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Central Area Neighborhoods Meeting
Thursday, June 1, 2023
CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE UPDATE
Council Work Plan for Fiscal Years 2023-24 and 2024-25
The City Council will consider adopting its next two-year Council work plan on June 13, 2023. The draft work plan was developed over the course of several Council meetings beginning in January 2023 and includes 41 critical projects organized into priority categories. The Council work plan projects were chosen to advance the Council’s Strategic Priorities, seven high-impact policy areas identified by the Council in collaboration with the community. These priorities are: Community for All, Intentional Development and Housing Options, Mobility and Connectivity, Sustainability and Climate Change Resiliency, Livability and Quality of Life, Economic Vitality, and Organizational Strength and Good Governance. During the implementation of the work plan, the Council and community will receive regular updates from City staff on the projects’ progress.
American Rescue Plan Act Workforce Development Funding
On May 9, 2023, the City Council approved nearly $600,000 (including $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding and $95,975 in City funding) to support workforce development and job training programs. The funds will provide free web-based training courses and career coaching assistance available to all Mountain View residents through the Library as well as 10 full scholarships and stipends for residents to finish their High School Diplomas and complete certificates through Career Online High School, an 18-month self-paced accredited high school program. Additionally, the Council funding will support preapprenticeship programs for the building trades, a cross -generational literacy program , career development for child -care providers, a micro-enterprise home kitchen operations training cohort, and other critical career counseling and job training programs. The community partners who will receive this funding are Working Partnerships USA, Mountain View Los Altos Union High School District, Mountain View Whisman School District, Foothill College, NOVAworks , Los Altos Mountain View Community Foundation, Reach SV, and the Day Worker Center of Mountain View.
COUNCIL NEIGHBORHOODS COMMITTEE
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Responsible Construction and Wage Theft Ordinances
In September 2022, the City Council adopted the Wage Theft and Responsible Construction Ordinances. Both ordinances went into effect on January 1, 2023 . The purpose of these ordinances is to help ensure accountability and compliance with existing State wage and hour laws, enhance the protection of workers ’ rights, and support the City’s existing Minimum Wage Ordinance. The Responsible Construction Ordinance applies to all n ew construction projects of 15,000 square feet or more requiring a building permit. The Wage Theft Ordinance applies to all businesses in the City o f Mountain View that are required to have a business license. More information about both ordinances, including Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and wage theft affidavits, can be found at www.mountainview.gov/our-city/departments/city-managers- office/wage-theft-ordinance.
Elevate MV—Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot Program Launches
The Mountain View Elevate MV pilot
program provides direct cash
payments of $500 per month to
166 randomly selected extremely low-
income Mountain View residents to
help elevate their basic income and
provide more financial security.
The pilot program sets itself apart
from other direct relief programs by
providing unrestricted financial
assistance to the most vulnerable in
our community. This means that
participants in the pilot are
empowered to choose how the assistance best meets t he basic needs of their family and is not tied to conditions.
The Elevate MV pilot launched in September 2022 , and the first payments to recipients started December 15, 2022.
Elevate MV Pilot Program Upcoming Milestones
• A second wave of survey data collection is anticipated to occur in May after the sixth-month payment.
• A “Data Dashboard” will be available in June 2023 with aggregated participant spending data to promote transparency. This is coordinated by the Stanford Basic Income Lab for the Mayor’s for Guaranteed Income. Both organizations are City thought partners.
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• The next round of participant surveying will be undertaken in the early summer to understand how the program is benefiting recipients.
For more information on GBI, visit www.MountainView.gov/gbi.
Multicultural Engagement Program
The Multicultural Engagement Program (MEP) provides a broad range of services to the City ’s diverse community. Among their services, the MEP team provides translations for City outreach materials in Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and Russian as well as interpretations at various community and City Council meetings. In addition, the City conducted its first Chinese Language Civic Leadership Academy in spring 2022, joining the successful Spanish Language Civic Leadership Academy, which will hold its fifth Academy this coming fall.
For more information, visit www.mountainview.gov/our-city/departments/city-managers- office/multicultural-engagement-program.
