This coming Tuesday evening (May 5th), Mountain View City Council will be holding a public hearing on a great project proposed for adjoining lots at 355-365, 401 and 415 East Middlefield Road in Mountain View. Please read on for easy ways you can (remotely) voice your support of this development!
The project as currently proposed would bring 463 much-needed homes to Mountain View, in an area very close to:
- Multiple VTA bus and light rail stops
- Many corporate campuses (Google, LinkedIn, NASA, Symantec, and more)
- Major highways (101, 280, and 85 — reducing commute times for those who need to drive)
- A variety of shops and services in Mountain View
The development contains a mix of homes for sale and rent:
- 427 condo and apartment homes will be consolidated into two 7-story buildings on the site
- 10% of the on-site apartments will be set aside as below-market-rate rentals
- Rather than building affordable condos and townhomes for sale on-site, the developer will make a contribution to the city’s affordable housing fund
- 36 four-story townhomes will also be available for sale
This project complies with Mountain View’s East Whisman Precise Plan, which as we covered last year, aims to create more homes and mixed-use developments to help balance the explosion of job growth in this area (the center of Silicon Valley).
Although this development will largely contain market-rate units, we believe these homes play an important role in housing a portion of the local workforce, lessening some of the competition for existing housing stock in the area. We’re also glad the on-site below market rate units will provide some homes at a lower price point for the area’s workforce.
How can you help?
Mountain View City Council will be meeting virtually at 6:30 pm on Tuesday, May 5th. This project will be discussed towards the end of the agenda — see section 6.1 here for full details. Note that the meeting will open with a proclamation recognizing Affordable Housing Month!
Please use one of the methods below to contact Council or speak during the meeting in support of:
- More homes to house our area’s workforce and reduce our imbalance of jobs to homes
- This development helping the city meet their goal of 5,000 homes in the East Whisman Precise Plan area
- The on-site affordable housing component
- The project’s location near jobs, services, and transit, thereby lessening the need for this development’s residents to drive and park
Public comment methods available from the City of Mountain View
Members of the public wishing to comment on an item on the agenda may do so in the following ways:
- Email comments to city.council@mountainview.gov by 5:00 p.m. on May 5. Emails will be forwarded to the City Council. Emails received after 5:00 p.m. and prior to the Mayor announcing that public comment is closed for each item will be read into the record at the meeting (up to 3 minutes, at the discretion of the Mayor). IMPORTANT: identify the Agenda Item number in the subject line of your email. All emails received will be entered into the record for the meeting.
- Provide oral public comments during the meeting: click the following link to register in advance to access the meeting via Zoom Webinar: https://mountainview.gov/cc_speakers.
- You will be asked to enter an email address and a name. Your email address will not be disclosed to the public. After registering, you will receive an email with instructions on how to connect to the Meeting.
- When the Mayor announces the item on which you wish to speak, click the “raise hand” feature in Zoom or press *9 if participating by phone. For instructions on using the “raise hand” feature in Zoom, visit: https://mountainview.gov/raise_hand.
- Speakers will be notified shortly before they are called to speak.
- When called to speak, please limit your comments to the time allotted (up to 3 minutes, at the discretion of the Mayor).
Members of the public who would like to provide comments to the City Council and are unable to send an email to city.council@mountainview.gov or access the live session to provide oral comments: please call 650-903-6436 and leave your comments in a voice mail message before 5:00p.m. on May 5. Voice mail comments will be played during public comment for the item at the meeting (up to 3 minutes, at the discretion of the Mayor). IMPORTANT: identify the Agenda Item number at the beginning of your voice mail message. Staff capacity to receive and process messages may be limited and we encourage reserving telephone access for those who are unable to send email comments or access the live meeting to provide oral comments
Ready to tune in on the night of the meeting? Watch it live at:
- https://mountainview.legistar.com
- www.MountainView.gov/YouTube
- Comcast Channel 26
Thanks for supporting more homes in our community!