COUNCIL NEIGHBORHOODS COMMITTEE
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Springer/Cuesta/Phyllis Area Neighborhoods Meeting
Thursday, October 5, 2023
CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE UPDATE
Council Work Plan for Fiscal Years 2023-24 and 2024-25
The City Council adopted its next two-year Council work plan on June 13, 2023. The new work plan is planned for implementation through June 2025 and includes 41 critical projects organized into priority categories . The Council work plan projects were chosen to advanc e C ouncil’s Strategic Priorities, seven high-impact policy areas identified by 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 plan, Council and the community will receive regular updates from City staff on the projects’ progress.
Potential Revenue Ballot Measure for 2024
Included among the City Council priority work plan items is a project to “explore the feasibility of a potential 2024 revenue measure.” The Adopted Fiscal Year 2023 -24 Operating Budget and General Operating Fund Forecast currently sho w sufficient financial resources to maintain the Mountain View of today, but building the Mountain View of tomorrow will require enhanced revenue streams to maintain ongoing fiscal stability and accomplish the bold initiatives unde r way. For example, the City currently has an open space goal to provide three acres of open space for every 1,000 residents. Based on current data, the City is expected to create, on average, one to two new parks per year through the year 2030. If a park was designed to be two acres at an average current cost of $10 million per acre, the City would need $40 million to develop two parks in one year. In addition, the City is a Statewide leader in the development and preservation of affordable housing. The current total pipeline of affordable units (100% affordable and Below- Market-Rate (BMR)) is approximately 1,690 units. This is a significant pipeline that will double the City’s affordable housing supply in the coming years. At this time, there is an estimated gap of approximately $50 million to fully fund the affordable housing projects in the pipeline. Over the years, the City has limited its use of presenting revenue measures to the voting public. Since 1973, the City has adopted just five ballot initiatives to increase revenue (in 1973, 1991 , 2010, and two in 2018). In the coming months , the City will engage a firm to determine the community’s overall satisfaction and priorities regarding services and facilities. This would be a AR/6/HSN
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first step to see what is most important to residents and to begin to gauge support for a revenue tax measure.
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 Hi gh 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.
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 program are
empowered to choose how the assistance best meets the basic needs of their family and is not tied to specific uses.
The Elevate MV pilot launched in September 2022 , and the first payments to recipients started December 15 . Through a partnership with the Center for Guaranteed Income Research and Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, Stanford Basic Income Lab has gathered demographic and anonymized spending data from program participants reflecting the first six months of spending data from December 2022. The information is presented in a d ashboard accessible at:
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https://guaranteedincome.us/mountain-view. The next round of participant surveying will be undertaken in late fall.
For more information on Elevate MV, visit MountainView.gov/ElevateMV.
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 interpr etations 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 with its fifth Spanish Academy session now under way this fall.
For more information, visit MountainView.gov/MEP.
Climate Resilience in Mountain View
According to various State and local climate models, the City of Mountain View will face increased impacts from climate change in the coming years and decades, creating hazards for public health.
Input from residents indicates that the impact of climate hazards is already substantial. In September 2023, the City and the Community Services Agency (CSA) conducted a survey of 120 seniors that participate in CSA’s senior nutrition program. Results show 73% of respondents lost power at their homes least a few times in the past several years, 48% indicated their home did not have air conditioning, and 60% reported they were not aware of Mountain View’s cooling centers. These responses point to the need for resilient infrastructur e as well as programs and services to protect public health.
In the coming year, City staff will work with consultants to conduct a vulnerability assessment and develop a Citywide resiliency strategy. The vulnerability assessment will consider top climate hazards facing Mountain View, including extreme heat, wildfire smoke, sea level rise, storms, and riverine flooding; p otential risks to City assets; and social vulnerability. The resiliency strategy will outline adaptation strategies to address these climate vulnerabilities.
The City is also working to transform some of its buildings into resilience hubs, which are community-serving facilities augmented to support residents and serve as safe gathering spaces in the event of climate emergencies, such as power outages, extreme heat, and storms. This work is under way at the Community Center (installation of back -up battery power to pair with the solar energy system) and Senior Center (electrification of the kitchen and hot water systems and grant applications submitted to fund additional resiliency measures).
