From: on behalf of
To: ; Snelling, Aki
Cc:
Subject: RE: Moffet Boulevard Precise Plan- Public Notification Date: Monday, August 26, 2024 3:51:42 PM
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Aki,
I am head of the SFPUC Real Estate Services Division. Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
To add to my colleague Elton Wu’s comments, the City of Mountain View should refrain rom publishing any specific project on SFPUC land or applying for grants regarding the same until after the SFPUC Project Review Committee has vetted the proposed use for conformance with SFPUC policies.
Please be advised any use of SFPUC land must be authorized by a fee-based license issued by the SFPUC.
Thank you for your anticipated cooperation.
Rosanna Russell
SFPUC Real Estate Director
From: Wu, Elton H
Sent: Monday, August 26, 2024 3:11 PM
To: [email protected]
Cc:
Subject: Moffet Boulevard Precise Plan- Public Notification Hello Aki,
Thank you for the public notification regarding the Moffet Boulevard Precise Plan in Mountain View. Within the plan’s boundaries, please be advised that the SFPUC’s Bay Division Pipeline Nos. 3 and 4 are located between Moffett Boulevard and Middlefield Road. SFPUC’s property cannot be used to satisfy any open space requirements for this project. The SFPUC prohibits any use on its ROW property that:
Cannot be removed promptly, to allow SFPUC construction, maintenance, or emergency repairs of its facilities.
Would conflict with SFPUC legal obligations to adjoining property owners or tenants. Some SFPUC parcels in the City of Milpitas Mountain View could be subject to easements or other agreements held by adjoining landowners or third parties which may present conflicts with the proposed trail. Further research by the SFPUC’s Real Estate Services is needed, but it is possible that certain SFPUC parcels may not be available for trail use.
Attachment 4
Would conflict with the resolution of unauthorized third-party encroachments that currently exist on some SFPUC ROW parcels.
Would create an unreasonable burden for the SFPUC (or its ratepayers) in the use of its property for utility purposes.
The SFPUC reasonably anticipates that its property in the City of Milpitas Mountain View will be available for future utility infrastructure and capital projects. Revocable licenses and leases issued by the SFPUC contain standard language requiring any lessee or licensee of SFPUC lands to mitigate the effects for the disruption of its recreational use on SFPUC lands, even if the SFPUC is causing the disruption of the recreational use. This includes required mitigation under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Is otherwise inconsistent with SFPUC plans and policies.
This list is not exhaustive. The SFPUC retains the right to disallow any use that, at the SFPUC's sole discretion, may interfere with, endanger or damage existing or future SFPUC operations, security, or facilities.
Any proposed land uses or construction activities on SFPUC property may require further review under the SFPUC's Project Review process. Additional information regarding Project Review can be found here:
https://sfpuc.org/construction-contracts/lands-rights-of-way/project-review-and-land-use-bay-area
If you have any questions or need more information, please contact me. Thanks
Elton Wu
Pronouns: He/ Him
Environmental Compliance and Land Planner
SFPUC Water Enterprise
Natural Resources and Lands Management Division
525 Golden Gate Avenue, 10
th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94102
cell: (415) 971-7657
From:
To: Snelling, Aki
Subject: Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan
Date: Thursday, August 29, 2024 6:37:54 PM
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Hello Aki,
We really appreciated being invited to the workshop last night, and we thought it was well planned and interesting.
After thinking about the group discussions, my husband and I were wondering if the small business owners on Moffett were invited to the workshop?.
We thought the idea of having high density multi-purpose buildings, with stores on the ground level and apartments above, close to public transportation intriguing, but we also wondering if they are going to be built, would they include some below market rate apartments? I think it would be good idea to include
BMR dwellings because it seems like in Mountain View, some apartment complexes have been torn down, and high-end apartments and condos have been built in their place.
We live in a condominium at W. Middlefield and walk on Moffet Blvd. to go downtown and to take Caltrain.
We think it is a very good idea to make some improvements in the area.
Sincerely,
Barbara deGery
From:
To: Snelling, Aki
Subject: re: MOFFETT BOULEVARD PRECISE PLAN
Date: Friday, August 30, 2024 2:07:36 PM
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Aki,
I work with East West Bookshop in downtown Mountain View (324 Castro Street). My husband, David, is the manager.
Just wanted to offer a small comment on the new MOFFETT BOULEVARD PRECISE PLAN.
