Draft Climate Vulnerability Assessment and Scope of
Services to Develop an Integrated Climate Strategy
3 December 1, 2025
Danielle Lee | Chief Sustainability and Resiliency Officer Celine Fujikawa| Cascadia Consulting Group
4 • November 19, 2024: City Council approved scope of work to undertake a Climate Vulnerability Assessment (CVA) with Cascadia Consulting Group
• April 29, 2025: Council Sustainability Committee (CSC) approved the framework, deliverables, and focus areas for the CVA
• June 26, 2025: Project team presented CVA progress to the CSC that included preliminary results and impacts of extreme heat data for Mountain View
• December 1, 2025: Present draft CVA to the CSC for feedback Background
CVA Progress Update
Council
Adopts Climate
Vulnerability
Assessment
Develop
Climate
Impacts
Summary
Draft Climate
Vulnerability
Assessment
Review
available
research &
plans
Spring 2025 to Fall 2025
We are here!
• Literature review
• Map development
• Staff consultation
and review of draft
• CSC presentation
• CVA finalization
• Adoption by City
Council
Winter 2025-TBD
6 Climate Vulnerability
Assessment (CVA)
7 Climate Vulnerability Assessment Goals
Identify local climate vulnerabilities. Use existing resources to assess risks to key infrastructure and communities.
Inform future climate strategies. Provide a foundation for policies tailored to Mountain View’s specific vulnerabilities.
Support cross-sector planning. Highlight gaps in current plans and programs and promote collaboration with public, private, and community-based partners for long-term resilience.
8 • Evaluates how climate hazards affect people,
infrastructure, and services
• Builds on existing City resilience efforts rather
than duplicating them
• Sector-based approach to assessing vulnerability
• Provides a foundation for future resilience
planning
CVA Overview
9 Top Climate Hazards in Mountain View
10 Climate-Sensitive Populations
11 CVA Methodology
12 CVA Sectors For Each Climate Hazard
13 Summary of
Vulnerability Across
Sectors
14 Health and Wellbeing
15 Health and Wellbeing
Hazard Vulnerability
Extreme Heat High
Extreme Precipitation
& Flooding
Moderate
Wildfire Low
Wildfire Smoke High
Air Quality Moderate
Vulnerability by Hazard Key Takeaways
• Extreme heat and wildfire smoke are the top health
threats, increasing heat illness and respiratory issues. • Heat plus humidity significantly raises “feels like”
temperatures, creating dangerous conditions for
sensitive groups.
• Air quality is worsening near major roadways, elevating asthma and cardiovascular risks.
• Unhoused residents face direct exposure with limited
access to cooling or clean-air spaces.
• Existing resources help but remain limited, including cooling centers that face capacity and access challenges.
Currently, there are no existing clean-air shelters in Santa Clara County.
16 Who Is Most At Risk?
17 437 heat-related
hospitalizations in
Santa Clara County
(2000–2020)
1,808 emergency
room visits for heat-
related illness in the
county (2005–2020)
Health and Wellbeing Data from Extreme Heat
18 Projected Extreme Heat Days and Warm Nights
• Extreme heat days rise from 5 → 12 days (+140%)
• Warm nights rise from 8 → 35 nights (+338%)
By mid-century
(2035-2064)
• Extreme heat days increase to 23 days (+360%)
• Warm nights climb to 78 nights (+875%)
By late century
(2070-2099)
19 Neighborhood-Level Heat Exposure and Sensitive Populations • Hotter neighborhoods overlap with key community
sites including schools, senior centers, and areas with more older adults.
• South Mountain View , Rengstorff/Shoreline, and
Sylvan Park show the most severe heat exposure.
• These hotter areas often have older housing and
limited tree canopy, along with more low-income or
elderly residents.
• Several schools fall within hotter zones, increasing
outdoor heat exposure for students.
• These overlaps identify priority areas for shade,
cooling infrastructure, and heat-relief programs.
20 Emergency
Management
21 Emergency Management
Hazard Vulnerability
Extreme Heat High
Extreme Precipitation
& Flooding
Moderate
Wildfire Low
Wildfire Smoke High
Vulnerability by Hazard Key Takeaways
• Extreme heat and wildfire smoke are the most disruptive hazards, impacting air quality, cooling systems, and responder safety.
• Critical facilities in high-heat areas face added strain, including hospitals and fire stations with higher energy and cooling demands.
• Flooding can block emergency routes and affect key
buildings, reducing access to stations, schools, and medical centers.
• Wildfire smoke increases emergency calls, driving spikes in respiratory distress even when fires burn outside the city. • Strong coordination systems exist, but backup capacity is limited, highlighting the need for improved power, cooling, and filtration at essential facilities.
22 • Older adults (65+) and patients dependent on medical equipment who need continuous power and access to
emergency care.