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Homeless Response Strategy and Expenditure Plan
While the City has a longstanding commitment to meet the needs of unhoused and unstably housed residents, there are many challenges to developing solutions to addressing homelessness. In July 2023, the City hired a consultant to develop the City’s first Homelessness Response Strategy and Expenditure Plan. Through this initiative, the City will assess community needs and available resources for unhoused and unstably housed Mountain View residents and develop an expenditure and funding plan in coordination with regional partners. An important next step in the development of the Homelessness Response Strategy and Expenditure Plan is to conduct a comprehensive community and stakeholder engagement process . The adoption of this Strategy and Expenditure Plan is anticipated by the end of June 2024.
New MountainView.gov Features
In May 2023, the City debuted a redesigned, user -centric website, MountainView.gov, that features a modern design with better mobile compatibility , improved search function , and created dedicated sites for Economic Development, the Mountain View Public Library , and the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts.
Among the website features is a new email notification system for subscribing to City topics of interest, including news releases, general updates, newsletters, event announcements, and public meeting details, all in one location. Subscribe today at MountainView.gov/eNotify. The new site also has an automatic translation tool for Spanish, Chinese, and Russian languages that can be customized for cultural accuracy.
The City’s former website was about eight years old and based on technology that was no longer supported. The City website receives approximately 210,000 visitors and 68,000 pageviews a month on average.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT—UPDATE
Economic Vitality Strategy
Community Attributes, Inc. (CAI), the City’s consultant for the Economic Vitality Strategy, recently presented to the City Council the draft Economic Vitality Strateg y. The draft Strategy is a culmination of data analysis, focus group , and community engagement that has identified four goals along with numerous strategies. The next step following the City Council Study Session held on September 26, 2023 is to address the feedback received from the City Council and do additional community engagement. Staff will bring back the Economic Vitality Strategy for Council consideration following the additional outreach. To read the draft Economic Vitality Strategy and Landscape Assessment , which is the data analysis on Mountain View , please visit econdev.mountainview.gov/business/economic-vitality-strategy.
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Public Art Strategy
City staff continues 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 VAC has been doing outreach on the draft goals and strategies developed thus far. The community is welcome to engage and contribute feedback and insights into the final document.
To learn more about the vision, goals, strategies , and tactics of the draft Public Art Strategy , please visit econdev.mountainview.gov/business/public-art-strategy
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.
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, language learning, streaming movies, e-books, and audiobooks are available here: library.mountainview.gov/learn/digital-library.
COMMUNITY SERVICES—UPDATE
Recreation Activity Guide
The fall edition of the Recreation Activity Guide is available , and registration is ongoing. This activity guide covers classes and camps that take place from September through December. To view the Activity Guide and for more information on registration, please visit mountainview.gov/register.
Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan
The City of Mountai n 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 City has hired Next Practice Partners, LLC, as the consultant to assist AR/6/HSN
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with the development of the plan. In August, the City hosted four community mee tings to kick off the community input process. Over 200 community members attended and participated in these meetings. Over the coming months, the consultant will complete site and program assessments and launch statistically valid and community surveys in early 2024.
For more information on the Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan and to sign up for updates on the process, visit the project website at: http://www.ImagineMVParks.com.
Biodiversity Strategy and Urban Forest Plan
The City of Mountain View is partnering with the San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) to develop a Biodiversity Strategy as part of the City Council’s Strategic Roadmap. It will include an Urban Forest Plan to replace the existing 2015 Community Tree Master Plan. The Strategy will be built on science-based guidance and community needs, values, and priorities, and it will provide goals and recommendations to foster healthier and more resilient nature throughout the City.
SFEI is conducting a scientific review and analysis to understand how biodiversity is supported in the City today and identify opportunities to improve biodiversity support in the future. These analyses are currently under way. The City also hired an outreach consultant to facilitate a robust engagement process. The outreach consultant introduced the project to the public with an interactive booth at the Earth Day event on Saturday, April 22, and presented a draft engagement plan to the Parks and Recreation Commission in June. Due to staffing challenges with the outreach consultant, the public engagement process has been delayed.
