Mountain View CC does same — for example: 24 months ago in July, over 100 people came to speak for adding housing to the San Antonio development (south half, phase II) instead of a hotel and Linked In office space. The CC diddled and deferred, and put off a decision until, you guessed it, in December 2015 (when residents would be obviously busy), where they quietly gave the developer the hotel and office space they wanted and ignored resident’s pleas for housing. We cannot seem to stop the developers or their influence over the city, who bows to whatever they ask for, and waits out residents if they ask for “balance” with housing. The problem is developers in MV can rent office space for $12–20 a sf, but housing is $5 a sf. Hence, the imbalance we cannot seem to stop.

“During Monday’s meeting, the council also voted 6–0 to adopt a precise plan for the San Antonio Road area that calls for up to 600,000 square feet of office space, almost 400,000 square feet of which is to be built by Merlone Geier.

“On Oct. 7, the council rejected a recommendation by staff and the Environmental Planning Commission to cap office development at 400,000 square feet and to link office and residential growth.

“Councilwoman Ronit Bryant noted that limiting offices to 400,000 square feet would mean that only Merlone Geier’s two six-story office buildings could go up.

“Really the question before us is whether we say, ‘Merlone Geier [phase] two and their office development [is] it,’ or do we say ‘we should be able to allow other offices to be built in that area,’ “ Bryant said. “So that’s really the decision. …. It’s about saying, you know, ‘this is the project, no more office,’ or ‘this is the project and there is some more office here.’ “

“As planned, the Village at San Antonio Center will include a public plaza, a 167-room hotel, an eight-screen cinema complex, 1,386 parking spaces and 80,000 square feet of retail and restaurants. In addition, it will feature a silicon molecule and silicon transistor replications in honor of the former Shockley lab at 391 San Antonio Road — a site considered the birthplace of Silicon Valley.

“Merlone Geier Vice President Mike Grehl said the development could generate more than $2 million for the city’s General Fund and ‘checks all the boxes that you would find in a balanced project.’ ”

Contrast that with the request from citizens for housing on July 1, 2014 (Note that his blog has gone away since being elected to the city council — where he is vastly outnumbered by council members who do whatever developers want):

Phase 2 Delayed. Council votes to replace one office building with housing.

by Lenny Siegel

About 12:30 am Wednesday morning the Mountain View City Council voted unanimously, with Councilmember Inks recusing himself from the discussion, for a compromise re-plan of the Merlone-Geier Phase 2 redevelopment at San Antonio Center. They have instructed staff to come up with an alternative based on replacing one office building withhousing. Working out the details will take weeks or months, but at least some councilmembers expect the re-shaped development to be approved before final adoption of the San Antonio Precise Plan.

So for now Phase 2 is not approved!

This is a significant step in the right direction. We will have to evaluate the new plan as the details are proposed.

We will not have to circulate referendum petitions. Enjoy your summer!

But remember, there is a City Council Study Session on the Precise Plan for the entire San Antonio Area scheduled for Tuesday evening, July 8. We still need to advocate for more medium-to-high density housing organized as a family-friendly neighborhood, around and above a regional retail shopping center.

THANK YOU to everyone who attended the meeting and rally, as well as to those who sent letters and e-mails to the Council.

Lenny Siegel | July 2, 2014 at 12:29 am