Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan
VISIONING WORKSHOP, MEETINGS, AND
SURVEY SUMMARY
August through September 2024
Project Overview
In June 2024, City of Mountain View began the process to develop a Precise Plan for the Moffett Boulevard area (Project Area). The Project Area is an important commercial, residential, and civic neighborhood in Mountain View. It was identified as one of the City’s Strategic Priorities in the Fiscal Year 2023 – 2025 Work Plan. The Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan project will expand on the 2030 General Plan vision to include new goals, policies, and regulations for private development and street improvements, and implement requirements of the 2023-2031 Housing Element.
Engagement Series #1 Overview
Between August and September 2024, the Project Team (made up of City staff, MIG, Community Strong Strategies, Seifel Consulting, and Greensfelder Commercial Real Estate) held three in-person meetings and an online survey that offered opportunities for residents, business and property owners, association and organization representatives, and other community members to share their vision for the future of the Moffett Boulevard area. The following summary encapsulates community ideas and feedback on existing assets and challenges, potential opportunities, and a future vision for the area, organized into three parts:
• Community Events and Online Survey Overview: Provides a summary of the timing and format for the community workshop, stakeholder meetings, and online survey.
• Major Themes and Feedback: Provides a summary of the major recurring themes and general feedback the Project Team heard from the community. • Combined Summary of All Responses and Comments: Provides a comprehensive summary of all community responses, comments, and ideas gathered during this round of engagement.
The community feedback summarized in this document will be used by the Project Team to prepare an Emerging Vision Framework and initial design concepts and Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan 1
Visioning Workshops, Meetings, and Survey Summary
Attachment 3
policy alternatives. These materials will be presented again to the community and decision makers during subsequent project phases.
Collage of Community Engagement Events
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Community Events and Online
Community Survey Overview
The Visioning engagement event was the first in a series of community workshops, meetings, events, and online surveys for the Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan project.
This event set included a variety of options for community members to participate and provide feedback on the following topics:
• Assets , strengths, or unique qualities about the Moffett Area that should be protected or enhanced in the future.
• Critical existing challenges that are facing the Moffett Area. • Mobility and transportation challenges faced by pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, and/or drivers along Moffett Boulevard and/or surrounding side streets. • Building, community amenities, mobility, or other opportunities that should be studied as part of this project.
• A long-term vision for the future success of the Moffett Boulevard Area.
Community Events and Activities
# Event Name Date and Time Location Languages Attendees 1 Community Workshop
August 28, 2024,
from 6:30 PM to
8:30 PM Mountain View
Community
Center
201 South
Rengstorff
Avenue
English
Spanish
Russian
Chinese
67 2
Stakeholder Meeting #1
Property and Business
Owners
September 4,
2024, from 8:00
AM to 10:00 AM
4 3
Stakeholder Meeting #2
Mountain View Based
Organizations and
Associations
September 4th,
2024, from 6.30
pm to 8.30 pm
2 4 Online Community
Survey
Available online
from
September 4,
2024, to
September 24,
2024
Online 18
Community Workshop
The Project Team hosted a visioning workshop on August 28, 2024, from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at the Mountain View Community Center. The workshop was broadly noticed and included multi-lingual facilitation in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Russian. It Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan 3
Visioning Workshops, Meetings, and Survey Summary
provided an important opportunity to bring awareness and visibility of the Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan project and solicit community feedback on a shared vision for the future of the Moffett Boulevard area.
Upon arrival, community members were asked to sign-in and provide their name, email, and relationship to the Moffett Boulevard area (whether they live in, work in, and or visit the city). Each member was offered a meeting agenda, a comment card to provide detailed feedback and/or take down notes from the meeting, presentation copies (if needed), translation assistance (if needed), free childcare (if needed), and some refreshments. All the community members were seated at round tables in groups of 6-8 people. Each table was set up with an oversized aerial map poster of the Project Area with some stickers, a group number placard, and Post-it notepads to directly place comments on the map in front of them.
The workshop began with a brief presentation by the Project Team on the agenda and goals for the workshop, background on the Moffett Area, the project purpose and goals, the preliminary existing conditions findings, project schedule, and ways to participate in the process of developing the Precise Plan.
