Plan Area Profile

SAN ANTONIO PRECISE PLAN
PLAN AREA PROFILE

October 22, 2013
For the City of Mountain View
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY | i
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The San Antonio Precise Plan Area has been identified
as a change area by the Mountain View General Plan.
The Precise Plan process is building on the San Antonio
visioning process that took place in late 2012, and
will continue to be driven by an inclusive community
engagement process that will encourage the community
to discuss the improvements and development standards
that they want to see in the San Antonio Precise Plan
Area. The outcome will be a Precise Plan that aligns
with the General Plan, sets goals and policies, identifies
opportunities and constraints, provides development
regulations and standards, and identifies methods of
implementing necessary investment in the San Antonio
Area. The Plan will serve as a guide for developers
interested in building in the area, as well as a tool for
the City and community to ensure future development
and improvements adhere to the goals set forth in the
planning process.
This Precise Plan Area Profile is an existing conditions
report for the San Antonio Area. It compiles a review
of the physical conditions and existing regulations, and
provides an analysis of factors that will affect planning
in the Precise Plan Area. It is broken down into four
parts as outlined below:
Part I: Context, Regulatory Framework, and
Land Use and Urban Design. This part in-
cludes a description of the Plan Areas re-
gional surroundings, existing regulations, land
uses, developments underway, and urban de-
sign character.
Part II: Infrastructure Analysis. This part dis-
cusses water, sanitary and stormwater systems
with regard to their current demand and gen-
eration, levels of system operations, current
deficiencies, impacts of proposed conditions
from the General Plan, and regulatory consid-
erations. This section also discusses electri-
cal and gas infrastructure relating to the Plan
Area.
Part III: Transportation Analysis. This part de-
scribes key aspects of the multimodal transpor-
tation system serving the Precise Plan Area and
discusses physical, regulatory, and operation-
al characteristics and issues affecting the Plan
Area and surrounding context that are either a
barrier to, or an opportunity for, establishing a
walkable and transit-oriented community in the
Plan Area.
Part IV: Economics Analysis. This part sum-
marizes the market conditions for residential,
office, retail, and hotel uses within Mountain
View, and also includes a more focused dis-
cussion of the implications that these condi-
tions would have for the Precise Plan Area.
As the San Antonio Precise Plan moves forward, the
findings from the four parts of the Profile will need to be
considered as interrelated sets of issues. For example,
issues regarding land use and intensity are bound
together with pedestrian and bicycle opportunities, and
in turn, both of these will affect vehicle circulation. The
Profile is intended to give context to all of these issues
and to provide a guide to the community and decision-
makers as the Precise Plan process moves forward.
The following section provides summaries of several
key topics covered in the Profile. These summaries also
include an Areas for Further Study section, which
details various ideas and opportunities for change that
should be examined in greater detail.
ii | San Antonio Precise Plan Area Profile October 2013
The San Antonio Caltrain Station is just north of the
Plan Area on Showers Drive, and the Mountain View
Caltrain Station is two miles to the east in Downtown.
Bus service operated by the VTA also serves the Plan
Area, most notably at the San Antonio Transit Center
located on Showers Drive at Latham Street. This center
is utilized by six different regional bus routes operating
throughout Santa Clara County.
While Mountain View contains many parks and open
spaces of varying size, the western region of the city
has significantly fewer parks than other regions of the
city.
Areas for Further Study:
Alternatives for increasing the park acre per unit
in this Plan Area to a ratio closer to the standards
addressed in the Parks and Open Space Plan,
which is a city-wide planning effort currently
underway. The city-wide standard is an average
of 3 acres of park land per 1,000 residents.
Plan Area
The Plan Area includes 123 acres and is comprised of
a mixture of large parcels with large buildings that make
up the San Antonio Center and are oriented away from
the streets, and smaller parcels with smaller buildings
that function independently from one another. For the
most part, the larger parcels found in the Plan Area are
larger than those in its immediate surroundings, making
the area stand out from surrounding neighborhoods.
