park creates a walkable
grid of small blocks, making it easy
and comfortable to move through the
neighborhood on foot, bike, scooter,
or via other modes of transportation.
The scale of this grid reorients the
development away from cars, and
focuses on encouraging and rewarding
pedestrians. It creates safe places to
walk and offers shaded paseos with
verdant landscaping. By reserving
curb space for drop-off and pickups,
residents and visitors have more
mobility options, and can more easily
avoid driving alone, while keeping
cars on the perimeter of the site.
New bike routes through the
neighborhood build on existing plans
for the region, connecting into high-
quality corridors like Ellis Street/
Manila Avenue, Hetch Hetchy Trail/
Stevens Creek Trail (which connects
to the Bay Trail), and Sunnyvale’s Mary
Avenue and Borregas Corridors (via
Maude Avenue). Additionally, new
protected on-street routes will increase
the number of bike commuters. The
variety of routes also supports frequent
trips within Middlefield Park, offering
healthy, active ways for people to run
errands, meet with friends or coworkers,
and travel between work and home.
Anyone who lives in, works in, or visits
Middlefield Park, will find a number of
transit options connecting them to the
region. As the new neighborhood is
centered around the VTA Middlefield
Station, stepping onto the Orange Line
offers connections to the Mountain
View Caltrain Station and the Milpitas
BART Station. Bus and light rail service
improvements may be planned to
respond to a growing population.
Mountain View’s MVgo shuttle provides
free service between East Whisman
and Mountain View Caltrain. Google’s
GBus employee shuttles already
operate in the East Whisman area.
At the core of the vision of Middlefield
Park’s ambitious plan is a de-
emphasis on single-occupancy vehicle
transportation. While parking is provided,
both office and residential parking rates
are planned to be voluntarily lower than
the Precise Plan maximums, and retail
parking may take advantage of shared
parking strategies to reduce the overall
amount of parking. Middlefield Park
will allow for healthy, accessible options
by providing attractive walking, biking,
and transit options for everyone.
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 21
DESIGN CONCEPT
Figure 2.4.10 Physical and digital strategies for supporting sustainable mobility Figure 2.4.11 Circulation and mobility framework © andrew roberts via unsplash © Google
© albersHeinemann via Pixabay
22 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
DESIGN CONCEPT
Sustainability framework
The MPMP development will set
a high benchmark and a clear
precedent for how development
in the East Whisman area and
beyond can be designed for
environmental performance while
fostering a deep connection to
place. This project’s land use,
site, and building design will
demonstrate and deliver on
Google’s commitments to water
replenishment and restoration
and a carbon-free future, with a
focus on nature-based solutions.
The plan for Middlefield Park is grounded
in a commitment to sustainably building
all aspects of the Project. It has been
designed in a holistic way to maximize
the environmental performance and
the benefits to the community through
the design of interrelated, mutually
supportive systems that make it easy for
residents and employees of Middlefield
Park to make sustainable choices.
These systems include:
Land uses: By centering the new
community around a mixture of housing,
neighborhood retail, recreation and
community facilities, and employment
uses, the Project improves access to
everyday needs and reduce commute
times, thereby reducing carbon impact.
This closely-knit mix of uses also creates
a dynamic civic realm that supports an
enjoyable and safe environment, and
nurtures a rich public life for residents,
employees and visitors.
Open spaces: Creating high-quality
open spaces accessible to all ages,
incomes, and abilities is critical to the
long-term health of both the community
and regional ecosystems. A robust and
connected tree canopy, native drought
tolerant plantings, pollinator gardens,
and nature-based stormwater solutions
will significantly enhance the ecological
function and biodiversity throughout
the site. The open space design will
minimize resource use and sequester
carbon while improving health and
wellness outcomes through enhanced
access to nature, improved air quality,
the safety and appeal of active modes
of movement and reduced heat island
effect. Welcoming public spaces will
also foster social bonds and cohesion,
creating sturdy relationships and
stakeholders who will help sustain the
neighborhood and contribute to the
stewardship of the natural environment
around it.
Circulation and mobility: Middlefield
Park is in a prime location for
transportation alternatives to single
occupancy vehicle trips. The site is
close to high quality transit and regional
bikeways, located in a developing
mixed-use area, and will include on-site
services to encourage alternative, carbon
-conscious transit behaviors. The site
design and the transportation demand
management strategies selected for
implementation encourage occupants,
employees, and visitors to use cycling,
walking, transit, and shared rides.
Architecture and building design:
Buildings will be designed to carefully
manage demand for resources beginning
with solar orientation and siting and
massing, to systems planning, facade
design, and material selection. All
office buildings in Middlefield Park will
achieve LEED Platinum and all residential
buildings will achieve the equivalent of a
GreenPoint rating of 120 points or better.
Beyond ambitious sustainability ratings
targets, the buildings’ relationships
to the connected tree canopy and
ecologically rich open spaces also
create opportunities for biophilia and
connection to nature.
District systems: If pursued, this
Project will utilize neighborhood-
wide district systems to conserve
resources, optimize energy and water
performance, and increase systems
resilience while reducing redundancy
within the individual buildings. Further,
district-scale utilities would reduce
strain on existing city utility systems
and deliver better than business-as-
usual performance in thermal energy,
power, and water. Strategies for efficient
building design paired with centralized
heating and cooling allow for optimized
energy management. Centralization
will enable higher efficiency equipment
as compared to a building by building
approach, driving down energy
consumption and associated carbon
footprint. Complementary strategies
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 23
DESIGN CONCEPT
such as energy storage (both power
and thermal) or geothermal piling offer
significant economic, environmental, and
resilience benefits when combined with
an efficient and smart demand and asset
management strategy.
Innovative materials: Google is
committed to accelerating the market
transition to a circular economy. To
that end the Project employs a range
of design, construction and operational
strategies to maximize material
efficiency and reuse, minimize waste,
use products for their full lifetime,
and promote healthy materials and
safe chemistry. Multiple buildings are
considering the use of prefabricated
and Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT)
construction materials to sequester
and reduce carbon. Compared to the
use of concrete and steel structures,
CLT provides a transformative building
system that is both lightweight, and
streamlined in the manufacturing,
assembly and delivery processes.
© Google
© Lendlease
© Lendlease
Figure 2.4.12 Indicative resource management strategies Figure 2.4.13 District systems precedent Figure 2.4.14 Example of proposed sustainable infrastructure improvements Figure 2.4.15 CLT precedent *Non-potable reuse includes uses such
as toilet flushing, irrigation and cooling.
24 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
DESIGN CONCEPT
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Middlefield Park Master Plan | 25
3. PROGRAM SUMMARY
The guiding principle for the land use program
within the Master Plan is achieving the Precise Plan
goal of a balance of jobs and housing in order to
foster the creation of a vibrant new community.
The two primary uses are complemented by a
fine grained mix of others, including retail and
service, civic and communal, and passive and active
recreation, to create a rich fabric of local place.
26 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
PROGRAM SUMMARY
3.1 Program summary
Notes:
Unless otherwise noted, units
indicate gross square feet (GSF).
Program ranges shown here are subject to
refinement. Throughout this document, the
upper end of the range is used to illustrate
the maximum potential development.
1 Total units and areas shown represent an
indicative range and are subject to further
refinement in future permit entitlements.
2 Located partially underground; FAR-exempt.
3 Above-grade parking only shown
here; included in residential FAR.
4 Total square footage shown represents an
indicative range and is subject to further
refinement in future permit entitlements.
5 Site area increased due to street
vacation at Logue Avenue.
6 Only includes dedicated
parkland and POPA.
Table 3.1.1 Middlefield Park program
Existing Proposed
Residential units1 0 DUs 1,675 – 1,900 DUs
Residential (GSF)1 0 GSF 1,530,000 – 1,726,000 GSF
Residential Bonus FAR (GSF)1 0 GSF 201,937 – 397,936 GSF Office existing/re-built (GSF) 684,646 GSF 684,646 GSF
Office net new (GSF) - 558,332 – 632,354 GSF
Office Bonus FAR (GSF) - 548,904 – 622,925 GSF
Office (GSF) 684,646 GSF 1,242,978 – 1,317,000 GSF
Active Uses (GSF) - 20,000 – 50,000 GSF
District systems (GSF) 2 - 45,000 GSF
Residential parking (GSF) 3 - 170,000 – 200,000 GSF
TOTAL GSF 684,646 GSF 3,007,978 - 3,338,000 GSF4
Site area (sf) 1,736,969 sf 1,740,193 sf 5
Public open space area (sf) 6 - 350,222 – 397,267 sf
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 27
PROGRAM SUMMARY
3,300-4,000
NEW RESIDENTS
50%
reduction
OFFICE PARKING
RATIO DECREASE FROM
TODAY
up to
50,000
SQUARE FEET OF
ACTIVE USES
300+
NEW AFFORDABLE
HOMES
2-10 min
WALK TO LIGHT RAIL
12+ acres
NEW OPEN SPACE
© Lendlease
© Kinkisharyo
© Erik Quiocho for Google
© Daniel Garcia for Google
© edsavi30
Figure 3.1.2 Program summary
28 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
PROGRAM SUMMARY
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Middlefield Park Master Plan | 29
EXISTING CONDITIONS
4. EXISTING CONDITIONS
East Whisman is a major employment center
located on the eastern edge of Mountain View that
accommodates a substantial portion of the city’s
office space. It is distinguished from the surrounding
neighborhoods by its low density campuses that
offer office, R&D, and industrial buildings situated on large parcels of land.
30 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
4.1 Site context
East Whisman is largely bound
by US 101, SR 237 and North
Whisman Road, with East
Middlefield Road as the primary
east-west connection, and Ellis
Street as the primary north-
south connection. It sits on the
northeastern corner of Mountain
View, sharing its northern and
eastern borders with Sunnyvale.
The San Francisco Bay is
roughly two miles north of the
area, and Downtown San Jose
is about eight miles southeast
of the area. Downtown San
Francisco is about 30 miles
northwest of the area.
Middlefield Park is a ±40-acre site,
roughly 1,000 feet wide and 1,900 feet
long, bounded by Ellis Street, East
Middlefield Road, Logue Avenue, Maude
Avenue and Clyde Avenue. The limited
amount of existing open space consists
of private and residual landscape areas.
Land use context
Older, low-rise office and light industrial
buildings with surface parking are the
predominant land use in East Whisman
today, including all parcels within the
Project area. Established residential
neighborhoods, including Wagon Wheel,
North Whisman, Slater and Whisman
Station adjoin East Whisman to the
west and south. On the eastern edge of
the site is the Sunnyvale Municipal Golf
Course, and immediately to the north of
the Project area the San Francisco Public
Utilities Commission's (SFPUC) pipeline
corridor transverses East Whisman
from east to west. See Chapter 5 for a
plan of existing and proposed uses.
Figure 4.1.1 Existing area map
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 31
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Figure 4.1.2 665 Clyde Avenue
© Google © Google
© Google
Physical site conditions
Topography within the Project area
is generally flat, sloping downward at
approximately one percent to the north.
The Project area is located entirely
within a FEMA flood zone with reduced
flood risk and no established base flood
elevations, meaning that buildings do
not have a required minimum finished
floor elevation. Flood Zone X is defined
as areas of 0.2 percent annual chance
flood; areas of 1 percent annual chance
flood with average depths of less than
1 foot or with drainage areas less than
1 square mile; and areas protected by
levees from 1 percent annual chance
flood. This area is shown on Flood
Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) Number
06085C0045H dated May 18, 2009.
No known significant natural waterways
traverse the area, and the site does not
have any significant natural areas. The
ecological value of existing conditions
is minimal. For example, many of
the existing trees are non-native and
therefore offer limited ecological
value. Groundwater within the Project
area was encountered between 6
feet to 12 feet below the existing
ground surface based on preliminary
geotechnical investigations. Variations
in groundwater levels should be
anticipated. Groundwater mapping of
the region indicates that the historic high
groundwater level is approximately 5 feet
below ground surface in the project area.
Existing utilities serving the area are
both publicly and privately owned. The
water, storm, and sewer networks are
owned and operated by the City of
Mountain View. The electrical and gas
networks are owned and operated by
PG&E. Communications networks are
owned and operated at least in part
by AT&T, but verification is needed to
determine if there are additional private
utilities in the Project area. Additionally,
there is an existing nitrogen gas line
which runs between Logue Avenue and
Clyde Avenue, owned by a third-party.
32 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
EXISTING CONDITIONS
520 Clyde Avenue 530 Logue Avenue 401 Ellis Street
Middlefield Road looking west 500 E. Middlefield Road at Ellis Street looking east Ellis Street near 475 Logue Avenue looking south © Google
© Google
© Google
© Google
© Google
© Google
Figure 4.1.3 Photos of existing site conditions
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 33
EXISTING CONDITIONS
4.2 Open space and ecological context
The existing character of the East
Whisman landscape and public
realm is typified by large streets and
parking lots paved in asphalt. Existing
trees are predominantly limited to
streets and parking areas. However,
there are some large scale or dense
planting areas today, such as the
tree line along the VTA corridor and
within buildings' open spaces.
In the district there are few parks or
open space amenities, with limited
tree canopy. Within the Project area
there is no improved public open
space; a small, recently improved but
unprogrammed open space exists
immediately off-site on Ellis Street at
the approximate location of Street B in
the Precise Plan. Figure 4.2.1 shows
the limited extent and fragmented
character of the open space context.
The ecological value of existing
conditions is minimal. For example,
many of the existing trees are non-
native and require more water than
locally native alternatives, and
therefore offer limited ecological value
while requiring more resources.
When supportive of the project's
ecological goals of climate resiliency
and high biodiversity value, and
financially feasible, efforts will be made
to preserve or relocate existing trees,
especially native and heritage trees,
within Middlefield Park. Material reuse
opportunities will also be explored for
non-ecologically valuable existing trees.
There is great potential to build
ecological connections (corridors) and
large areas of native vegetation (patches)
via conscientious new development.
New landscape improvements can bring
back missing elements of the Valley’s
natural heritage, while also building
resilience for a warmer climate.
Figure 4.2.1 Existing planting and hardscape
34 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
EXISTING CONDITIONS
4.3 Circulation and mobility context
The existing site fabric is auto-
oriented and prioritizes wide
streets and surface parking
lots. Where sidewalks are
provided, they are small and
do not reinforce desire lines
between different uses. Access
to existing transit connections
is limited because of long
blocks and surface lots.
Existing street network
The EWPP plan includes two street
types for public roadways as follows:
• Avenues: Have mixed residential and
commercial frontages and are wider
than other streets, including a generous
landscaped median and dedicated left
turn lanes. They balance all modes,
with dedicated bicycle facilities, high
quality transit stops, and generous
sidewalks. Avenues connect regional
routes to other street types.
• Local Streets: Primarily serve local
traffic to adjacent uses. Low travel
speeds, wide sidewalks and dedicated
bicycle facilities help encourage
travel by non-vehicle modes.
The existing street network within
the Project area consists of five
perimeter streets that are categorized
as either Avenues or Local Streets.
• Ellis Street: A four-lane north-south
arterial street that extends from
Manila Avenue to Middlefield Road. It
extends through the EWPP area and
serves as one of the major access
points to US 101. The posted speed
limit on Ellis Street is 40 mph.
• East Middlefield Road: A four-lane,
east-west Avenue that extends through
the EWPP area from Central Expressway
in Mountain View to Winslow Street in
Redwood City. Most of E. Middlefield
Road has a raised median near the
project area. E. Middlefield Road
includes Class II bicycle lanes west of
Bernardo Avenue. The posted speed
limit on East Middlefield Road is 35 mph.
• Logue Avenue: A two-lane, north-south
Local Street within Middlefield Park
that extends north from Middlefield
Road and ends in a cul-de-sac. Logue
Avenue provides Class II bicycle
lanes and on-street parking south of
Maude Avenue and on-street parking
throughout. The posted speed limit
on Logue Avenue is 25 mph.
• Maude Avenue: A two- to four-lane,
east-west Local Street that extends
from North Wolfe Road in Sunnyvale
to Logue Avenue in Mountain View,
providing direct access to Middlefield
Park. Maude Avenue provides Class II
bicycle lanes west of Borregas Avenue
through Middlefield Park. The posted
speed limit on Maude Avenue is 25 mph.
• Clyde Avenue: A two-lane Local Street
along the northeastern edge of the
Middlefield Park area that extends
between Fairchild Drive and Maude
Avenue. Clyde Avenue provides Class
II bicycle lanes and on-street parking
along its entire extent. The posted
speed limit on Clyde Avenue is 25 mph.
Existing transit network
Middlefield Park is well-connected
to several transit modes, including
Caltrain, VTA Light Rail, and local and
regional bus services. Currently, low
frequencies and a lack of integration
limit the ridership of the transit network.
However, modernization programs
such as the electrification of the
Caltrain corridor or potential increases
in frequency of the VTA Light Rail may
support an increase in transit ridership.
Caltrain, the linear backbone of public
transit connectivity from San Francisco
to San Jose, serves both the Mountain
View and Sunnyvale stations, each
located approximately 2 miles from
Middlefield Park. The Mountain View
Station, slightly closer in road network
distance and, more importantly,
reachable in five minutes by VTA Light
Rail, provides a daily service during
peak periods of four trains per hour,
per direction, including an hourly “Baby
Bullet” train linking San Francisco and
Mountain View in approximately 45
minutes. The Caltrain Modernization
Program, of which the most notable
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 35
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Figure 4.3.1 Street Typologies per East Whisman Precise Plan component is the electrification of the
corridor (currently under construction)
from San Francisco to Tamien Station,
will include capacity, efficiency, and fleet
enhancements in anticipation of shared
service with future high-speed rail.
The VTA Middlefield Station is located
on the southern edge of the site,
equidistant between Ellis Street and
Logue Avenue, accessible along both
sidewalks and internal bicycle and
pedestrian paths. The VTA Orange Line
light rail service connects the project
site to downtown Mountain View (and
Caltrain) to the west, Moffett Park to
the east, and beyond Moffett Park to
the Milpitas Station, which provides a
connection to the BART system in the
East Bay. The existing VTA Orange Line
also provides connections between
the VTA Middlefield Station and
downtown San Jose (with transfers to
the Blue or Green lines). Trains currently
operate with 15-minute headways.
The VTA also offers a connection to
the Great America Station in Santa
Clara, which provides regional rail
connections to Amtrak's Capitol
Corridor (to Sacramento) and the ACE
train (to the Central Valley/Stockton).
In addition to the light rail, Middlefield
Park is also served by one VTA bus
line and one free shuttle operated by
the Mountain View Transportation
Management Association (MTVMA).
The following bus services operate
within Middlefield Park:
• VTA Route 21 (Stanford Shopping Center
to Santa Clara Caltrain): provides all-day
service on Middlefield Road, Logue, and
Maude Avenues at 30-minute intervals.
• East Whisman MVgo shuttle
(Mountain View Caltrain loop):
provides free and frequent trips to
and from Mountain View Caltrain
Station during 3-hour peak periods.
36 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Private shuttle service
The employers in and around East
Whisman, in keeping with increasingly
ambitious transportation demand
management (TDM) programs, operate
private shuttles carrying commuters
between local office campuses and
residential neighborhoods around the
Bay Area. Existing shuttle stops are
situated on privately-owned land for
loading and unloading operations and are
concentrated to the west of Middlefield
Park along the Ellis Street corridor.
Figure 4.3.2 Existing transit network
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 37
EXISTING CONDITIONS
4.4 Relationship to other regulatory documents
East Whisman Precise Plan
The Master Plan responds directly to the
vision, standards, and guidelines set out
in the East Whisman Precise Plan. The
EWPP was created through a process
of community outreach, as a way to
implement the City of Mountain View’s
2030 General Plan vision for the area.
The EWPP requires that the area
surrounding the Neighborhood Park
(named Maude Park in the MPMP)
submit a master plan that addresses
the development concept for the
park and surrounding buildings. This
plan is intended not only to satisfy
that requirement, but also to provide
a holistic planning framework for
how this neighborhood will maximize
the potential of Middlefield Light
Rail Station and Maude Park as
important community assets.
The Middlefield Park Master
Plan is guided by three EWPP
character sub-areas that define
scale, form, and character:
• Mixed-Use Character Area —
High Intensity: Transit-oriented
development with residential/mixed-
use buildings up to 135 feet tall in
the high-rise core, 95-feet tall office
buildings, and active retail frontages
focused around East Middlefield Rd
and the VTA Middlefield Station.
• Mixed-Use Character Area —
Medium Intensity: Residential/
mixed-use and office development
up to 75 feet tall, within a
walkable block structure, and
neighborhood-serving open space.
• Employment Character Area
— Low Intensity: Lowest
intensity office and R&D
development, up to 60 feet tall.
General Plan
The East Whisman Change Area of
the General Plan establishes the
primary vision, goals and policies for
the area. The EWPP directs specific
development goals and design standards
to implement the policies set forth in
the General Plan. The redevelopment
of this area is therefore guided by the
EWPP and, by showing compliance
with that document, implements
the goals of the General Plan.
Zoning Ordinance
The EWPP sets the zoning, land use
and development standards. However,
regulations not addressed in the Precise
Plan, such as standards for specific
land uses, are regulated by the Zoning
Ordinance (Chapter 36 of City Code).
