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608-02-11-25LP-1 1 of 14 ProposedAdopted: February 2511, 2025 PROPOSED PROPOSED 2025 REGIONAL AND STATE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM
PURPOSE
Mountain View’s Legislative Platform confirms the City Council’s position on current legislative matters with the potential to affect the City directly or indirectly. The Legislative Platform is a guiding document for the City to utilize to promote and pr eserve the City’s interests at the regional, state, and federal levels. City staff will coordinate with advocacy services and regional partners as appropriate to monitor and assess state legislation and administrative or regulatory proposals and take acti on in alignment with the adopted Legislative Platform to advance and protect the City interests, as necessary.
CITY COUNCIL STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
The City of Mountain View provides many critical services, programs, and projects to fulfill its mission and help make Mountain View a great community in which to live, work, visit, and play.
In June 2021, the City Council adopted seven Strategic Priorities:
1. Community for All: Support Mountain View’s socioeconomic and cultural diversity. Engage and protect vulnerable populations through policies that promote access to housing, transportation, and other programs and services.
2. Livability and Quality of Life : Enhance Mountain View as a great place to live that values community health and well-being. Preserve Mountain View’s unique character, restore wildlife habitats, and promote arts and culture. Provide parks, open space, and other key amenities.
3. Intentional Development and Housing Options : Support and increase the quantity and diversity of housing options, including assistance for the unhoused. Provide opportunities for affordable housing as well as home ownership. Plan for neighborhoods with nearby transit, jobs, and amenities that bal ance density with livable, green, mixed -use development.
4. Mobility and Connectivity: Develop a mobility network that enhances connectivity across Mountain View and establishes green corridors. Promote transit and safe, active transportation options that reduce single -occupancy vehicle trips and traffic and increase walking and biking.
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5. Sustainability and Climate Resilience: Through implementation of the Sustainability Action Plan and other actions, reduce and minimize the City’s greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for sea level rise. Protect and enhance local ecosystems and biodiversity through rewilding and other measur es. Support residents and businesses to adopt sustainable practices and use resources wisely.
6. Economic Vitality: Support a walkable, beautiful, vibrant downtown and accessible village centers that draw residents and visitors. Create an environment where small, local, and diverse businesses can thrive across the City alongside large employers. Continue to work in partnership with the business community to ensure Mountain View is a center for innovation with meaningful jobs for workers.
7. Organizational Strength and Good Governance : Continue to innovate, collaborate, and continuously improve to deliver a high level of customer service. Recruit, develop, and retain top -notch staff. Maintain fiscal responsibility and effective intergovernmental partnerships. Communicate and engage regularly and transparently with our multilingual community.
ADVOCACY POSITIONS FOR ADOPTION
Support: A support position indicates to the Legislature, regulatory agency, and other stakeholders that the City of Mountain View is in favor of both the spirit of the proposed law as well as in support of the technical approach in which the proposed law seeks to address the issue.
Oppose: An oppose position indicates to the corresponding Legislature, regulatory agency, and other stakeholders that the City of Mountain View is strongly against the proposed legislative policy proposal. Barring an amendment that would exempt the City from it s provisions, it is unlikely the proposal could be feasibly amended to remove all concerns.
Oppose Unless Amended: An oppose unless amended position indicates to the corresponding Legislature, regulatory agency, and other stakeholders that the City of Mountain View has concerns about either the spirit of the law and/or the specific approach being taken unless all or a significant number of the substantive concerns with the proposal are addressed. This position is often used to ensure policies can be modified to better suit the City’s goals through the negotiation and amendment process.
Neutral: A neutral position indicates to the corresponding Legislature, regulatory agency, and other stakeholders that the City of Mountain View is impartial on the legislative proposal in question. Typically, this position is adopted after amendments have been taken to address policy concerns on a particular piece of legislation.
Sponsor/Cosponsor: A sponsor or cosponsor position indicates to the corresponding Legislature, regulatory agency, and other stakeholders that the City of Mountain View is not only in strong CG/6/MGR
608-02-11-25LP-1 3 of 14 Proposed: February 1125, 2025 support of the legislative proposal but is publicly leading the advocacy effort. This position is only used when a state lawmaker has agreed to carry a specific proposal on behalf of the City.
Monitor/Watch: Indicates to the corresponding Legislature, regulatory agency, and other stakeholders that the City of Mountain View is dedicating resources to review, evaluate, and monitor the proposal. If the City is undecided on how to proceed on the measure in prin t, staff will continue to watch for amendments that may cause concern or provide tools/resources for the City, taking the appropriate (formal) position at that time.
LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM STATEMENTS
A. Administration, Finance, Human Resources, and Risk Management
1. Monitor/watch measures for providing flexibility for local government in contracting.
2. Support legislation that promotes efforts to advance workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion.
3. Support legislation that facilitates the ability of local government to share resources to increase efficiencies and decrease costs, including models such as mutual aid and regional collaboration in the provision of fire services.
4. Monitor and evaluate Proposition 13 and City and County tax apportionment proposals.
5. Monitor and evaluate any Bradley-Burns sales tax proposals.
6. Monitor and evaluate all proposals that include an unfunded mandate to local governments.
7. Oppose any amendment to the redistribution of sales and use taxes that will affect the City and its ability to provide City services and , thereby, cause a negative fiscal impact.
8. Monitor/watch measures that reduce local control over employee relations issues or mandate new or enhanced local government employee benefits.
9. Monitor/watch measures that impose compulsory and binding arbitration with respect to employees.
10. Support efforts to maintain the City’s fiscal solvency with respect to unfunded pension and retiree health-care liability. Support efforts that decrease local costs.
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11. Support legislation and administrative efforts that provide clarity and flexibility in CalPERS workplace rules, including working after retirement and the use of contract service providers.
12. Support efforts that will protect the revenue base for the City.
13. Oppose actions that seek to reduce or redirect City revenues.
14. Support legislation that lowers thresholds for bond measures , including measures to support and fund affordable housing.
15. Review and ev aluate measures that regulate the use of and content generated by artificial intelligence (AI). Evaluate policy proposals to assess potential impacts to City administration, governance, and/or impacts to City residents.
16. Monitor Education Revenue Augmentation Fund (ERAF) allocations and advocate for fair distribution of ERAF and Excess ERAF funds to prevent negative fiscal impact on the City.
B. Governmental Transparency and Public Access
1. Support legislation that balances increased public trust, confidence, and access to public meetings while realizing the fiscal and operational constraints of local government.
2. Support legislation that would increase civic participation and engagement, including the continued allowance of legislative subcommittees, advisory committees, and commissions to participate virtually (post -COVID-19 state of emergency) without physical location posting requirements under the Ralph M. Brown Act.
3. Support legislation that would permit a minority amount of virtual Councilmember participation without physical location posting so long as a physical in-person quorum is present.
4. Support state funding efforts to assist with enhanced public access for members of the community.
5. Monitor/watch legislation that increases the cost of municipal elections through unnecessary new requirements.
6. Support legislation that would permit the City to provide electronic copies of documents to satisfy requirements in the California Public Records Act (CPRA).
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7. Monitor and evaluate proposals that create new mandates under the CPRA without state reimbursement provisions.
8. Monitor and evaluate proposals that requires a one-size-fits-all local record-retention policy.
9. Review and evaluate legislation that seeks to regulate campaign finance in local, regional, and state government campaigns.
10. Support legislation that preserves net neutrality.
11. Support funding for increasing access to broadband, including middle - and last-mile expenditures.
12. Support legislation that requires regional bodies to make public how City Council member s are appointed to regional bodies.
C. Housing and Community Development
1. Support legislation that provides more resources and tools that enable Mountain View to address housing needs specific to the community, including resources to fund infrastructure and services to support new housing development.
2. Support legislation that would require IOUs to provide increased transparency, communication, predictability , and certainty to the City and developers for key energy infrastructure to ensure continued progress in meeting our affordable housing production goals.
3. Monitor and evaluate housing proposals that take a “one -size-fits-all” approach.
Specifically, advocate for modifications in proposals to recognize communities like Mountain View that are good actors in addressing community housing needs.
4. Support legislative and/or funding efforts that provide more resources for effective planning to meet the City’s goal of developing complete communities.
5. Support legislation that will enable the City to meet its Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) goals, including legislation that increases funding for housing and legislation that increases flexibility in housing types that count toward RHNA goals.
6. Support legislation and funding opportunities that preserve existing affordable housing stock while protecting housing options for extremely low -, very low -, low-, and middle-income residents, including legislation that limits the ability for existing rental housing stock to remain vacant.
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7. Support antidisplacement legislation that promotes and protects the ability of residents to remain and stay in the community, including tenant protection, 100% replacement requirements, funding , and support to realize true first right -of- return for displaced tenants in newly developed replacement units, and antiprice - gouging policies.*
8. Support legislation that would incentivize increased production of missing -middle, low-, very low -, and extremely low -income housing production while allowing Mountain View to retain its local land-use authority.