The San Antonio Center takes up roughly half of the
Plan Area. The center is a regional retail development,
which sits on a nearly 60-acre, uninterrupted super
block where access to its commercial uses is limited to
the four major roads that bound it: El Camino Real, San
Antonio Road, California Street, and Showers Drive.
Though San Antonio Center has served as a major
shopping destination for over 50 years, its combination
of big box buildings and expansive parking lots are
outdated and not conducive to more comfortable,
walkable retail and entertainment uses.
Opportunities for encouraging or ensuring a
more grid-like pattern of small blocks or other
improvements to achieve a more convenient
and comfortable walkable and bicycle-friendly
environment while reconciling the Plan Areas
traffic bottlenecks.
PART I: CONTEXT,
REGULATORY
FRAMEWORK, LAND USE
AND URBAN DESIGN
Regional Location
Located at the intersection of the San Francisco Peninsula
and the South Bay Area, the City of Mountain View is
uniquely situated as a gateway to Silicon Valley, and is
served by several major freeways that connect it to the
greater Bay Area.
The Plan Area fits neatly into an existing chain of
pedestrian-oriented commercial corridors along the
Peninsula that branch off of the Caltrain line, and
feature active pedestrian street life that is present from
morning to evening on both weekdays and weeknights.
Like other communities developed in the pre-World
War II era, these places feature a grid-style street
system, prominent main street style retail corridor,
and are located near a train station; all of which make
them pleasant, engaging, and walkable pedestrian
attractions.
Alternatives for capitalizing upon the Plan Areas
regional location as an opportunity for San
Antonio to become a pedestrian-oriented place
with a sustained active street life.
Surrounding Context
The San Antonio Precise Plan Area sits along the
western edge of Mountain View, and is situated
between El Camino Real and the Central Expressway,
both of which connect to Downtown Mountain View.
San Antonio Road runs through the western edge of
the Plan Area, and is one of few north-south streets that
crosses the Caltrain line, making it the most direct route
for accessing Highway 101 from the Plan Area.
East-west bicycle travel through the city is largely limited
to California Street, which offers a well-marked Class II
bicycle route
1
between Downtown Mountain View and
the Plan Area. However the Class II route ends just west
of the San Antonio Road intersection, leaving bicyclists
traveling to the western-most portion of Mountain View
and Palo Alto with fewer safe options.
1 A Class II bicycle route is defined as on-street route
marked with bike lanes.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY | iii
Existing Land Use
The San Antonio Precise Plan Area is nearly surrounded
by residential land uses, most of which are multi-family
apartment buildings. Retail uses predominantly exist
along El Camino Real, as well as the central portion
of the Plan Area in San Antonio Center. Retail land
uses range in type and scale, from big box style
department stores to smaller shops and restaurants.
There is also considerable range in the age of retail
uses and their buildings, from stores that have opened
within the last six months, such as the Safeway at The
Village at San Antonio Center, to stores that have an
established history in the Plan Area like Jo-Ann Fabric
and Craft Store.
There are a number of grocery stores in and around the
Plan Area, with Safeway and Trader Joes located on
adjacent parcels in San Antonio Center, and a Whole
Foods less than a quarter-mile away from them on El
Camino Real (just outside of the Plan Area boundary in
Los Altos). There is also the Milk Pail Market, a locally-
owned, open air market on California Street.
Determine how to retain valued existing retail and
attract more local retailers; Use the market study
to hone in on most needed retail types, and the
potential for more restaurants, as well as most
needed housing and office types; consider how
to best create buffers between the distinctively
different land uses where necessary.
Size of Parcels
A majority of the acreage in the Plan Area is made up
of large parcels greater than two acres in size, followed
by a relatively even mixture of medium (between one
and two acres) and small parcels (less than one acre).
This mixture of parcel sizes in the Plan Area allows
for smaller, and perhaps locally-owned, establishments
like the Milk Pail Market to co-exist with major retail
anchors.