Whatever mixed use is planned for the area, it seems that there is so much empty office and retail space in Mountain View (throughout the city, and downtown, too), it makes sense to be as broad in mixed use as you can allow in Moffett area, including more housing even in the commercially zone areas.
What seems to be most needed is affordable housing of any kind.
What seems to least needed is retail and office.
In the 1st 3 blocks of Castro Street, there are still about 18 empty storefronts. Along the side streets, much there is also empty. This has been true for many years for some of these properties. There is a large 3 or 4 story office building behind East West that has been empty for some years now, and moves from one owner to another, hoping to rent it. It's fairly new construction, but no takers.
Maybe that's because asking rents are still much too high downtown. If new, less-expensive retail and commercial opens up on Moffett, the downtown will likely continue to have many unrented storefronts.
I wish there were a way to have a fee on landlords for each month their spaces remain unrented, to help incentivize them to lower their rents.
Thank for working on this, and good luck sorting all of this out...It's a conundrum.
All the best!
Anaya
From:
To: Snelling, Aki
Subject: Moffet Boulevard Precise Plan Feedback
Date: Monday, August 26, 2024 8:42:36 PM
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Hi Aki,
My name is Tim and I am a resident of Mountain View. I saw there is a meeting about the Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan on Wednesday, but I won't be able to make it. If you are seeking public input, I would like to give my feedback. I am in support of zoning the Moffett boulevard area more densely and encouraging the development of more housing and businesses. I would love to see Moffet Boulevard become a vibrant mixed use neighborhood with more businesses, but also lots of additional housing. Any efforts to densify and further develop Moffet would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Tim
From:
To:
Cc: Snelling, Aki
; Pancholi, Diana;
Subject: San Francisco to Become First City in California to Create New Entertainment Zones | San Francisco Date: Saturday, September 21, 2024 8:35:54 AM
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What do you think about Mountain View becoming the second city to have a designated new entertainment zone? Could this be considered in the Moffett Blvd Precise Plan? Is this something we want to evaluate in the category of entertainment opportunities that do not exist in the Downtown area? Please confirm receipt of my email. http://www.sf.gov/news/san-francisco-become-first-city-california-create-new- entertainment-zones
Sincerely, Daniel Shane
From: Snelling, Aki
To: Snelling, Aki
Subject: FW: San Francisco to Become First City in California to Create New Entertainment Zones | San Francisco Date: Tuesday, October 29, 2024 9:23:55 AM
From: George Markle >
Sent: Monday, September 23, 2024 11:04 AM
To: Dan Shane
Cc: Pancholi, Diana <[email protected]>; Snelling, Aki <[email protected]>; Hicks, Alison <[email protected]>; , City Manager <[email protected]>; Anderson, Eric B. <[email protected]>; Lang, John <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: San Francisco to Become First City in California to Create New Entertainment Zones | San Francisco
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Dan, my first take is that an Entertainment Zone may be premature for Moffett Boulevard given it has so few locations that could benefit. It may, however, be beneficial for the downtown Castro Street area, which has been suffering from abandoned store fronts; it may help to enliven the area and elicit interest of business owners for potential return and investment. I would be interested in seeing the City consider that.
Thank you for bringing that up.
Best,
George Markle
Moffett Boulevard Neighborhood, Nextdoor Lead
-----Original Message-----
From: Daniel Shane <
Sent: Saturday, September 21, 2024 8:36 AM
To: George Markle 2
Cc: Snelling, Aki <[email protected]
>; Pancholi, Diana
<[email protected]>; Hicks, Alison <[email protected]>; , City Manager <[email protected]>
Subject: San Francisco to Become First City in California to Create New Entertainment Zones | San Francisco
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What do you think about Mountain View becoming the second city to have a designated new entertainment zone?
Could this be considered in the Moffett Blvd Precise Plan? Is this something
we want to evaluate in the category of entertainment opportunities that do not exist in the Downtown area?
Please confirm receipt of my email. http://www.sf.gov/news/san-francisco-become-first-city- california-create-new-entertainment-zones
Sincerely, Daniel Shane
Re: Item 5.1 Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan Visioning Framework Dear Environmental Planning Commissioners,
Mountain View YIMBY and MVCSP jointly write to encourage an ambitious, forward-looking vision for the Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan. We believe that the draft vision generally captures our goals for the area and want to encourage the city to broaden the boundaries of the precise plan to better enable that vision. We also have some recommendations on the potential strategies as the city moves to refinement.
