Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
Four Embarcadero Center, 17th Floor
San Francisco, California 94111-4109
415.434.9100 main
415.434.3947 fax
www.sheppardmullin.com
November 5, 2024
Phillip Brennan
Planning Division
City of Mountain View
City Hall, First Floor
500 Castro Street
Mountain View, CA 94041
Re: Updated Community Benefits & Jobs-Housing Linkage Letter 675-685 E. Middlefield Road
Dear Phillip:
On behalf of Prometheus Real Estate Group (“Applicant”), please accept this revised letter explaining the community benefits and jobs-housing linkage compliance for the proposed mixed-use project (the “Project”) located at 675-685 E. Middlefield Road (the “Site”) in Mountain View, CA (the “City”). Specifically, this letter further responds to and resolves comments in the City’s comment letter dated April 24, 2024, as well as informal comments received from City staff in subsequent months.
1. Community Benefits
Comment #2 in the City’s letter states that for projects requiring a community/public benefit, applicants must include a written description of the benefit proposal consistent with the requirements of the applicable Precise Plan or General Plan area. It also notes that, if an applicant elects to pay public benefit fees rather than providing physical improvements, the proposal letter must state an intent to do so and should provide a breakdown of the calculation and list the respective Commercial and Residential public benefit fees.
The Project elects to pay the applicable public benefit fees rather than providing physical improvements. As the City notes in Comment #7, the public benefits fee for the Project is determined by calculating the delta between the base floor area ratio (“FAR”) and the proposed FAR of each of the project’s proposed land use types. That delta—and, as a result, the total public benefit fee figure—cannot be determined until staff verifies the project’s floor area figures.
Staff should be able to do so using the additional information filed concurrently with this letter.
For this reason, Applicant cannot provide the precise “breakdown” requested in the City’s letter at this time. However, Applicant will work with the City in the coming weeks to determine the Project’s precise commercial and residential public benefit fees.
2. Jobs -Housing Linkage
Comment #27 requests that Applicant submit a Jobs-Housing Linkage Plan proposing how Applicant intends to facilitate residential development in the East Whisman area. Pursuant to Section 6.1.4 of the East Whisman Precise Plan (“EWPP”), specific outcomes of the Jobs- Attachment 7
November 5, 2024
Housing Linkage Plan must include “value of jobs-housing strategies” and a phasing or housing delivery plan.
a. Value of Jobs-Housing Strategies
Under Section 6.1.4(2)(a) of the EWPP, the proposed strategies to facilitate residential development must be “roughly proportional to the net new floor area,” and each 1,000 square feet of net new floor area should be associated with at least 3 housing units. The proportion may be less if affordable units are provided in excess of the City’s inclusionary requirements.
The Project will facilitate residential development in the EWPP area by including a significant residential component, including market-rate and affordable units, on the Project site.
As we discuss in the accompanying Project Description Letter, the residential buildings will reflect the mixed use character area of the East Whisman area, with continuous building facades near the street and active pedestrian-oriented ground floors with residential stoops, frequent entrances, and storefronts.
The Project currently proposes 85,000 square feet of net new office floor area and a total of 836 residential units (686 market rate units and 150 affordable units). Currently, there is an existing office building totaling 163,638 square feet and a new office building planned at 275,200 square feet for a net new of 111,562 square feet. This means that for the Project, each 1,000 square feet of net new floor area is associated with 3 residential units. Therefore we are required to provide 335 new residential units to support the net new office square footage of 111,562 square feet, which the Project significantly exceeds. b. Housing Delivery Plan
Section 6.1.4(2)(b) of the EWPP requires that the Jobs-Housing Linkage Plan include a phasing or housing delivery plan which indicates whether proposed strategies—including construction of residential units—will occur prior to non-residential building occupancy. At this time, the Project’s planned phasing strategy is as depicted on the phasing plan attached as Exhibit A. The North Residential Building will be delivered in Phase 1. As we detail in the Project’s concurrently-filed Alternative Mitigation Narrative, the standalone affordable structure will be fully financed and construction commenced on the building prior to issuance of the certificate of occupancy for the first market-rate building. At this time, applicant’s best estimate is that Phase 2 development will begin approximately 12-18 months following commencement of Phase 1 construction. At this time, applicant anticipates that Phase 2 will consist of the market rate south building as well as the office component.