Alternatives for locating smaller or locally-owned
businesses and housing within smaller parcels,
potentially leaving large parcels for larger scale
national retailers, office or a hotel.
Parcel Ownership
Over 70% of the Plan Area is owned or operated by
eight unique owners, resulting in a large area that is
controlled by few entities. Groups of parcels with
shared ownership or management are found covering
much of San Antonio Shopping Center (including the
Target parcels on the eastern side of Showers Drive),
west of San Antonio Road, North of California Street,
and the entire Hetch Hetchy right-of-way running east-
west through the Plan Area.
Coordination with owners of multiple parcels to
ensure that there is a cohesive vision for the Plan
Area and strategies for implementing the Precise
Plan improvements in the long-term.
Building Footprints
Buildings with the largest footprints are typically found
within the interior of the Plan Area, and set back from
the major streets, while smaller buildings are more
visible from the street, with the majority located along
San Antonio Road and its cross streets.
Opportunities for continuing and expanding upon
the existing development pattern of smaller scale
buildings and/or massing along the edges and
larger buildings located within the interior.
Parking
Land that is dedicated to parking makes up a
considerable proportion of the Plan Area and
furthermore, parking lots and their driveways divide
most of the buildings in the Plan Area from the public
right-of-ways.
The parking garages for the new Safeway and
apartment buildings in The Village at San Antonio
Center are the only parking garages in the Plan Area,
and offer new alternatives to the surface parking trends
that take up most of the space within the San Antonio
Center.
Alternatives for parking, including above ground
and/or underground parking structures that will be
pleasant and well-used, and exploration of sharing
parking between uses.
Site Circulation
Public streets cater mainly to cars, particularly El
Camino Real and San Antonio Road, and provide
few pedestrian comforts. Public streets include both
shorter and more walkable street segments along the
northern portion of the Plan Area, as well as the long
and uninterrupted stretches of Showers Drive and El
Camino Real.
iv | San Antonio Precise Plan Area Profile October 2013
San Antonio Center has its own internal circulation
system that makes use of its interconnected parking
lots. The primary routes function as make-shift streets
that wind around the parking lots, allowing for cars to
travel from one end of the site to another. These routes
include painted travel lanes, stop signs, pedestrian
crosswalks and some non-contiguous sidewalks, and
landscaping, all of which make them more easily
distinguishable routes for both drivers, and in some
areas, for pedestrians.
The Plan Area also has smaller, secondary routes that
do not have as many of the streetscape elements that
the primary routes offer, and parking lanes which are
the least suitable pedestrian routes within the Plan Area.
Each retail building in the San Antonio Center has a
back of house area or loading dock to receive freight
deliveries. Large trucks access these loading areas using
the same site circulation system as private automobiles.
The loading areas are all oriented differently and only
a few of the existing buildings might be able to share a
common service alley so that trucks could be separated
from autos and pedestrians.
Options to provide more convenient and
comfortable bike and pedestrian connections
through the Plan Area, and clear connections
for drivers to onsite parking areas, options for
designating either one common service alley
for trucks or multiple service driveways shared
between buildings wherever feasible, and address
traffic bottleneck concerns at San Antonio Road
and California Street.
Precise Plan Area Street Character
The Plan Area includes a combination of major arterial
roads and smaller local streets. El Camino Real, the
regional connector that runs the length of the Peninsula,
is often crowded with traffic across eight travel lanes,
and also includes numerous driveways along its edges.
Due in part to these characteristics, as well as its lack
of consistent street trees and building setbacks, it is one
of the least pedestrian-friendly streets in the Plan Area.
San Antonio Road is also a busy regional connector
and leads directly to Highway 101, but it is smaller
in scale and more pedestrian friendly. This is perhaps
due to the mature street trees along the road, both in
the median and along the sidewalks.
Showers Drive and California Street typically feature
two travel lanes with bike lanes in each direction and
street trees. California Street is more shaded than other
streets in the Plan Area due to mature trees on fronting
properties, and some median street trees as well.