A robust engagement effort is central to charting the Biodiversity Strategy’s vision and goal s as well as identifying the purposeful methods for realizing those goals. The success of the Strategy will depend on the public input we receive. Based on initial feedback from the Parks and Recreation Commissio n a nd feedback on other City projects and plans, the City is exploring options, adjusting timelines, and determining solutions for a path forward. We want to ensure that the engagement plan is inclusive, wide-reaching, and will generate meaningful input from a diverse array of participants.
For more information about the Biodiversity Strategy and Urban Forest Plan project, 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 at:
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www.mountainview.gov/our-city/departments/community-development/planning/active- projects.
Downtown Precise Plan Comprehensive Update
The Phase 2 project includes a comprehensive update of the Precise Plan to align the plan to City’s vision for downtown. The update includes developing objective development standards, evaluating current design standards, land uses, parking, signage regulations, and other strategies.
The process includes public outreach to better understand opportunities and concerns pertaining to downtown and will include revisiting the need of a temporary office cap while the Precise Plan is being updated. The update process will also involve Study Sessions with the Environmental Planning Commission and City Council over the next two years . Webpage: Downtown Precise Plan Comprehensive Update.
R3 (Multiple-Family Residential) Zoning Code Update
Update of the R3 (Multiple -Family Residential) Zoning District standards to consider incorporating form -based development standards. The project includes public outreach, an antidisplacement evaluation, cr eation of form -based development standards, a design handbook, environmental review, public outreach, and Study Sessions with the Environmental Planning Commission and City Council. Webpage: R3 Zoning Update.
Historic Preservation and Register Update
The Historic Preservation Ordinance and Register Update includes updating the Historic Preservation Ordinance and the Mountain View Register of Historic Resources, which identifies all historically significant properties in the City. The update includes t he creation of a Historic Context Statement, a Citywide Historic Resource Survey to identify eligible historic resources, and nomination of up to eight commercial buildings on Castro Street to the National Register of Historic Places. The 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
918 Rich Avenue : Request for a Development Review Permit to construct a five -story, 32-unit residential condominium development with one level of underground parking, including a
27.5% State Density Bonus with a concession and waivers from development standards, a Vesting Tentative Map to subdivide one lot to create 32 residential condominium lots, and a Heritage Tree Removal Permit to remove two Heritage trees on a vacant 0.71 -acre project site. The City has prepared an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines for the project. This project is located on the west side of AR/6/HSN
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Rich Avenue, between Rich Place and El Camino Rea l, in the R3 -1 (Multiple-Family Residential) Zoning District.
749 West El Camino Real : Request for a Planned Community Permit, Development Review Permit, and Historic Preservation Permit to construct a new mixed -use development with 299 rental units, 24,276 square feet of ground-floor retail, and two levels of underground parking with a State Density Bonus with development waivers, and a Heritage Tree Remo val Permit to remove 23 Heritage trees, replacing existing bank and restaurant buildings and a surface parking lot, on a 3.1-acre project site. This project is located on the southeast corner of West El Camino Real and Castro Street in the P(38) (El Camino Real) Precise Plan.
Approved (Awaiting Construction)
1313 and 1347 West El Camino Real: On December 12, 2018, the Zoning Administrator approved a Planned Community Permit and a Development Review Permit with a State Density Bonus with development waivers to construct a four-story, mixed-use project with 24 apartment units above ground-floor commercial space and two levels of underground parking on a 0.45 -acre project site; and a Preliminary Parcel Map to combine nine lots into a single lot for the project. The project is located on the southwest corner of West El Camino Real and Mountain View Avenue in the P(38) (El Camino Real) Precise Plan.
Under Construction
982 Bonita Avenue : On April 2, 2019, the Zoning Administrator approved a one -year permit extension for a previously approved Planned Unit Development Permit and Development Review Permit to construct eight condominium units above an underground parking garage and a Heritage Tree Removal Permit to remove three Heritage trees on a 0.47 -acre project site. This project is located on the west side of Bonita Avenue , between West El Camino Real and Hans Avenue, in the R3-1.5 (Multiple-Family Residential) Zoning District.
