Mountain View

Update the Zoning Ordinance to address consistency with the following State laws and HCD guidance: a) Add provisions for Low-Barrier Navigation Centers in compliance with AB 101 (2019) b) Add provisions for Employee Housing in compliance with Health and Safety Code, § 17000 et seq) c) Add provisions to allow mobilehome parks in all residential zones in compliance with Government Code 65852.7 d) Amend ordinance to add definition of residential care homes and allow residential care homes as a permitted use regardless of the number of residents. e) Amend ordinance to remove unnecessary findings associated with Reasonable Accommodation permits to remove constraints to housing for special needs populations (Program 2.3) f) Amend the ordinance and/or applicable precise plan(s) to allow emergency shelters by right consistent with AB2339. At minimum, this will include the El Camino Real Precise Plan (consistent with the analysis provided in the sites inventory, Appendix E). In addition, identify at least one additional site consistent with the AB2339 methodology and the non-vacant sites analysis in Appendix E, and amend the subject Zoning District or Precise Plan as necessary. g) Ensure zoning and general plan for all sites is consistent with the Housing Element site inventory and pipeline projects. The following areas will be rezoned:1 a. Leong Drive and Fairchild Drive properties at the west end of the Evandale Precise Plan (up to at least 43 DU/ac) – the rezoning will also identify which sites will have required neighborhood commercial b. 1702 Miramonte, 777 Cuesta Drive, and 1949 Grant Road (up to a least 30 DU/ac) c. Moffett Boulevard (up to at least 1.85 FAR, approximately 72 DU/ac) – the rezoning will also identify which sites will have required neighborhood commercial d. 677-699 Calderon Ave (up to at least 30 DU/ac) – with required neighborhood commercial e. Mountain View Transit Center (up to at least 75 DU/ac) -- in addition, the City will continue to work with and facilitate Caltrain in the development of residential on this site, possibly with other uses

 Update the Zoning Ordinance as needed to fully accommodate the City's 6th Cycle RHNA.  Update the Zoning Ordinance to be consistent with recent legislation, Government Code and Health and Safety Code regulations.

Review development standards to ensure they reflect contemporary building types, improve ease of implementation and improve consistency across districts. a) Conduct a development prototype study, update definitions as necessary for consistency between plans and districts, and revise multifamily development standards in major districts (including R3) and Precise Plans to ensure projects can, at minimum, meet their allowed density and are economically feasible, where possible through reductions of physical development standards. Economic feasibility and the cumulative effects of standards will be inputs in the reduction of standards. Where appropriate, calibrate standards to lot size. Focus on standards with the greatest feasibility impacts on underutilized sites, such as open area, parking, and building coverage. b) Compile, evaluate and refine requirements outside the Zoning Ordinance, including Heritage tree preservation and Public Works standards and requirements c) Ensure that zoning code is updated to reflect densities and other standards as required by state law (e.g., SB 478) d) Adopt a TDM Ordinance that provides clear requirements for residential trip reduction across all precise plans and zoning districts and update precise plans as needed. Through the ordinance, study the cost of TDM requirements on typical residential developments, and allow residential developers to meet TDM goals through lower-cost options. Update the zoning ordinance to allow residential parking reductions for projects that implement TDM and exempt parking requirements from projects meeting enhanced TDM criteria (Program 1.2). e) Study live-work as an allowed residential use near retail areas, major corridors and other viable locations f) Identify additional Gatekeeper exemptions for residential projects based on location, size, affordability and other policy goals g) Hold at least one Gatekeeper meeting per year, which may be limited to residential or residential mixed-use projects only, creating greater opportunities for project-specific rezonings h) Conduct a review of R2 zoned properties. For all properties, upzone to either allow density greater than typical R1 properties under SB9, (at least four units per typical parcel, plus ADUs) or integrate the sites into the R3 zone. Sites selected to integrate into the R3 zone should be based on affirmatively furthering fair housing, access to transit, schools and services and other policy goals.

 Streamline the development review process by updating definitions for standards such as height, open area, common usable open area, floor area ratio, personal storage, pavement coverage and building coverage, and ensuring definitions are consistent with contemporary building types and across the Zoning Ordinance and Precise Plans.  Reduce government constraints in multifamily zoning districts (R3, R4, CRA) and four Precise Plans (El Camino Real, San Antonio, North Bayshore and East Whisman) by ensuring that projects can build up to their allowed density, and committing to objective, quantifiable, written development standards, conditions, and policies that will facilitate and accommodate development at the maximum density permitted on the site.  Reduce government constraints by allowing reduced parking for projects that implement TDM.  Expand small business access and opportunities by creating live-work spaces in appropriate residential areas  Increase residential zoning capacity in the R2 zone in locations that further access and fair housing goals.  Create increased opportunities for project-specific rezonings through the Gatekeeper process

Update the Zoning Ordinance to allow replacement of multifamily development in the R1 and R2 districts with non-conforming density to preserve units above the allowed density in the underlying zone

 Allow more flexibility for building upgrades, additions and structural alterations that can prolong the life of the building without reducing the number of units on site  Conserve 600 units in multi-family development in R1 and R2 districts where there is currently non-conforming density of residential units

Developments The City will make the following additional program enhancements to promote ADUs/JADUs: a) Develop an ADU/JADU/SB9 Monitoring Survey to collect data from project applicants during the building permit application process in order to enhance the existing tracking of ADUs/JADUs/SB9 production with more details such as occupancy status and rent levels at time of occupancy. b) Utilize the data collected from the Monitoring Survey to better understand the income groups they serve and inform future improvements to the outreach and educational efforts c) Continue to track and monitor the number and rents of ADUs/JADUs/SB9 Developments proposed and constructed and the progress of meeting RHNA assumptions of 30 units per year. d) Participate in the Santa Clara County Collaborative’s development of an ADU Program and Resource Center which includes a countywide ADU website, plans gallery, guidebook, spotlight stories, calculator, and other tools to increase awareness. Provide staff assistance and user-friendly tools for the public for ADUs and SB9 projects.