Mountain View City Code
The City Code includes general
regulations for example; for subdivision,
open space dedication, fire safety,
and operations of certain activities.
These regulations apply to this plan.
Note: All proposed construction will
meet the code in effect at the time of
building permit submittal, including local
amendments related to Reach codes.
Mountain View Greenhouse Gas
Reduction Program
The Mountain View Greenhouse Gas
Reduction Program (GGRP) establishes
greenhouse gas reduction targets for
the City. The GGRP lists measures
to reduce emissions, such as green
building performance requirements. This
project is expected to comply with the
GGRP energy conservation and vehicle
trip reductions, see Chapter 7 of this
document for more detailed information.
38 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Citywide Multimodal Improvement
Plan, Bicycle Transportation Plan,
and Pedestrian Master Plan
This plan complies with the 2018
Citywide Multi-Modal Improvement
Plan and subsequent 2021 AccessMV
plan, as well as the 2015 Bicycle
Transportation Plan and the 2014
Pedestrian Master Plan, which provide
strategies and improvements to
encourage active transportation. The
EWPP requires that specific public
benefit or district improvement projects,
including those that may relate to
active transportation, be identified
during the review process for each
project, and approved by City Council.
Parks and Open Space Plan
The City-wide Parks and Open Space
Plan (POSP) prioritizes park acquisition
and improvement strategies for the
city. The open space requirements
in the EWPP provide specific
implementation of the general strategies
in the POSP to increase the supply
of and access to open space. This
plan complies with the EWPP and
implements the policies of the POSP.
The City began development of a Parks
and Recreation Strategic Plan in 2022.
When complete, the PRSP will define
a clear vision and action plan for the
future of Mountain View's parks and
open spaces, trail system, recreation
facilities, and recreation programs and
services. This plan will update the Parks
and Open Space Plan and will provide
input in the city's design of the future
parks dedicated in this Master Plan area.
Community Tree Master Plan
The Community Tree Master Plan
(CTMP) is a guide for managing,
enhancing, and growing Mountain
View’s community tree resource. The
CTMP is implemented through the
Protection of the Urban Forest ordinance
(Heritage Tree preservation in Chapter
32 of the City Code), development
review and City activities on public
streets and public parks. Compliance
with the CTMP will be determined
during future planning entitlements.
Plan Bay Area 2040
Plan Bay Area 2040 is a regional plan
that aims to integrate sustainable
land use, housing, and transportation
strategies to reduce congestion, improve
livability, and lower transportation-
related emissions within the nine
counties of the San Francisco Bay Area,
which was prepared by the Metropolitan
Transportation Commission (MTC)
and the Association of Bay Area
Governments (ABAG). East Whisman
was identified as a Priority Development
Area (PDA), defined as a higher-density,
mixed-use development area near major
public transit stops. The adoption of the
EWPP satisfied the legal requirements
of the PDA funding. Implementation
of this plan, in particular the housing
units, will contribute toward Mountain
View satisfying it’s Regional Housing
Needs Allocation as required by Plan
Bay Area. MTC and ABAG have since
adopted Plan Bay Area 2050 in October
2021, an update to the 2040 Plan.
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 39
LAND USE
5. LAND USE
The Master Plan envisions a mix of residential, office, recreation, retail, and service uses. Consistent with
the vision and controls of the EWPP, these uses will
create a lively, walkable community for residents,
employees, and visitors alike.
40 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
LAND USE
5.1 Land use
Land use approach
The guiding principle for the mix and
distribution of land uses within the
Master Plan is achieving the EWPP goal
of a balance of jobs and housing. The
two primary uses are complemented by
a fine grained mix of others including
retail and service, community and
cultural, and passive and active
recreation to create a rich fabric of local
place. The Master Plan's public realm,
including its major open spaces, is
fronted by a mix of uses to activate and
enliven it on weekdays and weekends,
with people coming and going from
residential buildings, office buildings, and
retail or community establishments.
Catalyzing transformation of the
district
The Master Plan builds upon the
vision established in the Precise Plan
of a transit-oriented neighborhood
and employment center, dramatically
increasing the diversity of land uses
beyond what exists today. The Master
Plan places a generous neighborhood
park at the heart of the existing single-
use district. Along the perimeters of
the site, connecting to the surrounding
neighborhoods, a heterogeneity of land
use fosters a variety of experiences
for all. Woven through the park and
mix of land uses is an amenitized
open space and circulation network,
connecting the site and the larger
district, offering places and pathways for
people of all ages. The transformation
of Middlefield Park will be the next
step in re-casting East Whisman as a
desirable and livable neighborhood.
Figure 5.1.1 Comparative site land use: Middlefield Park today and transformed tomorrow Figure 5.1.2 Existing and future land use
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 41
LAND USE
Figure 5.1.2 Existing and future land use Figure 5.1.3 Existing general land use Figure 5.1.4 Land use plan
High Intensity Office
East Whisman Mixed-Use
General Mixed-Use
Park/Open Space
Low Density Residential
Medium Low Density Residential
Medium Density Residential
Medium High Density Residential
General Industrial
Project Boundary
Residential
Office
Parking
Active Use
Public Open Space
Private Open Space
*Fairchild Barn location TBD
42 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
LAND USE
5.2 Block structure
The block structure of the Master Plan
implements the recommendations
identified by the Conceptual Public
Circulation Map in the Land Use chapter
of the Precise Plan. New public streets
and other publicly accessible service
streets, greenways, multi-use paths, and
paseos form a grid pattern that provides
new opportunities for pedestrian,
bike and vehicular connectivity within
the Master Plan area while creating
a block structure that builds on the
existing geometry within the study
area. Consistent with the Precise
Plan, maximum block lengths for the
proposed Middlefield Park Master Plan
are 400 feet in the Mixed-Use Character
Area and 500 feet in the Employment
Character Area North. The Project also
proposes implementation of north-south
paseos between the O3/O4 buildings,
between the R4/R5 buildings and
Maude Park in lieu of the north-south
vehicular Street C recommended by
the EWPP. For more information on the
different street types, see Section 7.7. Figure 5.2.1 Transforming the East Whisman block structure Suggested by the
Precise Plan
Proposed by MPMPExisting
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 43
LAND USE
5.3 Development program
The Project proposes a mix
of land uses that create a rich
tapestry of interactive uses
and experiences. While an
overall development summary
can be found in Chapter
3, more detailed land use
information is provided here.
Master Plan Flexibility
The Master Plan includes flexibility to
respond to site-specific conditions,
development needs, and shifts in
the economic market. The following
areas of flexibility will be reviewed
as part of subsequent permits:
• Design details such as those in Chapter
7 (parking, curb management plan)
and Chapter 8 (office building length,
building heights, Key Corner);
• Optional district system per Chapter 9;
• The floor area per Character sub-area
within the Master Plan may be adjusted
across the project site as a whole if the
project substantial complies with the
purpose and intent of the Precise Plan,
including height limits, setbacks and
other standards per Precise Plan Section
3.3.2.4. This may result in less floor area
in one character sub-area and more floor
area in another character area compared
to Tables 5.7.3 and 5.7.4 in this Chapter 5;
• Development standard exceptions
outlined in Precise Plan Section 6.2.3;
• Once land is dedicated to the City,
the City can elect to shift land uses
identified in the Master Plan at City
Council discretion (for example,
swap Gateway Park and R6).
Any of these modifications would be
subject to consistency review and
compliance with the Master Plan,
Precise Plan, other Existing Approvals
per the Development Agreement, and
environmental review per CEQA.
Residential
As part of fostering a thriving
community, approximately 1,900 new
homes are planned to be delivered,
clustered around the VTA Middlefield
Station and the new Maude Park.
Consistent with the goals of the Precise
Plan, a diversity of housing types at a
range of affordability levels are planned.
The proximity of the development to
the light rail station provides context
for residential buildings within the
Master Plan area to be of higher
density and smaller product types,
ranging from studios to two- and
three-bedroom options. Depending on
market conditions, innovative housing
products such as co-living or live/
work units could be considered as a
way to expand housing availability and
affordability. In accordance with the
Precise Plan, the mix of unit product
types will be assessed by city staff
during permit entitlements; however,
the Master Plan targets maximizing
yield to address the current supply
shortage while maintaining a focus on
product supported by market conditions
and responsive to the amenities,
including public transit, to be provided
within the Master Plan area. It is
envisioned that lower density projects
with larger units will, as specified in
Table 5.3.1 Proposed unit count
Building Unit Range Proposed
Floor Area
R1 +/- 400 320,000 GSF
R2 +/- 450 363,000 GSF
R3 +/- 270 263,000 GSF
R4a +/- 210 190,000 GSF
R4b +/- 90 95,000 GSF
R5 +/- 310 340,000 GSF
R6 +/- 170 155,000 GSF
Total Up to 1,900
Units 1,726,000 GSF
Note: Residential GSF listed above excludes
above-ground parking or active uses.
Table 5.3.2 Proposed Active Uses
Site Area Active Use
Floor Area
R1-R2 +/- 30,000 GSF
R3-R5 Up to 15,000 GSF
Ellis Park Up to 1,000 GSF
P2 Up to 4,000 GSF
Total Up to 50,000 GSF
44 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
LAND USE
the Precise Plan, be delivered in the
Whisman Road Transition Area.
The MPMP will target a mix of rental
and ownership residential units.
Initial residential phases will deliver
multi-family rental accommodation
to address immediate housing needs,
with ownership units targeted for
later phases. The ultimate delivery
of ownership units, however, will be
determined by market conditions. The
project will therefore be condo mapped
to allow for such future flexibility in
ownership structures. Regardless of the
ownership status of the units in later
phases of the project, the public realm
and community building investments
made in the earlier phases of the project
will create intrinsic place value for the
units in later phases. See Table 5.3.1
for proposed unit counts. Residential
floor area above Base FAR is proposed,
via the Bonus FAR program. For
more information see Section 5.7.
Active uses
Active ground floor uses are an essential
part of a land use mix that fosters the
growth of community in East Whisman,
and is central to the goals of the EWPP.
At Middlefield Park, these uses are
grouped together as Active Uses. Active
Uses are located at the ground level
of buildings with programming that
generates pedestrian activity. These
uses may be retail, neighborhood,
commercial, educational, arts, cultural,
civic, community or institutional in
nature. Examples include, but are not
limited to, food and beverage, grocery
stores, personal services, retail, day
care centers, libraries, museums, indoor
fitness, medical services, nonprofit and
small-format offices and art studios.
Other uses not named, but similar to
listed uses and consistent with the
purpose and intent of the Precise Plan
such as entertainment venues, co-
working spaces, and startup incubators
could be allowed pursuant to evaluation
at the time of zoning approvals. By
providing a diverse mix of uses in
strategic locations throughout the
master plan, the daily needs of residents
can be met in a way that encourages
engagement, interaction, and social
and community activity that will help
form a self-sustaining neighborhood.
With regard to the EWPP’s allowed Land
Uses (Table 5, pp. 54-55) Active Use
aligns to a number of permitted and
provisionally permitted uses, see the
proposed Active Use Types in Section
B of the Implementation Plan. Active
Uses are clustered primarily around the
VTA Middlefield Station including near
the corner of Ellis Street and Middlefield
Road as required in the Precise Plan, with
smaller areas reserved around the edges
Table 5.3.3 Proposed open space areas
Land
Dedicated
to City
Privately Owned,
Publicly Accessible
(POPA)
Other
Accessible
Open Space
Total
Maude Park 5.11 ac - - 5.11 ac
Bridge Open Space 1.36 ac - - 1.36 ac
Gateway Park 0.50 ac - - 0.50 ac
Ellis Park - 2.87 ac - 2.87 ac
Other Open Space - - 2.92 ac 2.92 ac
Totals 6.97 ac 2.87 ac 2.92 ac 12.76 ac
Note: Total acreages shown represent maximums and are subject to further refinement in future permit entitlements.
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 45
LAND USE
Table 5.3.4 Proposed office area
Building GSF
O1 441,939 GSF
O2 190,000 GSF
O3 310,000 GSF
O4 292,212 GSF
O5 82,849 GSF
Total 1,317,000 GSF
of Maude Park. Space for Active Uses
is strategically aggregated to increase
interaction and activation at community
and transit nodes. See Table 5.3.3 for
proposed retail and community space
land use areas. In order to best respond
to changing community needs over time,
the exact size and configuration of Active
Use spaces will be determined during
future permit entitlement processes.
Open space
The open space will be the most
significant character-defining feature
of the Middlefield Park Project, and
presents a unified landscape experience
from one end of the district to the other.
It acts as social infrastructure, providing
opportunities for social engagement,
cultural expression and interaction,
as well as linkages to the surrounding
neighborhoods. More than 12 acres of
publicly accessible open space, located
along the Ellis Street side of the site and
at the core of the Maude Avenue side of
the site, will provide a comprehensive
variety of recreational opportunities
and public amenities; approximately
6.97 acres of dedicated public open
space, and approximately 2.87 acres
of Privately Owned Publicly Accessible
spaces. Additional privately owned
space will also be publicly accessible,
including various paseos and greenways
totaling approximately 2.92 acres. A
description of the open space framework
can be found in Section 2.4 of the
MPMP and a complete explanation of
the design and strategies can be found
in Chapter 6 of the MPMP. See Table
5.3.3 for proposed open space areas.
Office
Office uses are proposed along the
northern edge of the site, close to
anticipated office development in the
Northern Employment Character Area
of the Precise Plan. This location is
close to the VTA Middlefield Station as
well as adjacent to the Hetch Hetchy
bike connections and existing public
and private bus stops, allowing for a
multiplicity of commuting options.
Clustering the office space further
allows for more efficient operations,
and reduces areas where buffers may
be required to maintain a harmonious
relationship. Office floor area above
Base FAR is proposed via the Bonus FAR
program; see Section 5.7 for more detail.
See Table 5.3.4 for proposed areas.
Parking
In support of larger Precise Plan goals,
the land use plan is oriented towards
a reduction of driving as a mode of
transportation. Accordingly, the parking
provided will be notably less than the
allowed maximum ratios; however,
minimum ratios for accessibility and EV
chargers will be provided. The Master
Plan includes the potential for shared
parking between complementary retail,
open space, office, and residential
uses. Carshare and loading spaces are
in addition to the land use ratio types
identified in the EWPP . The Master Plan
includes the potential for reduced off-
street loading spaces for non-residential
uses. The number of residential loading
spaces will be determined by the
46 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
LAND USE
5.4 Ground floor uses
Priority frontages and ground floor
activation
The Master Plan identifies areas that
are the highest priority for ground
floor activation, as well as those that
are not. Including a mix of active and
non-active building frontages in the
Plan area will help to ensure a healthy
balance of ground floor uses. It will also
create a more dynamic public realm
by offering pockets of both energy and
engagement as well as privacy and
reprieve within the Master Plan area.
Active frontages are those that are public
and permeable. Examples of ground
floor uses and treatments that support
active frontages include restaurants and
cafes with outdoor dining and indoor/
outdoor markets, retail, as well as health
and beauty service providers, community
and event spaces. Such uses result
in a ground floor and adjacent public
realm from which people are constantly
coming and going, therefore activating
the frontage and adjacent spaces.
These types of active frontages are
envisioned near transit hubs as well as
along many of the Master Plan’s parks
and plazas as well as at key corners.
While there is a spectrum of activation
possible for various building frontages,
non-active frontages are generally those
that are more private in nature. Examples
of ground floor uses and treatments that
result in non-active frontages include
residential stoops, residential patios,
and private office spaces. These types
of non-active frontages are envisioned
further away from key corners and transit
hubs and along residential streets and
paseos as well as within office clusters.
Note that “active frontages,” as described
in this section, do not necessarily
directly correlate with the “Active Uses”
land use type. See Figure 5.4.2 for the
conceptual ground floor activation
strategy for locations of frontage types.
Active Priority Frontages
Active Priority Frontages are at all Key
Corners and retail storefronts, as well
as community space use frontages
where transparency and engagement
are desired. Along Middlefield Road and
Ellis Street, the Master Plan proposes
commercial spaces in support of the
Precise Plan’s vision to create complete
neighborhoods. Associated with this
are ground floor uses that are related to
the residential functions of the buildings
such as building lobbies, mail rooms,
fitness rooms, and leasing offices.
Along the VTA corridor, the Master
Plan envisions buildings engaging
with adjacent open spaces. At Ellis
Plaza, ground floor uses will be flexibly
designed to accommodate a variety of
retail and service uses. To the extent
possible, residential functions such
as lobbies, fitness rooms, egress
stairs, etc., will be located off of the
plaza. Along the linear park further
north, ground floor uses will contain
a mix of retail and community space
uses with some adaptable residential
frontages. Community space uses
such as a community center, library, or
daycare could be appropriate, as their
function supports the development of
a complete community. The eastern
frontage of R2 may contain portions
of Non-Active Priority frontage,
depending on final programming.
District vision
To create a vibrant, connected
place, the Master Plan envisions
a wide range of ground floor
uses across the site. Such a
blend will invite activation and
interaction among residents
and workers, setting the stage
for a rich tapestry of place
and experience. These uses
further inform the relationship
of buildings to public spaces,
streets and parks. The Master
Plan prioritizes transparency,
engagement and socializing
in locations where retail and
other active uses will be
successful and will create the
highest quality environment.
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 47
LAND USE
East of the VTA corridor, active frontages
are envisioned for residential entries,
at the Key Corner at Logue and Maude
Avenues, and along commercial and
community space frontages. The
active frontage on the north side of
R4b is flexible in location along that
block, in order to improve functionality
based on building design. Offices
would have active frontages at entries
and potentially along open spaces,
depending on final programming.
Non-Active Frontages
Non-Active Priority Frontages are
being considered along non-Key
Corner residential and office frontages.
Included are portions of the residential
buildings along Ellis Street which are not
Active Frontage, including residential
units with their associated private
stoops. The Ellis office building, with the
exception of its Key Corner entry, will be
a non-active frontage, though certain
areas could offer more transparency,
depending on final programming.
East of the VTA corridor in the Medium
Intensity character area, the Master Plan
envisions wider landscape buffers to
ground floor uses to reflect the reduction
in heights and density. Office buildings
would have non-active frontages along
Logue Avenue, Clyde Avenue and the
Neighborhood Park except as noted
in Figure 5.4.1. Residential buildings
would feature ground floor units with
stoops and private gardens. Access to
parking and refuse storage would occur
on facades facing service streets.
Other Active Frontages
The Master Plan also envisions several
structures in open spaces housing
community uses which will provide
shelter from the elements: places to
congregate and socialize adjacent to
companion outdoor spaces. These
frontages should function as Active
Priority Frontages where possible,
considering the need for some
storage or loading areas. In Ellis Park
these may include small pavilions for
community uses such as a community
center, library, and daycare, as well
as spaces for special events.
In addition, the Master Plan envisions
two additional Key Corners beyond
those envisioned in the EWPP to
acknowledge entry into the district
along Maude Avenue from Sunnyvale.
Figure 5.4.1 Conceptual ground floor activation strategy 48 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
LAND USE
Potential Middlefield Park
neighborhood services:
• Market with fresh produce;
• Family-oriented restaurants;
• Fast-casual dining;
• Neighborhood pub and
specialty wine/beer store;
• Medical services and/or drugstore;
• Health and fitness facilities;
• Laundry and/or dry cleaning;
• Personal services.
Figure 5.4.2 Examples of neighborhood-serving uses
Dylan Gillis, Unsplash
Tara Clark, Unsplash
Melanie Lim, Unsplash
Both Key corners would be located
at the intersection of Maude Avenue
and Clyde Avenue (to be considered
at future permit entitlements). If
approved, the Key Corner will require
Active Priority Frontages at R5 and R6.
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 49
LAND USE
Figure 5.5.2 Jobs-Housing Linkage plan
5.5 Jobs-Housing Linkage Plan
As an office development requesting
Bonus FAR from the Development
Reserve, the Project is required to
submit a Jobs-Housing Linkage Plan
per the EWPP. The Project intends to
facilitate new housing in East Whisman
by incorporating it as a core element of
the proposed development, in proportion
to the amount of office being proposed.
Middlefield Park’s Jobs/Housing Linkage
Plan proposes to facilitate the delivery
of housing through direct construction
of residential units and the dedication
of land for affordable housing.
The ratio of three residential units
delivered shall be linked to 1,000
square feet of net new office delivered
to ensure a balance of new jobs and
housing, to support this central EWPP
goal. Although the jobs-housing
linkage ratio for this project would
require 1897 units based on the current
office development assumptions, up
to 1,900 units are currently proposed.
The entire project is to be implemented
with a phasing strategy compliant with
the Jobs-Housing Linkage Program.
As the Project is built out, it will deliver
significant benefits, both through its
Community Benefits program and
its valuable fiscal contributions. East
Whisman will be the focus of both
physical and social infrastructure
investments for years to come.
Further details on Jobs-Housing
Linkage Plan compliance is located
in the Development Agreement.