9. Support legislative or funding mechanisms that promote affordable housing projects to meet the diverse needs of City residents, including housing for people with special needs.
10. Support legislation that allows for middle -income and affordable homeownership opportunities.
11. Support housing funding opportunities provided to local jurisdictions through statewide bond efforts for affordable and middle-income housing.
12. Support housing measures that promote the preservation of existing affordable housing, including programs that facilitate qualified developers and tenant-/community-based groups to acquire existing housing units.
13. Support legislation that would provide additional time and resources to improve Housing Element processes.
14. Support legislative efforts that increase school funding to keep pace with community growth.
15. Monitor and evaluate legislation that protects the City’s ability to implement housing programs that promote equity and inclusion, prevent disparate impacts, reduces barriers, and increases efforts to affirmatively further fair housing, including legislation that supports Mountain View’s efforts to promote greater access to affordable housing, greater housing diversity, and greater access to opportunity.
16. Monitor and evaluate legislation that affects rent stabilization and oppose efforts to diminish the City’s Community Stabilization and Fair Rent Act (CSFRA) and Mobile Home Rent Stabilization Ordinance (MHRSO).
17. Monitor and evaluate telecommunication proposals that impact the regulation of telecommunication facilities.
* Support only if the City Council determines this is feasible within the Tenant Displacement Response Strategy.
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18. Monitor and evaluate electric vehicle (EV) proposals that impact the regulation and implementation of EV infrastructure or management.
19. Support legislative efforts that provide increased funding and policy incentives for Prohousing-certified jurisdictions up to and including streamlining of regulatory and planning requirements for local governments that show good-faith commitments to advancing housing solutions.
20. Monitor and evaluate solar proposals that impact the regulation and implementation of solar infrastructure or management.
21. Support child-care/day-care legislation to increase child care within the community.
22. Monitor and evaluate alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis proposals that impact the regulation of land-use provisions pertaining to the sale, use, or regulation of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis.
23. Support funding for public health measures and the expansion of health-care services.
24. Support for legislation and funding to enable the City to implement community forestry and urban greening programs, develop nature -filled neighborhoods, and support the City’s goal of Livability and Quality of Life.
25. Monitor and evaluate legislation that relates to City permit review timelines for new multi-family, mixed-use, and/or commercial development.
26. Oppose legislation that poses risks to historic resources and neighborhood -/local- serving retail/services/restaurants and support legislation that preserves historic resources and requires replacement of any displaced neighborhood -/local-serving retail/service/restaurant uses in new development.
27. Support legislation to increase funding support for costs related to providing supportive services and case management in affordable housing projects with rapid rehousing and/or permanent supportive housing.
28. Support legislation to increase funding for transportation demand management (TDM) programs in affordable housing.
29. Support for legislation or funding that encourages the development of the 15-minute city (FMC) urban planning concept in which most daily necessities and services can be easily reached by a 15-minute walk, bike ride, or public transit ride from any point in the city.
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30. Support legislation that requires cities to report responses to homelessness in their housing elements.
301. Support legislation dedicated to improving the builder’s remedy process andthat allows for more local flexibility for local governments that show good -faith commitments to advancing housing solutions..
D. Homelessness and Human Services
1. Support legislative and/or funding mechanisms for safe parking programs , including removing all sunset provisions set to expire.
2. Support efforts to increase federal and state funding to prevent and reduce homelessness in Mountain View and throughout Santa Clara County.
3. Support legislation and/or funding mechanisms that promote regional programs to address homelessness and support formerly homeless individuals, including funding for temporary emergency shelters, rapid rehousing, permanent supportive housing, and other supportive services for vulnerable populations.
4. Support measures that provide resources to address the mental health needs of persons experiencing homelessness.
5. Review and evaluate proposals that would reduce staff capacity and drain limited resources to help Mountain View’s most vulnerable populations through the creation of unnecessary and burdensome planning and reporting requirements.
6. Advocate for state funding to be included in mandates to address homelessness.
7. Support legislation for child and child-care tax credits and guaranteed income funding programs for families.
8. Advocate for changes in state law and additional funding that promotes increased ability for child-care options in urban settings.
E. Economic Development
1. Support international, statewide, regional, and local efforts to attract, retain, and provide resources for current and future technology -based, commercial, and industrial businesses.
2. Support efforts to provide funding mechanisms for economic development tools, including infrastructure investment, housing, child care, schools, and tree -lined streets around retail areas to support vitality and increase pedestrian traffic and CG/6/MGR
608-02-11-25LP-1 9 of 14 Proposed: February 1125, 2025 length of stay as well as other needs critical to a foundation of equitable economic resiliency.
