Star power WEEKEND | 16 DECEMBER 15, 2017 VOLUME 25, NO. 47 www.MountainViewOnline.com 650.964.6300 MOVIES | 19 Ambitious North Bayshore plan wins council approval GUIDELINES FOR ADDING 9,850 HOMES NEAR GOOGLE GET UNANIMOUS SUPPORT By Mark Noack “We believe Mountain View will be making a material impact fter years of analysis, an on the imbalance between hous- ambitious plan to trans- ing and jobs,” said Mark Golan, Aform the tech develop- Google vice president of real ment in North Bayshore by add- estate. “We’re proud to call ing a dense, dynamic residential Mountain View our home, and neighborhood received its final we look forward to working with round of approvals from the City the city and other stakeholders.” Council on Tuesday night. More than any other entity, The strategy known as the Google will be a crucial partner North Bayshore Precise Plan in bringing the city’s precise plan calls for a spate of rapid and to fruition. About three years intense housing development ago, the company came around that is ultimately expected to to the idea of creating thousands MICHELLE LE bring 9,850 new apartments to of homes near its headquarters. Sophie Hitchon, an Olympic bronze medalist, watches her throw sail through the air at the hammer the doorstep of the city’s tech That support was motivated by throw practice site on Moffett Field. behemoth, Google. The plan the company’s own needs — lays out a vision for a new urban traffic and housing availability community where corporate tech had become major problems for Loss of hammer throw range workers could live, work, dine Google’s growing workforce. In and shop — possibly all within addition, Mountain View city would leave a big hole the same building. officials made the company’s For many, the plan has rami- aggressive plans for 3.6 million RARE TRAINING SITE DRAWS OLYMPIC ATHLETES TO EMPTY CORNER OF MOFFETT FIELD fications beyond one Mountain square feet of new office devel- View neighborhood. It signi- opment contingent on limiting By Mark Noack Tore Gustafsson, a Swede with is located right on a toxic plume fied a dramatic shift away from nearby vehicle traffic. a striking handlebar mustache, of industrial pollutants left from the Bay Area’s diffuse office Politically, Mountain View’s etween preserving Han- is spearheading a very different the area’s past semiconductor parks and suburban communi- leadership also went through a gar One, the massive kind of preservation campaign. factories. ties. Council members, city staff similar change of mindset. In BAmes Arc Jet Complex or He and his colleagues are rally- A three-time Olympic ath- and public speakers each under- 2014, almost three years ago to a fleet of vintage aircraft, Mof- ing to save what looks like a dirt lete, Gustafsson agrees that scored the North Bayshore plans the day, the City Council signed fett Field has myriad landmarks lot, distinguished only by its as a new paradigm for urban off on a vastly different North deserving some protection. many potholes. In fact, the site See HAMMER THROW, page 11 development. Bay Precise Plan that emphasized “This is a cutting-edge plan office growth and transportation that sets a new standard, not just improvements. The total lack for the Bay Area, but for much of of housing in that plan spurred LASD seeks to buy Old Mill site for new school the country,” said Councilman fierce community opposition, Lenny Siegel, upon approving and it ultimately became the PROPERTY OWNERS WANT TO BUILD RETAIL AND HOUSING, the plan. “We’re not just building dominant political issue in the BUT SCHOOL DISTRICT COULD USE EMINENT DOMAIN housing, we’re building a new city’s elections that year. Pat kind of community for our area.” Showalter, Ken Rosenberg and By Kevin Forestieri meeting, the district’s 10th after a years-long real estate Those high stakes for the pre- Siegel were all elected to the City Site Committee recommended search for the most suitable cise plan were on full display on Council on the promise they he Los Altos School Dis- buying the sites of the former place to site a new school within Dec. 12 during the City Council’s would immediately bring the trict is reviving efforts Safeway and Old Mill office the San Antonio Shopping Cen- final discussion of the precise office-only plan for North Bay- Tto acquire land for a new building on California Street ter area. plan, which stretched out over shore back to the drawing board. school site near the San Antonio across from the San Antonio But the recommendation, five hours, before ending in a Following that election, city Shopping Center, despite the Shopping Center. Committee which largely won the favor of unanimous vote of approval. officials