 Maintain or increase ADU/JADU production in typically high-resource single-family neighborhoods where otherwise net new housing units may not occur and improve residential mobility and access to opportunity.  Enable the construction of at least 243 net new units through ADUs/JADUs/SB9 during the planning period through promotion, assistance and other tools.  Determine the obstacles affecting affordable ADU/JADU/SB9 production through monitoring and data collection and alleviate them as needed  Streamline ADU and SB9 development through pre-approved design resources

a) Continue BMR program, as revised in 2019, to include more opportunities for inclusionary units as opposed to fees b) Review BMR program to evaluate program efficacy and identify potential modifications to improve efficacy based on City goals, including the following as appropriate:  Furthering affordable housing production in Mountain View, including o Across unit types, o special needs (including accessible units) and o affordability levels as compared to City needs  Evaluating whether the BMR program facilitates mobility and access to opportunity and if any improvements could be made to increase mobility and access to opportunity.  Potential policy changes based on best practices, new laws, or unanticipated program outcomes. This responds to input received from market-rate housing developers during the outreach process (see Chapter 1: Introduction, Public Participation section).  Potential cleanup in guidelines/policies/procedures to clarify program requirements/facilitate program implementation.

 Increasing the diversity, supply, and affordability of housing. Achieving the BMR objective standard of realizing BMR units on-site and integrated with market-rate units for both rental and ownership projects.  Evaluating best practices and incorporate modifications if any to enhance the efficacy of the program.to fulfill the City’s goals of providing housing to meet a range of housing needs, including housing at a range of affordability levels, sizes, and locations.  The program will be assessed as part of the larger continuum of housing programs provided by the City, as one tool to meet the City’s larger Housing Element goals, such as meeting the RHNA, providing housing for large families, providing housing affordable to households with moderate incomes, providing ownership opportunities for low and moderate income households, and providing housing at various locations throughout the City. The report will analyze the production of BMR units over the initial three years of the program, as well as associated fees collected or affordable housing created through other alternative mitigation strategies. The report will be presented to the City Council.

Monitor and update the availability of sites to accommodate the remaining unmet RHNA in accordance with No Net Loss rules. If a shortfall is identified in any income category, identify necessary replacement sites. The City will annually report on projects under review to see if they reduce any buffers below 5%. If they do, the City will initiate a No Net Loss rezoning process.

 Ensure adequate capacity for the City’s RHNA by maintaining a list of opportunity sites that accommodates the City’s RHNA and initiating a rezoning process for new sites if the buffer falls below 5 percent, after accounting for development projects under review  Separately account for no net loss of lower income capacity in the parts of the City with highest opportunity: south of El Camino Real and near Downtown (between Mariposa Avenue, El Camino Real, SR-237, SR-85 and Central Expressway). The lower income capacity of this area shall not fall below 830 units (20% fewer than the inventory and pipeline units in this area at adoption).

a) Implement the City’s various sustainable and green building requirements, including: the City’s Green Building and Reach Codes, the Water Conservation in Landscaping Regulations, Bonus FAR requirements for more sustainable buildings, and others. b) Encourage City Staff to attend conferences, training sessions, and other events to learn and stay informed on new green initiatives and technologies. Hold in-house training sessions to facilitate inter-department cooperation on green building practices.

Streamline green building review and development of more sustainable (cost-effective and energy-efficient) housing.

a) Continue to exempt impact fees to promote the development of ADUs and JADUs b) Pilot a program to partially subsidize the cost of building ADUs and SB9 DUOs (Dual Urban Opportunities), either deed-restricted at affordable rents or targeted to households that would otherwise be unable to afford them. This program may build on existing regional programs.

 Continue to reduce costs of developing ADUs through exemptions from impact fees.  Support economic feasibility of ADUs and DUOs by making funds available to households who would like to build them but would otherwise not be able to afford to develop these units  Increase the supply of naturally-affordable or deed-restricted affordable rental housing in Mountain View through the development of more ADUs and DUOs  Decrease pressure on market-rate housing market by increasing density on single-family sites, which are focused on areas of highest opportunity.

Review BMR and NOFA application process for inclusivity for language access, technological access, and other options to reduce/remove barriers and make adjustments to increase inclusivity.

 Remove barriers to accessing affordable housing.  Observed diverse and robust participation in City affordable housing information sessions, clinics, lotteries, and waitlists.

Continue to prepare and update the City's Assessment of Fair Housing and implement actions as necessary to remove barriers to fair housing choice, as required by HUD and State Housing Element law.

 Remove impediments to fair housing and provide equitable access to housing and opportunity.  Improve access to affordable housing in the City’s high-opportunity neighborhoods through implementation of programs 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.11, 2.2 and 4.5.  In addition to 65 units through Program 1.4, and 120 units (based on half the City’s R1 properties) expected south of El Camino Real Precise Plan through Program 1.7, the City will develop and adopt incentives and zoning to facilitate property owners south of the El Camino Real Precise Plan (other than churches) to dedicate land to affordable housing developers or build affordable housing. The incentives and zoning will target the development, in expectation, of at least 100 additional affordable units.