Website Redesign
This week, the City debuted a new website, MountainView.gov, that aims to enhance the City’s ability to connect and share information with the community. The redesigned website replaced an eight -year-old site and features dedicated sites for Economic Development, the Mountain View Public Library, and the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. The new City website boasts user-centered design with improved navigation, an enhanced search engine, a new email notification system that makes it easier to subscribe to City topics of interest, upgraded web accessibility, and responsive design that automatically adapts to various devices, including desktop, tablet, and mobile.
In April, the City launched ePermitsMV, www.MountainView.gov/ePermitsMV, a one-stop shop for anyone seeking building permits by providing easier electronic submission and 24/7 access to permit status. In the coming weeks, the City will launch its first Development Permits website, which will provide a comprehensive online “how to ” guide to permits and development requirements and the corresponding review process.
Electrify Mountain View
Transitioning to electric transportation and appliances is the quickest way for our community to reduce carbon emissions, all while increasing savings a nd making homes safer and more comfortable. Electrify Mountain View is an online site for renters and homeowners that offers personalized recommendations in English, Spanish, Chinese , or Russian on how to electrify all aspects of their life . At no cost, residents can learn about actions such as owning an electric vehicle or e-bike, becoming more energy-efficient, using a full-size or portable induction cooktop, and installing solar power or a heat pump water heater . The platform is designed to help residents understand their options, see their savings, browse products, compare rebates and AR/8/CDD
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incentives, and get custom quotes . To sign up and start exploring the clean energy options available, visit: MountainView.Gov/ElectrifyMV.
EV Chargers Downtown
The City has begun installing new EV chargers downtown and replacing several of the City’s older chargers. In March, the 10 Chargepoint ports at the 850 California Street Parking Structure and 8 Chargepoint ports at the Civic Center Garage were replaced with PowerFlex units and 6 more ports were added at the Civic Center Garage. The City also installed 10 new Level 2 EV charging ports at the 135 Bryant Street Parking Structure and is revie wing plans for the installation of 22 new Level 2 ports and 2 Level 3 DC fast charger ports at the 850 California Street Parking Structure. In total, EV drivers in Mountain View will soon have access to 34 additional EV charging ports downtown, including two Level 3 fast charger ports. This will make a total of 67 City-owned ports available in Mountain View.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT—UPDATE
Economic Vitality Strategy
Community Attributes, Inc. (CAI), the City ’s consultant for the Economic Vitality Strategy, has recently completed several focus group interviews, two community meetings, and a landscape assessment of the City. The CAI is current ly drafting the strategies and identifying recommendations based upon input from the community. A Council Study Session is planned for fall 2023 . More information is available at econdev.mountainview.gov/business/economic- vitality-strategy.
Public Art Strategy
City staff continue to work with the Visual Arts Committee (VAC) during their monthly meetings to develop a Public Art Strategy for the City of Mountain View. The community is welcome to engage and contribute to the development of the document during the monthly VAC meetings.
To learn more and find out about the next Visual Arts Committee meeting , visit mountainview.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx.
LIBRARY—UPDATE
Library website for all current information: www.MountainView.gov/library.
Library Newsletter
If you would like to receive regular newsletters about what is new at the Library, you can subscribe here: library.mountainview.gov/connect/subscribe-to-news.
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Library Calendar
For information about upcoming Library programs and events , visit MountainView. libcal.com/libraryevents.
Digital Library:
Free resources such as Consumer Reports, New York Times, learn a language, streaming movies, eBooks, and eAudiobooks: library.mountainview.gov/learn/digital-library.
COMMUNITY SERVICES—UPDATE
Recreation Activity Guide
The Spring/Summer edition of the Recreation Activity Guide is available , and registration is ongoing. This activity guide covers classes and camps that take place from April through August.
To view the Activity Guide and for more information on registration, please visit mountainview.gov/register.
Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan
The City of Mountain View ’s Community Services Department is developing a Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan. This Plan will define a clear vision and action plan for the future of Mountain View ’s parks and open space, trail system, recreation facilities, and recreation programs and services. The Community Services Department is in the process of onboarding a consultant to lead the development of the plan with the intention of begin ning public input opportunities this summer.