Opportunities for roads, or portions of roads,
within the Plan Area that are suitable for major
character improvements to become more
attractive, with active, welcoming, pedestrian
frontages, and opportunities for land dedication
resulting in improved sidewalks and/or protected
bicycle facilities when sites fronting public streets
redevelop.
Edges, Areas of Activity and Views
The edges of the Plan Area are primarily bounded by
residential uses on the north, east, and south. Most of
these buildings contain multi-family residential except
for some single-family homes to the south and The
Crossings neighborhood, a development with single-
family homes and townhomes, located between the
Precise Plan Area and the Caltrain Station.
The major area of activity in the Plan Area is the
intersection at El Camino and San Antonio. Recently
this area has been reinforced by The Village at San
Antonio Center which frames a gathering space at the
corner. The other three corners do not currently have
as strong a presence.
Preservation of views towards the mountains has been
clearly stated as a priority for residents. Currently there
are public views to the south from San Antonio Road,
Showers Drive, and at a few locations along California
Street. Other vistas in the Plan Area are difficult to find
from ground level.
Development of neighborhood transition strategies
along residential edges of the Plan Area;
alternatives for additional activity areas in the
Plan Area; and opportunities for preservation and
enhancement of existing public views.
Landscape Character
There are a fair number of existing trees throughout the
Plan Area, including a significant oak tree along the El
Camino Real side of the Plan Area. However, due to the
large percentage of parking lots, the overall impression
of the Plan Area is one of a heavily-asphalted, gray
environment.
In light of this, some of the parking lots have good tree
cover, particularly the portion that fronts the northern
entrance to the Kohls and 24 Hour Fitness.
The General Plan identifies the Hetch Hetchy right-of-
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY | v
way as an opportunity for mobility and open space. The
new park on the western portion of the Hetch Hetchy
right-of-way is a major focal point and landscape
feature as the area develops. It currently serves as the
only form of open space inside the Plan Area.
Preservation of significant trees where feasible,
utilization of rain gardens and other stormwater
catchment areas to increase green ground cover
in the Plan Area, and use of permeable materials
to treat stormwater, green roofs, and green walls
in new development. Opportunities for using the
Hetch Hetchy right-of-way for open space and
exploring a mix of open space types to meet the
needs of the Plan Area users.
Gatekeeper and Pipeline Projects
Development pressure in and around the Plan Area is
high, as demonstrated by the relatively high percentage
of properties that have come forward as Gatekeeper
2

projects. There are currently three active Gatekeeper
projects in the Plan Area, one inactive project, and two
recently completed or under construction projects.
While several of these Gatekeeper projects are already
well into their development review process, ideally the
Precise Plan will give clear direction to projects that are
currently proposed and not yet under construction.
Coordinate with Gatekeeper projects to help
projects meet the Precise Plan goals and objectives
and understand what conflicts may need resolution.
Walkability
The Plan Area was studied to determine how easy it is
to walk to and from transit stops, which determines its
walkability. The walkability analysis included half-
mile walking distances from the San Antonio Caltrain
Station and from the proposed VTA Bus Rapid Transit
stop on El Camino Real along public sidewalks in the
Plan Area.
Due to the large block structure of the Plan Area and
limited pedestrian infrastructure, such as a lack of
internals streets and continuous sidewalks through the
2 The term Gatekeeper refers to the authorization by
City Council to have staff work on a submitted proposal
in order to ensure that development applications are
processed timely. Gatekeeper status is granted to projects
deemed suitable by the Council, pending availability of
staff resources.
center, the areas that are within walking distance of
both of the transit stations are minimal.
Additional public sidewalks, accessible walkways,
improvements to existing sidewalks, and a finer
grain of internal streets to increase the walkability
distance for the two transit stations further into the
San Antonio Precise Plan Area.
