Concerned about a new housing law that encourages development near transit areas, Palo Alto is considering numerous zoning changes that would blunt the impacts of the new legislation in neighborhoods like Old Palo Alto and Greenmeadow, which are dominated by single-family homes. Palo Alto officials are looking to minimize the impacts of Senate Bill 79, a...
Mountain View homes without drinkable water after breach
Since last Friday, Mountain View resident Mark Tashima has been told by city officials that he can’t drink or otherwise use the tap water in his home in the Cuesta Park neighborhood. That puts him in the same boat as about 65 other nearby households. On April 24, a city contractor breached a water main at the...
Palo Alto license plate data searched by hundreds of out-of-state agencies
Despite local officials’ claims to the contrary, public records show hundreds of law enforcement agencies from around the U.S. searched data from Palo Alto’s automatic license plate reader cameras over a period of about a year. The city’s automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras, operated by Flock Safety, were made available to out-of-state and federal...
Mountain View shelves plan that could displace RV dwellers
A project to add bike lanes in a part of Mountain View that is slated to gain hundreds of new homes looks like it will be put on hold for years, if not indefinitely. The City Council directed city staff last week to shelve a plan that would put in bike lanes on Terra Bella...
Palo Alto orders demolition of former Stanford Terrace Inn
The Palo Alto City Council on Monday approved a demolition order for the dilapidated building in College Terrace that used to house the Stanford Terrace Inn, rejecting an appeal from the property owner. Between insufficient fire sprinklers, hazardous materials stored in the garage, broken doors and other issues, the conditions on the premises were among the...
Mountain View council approves public drinking zone downtown
With the FIFA World Cup coming to the area this summer, Mountain View is looking to boost the liveliness of its downtown area. One of the ways it plans to do this is by letting people drink alcohol outdoors in certain areas during city-sponsored events. In a unanimous April 14 vote, with Councilmember Alison Hicks recused,...
Mountain View approves plan for $189M police, fire headquarters
A plan to pay for a new police and fire headquarters has sailed through the Mountain View City Council, with assurances from city staff that the $189 million project won’t have substantial cost overruns. In a unanimous April 14 vote, the City Council approved a plan to fund a new 75,000-square-foot public safety building at 1000...
Palo Alto’s safe parking program can’t find case managers
At a parking lot near the Palo Alto Baylands, 23 vehicles serve as the homes of more than 40 individuals. The city’s first safe parking site for people who live in their cars has been around since 2021, where clients access case management, showers, a kitchen and laundry services. In theory, the residents are there...
Mountain View to replace downtown parking lot with hotel
After years of financial uncertainty, a developer is getting another chance to turn two public parking lots in downtown Mountain View into a hotel and office development. In a unanimous vote, the City Council authorized city staff last month to execute an amended lease and development agreement with RGC Mountain View, a commercial real estate company....
Contract dispute delays Homekey Palo Alto opening
A dispute between contractors has disrupted the construction of the transitional housing complex that Palo Alto and nonprofit organization LifeMoves are preparing to open on San Antonio Road, next to the Baylands Nature Preserve. The Homekey project at 1237 San Antonio Road has been in the works since fall 2023, when city and state leaders...