855-1023 West El Camino Real : On August 12, 2020, the Zoning Administrator approved a Provisional Use Permit to allow a senior care facility use; a Planned Community Permit and Development Review Permit to allow a mixed -use, three-story, 60 -bed senior memory care facility with 5,883 square feet of ground-floor retail and restaurant uses and a parking reduction to provide 42 spaces, in lieu of 59 required spaces, replacing an existing restaurant and retail store; a Heritage Tree Removal Permit to remove nine Heritage trees; and a Preliminary Parcel Map to combine six lots into one lot on a 0.85-acre site. This project is located on the south side of West El Camino Real, between Miramonte Avenue and Castro Street , in the P(38) (El Camino Real) Precise Plan.
773 Cuesta Drive: On May 25, 2021, the City Council approved a Planned Unit Development and Development Review Permit to construct a four -unit, flag lot single -family residential development, replacing one single -family home, a Heritage Tree Removal Permit to remove 11 and relocate two Heritage trees, and a Tentative Map to subdivide one lot into four residential AR/6/HSN
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lots and one common lot on a 0.70-acre project site. The project is located on the south side of Cuesta Drive , between Miramonte Avenue and Begen Avenue , in the R1 (Single -Family Residential) Zoning District.
PUBLIC WORKS UPDATE
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; man aged 12 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 pare nts. The City is continuing these activities in the 2023-24 school year and expanding the program to interested private schools in Mountain View . This work is supported by a grant from the VTA 2016 Measure B Education and Encouragement Program.
Between 2021 and 2023, the City has also expanded the crossing guard program from nine to 21 crossing guards, and Transportation staff has established a Safe Routes to School Coordination Committee to obtain input from school districts, principals, parents, students , and Police. For more information, visit MountainView.gov/SafeRoutes or email [email protected].
Active Transportation Plan
The City is currently working 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 a cohesive Citywide plan for active transportation networks, fa cilities, 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.
Vision Zero Action Plan/Local Road Safety Plan
The City is currently working on the Vision Zero Action Plan (VZAP)/Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP).
This integrated plan will lay out the strategies needed to achieve the City’s Vision Zero goal of moving toward zero traff ic fatalities by 2030. The plan includes a systemic safety analysis to identify historic collision hot spots as well as other locations in the City with similar roadway characteristics. Strategies include infrastructure/engineering improvements as well as strategies related to education, encouragement, engagement, enforcement, equity , and emergency response. This work is supported by a grant from the Caltrans Local Road Safety Plan program.
Further information can be found at mountainview.gov/visionzero.
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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 weekends from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Shuttle ridership, which dropped as low as 15% during the pandemic, has now recovered to 106% of prepandemic levels. This ridership boost can be partially attributed to extended operating hours, which were supported by a grant from the VTA Measure B Innovative Transit program. For more information, visit MVCommunityShuttle.com or call 855 -730-RIDE (7433).
Street Resurfacing and Slurry Seal Program
The City’s planned pavement improvements for 2023 to 2026 can be seen in this figure with more information available at MountainView.gov/PCI. As shown on the map, several streets in the Springer/Cuesta/Phyllis Neighborhoods area are planned to receive pavement improvements during this time. This includes Miramonte Avenue, between Cuesta Drive and Castro Street, with further details below.
El Camino Real Paving, Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has awarded the construction contract for the repairs and repaving of El Camino Real in Mountain View. 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 wil l 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) upgr ade existing bus stops for improved pedestrian access. Caltrans will also be adding new pedestrian crossings with pedestrian 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 repaving project. Construction of new bulb -outs as the initial phase is anti cipated to start this October as the first phase of construction. Construction will continue through 2024. The City’s contribution to this project is supported by a grant from the VTA 2016 Measure B Ped/Bike Program.
Miramonte Avenue Resurfacing
Pavement rehabilitation of Miramonte Avenue from Cuesta Drive to Castro Street is currently in design. This project’s scope has been expanded to include a two-way cycle-track between Hans Avenue and Castro Street, and a roa d diet from four lanes to three lanes (one lane in each direction and a center turning lane) to improve road safety. The augmented scope is supported by a grant from the California Transportation Development Act Cycle 3 (TDA3) program.