The second half of the meeting included focused small group conversations facilitated by the Project Team to hear input on the various assets, strengths, unique qualities, and existing critical challenges in the Moffett Boulevard area, in addition to mobility and transportation challenges encountered in the Project Area. Detailed notes were taken by the facilitators on large note pads set up next to the group tables. Towards the end of the small group conversations the community members participated in a sticker exercise by placing a circular sticker (of different types of improvements but not limited to the ones provided by the consultant) directly on a large aerial map poster of the Project Area at various locations where the community would like to see new land uses, streetscape amenities, and mobility improvements along the Project Area.
The workshop concluded with small group report-backs on their key feedback, opportunity ideas, and vision for the future of the area. Each group shared their ideas with the rest of the community members. The discussions that took place during the workshop were informal and the Project Team let people know how they could stay involved in the project (including taking the online survey).
Stakeholder Meetings
The Project Team held two stakeholder meetings on September 4, 2024. They had a similar format to the community workshop but were designed to dive deeper into topics applicable to each group. The first meeting was with property and business owners, and the second meeting was with Mountain View-based organizations and associations. The stakeholder meetings provided an important platform to bring awareness and visibility of the Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan project, and to better Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan 4
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understand specific challenges and opportunities of both groups. The meetings were also multi-lingual (English, Spanish, Chinese, Russian). The discussions that took place at the meetings were formal.
The first stakeholder meeting with Property and Business Owners and Business Associations was organized to solicit structured feedback on:
• Any immediate concerns about the future changes in the Project Area. • Existing challenges faced as a local business owner or property owner in the Project Area.
• Specific ways to improve the Moffett area that would be beneficial to their business and/or property.
• Ways to retain or expand businesses in the Project Area. • Recommendations on how the City could assist to retain, expand, or attract businesses or help property owners in the Project Area.
The second stakeholder meeting with Mountain View-based Organizations and Associations was structured to gather feedback on:
• Assets, strengths, or unique qualities about the Moffett Area to serve the community that should be protected or enhanced in the future. • Critical existing challenges that are facing the Moffett Area to serve the community.
• Types of envisaged improvements to address the critical challenges identified. • Policy ideas or strategies needed to address the identified changes.
Both meetings concluded with a question-answer period that allowed stakeholders an opportunity to present questions to the Project Team. The stakeholders were encouraged to stay updated about the project progress and provide additional comments and feedback through the online survey.
Online Community Survey
The Project Team prepared an interactive online survey to understand the thoughts and ideas of the community for the future of the Moffett Boulevard area. The online survey included an interactive mapping component that allowed participants to zoom in and out of a dynamic map; respond to questions about their level of engagement; discuss various Assets, Challenges, and Opportunities facing the area; and to create their vision for the future of the Moffett Boulevard area. Participants were able to add specific comments and ideas under each question, and place pins Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan 5
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directly on the digital map. The survey was available online from September 4, 2024 to September 24, 2024.
Participants Summary
Each event and the online survey included a multiple-choice question asking participants to identify their relationship to the Moffett Boulevard Area. This question was optional. The following is a summary of the combined results.
Relationship to the Moffett Boulevard Area
Options (multiple choice and not required) #
Attendees living in/around Moffett Boulevard Area 31
Attendees working in/around Moffett Boulevard Area 8
Attendees going to school in/around Moffett Boulevard Area 0 Attendees shopping or dining in/around Moffett Boulevard Area 20 Attendees using business services in/around Moffett Boulevard Area 13
Attendees playing in/around Moffett Boulevard Area 9
Attendees visiting Moffett Area for other reasons 9
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Major Themes and Feedback
The following is a summary of the major themes and feedback provided by the community during all engagement events. These include comments made during the in-person community workshop, stakeholder meetings, and online survey.
I. Ice Breaker Question
During the Community Workshop, facilitators asked each group: “what is one word or phrase that best describes the Moffett area as shown on the map?” The following are the responses to that question.