Figure 5.5.1 Jobs-Housing Linkage phasing
Maximizing the value of shared amenity for
Google and the broader community
Infrastructure
Food and
Beverage
Local Live/Work
Events
Playground
Transit
Community
Amenity
Educational/
Demonstration
Gardens
Bike Path and
Linear Park
Resident
Services
Public Art and
Features
Up to 1.726M sf of resi
Up to 1,897 units/~4,000 residents
Up to 1.317M sf Office
50 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
LAND USE
The East Whisman Precise Plan
envisions diverse housing to serve
mixed-income levels. It establishes a
goal of 20 percent affordable housing
across the plan area through 15 percent
inclusionary below-market rate units and
incentives for production of 5 percent
additional below-market rate units.
The City of Mountain View’s Below
Market Rate Housing Program (Chapter
36, Article XIV of the City Code)
requirement for rental units calls for
affordability targeted to households with
incomes ranging from 50 percent area
median income (AMI) to 120 percent
AMI, with a weighted average of up to 65
percent AMI between a minimum of two
income levels, and with higher averages
for ownership units. The code also
offers alternative approaches to support
increased affordable housing production.
The Middlefield Park Master Plan
seeks to deliver a diverse housing
vision in alignment with the East
Whisman Precise Plan, and exceed
the City code requirement by targeting
20 percent affordable housing
within the Master Plan Area.
In order to maximize the number of
affordable housing units delivered
at Middlefield Park, we propose an
alternative mitigation strategy that
utilizes land dedication within the Master
Plan area. The Alternative Mitigation,
per the City's BMR regulations, is to
dedicate 2.40 acres (R4a and R6) to the
City for development of approximately
380 units of affordable housing by
affordable housing developer(s).
When considered against other
potential strategies, dedicating land
for an affordable housing provider
to develop is likely to enable more
residents to receive the benefit from the
Master Plan’s affordable component.
See the Project's Affordable Housing
Proposal in the Implementation
Plan for more information.
5.7 Bonus floor area ratio5.6 Affordable housing
Middlefield Park’s development program
proposes to entitle gross floor area
beyond the Base floor area ratio (FAR)
maximum in compliance with the
Bonus FAR program described in the
Precise Plan. The Project requests
new office square footage from the
Development Reserve in return for
the provision of community benefits,
a Jobs-Housing Linkage Program,
affordable housing, and the inclusion
of green building standards, all as
described elsewhere in this document.
The Bonus FAR program contemplates
a Development Reserve that allows
additional office gross square footages in
exchange for implementing key projects
and policy goals of the Precise Plan.
See Table 5.7.2 for more information.
Bonus FAR calculation
Office entitlement requests Bonus
FAR in three different Character Sub-
Areas (see Table 5.7.3) while residential
and mixed-use entitlement requests
Bonus FAR in only one Character
Area (See Table 5.7.4). The Base and
Bonus FAR entitlements are shown
graphically by tier in Figure 5.7.1
FAR exemptions
Section 3.3.2.5 of the Precise Plan allows
floor area to be exempt from allowable
FAR that is provided for; (a) small
businesses or educational, cultural, or
other nonprofit uses (up to a maximum
of 5 percent of the gross floor area); and
space for neighborhood commercial
uses. These spaces are not exempt from
other development standards or bonus
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 51
LAND USE
Figure 5.7.1 EWPP Bonus FAR tiers
FAR requirements unless otherwise
noted in the Development Agreement.
All qualifying 50,000 square feet of
Active Use space is exempt from floor
area with execution of a legal agreement
recorded on each respective property
identifying the approved building gross
floor area exemption (location, square
footage) and use of the space for a
qualified business or organization per
the EWPP. Additionally, if pursued, the
Central Utility Plant for the District
System is exempt from FAR. Actual
FAR includes these FAR exemptions.
Should an Active Use not qualify for
an FAR exemption, the Total FAR
per subarea is listed below each
graphical tier. If not exempt from
FAR, these Active Use spaces are
not subject to community benefit
obligations beyond those approved in
the Development Agreement, but may
require modifications to a previously-
recorded agreement on the property
for the FAR exemption. Total FAR
includes no FAR exemptions and
includes the Central Utility Plant in the
High Intensity Mixed Use subarea.
52 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
LAND USE
Table 5.7.2 Development Reserve entitlement
Land use Existing Net new Total Required
residential units
Development Reserve office - 632,354 GSF - 1,897
Set-Aside office - - - -
Totals 684,646 GSF 632,354 GSF 1,317,000 GSF 1,897
Table 5.7.3 Proposed office FAR
Character Area Site area Base FAR Base FAR sf Bonus FAR Bonus FAR sf Total FAR Total building sf
Mixed-Use —
High Intensity 472,759 GSF 0.4 189,104 GSF 0.53 252,835 GSF 0.93 441,939 GSF Mixed-Use —
Medium Intensity* 1,055,304 GSF 0.4 422,122 GSF 0.35 370,090 GSF 0.75 792,212 GSF Employment Area
— Low Intensity 212,129 GSF 0.4 82,849 GSF 0 0 0.39 82,849 GSF Total 1,740,193 GSF 694,075 GSF 622,925 GSF 1,317,000 GSF Table 5.7.4 Proposed residential/mixed-use FAR
Character Area Site area Base FAR Base FAR sf Bonus FAR Bonus FAR sf Total FAR Total building sf
High Intensity
Mixed-Use 472,759 GSF 1.0 472,759 GSF 0.60 285,241 GSF 1.60 758,000 GSF Medium Intensity
Mixed-Use* 1,055,304 GSF 1.0 1,055,034 GSF 0.11 112,695 GSF 1.11 1,168,000 GSF Total 1,528,064 GSF 1,528,064 GSF 397,936 GSF 1,926,000 GSF Figure 5.7.5 Middlefield Park FAR by character area
High Intensity Mixed Use Character Subarea
Medium Intensity Mixed Use Character Subarea
Low Intensity Northern Employment Subarea
*Includes increased project site area for FAR calculations.
6. OPEN SPACE
The MPMP proposes to transform an urban
landscape with few parks and little greenspace or
tree canopy into a vibrant ecological oasis with a
variety of open space opportunities.
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 53
Occupying the Santa Clara
Valley’s rich alluvial soils and
benefiting from high groundwater
levels, Middlefield Park has the
potential to revitalize the local
landscape, re-integrating the
grand oak savannas, lush forests,
and flower-filled meadows
that occurred at the site before
development. The Project seeks
to bring back missing elements
of the Valley’s natural heritage,
and create an ecological node
that enhances connection
to nature and biodiversity
while contributing to adjacent
ecological features such as
the Sunnyvale Municipal Golf
Course and Stevens Creek.
The open space will be the most
significant character-defining feature
of the Middlefield Park project,
and presents a unified landscape
experience from one end of the district
to the other. It acts as a commons,
providing opportunities for social
engagement, cultural expression and
interaction, as well as linkages to the
surrounding neighborhoods. While
the final design and programming
of the dedicated parkland is to be
determined by the City of Mountain
View, this chapter offers a vision for
this unified system on private land.
The Project’s diverse open spaces
system will be carefully integrated
with the ground-floor and massing
strategies of the blocks and buildings
to create delightful, welcoming, and
active places. The unique character
and programs will attract visitors
and create a lively network of well-
loved public spaces for East Whisman
and Greater Mountain View.
Large-scale ecologically beneficial
area improvements will be defined
and connected by an expansive tree
canopy and understory planting. The
understory is the layer of small trees,
shrubs and groundcover plants that
grow closer to the ground below the
tree canopy. Google’s own local tree
farm, which focuses on growing native
species, may supply some of the
trees and shrubs that are planted.
By designing the open space as an
ecological network that connects
to surrounding ecological features,
the MPMP maximizes both the
contribution to local biodiversity,
and the health, human experience,
and biophilia benefits that accrue to
the local community as a result.
6.1 Open space approach
© CMG © CMG`
Adam Coppola Photography
Figure 6.1.1 Open space character images
54 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
Figure 6.1.3 Open space concept
Figure 6.1.2 Open space key plan
Open space principles
• Design for people;
• Restore and enhance locally
native ecological communities;
• Optimize for human health, safety,
comfort, happiness, and productivity;
• Create a sense of place for
24/7 activity with a variety of
highly-connected pathways and
publicly accessible amenities;
• Provide for active mobility
away from vehicular streets.
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 55
OPEN SPACE
Open space sustainability
Goals and best practices
for sustainable landscape
development are fully integrated
into all aspects of the Master
Plan. Four fundamental
themes— Community, Ecology,
Wellness and Resource use—
organize the Master Plan’s
open space sustainability
strategy and are integral to East
Whisman’s sustainability:
Community:
• A variety of outdoor spaces,
activities and amenities for social
and community interaction;
• Something for everyone, of all ages;
intergenerational engagement;
• Educational/demonstration garden;
• Opportunities to cultivate and
steward the landscape.
Ecology:
• The site will be covered with a tree
canopy that includes existing trees
as well as trees planted as part of the
project that will mature. This robust
tree canopy will be combined with
understory planting and together, the
over- and understory of the urban
forest will provide significant urban
ecological areas across the project site;
• Variety of plant communities designed
to support resident and migratory birds,
pollinators, and other native wildlife;
• Prioritize using a diversity of
primarily native plant species that
enhances existing biodiversity and
foster a resilient landscape;
• Implement bird-safe design
guidelines for all new construction;
• Use site lighting optimized for low
energy use and dark skies while
maintaining pedestrian safety.
Wellness:
• Active mobility in a vehicle-
free environment, centered on
access to mass transit;
• Immediate access to beauty
and nature supports community
health and biophilia;
• A balance of active recreation and
restorative, contemplative spaces;
• Improved air quality as vehicle emissions
are reduced while new trees help
remove pollutant particles from the air;
• Reduced heat island effect and
enhanced outdoor thermal comfort.
Resource use:
• Low water, drought-tolerant
plant species and reclaimed
water for irrigation;
• Detention and treatment of
stormwater run-off on-site in
vegetated swales and basins;
• Carbon sequestration through
landscape design;
• Use of materials with low embodied
carbon in public realm.
56 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
OPEN SPACE
Carbon reduction through open
space design
Best practices for carbon
reduction are incorporated
into the Middlefield Park
Master Plan with a goal of
sequestering more carbon
than emitted in the landscape
over the life of the project.
The three primary factors to consider
when improving the carbon footprint
of the landscape are reduction of
embodied carbon from material
production and transport; increase
of carbon sequestration (storage) in
plants and soil; and the reduction of
ongoing operational carbon emissions
from maintenance or site disturbance.
By implementing the following
guidelines, the Master Plan seeks
to set a high level framework
for voluntarily making a positive
contribution to climate change:
Reduce embodied carbon:
• Minimize paving and material use;
• Use materials with lower embodied
carbon such as wood — typically
the more natural the better;
• Reuse materials from the site (wood
from fallen trees, rocks etc.);
• Use local materials;
• Maximize cement substitutions in
concrete — slag, flyash, glass pozzolan
or silica fume are examples;
• Use organic or eco-friendly
binders in materials like stabilized
crushed stone paving;
• Specify materials with a high
percentage of recycled content;
• Design natural drainage like
swales to reduce piping.
Increase carbon sequestration:
• Minimize the removal of existing trees;
• Maximize space devoted to
planting of all kinds;
• Within planting areas, decrease spacing
between plants by using species that
will thrive together in layered conditions
(i.e. a natural forest condition);
• Select native or regionally adapted
grass species for lawn areas;
• If trees must be removed,
consider re-using the wood in
buildings, as site furnishings, or
sending to a biochar facility.
Reduce operational carbon
emissions:
• Minimize soil disturbance to
prevent soil carbon release;
• During construction, consider using a
cover crop on disturbed soils that will be
exposed for an extended length of time;
• Amend soil in place rather
than importing new soil;
• Specify organic fertilizers;
• Create an Operations and
Maintenance Manual to ensure best
practices are followed over time;
• Select plants that require
low maintenance;
• Consider use of locally-produced
biochar produced from biosolids
to amend soils and store carbon
and support a circular economy;
• Minimize amount of high
maintenance turf and use no-mow
grasses or meadows instead.
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 57
OPEN SPACE
A connected sequence of open
spaces
The publicly accessible open spaces
of Middlefield Park connect through
and across the site to provide
valuable linkages and amenities to the
community. These open spaces are
provided in dedicated public spaces and
in private but publicly accessible spaces.
Ellis Park is an open space providing
north-south access and community
programming along the west side of
the VTA tracks. At the south end of
Ellis Park at East Middlefield Road is
Ellis Plaza, which provides the district
with an entry point and urban core.
Ellis Walk extends north from the
plaza and provides a programmed
promenade connecting through the
district to Bridge Open Space.
Bridge Open Space is envisioned to
include a future ped-bike bridge (to be
designed and constructed by the City)
over the VTA tracks, offering connectivity
across all of East Whisman, and linking
the two sides of the open space network.
Maude Park is the core dedicated
public space connecting from
Logue Avenue to Clyde Avenue.
Gateway Park is a dedicated
public park at the corner of West
Maude Avenue and SR 237.
Note: The the linear park originally
envisioned for this site in the EWPP
(directly south of the SFPUC right-of-way)
has been relocated to expand the scale
of Bridge Open Space and Maude Park.
6.2 Open space network
Figure 6.2.1 Open space plan
58 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
OPEN SPACE
A journey with multiple
destinations
A diversity of open spaces and amenities
create opportunities for residents to
have a sense of purpose — a place where
they can craft, build, learn from, play
in and own their environment. Various
distinct open space areas accommodate
a wide variety of physical activities and
social pursuits to be a part of everyday
life in Middlefield Park. The Master Plan
proposes a new series of open spaces
in East Whisman. These spaces should
highlight local ecology and provide new
places for workers and neighbors to
convene. Activity nodes are created by
bringing retail experiences and common
space to the buildings at street level.
The character of Middlefield Park’s
outdoor environment shifts from a
more urban intensity on Ellis (red) to a
larger-scale setting at Maude Avenue
(blue)(Figure 6.3.1). A plaza at Ellis
Street and a large, mixed recreational
area off of Maude Avenue bookend
and anchor the Middlefield Park open
spaces. The multi-use path in Ellis Park
functions as bicycle and pedestrian
corridors, connecting all open spaces
across the neighborhood and beyond. A
journey is available to pedestrians and
cyclists that transitions from the active
and lively light rail station to the future
setting of Maude Park, which could
have a mix of recreational activities.
Parks and plazas may include site
furnishings such as benches, bicycle
racks, and trash receptacles, as well as
site lighting and small structures to serve
the programmatic, service, and storage
functions associated with public use of
every part of the open space network.
Potential outdoor programming for Ellis
Park includes: dining; growing food
and flowers; exercise and play; space
that accommodates making, selling,
and gathering; and places for small
groups and individuals to commune
with nature. Program opportunities and
Figure 6.3.1 Key open spaces
6.3 Open space programming
amenities shall serve a variety of users
ranging in age, health, and interests.
Indoor multipurpose spaces and small
independent structures in the open
space, characterized as Fairchild Barns
(inspired by local history, also referred to
as Ellis Community Pavilion), will provide
flexible places for community uses
such as birthday parties, quinceañeras,
local “town hall” events, and more.
Figure 6.3.2 Potential programming
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 59
OPEN SPACE
The MPMP proposes an
accessible, interconnected
network of open spaces for the
benefit of the East Whisman
community: connected to one
another, to the neighborhood,
and to the rest of Mountain
View, and accessible by transit
and bicycle. A comprehensive
network of off-street circulation
ensures universal access
to all public open space in
Middlefield Park. Active mobility
is encouraged by the landscape
setting of all paths, while the
interconnection between open
space and path networks creates
shaded pedestrian routes.
Pathways combine in loops for exercise,
jogging, or walking meetings for people
of all ages. Primary circulation across
the site is provided by wide, universally
accessible paths that efficiently
integrate required emergency vehicle
access (EVA) as necessary. These
wider paths accommodate pedestrians,
bicycles, and micro-mobility.
Smaller paths provide pedestrian
circulation through the open spaces,
with the narrowest paths affording
access to the most heavily planted areas
of the landscape as garden walks.
A series of north-south publicly-
accessible paseos are proposed
between the buildings and Maude Park
in lieu of the north-south vehicular
Street C recommended in the EWPP.
6.4 Green connections
Figure 6.4.1 Green connections diagram
60 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
OPEN SPACE
6.5 Ecological function and experience
Middlefield Park’s open space will
be an environment designed for the
health of native plant and animal
communities. The open space design
of the Project is an opportunity to
begin healing the damage done by
decades of manufacturing and single-
use zoning. The Project aspires to
transform an area extremely limited in
both tree canopy and access to nature
into a model for integrating nature
into a dynamic urban landscape.
This design approach is also intended
to improve human health. It draws
on research that demonstrates the
importance of high-quality outdoor
nature experiences, from small daily
interactions provided by urban greening
features (e.g., stormwater features,
plazas) to deeper, immersive experiences
provided by larger urban nature nodes.
Improving the ecological fabric of the
site is critical to helping build resilience
in the face of climate change. A network
of landscapes and connected tree
canopy will decrease heat stress,
sequester and store carbon, and reduce
the risk of flooding during storm events.
The open space network is characterized
by diverse and plentiful native and
climate-appropriate plantings with high
value for wildlife. Users will be able to
walk through distinctive native plant
communities and ecotypes, from the
lush canopies of cottonwoods and big
leaf maples to dramatic oak savannas
to the sunny floral displays of pollinator
meadow lands. Landscaping design
will be compliant with sight distance
requirements for intersections.
Ecological opportunities
Based on its location and surrounding
context, Maude Park represents
an opportunity to establish greater
ecological connectivity throughout
the site as well as to adjacent open
space areas, such as the Sunnyvale
Municipal Golf Course, Stevens Creek,
and the SFPUC pipeline corridor.
Figure 6.5.1 Ecological connections
Figure 6.5.2 Proposed tree species composition
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 61
OPEN SPACE
Ecological typologies
Located on the rich alluvial soils of the
Santa Clara Valley and at the interface
of diverse historical ecosystems,
Middlefield Park has the potential to
draw on a diverse suite of locally-native
vegetation communities. Native oaks,
upland fringes of wetlands, woodland
planting areas, flowering meadows, and
plaza and streetscapes all contribute
to the character of this important open
space network. Transforming Middlefield
Park into a high-value ecological node
will contribute to the biodiversity of
the surrounding urban landscape.
Figure 6.5.3 Ecological typologies
Figure 6.5.4 Contribution of East Whisman to ecological context 62 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
OPEN SPACE
Ecological systems
The character of the open space network
will be shaped by California native plant
communities that are organized in
several landscape typologies to create
distinctive visitor experiences: meadows,
forests, canyons, and connected
street tree canopies. Based on native
ecosystems that have historically
occurred in the surrounding region, each
of these typologies includes tree and
understory species that relate to key
ecological enhancements, and facilitate
open space programming. Their species
composition is tailored to provide high
environmental values for birds and
insects and to be sustainable in an urban
context with heavily altered hydrology
and soils and limited planting areas, as
well as anticipated climate conditions.
Vegetated stormwater treatment
facilities are incorporated throughout
the open spaces to treat runoff from
structures and paved surfaces. The
Project will include stormwater treatment
for new streets and comply with C.3
requirements for new buildings. The
Project intends to pursue unlined
treatment facilities where possible in
order to promote more robust plant
growth and stormwater infiltration. Due
to high existing groundwater elevations
in some of the Project area, some
treatment facilities may be lined and
their vegetation should contribute to the
ecological goals of the Master Plan.
Converting the extensive existing paved
surfaces to permeable surfaces and
landscapes will reduce peak stormwater
events, greatly reducing the impact on
hard-piped infrastructure and engineered
flood channels located further
downstream in the watershed. Vegetated
treatment integrated throughout will
filter pollutants and hard minerals at
the site level, resulting in higher quality
stormwater to support a wider ecological
network beyond the Project boundary.
Connected canopy
The tree canopy is the most significant
structural element in the Project
and provides ecological, social, and
biophilic benefits. A lush and expansive
tree canopy connects the public and
private places within the neighborhood,
spreading outwards along major access
routes and creating a daily connection
with nature for workers and residents.
Hundreds of new trees will sequester
carbon, deliver critical relief from
increasing temperatures, and
provide measurable ecological value.
Significantly for East Whisman,
canopy foliage can filter air-borne
diesel particulates blown from
surrounding freeways. The connected
canopy strategy can contribute to
the goals and objectives of the City
of Mountain View Community Tree
Master Plan through best practices
of tree planting and soil health.
Re-oaking the urban landscape
Re-oaking is an approach to integrating
native oaks and native oak-dominated
ecological communities into developed
California landscapes to provide a range
of ecosystem functions and services.
A network of oaks, typically spaced
no more than 75 to 120 feet between
trees, will create a functional, connected
network for wildlife. The flexibility in
spacing of oak communities, including
a variety of ages and sizes, allows the
trees to be integrated into open spaces
and mobility corridors based on wildlife
needs and human needs for open space,
shade, and biophilic experiences.
Native oaks are expected to adapt
readily to the urban environment of
the Project area. Measures will be
taken to improve soil quality and
drainage where existing soils are poor.
After initial establishment, little to
no irrigation or routine maintenance
is anticipated to be required.
Commitment to the successful
urban forest will:
• Develop a forest ecology with
healthy soils and sequester carbon;
• Reduce the heat island effect and
increase residents’ well-being;
• Provide opportunity for
hands on stewardship and
community building;
• Provide an environment for
nature education and learning.