3. Support policies, programs, and funding that encourage working with other cities, counties, and government agencies to jointly leverage resources and assets to create and strengthen economic clusters within the region.
4. Support policies, projects, programs, and regulations for diversifying Mountain View’s primary economic base and facilitating investment that will result in maintaining or growing local jobs and creating an environment that is attractive to current and emerging industries.
5. Support policies, projects, and programs in support of business and workforce resiliency and addressing more equitable economic growth.
6. Support economic development initiatives that preserve and enhance a positive business climate and maintain and grow the business tax base.
7. Maintain an equitable program for the continued disbursement of sales and use taxes, which reflect local impacts on various communities.
8. Taking into account the vital importance of equitable Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) access, support legislation that would provide the needed education, financial resources, and access to ADA compliance experts for the Mountain View business community.
9. Support legislation and funding to enable work force training and job growth to help meet the City’s goal of Economic Vitality.
10. Support nonresidential antidisplacement legislation that promotes and protects the ability of small or legacy businesses to remain and stay in the community, including business protection and replacement requirements.
11. Support policies and programs for the visual and performing arts/artist community that enhance and increase economic vitality for local businesses, create new jobs, increase the tax base, and promotes tourism.
12. Support legislation that restores tax increment financing and other mechanisms that support the City’s ability to generate revenues.
13. Support legislation that reformsmodifiesallows cities to acquire and install public art without the existing requirements for a that requiring contractor licensed by the Contractors State Licensing Boards for public art installations.
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608-02-11-25LP-1 10 of 14 Proposed: February 1125, 2025 F. Environmental Sustainability, Climate Change, and Resilience
1. Support legislation, policies , and funding opportunities focused on regional collaboration and coordinating sustainable planning in climate resilience, carbon neutrality, transportation, housing, and economic development.
2. Support continued funding and incentives to local agencies to improve air quality through the reduction of emissions and advancing economic and technical developments.
3. Support policies, guidelines, incentives, and funding for programs with combined benefits to air quality, water quality, housing, infrastructure (including multi -modal transportation systems) and public health reduction of nonrenewable energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through electrification of buildings and transportation, carbon sequestration, and increased production and use of renewable energy.
4. Support funding and planning for climate resilience, including extreme heat, sea level rise, air quality due to wildfires, and flood protections.
5. Support funding related to nature-based solutions, such as expanding the tree canopy and restoring wetlands for climate resilience, carbon sequestration, cleaner air, heat island and flooding reduction, and many other environmental benefits.
6. Support policies and funding to support disadvantaged communities to plan for climate change and reduce impacts to disadvantaged communities from climate change.
7. Support policies, guidelines, and incentives for increased production of renewable energy.
8. Support policies, programs, guidelines, and incentives to transition away from fossil fuels through electrification of buildings and vehicles.
9. Support funding for carbon sequestration that maintains efforts and support for greenhouse-reduction policies, programs, and incentives.
10. Support funding and programs for work force training or cross-trade licensing for the electrification of existing buildings, especially for marginalized community members.
11. Support state analysis of costs and benefits of potential climate policies and policies and practices that facilitate access by local government to use data , such as energy, water, and fuel consumption, to enhance effectiveness of local sustainability program implementation.
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608-02-11-25LP-1 11 of 14 Proposed: February 1125, 2025 G. Water Quality and Water Supply
1. Support and monitor legislation that would increase the availability of and funding for water conservation, water reuse technologies, water recycling, local water storage, and other water supply technologies.
2. Support the enhancement of a reliable and sustainable water supply for California that protects or enhances the environment.
3. Support measures to increase water supply and improve water quality in the region, including drought relief legislation.
4. Support for legislation and funding to enable the City to implement urban greening and green infrastructure projects that improve water quality, protect creeks and waterways, reduce stormwater runoffs, decrease the flow of polluted water into the San Francisco Bay, and enhance regional climate resilience.
H. Natural Hazards
1. Support programs which provide funding to hazard mitigation projects, including those identified in a FEMA-approved Local Hazard Mitigation Plan.
2. Support funding of state efforts to update and prepare earthquake hazard mapping.
3. Support legislation and funding that would create an earthquake early warning system.
4. Support for legislation and funding to enable the City to implement urban greening programs to support climate resilience and mitigate the effects of extreme heat and wildfire smoke and safeguard residents’ health.