▪ Quiet
▪ More Police presence is needed
▪ Not attractive
▪ A way to go home
▪ Open
▪ Needs help
▪ Disaster
▪ Backwater/forgotten
▪ Historic
▪ Has potential as a Downtown extension
▪ Evolving
▪ Walkable
▪ Dangerous
▪ Bikeable
▪ Unfriendly connections (Central Avenue)
▪ Barren to walk
▪ Area under construction
▪ Existing businesses
▪ Sparse
▪ Cut through destination
▪ Not pretty
▪ Not much of green or parks
▪ Keeping businesses there
▪ 100 Moffett and the Ameswell Hotel
▪ Trees + greenery
▪ Run down
▪ Small business presence
▪ Car centric
▪ Transition between Caltrain and other neighborhoods ▪ Location to highway, Downtown, transit, creek, parks Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan 7
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▪ Historical
▪ Small Businesses – remain oriented to and encourage small businesses ▪ Extension of Downtown
▪ Tree canopy + landscape
▪ Pedestrian-oriented
▪ Entertainment, community center, and daycare
II. Assets
Existing Historical Resources
• Many people felt there was a strong need to preserve and protect the Adobe Building, 243 Moffett (Arrow Development) Building, and other potential historical resources as they highlight the area’s historical heritage. • Several groups discussed creating signage and branding around historic resources to create a unique identity for the Project Area.
Existing Building and Uses
• Several people highlighted the contribution made by local long-standing businesses like Immortals Taqueria to the cultural and economic value of the Project Area.
• Many people emphasized the need to retain existing service-based businesses and provide support to new enterprises as they are the key drivers of activity along Moffett Boulevard.
• Some people stressed the importance of having the CSA and MVLA Adult School as community institutions in the neighborhood.
Transportation and Connectivity
• There was a consensus among people to enhance connectivity within the Project Area and to neighboring public transit hubs and major destinations (including Downtown).
• There were several comments expressing a concern about connectivity to the Downtown area and the Caltrain station once the grade separation project is completed.
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Parks and Open Spaces
• There were several general comments made about maintaining the green spaces in the neighborhood and improving access to the Stevens Creek Trail as it adds recreational value to the entire city.
Strategic Location
• Almost all the participants emphasized that the Project Area has the potential to be a gateway and a unique destination within Mountain View; however, participants did not like the use of the word “gateway” as a means to be a “pass-through” to other areas of the City, including to the Downtown.. • Some participants felt that the Project Area could be an expansion of Downtown/Castro Street while others felt that it was important to create a unique destination (and not just a pass-through or “gateway” neighborhood).
III. Challenges and Opportunities
Economic and Housing Development
• Most people felt the need to increase housing density and introduce new businesses/forms of ground floor retail that would bring in a component of vibrancy along the Project Area.
• Several people expressed an urgency to support and retain existing businesses that are currently in “survival” mode.
• There were some comments around attracting new businesses through street design concepts like Santana Row in San Jose that focus on the community’s future retail and commercial needs.
• Many people felt the need to tackle housing affordability and manage increased density in the Project Area to prevent conflicts with surrounding neighborhoods.
• Several people highlighted the urgency to address inconsistencies in zoning and revitalizing blighted areas (e.g., more predictability in the future). • Several people suggested bringing in more community spaces like coffee shops, cafes, restaurants, and bars that would encourage more community interaction.
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Streetscape Improvements
• Most people emphasized the need to expand pedestrian and transit infrastructure with wider sidewalks, more crosswalks, more trees, and improved transit stops.
• Many people highlighted the need for an improved and continuous bike network with key bike infrastructure added within and surrounding the Project Area.
• There were general comments made to develop a “road diet” along Moffett Boulevard to control/reduce speeding and create more bicycle and pedestrian amenities.
• Many people expressed a need to address traffic issues related to the Castro Street closure and future grade separation project.
Parking Availability and Management
• Many people expressed concerns about the potential challenges that would be encountered from limited parking in the area. AB 2097 (reduced parking requirements) was also noted as a concern.”
• Some people have concerns regarding limited parking that would be potentially exacerbated by increased density and without any proper planning.
Wayfinding and Identity
• Many people expressed a need to improve signage to enhance navigation and accessibility along the Project Area and to access Stevens Creek Trail and major destinations in the city.
• Several people shared ideas to utilize assets like the Ameswell Hotel and street pole banners to attract more tech workers in the city and create a unique identity for the Project Area.
Planning and Development
• Some participants expressed a desire to incorporate Shenandoah Square into the planning boundaries for the Project Area.