For more information on the Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan and to sign up for updates on the process, visit www.mountainview.gov/our-city/departments/community-services/parks- and-recreation-strategic-plan.
Biodiversity Strategy and Urban Forest Plan
The City of Mountain View is developing a Biodiversity Strategy that will create guiding principles to preserve and enhance the diversity of plants, trees, and wildlife throughout the City. The Strategy will also include a new Urban Forest Plan to replace the City’s Community Tree Master Plan. The City is working with two consultants on this project: the San Francisco Estuary Institute (known as SFEI) is administering the research and scientific elements , and Dudek is facilitating the community outreach and engagement process.
The SFEI has reviewed existing City plans, studies, and reports and is currently analyzing land cover and vegetation types, locating existing habitat patches and wildlife corridors, and identifying focal species and their known habitat requirements to help identify potential AR/8/CDD
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opportunities and constraints. The SFEI has also started working with Davey Resource Group , who was the consultant for the Community Tree Master Plan. Dudek kicked off the community outreach and engagement process on Saturday, April 22 , at the Earth Day event by hosting an interactive booth to introduce the project and receive feedback from the public.
For more information and to receive updates on the Biodiversity Strategy and Urban Forest Plan, please visit www.mountainview.gov/our-city/departments/biodiversity-strategy-and-urban- forest-plan.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT—UPDATE
PLANNING—PLANS, POLICIES, AND DEVELOPMENT
CITYWIDE PROJECTS
Summary information on long-range planning and private development projects throughout the City can be found in the “Current Project List” on the City ’s website . P lease visit www.mountainview.gov/our-city/departments/community-development/planning/active- projects.
Downtown Precise Plan Update
Updates to the Downtown Precise Plan Subareas A, G, and H were approved by City Council in December 2022. The existing guidelines for Areas A, G, and H were elevated to objective design standards, and administrative office use was disallowed on the ground floors of Castro Street and the side streets of Area H. Webpage: P(19) Downtown.
The City Council has expressed the desire to further update the Downtown Precise Plan as part of their 2023 to 2025 goals. The process will include several outreach efforts to better understand opportunities and concerns pertaining to downtown Mountain View.
R3 (Multiple-Family Residential) Zoning Code Update
Update of the R3 (Multiple -Family Residential) Zoning District st andards to consider incorporating form -based development standards. The project includes public outreach, an antidisplacement evaluation, creation of form -based development standards, a design handbook, environmental review, public outreach, and Study Ses sions with the Environmental Planning Commission and City Council. Webpage: R3 Zoning Update.
Housing Element Update
The Housing Element Update includes reviewing and updating City housing policies to accommodate a share of the region ’s projected housing needs, which is determined in the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) set by the State Department of Housing and AR/8/CDD
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Community Development (HCD). The update process include d public outreach, stakeholder meetings, technical assessments, and Environmental Planning Commission and City Council Study Sessions and final public hearings. The City Council adopted the Sixth Cyc le Housing Element on April 11, 2023, and the City formally submitted to the State’s Housing and Community Development (HCD) Department for certification on April 26. Webpage: MV Housing Element.
Historic Preservation and Register Update
The Historic Preservation Ordinance and Register Update includes updating the City zoning standards regarding historic resources and the Mountain View Register of Historic Resources, which identifies all historically significant properties in the City. The update includes the creation of a Historic Context Statement, a Citywide survey to identify eligible historic resources , and consider nominations for Castro Street buildings on the National Historic Register. T he process includes public outreach and Study Sessions with the Environmental Planning Commission and City Council. Webpage: Historic Preservation and Register Update.
PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT
Under Review
701 West Evelyn Avenue (Marwood) : Request for a modification to a previously approved Planned Community Development Permit and Development Review Permit to construct a new four-story commercial building containing 6,500 square feet of ground -floor retail and 28,090 square feet of office with no on -site parking to replace three commercial buildings, including a restaurant, office, and auto repair shop, on a 0.25 -acre project site; and a Development Agreement to extend entitlements five years. The project is located on the south side of West Evelyn Avenue between Castro and Hope Streets in the P (19) (Downtown) Precise Plan.