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 63
OPEN SPACE
6.6 Canopy
phasing
The following compositions
illustrate the potential canopy
coverage of new trees planted
over the development phases
of the project. Tree layout
is illustrative and subject to
change and does not account
for trees on new City park land.
Figure 6.6.1 Canopy phasing diagrams (massing and layout is illustrative and subject to change) Year 0
Year 8 Year 12
Year 4
Publicly-
dedicated land
64 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
OPEN SPACE
Year 16 Year 20
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 65
OPEN SPACE
6.7 Planting
The Master Plan describes
an environment that benefits
both people and wildlife by
incorporating native plant
communities throughout the
landscape. These ecological
enhancements benefit people
by creating a more pronounced
sense of place, increasing
ecological awareness, and
improving physical and
psychological well-being by
providing daily encounters with
nature. Wildlife also benefits
from increased ecological
resources that provide for
shelter, nesting, and foraging.
Planting objectives:
• Create ecologically valuable
planting areas that will persist
and regenerate over time;
• Plan ecological enhancements that
will synergistically complement
other conservation and restoration
plans at a regional level;
• Prioritize the use of native species
(which support high wildlife
value) in new landscaping to
the greatest extent feasible;
• Replace existing trees that are not well
suited to the local microclimate or
non-native invasive tree species, and
trees that do not provide wildlife value;
• Replant any Heritage trees
removed per city ordinance;
• Prioritize planting and preserving
trees which provide maximum
contribution to the tree canopy.
Refer to the Implementation
Plan’s Planting Design section for
more detailed information.
Benefits of planting objectives:
• Featuring site-appropriate native
plants creates a sense of place for
human users that fosters ecological
awareness and appreciation;
• Using locally native plants helps
to protect local ecosystems
from invasive species;
• Site-adapted native plants require
minimal irrigation due to their adaptation
to local climatic patterns and use less
water than many non-native species;
• Biophilic benefits are increased
by supporting more diverse forms
of wildlife that create a more
engaging human experience;
• Provide food resources, shelter,
nesting, and refuge to native
wildlife and beneficial insects;
• Making room for high performance
native trees suited to local conditions
that are more resilient over time will
provide more ecological benefits
over the life of the project.
Design aesthetics
The visual aesthetic of native planting
areas is generally different than that of
conventional manicured landscapes.
California native ecological communities
are highly seasonal and can be perceived
as messy or uncared for, in particular
looking overly dry and weedy in late
summer and early fall without human
intervention. Designers can soften the
more rugged appearance of native
planting areas by placing aesthetically
pleasing native species in high-use
areas and near paths, clustering them
densely to mask interior areas of high
ecological value that have a rougher
appearance. Visual and educational cues
can clarify that the native planting area
is intentional, special, and cared for.
Tree preservation
Please see the Tree Framework Plan in
the accompanying Implementation Plan
for information on tree preservation.
66 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
OPEN SPACE
Plant species selection principles
Site-appropriate plants should be
selected to create ecologically sound
areas with high wildlife value.
• Selections will prioritize native species
unless there is a compelling reason to
include a non-native species without
ecological value (for example, specific
programmatic goals like edible
landscapes, recreation areas, etc.);
• Avoid the use of non-native
and invasive plants;
• Avoid or minimize the use of cultivars,
as they are less likely to provide the
same benefits to wildlife as the pure
native species, and may hybridize with
native species in the landscape;
• Prioritize water-efficient plant species
that compliment the City’s Water
Efficient Landscape regulations, and
are tolerant of recycled water;
• Plant for seasonality, choosing
combinations of species that will provide
resources to wildlife throughout the year.
Plant layout principles
Plant layout refers to the arrangement
and distribution of plants in a site.
• Strategically place the Project’s
largest wildlife-optimized planting
areas to maximize connectivity
to nearby natural areas;
• Create a diversity of overlapping
vertical layers within planting areas;
• Place plants in a way that creates
a diversity of plant density
within planting areas;
• Space native oaks throughout the
landscape to create a network where
no oak is typically more than 75-
120 feet from its closest neighbor
(for more details see: San Francisco
Estuary Institute. (2017). Re-oaking
Silicon Valley: building vibrant cities
with nature. Richmond, CA.);
• Space plants adequately to allow
for healthy growth over time;
• Group plants by their water needs
to ensure all plants are receiving
an appropriate amount of water;
• Choose plants according
to microclimatic conditions
and program intent;
• Be mindful of plant placement
near paths and roads;
• Design for pest prevention;
• Comply with applicable guidelines
for bird safe landscape design: and
strategically place vegetation to
minimize the risk of birds colliding
with buildings or other surfaces.
© SFEI
© SFEI
© SFEI
© SFEI
Figure 6.7.1 Planting design precedent images
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 67
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6.8 Plant palettes
The plant palette is organized by
planting zone described in Ecological
Typologies, with dominant species
composition. See Section H - Planting
Design in the Implementation Plan
document for more information.
Street trees
Native species planted along streets extend to
the public right-of-way the ecological function,
value, and character of the areas described,
thereby building a robust network of urban
biodiversity that can seed neighboring efforts.
The City of Mountain View City Street Tree Master
List identifies these species for the streets adjacent
to Middlefield Park: Ellis Street – silver linden;
Logue Avenue – goldenrain; East Middlefield Road
– maidenhair, Maude Avenue - scarlet oak, Clyde
Avenue – freeman maple or black maple. Alternative
tree species are requested for the Middlefield Park
Master Plan to extend the ecological framework
of the connected canopy to the adjacent streets.
In some cases, it may make sense to retain existing,
non-native street trees for reasons such as helping
to maintain a mature canopy. Wherever new street
trees are needed within the master plan area, Google
will coordinate with the City Arborist to either plant
species from the adopted Master Street Tree List or
obtain approval to select alternative species from
a carefully curated palette of trees. Trees will be
selected based on street use and exposure to create
diverse and appropriate native canopies that provide
important benefits such as connected corridors for
native wildlife and a strong local sense of place.
For example, large, majestic oaks could shape a
strong canopy character along West Maude Avenue.
Madrones and other smaller canopy trees can
provide a more human scale and traffic-appropriate
structure along Ellis Street given its wide and
busy lanes and more narrow sidewalk. All of these
combined provide for seamless transitions between
ecological zones. A continuous native street tree
canopy is also both a beneficial connective corridor
for a variety of native wildlife and comfortable and
enjoyable to pedestrians. Street tree selections will
be consistent with the Community Tree Master Plan.
Landscaping design will be compliant with corner
and driveway sight distance requirements.
© Famartin
© Sunroofguy
Figure 6.8.1 Ecological Typologies
Figure 6.8.2 Street Trees
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Oak mix
In immersive open spaces and outdoor rooms, multi-
storied oak woodland planting should be implemented
to create a sense of transitions and enclosure in a
dynamic natural setting, and will contribute to greatly improved wildlife foraging opportunities. This zone is
characterized by an open park area interspersed with
trees such as the coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia),
valley oak (Quercus lobata), and California buckeye
(Aesculus californica), all trees with wide, open
canopies. The oak mix will provide canopied shade
in summer, and mixed shade and sun in the winter.
This plant community is dominated by coast live and
valley oak, with a diverse understory of low shrubs
and herbaceous plants and a mid-story of larger
shrubs and small trees. This area can border lawns,
but should not have an irrigated lawn understory.
© HTHarvey © HTHarvey
© HTHarvey
White alder mix
This mix is dominated by trees such as the
fast-growing white alder (Alnus rhombifolia),
with secondary species of big leaf maple (Acer
macrophyllum) and California bay (Umbellularia
californica). It creates a mixed forest transition
between the northern boundary and the buildings
and more formal programmed areas. These trees
can be paired with a range of grasses, ferns, and
flowering plants to provide year-round interest
to users and host a variety of bird and butterfly
species. It is considered a high water usage area
— these species are suitable for such places and
has good ecological value. This mix should be
kept away from any oak species as the California
bay tree is a vector for Phytophthora species.
© AnemoneProjections
© born1945 © Charles Hutchins
Figure 6.8.3 White alder mix Figure 6.8.4 Oak mix
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 69
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High canopy mix
The master plan will seek to establish a tall,
dense forest rich with high ecological value trees
in locations where such impressive height is
environmentally appropriate and attractive. This
mix, characterized by larger trees, will provide
shade for both people and building facades, and
will be a significant part of both the connected
canopy and the identity of the district.
© AnemoneProjections
© HTHarvey © Walter Siegmund
Canyon mix
Plantings in shady pedestrian paseos and building
courtyards emulate the region’s stream sides and
canyons. The deciduous airy canopies provide
dappled shade in summer while allowing full sun
in winter months. This mix is dominated by trees
such as the big leaf maple (Acer macrophyllum)
and California sycamore (Platanus racemosa). This
mix can also include other trees such as Pacific
dogwood (Cornus nuttallii) as a secondary species.
This mix of fruiting and flowering plants creates
human-scale environments full of texture and color,
and is well suited for stormwater management.
© born1945
© Akos Kokai via
© HTHarvey
Figure 6.8.5 Canyon mix Figure 6.8.6 High canopy mix
70 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
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© Don McCulley
© Fastily
© Bri Weldon
Pollinator meadow mix
A carpet of flowering understory and ground-cover
plants can color the northern plan area perimeter.
This will expand the width of an existing wildlife
corridor connecting the site’s open space network
to Stevens Creek and regional populations.
This mix includes flowering understory plants,
grasses, and groundcovers. An open meadow
and diversity of plant species would attract and
support a wide variety of pollinators in this zone.
California sycamore mix
This mixture is dominated by trees such as the
California sycamore (Platanus racemosa), California
buckeye (Aesculus californica), and hollyleaf
cherry (Prunus ilicifolia). It provides native trees
in sunnier pedestrian paseos to create ecological
links to the oak woodland mix found in Ellis Park.
This assemblage of native trees supports a variety
of birds, insects, and small mammals, creating
opportunities for people to have contact with
nature in their everyday lives. These species are
also well adapted to stormwater management.
Figure 6.8.7 California sycamore mix Figure 6.8.8 Pollinator meadow mix © HTHarvey
© HTHarvey© joedecruyenaere
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 71
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Land dedicated to the City
Approximately 6.97 acres of land will
be dedicated to the City of Mountain
View for Maude Park, Bridge Open
Space, and Gateway Park, per City of
Mountain View Ordinance No. 4.97,
3/25/97; Ord. No. 7.15, § 1, 10/13/15
and Ord. No. 3.21, § 1, 4/13/21. See
Table 6.9.1 for more information.
Public Access dedicated to
the City
Privately Owned Accessible Open
Space: Approximately 5.79 acres of
public access overlays, comprising 2.87
acres from Ellis Park and 2.92 acres
from other open space will be provided.
Ellis Park is a privately owned publicly
accessible (POPA) open space per
the Parkland Dedication Ordinance.
Other dedications: The Project will
extend Logue Avenue north to the
property of the City and County of
San Francisco (also referred to as
SFPUC Hetch Hetchy) as a new street
easement. Portions of the existing
cul-de-sac will be vacated to provide
a linear ROW. Refer to Section 7.7 for
additional detail on this extension.
Easements will be required along ROW
frontages to accommodate expanded
sidewalks and landscaping adjacent
to the travelway as described in the
EWPP. As proposed in the EWPP, all
curb-to-curb roadway widths will not
change. Ellis Street will require 14
feet from the curb line for adequate
planting and sidewalk widths. Because
the property line along the east side
of Ellis Street jogs by 5 feet, either a
4-foot or 9-foot street easement will be
required along the development edge. A
4-foot street easement will be required
along Middlefield Road and a 2-foot
street easement will be required along
Logue, Maude, and Clyde Avenues.
Refer to Section 7.8 for additional detail
on the proposed street designs.
6.9 Land and easement dedication
Table 6.9.1 Public access and
dedication
Land dedication to City + 6.97 ac
Vacated ROW - 0.08 ac
ROW dedication + 0.01 ac
New street easement
(Logue Avenue) + 0.48 ac
New street easements + 0.40 ac
Privately owned
publicly accessible + 2.87 ac
Public access areas + 2.92 ac
Total public access + 13.57 ac
Total site area 39.9 ac
Percent of total site 34%
Figure 6.9.2 Public park dedication and easements
Additional public utility easements
may be required in order to maintain
utility networks that connect through
the proposed project site.
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Figure 6.10.1 Landscaped multi-use path vignette
Bridge Open Space: connecting
the district over the VTA
The ped-bike bridge connection over
the VTA corridor that was analyzed
and proposed in the EWPP is intended
to support the EWPP’s goals and
objectives of improving pedestrian and
bicycle access across East Whisman;
it could furthermore be a remarkable
experience unique to Middlefield Park.
This dedicated park will be designed by
the City. The MPMP is “bridge-ready”.
6.10 City parks
Maude Park: the heart of a new
neighborhood
Maude Park (Precise Plan’s
“Neighborhood Park”) will be a year-
round amenity for East Whisman
and the greater Mountain View
community. This dedicated park
will be designed by the City.
Maude Park and the community serving
amenities will be directly across
from a parking garage on Clyde to
accommodate visitors to the park.
Its location in the heart of East Whisman
can make it an environment where
visitors engage with each other and
the urban ecology of Maude Park.
Gateway Park: community and
ecology
The mini-park at the corner of West
Maude Avenue and SR 237 is intended
to be a small-scale, neighborhood-
oriented park. Existing heritage trees
on the park’s perimeter provide a
visual buffer between the highway and
residential buildings as well as increased
ecological value. Gateway Park provides
direct access to open space from the
residential parcel on the south side of
Maude Avenue. This dedicated park
will also be designed by the City.
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 73
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A new model of open space
Ellis Park runs along the existing
VTA corridor to take advantage
of light and views unobstructed
by buildings. The open space will
have an urban character with a
high intensity of active uses at
the neighborhood square — Ellis
Plaza (Precise Plan’s “Central
Park”) — as well as the extension
of a variety of ground floor
and open space activities and
amenities along a promenade
— Ellis Walk. The entirety of Ellis
Park — Ellis Walk and Ellis Plaza
together — will be designed,
delivered and maintained as
a privately owned, publicly
accessible space (POPA).
6.11 Introduction to Ellis Park
Ellis Plaza
Ellis Walk
ELLIS PARK
R1 R2 O1
E. MIDDLEFIELD ROAD
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Figure 6.11.1 Ellis Plaza + Ellis Walk = Ellis Park
Figure 6.11.2 Character gradient from vivid arrival to immersive garden © Victor Malyushev
© Lendlease
© D.I.R.T. Studio
© Eugene Kim
Figure 6.11.3 Complementing nearby parks and park elements Middlefield Park Master Plan | 75
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Devonshire Park (0.9 acres)
• Playground
• Turf area
• Picnic tables
Whisman
Park (8.6 acres)
• Playground
• Passive recreation areas
• Playfield (2) baseball / soccer
• Gamecourt (4) (tennis)
• Dog park
• Restrooms
• Picnic tables
• Trail access
Creekside Park (0.8 acres)
• Playground
• Passive areas
• Trail access
Vargas School / Park (3.4 acres)
• Playground
• Playfield baseball / soccer
Evandale Park (0.4 acres)
• Playground
• Picnic and turf area
• Game tables
Ellis Park (2.8 acres)
Potential elements and amenities:
• Gamecourt (2)
• Demonstration/educational garden
• Multi-purpose plaza
• Turf area or dog park
• Exercise area
• Playground
• Picnic area
• Multi-use trail
• Passive recreation areas
• Community room
Encinal Park - Sunnyvale
(5.0 acres)
• Basketball half-court
• Volleyball (1)
• Tennis courts (2)
• Playfield - baseball
• Turf area
• Picnic area
• Playground
• Restrooms
Pyramid Park (2.8 acres)
• Basketball court
• Playground
• Dog park
• Trail access
Ellis Park demographic context
While it is not possible to predict the
exact residents of the East Whisman
Master Plan area, the demographics,
mirroring Mountain View as a whole,
are expected to be quite diverse.
The project is designed to welcome
residents of all ages, from young
families and working professionals
to empty nesters and retirees and the
project’s open spaces will be designed
to serve these diverse populations.
A large portion of the population will
likely be internationally born and will
speak a diversity of languages.
The socio-economics will be similarly
diverse with the project expected to
provide housing for individuals and
families earning anywhere from 30
percent to over 100 percent of the
area median income. Household
sizes may be slightly smaller than the
Citywide averages due to the fact that
1 EWPP Integrated Final Environmental Impact Report, January 2020 multifamily units tend to have fewer
bedrooms on average that the single-
family homes that currently make up a
large portion of the City’s housing units.
Demographics may also vary over time
as the project, City and surrounding
areas continue to grow and change.
Ellis Park’s programming is designed
to serve employees, residents and
visitors alike. While the East Whisman
Precise Plan area includes no residents
today, the Precise Plan EIR studied
up to 10,570 new residents for the
area in the future, accounting for
approximately 12 percent of the City’s
future residential population.1 Nearby
residents in the South Whisman Precise
Plan area, totaling approximately 1,200
residents, will also benefit from Ellis
Park. As the East Whisman Precise
Plan is realized, the area will grow
in jobs, retail services, and homes,
accounting for nearly 18 percent of
Mountain View’s service population.
The park’s proposed programming
ranges from tot lots to educational/
demonstration gardens to picnic areas in
an effort to meet the needs of families,
residents, visitors, and workers. This
range in programming – active and
passive, for children and for adults, for
commuters and residents – allows Ellis
Park to serve both today’s population
as well as the area’s increasingly
diverse population in years to come.
Adjacent to the VTA Middlefield Light
Rail Station, Ellis Park is primed to
serve a growing workforce, as well as
an aging population that can benefit
from walkable, car light lifestyles.
The design of Ellis Park considers
the needs of today’s nearby residents
and adjacent employees, as well as
the robust community of employee,
residents, and visitors provisioned for
in the East Whisman Precise Plan.
Table 6.11.4 City of Mountain View Demographics1
City Population 82,739
Median Household Income $139,720
Age Distribution
0- 5: 6% 45 - 54: 12%
5 - 17: 13% 55 - 59: 5%
18 - 24: 7% 60 - 64: 5%
25 - 34: 24% 65 - 74: 6%
35 - 44: 17% 75 + : 5%
34.8 (median)
Foreign Born 42.2%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino
Asian alone
Hispanic or Latino
Two or more races
Black alone
American Indian/Alaskan Native alone
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander alone
43.9%
31.8%
18.3%
1.6%
4.6%
0.4%
0.3%
High School Degree
Bachelor’s Degree or Higher
92.9%
69.5%
Avg Commute Time
69.1% drive alone 24 mins
Poverty Rate 6.7%
1 Sources: US Census Bureau QuickFacts (July 2019); 2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
76 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
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Community outreach
Over 40 community meetings were
conducted during the creation of the
Middlefield Park Master Plan, with the
involvement of numerous organizations
(see Table 6.11.5 for a complete list of
participating organizations). During this
outreach process, the community was
most focused on building community,
expanding the ecology, providing
recreation, and integrating amenities.
Ellis Park proposed program
Community can be fostered with spaces
for gathering and sharing; built elements
such as amphitheaters, communal dining
areas and community gardens all bring
people and cultures together of all ages.
Ecology can be expanded with focus
on tree canopy, use of native plant
species that are resilient to climate
change, and support migration paths.
Recreation can be provided by
playgrounds for varying physical
abilities, spaces for pickleball, or
other small court sports, skating, and
exercise for pets at a dog park.
Amenities desired to be integrated
ranged from drinking fountains and
restrooms to public art and a plaza.
Community feedback fell into six broad
categories and is summarized here:
General feedback
• Retain flexibility in public space uses
to allow for change over time;
• Pair commercial uses with
park amenities;
• Fitness;
• Food uses.
Site amenities
• Outdoor seating (benches); outdoor
dining (tables and chairs);
• Mix of shade and sun;
• Native ecology, tree canopy, pollinators;
• Bike and pedestrian connections;
• Drinking fountains;
• Public restrooms;
• Waste receptacles (discreet);
• Bike parking;
• Flex-use areas for community events
(performances, farmers market);
• Space for food truck parking.
Community uses
• Small food and beverage kiosk
(coffee, beer garden);
• Sport court(s) (pickleball);
• Community garden;
• Play area for younger kids (tot lot);
• Play area for older kids
(adventure/nature play);
• Dog park;
• Barbecue and picnic area;
• Outdoor fitness area.
Public art
• Interactive art;
• Interesting for kids and adults alike;
• Doesn’t have to be ‘giant,’
can be discoverable;
• Showcase tech, new media,
global connectivity;
• Include a water element –
stream, pond, bird bath;
• Possible rotating art to
showcase local artists;
• Feature local student work.
Ecology and sustainability
• Native plants and pollinator species;
• Reduce hardscape and maximize shade;
• Trees and umbrellas;
• “Dark sky” lighting to minimize
wildlife disturbance;
• Protect and enhance
ecological corridors;
• Compost and recycling,
water conservation.
Mobility and access
• Direct and easy walking and biking
routes through and to/from district;
• Bike repair station;
• “Bike garden” to teach kids to ride;
• Desire to underground VTA tracks.