III. Vision
Business support and improvement focused vision ideas:
• Increase the number of local businesses to strengthen the community.
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• Promote mixed-use buildings with ground floor retail to create a dynamic streetscape.
• Create a district where customers can accomplish multiple tasks and activities. • Encourage drive-thru businesses to boost activity and accessibility. • Support and expand the small business community to foster success and opportunities.
Streetscape and transit improvement focused vision ideas:
• Provide additional transit options to improve connectivity. • Enhance transit access to capitalize on proximity to Downtown. • Improve sidewalks and bike lanes for pedestrians and cyclists to encourage active transportation.
Public space development focused vision ideas:
• Develop a welcoming, vibrant environment with community gathering places. • Position Moffett Boulevard as a destination and extension of Downtown, rather than just a “gateway” or pass-through..
• Commission public art and improve landscaping to enhance aesthetic appeal. • Host more events like extended farmers markets or night markets to engage the community.
• Ensure spaces are thoughtfully designed for various uses and accessibility. • Transform Moffett Boulevard into a vibrant destination, activating, and enlivening the community.
• Establish neighborhood coffee shops and community spaces as "third places" for residents and visitors.
Housing development focused vision ideas:
• Promote mixed-use buildings with ground floor retail to create a dynamic streetscape.
• Increase residential density through new housing developments.
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IV. Overall Summary
In summary, there were positive discussions on assets and opportunities , specifically the value of preserving historic community assets. The Adobe building and small businesses are vital historical and economic assets, requiring protection and support for future growth. Ensuring access to Stevens Creek Trail, Downtown/Castro Street, and public transit are essential for maintaining connectivity and vitality in the area.
However, there is a need for improved signage and wayfinding to enhance access to trails and key destinations. With limited parking a concern, future developments could address potential parking challenges while considering the addition of community gathering spaces along the corridor.
Lastly, the consistent message for the vision for the area is that Moffett Boulevard should be a destination that activates the area and attracts customers, rather than just a “gateway” or pass-through to downtown and Castro Street. There is strong support for creating "third places" such as neighborhood coffee shops, alongside efforts to strengthen the small business community and enhance opportunities for their success.
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Combined Summary of All Responses and
Comments by Outreach Event
The following is a combined summary of all community comments and feedback received from the community during all in-person events and the online survey. The combined summary is organized into the following main categories of discussion:
A. Assets
B. Challenges and Opportunities
C. Vision Ideas
A. Assets
From the Community Workshop:
• Preserving the history of Moffett Boulevard, specifically the Adobe building. • Maintaining green spaces and creek access is important. • Transportation and connectivity are important, Caltrain and US 101 are accessible.
• Easy access to transit.
• Adult school is an important community institution.
From the Property and Business Owners meeting:
• The Adobe Building has great history.
• Proximity of Downtown.
• Proximity to adjacent neighborhoods.
• Access to public transit stations.
• Stevens Creek Trail.
From the Mountain View-based Organizations meeting:
• Long-standing local businesses, such as the Immortals Taqueria, are cultural assets.
• Historical buildings, such as 243 Moffett Blvd (Arrow Development) Building and the Adobe Building.
• Service industries are important.
• The area serves as a convenient access into Downtown.
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• Transit hub is convenient.
From the Online Community Survey:
• Improve connections to Steven’s Creek trail.
• Improve connectivity to transit.
• Enhance neighborhood businesses and restaurants.
• Enhance proximity to Downtown and convenient access to Downtown.
The most common emerging themes from all outreach events were:
• The Adobe building is a key historical asset and should be protected. • Access to Stevens Creek Trail is an important and strong asset. • Small businesses are a key driver to increase activity in the corridor and need to be retained with potential for new businesses.
• Proximity to Downtown and Castro Street are important. • Retaining access to public transit (transit hub in Downtown) is important.
B. Challenges and Opportunities
From the Community Workshop:
• Increase housing density and add new businesses.
• Develop a road diet and increase access for pedestrians and bikes. • Retain existing local servicing businesses.
• Add new businesses that reflect community needs.
• Provide third spaces for the community to “linger,” such as a neighborhood coffee shop.
• Review and fix inconsistent zoning.