705 West Dana Street: Request for a Planned Community Permit and Development Review Permit to construct a new three-story, 19,470 square foot commercial building with a ground- floor restaurant and upper floor office with one level of underground parking, replacing an existing auto repair shop; a Provisional Use Permit to allow the ground-floor restaurant use; and a Heritage Tree Removal Permit to remove two Heritage trees on a 0.23 -acre project site. This project is located on the southwest corner of West Dana Str eet and Hope Street in the P(19) (Downtown) Precise Plan.
194-198 Castro Street: Request for a Provisional Use Permit to allow an administrative office use on the upper floors of a commercial building, and a Planned Community Permit, Development Review Permit, and a Historic Preservation Permit to construct a three-story, 6,086 square foot building addition with rooftop amenity space to an existing two-story, 7,608 square foot historic building with office and ground -floor restaurant, replacing an existing outdoor pat io, on a
0.14-acre site. This project is located on the northwest corner of Castro Street and Villa Street in the P(19) (Downtown) Precise Plan.
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96 West El Camino Real: Request for Streamlined Ministerial Approval to construct a six-story, 79-unit affordable apartment building with one story below-grade parking, replacing an existing mortuary building and associated parking lot, and to remove one Heritage tree on a 1.15 -acre project site. This project is located on the north side of El Camino Real, between Bay Street and Calderon Avenue, in the P(38) (El Camino Real) Precise Plan. The project is subject to AB 2162.
860 Bay Street : Request for a Planned Unit Development Permit, Planned Community Permit, and Development Review Permit to construct four townhome units, a Heritage Tree Removal Permit to remove one Heritage tree, and a Tentative Map to have four lots and one common lot on a vacant 0.25-acre project site. This project is located on the west side of Bay Street, between El Camino Real and Centre Street , in the P (38) (El Camino Real) Precise Plan. This project is subject to SB 330.
881 Castro Street: Request for a Planned Community Permit and Development Review Permit to construct a seven-story, mixed-use building with 128 units and 14,444 square feet of ground- floor commercial with two levels of below -grade parking, replacing three existing commercial properties and four residential units, and a Heritage Tree Removal Permit on a 1.5-acre site. This project is located on the southeast corner of Castro Street and El Camino Real in the P(19) (Downtown) Precise Plan.
Approved (Awaiting Construction)
747 West Dana Street: On December 14, 2021, the City Council approved a Planned Community Permit and Development Review Permit to construct a three-story mixed -use building with 7,000 square feet of office and 1,600 square feet of ground -floor retail with no on -site parking, replacing a 2,300 square foot retail building, on a 0.07-acre project site; and a Lot Line Adjustment to modify an existing lot line. This project is located on the south side of Dana Street , between Castro Street and Hope Street, in the P(19) (Downtown) Precise Plan.
756 California Street: On February 22, 2022, the City Council approved a Planned Community Permit and Development Review Permit to construct a new three -story, 6,997 square -foot commercial building with ground-floor retail and office above to replace an existing single -story commercial building on a 0.07 -acre project site. This project is located on the north side of California Street, between Castro Street and Hope Street, in the P(19) (Downtown) Precise Plan.
City Lot 12 : On April 25, 2022, the Community Development Director issued a ministerial approval of a five-story, mixed-use development with 120 affordable rental housing units and 2,300 square feet of ground-floor commercial, replacing a City public parking lot with 160 parking spaces, on a 1.5 -acre site. This project is located on the west side of Bryant Street, between Mercy Street and California Street, in the P(19) (Downtown) Precise Plan. The project is subject to SB 35.
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590 Castro Street: On August 30, 2022, the City Council approved a Planned Community Permit and Development Review Permit t o construct a four-story, 105,255 square foot office building with a plaza; a Provisional Use Permit for a parking reduction of 255 spaces, in lieu of the required 314 spaces; and a Heritage Tree Removal Permit to remove nine Heritage trees on a 0.95 -acre site. This project is located on the northeast corner of Castro St reet and Church Street in the P(19) (Downtown) Precise Plan.
