City Hall Connection
October 13, 2021
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News and Information from the City of Mountain View
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At the Oct. 12 meeting, the City Council gave input and direction regarding the Castro Pedestrian Mall Feasibility Study’s high-level concept alternatives for the 100 block of Castro Street, the potential inclusion of the 200 and 300 blocks of Castro Street into the pedestrian mall concept, and the continuation of the interim closure of the 100 to 300 blocks of Castro Street to vehicular traffic beyond January 2022.
The Council's direction included maintaining the three-block closure of Castro Street to vehicular traffic until January 2023 and developing low-cost interim improvements for the current closed blocks that could be implemented until a permanent pedestrian mall can be designed and constructed. The Council supported staff recommendation for a phased approach that begins with creating a pedestrian mall for the three blocks that retains the existing Evelyn Avenue and Transit Center configuration and plans for redesigning Centennial Plaza and the Transit Center as a future phase.
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Public Safety Building Redesign |
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Also at the Oct. 12 meeting, the City Council approved placing a new Public Safety Building on the existing site to replace the current Police/Fire Administration Building, located at 1000 Villa St. The existing building, which was opened in 1980, does not meet current seismic standards and is not adequate to meet the City’s current and future public safety operations.
The new Public Safety Building will house Police Department Operations, Fire Administration Operations, 911 Emergency Dispatch, and the City’s Emergency Operations Center. Developing conceptual design options and exploring funding options are the next step.
The City has been studying a new or expanded and renovated Public Safety Building for approximately 20 years.
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Mayor for a Day Winners Announced |
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Congratulations to Aanya Raychaudhuri (3rd grade, Jose Antonio Vargas Elementary School) and Dhruv Vijay (8th grade, Blach Intermediate School) for being chosen as the elementary and middle school Mayor for a Day contest winners.
Raychaudhuri shared her winning essay at the Oct. 12 City Council meeting and Vijay will share his winning essay on Oct. 26.
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What's Next for the Housing Element Update |
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The City’s Housing Element Update process is getting underway. The next step includes a study session about updating the housing planning policy document at the next Environmental Planning Commission meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 20, starting at 7 p.m. The City Council study session on this topic is scheduled for Nov. 16.
The Housing Element is a key element of the City’s General Plan and serves as a comprehensive, long-term policy document that guides future decisions on housing preservation. It identifies a specific number of housing sites to accommodate a range of income categories. This update is required by the State of California and began through a process called the “Regional Housing Needs Allocation,” or RHNA for short, where every city in the state is assigned a number of housing units to plan for, representing its share of the state’s housing needs. The City of Mountain View’s draft RHNA number is 11,135. The Housing Element update to the General Plan to this policy document must incorporate the RHNA number of units and will influence the future of affordable and accessible housing in Mountain View.
The State’s Department of Housing and Community Development requires cities statewide to update their Housing Elements every eight years.
For more information about the Housing Element Update including opportunities for public input, visit MVHousingElement.org. |
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Council Advisory Body Application Deadline Extended |
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If you missed the deadline to apply to be a City Council advisor, there is good news! The deadline has been extended until the last Friday in October. In particular, the City is looking for residents to serve on the Downtown Committee, Human Relations Commission and Senior Advisory Committee.
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As part of national Welcoming Week, City Councilmembers made it known through an official proclamation that all are welcome in Mountain View. The City Council stressed the strengths that diversity brings to the community, including creativity, innovation and opportunities for all. As the proclamation states: "...regardless of our birthplaces or appearances, we are all Mountain View residents, united in our efforts to build a strong City... more prosperous and more inclusive to all who call it home..."
See the full proclamation here. |
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Library Hours Updated for Fall and Winter |
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As of Oct. 11, the Mountain View Public Library has adjusted hours for the fall and winter seasons. The building will be open to the public Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sundays, 1 to 5 p.m.
The COVID-19 Delta variant continues to present health and safety concerns and creates additional impacts on staffing. The adjusted hours are an effort to maintain responsive levels of library service during operating hours.