Precise Plan Boundaries
We urge the city to expand the boundaries of the precise plan to include not only the sites in the staff report (500 Moffett, 500 W Middlefield, 555 W Middlefield) but also the areas near the Downtown Transit Center to enable more people to live, work, and shop close to transit.
We believe boundaries approximating those shown in purple below would be consistent with this goal. This is the area roughly bounded by Central Expressway, CA-85, the Hetch Hetchy right-of-way, and Shoreline Blvd.
The highest priority area to include is the area closest to Moffett Blvd and Central Expressway, the access point for the Downtown Transit Center and where the Transit Center Master Plan calls for more bus stops. Our members report that in the outreach meetings, local property owners in that area expressed interest in developing their land beyond the limitations of the
existing R1, R2 zones. We believe that the city should accommodate such interest, as we should be encouraging higher-intensity uses near transit-rich areas of the city. In particular, this would maximize the advantages of the significant government investment in such projects as Castro Street Grade Separation and Caltrain electrification.
Zoning & Development Restrictions
Given the extreme housing shortage in Mountain View, an increase in the housing supply is our first priority. In order to support that housing and to achieve the proposed vision, office and retail uses must also be allowed. Housing and offices provide the customers to support retail, retail provides services for the people living and working in the area, and more offices in the Moffett Blvd area mean more people will be able to access jobs without needing to drive.
We encourage the city to keep development restrictions to a minimum in the precise plan and to focus on encouraging high density near the transit center to ensure that as many people as possible can live and work near transit.
As such, there should be:
● Little to no restrictions on overall density, particularly in close proximity to the transit center.
● No setback requirements, to encourage street activation and walkability and to improve the feasibility of development on small lots.
● Clear and objective design requirements. Any architectural guidelines should be objective and form-based with the goal of minimizing significant back-and-forth during building design.
● Policies to make lot assembly easy.
● Mixed uses allowed everywhere without being overly prescriptive.
Transportation
Moffett Blvd Streetscape
We advocate for an ambitious plan for the Moffett Blvd streetscape that prioritizes active transportation and public transportation. The exact streetscape plans will require further study to determine exactly what makes sense, but as a baseline we’d like to propose:
● Sidewalk-level, protected bike lanes.
● Traffic calming with lower vehicle speeds and high-quality pedestrian crossings at all intersections.
● Wider sidewalks to accommodate increased foot traffic. ● Additional street trees to add shade along the road and to help physically protect the bike lanes and sidewalks.
● Reduction/removal of street parking along Moffett Blvd (see parking section below) ● Bus lanes or comparable prioritization along the Moffett Blvd corridor ○ The exact location/setup of such lanes may vary, but if the Moffett Blvd area is to have high-quality transit connectivity other than by Caltrain, then bus prioritization will be necessary.
To help establish the scale of changes that should be on the table given the ambition and vision of the proposed precise plan, for the section of Moffett Blvd near Central Expressway, we should seriously consider options including, but not limited to:
● Dedicated bus lanes to prioritize bus routing
○ This plus the Castro Street pedestrian mall may necessitate some review of the original transit center master plan routings.
● Dedicated space for bus stops/islands along Central Expressway and/or Moffett Blvd. ● Conversion of around half of the right-of-way of Moffett Blvd (retaining space for bus & bike lanes) between Central Expressway and Jackson St to a pedestrian mall to help serve as an extension of the Castro St pedestrian mall to support businesses and improve quality-of-life in the area.
● Restriction of private car traffic between Central Expressway and Moffett Blvd to reduce through traffic and better accommodate the prior items. ● A road diet to a single car lane each way south of Middlefield Rd.
Note that all of these suggestions would be subject to further study of what is feasible and appropriate in the upcoming stages of the precise plan process.
Off-Moffett Transportation
Transportation in the area will depend on streets other than Moffett. The main improvements needed for these streets should be covered by the Active Transportation Plan, although increased density in the area may call for greater sidewalk expansion than what the Active Transportation Plan specifies. In addition, we would encourage the city to work on developing a good relationship with SFPUC to be able to utilize the Hetch Hetchy right-of-way for active transportation and recreation.