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Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2024 following completion of the utility improvements for water and sewer, anticipated to be completed at the end of 2023. Residents will be notified of the construction schedule once a contractor is awarded the contract.
The City has also been awarded a VTA 2016 Measure B Planning grant to consider the feasibility of extending pedestrian and bicycle improvements currently planned between Castro Street and Cuesta Drive to roadway segments north and south of the current resurfacing project. If the planning study identifies that such improvements are feasible, they may be considered for implementation in conjunction with future repaving efforts for the respective roadway segments.
Sonia Way, Park Drive, and Park Court
This project includes the reconstruction of the roadway and sidewalk along these streets, and the replacement of the traffic signal at the Park Drive and Miramonte Avenue intersection. The project is currently under construction, with completion expected in early 2024.
Grant Road and Sleeper Avenue Improvements
This project will provide pedestrian and bicycle crossing improvements at the Grant Road/Sleeper Avenue intersection , including the installation of a pedestrian hybrid beacon, high -visibility crosswalks, left -turn lane restrictions from Sleeper Avenue onto Grant Road, adaptive traffic signal equipment and signal interconnection, streetlights, and enhanced signage.
The project will also include intersection improvements at other locations throughout the City, including the Cuesta Drive/Bonita Avenue intersection and the Cuesta Drive/Begen Avenue intersection. The improvement will include high -visibility crosswalks a nd pedestrian-actuated flashing beacon systems.
El Monte Corridor and El Monte/El Camino Intersection Improvements
Staff recently completed the El Monte Corridor Study which identified “Complete Street” elements that can be incorporated along the corrido r. These elements include: lane reduction, addition of buffered bike lanes, intersection improvements, and enhanced pedestrian crossings with goals of reducing traffic collision rates and improving the overall safety for all travel modes.
For the purposes of the study, the corridor is defined as El Monte Avenue from Springer Road to El Camino Real and along El Camino Real from El Monte Avenue to Escuela Avenue. Now that the study has been completed, design of the recommended improvements is scheduled to begin in spring 2024.
Design and construction of complete streets improvements along El Monte Avenue will occur in conjunction with improvements at the intersections of El Monte Avenue/El Camino Real and Escuela Avenue/El Camino Real. These intersection improvements are supported by a grant from the One Bay Area Grant Cycle 3 (OBAG3) program.
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Cuesta Park Fitness Court
A new fitness court is planned for Cuesta Park to be located along the southerly edge of the park, near the YMCA parking lot. The court will include upper - and lower-body exercise machines, a recumbent bike, plyometric steps, and various other pieces of fitness equipment. Design is complete, and staff is preparing to bid the project for construction this fall. Con struction is anticipated to start in the first quarter of 2024 and be completed in summer 2024.
Pickleball Feasibility Study
The City has obtained a consultant for the Pickleball Feasibility Study, with Verde Design as the selected consultant to perform the study. The study is expected to begin this fall, including initiating the public outreach process. Staff anticipates bringing the study findings to the Parks and Recreation Commission and City Council for their review in spring 2024.
Annual Water Main Replacement
The City has completed the design of sewer main replacement in the downtown area on Wild Cherry Lane, on El Camino Real from Shoreline Boulevard to Ehrhorn Avenue, and on Castro Street from El Camino Real to California Street. Construction commenced in August 2023 starting on El Camino Real, which will be completed before Caltrans begins its repaving project. After completing sewer work on El Camino Real, the contractor will proceed to Castro Street and Wild Cherry Lane. Construction is anticipated to be completed by the end of October 2023.
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 to both 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 to 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 $70 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 informa tion, visit the City’s Climate Change Adaptation webpage at mountainview.gov/our-city/departments/city-managers-office/sustainability/climate-resilience.
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Recycling and Zero Waste
For information on the City’s recycling, composting, curbside textile/clothing collection , and other waste -reduction programs , visit MountainView.gov/Recycle or contact us at:
[email protected] or 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 at:
[email protected] or 650-967-3034.
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 Utilities Commission—Hetch Hetchy) both voted on April 11 , 2023 to rescind their local d rought emergencies. Mountain View’s City Council rescinded the City’s Water Shortage Emergency Condition on May 23, 2023.