November 5, 2024
Sincerely,
for SHEPPARD, MULLIN, RICHTER & HAMPTON LLP
SMRH:4872-5448-5617.13
November 5, 2024
Exhibit A
UNIT ST.
UNIT 1BR
UNIT G1UNIT G2
UNIT G1
UNIT G3
UNIT G2
UNIT G1
UNIT G1
UNIT G2
UNIT G3
UNIT 2BR
ELEC.
AMENITY
LOBBY/LOUNGE/AMENITY
UNIT G2
STAIR
TRASH
UNIT 1BR DEN
STORAGE
STAIR
UNIT G2
UNIT G1
UNIT ST.
UNIT 1BR DEN
UNIT G2
UNIT G2
TRASH
UNIT G3
UNIT G3
UNIT G2
UNIT G2
UNIT G1
UNIT G1
UNIT G3
UNIT G2
UNIT G2
BIKES
TRASH
STAIR
POOL
POOL EQUIP.
STORAGE
PARKING
UNIT STUDIO
MAIL
UNIT G1
ELEC.
UNIT G2
COWORK
JAN
MAINT.WORKRRRR
RR
STAIR
STAIR
UNIT G1
PARCEL
ELECTRICAL
EXIT
PASSAGEWAY
ELECTRICAL
AMENITY
UNIT G2
UNIT G2
UNIT ST.
UNIT 1BR DEN
UNIT OPEN 1BR
POOL EQUIP.
UNIT G2
STORAGE
STORAGE
STAIR
ELECTRICAL
UNIT STUDIO
ELECTRICAL
COLLECTION
TRASH
GENERATOR
UNIT 1BR DENUNIT 1BR UNIT 1BR UNIT 1BR UNIT 2BR UNIT G2UNIT G2 UNIT G2UNIT G2UNIT 2BR
STAIR
UNIT G2
LOADING
BIKES
AMENITY
LOBBY/LEASINGUNIT 2BR
STAIR
UNIT 1BR DEN
UNIT G2UNIT G2UNIT G2UNIT G2UNIT G2UNIT G2
LOBBY/AMENITY
STAIR
STAIR
UNIT ST.
UNIT ST.
UNIT OPEN 1BR
T.
UNIT OPEN 1BR
UNIT OPEN 1BR
FIRE
MAIL
PARCEL
UNIT 1BR DEN
TRASH
GEN
WATER
UNIT 2BR
UNIT ST.
UNIT 2BR DEN
ELEC
UNIT 2BR
UNIT 2BR
STORAGE
UNIT 2BR
AMENITY
STAIR
STAIR
POOL
RR
ELECTRICAL
RETAIL
RETAIL
COLLECTION
TRASH
GARAGE RAMP
BIKE LOUNGE
PARCEL
LOBBY
MAIL
GENERATOR
UNIT G3
UP
SERVICE
TRANS.
RM.
SERVICE
TRANS.
RM.
TRASH
MAINELECTRICAL
GENERATOREMERGENCY
ELEC.
RM
FIREPUMP
RM.
DOMESTIC
WATER
RM
LOADING
IDF
ELEC.
TRASH
STAIR
STAIR STAIR
LOBBY
BIKEROOMSHOWER
BMR
RESIDENTIAL PARKING STRUCTURE
MARKET RATE
RESIDENTIAL-SOUTH
MARKET RATE
RESIDENTIAL-NORTH
POPA PARK
OFFICE
PROMETHEUS REAL ESTATE GROUP
1900 S. NORFOLK ST
SAN MATEO, CA 94403
P: 650.931.3400
CLIENT
HARVEST PROPERTIES
180 GRAND AVENUE, STE 1400
OAKLAND, CA 94610
P: 510.594.2050
DEVELOPMENT ADVISOR
URBAN PLANNING & DESIGN
SERA ARCHITECTS, INC.