• First responders and outdoor emergency staff who face high exposure to heat and poor air quality.
• Students and childcare providers, especially at older campuses without modern cooling or ventilation.
• Residents in flood-prone neighborhoods, where road closures or power outages can delay emergency services.
• Unhoused and low-income residents, who rely on public facilities for safe shelter, cooling, and clean air during crises.
Who Is Most At Risk?
23 Critical Facilities and Heat Exposure
• Hotter areas overlap with major critical facilities,
including fire stations, hospitals, police/fire
administration buildings, schools, and community
centers.
• High-heat exposure around essential services can
reduce staff and patient comfort and affect
operational reliability.
• These overlaps can help the City prioritize upgrades, such as backup power, improved ventilation, shade
structures, and cooling infrastructure for climate
emergencies.
24 Critical Facilities and Flood Hazard Zones
• Fire stations, schools, medical centers, and
other critical facilities overlap with 100- and
500-year flood zones, increasing operational
and access risks.
• Flood exposure around essential services
can delay emergency response, affect school
operations, and reduce availability of safe
indoor spaces during storms.
• These overlaps help the City prioritize
upgrades and maintain access routes,
guiding long-term resilience investments for
community safety.
25 Economy
26 Economy
Hazard Vulnerability
Extreme Heat Moderate
Extreme Precipitation
& Flooding
High
Wildfire Moderate
Wildfire Smoke Moderate
Vulnerability by Hazard Key Takeaways
• Extreme heat and flooding pose the biggest economic risks, disrupting operations and damaging buildings and
infrastructure.
• Outdoor and service workers face higher vulnerability, with heat reducing productivity and increasing health risks. • High-heat days will lead to measurable economic losses, including reduced wages and lower consumer activity.
• Flood-prone business zones contain high-value assets, including commercial and tech areas at risk of costly
interruptions.
• Small businesses are least equipped to recover, while larger employers are beginning to integrate climate-resilient design and planning.
27 • Outdoor workers in construction, maintenance, and landscaping exposed to extreme heat and poor air quality.
• Service industry employees in restaurants, retail, and hospitality who face unstable work hours or income loss during extreme weather events.
• Small business owners with limited financial capacity to repair, retrofit, or relocate.
• Lower-wage and hourly workers who may lose wages or
employment opportunities during climate disruptions.
• Businesses in flood-prone industrial and commercial zones near Highway 101 and North Bayshore.
• Tech and data-driven industries reliant on uninterrupted power, cooling, and digital connectivity.
Who Is Most At Risk?
28 Commercial and Industrial Areas Within Flood Hazard Zones • Several commercial, mixed-use, office, and
industrial zones sit within 100- and 500-year flood
areas, where flooding can damage buildings and
disrupt operations.
• North Bayshore hosts major corporate campuses
and data centers, including areas along Charleston,
Landings, and Marine Way within mapped flood
zones.
• These sites include over $670 million in structural
assets, making them some of the city’s highest-value
areas at risk.
• Commercial corridors along El Camino Real and
Central Expressway may also face operational
impacts during major storms.
• Understanding these overlaps helps guide priorities
for resilient infrastructure, stormwater
improvements, and business continuity planning.
29 Extreme Heat and Lost Wages for Outdoor Workers
Time Period Extreme Heat Days
(91°F+ degree days)
Lost wages for all
climate-exposed
occupations per
worker
Lost wages for all
climate-exposed
occupations per year
Mid-century
(2035-2064)
12 extreme heat days,
+ 7 days from baseline
$36 $125,000
Late century
(2070-2099)
23 extreme heat days,
+ 18 days from
baseline
$145 $500,000
Table 1. Temperature impacts outdoor occupation wages for individuals and the city. 30 Housing and
Infrastructure
31 Housing and Infrastructure
Hazard Vulnerability
Extreme Heat High
Extreme Precipitation
& Flooding
Moderate
Wildfire Low-Moderate
Wildfire Smoke Moderate-High
Vulnerability by Hazard Key Takeaways
• Extreme heat is the biggest housing risk, especially for multifamily rentals and mobile home parks.
• Air quality is poorest near Highway 101, where many
affordable units are located.
• Flood risk affects about 12 percent of homes, including areas near creeks and the Bay.
• Heat and storms disrupt transportation, warping rails and flooding key corridors.
• Stormwater capacity is limited, with repeated flooding in several neighborhoods.
• Planned investments create a strong starting point.
32 • Renters and residents in older multifamily buildings with limited control over weatherization or repairs.
• Mobile home park residents in hot zones or flood
hazard zones who face higher displacement risk after
disasters.
• Low-income households and residents near major
roadways who experience higher pollution and have
fewer resources to adapt.
• Transit-dependent riders, cyclists, and pedestrians
who face service interruptions, unsafe heat, or poor
air quality during extreme weather events.