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 MountainView.gov/streets. Please remember to move your vehicle and other obstructions on the street before 6:00 a.m. the day of your scheduled sweep.
HOUSING DEPARTMENT UPDATE
The creation of a new stand-alone Housing Department was approved by the City Council as part of the Fiscal Year 2023 -24 Budget adoption. The Housing Department advances diverse, inclusive, and equitable communities by developing and implementing a wide range of housing policies and programs in support of City Council S trategic Priorities, including creating a Community for All, facilitating Intentional Development and Housing Options, and advancing the City’s Race, Equity, and Inclusion Initiative.
The Housing Department is composed of two divisions: the Affordable Housing Division and the Rent Stabilization Division.
1. Affordable Housing Division : The Affordable Housing Division administers various programs, including the BMR program, funding of new affordable housing projects through the City’s afford able housing NOFA program, implementation of the City’s Federal AR/6/HSN
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Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) programs, and the CNC neighborhoods program.
This Division is located at City Hall, 500 Castro Street, current ly on the first floor in the Community Development Department. The Division can also be reached at 650 -903-6190 or [email protected].
2. Rent Stabilization Division : The Rent Stabilization Program implements the Community Stabilization and Fair Rent Act as well as the Mobile Home Rent Stabilization Ordinance.
Most apartments with three or more units are covered as well as all mobile homes in the six mobile home parks in Mountain View. The three main goals of the program are:
• Stabilize rents;
• Provide eviction protections; and
• Ensure a fair rate of return on investment for landlords/mobile home park owners.
The Division also implements the City’s Tenant Relocation Assistant Ordinance, the Mountain View Mediation Program, and the Housing and Eviction Help Center (more information below).
The Division is located at 298 Escuela Avenue and can be reached at [email protected] or 650-903-6136.
Division Updates
• As part of the Housing team’s regular outreach, an informational call on the City’s BMR Rental Program will be offered on Thursday October 19, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. Staff will cover the following topics:
• Rental opportunities available under the BMR Program;
• How to apply for BMR units;
• How to navigate the online portals; and
• The overall process from application to lease up.
Interpretation in Spanish and Mandarin will be provided. Interested community members may register online by visiting https://mountainview.zoom.us/webinar/register/ WN_SlzwMozBRfe13OgPqXSP3A.
• Once every two weeks , the Rent Stabilization Program organizes a Housing and Eviction Help Center for both landlords and tenants. The Help Center provides support services and housing resources in an effort to reduce evictions and stabilize the community. Community AR/6/HSN
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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 affordable 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.
• Legal Resources: Connect to legal resources and assistance.
• Support Services : Obtain information on food distribution, financial assistance, mediation, homelessness prevention resources, and more.
You can attend in person or 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.
Tenants: Mountain View Public Library
First and third Thursdays of the month, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 585 Franklin Street, Second Floor.
Landlords: Rent Stabilization Division Office
First and third Thursdays of the month, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. 298 Escuela Avenue.
Affordable Housing Project Pipeline
The City currently has nine 100% affordable housing projects and three land dedications in the pipeline, composed of approximately 1,310 new housing units. Key projects in the pipeline include 96 West El Camino Real (Danco), 1265 Montecito Avenue (Charities Housing), the Lot 12 project in downtown Mountain View (Related/Alta Housing), La Avenida in North Bayshore (Eden Housing), and the conversion of Crestview Hotel at 901 E ast El Camino Real into permanent housing (Jamboree Housing). Additionally, on September 26, the City Council selected Affirmed Housing to develop the City -owned site at the form er VTA park and ride lot (87 E ast Evelyn Avenue) into approximately 268 units of affordable housing.
AR/6/HSN
844-10-05-23R 16 of 16
Tenant Displacement Response Strategy
The City is in the process of developing a comprehensive tenant displacement response strategy.
Background information and a link to sign up on the interest list to receive updates can be found here: www.mountainview.gov/our-city/departments/housing/displacement-response. The City Council is expected to hold a Study Session on local replacement requirements on October 10, 2023. An additional Study Session is expected to be held in Q1 2024 to discuss additional options.