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 77
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* Program elements and sizes may be adjusted through the permit entitlement process and will comply with the minimum requirements per City Code. ** Proposed game courts will align with the industry-standard size for the proposed sport.
Table 6.11.5 Outreach organizations
Bay Area Council Livable MV
Cafecito MV Chamber of Commerce
California Native Plant Society MV Coalition for Sustainable Planning California Station Neighborhood Association MV YIMBY
Canopy North Whisman Neighborhood Association
Carbon Free MV Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society
Community Services Agency Santiago Villa Neighborhood Association Costa Mesa Terrace HOA (Sunnyvale) Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter Day Worker Center of MV Silicon Valley at Home
Friends of MV Parks Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition
Friends of Stevens Creek Trail Silicon Valley Leadership Group Graduates of Chinese Civic Leadership Academy Slater Neighborhood Association Great Streets MV Spanish Civic Leadership Academy
Greenbelt Alliance Wagon Wheel Neighborhood Association GreenSpaces MV Whisman Station Neighborhood resident
League of Women Voters
Table 6.11.6 Proposed program areas*
Bike parking 2,000 sf
Station garden 1,000 sf
Interactive public art 250-750 sf
Cafe terrace Interior - 250 sf
Exterior - 1,750 sf
Multi-purpose lawn or dog run 2,000 sf
Playground - youth 2,500 sf
Playground - tot 2,500 sf
Game courts** 2,500 sf
Picnic pavilion 750 sf
Community room and restrooms
(In Ellis Park or R1/R2) 1,000 sf
Educational/demonstration garden 3,500 sf
Exercise area 1,000 sf
78 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
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6.12 Ellis Park and Ellis Plaza scale comparisons
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 79
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Ellis Park scale comparisons
The linear arrangement of Ellis
Park is distinctive and has been
proven successful in many
other public open spaces.
The following comparisons of
the size and scale of a variety
of linear parks provides both
a frame of reference for the
Ellis Park concept while also
demonstrating effective open
space design. First, scale
comparisons are provided for
Ellis Plaza a 1-acre area (shown
in Figure 6.12.1 as a dashed
line). This multi-use space is the
point of arrival and social heart
of the west side of the district.
Figure 6.12.1 1-acre Ellis Plaza scale comparisons
Key: Ellis Plaza
Cristiano Tomás Don DeBold
Amy Meredith Allie Caulfield
Hannah Burgos Hannah Burgos
Ramon Solis Ramon Solis
South Park
~0.9 acres, San Francisco
Plaza de Cesar Chavez
~3.0 acres, San Jose
Santana Row
~0.6 acres, San Jose
Plaza del Sol
~1.8 acres, Sunnyvale
Figure 6.12.2 Design precedent photos of Bay Meadows Figure 6.12.3 Ellis Park scale comparison of Bay Meadows Ellis Park scale comparisons:
Bay Meadows - San
Mateo, California
The linear arrangement of Bay Meadows
in San Mateo offers an example of a
successful linear arrangement of open
space. The public park (approximately
2.3 acres in area) offers a variety
of amenities to support a diverse
community and encourage social
interaction. The open space is anchored
on the main street with a multi-use plaza
that host events, including a farmer’s
market. The plaza is characterized
by an interactive art installation. The
opposite end of the park is anchored by a
nature play area, a picnic pavilion, and a
community garden. These very specific,
diverse uses ensure that visitors are
drawn along the entire length of the park.
Figure 6.12.3 provides a scale
comparison between Ellis Park
(an area of 2.87 acres, shown in a
dashed line) and the 2.3 acres of
Bay Meadows’ linear public space.
80 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
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Key: Ellis Park
Nature play area
Play lawn
Community classes
Community garden
Nature art
Open lawn
Picnicking
Succulent garden
Lounge seating area
Canopy dining area
International art installation
Plaza (Farmer’s market
and events)
© CMG
© CMG© CMG© CMG
©CMG
Figure 6.12.5 Scale comparison of Klyde Warren ParkFigure 6.12.4 Design precedent photos of Klyde Warren Park Ellis Park scale comparisons:
Klyde Warren Park -
Houston, Texas
The linear arrangement of specific
programming along one side of this
open space illustrates a successful
implementation of different
programming elements immediately
adjacent to one another. The lawn and
seating areas anchor one end of the park
with multi-purpose social space. The
remainder of the park is activated by a
series of program pieces which creates
a place for a diverse range of visitors and
a destination open space. The total area
of the park is approximately 5.6 acres.
Figure 6.12.5 provides a scale
comparison between Ellis Park (an area
of 2.87 acres, shown in a dashed line)
and the 5.6 acre Klyde Warren Park.
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 81
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Key: Ellis Park
© Inhabitat
Botanic gardens
Children’s park
Game and
reading room
Outdoor pavilion
Food kiosk
Seating grove
Outdoor games
• Petanque
• Ping pong
• Foosball
Butterfly garden
Best Friend dog park
© Curtis Simmons© Trong Nuguyen
© Daniel Lobo © Curtis Simmons
Inclusive, accessible, active
during the day and in the
evening, builds community,
fosters ecosystem of care
Native ecology, carbon
sequestration, re-oaking,
stormwater treatment, pollinators,
reduced heat island effect
Celebrates play, whimsy,
laughter, and joy
Bike-ped and transit connections,
new parks, interpretive signage and
wayfinding, events and spaces that
bring the community together
Social and Vibrant
Adaptable and Resilient Playful and Joyful Helpful and ConnectedEllis Park Design Principles The Design Principles for Ellis Park
build upon the Open Space Planning
Principles that focus on social life,
and ecology with a commitment to:
• A lively park that invites and
builds communities;
• A park that utilizes native plants to
create a resilient open space;
• A park that is whimsical
and promotes play;
• A park that is well-organized,
safe, and inviting for all.
6.13 Ellis Park design
Figure 6.13.1 Open space design character images
82 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
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© CMG
© CMG
Lendlease
©Watson Photo via Twenty20
Figure 6.13.2 Ellis Park plan
Ellis Park functions as an enhanced
segment of the existing north-south
greenway, with connection to a future
new bridge over the VTA corridor —
Bridge Open Space — connecting
east-west across East Whisman.
The character and identity for the Ellis
parcels, defined by the open space,
will be established from day one:
• Delivers a sense of place
with urban identity;
• Well-defined district open space
that is fine-grained and walkable;
• Attractive urban complexity and variety
of experience unique to the district;
• Multiple uses and amenities are
connected to the convenience of the
light rail, anchored by Ellis Plaza;
• Efficient open space corridor of flexible
zones for various programs, which can
relate to adjacent ground floor uses.
Incorporating City and VTA’s
design feedback
• Ellis Park will incorporate materiality and
wayfinding tools to delineate bicyclist
routes from pedestrian spaces;
• Ellis Park will incorporate policies
and signage in the plaza to avoid
potential collisions in this busy space;
• On-street bike lanes will also be
provided as alternative travel
lanes for fast cyclists;
• Food and beverage kiosk programming
will vary over time and is intended to
offer refreshments appropriate for
all ages and surrounding seating will
be family and pet friendly; will not
be a 21+ only amenity at all times;
• Explore community food hub,
educational/demonstration garden
plots, and no or low fencing;
• Explore visual access and low fencing
options around sports courts to
increase public accessibility and
permeability while maintaining safety.
Preliminary VTA feedback included:
• Broad support of a park
adjacent to the transit stop;
• Entrance to station to remain
clear and highly visible;
• Fencing of the sport courts may need to
be taller along the tracks for rail safety;
• No established building setback
from rail beyond those required
by fire and building codes.
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 83
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405’330’
1,163’
361’
126’
100’
97’
1 acre
ELLIS STREET
E. MIDDLEFIELD ROAD
*Figure not to scale
84 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
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Existing VTA bus stop (to be modified)
Picnic pavilion
Interactive art
Bike parking
Playground – tot
North VTA station entrance
Exercise area
Station garden
Existing VTA Station
Game courts
Educational/demonstration garden Future Bridge – by others Note: Ellis Park may include an additional
north-south connection to future City bridge.
Figure 6.13.3 Ellis Park programming plan
South VTA station entrance
R1 R2 O1
Cafe terrace
Multi-purpose lawn or dog park
Playground – youth
Fairchild Barn
and restrooms
ELLIS PLAZA
ELLIS WALK
E. MIDDLEFIELD ROAD
Ellis Plaza: a town square for
East Whisman
The centrally located Ellis Plaza will
be the urban heart of Middlefield
Park and anchors the district’s open
space network – a destination as well
as a beginning and end to visitors’
journeys. The civic character of this
sunny square, wind-protected and
surrounded on all sides by activity,
will provide an intimate, welcoming
urban moment within the fabric of the
developing East Whisman district.
This neighborhood square will balance
spatial enclosure with connections
to Ellis Walk and the adjacent VTA
Middlefield Station. Ellis Plaza will
be a public “living room” where cafés
and outdoor seating frames an
open area large and flexible enough
to accommodate temporary uses
and events. Public art installations
and special events could further
create identity and attract people
and activity at this destination.
Figure 6.13.4 Ellis Plaza vignette
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 85
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Figure 6.13.5 Ellis Plaza section, view looking north
© Ian Poellett © CMG
©Rebecca Siegel
© CMG
© CMG
© Linday Follet
0 50 100
Figure 6.13.6 Ellis Plaza plan enlargement Figure 6.13.7 Precedent images R1
147’ 26’ 40’ 39’
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Ellis Walk: something for everyone
Ellis Walk will be a lush, programmed
promenade linking important site
anchors such as Ellis Plaza and
Maude Park to site arrival points for
light rail, buses, and bicycles. It will
be a new model of innovative open
space for a pedestrian-friendly urban
center, accommodating over time
a variety of outdoor uses, at once
specific and semi-permanent as well
as flexible, to reflect a growing and
diverse community. Ellis Walk is a
multi-use path fulfilling a section of
the greenway in EWPP; it also serves
as Emergency Vehicle access (EVA).
Ellis Walk also includes active ground-
floor spaces, street rooms for large and
small gatherings, stormwater gardens,
and various amenities that will create
a lively and unique environment under
the connected canopy and within
extensive planting. Ground floor uses
along Ellis Walk will be diverse in design
and program, enlivening the street with
storefronts, cafés, and community-
serving spaces that will spill out onto
the promenade and complementing
adjacent open space uses.
A multi-use lawn and station garden
offer public areas of respite for visitors
and people waiting for the train, as
well as spill-out space during events
in the plaza. Between the lawn and
garden is a café pavilion with outdoor
seating, creating both a destination for
visitors and a place for commuters to
wait and rendezvous. Bike facilities in
Ellis Plaza include a fix-it station, bike
parking, and a bike share station.
Ellis Walk — Residential Block 2
Community facilities that serve groups
as well as individuals may be located in
this segment of Ellis Walk. Ideally, the
uses in the ground floor of the adjacent
residential building support these
outdoor uses and are integrated into
Figure 6.13.8 Ellis Walk at Residential 2 vignette
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Figure 6.13.9 Ellis Walk at Residential 2 Figure 6.13.11 Precedent images Figure 6.13.10 Ellis Walk at Residential 2 section, view looking north © CMG
© CMG
© CMG
the open space by stoops, patios, and
terraces extending from the building.
The Fairchild Barn will provide multi-use
space available to the entire community,
as well as storage for the adjacent
educational/demonstration garden.
A picnic pavilion provides a shared
area for those working in the garden to
rest and gather, and for people to eat
together outdoors. Next to the open
structure of the picnic pavilion is a tot-lot
and a pollinator garden — a place for
small children to play with caregivers
looking on. Complementing the tot-
lot is a youth nature-play area directly
across the promenade. Sport-courts
complete the social and active use
amenities in this segment of Ellis Walk.
0 50 100
R2
26’ 74’
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Ellis Walk — Office Block 1
A potential ramp to the future pedestrian
bridge and abundant trees define this
segment of Ellis Walk. The adjacent
ground floor of the office building will
be visibly accessible and dynamic,
to contribute to the vibrant sense of
place and the integration of the office
with the broader community. Open
space under the trees and bounded by
the promenade can be activated with
publicly accessible fitness equipment,
creating an environment conducive
to individual and group exercise.
Figure 6.13.12 Ellis Walk at Office 1 vignette
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Figure 6.13.13 Ellis Walk at Office 1 plan
Figure 6.13.14 Ellis Walk section at Office 1 fit lot and bridge, view looking north Figure 6.13.15 Precedent images
© Ramon Solis
© netjumps
Adam Coppola Photography
0 50 100
O1
26’ 46’ 25’
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Ellis Park maintenance and
programming
The Master Plan concept for Ellis Park
establishes a framework for open
space organization and strategy for
locating specific types of uses, with
attention to the adjacencies of uses
to support social life and interaction,
and make a place that invites everyone.
This framework is inherently flexible
and allows for change of program
elements in the future as necessary to
accommodate a variety of social uses.
Programming of the park is essential to
its success: this includes the deployment
of movable of site furnishings. To ensure
a welcoming open space, attention to
regular maintenance is essential for
the park to remain inviting and valued.
• Plaza programming and maintenance
will be the responsibility of the
landowner (or Park Operator
designee) in perpetuity;
• As design develops, program
elements and their operations will
be described in more detail;
• The Park Operator will also own
and maintain the spill out spaces
associated with the ground
floor retail lining the plaza;
• The Park Operator will be highly
incentivized to carefully maintain and
thoughtfully program these public
spaces in order to attract and retain
retail and residential tenants in R1 and
R2, and for office operations of O1;
• The Project will make best efforts
to collaborate with local community
groups to tailor programming to local
community needs and to support the
meaningful work of local nonprofits;
• The Park Operator may also create a
security plan to ensure the plaza and
park remain safe for all to enjoy.
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7. CIRCULATION AND MOBILITY
A successful future in Middlefield Park depends on
redesigning the district’s transportation system to
prioritize the efficient movement of people over
fewer vehicle trips. Implementing a complete street
system that prioritizes access and safety for all
users, while integrating the local land use context
and supporting flexibility for future technology and
innovation will create reliable, healthier, and more
sustainable transportation options.
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Complete Streets approach
The redesigned street network will
expand multimodal transportation
infrastructure to accommodate all travel
modes, with an emphasis on bicyclists
and pedestrians. In accordance
with design best practices for active
mobility and the EWPP, all streets in
Middlefield Park — including biking
and walking facilities — are designed
for all ages and abilities. For bikes, this
means wide, physically protected bike
lanes (where feasible) that increase
overall connectivity and link up with
key regional routes. Sidewalks are
wide, tree-lined, and include many
new routes between residences and
offices, creating a dense and flexible
network of options for pedestrians. The
addition of new crossing improvements
will also provide more flexibility for
pedestrians and will also have a
traffic calming effect on vehicles.
Extensive trees and native plantings
along streets will create a pleasant,
shaded experience that encourages
a broader range of active users.
Great place fosters great mobility
One of the EWPP guiding principles is
to prioritize transit, biking and walking
to create a district that is connected,
accessible, safe and enjoyable.
Concentrating a denser mix of land
uses and public open spaces around
VTA Middlefield Station will establish
neighborhood-serving destinations
within a 10-minute bicycle-ride and
20-minute walk anywhere within East
Whisman. Creating quality places
through strategic integration of land
use and transportation serves the
sustainability of the district and
fosters a sense of community.
A coordinated effort
The transportation improvements
shown in this document build off of the
priority transportation improvements
envisioned in the EWPP. The Project
promotes a combination of traditional
infrastructure solutions and creative
transportation demand management
(TDM)/parking management solutions
to improve mobility in Middlefield
Park. The connectivity of open spaces
outlined in Chapter 6 also directly
supports this plan’s vision of a safe,
healthy, convenient, and multimodal
circulation strategy in Middlefield Park.
Future-ready
The transportation network
improvements proposed by this Project
embrace the dynamic potential of
innovation in transportation systems,
as anticipated by the EWPP. The
Project focuses on building a complete
street system that can be adaptable
to an autonomous future via the
provision of on-street flex zones and
limited supply of off-street parking.
Providing better choices
A successful transportation system
provides convenient and affordable
options that are reliable, flexible, and
user-focused. The Project fosters
the EWPP's vision to increase transit
use, walking, and biking within the
district by concentrating higher density
residential, retail, and office within a
10-minute walk of the VTA Middlefield
Station, and committing to expanding
the active transportation network by
enhancing on-street bike facilities and
implementing new off-street shared-
use paths. Middlefield Park is also
committed to reducing overall gateway
automobile demand via projects and
programs that support the increased
use of transit, cycling and walking with
improvements consistent with the
priority transportation projects outlined
in the EWPP. The following are key
strategies to actively increase transit use,
walking, and biking within the district:
• Active transportation network: The
Project includes components that
improve existing facilities and create
a more accessible neighborhood,
including upgrading bicycle facilities,
sidewalks, and pedestrian crossings
on Ellis Street, Middlefield Road, and
on Logue, Maude, and Clyde Avenues.
• Additional connectivity: An element
of the EWPP is a new grade-separated
crossing over the light rail line north of
VTA Middlefield Station, connecting
east-west across East Whisman. Such
a connection is incorporated into the
planning framework of Middlefield
Park. The Project also proposes
implementing new off-street, multi-use
paths through Ellis Park that provide
seamless connections to surrounding
sidewalks and on-street bicycle lanes.
7.1 District approach
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Transportation Demand Management
(TDM) Plan: Google began operating
its first employee shuttle in 2004.
Today, Google’s transportation team
is recognized as a leader in reducing
commuter dependence on the car,
with a drive-alone commute mode
share of about 42 percent in Mountain
View. Google’s shuttle system and
significant share of employees that
commute via biking are two of its
most successful TDM program
elements. The Project is committed
to multimodal mobility initiatives
that support sustainable growth and
enhance the surrounding district.
Refer to the Middlefield Park TDM
Plan, included in the Implementation
Plan, for further information.
• Support the Transportation
Management Association: The
Project will join and coordinate with
the Mountain View Transportation
Management Association (MTMA).
Minimizing parking
It is important to recognize the role
parking plays in reducing single-
occupancy vehicle (SOV) use. To
prioritize non-car trips, Middlefield Park
will make parking part of the solution,
for which thoughtful parking policy,
placement, design and management will
be key elements. The Project will reduce
residential and office parking below
the EWPP maximums. Furthermore,
the Master Plan considers potential
shared parking configurations for the
mixed-use residential and active use
buildings, and the office and park users
in the district parking structures. The
amount of parking spaces that can be
shared will be determined by a parking
demand study and corresponding
demand management plan.
Table 7.1.1 Citywide mode share
in Mountain View
Mode Share
Drive alone 70.5%
Carpool 6.7%
Transit 7.5%
Walk 2.7%
Other (bike, drop-off, etc) 7.7%
Do not commute 4.9%
Source: 2018 American
Community Survey Estimates
Table 7.1.2 Googlers in Mountain
View today
Sub-Mode Share
Drive alone 42.2%
Carpool 3.9%
TNC/Drop-off 2.4%
GBus 31.3%
Transit 2.0%
Bike 6.1%
Walk 0.6%
Do not commute 11.5%
Source: Google in Motion Survey 2019
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7.2 Mobility futures
The Middlefield Park Master
Plan accommodates future
modes of transport including
both new technologies
and operating models and
services. Over the coming
years, autonomous vehicles
and new innovative transport
systems have the potential
to introduce transformative
changes to mobility norms.
Mobility as a Service (MaaS)
The multimodal integration of different
services offered by MaaS providers
and operators will result in a shift
away from car ownership. MaaS will
enable users to access transport
without the cost of owning and
maintaining a vehicle, and transport
services will increasingly be shared
across the community. The Project will
accommodate the expected increase
in shared services by strategically
designing passenger loading areas for
office, residential, and active uses.
Demand-responsive transport
Demand-responsive bus and shuttle
services are expected to be rolled out
more widely in line with the adoption
of MaaS and shared services. These
services will support the use of
transit and a reduction in private
car use by offering a level of service
comparable in availability and routing
flexibility to operating a private
vehicle. The project design will include
passenger loading areas that are
conveniently located within walking
distance of homes and offices.
Autonomous vehicles
Fully autonomous vehicles (AVs) will
be capable of completing journeys
safely and efficiently, without a
driver, in a range of road and weather
conditions. Future shared autonomous
vehicles are expected to be hailed
on demand, 24 hours per day and
may not require parking at travel
destinations. The Project includes a
curbside management plan to guide
the strategic location and management
of loading areas for passengers and
goods deliveries (see Section 7.10).
Parking demand
The expected decrease in single-
occupancy vehicle (SOV) use and
increase in ride hailing services
combined with a reduction in car
ownership and expected adoption of
AVs will significantly affect parking
demand on-site. The demand for short-
term parking is expected to increase
for passenger loading activities and
the delivery of goods, while long-
term parking demand is expected
to decrease. The Project’s curbside
management plan and overall parking
strategy account for these anticipated
changes in parking demand.
Micromobility
The continued availability of bike and
scooter share systems in urban areas
provides additional travel options
and first-mile/last-mile connections.
This distributes travelers across more
modes, reducing excessive demand on
any one of them. The Middlefield Park
Project design will accommodate and
encourage use of micromobility services
by providing dedicated on-site spaces for
storage and implementing micromobility
programs via the TDM Plan.