convened a total of 24 property owners’ unwillingness members called the 8.6-acre site the school board and the praise Housing advocates, business public meetings to study how to sell and their vow to fight any of valuable real estate the ideal of community members, was leaders and corporate executives aggressive housing development attempts at eminent domain. location for a school site. made one final push to urge city At the Dec. 11 school board The recommendations come See LASD, page 6 leaders to give their approval. See NORTH BAYSHORE, page 9 INSIDE VIEWPOINT 14 | GOINGS ON 20 | MARKETPLACE 21 | REAL ESTATE 23 THE ADDRESS IS THE PENINSU THE EXPERIENCE IS AIN PINEL LOS ALTOS HILLS $7,395,000 SARATOGA $4,800,000 SARATOGA $3,800,000 26052 W Fremont Road | 5bd/4.5ba 14941 Vickery Avenue | 5bd/3.5ba 20326 Pierce Road | 5bd/3ba Ryan Gowdy | 408.309.8660 Cindi Kodweis | 650.279.6333 Stefan Walker | 650.209.1516 LOS ALTOS $3,498,000 CUPERTINO $2,198,000 SUNNYVALE $1,899,000 1486 Country Club Drive | 3+bd/2ba 21912 Lindy Lane | 5bd/3ba 805 Piper Avenue | 4bd/2ba Angela Galato | 650.704.8168 Ryan Gowdy | 408.309.8660 Lynn North | 650.209.1562 SUNNYVALE $1,788,000 SAN JOSE $1,395,000 SAN JOSE $1,100,000 1506 S Bernardo Avenue | 4bd/3ba 699 S Genevieve Lane | bd/ba 5848 Blossom Avenue | 4bd/2ba Tori Atwell | 650.996.0123 Tim Anderson | 650.209.1590 Dottie Monroe | 650.208.2500 APR.COM Over 30 Real Estate Offices Serving The Bay Area Including Los Altos 650.941.1111 Square footage, acreage, and other information herein, has been received from one or more of a variety of different sources. Such information has not been verified by Alain Pinel Realtors®. If important to buyers, buyers should conduct their own investigation. 2 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q December 15, 2017 Do you or Voic es someone you know AROUND TOWN snore or Asked in downtown Mountain View. Photos and interviews by Anna Krause. have trouble “What is your opinion of the sleeping? privatization of National Park land?” FreeA $250 Value! Sleep Apnea “It’s selling off the national Consultation heritage. What are they going to sell off next?” Paul Berry, Mountain View Visit Smiles Dental’s Sleep Apnea ([SHUW Dr. Chris Chui For A Complimentary Consultation. Second opinions welcome. Call for details. “It doesn’t seem like it’s a very good idea because of the lack of 100 W. El Camino Real, Suite 63A control without government.” Mountain View ( Corner of El Camino & Calderon ) David Beatty, Los Altos SmilesDental.com | 650.665.5001 City of Mountain View “It needs to be for the public. In general, public access is most important.” Water System Flushing Ginny Babbitt, Mountain View The City of Mountain View is preparing to begin its annual water system flushing program. System flushing is a process the City uses to maintain water quality by “The privatization of park land clearing water mains of sand and sediment is a symptom of capitalism’s Support your that may have accumulated during the last incentive to commoditize every year. The City’s flushing program accounts life object to be exploited by the community wealthy and privileged ruling for less than 1% of the overall water system class.” use. John Chapman, Mountain View Mountain View Voice 0U[OLUL_[ZL]LYHS^LLRZ*P[`Z[HɈ^PSSIL Å\ZOPUN^H[LYTHPUZMYVT*\LZ[H+YP]L[V[OL northern City limit. The City will post notices PU HɈLJ[LK ULPNOIVYOVVKZ ZL]LYHS KH`Z PU “It should not happen ... it’s HK]HUJLVM[OLÅ\ZOPUN0M`V\^V\SKSPRLTVYL another grab by corporate information about the City’s water system America. It belongs to the 2017 public.” Å\ZOPUNVYOH]LX\LZ[PVUZVYJVUJLYUZ^OPSL Phillip Hearin, Mountain View City personnel are in your neighborhood Donate online at WSLHZLJVU[HJ[[OL7\ISPJ:LY]PJLZ+P]PZPVUH[ www.siliconvalleycf.org/ mvv-holiday-fund (650) 903-6329. HaveHtifHave aa questionquestion forfor VoicesViVoices AroundAAround Town?Town? E-mailEmail itit toto [email protected]@mv-voice.com December 15, 2017 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q 3 VERY LocalNews REAL QCRIMEBRIEFS We’re looking for talented, TOWN HOUSE FIRE highly motivated and dynamic people LOCAL A fire caused significant damage to a two-story town house on Forest Glen Street on Sunday morning, Dec. 10, according to the Mountain View Fire Department. Assistant Editor NEWS The fire started behind the clothes dryer and was spreading to The Mountain View Voice is looking for a talented writer/editor the walls when firefighters arrived just before 8 a.m. Though the to serve as assistant editor for the print and digital versions of fire was quickly extinguished, firefighters discovered it had spread the Voice and The Almanac in Menlo Park.