Blocks and Intersections
Analysis has been done to compare the size of blocks
and the number of street intersections of Downtown
Mountain View and the Plan Area. There is no dispute
that parcel and ownership patterns in the Plan Area are
very different from Downtown, and that Downtown will
not be replicated in the Plan Area.
However, this analysis is useful in that it shows how a
street grid comprised of smaller blocks helps to create
a place where people like to meet, walk, shop, and
work.
Improvements to the street layout of the Plan Area,
including bisecting large areas at the interior by
new streets with bike and pedestrian connections,
even if they are private streets that feel public.
Existing Building Character
The building character in the Plan Area includes a
variety of building types, sizes, and ages, and ultimately
lacks a cohesive style. The big-box style of buildings
throughout the site lack human-scale architectural
features such as ground-floor windows and variations
in facade materials.
There are some examples of more contemporary
building types that include the architectural features
noted above, including the recently constructed
Village at San Antonio Center development, and the
Community School of Music and Arts building.
Some older buildings in the Plan Area have unique
character and design elements, such as the Firestone
auto service shop on San Antonio Road which features
a unique roof form.
Potential for new, architecturally significant
buildings and urban design features that forge a
new character that fit into Mountain View but still
define the San Antonio Precise Plan Area.

vi | San Antonio Precise Plan Area Profile October 2013
PART II: INFRASTRUCTURE
Water Supply
The City water system in the San Antonio Precise
Plan Area is sufficient to provide water service for
the current domestic demands and fire flows for
sprinklered buildings. An overview of the main
lines in the San Antonio area shows that only one
short main line segment along the El Camino Real
is classified as being approximately 5% below a
5,000 gpm fire flow requirement. Overall, the
Citys water supply and distribution network is
robust.
Evaluate the Precise Plan development alternatives
with the existing water system capacity to determine
if additional lines and supply will be needed to
accommodate new growth as proposed in the
preferred Precise Plan alternative.
Sanitary System
The sanitary sewer system in the San Antonio Plan
Area is susceptible to additional flows likely to
be generated by higher density developments.
Although the City of Mountain View is a member
of the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control
Plant, sanitary sewer flows in the San Antonio
Precise Plan area crossing into and out of the
city limits bordering Los Altos complicate the
system flows, individual line maintenance, and
potential capital improvement projects. While
the majority of the existing sanitary sewer system
in the San Antonio Precise Plan Area is sufficient
to accommodate the existing sanitary generation,
there are areas of localized deficiencies that
would become more pronounced with increased
development density.
with the existing sanitary system capacity to
determine improvements that can accommodate
new growth as proposed in the preferred Precise
Plan alternative.
Stormwater Drainage
The storm drain system in the San Antonio Precise
Plan Area is adequate to convey existing flows.
Since regulatory requirements of the San Francisco
Bay Region Municipal Regional Stormwater
NPDES Permit (MRP) place limitations on future
stormwater discharges from a site, any new
development or redevelopment project will be
required to meet or reduce site runoff. This implies
that future stormwater runoff will not exceed the
current impacts to the existing storm drain system.
with the existing stormwater drainage system
capacity to determine if runoff will require
additional capacity to accommodate new growth.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY | vii
PART III:
TRANSPORTATION
Multimodal Performance Measures
Performance measures assess how well a transportation
system or facility functions relative to an established
standard, criterion or accepted norm. They are used
in planning the transportation facility needs in order to
accommodate long-range estimates of travel demand,
and they are used in the land use development review
process to identify impacts of increased travel demand.
Traditional performance measures have focused almost
exclusively on facilities for automobile travel such as
intersections, roads, and highways using measures
that gauge motorist convenience such as delay and
travel time. More recently, performance measures have
been developed that assess the physical environment
and the condition and operation of facilities used
by pedestrians, bicyclists and transit users. Multiple
agencies control and operate the streets and transit
systems that serve the San Antonio Precise Plan Area,
and each agency adopts their own set of performance
measures that provide the data used to determine
conformance with their established standards.