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7.3 A multimodal network
Middlefield Park offers a dense,
interconnected, multimodal
network that prioritizes the
health of residents, employees,
visitors, and the environment.
By making the healthiest choice
for travel the easiest choice for
people of all ages, abilities, and
incomes, Middlefield Park can
be a model for 21st-century
mobility in Mountain View.
The EWPP calls for new parks,
new streets, and new pedestrian
crossings. Prioritizing safe, convenient
routes for pedestrians, bicyclists,
and transit users will support
more sustainable, environmentally
responsible modes of travel. Figure
7.3.1 outlines the multimodal network.
Figure 7.3.1 Middlefield Park multimodal network
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7.4 Pedestrian network
New streets, car-free paths, and a
potential new pedestrian and bike
crossing traversing the VTA corridor
will combine to increase the porosity
of Middlefield Park and make walking
an attractive and convenient way to
get around. Internal paths, including
new pathways between buildings,
provide access to offices, active uses,
residences, and through Ellis and
Maude Parks. New pedestrian crossings
along Middlefield Road, Ellis Street,
Logue Avenue, and Clyde Avenue will
improve the pedestrian experience and
offer varied choices for pedestrians to
move from origin to destination. Multi-
use paths and paseos wind through
the Project, providing safe, social
connections between buildings on
the site and for people moving from
East Mountain View into Sunnyvale.
A pedestrian flow model was developed
to assess envisaged future pedestrian
flows based on volumes and routing as
shown on Figure 7.4.1, which is based
on forecasted pedestrian trip generation,
distribution and assignment anticipated
for an office campus in a mixed-use
environment. The model focuses on
the morning peak period and includes
the main commuter routes from transit,
GBus stops and residential buildings
to offices. The prediction of pedestrian
flows helped to refine proposed
pedestrian infrastructure enhancements
such as signalized pedestrian crossings,
and path alignment. New pedestrian
links have the highest pedestrian
volumes, especially those associated
with new dedicated off-street pathways
and traversing the VTA corridor.
Figure 7.4.1 Middlefield Park AM peak hour pedestrian flow
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Pedestrian crossings
The Middlefield Park Master Plan
incorporates a variety of recommended
pedestrian crossing improvements
based on a preliminary evaluation
and current best practices. The
preliminary pedestrian crossing
improvements are listed below.
Logue Avenue mid-block crossing:
Installation of a new rectangular rapid
flashing beacon (RRFB) controlling
the mid-block crossing on Logue
Avenue north of Maude Avenue.
This improvement is not identified
in the EWPP but is recommended to
accommodate anticipated pedestrian
and bicycle demand across Logue
Avenue at the bridge path.
Logue Avenue/Maude Avenue
intersection: Add crosswalks to create
a high-visibility pedestrian crossing.
Ellis Street/O1/R2 driveway
intersection: Installation of a new
traffic signal controlled intersection.
This improvement is not identified
in the EWPP but is recommended to
safely manage vehicle and pedestrian
demand to and from the O1/R2 building
driveway at Ellis Street. The traffic signal
controlled intersection will replace the
existing pedestrian mid-block crossing
just south of the future driveway.
Clyde Avenue mid-block crossings:
Installation of traffic controlled mid-
block crossings on Clyde Avenue, one
just south of the O5 building and the
second just south of the P2 parking
structure. These controls may include
traffic signals, active controls (e.g. RRFB)
or enhanced, highly-visible crosswalks,
depending on pedestrian volume. These
improvements are not identified in the
EWPP but are recommended to provide
safe crossing treatments for pedestrians
who park in either parking structure
on the east side of Clyde Avenue and
are required to cross Clyde Avenue.
Figure 7.4.2 Proposed pedestrian network improvements
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Figure 7.4.3 Residential Paseos
Bridge across VTA corridor: A grade-
separated crossing of the VTA corridor
is recommended in the EWPP and
is incorporated into the planning
framework of Middlefield Park. Although
the City of Mountain View has not yet
identified a preferred crossing design,
the Middlefield Park Master Plan is
“bridge-ready”. A new bridge would
support the goals and objectives of
the EWPP to improve pedestrian and
bicycle access across East Whisman.
Pedestrian paseos
Making active mobility the first
choice for Middlefield Park residents
and visitors is a goal of this plan.
Publicly accessible residential paseos
are proposed between a portion of O1/
R2. A publicly accessible non-residential
paseo is also proposed west of O2.
To provide bike and pedestrian north-
south access through the project, in
lieu of providing Street C, multi-use
pathways are proposed between O3/
O4 and portions of R3/R4(a+b)/R5.
See the Urban Design Objectives
section in the Implementation
document for design intent for
transitioning between service streets
and paseos or multi-use paths.
Figure 7.4.4 Non-residential Paseo
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7.5 Bicycle network
Regional connections
Building on the bike network
improvements identified in the EWPP
and VTA’s Santa Clara Countywide Bike
Plan (2018), Middlefield Park reinforces
access to key cross-region routes.
Expanding the Hetch Hetchy Trail
eastward into Middlefield Park provides
a low-stress, off-street connection to
the 21-mile-long Stevens Creek Trail.
The Project proposes to dedicate land to
the City of Mountain View to contribute
to the implementation of a Class I
shared-use path between Ellis Street
and Clyde Avenue via the future bridge
across the VTA tracks and future multi-
use path to be implemented by the City
through Maude Park. The Project will
provide multi-use paths in the following
locations: north side of the O5/P1
buildings, on the south side of the P2
parking structure, between O3/O4, and
portions between R3/R4(a+b)/R5.
A new north-south shared-use path
will also be implemented through Ellis
Park, replacing the existing multi-use
path parallel to the VTA tracks. The
Project also proposes a new pedestrian
mid-block crossing on Middlefield
Road connecting the Ellis Park multi-
use path to the existing multi-use path
south of Middlefield Rd parallel to
the VTA tracks and future protected
bike lanes on Middlefield Road.
The Project proposes implementation
of Class II buffered bike lanes on both
sides of the Project site frontages of
Logue, Clyde, and Maude Avenues. The
proposed Maude Avenue improvements
will connect to future Maude Avenue
bikeway improvements into the City of
Sunnyvale at the SR 237 interchange.
Figure 7.5.1 Proposed bike network improvements
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Table 7.5.2 Bicycle parking per land use
Land Use Long-term (secured) Short-term
Residential 1 per unit 1 per 10 units
Office 1 per 2,000 GSF
minimum 4 spaces1
1 per 20,000 GSF
minimum 4 spaces1
Active Uses 1 per 5,000 GSF
minimum 2 spaces1
4 per 5,000 GSF
minimum 2 spaces1
Source: EWPP
1 Whichever is greater
Safety and design
Bike infrastructure throughout
Middlefield Park follows best practices
to prioritize the safety of all road users
and support conversion of auto trips
to bike trips. The Middlefield Park
Project supports the implementation
of new Class I multi-use paths, Class
II buffered bike lanes, and Class IV
separated bikeways where feasible.
Class I multi-use paths are off-street
routes that provide safe, comfortable
opportunities for bikers of all ages and
abilities. Based on EWPP guidance, the
Middlefield Park Project proposes new
Class I multi-use paths traversing Ellis
Park, and supports the Hetch Hetchy
TOD Trail extension and implementation
of a future pedestrian and bicycle
bridge over the VTA rail corridor. The
Middlefield Park project proposes Class
II buffered bicycle lanes along the project
site frontage segments of Ellis Street,
Logue, Maude, and Clyde Avenues. Class
IV protected bike lanes are proposed
along the Middlefield Road site frontage.
To minimize potential conflict between
bikes and pedestrians, shared off-street
routes will clearly demarcate between
modes. Where on-street loading/parking
zones are required adjacent to bike
lanes, they will be designed for maximum
protection for all users by providing a
3-foot buffer between the bike lane and
parking/loading lane. See the Curb
Management Plan (Section 7.10).
Bicycle parking
Office and residential buildings in
Middlefield Park will meet minimum
EWPP bike parking requirements (see
Table 7.5.2). All buildings will include
short-term parking, with more at shuttle
stops, cafés, gyms, and entrances to
other large gathering spaces. Short-
term storage will be designed and
located in centralized areas to facilitate
activation by features, such as coffee
carts, cafés, major pathways, and
informational displays. Long-term
parking consists of a secure, covered
storage room or secure locker, and
20 to 25 percent of secured spaces
will accommodate e-bike charging.
Clearly demarcated bike parking near
building entrances will accommodate
easy bike access for trips within
Middlefield Park. Furthermore, bike-
and scooter-share programs will
include micromobility hubs that will
be strategically located throughout
the site as illustrated in Figure 7.5.1.
Office buildings will contain 1 unisex
shower for the first 80,000 sf and 1
additional unisex shower for each
additional 40,000 sf of building area.
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7.6 Transit network and stops
Public transit
The Project is designed to reinforce and
improve pedestrian and bicycle access to
existing bus stops and VTA Middlefield
Station. Implementing new office,
residential, and retail development within
a 10-minute walk of the VTA Middlefield
Station and surrounding bus stops, as
proposed by the Project, is expected
to increase public transit demand.
The Project will also enhance existing
bus stops on westbound Middlefield
Road just east of Ellis Street and
on westbound Maude Avenue just
west of Clyde Avenue. Specifically,
the Project will provide shelters
and benches at both bus stops. In
addition, the Project will implement
a bus island with protected bike lane
along the westbound Middlefield Road
bus stop, which will be designed to
accommodate new fire lane access
and the proposed mid-block crossing.
Furthermore, the Project’s TDM
programs could provide subsidized or
discounted transit passes, improved
first-mile/last-mile connections to
transit, and increased marketing in order
to incentivize transit use for employees
and residents of Middlefield Park.
GBus shuttles
Car traffic will be reduced as Google
expands the GBus shuttle program to
accommodate growth at Middlefield
Park, as each shuttle takes 25 to 50
cars off the road. A new employee
GBus shuttle stop is proposed on
the O3/O4 private service street
between Logue and Clyde Avenues.
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7.7 Street network
Middlefield Park will be designed
with a Complete Street network
to support all modes of travel.
Improvements to existing streets
The Middlefield Park Project will
upgrade existing streets along the
Project site frontages on Ellis Street,
Middlefield Road, Logue, Maude,
and Clyde Avenues to comply with
the EWPP recommendations for
sidewalks, landscaped buffers, travel
lanes, and Class II buffered bike lanes.
The Project proposes enhancing the
bikeway design on the Middlefield
Road site frontage to include Class IV
protected bike lanes in both directions
along with upgraded bus boarding
island in the westbound direction.
New local streets
The project will extend Logue Avenue
north to the SFPUC easement, where a
cul-de-sac will be provided. The Logue
Avenue extension is also referred to
as “Street D” in the EWPP. The Street
D extension to Clyde Court across
the SFPUC easement is expected
to be implemented by others when
development occurs on the properties
north of the easement. An east-west
service street is proposed just south
of the SFPUC easement, connecting
the O2 building to the Logue Avenue
extension, and to Clyde Avenue.
The EWPP also recommends the
provision of a new vehicular north-south
Street C connecting Maude Avenue to
the SFPUC easement between Logue
and Clyde Avenues. However, per the
EWPP, a greenway, paseo, or multi-use
path may be provided in lieu of Street C
if a master plan application is submitted
by all affected property owners and the
City makes a finding that Street C is
not necessary for vehicular circulation,
utilities or other functions. In lieu of
a vehicular Street C, the Project will
provide publicly-accessible north-south
multi-use paths between the O3/O4
and R3/R4(a+b)/R5 buildings, providing
access to and through Maude Park.
The north-south connections will
provide adequate pedestrian and
bicycle connectivity. A new Street C is
not necessary for vehicular circulation
for new developments in the area
bounded by Logue, Maude, and Clyde
Avenues as vehicular access will be
provided via the proposed service
streets or existing public streets.
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Figure 7.7.1 Street network typology
New service streets
Service streets are slower, narrower
streets that serve a variety of purposes:
access to parking garages, addresses for
residential units, commercial, loading/
delivery, emergency vehicle access, and
more. These streets include sidewalks,
trees and landscaping, and bicycles may
share the travel lane with slow-moving
vehicles. New private service streets
are proposed adjacent to the following
buildings (and shown on Figure 7.7.1):
• O1/R2 building service street
with access via Ellis Street;
• O2 building service street with access
via Logue Avenue/Street D extension;
• O3 and 04 building service street
with access via Logue Avenue/Street
D extension and Clyde Avenue;
• R3/R4(a+b) building service street
with access via Maude Avenue;
• R4(a+b)/R5 building service street
with access via Maude Avenue;
• O5/P1 service street with
access via Clyde Avenue.
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Figure 7.7.2 Truck access and routing
In addition to Service Streets,
direct driveway access is proposed
at the following locations:
• R1 with right-turn in and out
restricted access via Ellis Street;
• R6 with access via Maude Avenue;
• P2 with access via Clyde Avenue.
All site access Service Streets
and driveways will be designed to
provide adequate sight distance.
Building loading and servicing
Loading docks will be accessed via
the proposed service street/private
driveway connections between the
buildings shown in blue in Figure 7.7.2.
In order to access these driveways for
loading and servicing, trucks will need
to be routed through the campus area.
For ease of vehicle operations, it is
recommended that these trucks stay
on major roads, avoid tight right turns,
and do not enter dead end roads.
Driveways are also used for access
to basement and podium parking for
buildings. The Project will prioritize
minimizing off-street and on-street
loading activities during peak periods
to reduce potential conflicts between
parking access and truck loading
maneuvers; with the exception of
trash collection trucks, which are not
a timed service. Use of flaggers will
also be considered to safely manage
truck loading activities for off-street
loading facilities during peak periods.
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Emergency vehicle access
Emergency vehicle access (EVA) roads
will have a minimum 26-foot clear
unobstructed width. Several EVA roads
will be hardscaped in open space areas
in order to locate the EVA roads within
a 150-foot travel distance of all exterior
building walls. Any EVA road that has a
dead end and exceeds 150 feet in length
will include an approved turnaround.
See Section K of the Implementation
Plan for the Conceptual Fire Access
and Hose Pull Lengths Plan, Hydrant
Spacing, and Conceptual Fire Water
Piping and Appurtenances. See the
Section L of the Implementation Plan for
dimensioned plans of the Logue Avenue
turnaround showing fire truck turning
analysis for fire and refuse trucks.
Upon further refinement of building
design additional EVA features may be
required. Buildings that are greater than
30 feet in height, expected for most
buildings, will require a minimum of
two EVA roads. One of the required EVA
roads will have 26 feet in unobstructed
width parallel to one side of the building
and will be set back from the building
face by 15 to 30 feet, as determined by
the City's Fire Protection Engineer.
EVA routes shall not conflict with the
pedestrian-bicycle bridge proposed.
Figure 7.7.3 EVA network
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7.8 Street design
Middlefield Road
Middlefield Road serves as an east-west
avenue passing through the center of
the East Whisman planning area and
will serve transit, autos, bicycles, and
pedestrians. Figure 7.8.1 shows the
proposed cross-section from the EWPP,
which will remain 80 feet curb-to-curb.
With the existing 100-foot public ROW,
a 4-foot easement will be provided on
the north side of the street along the
Project frontage. The street easement
is needed to accommodate expanded
sidewalks (8 feet) and landscaping
buffer (6 feet). The roadway will include
two travel lanes, a median with left-turn
lanes, and protected bicycle lanes.
The Middlefield Park Project proposes
to enhance the bicycle experience by
adding flexible delineators or curb, where
appropriate, to the buffered bicycle
lanes. This proposed enhancement
is part of Google’s effort to expand
the use of bicycles within the EWPP
area. The Middlefield Park Project
proposes to improve the segment of
Middlefield Road along the Project
site frontage, including a new bus
stop location, midblock crossing
and bike and pedestrian facilities.
Ellis Street
Ellis Street serves as a north-south
Avenue passing through the center of
the East Whisman planning area and
will serve transit, autos, bicycles, and
pedestrians. With its connection to US
101 to the north, Ellis Street serves as
a key access point for regional traffic
to the EWPP area and provides a route
to connect with Google campuses in
Moffett Park and East Whisman. The
Middlefield Park Project supports the
implementation of the Class II buffered
bike lanes in each direction of Ellis
Street; this design will enhance the
bicycle network connections between
the Stevens Creek Trail, the Hetch
Hetchy trail, and the future intersection
improvements for pedestrians and
bicyclists planned on the west side of the
Ellis Street at the US 101 undercrossing
(a project led by the City of Mountain
View). This City-led project will also
connect to the Google-funded shared-
use path along the north side of Manila
Avenue, which will extend to Moffett
Park. The Ellis Street buffered bike lanes
would be integrated into a larger regional
network for bicycle access around, in,
and through the EWPP area. As shown
in Figure 7.8.2, the proposed Ellis Street
design concept would fit within the
existing curb to curb dimension of 70
feet. With the existing 90-foot public
ROW, a 4-foot or 9-foot street easement
is needed to accommodate the 14 feet of
sidewalk and landscaped buffer required
behind the curbline. The Middlefield Park
Project proposes to improve the segment
of Ellis Street along the Project site
frontage. The Project proposes sidewalk
improvements only on the east side of
the street along the Project site frontage.
Logue, Maude, and Clyde Avenues
Logue, Maude, and Clyde Avenues are
local streets providing development
access in the EWPP area that will
primarily serve autos, bicycles,
pedestrians, and potentially transit.
The existing roadways provide one
travel lane per direction, Class II bicycle
lanes and parking on both sides. The
long-term proposal for the roadways
is to remove parking on one side of
the roadway in order to implement
Class II buffered bicycle lanes on both
sides. Figure 7.8.3 shows the proposed
cross-section from the EWPP; the curb-
to-curb width will remain 50 feet.
With the existing 70-foot public
ROWs, a 2-foot street easements is
needed on both sides of the roadway.
The street easements are needed to
accommodate expanded sidewalks
(7 feet) and landscaping (5 feet). The
roadway will include one travel lane per
direction, one parking lane, and buffered
bicycle lanes along both directions.
The Project will improve the Logue,
Maude, and Clyde Avenue segments
along the Project site frontages only.
State Route 237 Collector-
Distributor Road
The State Route 237 Collector-Distributor
Road is a one-way two-lane southbound
street that connects the westbound
SR 237 off-ramp at Maude Avenue
to the westbound SR 237 on-ramp at
Middlefield Road. The Middlefield Park
project will accommodate future two-
way cycletrack (also categorized as
Class IV protected bicycle lanes) and
sidewalk improvements planned by the
City of Mountain View on the west side
of the street. A 10-foot street easement
is needed to accommodate planned
improvements while maintaining the
existing two southbound travel lanes.
Service streets
Private service streets provide vehicular
access from public streets to a number
of buildings on the site. These service
streets provide: access to off-street
parking and loading zones; space for
trash and recycling service providers;
and access for emergency vehicles.
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Figure 7.8.1 Typical section — Middlefield Road Figure 7.8.2 Typical section — Ellis Street Private setback minimum is dependent on active or non-active priority building frontage. 110 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
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Figure 7.8.3 SR 237 frontage road with two-way cycle track Note: Parking location is representative, but could be considered for either side of street.
Private setback dependent on active vs. non-active frontage and Sub-Character Area.
Figure 7.8.4 Typical section — Logue, Maude, and Clyde Avenues Middlefield Park Master Plan | 111
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Figure 7.8.5 Typical sections — Service Streets
Private setback based on active vs. nonactive priority building frontages. Private setback based on active vs. nonactive priority building frontages. 112 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
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7.9 Parking strategy
The main goal of the Middlefield
Park parking strategy is to
reduce the parking demand
by controlling the supply
and providing required TDM
programs. Off-street surface
parking will be removed within
the Middlefield Park boundaries
and parking will be provided
via garage structures instead.
This allows land previously
used for cars to be re-purposed
as open space for employees,
residents, and visitors.
Parking locations and capacity
Proposed off-street parking within
Middlefield Park is distributed
among 12 different garage
structures. See Table 7.9.2.
The 12 garages are estimated to
comprise a total of approximately
4,325 stalls: 2,675 for office and 1,650
for residential, retail, and community
combined. These same totals are listed
in Table 7 .9.2. The final parking supply
will be informed by future parking
demand and management studies, in
addition to TDM programs that can be
implemented to reduce parking demand.
Carsharing, ride sharing,
electric vehicle charging,
expectant mothers
Dedicated car share spaces will be
provided in all garages to meet the
EWPP requirements. This includes a
minimum of 3 car share spaces in all
office building structures and at least
2-3 spaces in all residential building
structures, depending on number
of parking spaces per building.
The construction of new garages
will significantly increase the electric
vehicle (EV) parking infrastructure and
incentivize electric vehicles through
priority space locations. All new
parking garages will meet or exceed
the minimum EV parking requirements
established by the City Building Code
at the time of permit application.
Parking access and distribution
Middlefield Park is served by avenues
and local streets acting primarily as
access routes to and from US 101
and SR 237. Entering and exiting
vehicles currently rely on (and are
expected to continue using) four
primary district gateways.