5. Support funding to mitigate extreme climate -related events for marginalized community members.
I. Recreation, Parks, and Library Services
1. Support legislation and funding opportunities (e.g., State Park grant funds, conservancy grant funds, and project mitigation funds) that would help the City fund acquisition, design, and/or improvements for parks, open space, natural resources, the urban forest, historic preservation, the arts, and cultural resources.
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2. Support and encourage noncompetitive per-capita funding measures offered through the Natural Resources Agency, State Parks and Recreation, for the benefit of City Parks and Recreation capital projects.
3. Support efforts to fund the Housing -Related Parks Program offered through the Department of Housing and Community Development.
4. Promote local agency control over policies that recognize the benefits of parks and recreation facilities.
5. Oppose efforts that erode funding for vital regional and community services that negatively impact Californians ’ access to parks, open space, bikeways, after -school programming, youth services, senior services, food programs, facilities that promote physical activity, protect natural resources, and strengthen safety and security.
6. Oppose legislation that eliminates or reduces park development impact fees necessary for providing parks for new housing developments.
7. Support the California Library Association ’s efforts to retain current funding levels , increase funding , and oppose legislation or budgetary actions that would reduce funding for libraries.
J. Public Safety, Emergency Services, and Law Enforcement
1. Support legislation that strengthens community-oriented public safety policies.
2. Support legislation and funding that will help local governments with improving community policing and rebuilding community trust through officer training and a proactive behavioral therapy approach for crises involving mental illness, homelessness and addiction, and support programs.
3. Monitor and evaluate legislation that would increase accountability and transparency for law enforcement agencies and personnel.
4. Support legislation that promotes and strengthens law enforcement and first - responder access to mental health services, including peer support, training, family resources, suicide prevention, and other promising practices for wellness programs.
5. Support legislation and funding opportunities that promote situational awareness during emergency events and evacuations.
6. Monitor legislation on implementation of best practices regarding law enforcement procedures and policies.
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7. Support legislation that encourages regional collaboration and deployment of resources to maximize firefighting efforts.
8. Support local control of emergency medical services and ambulance services, including prehospital care and transport.
9. Support local determination of adequate staffing based on data and analytics.
10. Recommend funding opportunities be created for public safety to include diversity in police and fire hiring, recruiting, and education practices.
11. Support legislation that coordinates public safety shutoff events between customers, regulators, government officials, and public safety partners.
12. Support legislation that would strengthen gun safety measures and accountability for gun crimes.
K. Transportation and Public Works
1. Support legislation that would increase funding for local transportation projects, including road resurfacing projects; local transit and shuttle projects; adding bikeways, sidewalks, and trails throughout the City where appropriate; programs that facilitate development -oriented transit and transit -oriented development; and enhancing bicycle and pedestrian safety and safety for people with disabilities.
2. Support increased state and federal funding of transportation improvements with regional or subregional benefits for all modes of transportation, including funding for constructing Caltrain grade separation projects.
3. Support legislation that would amend the Pedestrian Mall Law Act of 1960 to streamline the process for a city to make street closures permanent.
4. Support protection of dedicated transportation-related tax revenues and enhance the ability of local agencies to finance local transportation programs and facilities.
5. Support joint planning efforts and projects with Mountain View’s border cities and the County of Santa Clara on traffic congestion relief projects.
6. Support legislation and funding that supports Vision Zero programs and project implementation.
7. Support efforts that allocate State General Fund surplus revenues to be invested in local/regional transportation projects and initiatives that benefit the City of Mountain View.
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8. Support policies aimed at equitable access for transportation system users and equitable transportation funding for disadvantaged communities.
9. Support funding for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and the conversion of City shuttle fleets from gas-powered to electric vehicles.
10. Seek long-term funding solutions for the ongoing operation of Mountain View’s EV community shuttle program.
11. Oppose measures that undermine local decision-making in the installation of broadband services.
12. Closely monitor any legislation pertaining to the Surplus Lands Act and oppose measures that limit how land can be used and maintained.
13. Support legislation related to Valley Transportation Authority governance changes that ensures Mountain View is adequately represented on the governing board and fully recognizes Mountain View’s transportation needs.
14. Support legislation and funding that facilitates the implementation of slow, green, and shared-use street networks in Mountain View.
15. Support an increase in funding for transportation and transit without attaching additional requirements.
16. Support funding for constructing Caltrain grade separation projects.
17. Monitor/watch legislation that regulates the operation of autonomous vehicles on public roads.
18. Support legislation relatedthat establishes to the creation and maintenance of reducing train noise reductionoperations and quiet zones for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority and Caltrain.Caltrain.