676 West Dana Street : On January 25, 2023, the Zoning Administrator and Subdivision Committee approved a one -year permit exten sion for a Planned Community Permit and Development Review Permit to construct a four-story, mixed-use building with 4,800 square feet of ground -floor commercial, three floors of residential condominiums, and two levels of underground parking, replacing an existing commercial building, on a 0.25-acre project site; and a Tentative Map to create nine condominium lots and a common lot. The project is located on the northeast corner of West Dana Street and Hope Street in the P(19) (Downtown) Precise Plan.
The project is subject to SB 330.
601 Escuela Avenue and 1873 Latham Street: On February 8, 2022, the City Council approved a General Plan Map Amendment from Medium -Density Residential to Mixed -Use Corridor; a Zoning Map Amendment from the R3 -2.5 (Multiple-Family Residential) Zoning D istrict to the P(38) (El Camino Real) Precise Plan; an Amendment to the El Camino Real Precise Plan; a Planned Community Permit and Development Review Permit to construct a three-story, mix ed-use project consisting of 25 residential apartment units, 2,700 square feet of ground -floor commercial uses, and one level of underground parking replacing an existing 6,075 square -foot commercial building and a single -family residence; a Provisional Use Permit for rooftop amenities; and a Lot Line Adjustment to combine two lots into one 0.45 -acre project site. This project is located on the southeast corner of Escuela Avenue and Latham Street in the P (38) (El Camino Real) Precise Plan and the R3 -2.5 (Multiple-Family Residential) Zoning District. The project is subject SB 330.
Under Construction
231-235 Hope Street: On December 10, 2019, the City Council approved a Provisional Use Permit for a residential use; a Planned Community Permit and Development Review Permit for a four- story, nine-unit condominium.
Planning Division Update—April 2023, Page 23 of 27: Project replacing a vacant site; a Heritage Tree Removal Permit to remove two Heritage trees on a 0.26 -acre project site; and a Tentative Map for nine condominium lots and one common lot. The project is located on the east side of Hope Street, between Villa Street and Dana Street, in the P(19) (Downtown) Precise Plan.
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PUBLIC WORKS UPDATE
Drought Update
Water supply conditions in California have improved significantly this winter. The Statewide snowpack is 253% of normal, and many reservoirs are above historical levels for this time of year.
Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order on March 24 rescinding his requirement for water agencies to enforce Stage 2 of their Water Shortage Contingency Plan. In response to the Governor’s actions and current water supply conditions, the City’s two wholesale water suppliers (Santa Clara Valley Water District and San Francisco Public Utiliti es Commission–Hetch Hetchy) both voted on April 11, 2023 to rescind their local drought emergencies. Mountain View’s City Council rescinded the City’s Water Shortage Emergency Condition on May 23, 2023.
Safe Routes to Schools Program
In the 2022-23 school year, City staff and consultants provided transportation safety training to 3,500 students at elementary and middle schools in Mountain View; conducted four Citywide and middle school bike rodeos; held two free bike repair events; managed twelve hip-hop musical assemblies on traffic safety for 4,000 K -8 students; carried out 15 walk audits with 40 parents and a dozen principals; conducted travel surveys for all public schools; and collected and analyzed surveys completed by over 1,000 parents. The City will be continuing these activities in the next school year.
The City has also expanded the crossing guard program from nine to 15 crossing guards, and Transportation staff has established a SRTS Coordination Committee to obtain input from school districts, principals, parents, students and Police. For more information, please visit MountainView.gov/SafeRoutes or email [email protected].
Active Transportation Plan
The City recently kicked off work on the Active Transportation Plan (ATP). The ATP will update and integrate the City’s 2015 Bicycle Transportation Plan and 2014 Pedestrian Master Plan to provide an up-to-date and cohesive Citywide plan for active transportation networks, facilities , and supportive policies. The plan will also incorporate principles developed as part of the Biodiversity Framework to ensure that complementary green street elements are considered in conjunction with active transportation facilities. Please sign up at MountainView.gov/eNotify to receive updates about the plan and invitations to community meetings.