• Residents living in low-lying neighborhoods near
creeks and the Bay where flooding or high
groundwater can damage homes and roads.
Who Is Most At Risk?
33 Housing Exposure to Extreme Heat
• Hotter areas overlap with rental housing,
mobile home parks, and subsidized units,
increasing exposure for residents with fewer
resources.
• Mobile home parks like Sunset Estates,
New Frontier, and Sahara fall in the city’s
hottest zones.
• People living in vehicles and older homes
face higher health risks due to limited
cooling and shade.
• These overlaps highlight where to prioritize
cooling strategies such as shade trees and
targeted heat-relief programs.
34 Housing Within Flood Hazard Zones
• Homes are located within 100- and 500-year flood
zones.
• Multiple mobile home parks near Highway 101 and
Grant Road sit in flood-prone areas.
• Subsidized and naturally affordable housing in
northern neighborhoods lies near areas where
stormwater can overwhelm older buildings.
• Safe parking sites and nearby rental housing may
also be affected during major storms, challenging
residents with limited shelter options.
• Identifying these overlaps helps the City prioritize
mitigation and support, especially for communities
with fewer resources.
35 Transit and Active Transportation to Extreme Heat
• Hotter areas overlap with many bus stops,
transit stations, rail lines, and multi-use
trails.
• Major corridors like El Camino Real, Central
Expressway, and Grant Road run through
high-heat zones with limited shade.
• Transit-dependent riders, cyclists, and
pedestrians face higher risk of heat stress,
especially without access to air-conditioned
vehicles.
• Understanding these overlaps helps the
City prioritize shaded stops, tree planting,
and cooling features along key routes.
36 Transit and Active Transportation Within Flood Hazard Zones • Bus stops, transit stations, roadways, rail lines, and trails overlap with 100- and 500-year flood zones.
• Key corridors like Shoreline Blvd, Charleston Rd,
Central Expressway, and Grant Rd run through areas
prone to temporary flooding.
• Several bus stops in northwest Mountain View
(served by MVgo Route D) sit in flood-prone areas.
• About 15.5 miles of roadway and 7.6 miles of multi-
use trail fall within the 100-year flood zone, raising
mobility and safety concerns.
• Understanding these overlaps supports planning for
drainage upgrades, detours, and reliable travel
options during extreme weather .
37 2045 Climate
Strategy
Opportunities for Resiliency Planning
38 • Integrate resiliency into the
decarbonization plan being
developed by Cascadia
• This approach helps identify
strategies that reduce
emissions and increase
adaptive capacity
• Helps understand tradeoffs
and mitigate tensions
between decarbonization
and resiliency strategies
• Standalone adaptation plan
o Increases costsand extends
the project
o More focused on resiliency,
less complexity
• DO NOT pursue resiliency
planning at this time
o Focus on decarbonization
strategy and finalize the CVA
o Short-term cost savings and
quicker project completion
STAFF RECOMMENDATION ALTERNATIVES
Recommended Contract Amendments
39 • Develop a 2045 Climate Strategy that integrates
decarbonization and resiliency
o Includes two community listening sessions to test
the assumptions and findings in the CVA and gain
feedback on strategies
• Minor enhancements to the decarbonization and
resiliency analysis to address CSC and staff feedback
• Addition of a 10% contingency to
accommodate potential adjustments to scope
• Current agreement with Cascadia is for $223,005; the
recommended amendments would increase
this to $371,245
Recommendations
40 1. Review and provide feedback on the draft CVA;
2. Recommend that the City Council direct staff to
develop a 2045 Climate Strategy that integrates
decarbonization and resiliency and includes a
five-year climate roadmap; and
3. Recommend City Council approve an
amendment to the agreement with Cascadia
Consulting Group for $148,240 to include
additional decarbonization and resiliency
analysis, resiliency planning, and an integrated
2045 Climate Strategy, resulting in a total not-to-
exceed amount of $371,245.
Alternatives
41 1. Recommend that the Council direct staff to
develop a standalone Resiliency Strategy;
2. Recommend that the Council direct staff to
revise the scope of services and budget for the
development of the integrated 2045 Climate
Strategy to include more robust community
engagement;
3. Recommend that the Council direct staff not to
pursue resiliency planning at this time.
4. Provide other direction.
42 • The CVA will be finalized and presented to Council for adoption
o Timing will depend upon which resiliency planning
option (if any) is selected
• If the CSC directs staff to develop an integrated 2045 Climate Strategy, staff anticipates presenting the final plan to the Council for adoption by early 2027.
• Developing two standalone plans would result in an
extended project, but could be adopted by the City
Council in phases, with the Decarbonization Strategy
presented in the second half of 2026.
Next Steps
43 Thank you!
Any questions?