• Provide better signage and wayfinding.
• Inconsistent zoning (R1 next to high density).
• Blighted spaces and empty parcels could be revamped. • Lack of housing affordability.
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• Need more tree canopies, shade for pedestrians.
• Crime is a concern.
From the Property and Business Owners meeting:
• Provide better signage and wayfinding.
• Opportunity to add new businesses such as dining, cafes, places to linger, and bars.
• Existing businesses are currently in “survival” mode. • The project planning boundary should incorporate Shenandoah Square. • Ameswell Hotel is a “gem” and attracts young tech workers that could shop on Moffett Boulevard.
• Street pole banners can create identity.
• Transit stops need to be closer with more improved crosswalks. • Need more bike facilities.
• Pop-ups and other activations could increase engagement and customers. • Reduced parking required could cause issues.
From the Mountain View based Organizations meeting:
• Provide better signage and wayfinding.
• Future development needs ground floor retail.
• Density could cause issues with adjacent neighbors.
• A concept like Santana Row in San Jose could attract new businesses and customers.
• Traffic can be an issue, especially with the street closure of Castro. • Wayfinding could help.
From the Online Community Survey:
• Narrow and/or missing sidewalks along Moffett Boulevard. • Noise caused by train crossing and honking.
• Traffic-related issues.
• Better access to Downtown.
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• Improve pedestrian accessibility and safety through wider sidewalks, new crosswalks, and better lighting.
• Ensure bicycle safety and accessibility by developing new or improved bicycle lanes.
• Bring in new retail stores and businesses (in general), small businesses, and new restaurants.
• Develop more civic uses or public uses in the Moffett Boulevard Area. • Develop new housing.
The most commonly emerging themes from all the outreach events were:
• Signage and wayfinding could help provide more access to trails and specific destinations.
• Parking is a consistent concern as there is already limited parking; increased density could intensify this if not improved with future development projects. • Opportunity to add a community gathering space along the corridor. • Opportunity to bring in new retail stores and businesses along the Moffett Boulevard Area.
• Improve overall pedestrian and bike infrastructure along the corridor.
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C. Vision
From the Community Workshop:
• Increase small (local) businesses.
• Provide additional public transit.
• Increase density via housing.
• Develop a vibrant, welcoming space.
• Create a “third place” (gathering places) along Moffett Boulevard. • Become a destination (and extension) of Downtown, not a “gateway” to Downtown.
From the Property and Business Owners meeting:
• Enhanced access to transit and proximity to Downtown. • Increase the number of businesses with new mixed-use buildings with ground floor retail.
• Commission public art.
• More beautification and landscaping.
• Better pedestrian and bike connectivity.
• Create a district that customers can “take care of multiple items at once,” such as Santana Row in San Jose.
From the Mountain View-based Organizations meeting:
• Drive-thru business to bring more business and activity. • More events or activation like extending the farmers market or starting a night market.
• Design spaces and access for different uses.
From the Online Community Survey:
• Better connectivity and entrance to the Downtown.
• A dense, urban, and transit-connected area.
• Vibrant, walkable, bikeable, and safe neighborhood.
• Encourage mid-rise residential development.
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• More pedestrian and bike infrastructure.
• More shade trees and landscaping along streets.
• Need development oriented to pedestrians.
The most commonly emerging themes from all the outreach events were:
• This should be a destination, not a “gateway” or pass-through to Downtown and Castro Street. A gateway is a passthrough; Moffett could activate and enliven the community and customer base.
• There is a desire to have a “third place” retail such as a neighborhood coffee shop or community space for residents and customers.
• A strong desire to support the small business community and increase opportunities for businesses to succeed.
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D. Group Posters
The following are group posters from the community workshop. The posters involved a sticker exercise to identify suggested locations for specific opportunities or improvements. These posters, in parallel to the technical existing conditions analysis, will be used to develop policy options and design alternatives as part of the next phase of the project.
The workshop exercise included stickers for:
● New building and uses (land use) opportunities.
● Community amenity opportunities.
● Streetscape and Mobility opportunities.
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Group 1:
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Group 2:
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Group 3:
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Group 4:
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Group 5:
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Group 6:
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Group 7:
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Group 8:
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Group 9:
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Group 10:
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