There are already plans to improve the bike lanes along Middlefield Road (although the sections to either side of Moffett are being improved separately), which we expect will complement the precise plan well.
Parking Management
Bicycle parking should be provided both in the public right-of-way and in new developments.
Bicycle parking is more flexible than car parking due to the comparative space differences.
For car parking, we would encourage the following:
● Remove parking on Moffett to accommodate better use of the right-of-way. ● Explore implementing permit-based parking on side streets, perhaps sharing mechanisms in the Downtown Parking Strategy.
● Provide for delivery and loading zones on side streets ● Instituting parking maximums on developments within a short radius of downtown to reduce the amount of new traffic generated by the increased density. ● Work with owners of existing private parking lots to ensure that they can manage their parking supply effectively.
Conclusion
Moffett Boulevard has been one of the highest-potential parts of the city ever since it was designated a Change Area in the last General Plan update. Mountain View YIMBY and MVCSP want to see the city make the most of this opportunity to re-envision the area to create an affordable and abundant future for Mountain View.
And on a personal note from the author—many people contributed to this letter, but I grew up on Horizon Ave within the proposed boundaries of the Precise Plan and currently rent an apartment on Central Ave. Being able to grow up and live so close to downtown Mountain View was an opportunity that far too few people get and which far more people should receive. I cannot wait to see what the future brings for this area.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment,
James Kuszmaul,
On behalf of Mountain View YIMBY & the Mountain View Coalition for Sustainable Planning
From:
To: Snelling, Aki; [email protected]; City Council
Subject: Moffett Blvd. Precise Plan - comments and concerns Date: Wednesday, October 16, 2024 2:17:22 PM
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To Aki Snelling, EPC members, and City Council members:
We are residents and property owners living on Santa Rosa Avenue, directly adjacent to the area of the Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan. We will not be able to attend tonight’s Study Session, but following are some points and concerns, that we hope you will read and seriously consider:
1) There is at present no public parking whatsoever
in the Moffett Blvd. study area, except
existing street parking.
2) Street parking on Santa Rosa Ave. (our street) is already crowded, and fully utilized by the existing small businesses on Moffett, that have back entrances onto Santa Rosa. 3) At the workshop presented by Planning, there was enthusiasm for wide sidewalks, bike lanes, and planting strips for trees. These improvements would be welcome - but if these are installed, we would lose street parking on Moffett. Also, Moffett would probably have to be reduced to a two-lane street.
4) Because of the state Density Bonus Law, housing developments within a half-mile of transit are allowed to reduce parking requirements to as low as zero. Already, there is an approved plan for 730 Central Avenue that would provide only 0.5 spaces per apartment. It is an absolute certainty that this sort of development will further overload street parking. State law preempts City zoning, so nothing can be done to moderate this issue. We ask you to not make this situation worse.
5) Santa Rosa is targeted in the upcoming R3 update. Although our street is presently single- family and duplex, there is every possibility that we will see future 4-story apartments with little or no parking provided. The future neighborhood quality of life is very much a concern. 6) On Moffett, we presently have an interesting mix of small businesses, and “Old Mountain View” buildings of various architectures that house them. It would be a shame to lose those businesses, or to see them relocated into the bottom floors of modern, "cookie-cutter” apartment buildings.
To sum up:
Adding bike lanes and street beautification on Moffett seems like a good idea, though it will have consequences for parking and for traffic flow.
Please consider if there is a way to purchase property for a City parking lot or structure, if you
intend to increase commercial activity in this area.
Don’t be too quick to destroy the present character on Moffett and adjoining neighborhoods.
State law-sanctioned development will do that soon enough.
Please do not consider Moffett to be an “extension of downtown.” It is a neighborhood, with its own character, and with access issues.
Thank you for your attention,
Peter Spitzer
Patricia Musgrave
Santa Rosa Avenue
From: Anderson, Eric B.
To: Snelling, Aki; Alkire, Martin
Cc: Blizinski, Amber; Murdock, Christian
Subject: FW: Re Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan Visioning Framework Date: Tuesday, October 22, 2024 3:04:23 PM
Aki,
FYI – Can you please add this to the Council Report attachment with other public comments?