Mountain View Community Shuttle Update
The Mountain View Community Shuttle is a fare-free service that provides connections between residential neighborhoods and key destinations in Mountain View. The Community Shuttle operates weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. , and on the w eekends from 10: 00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Shuttle ridership, which dropped as low as 15% during the pandemic, has now AR/8/CDD
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recovered to 104% of prepandemic levels. For more information, please visit MVCommunityShuttle.com or call 855-730-RIDE (7433).
Sea Level Rise
Sea level rise is a significant issue for the Bay Area. By 2060, it is estimated that sea level rise will affect more than 130,000 socially vulnerable residents, over 190,000 new and existing jobs, 5 million daily highway vehicle trips, and 20,000 acres of habitat such as marshes and wetlands.
Although sea level rise has been gradual until now, by 2040, the rise is expected to accelerate.
As sea levels rise, so do the risks. Mountain View is susceptible both to river and creek flooding from watershed runoff and coastal flooding from high tide and waves from the San Francisco Bay due to sea level rise. That is why the City has developed a comprehensive plan for the Shoreline Regional Park Community t o address sea level rise that includes projects within the North Bayshore Area totaling nearly $50 million to complete within the next 10 years, and an additional $50 million in projects to construct over the longer term. These projects will protect both the City and the Shoreline Regional Park Community and are funded by the Shoreline Regional Park Community, a separate legal entity from the City. Some of these projects are either completed or under way. For more information, please visit the City’s Climate Change Adaptation webpage at www.mountainview.gov/our-city/departments/city-managers-office/sustainability/climate- resilience.
Street Resurfacing and Slurry Seal Program
The City’s planned pavement improvements for 2023 to 2026 can be seen in the following figure:
mountainview.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/1464/637956433853670000 with more information available at mountainview.gov/our-city/departments/public-works/roads-and- transportation/street-maintenance/city-pavement-condition. As shown on the map, several streets in the Central Neighborhoods area are planned to receive pavement improvements during this time.
El Camino Real Paving, Bicycle, and Pedestrian Improvements
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has finished the design for the repairs and repaving of El Camino Real in Mountain View, and the project is currently being advertised for bids, with construction anticipated to start this fall. The City has partnered with Caltrans to incorporate bike and pedestrian improvements that are included in the El Camino Real Streetscape Plan. The following bike and pedestrian improvements will be delivered through Caltrans from Sylvan Avenue to Rengstorff Avenue: (1) replace on-street parking with Class IV protected bikeways and Class II bike lanes; (2) upgrade selected intersections with bulb-outs and high visibility crosswalks; and (3) upgrade existing bus stops for im proved pedestrian access.
Caltrans will also be adding new pedestrian crossings with pede strian hybrid beacons at Pettis Avenue, Bonita Avenue, and Crestview Drive as part of the project. El Camino Real from Rengstorff Avenue to Palo Alto City limits is within the City of Los Altos’ jurisdiction. Los Altos is also working with Caltrans to have bicycle and pedestrian improvements added as part of the AR/8/CDD
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repaving project. Updates about this Caltrans project can be found on Caltran’s project website here.
California Street Undergrounding of Overhead Utility Lines
PG&E is working with the City to underground overhead utility lines on California Street between Escuela and Mariposa Avenues. Properties affected have been notified of the project. Due to PG&E resource constraints, the project design has been put on hold until 2024.
California Complete Street Pilot
The purpose of the California Complete Street Pilot Project is to install several temporary features on California Street between Showers Drive and Shoreline Boulevard to improve facilities for bicycles and pedestrians. The project will include a four -lane to three -lane road diet between Showers Drive and Mariposa Avenue, a four -lane to two -lane road diet between Mariposa Avenue and Shoreline Boulevard, temporary corner bulb -outs, a temporary parking-protected bikeway, if there is sufficient right -of-way, and if not, a buffered bike lane, high -visibility crosswalks, midblock crossings, green street elements, and protected intersection treatment at key intersections. Construction is planned for early 2025. As a pilot project, once installed , the project el ements will be evaluated for their perfor mance. If successful, permanent improvements will be installed.