• Ellis Street (via US 101
and Manila Avenue)
• Fairchild Drive/Clyde Avenue
(via Ellis Street)
• Middlefield Road (via SR 237)
• Maude Avenue (via SR 237)
Figure 7.9.4 and Figure 7.9.5, which
illustrate approximate AM and PM
vehicle access flows to parking,
incorporate the relative use of different
gateways and the distribution of vehicle
traffic throughout East Whisman. While
arrival and departure distributions are
varied, the majority of residential traffic
is forecasted to exhibit traditional daily
directional behavior, with departures
in the morning peak and arrivals in the
afternoon peak. Conversely, office-bound
vehicles would arrive primarily in the
morning and depart in the afternoon.
As previously described, the Project
proposes a new traffic signal on Ellis
Street at the O1/R2 service street.
Secondary access to parking structures
for residential buildings R1 and R2 will be
located further south near R1 and limited
to right-turn in/right-turn out movements
only. All other parking garages will
provide unsignalized full access controls.
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©andrew-roberts via Unsplash
Figure 7.9.1 Examples of parking and
car-sharing strategies
Table 7.9.2 Proposed off-street
parking ratios
Land Use
Proposed
Parking Ratio
Office 2.0 parking stalls
per 1,000 sf
Retail 4.0 parking stalls
per 1,000 sf
Community Uses
None, parking will
be shared with
retail parking
Residential 0.8 parking stalls
per dwelling unit
Open Space None
© albersHeinemann via Pixabay
Table 7.9.3 Parking locations and capacity
Building Land use Estimated number of parking stalls Estimated square footage Above-grade Below-grade
O1 Office 400 – 450 N/A 160,000
O2 Office 200 – 250 61,000 N/A
O3 Office 150 – 200 48,000 N/A
O4 Office 150 – 200 41,000 N/A
O5 Office 0 N/A N/A
P1 Garage 1,350 – 1,500 203,000 59,000
P2 Garage 300 – 350 96,000 N/A
Office Subtotal ~2,634
R1 Residential/mixed-use 300 – 360 39,000 120,000
R2 Residential/mixed-use 300 – 350 36,000 150,000
R3 Residential/mixed-use 200 – 250 32,000 60,000
R4a Residential/mixed-use 150 – 180 23,000 41,000
R4b Residential/mixed-use 80 – 95 10,000 18,000
R5 Residential/mixed-use 300 – 320 42,000 81,000
R6 Residential/mixed-use 100 – 150 18,000 16,000
Residential Subtotal ~1,650
Total ~4,284
Note: The Master Plan does not establish a
parking ratio for the Project, as parking will be
determined at permit entitlement for each phase
of development.
Note: Totals are indicative and subject to
adjustment with future permit entitlements.
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Figure 7.9.4 Approximate AM parking flows and distribution Figure 7.9.5 Approximate PM parking flows and distribution
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7.10 Curb management plan
Transit stops
Locations of MVgo, VTA, and third-party
shuttle stops are designed to minimize
bike and pedestrian conflicts. Subject
to approval by the City of Mountain
View and the VTA, the VTA bus stops on
westbound Middlefield Road (just west
of the VTA tracks) may be designed with
a floating passenger loading island to
eliminate conflicts between buses and
bicyclists. The Middlefield Road bus
stop and a VTA bus stop on westbound
Maude Avenue (just west of Clyde
Avenue) are proposed to be upgraded
with shelters and benches for riders.
Private shuttles / GBus
As part of a robust TDM program,
Google provides commuter shuttle
service for employees. Expected
demand for private shuttles will require
three bays of 60 feet each for long-
distance shuttles and one bay of 35
feet for short-distance intercampus and
local connectors (see Table 7.10.2). A
shuttle stop is proposed on the private
service street north of O3/O4 and will
not conflict with fire access lanes.
Garage drop-off zones
The EWPP requires one standard-
sized parking stall per 200 residential
units to facilitate pick-up and drop
off, short-term parking, loading and
deliveries, and one designated moving
truck location per residential building.
To accommodate passenger loading
spaces, 2 loading spaces will be provided
within each parking garage in R1 and
R2. Passenger loading for O1 will be
accommodated via the O1/R2 service
street and/or the O1 parking garage.
All other buildings proposed by
the project will meet the minimum
EWPP passenger loading supply
requirements to be accommodated via
on-street flex zones, service streets
and/or within parking garages.
On-Street flex zones
As described in the EWPP , flex zones
dedicate space between vehicular
travel and bike lanes for passenger
loadings, delivery loading/unloading,
shuttle/transit stops and on-street
parking. Where possible, passenger
loading is provided on-street. Ellis
Street and Middlefield Road cannot
accommodate on-street loading zones;
therefore, freight and passenger loading
is proposed within service streets. On
Logue Avenue, both O2 and O3 require
passenger loading zones; per the EWPP,
flex zones serving each building can
be located on opposite sides of the
street. The EWPP requires a minimum
separation of 100 feet between flex
zones prior to transitioning to the other
side of the street; this requirement is
reflected in Figure 7 .10.1, which identifies
proposed flex zone locations. Final
location of flex zones to be determined
in future permit entitlements.
Figure 7.10.1 Curb management plan
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Table 7.10.2 Expected loading space for private transit Shuttle service Bays required Total loading space required Minimum recommended
width
Intercity commuter shuttle 3 180 ft 10 ft
Intercampus and
local connector
1 35 ft 8 ft
© NACTO
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Middlefield Park Master Plan - Draft 09/30/22 | 117
8. BUILDINGS
The Middlefield Park Master Plan will deliver a diverse and context-sensitive built environment that creates a distinct identity and sense of place, utilizing height and density around the key public transit node as a fundamental step in creating a transit-oriented community. To achieve this the Master Plan complies with the Standards and Guidelines
of the East Whisman Precise Plan, and provides guidance to future architects of Middlefield Park buildings through the accompanying Implementation Plan’s Urban Design
Objectives in order to reinforce these goals.
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The connected tree canopy will be the
defining characteristic of the open space
experience in Middlefield Park, and will
also influence the design of its buildings.
Buildings facing Ellis Park and Maude
Park will be designed with enhanced
openness and transparency, offering
the opportunity of visual connection
to the canopy from within buildings as
well as increased activation and safety
within the open space. The canopy
also offers the potential for inspiration
and connections to biophilic building
elements such as green walls and
terraces. The shared pedestrian and bike
paths that provide access for buildings
that front directly onto the open space,
also helping to activate the park edges.
Architectural style is intended to be
both contemporary and contextually
responsive. The project prioritizes
designing with locally appropriate
materials and proportions derived from
environmental and human indicators,
rather than stylistic imitation of
architecture from another period.
The design of residential buildings
in Middlefield Park will establish a
recognizable character. Buildings will
address both streets and parks, while
framing shared community open
space for residents. Building mass
will be broken down through variety
in materials and facade design so as
to provide visual interest and legible
wayfinding to individual addresses.
Middlefield Park will see the delivery
of Class-A office buildings, continuing
to enhance the quality of both the
workplace and the architecture within
East Whisman. Incorporating high
performance passive and active design
strategies, in world-class contemporary
architectural styles will enable buildings
to deliver more natural light to interior
workplaces while meeting a host of
ambitious sustainability goals.
Diverse building massing and
composition
Design controls and guidelines are
used to ensure buildings avoid the
appearance of merely filling maximum
zoning envelopes. The Plan provides
for architectural resolution by
treating each block as a considered
composition of buildings with a
variety of heights, materials, and
articulations at the street level.
In addition to the MPMP and EWPP,
additional information related to the
architectural vision for the project
can be referenced in the Urban
Design Objectives section of the
Implementation Plan document.
Integrated sustainability
The integration of sustainability
principles into architectural design
is a core tenet of the Master Plan.
Environmental performance will be a
driving factor in shaping the building’s
form including considerations of
solar orientation and massing,
facade design, and space planning.
Low-carbon, low-water building
system design will compliment the
efficiencies and performance that
could be achieved through a district
systems approach, if implemented.
All office buildings will achieve LEED
Platinum, and all residential buildings
will meet or exceed GreenPoint
Rating 120+ points or equivalent.
Active and adaptable ground
floors
Although there is currently no residential
population within the Precise Plan
area and little demand for retail, the
transformation of the East Whisman
area will drive growth and demand for
both uses. The MPMP seeks to create
vibrant and active ground floor edges
onto streets and parks even in its earliest
phases. Architecture should therefore
aim to maximize the potential activation
at ground level, including the allowance
for live/work opportunities and the
potential for adaptation of ground floors
into community space or retail uses
suitable for supporting the growth of a
diverse range of local small businesses.
8.1 Architectural vision
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©Hassell
©Hassell
©Hassell
Figure 8.1.1 Building design precedents: buildings will be designed to celebrate sustainability, mimic nature and engage with nearby trees and parks © Lendlease © Bruce Damonte
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8.2 Built form
approach
EWPP height zones
Height controls are established by the EWPP, with height bonuses available for residential/mixed use buildings within the walking catchment of the VTA Middlefield Station. Height zones incentivize locating residents close to the station as well as providing neighborhood retail and services on a new plaza adjacent to the station.
Development blocks and open space
The block pattern has been established by combining the connectivity desired lines in the Precise Plan with the 400-foot maximum block dimension in the Mixed- Use sub-area, and the geometry generated by the large central Maude Park. A 500-foot maximum block is allowed in the Employment Area North sub-area.
Figure 8.2.1 Height zones Figure 8.2.2 Development blocks * VTA station
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Acknowledging open space
Development bulk is further refined by calling out building facades that front the new parks and open space. These facades will include special architectural treatments such as larger windows and upper floor stepbacks.
Diversity of built form
All the tools of the EWPP design guidelines and the Urban Design Objectives will be used to further break up the mass of development blocks into identifiable buildings at a human scale.
Within permissible controls, diverse heights are established within each development block, with key corner and streetwall conditions further reducing perceived mass in alignment with the Precise Plan. Shared open space areas for residential and office buildings are in alignment with required design standards.
Figure 8.2.3 Open space Figure 8.2.4 Built form
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The EWPP establishes standards
related to allowed development
intensity and height, building
frontage design and type,
building placement, and block
size. The development plots
in Middlefield Park comply
with all of these building
standards in alignment with
the goal of creating transit-
oriented development (TOD)
with seamless transitions to
surrounding neighborhoods.
EWPP Development Standards,
Design Guidelines and the Urban
Design Objectives will inform building
designs found in the Master Plan.
However, major design elements
impacting the Master Plan are:
• Maximum height;
• Maximum average street wall height;
• Minimum setbacks.
Note that the Floor Area
ratio is addressed in Section
5.7 of this document.
The particular building designs will be
addressed through subsequent permit
entitlements. This section additionally
provides diagrams of the indicative
building envelopes, and studies of the
visual impacts of these envelopes from
key views around the East Whisman area.
The following sections include excerpted
Building Design Standards from the
EWPP for reference (shown in blue text
boxes), as well as illustrations of where
and how these standards apply to the
Master Plan and future building designs.
8.3 EWPP Building Design Standards
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Maximum height
Two height limitations are imposed
on the site: those prescribed in the
EWPP, and those prescribed in the
Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP)
for Moffett Federal Airfield. The
maximum height defined by the CLUP is
182 feet above Mean Sea Level (MSL),
which equates to maximum heights
in Middlefield Park of from 123 to 133
feet, measured from existing grades.
Within the CLUP’s height restrictions,
the maximum heights defined by the
EWPP range from 60 feet in the east
up to 95 feet in the west. The EWPP
also includes a height exception for
residential and mixed-use buildings
within a 1,000-foot radius of the VTA
Middlefield Station, up to a maximum of
135 feet (but in no case greater than the
CLUP). The Master Plan incorporates
that height exception, and includes the
provision of neighborhood commercial
uses which are a prerequisite for it.
The EWPP also allows the
following height exceptions,
which are incorporated into the
Master Plan for consideration in
future planning entitlements:
• 10 to 15 feet for an additional story,
if public parkland is dedicated;
• 10 feet for rooftop amenities
(with a Provisional Use Permit)
and architectural features;
• 10 feet for architectural features
at Key Corner locations;
• 5 feet of additional height for
buildings that provide ground-floor
neighborhood commercial uses.
EWPP 3.3.1.10 and 3.7.3.5
Pursuant to General Height
Standards, Section 3.3.1, provision
of neighborhood commercial
uses is a precondition for
major height exceptions within
the high-rise core area.
Figure 8.3.1 Maximum building height
EWPP 3.3.1.5
Height Exceptions for Ground Floor
Neighborhood Commercial. Buildings
with ground floor neighborhood
commercial uses may be allowed
up to 5 feet of additional height.
This exception does not apply to
street wall height standards.
EWPP 3.3.1.6
Projects may receive an additional
10-15 feet of allowable height for
one typical additional story if land is
dedicated for public parks or other
public facilities, subject to approval
from the decision-making body.
VTA MIDDLEFIELD STATION
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Table 8.3.2 Building heights summary
Building
Moffett Airfield
CLUP height limit
(above sea level)
Existing grade
above sea level
(approximate)
Effective CLUP
height limit
above curb
EWPP
maximum
building height
(measured from
top of curb)
Key Corner
height bonus
Ground floor
neighborhood
commercial
height bonus
Parkland dedication
height bonus
Total proposed
height maximums
(with height bonuses; not
to exceed CLUP limit)
R11 182 ft 61 ft 123 ft 95 ft Up to 10 ft Up to 5 ft N/A 123 ft R21 182 ft 57 ft 123 ft 95 ft N/A Up to 5 ft N/A 123 ft O11 182 ft 56 ft 126 ft 95 ft Up To 10 ft N/A 125 ft
O2 182 ft 50 ft 132 ft 75 ft N/A Up to 15 ft 95 ft
O3 182 ft 50 ft 132 ft 75 ft N/A Up to 15 ft 95 ft
O4 182 ft 48 ft 134 ft 75 ft N/A Up to 15 ft 95 ft
R3 182 ft 54 ft 128 ft 75 ft Up to 10 ft Up to 5 ft Up to 15 ft 95 ft R4a/R4b 182 ft 55 ft 127 ft 75 ft N/A Up to 5 ft Up to 15 ft 95 ft R5 182 ft 56 ft 126 ft 75 ft Up to 10 ft 2 Up to 5 ft Up to 15 ft 95 ft R6 182 ft 57 ft 125 ft 75 ft Up to 10 ft 2 Up to 5 ft Up to 15 ft 95 ft O5/P1 182 ft 47 ft 135 ft 60 ft N/A N/A 60 ft
P2 182 ft 52 ft 130 ft 60 ft N/A Up to 5 ft N/A 60 ft
1 High-rise core height exemption available.
2 Additional Key Corner requires design approval in future permit entitlement.
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Figure 8.3.3 Maximum average street wall height standards Maximum average street wall
The EWPP identifies where maximum
average street wall height is set by the
requirements of respective Character
Areas. The Ellis Street frontage is within
the Mixed Use High Intensity Character
Area, where the average street wall
height is set at 75 feet. Logue Avenue,
Maude Avenue, and the west side of
Clyde Avenue are within the Mixed
Use Medium Intensity Character Area,
where the average streetwall height is
set at 55 feet. The east side of Clyde
Avenue is within the Employment
Low Intensity Character Area where
there is no maximum average street
wall requirement. Building wall
locations identified within 50 feet of
Key Corners within the Master Plan
are exempt from these provisions,
as acknowledged in the EWPP.
EWPP 3.4.3
Street Wall Height. The maximum
average street wall height is in Table
6. Above this height, buildings shall
step back 10 feet from public streets
and public parks. Taller street wall
height may be appropriate to support
variation, articulation and interest,
but the required average shall be
maintained. Building walls within 50
feet of Key Corners are exempt.
EWPP 75-foot street wall on office building
EWPP 75-foot street wall on high rise residential
EWPP 55-foot street wall on office building
EWPP 55-foot street wall on residential building
Figure 8.3.4 Maximum average street
wall height standards in axon
.
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Figure 8.3.5 Setback standards applied to the Master Plan Minimum setbacks
The following building setbacks are
proposed across the Master Plan
in compliance with the EWPP. A 10-
foot setback is required along Ellis
Street, Logue Avenue, Maude Avenue,
and Clyde Avenue, except a 15-foot
setback is required for the P2 parking
structure on the east side within the
Employment Character Area. These are
defined by the use and character areas
within Chapter 3, Table 7 of the EWPP.
Buildings with active priority frontages
may have a minimum setback of 5 feet.
In alignment with the Precise Plan,
landscaping, residential gardens, and
stoops are proposed within these
setbacks to manage a transition
from the streetscape to the building
edge, but will not encroach into the
sidewalk or any easement areas.
EWPP 3.3.4.1
Setbacks. Minimum setbacks are
established within each Character
Area’s standards. Setbacks from
streets and other network types
are measured from the edge of the
access easement or public right-
of-way, or total width, as shown in
the Mobility Chapter. Side and rear
setbacks, where no transportation
facility is provided, are measured
from the property line. Development
shall comply with all setback and
building placement standards for
future planned streets, even if the
street is not constructed with the
project. Pedestrian, bicycle and
vehicle visibility shall be considered
at corners and intersecting paths,
roads, streets, alleys, and driveways.
Note: Any portion of P2 with Active
Priority frontage can have 10 feet
minimum frontage per the EWPP.
All setbacks are measured from
property line, unless otherwise
noted.
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Indicative development envelopes
The Master Plan applies the EWPP
standards to establish building
envelopes, within which future architects
will develop building designs. These
envelopes give a sense for floor area
distribution and overall mass across
this Master Plan, while building
designs will bring further detail to each
development site in alignment with the
EWPP design guidelines. Figure 8.3.6
illustrates one potential way buildings
may be placed and designed within the
resulting development envelopes.
Figure 8.3.6 Indicative development envelopes
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Visual studies
The digital illustrations included
here illustrate the maximum building
envelopes in the Master Plan from the
key locations within the EWPP. They
further demonstrate that the proposed
massing supports the hierarchical
placemaking goals of the EWPP
through variation in height and building
differentiation. The concentration of
density around the VTA Middlefield
Station is balanced by variation of
building heights stepping down to
the plaza and community park. Ellis Street and Middlefield Road looking east
Ellis Street looking east towards bridge
Ellis Street looking south near 475 Ellis Looking west toward R6 Middlefield Road looking west
across SR 237
From SR 237
Clyde Avenue Northeast looking south VTA tracks looking north Clyde Avenue looking south Looking east along Middlefield Road at Whisman Road
Ellis Street and Middlefield Road looking west
near VTA tracks
Whisman Road at Middlefield looking east
Figure 8.3.7 Visual studies
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8.4 Solar studies
The following compositions
illustrate the potential solar
impacts throughout the year
on potential building massings
within the Master Plan.
Figure 8.4.1 Solar studies (massing is illustrative and subject to change) Summer Solstice
Winter Solstice Spring Equinox
Fall Equinox
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8.5 EWPP Building Design Guidelines
This Master Plan has been
prepared in alignment with the
goals of the EWPP Building
Design Guidelines. New
buildings in Middlefield Park
will be designed to deliver on
the goals of those guidelines
and reflect the opportunities
offered by the unique building
sites created by the Master Plan.
Several provisions within those
guidelines are highlighted here
because of their influence on
the content of the Master Plan
and on future building design,
and to explain where these
guidelines can be furthered by
innovative architectural design.
All EWPP Design Guidelines will inform
the building designs found in the Master
Plan; however, specific guidelines
impacting the Master Plan are:
• Key Corner design;
• Corner buildings;
• Buildings’ relationship to open space;
• Differentiating buildings;
• Building massing.
The particular building design will be
addressed through subsequent permit
entitlements. The following sections
include excerpted Building Design
Guidelines from the EWPP for reference
(shown in blue text boxes), as well as
illustrations of where and how these
standards apply to the Master Plan.
Key Corner design and corner
buildings
The Master Plan will deliver on the
Precise Plan objective of using Key
Corner design to assist in wayfinding
and placemaking. Three Key Corners
are identified in the EWPP , all located
on significant street approaches to the
site. Two additional key corners have
been identified within the Master Plan to
reinforce this design principle. The three
EWPP Key Corners are at the intersection
of Middlefield Road and Ellis Street, at
the northwest corner of Office building
1 on Ellis Street, and at the intersection
of Logue and Maude Avenues. The
two additional Key Corners are at the
intersection of Maude Avenue and Clyde
Avenue. These key corners are proposed
in order to amplify the experience of
entering into the Master Plan and Precise
Plan area. The approach to these corners
across the Master Plan should be diverse
and site-appropriate. Whether designed
as taller built elements, or using building
volume voids or landscape elements,
these corners will be given focused
attention in future building design.
Figure 8.5.1 Examples of corner buildings and Key Corner architectural treatments
High-Rise Core
No Streetwall Stepback
Reduced Height Open Space
123’
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 131
BUILDINGS
EWPP 4.1.1.1
Key Corner Design. Facades located
at ‘Key Corners’ should include
special design and materials
to provide variation and assist
wayfinding and placemaking. When
designing Key Corners, projects
should consider views along nearby
public streets. Key Corners may
include prominent buildings, or
recessed buildings to create plazas,
public art, or prominent trees.
© Sam Noonan
© Hassell© Hassell
Figure 8.5.2 Key Corner design and corner buildings
EWPP 4.1.1.2
Corner Buildings. All projects
should design corner buildings
to emphasize an entry, shape a
public space, and/or provide visual
interest through taller or shorter
building elements, special forms and
materials, highly-visible entrances
and/or landscape features.