600 SW 10TH AVE STE. 500
PORTLAND, OR 97205
P: 503.445.7372
ARCHITECTURE - RESIDENTIAL
STUDIOS ARCHITECTURE
350 CALIFORNIA ST, 21ST FL
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94104
P: 415.398.7575
ARCHITECTURE - OFFICE
PLACE
735 NW 18TH AVE
PORTLAND, OR 97209
P: 503.334.2080
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
BKF ENGINEERS
1730 N. FIRST ST, SUITE 600
SAN JOSE, CA 95112
P: 408.467.9100
CIVIL ENGINEER
675 & 685
E. MIDDLEFIELD
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA 94043
REVISIONS
DRAWN BY:
CHECKED BY:
ISSUE DATE:
PROJECT NO:
DRAWING TITLE
FORMAL PLANNING
APPLICATION
WATRY DESIGN, INC.
2099 GATEWAY PL, STE. 550
SAN JOSE, CA 95110
P: 833.917.7275
PARKING
W-TRANS
414 13TH STREET, 5TH FLR.
OAKLAND, CA 94612
P: 510.444.2600
TRAFFIC
GIACALONE DESIGN SERVICES, INC.
5820 STONERIDGE MALL RD #345
PLEASANTON, CA 94588
P: 925.467.1740
DRY UTILITIES
DCI ENGINEERS
135 MAIN ST
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105
P: 415.781.1505
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS
HOLMES
235 MONTGOMERY ST, STE 1250
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94101
P: 415.693.1600
STRUCT. ENG. - OFFICE
EMERALD CITY ENGINEERS
21705 HWY 99
LYNNWOOD, WA 98036
P: 425.741.1200
MEP
PAE ENGINEERS
48 GOLDEN GATE AVE.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102
P: 415.544.7500
MEP - OFFICE
SUSTAINABILITY
BRIGHTWORKS
425 MARKET ST
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111
P: 800.733.7440
TRASH MANAGEMENT
ATM
1900 POWELL ST #220
EMERYVILLE, CA 94608
P: 415.292.5400
SERA ARCHITECTS, INC.
600 SW 10TH AVE STE. 500
PORTLAND, OR 97205
P: 503.445.7372
Copyright protected. See Design Agreement. For use on this project only. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this material is prohibited.
AT/KH
RS/SS
07-21-23
20220180
TITLE SHEETC0.0
Phase 1:
Market Rate North & POPA (36 months)
Utility Work (6 months)
Private Drive (6 months)
Phase 2 (To begin approximately) 1 year following
start of phase 1):
Office (36 months)
Market Rate South (36 months)
Affordable Building (30 months)
November 5, 2024
Exhibit B
Construction Activities Narrative
Project construction activities may include, but not be limited to, demolition, site preparation, grading and excavation, building construction, architectural coatings, and paving. Construction staging will occur on-site. Construction of the project would occur over two phases that may take a total of approximately 48 months.
Phase One may include, but not be limited to, demolition and preparation of the entire site, construction of the service street, construction of the MRN residential building, and associated off-site improvements. This phase may last approximately 36 months and may require excavation at a maximum depth of approximately 31 feet below ground surface. Excavation and removal of approximately 89,500 cubic yards of soil may be necessary to accommodate the proposed building foundations, underground parking levels, footings, service street, utilities, and associated sundries. Construction dewatering may be required for approximately 17 months while the underground car park is constructed. It is assumed that demolition and construction activities for Phase One would start in quarter two (Q2) 2026 and be completed in Q4 2028.
Phase Two may begin approximately 18 months after the start of Phase One, and may include, but not be limited to, construction of the MRS residential building, BMR residential building, office building, above-ground parking structure, and associated off- site improvements. This phase may last approximately 30 months and require excavation at a maximum depth of approximately 13 feet below ground surface. Excavation and removal of approximately 49,245 cubic yards of soil may be necessary to accommodate the proposed building foundations, underground parking level, footings, utilities, and associated sundries. It is assumed that construction for Phase Two may start in Q2 2027 and be completed in Q4 2029.
November 5, 2024