Castro Street Pedestrian Mall
On October 25, 2022 , the City Council adopted an ordinance establishing a pedestrian mall on Castro Street between West Evelyn Avenue and California Street. Because design and construction of a permanent pedestrian mall will take several years, interim pedestrian mall improvements were identified for implementation in 2023. These interim improvements are designed to articulate the layout of the space, provide a clear set of standards and guidelines, and identify interim infrastructure needs as the street closure transitions from pandemic response to a permanent closure.
On May 9, 2023, the City Council approved the new outdoor patio program which includes design standards/guidelines that provide requirements on the pla cement and design of furniture and operational guidelines for business use of outdoor patio areas located in the public right-of-way.
Businesses choosing to operate outdoor patios shall execute a license agreement with the City and comply with the design guidelines effective November 1, 2023. The City has also increased downtown maintenance efforts and added programming in the pedestrian mall by bringing music to downtown. Music on Castro began in May in the 200 block, every Wednesday from 5:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. The music series will run through early fall, and small musical groups will perform live music while the community shops and dines downtown.
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For more information, visit project website at https://www.mountainview.gov/our- city/departments/public-works/roads-and-transportation/transportation-planning/castro- pedestrian-mall-feasibility-study.
Transit Center Grade Separation and Access Project
The Transit Center Grade Separation and Access Project will improve safety, capacity, and multi- modal access to the Transit Center and downtown Mountain View. The project includes closure of the Castro Street crossing of the train tracks, a new Evelyn Avenue ramp to Shoreline Boulevard, a pedestrian and bicycle undercrossing of the train tracks and Central Expressway, and additional bicycle and shuttle access improvements. Caltrain is managing the final design of the project with the City as the project sponsor and in partnership with the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA). For more information on the project, visit MountainViewTransitCenter.com.
Shoreline Boulevard/Villa Street Intersection Modifications
This traffic signal was modified to add exclusive left -turn phases for eastbound and westbound vehicles on Villa Street to eliminate vehicle left -turning conflicts with pedestrians crossing Shoreline Boulevard. A new crosswalk was also installed on the north side of Villa Str eet across Shoreline Boulevard. Construction was completed in 2022.
Shoreline Boulevard/Church Street-Latham Street Intersection Modifications
This project includes modifying the traffic signal to add exclusive left -turn lanes and left -turn phases for the eastbound and west bound vehicles on Latham Street /Church Street, eliminating vehicle left -turning conflicts with pe destrians crossing Shoreline Boulevard. Design will be finalized this year, with construction anticipated in 2024.
Rengstorff Park Projects
There are multiple projects in Rengstorff Park that have made significant progress over the last year. The Aquatics Center Replacement project began construction in late April 2022.
Completion of two new pools, a new building, and other site impro vements are anticipated in fall 2023. Several Groundwater Well Abandonments have been completed, including one in Rengstorff Park, near the group picnic area. Two additional projects are anticipated to begin construction in early fall 2023: the Magical Bridge All -Inclusive Playground located near the tennis courts providing a new playground, and the Maintenance and Tennis Building Replacement project, providing a new restroom/storage building next to the All -Inclusive Playground and a new restroom/maintenance building near the group picnic area. Both of these projects are out to bid , and construction contracts are s cheduled to be awarded by the City Council in late June pending receipt of responsive bids.
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Villa Park
Concept design is nearly complete for a new 0.39-acre park on Villa Street, at the Chiquita Avenue intersection. The project had two community meetings on August 23, 2022 and October 18, 2022 to gather input from the public on various types of amenities the community would like to see be incorporated and on the conceptual plans developed, respectively. The Parks and Recreation Commission reviewed the c onceptual plans at their April 12, 2023 meeting and recommended Council approve a preferred concept and park name. Council will be considering the preferred concept and park name at their June 13, 2023 meeting. If approved, the final design phase is expected to go through early 2024, with construction starting in summer 2024.
Public Safety Building
The City has been developing conceptual plans to replace the Publi c Safety Building at 1000 Villa Street that houses fixed Police Department oper ations, Emergency Dispatch (911 Call Center), Police and Fire Department staff, the Emergency Operations Center, and other essential facilities. The building is undersized as the Public Safety operations have grown and changed and do not meet seismic standards fo r public safety buildings. On Sept ember 27, 2022, Council approved a site layout plan identifying the configuration of the buildings on the site.