Figure 8.5.3 Key Corner precedents
132 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
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Building relationship to open space
The connected tree canopy and the
variety of open spaces will be a defining
experience for people in Middlefield
Park, and as such, the connections
between residential and office buildings
to defining biophilic elements will drive
the design of many buildings across
this Master Plan. This is especially
important since all development parcels
within Middlefield Park address both a
street and an open space so that the
design of each building must balance
the building frontage to both primary
street and open space frontages.
Where residential frontages do address
open space, active uses have been
generally located towards open space
and the tree canopy, and are expected
to be supported further by active
residential stoops and private open
space and visual connectivity between
office and open space. The variety
of open spaces that the buildings will
address, and their varied responses
to them, will greatly contribute to the
vibrant character goals of the EWPP.
Residential frontages onto open space
will utilize a combination of ground
floor treatments. Where active uses
can take advantage of spill-out outdoor
seating, open space will be further
activated. Furthermore, multiple design
solutions exist to allow ground floor
private open space to activate and
keep open spaces safe, while still
preserving privacy to ground floor units.
Office buildings will engage with
open space using a range of suitable
design typologies. Where possible,
entry points and active edges will face
onto open space. Some areas will
use innovative landscape treatments
or ground floor building elevation to
preserve both visual connectivity to
open space and building security.
Figure 8.5.4 Building relationship to open space
EWPP 4.1.1.3
Building Relationship to Open
Space. Building entrances should be
oriented towards public open spaces.
Upper floors facing open spaces
should include special architectural
treatments such as larger windows
and/or upper floor stepbacks.
VTA MIDDLEFIELD STATION
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BUILDINGS
Figure 8.5.5 Examples of residential building ground floor relationships to open space Figure 8.5.7 Examples of building relationship to open spaceFigure 8.5.6 Examples of office building ground floor relationships to open space © Hassell © West 8
134 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
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Differentiate buildings
Floor area and height parameters have
been intentionally applied in a way that
each parcel within the Master Plan
has the needed flexibility to create
diverse and differentiated buildings.
Through variations in both height and
volume combined with massing breaks
and changes in material treatment,
component parts of each development
will read as separate buildings and will
reduce the bulk of each development.
The distribution of floor area within the
Master Plan tries to establish a mixture
of building heights within each block,
particularly in taller mixed use areas.
EWPP 4.1.1.4
Differentiate Buildings. Building
type and scale should vary within a
block or project while maintaining a
consistent street wall and frontage;
for example, by mixing low-rise and
mid-rise buildings. Multiple buildings
in a single project or within a larger
area should relate to each other,
but provide differentiation through
architecture, massing, materials,
and site design features. Building
heights should vary across East
Whisman and individual project
sites to create visual interest and to
break up the scale of development.
Figure 8.5.8 Examples of building differentiation
© Hassell
© Bruce Damonte © Hassell
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 135
BUILDINGS
Building massing
The Middlefield Park Master Plan builds
upon the objective of the EWPP to ensure
a diverse and human-scale pedestrian
experience. Breaks in building massing will
be included along street wall frontages, in
accordance with the intent of the EWPP
design guidelines. Office buildings within
Middlefield Park will be designed to have
substantial massing breaks at intervals
of 100 to 150 feet with no single building
exceeding a maximum of 300 feet in
length, unless additional massing relief
is provided (to be reviewed as part of
future permit entitlements). Residential/
Mixed-Use buildings will be designed
to have massing breaks 25 feet across
approximately every 200 feet of building
block face, at least 15 feet deep (see
Figure 8.5.9). Use of additional vertical
stepbacks and massing breaks will be
used to visually separate facades into
smaller intervals. Appropriate massing
breaks will be applied to building frontages
facing parks and streets. Building breaks
in frontage should be combined with
changes in materiality, or combined
with entry points where possible.
Figure 8.5.9 Building massing breaks
Figure 8.5.10 Example building massing breaks
136 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
BUILDINGS
EWPP 4.1.1.5
Building Massing. Building massing
breaks should be used in each
building to create a varied series
of masses with a range of depths,
widths, and heights. Massing
changes or breaks may be used to
ensure transitions between buildings
and adjacent lots, improve visual
interest, avoid large wall planes,
accentuate neighborhood character,
and help create more comfortable
public and private spaces. Specific
massing and articulation guidelines
differ depending on building use as
described below in the respective
residential and employment sections.
Figure 8.5.11 Examples of office/R&D buildings where street frontage lengths exceed 300 feet Figure 8.5.12 Examples of building massing breaks
© Bruce Damonte
© Hassell
© East Whisman Precise Plan, pg.105
EWPP 4.1.2.5 (for office/R&D
buildings)
Facades should provide substantial
massing breaks at intervals of
100 to 150 feet, emphasizing
horizontally-oriented proportions.
Office and R&D buildings should
have a maximum length of 300 feet.
EWPP 4.1.3.8.a (for residential
buildings)
Breaks at least 25 feet across should
be provided approximately every
200 feet of block face. A “massing
break” should be at least 15 feet
deep (behind the front facade), and
may include significant building
articulation or a common space
such as a forecourt, courtyard,
paseo, or mews. Taller residential
buildings should have fewer
building façade increments than
mid-rise residential buildings.
25’ min-50’ 250’-300’ max
100’-150’
25’ min-
50’
15’ min-25’
100’-150’
100’-150’
25’ min-
50’
15’ min-25’
100’-150’
15’ min-25’
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 137
BUILDINGS
8.6 Site planning flexibility
Building form and massing
are shown as illustrative in this
Master Plan in anticipation
of specific building in
implementation phases of
the Project. Architects will
deliver on the Master Plan
objectives and also comply
with the EWPP standards in
the planning of individual or
combined development sites.
In the architectural design of each
building, the location of paseos and
the modulation of building forms and
heights will vary within the parameters
of the land use and development
framework established in Chapter
5 of this document. The designs
will strive to find the best detailed
solutions that connect pedestrians
from surrounding streets through to
transit and open space amenities while
establishing diverse built forms that
encloses shared private open areas.
Residential/mixed-use site
planning options
Site planning of residential parcels
fronting both Ellis Street and Maude
Avenue can take on a variety of forms
that maintain the maximum block
sizes, provide site permeability to
maintain access to open space, and
create a legible division of public space
and common usable open areas for
residents as outlined in the EWPP.
Site planning will maintain the 400-
foot maximum block dimension
established by the EWPP. Additionally,
future site planning will be guided
by the Design Objectives, creating a
diversity of built forms across sites
to ensure delivery of the vibrant
neighborhood envisioned by the Plan.
Office site planning options
The Master Plan summarizes
performance criteria within the EWPP
controls and guidelines for office
buildings, largely related to their impact
on the public realm. There remains a
range of architectural solutions that
conform to the controls, guidelines
and intent while still leaving room for
innovation and encouraging design
excellence from architects on each
site. This is illustrated below through a
number of compliant options, all of which
work within a maximum 400-foot block
dimension in the Mixed-Use Character
Area and 500-foot block dimension in
Employment Character Area North.
138 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
BUILDINGS
Figure 8.6.1 Example options of site planning for residential and office buildings
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 139
BUILDINGS
8.7 Garage strategy
To support the overall Master
Plan parking strategy, two
parking structures (P1 and
P2) are planned along Clyde
Avenue. The location of the
structures allows easy access
from both US 101 and SR 237,
minimizing the number of vehicle
trips entering the pedestrian-
oriented core of the Project
area. Mid-block crossings for
pedestrians and bicyclists
will enable safe and easy
connections between the parking
structures and office buildings.
These structures will provide off-
site district parking for the five office
buildings. A portion of required
parking for expectant mothers, ADA,
careshare and visitors is proposed to
be provided at each of the buildings
with the balance provided by the
two district parking structures.
To support the Master Plan Vision for a
connected community and pedestrian
scale, the P1 garage will be lined with an
office building, and the P2 garage may
be designed with active ground floor
uses. Enhanced facade treatments on
facades visible from streets and layered
landscaping, including trees, will further
reduce visual impacts of the garages.
The P2 parking structure, along with the
P1 structure, provides district parking
for the office buildings proposed by the
MPMP. Situated 27 feet from the curb,
per the EWPP guidelines which requires
a 15-foot setback from the sidewalk, and
visually screened with street trees and
on-site trees, the P2 parking structure
will be minimally visible from Logue
Avenue and the new neighborhood
park. The ground floor may include
space that is envisioned to support uses
complementary to the neighborhood
park while helping to activate the street.
To enhance the pedestrian realm and
reduce the visual impact of district
parking garages, facades visible from
streets shall be visually attractive,
relate to adjacent development and
mask the use of the structure as a
parking garage. Design approaches
could include: activating the street
facing facade with active ground-floor
uses; using design components and
materials compatible with adjacent
buildings; using screening materials
such as louvers, vertical landscaping,
photovoltaics, or other similar, visually
attractive materials; replicating window
patterns and other architectural
elements to mask the parking use; and
using landscaping and trees between
the parking structure and adjacent
street to shield the structure from view.
140 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
BUILDINGS
Figure 8.7.1 Proposed P2 garage section
Office along Clyde Avenue
Existing dense tree coverage
Site
landscaping
with multi-
use path
Active Office Frontage
Streetscape landscaping
Bicycle/pedestrian crossing
Active Use
Public-facing
attractive facade
Street landscaping
Figure 8.7.2 Garage, site frameworks
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 141
BUILDINGS
Garage strategy approach:
• Precise Plan Compliance
- Massing & Building Guidelines
- Ground Floor Use
- 15-foot setback
• District Parking strategy with
minimal on-site parking to
encourage active mobility;
• Active ground floors to encourage
pedestrian activity;
• Installation of rooftop photovoltaics
equivalent to 50 percent of roof area, in
accordance with CLUP height limitations;
• Enhanced facades where
visible from public streets;
• Designed to provide adequate vehicular
access and minimize queue lengths
entering or exiting the garage.
P1 approach:
• Office Public Frontage
(along Clyde Avenue).
P2 approach:
• Active ground floor use.
Figure 8.7.3 Garage structure goals
Active frontage
Visual interest, attractive
screening/materiality
Limited street presence
Landscape buffer
Integrated scale
Sustainable
142 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
BUILDINGS
© SERA© SERA
©SERA©SERA© SERA
© Google
Figure 8.7.4 Garage facade treatment precedents Figure 8.7.5 District garage parking strategy Primary pedestrian access
routes from parking
Routes to be designed by city
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 143
9. UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE
The vision of the Middlefield Park Master Plan is to
enhance natural areas, connect communities, and
create resilient infrastructure systems that support
the transition of the East Whisman Precise Plan Area
into a sustainable district.
144 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
The proposed sustainable infrastructure
strategy of the MPMP aims to meet or
exceed the Precise Plan, Mountain View
Reach Code, and General Plan goals to
promote green building performance
for water and energy systems, increase
green stormwater infrastructure, and
prioritize the use of recycled water.
Google will test options to enhance
the performance of Middlefield Park,
with a focus on creating a sustainable
framework that is underpinned by
district systems. Various options for
the inclusion of district systems will be
analyzed that target low carbon and
resource efficient outcomes. District
systems have the potential to enhance
the performance of the infrastructure
plan. The systems can have a significant
impact given that they sit at the interface
of the horizontal infrastructure layer,
the environment, and the built form.
Key objectives are to conserve natural
resources and to optimize energy and
water performance. The potential
integration of a district systems strategy
will complement the traditional building
and infrastructure systems seeking to
increase resilience within Middlefield
Park. Furthermore, district-scale utilities
would allow the Project to optimize
performance as well as reduce strain on
existing utility systems, delivering strong
outcomes across the key resources
of thermal energy, power, and water.
Figure 9.1.1 Alignment with City of Mountain View Sustainability Goals
9.1 Infrastructure at a district scale
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 145
INFRASTRUCTURE
Figure 9.1.2 Overview of District Systems in a mixed-use development Sustainable infrastructure
In alignment with the Precise Plan
and the City’s sustainability goals, the
Project is pursuing high-performance
results in terms of carbon reduction
through on-site and off-site measures,
as well as potable water use reduction.
District systems, through the
consolidation of systems, can deliver
resource efficiency, reduced energy use
and carbon emissions, and reduced
potable water consumption. Google
is investigating how to enhance the
performance of the Project, by creating
a sustainability ecosystem focused
on district systems. By connecting
resources across the Master Plan Area,
the district would be more sustainable
and resilient. Centralized infrastructure
could also be upgraded more easily over
time, allowing the Plan to continue to
progress toward a decarbonized, closed-
resource-loop district. The integration
of multiple systems in a single location
could also create significant operational
benefits for users and reduce the
demands placed on the City systems.
Under the district scenario, a central
utility plant (CUP) would provide all-
electric centralized thermal heating and
cooling with high efficiency equipment
for offices and residential/mixed-uses.
In response to the City’s desire to use
recycled water and address the water
reduction program, Buildings will
connect to the City-wide recycled water
network if feasible, and/or develop
a district water reuse facility on site
to achieve the desired outcomes.
Connectivity
Implementation of the district systems
requires connectivity of multiple
structures and programmatic uses
across distinct property boundaries
including public rights of way (ROWs).
The mixed use character of the proposed
Master plan provides a strong platform
to turn the diversity of needs, both
in terms of time of use and capacity,
RESIDENTIAL
DEVELOPMENT
RETAIL AND AMENITIES COMMUNITY
BUILDINGS
OFFICES PARKING STRUCTURES
POPA OPEN
SPACE
146 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
INFRASTRUCTURE
Figure 9.1.3 Potential district system corridor and CUP location. All loca- tions are subject to adjustment based on land disposition. into an optimized solution through the
district systems approach. The unique
consolidation offered at the district
scale unlocks significant environmental
benefits not otherwise achievable at
the building scale. The benefits of
connecting various land use types is
to capitalize on the varying resource
demands throughout the Project, an
outcome that can only be effectively
pursued at scale. A joint trench
connecting all private utilities throughout
the office, residential, and retail areas at
Middlefield Park would allow resources
to be delivered in an efficient way and
minimize space requirements. See
Figure 9.1.3 for an example of a potential
route for district systems utilities.
The District Systems corridor illustrated
on Figure 9.1.3 minimizes public ROW
crossings and encroachments. It would
have the potential to include thermal
hydronics, geothermal distribution,
electrical, private telecommunications,
sanitary sewer, and recycled water.
Utility crossings through the public
ROW would be closely coordinated
with the City and utility providers.
Additionally, close coordination with
VTA to cross its ROW with utilities
would also be required. Middlefield
Park will be served by the City’s existing
water and storm drain systems.
District Systems Corridor
Indicative location of
Central Utility Plant (CUP)
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 147
INFRASTRUCTURE
9.2 Thermal energy 9.3 Power
Goals
Driven by the growth envisioned at
Middlefield Park, Google’s approach
will be to investigate the benefits of
incorporating highly efficient heating
and cooling technologies while also
fostering improved business continuity
and resilience to the entire precinct
compared to a more traditional building-
by-building approach. The design
solutions analyzed will aim to achieve
substantial energy savings through
equipment consolidation, streamlined
operations, removal of natural gas as a
fuel source, and site-wide heat recovery
opportunities. Within the built form,
the district systems approach would
aim to be adaptive so as to enable new
technologies and a variety of efficient,
multi-functional phasing plans.
Strategies
The mechanical systems will be
designed in accordance with the most
recent California and City of Mountain
View codes, ASHRAE standards, and
the adopted REACH code. Additionally,
in order to meet the intent of LEED
BD+C and Green Point Rating, the
Project will assess the opportunity
to include the following strategies:
• Centralized heat recovery chillers
for primary heating and cooling;
• Centralized air source heat pumps for
supplemental heating and cooling;
• Centralized water cooled chillers and
cooling towers for supplemental cooling;
• Rooftop solar thermal panels;
• Centralized thermal energy
storage tanks;
• Ground source deployment;
including options for ground loops/
energy piles coupled with heat
recovery chillers and heat pumps.
Goals
Fully aligned with Mountain View’s drive
to switch away from natural gas for
commercial and residential uses, the
Project will be all-electric. The Project is
committed to utilizing 100% carbon-free
renewable energy for electrical service
for all new buildings, regardless of the
service provider. This is an ambition for
new buildings and allows for innovative
technologies to be implemented towards
a carbon-free future. The increasing
prevalence and impact of natural
disasters due to climate change creates
an imperative for resilient design. The
implementation of energy demand
management strategies with renewables
will reduce peak loads, and a grid-tied
microgrid with solar and storage could
be used to provide additional resilience.
Strategies
The electrical systems will be designed
in accordance with the latest California
and City of Mountain View codes,
ASHRAE standards. Additionally, in
order to meet the intent of LEED BD+C
and Green Point Rating or equivalent,
the Project will assess the opportunity
to include the following strategies:
• LED lighting with occupancy
sensors and daylight automation;
• Plug load management and
demand response;
• Photovoltaic panels;
• Electric vehicle charging-
ready infrastructure;
• Battery storage for loading shifting and
carbon and demand cost reduction;
• Grid-tied microgrid;
• Off-site renewable energy generation.
© Lendlease
Figure 9.3.1 Interior view of the
East Carolina University
Central Utility Plant
148 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
INFRASTRUCTURE
9.4 Water
Figure 9.3.2 Barangaroo Plantroom
(Sydney, Australia)
Figure 9.4.1 Water balance concept
©Joshua Dasey Photography
Goals
The Project holds conservation and
preservation of local and regional water
resources as a key priority. In alignment
with the sustainability goals of the City
of Mountain View and the East Whisman
Precise Plan, the Project endeavors to
meet stringent green building and water
conservation practices. The Project
strives to diversify its use of water
resources by maximizing the use of
recycled water through collaborating
with the City to achieve the best
system that meets shared objectives.
Strategies
In order to achieve Middlefield Park’s
water goals, the Project will follow
a sustainable design approach that
employs efficient water management
strategies and optimized solutions for
water reuse. The water systems will be
designed in accordance with the latest
California and City of Mountain View
codes. Additionally, in order to meet or
exceed the intent of LEED BD+C and
Green Point Rating or equivalent, the
Project will assess the opportunity to
include the following strategies:
• Water-efficient fixtures;
• Water-efficient irrigation systems;
• Dual-plumbed buildings;
• Planting native, drought-tolerant plants
compatible with recycled water;
• Recycled water use for mechanical
operations, irrigation, and toilet flushing;
• On-site water reuse facility;
• Leak detection & monitoring.
Secondary treatment
Evaporation loss
Non-potable demand
Storage
Rainwater harvesting
Precipitate makeup
Ecology filter
Evaporation loss
Potable demand
Storage
© Sherwood Design
Engineers
Added supply from evaporation loss
Optional
From secondary treatment
From primary treatment
From secondary treatment
Net Positive
Middlefield Park Master Plan | 149
PROJECT BENEFITS
10. PROJECT BENEFITS
The redevelopment of Middlefield Park will be
implemented over several years with phased
planning entitlements and construction, an
extensive Community Benefits program, and
valuable fiscal contributions. As a result, East
Whisman will be the focus of both physical and
social infrastructure investments for years to come.
150 | Middlefield Park Master Plan
PROJECT BENEFITS
10.1 Community benefits
Economic and Planning Systems has
conducted a concept level analysis of
the property tax revenue impacts of
Google’s proposed plan for Middlefield
Park. The analysis estimates an
increased assessed value of $2.3
billion associated with the proposal and
identifies a $4.7 million net increase in
annual property tax-related revenues
accruing to the City’s General Fund at
build out. It also indicates the net new
property tax that would commensurately
accrue to other taxing districts including
Mountain View Whisman School District,
Mountain View Los Altos Union High
School District and Santa Clara County.
Overall fiscal impact findings
The analysis focuses on property tax-
related revenues, though it is recognized
that a more detailed analysis would
consider additional revenues items
(e.g., sales and use taxes), as well
as public service expenditures.
The key fiscal impacts of
the proposal are:
• Estimated to have a development
value/ assessed value of ±$2.7 billion,
resulting in a net increase in assessed
value of ±$2.4 billion once existing
assessed value is netted out;
• Estimated to generate ±$4.7 million
annually in property tax related revenues
to the City’s General Fund at Project
build-out in 2020 dollars. This includes
±$3.8 million annually in property tax
revenues and ±$875,000 in property tax,
in lieu of vehicle license fees revenues;
• Other taxing entities will receive
substantial annual property tax
revenues, including ±$3.8 million to the
Mountain View Whisman School District,
±$1.7 million to the Mountain View Los
Altos Union High School District, and
±$3.8 million to Santa Clara County.
10.2 Fiscal impact
Community benefits
The Middlefield Park Master Plan offers
many new amenities and benefits to
the larger neighborhood and the City
of Mountain View, and represents a
great investment in East Whisman.
Upgraded streets and bike lanes, new
accessible open space, market and
restaurant areas, and multiple funding
contributions are all included in the
proposal. Google is committed to
being a helpful neighbor in Mountain
View and looks forward to delivering
community benefits, commensurate
with Google's development proposals
in this Master Plan, to help achieve
the EWPP's objectives and vision. See
Development Agreement for details.
Middlefield Park Master Plan
v
Middlefield Park Master Plan