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Virtual Meetings to Continue |
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In line with the County of Santa Clara Public Health Officer recommendations and adoption of a resolution by the County Board of Supervisors, the City will continue to hold remote meetings for all City Council and advisory bodies (boards and commissions) for the time being. The recommendations are part of a multifaceted approach to reducing community transmission of COVID-19 and to enable those individuals who are most at risk to continue to participate in public government meetings. |
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Monster Bash will return to Rengstorff Park on Saturday, Oct. 30. The park will transform into a ghoulishly good time for all ages from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Community members are encouraged to wear their favorite costumes and enjoy a fall festival loaded with a twisty maze, spooky games, enchanting music, stilt walkers, a bubble show, roaming magician and more. New this year, Monster Bash will celebrate Dia de Los Muertos with orange marigolds as well as crafts for the kids. The event sponsors include BMW of Mountain View and Statcomm Inc.
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OnStage at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts |
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- MainStage Shows
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TheatreWorks Silicon Valley presents Lizard Boy (now through Oct. 31)
- SecondStage Shows
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Socially Inept: Tech Roast Show (Oct. 15)
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Upstage Theater presents Trap (Oct. 22—24)
Get tickets and more information at MVCPA.com
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Bay Area Health Officials Announce Criteria for Lifting COVID-19 Indoor Masking Requirement |
As a region, Bay Area health officers recently announced that three metrics will be used to determine if a county will be able to relax indoor masking requirements.
- COVID transmissions will need to be rated at moderate (yellow) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for three consecutive weeks (Santa Clara County is currently in orange, or substantial transmission).
- The vaccination rate need to be at least 80% fully vaccinated for ALL residents in a county (regardless of vaccine eligibility) OR eight weeks after the FDA approves 5 to 11-year-olds for vaccinations.
- The hospitalization metric will be up to the local health officer because it has a lot to do with capacity.
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Community Center Vaccination Site Continues |
In partnership with the County of Santa Clara, free vaccine clinics have resumed at the Mountain View Community Center (201 S Rengstorff Ave.) during the following times:
- Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 6:15 p.m.
- Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
The vaccination site at the community center will be closed Nov. 4-6.
Appointments can be made through the County’s website at sccFreeVax.org. |
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Free Testing Opportunities at the Community Center |
The City of Mountain View continues to partner with the County of Santa Clara to offer COVID-19 testing at the Mountain View Community Center every two weeks. Upcoming dates are Oct. 25, Nov. 8 and 22, and Dec. 13 and 27.
To make an appointment, visit https://scl.fulgentgenetics.com/appointment. Once all appointments are filled, this location will no longer appear for scheduling on the website. This testing site is not designed to test individuals with symptoms of COVID-19. Individuals with symptoms should contact their healthcare provider for evaluation and testing.
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El Camino Hospital in Mountain View Vaccine Site |
Free COVID-19 vaccines are available through the El Camino Hospital Mountain View Outpatient Pharmacy at 2500 Grant Road in Mountain View. Appointments are highly recommended and can be scheduled here. Walk-ins will also be accepted Monday to Friday from 10 a.m.– 4 p.m. |
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Upcoming Meetings & Events |
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Oct. 14 | Eviction Help Center (in person) | 1 p.m. | Library
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Oct. 18 | Youth Advisory Committee | 4:30 p.m. | online
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Oct. 18 | Board of Library Trustees | 7 p.m. | online
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Oct. 18 | Rental Housing Committee | 7 p.m. | online
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Oct. 20 | Senior Advisory Committee | 2 p.m. | Senior Center
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Oct. 20 | Performing Arts Committee | 6:15 p.m. | online
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Oct. 20 | Environmental Planning Commission | 7 p.m. | online
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Oct. 21 | Eviction Help Center (in person) | 1 p.m. | Library
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Oct. 21 | Springer/Cuesta/Phyllis Area Community Neighborhood Committee | 7 p.m. | register
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Oct. 21 | Public Safety Advisory Board | 7 p.m. | online
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Oct. 22 | Oral Health Wellness for Seniors | 10 a.m. | Senior Center
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Oct. 23 | Spooky Times at Deer Hollow Farm | 10 a.m. | Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve
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Oct. 26 | Eviction Protections and Rent Relief Webinar | 3 p.m. | register
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Oct. 26 | City Council Meeting | 5:00 p.m. | online
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Oct. 27 | Administrative Zoning Hearing | 4 p.m. | online
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Oct. 27 | Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee | 6:30 p.m. | online
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Oct. 27 | Eviction Protections and Rent Relief Webinar | 6:30 p.m. | register
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AskMV at Your Service
Available 24/7, Ask Mountain View is an easy way to send your questions, concerns and compliments directly to City staff who can help you. Download the app or submit a request online at MountainView.gov/AskMV.
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