Staff met with the Development Review Committee on April 19 , 2023 to review the building’s architectural conceptual design options. An open house was also held at the site on May 4, 2023 to share the draft recommended conceptual design with the public. On June 27, 2023, staff will be presenting the recommended conceptual design to Council for their considerati on. If approved, the detailed design of the project will commence.
Annual Water Main Replacement
The City has completed the design of sewer main replaceme nt in the downtown area on Wild Cherry Lane, on El Camino Real from Shoreline Boulevard to Ehrhorn Avenue, and o n Castro Street from El Camino Real to California Street. Project construction is scheduled to start in summer 2023 and be completed by early 2024. The El Camino Real segment of the project will be completed before Caltrans begins its repaving project.
Downtown Utility Improvements
This project will address and relocate City utilities within the Mountain View Transit Center Grade Separation and Access Project footprint. The utility project includes relocating and upsizing one of the City’s 16” water transmission mains and the removal/abandonment and relocation of an existing 24” storm drain, both of which are within the Central Expressway/Moffett Boulevard/Castro Street intersection, and upsizing an existing sewer main on West Evelyn Avenue. A new 18” water transmission main is proposed north of Central Expressway northeast along Elmwood Street, east on Jackson Street (across Stierlin Road), north on Moffett Boulevard, and east on Central Avenue through the intersection with Santa Rosa Avenue. Utility relocations AR/8/CDD
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will also occur along West Evelyn Avenue to accommodate the new ramp from West Evelyn Avenue to Shoreline Boulevard. In addition to preparing for the grade separation, these utility improvements meet projected increased demand for water and sewer and replace some of the aging infrastructure. The utility relocation design is in preliminary design and is anticipated to be completed in early 2024 with construction to follow in summer 2024.
Recycling and Zero Waste
Coming this August through September, new green compost carts will replace old brown yard trimmings carts. For more information about this project and the City’s recycling programs, visit https://www.mountainview.gov/our-city/departments/public-works/recycling-zero-waste, email [email protected], or call 650-903-6311.
For missed trash collection, broken containers repair, scheduling an on-call plus appointment for extra trash and bulky goods, or to order large debris box services , email Recology:
[email protected]; or call 650-967-3034.
Street Sweeping
The City sweeps our streets twice per month. Some areas are swept more frequently, so check the street sweeping map and schedule at https://www.mountainview.gov/our- city/departments/public-works/roads-and-transportation/street-maintenance/street- sweeping-schedule . Please remember to move your vehicle and other obstructions on the street before 6:00 a.m. the day of your scheduled sweep.
COMMUNITY STABILIZATION AND FAIR RENT ACT
The Statewide Eviction Moratorium ended September 30, 2021 , and State eviction protections ended July 1, 2022 for tenants financially affected by COVID-19. However, help for both tenants and landlords is available . The City of Mountain View ’s Housing and Eviction Help Center connects landlords and tenants in Mountain View with support services and housing resources in an effort to reduce evictions and stabilize the community . Community members can access information, receive one-on-one support, and apply for services provided by our community partners by attending Housing and Eviction Help Center Clinics, webinars, and pop-up events.
The Housing and Eviction Help Center provides community members with the following wraparound support services:
• Housing Programs: Learn about rent stabilization, apply for af fordable housing, and connect with rental assistance programs.
• Eviction Questions: Review eviction notices and the eviction process with staff to understand what is happening and potential outcomes.
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• Legal Resources: Connect to legal resources and assistance.
• Support Services: Obtain information on food distribution, financial assistance, mediation, homelessness prevention resources, and more.
Housing and Eviction Help Center
Mountain View Public Library
First and third Thursdays of the month, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. 585 Franklin Street, First Floor, Program Room
Attend virtually during clinic hours at www.mountainview.gov/our-city/departments/ community-development/housing-and-neighborhoods/rent-stabilization-program.
No appointment is needed. Clinics are bilingual in English and Spanish.
Please email [email protected] to request translation support in other languages 48 hours in advance.