Thx,
-Eric
From: Bruce England
Sent: Tuesday, October 22, 2024 1:33 PM
To: Anderson, Eric B. <[email protected]>; Murdock, Christian <[email protected]>
Cc: , City Clerk <[email protected]>; Bruce England Subject:
Re Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan Visioning Framework
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Hello Eric and Christian:
During the EPC meeting where
Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan Visioning Framework was discussed, consideration was given to properties beyond the core area called out by Staff, and I agree with the expansion, as I said during public comment. However, I do want to bring up a few other points as you prepare to bring this to City Council at a later date.
The Public Works project for street work goes all the way up to Clark. This intention should at least be called out in reports provided to
City Council.
The expansion as discussed did not touch on the fact that the Stevens Creek Trail crossing it just to the east of Highway 85. I certainly urge you to recommend inclusion of this part, at least, in what you present to City Council.
Thanks!
Bruce England
Mountain View, CA
94043
From:
To: Snelling, Aki
Cc: Arango, Ed; Murdock, Christian;
Subject: ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSIONS - MOFFETT BOULEVARD PRECISE PLAN Date: Thursday, October 24, 2024 3:29:29 PM
Attachments: image001.png
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Dear Aki:
Thank you for sending the SFPUC a copy of the public notice regarding the proposed Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan project. My colleagues asked me to provide the following comments on the SFPUC’s behalf.
As stated in prior SFPUC comments to the City of
Mountain View, the SFPUC owns in fee several parcels within the proposed Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan (“Precise Plan”) boundaries. These parcels constitute the utility right of way (Right of Way Property) for the SFPUC’s Bay Division Pipeline Nos. 3 and 4 located between Moffett Boulevard and Middlefield Road. (Please see the drawing below for approximate location of the SFPUC Right of Way Property shown in red). For the reasons stated below, these SFPUC Right of Way Property parcels should not be included in the Precise Plan.
The SFPUC has strict requirements for the use of its property in order to protect its water utility infrastructure and for
ease of access for operations, maintenance, repairs, replacements, and the Installation of new infrastructure. These strict requirements limit land uses allowed on the SFPUC Right of Way Property parcels. Among other restrictions,
the SFPUC prohibits any use of its Right of Way Property property that:
Satisfies an open space or other entitlement requirement for a project.
Cannot be removed promptly, to allow the SFPUC’s Installation, maintenance, or repair or replacements of its facilities.
Would conflict with the SFPUC’s legal obligations to adjoining property owners or tenants. Some SFPUC parcels in the City of Mountain View are subject to existing leases, easements or other agreements held by adjoining landowners or third parties which may present conflicts with the Precise Plan.
Would conflict with the resolution of unauthorized third-party encroachments that currently exist on some portions of the SFPUC Right of Way Property.
Would create an unreasonable burden for the SFPUC (or its ratepayers) in the use of its property for utility purposes. The SFPUC reasonably anticipates that its property in the City of Mountain View will be available for future utility infrastructure and capital projects.
Is otherwise inconsistent with SFPUC plans and policies.
This list is not exhaustive. The SFPUC retains the right to disallow any use that, at the SFPUC's sole discretion, may
interfere with, endanger, or damage existing or future SFPUC operations, security, or facilities.
Given the SFPUC’s restrictions on allowable land uses on its Right of Way Property, the City of Mountain View’s expectations for development on SFPUC parcels most likely cannot be met.
Further, please consider that the
City of Mountain View already occupies many parcels of SFPUC land in Mountain View under no-fee licenses. Mountain View’s extensive use of SFPUC property demonstrates that the SFPUC has
already proven to be a good neighbor to the City of Mountain View.
The City of Mountain View should understand that
the SFPUC must retain the primary utility use of its Right of Way Property in Mountain View, and therefore, we respectfully request that the SFPUC Right of Way Property parcels be excluded from the Precise Plan.
If you have any questions or need more information, please contact me or Heather Rodgers of SFPUC Real Estate
Services Division at [email protected].
Thank you.
Rosanna Russell
SFPUC Real Estate Director
I work remotely from time to time. The best way to contact me is to email me at [email protected].
From:
To: Snelling, Aki
Subject: Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan and MTC"s TOC Policy Date: Monday, October 28, 2024 8:46:10 PM
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Hello,
I was wondering if the Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan is designed to comply with MTC's Transit-Oriented Communities Policy. The site is within half-mile of the transit center, and MTC has said that post-2026 bike/ped grants spent near such stations are predicated on compliance.
Sincerely,
Kevin Ma