Performance measures are used in the preparation of the
Precise Plan in: 1) planning and evaluating alternative
land use and circulation schemes to determine which
can best achieve the goals and objectives established
for the Precise Plan; 2) comparing the Plans performance
measures against standards to identify and mitigate
environmental impacts of the Plan under CEQA; and
3) use performance measures as a design control in
planning details related to the Plans transportation
infrastructure.
Multimodal performance measures that inform
development of the Plans elements to effectively
influence a shift in mode share from automobiles to
walking, bicycling, and transit.
Site Circulation
Circulation within the Plan Area today is limited
due to the size of the blocks created for large retail
centers and office buildings. Local access to the San
Antonio Precise Plan Area is confined to surrounding
arterial streetsEl Camino Real, San Antonio Road, S.
Rengstorff Avenue, Central Expressway, or California
Street. The need to manage access on these arterial
streets intentionally channels a substantial amount of
traffic to a limited number of signalized site driveways,
and to the approaches of the major intersections
circumscribing the retail centers, resulting in large and
congested intersections uninviting to pedestrians and
bicyclists.
In addition, the commercial centers have regularly
spaced limited-access driveways (e.g., right-in /
right-out) partially intended to relieve traffic demand
at driveways, but primarily for customer convenience
of easy ingress that avoids the out-of-direction travel
required to use the signalized driveways. Egress
using the limited-access driveways, however, is less
convenient and often requires drivers to make u-turns
at the congested signalized driveways they were trying
to avoid.
Existing traffic operations were studied at 41
intersections within the San Antonio and El Camino
Real Precise Plans to determine current traffic conditions.
No intersections within the San Antonio Precise Plan
Area exceeded the level of service (LOS) standard
established for it. The following three intersections are
major traffic gateways to the Plan Area and operate
within their respective LOS standards: San Antonio Rd
/ El Camino Real (C-); San Antonio / California Street
(D); and Showers Drive / California Street (C).
Areas of Further Study:
Evaluate Precise Plan development alternatives with
existing traffic conditions to determine circulation
improvements that can reduce congestion, along
with increased mode share improvements, to
determine the preferred Precise Plan alternative.
San Antonio Center Circulation
The San Antonio Center, comprised of multiple
properties, forms what is functionally a single
superblock and a significant barrier to travel for all
modes of transportation. The Center is permeable to
pedestrians and bicyclists who wish to pass through the
block and avoid the alternative routesEl Camino Real
and California Street. The Centers internal circulation is
for access to surface parking lots resulting in circuitous
paths most of which are shared with automobiles within
parking lots.
Each retail building in the San Antonio Center has a
back of house area or loading dock to receive freight
deliveries. Large trucks access these loading areas using
the same site circulation system as private automobiles.
The loading areas are all oriented differently and only
a few of the existing buildings might be able to share a
common service alley so that trucks could be separated
from autos and pedestrians.
Options for providing pedestrian and bicycle
viii | San Antonio Precise Plan Area Profile October 2013
access into and through San Antonio Center that
are compatible with the new development recently
completed, currently under construction, and soon
to start construction; and options for designating
either one common service alley for trucks or
multiple service driveways shared between
buildings wherever feasible.
Transit and Transit-Orientation
The San Antonio Precise Plan Area is well served
by transit and compact enough to allow transit
accessibility to the entire area. The Plan Area contains
a Transit Center and has a Caltrain station in close
proximity. The majority of the Plan Area is within a 15-
and 20-minute walk of the San Antonio Transit Center
and the VTA 522 Rapid Bus stops on El Camino Real,
respectively. Similarly, the San Antonio Caltrain station
is accessible from the entire Plan Area within a short
walk. However, to walk in the most direct path from
one street to another in the Plan Area, pedestrians have
to navigate through the expansive parking lots using a
combination of parking lot aisles and the discontinuous
sidewalks that exist on private property, but the routes
pedestrians must choose are likely to be circuitous and
unpredictable.
The absence of express train service and relatively small
amount of parking (200 spaces) at the San Antonio
Caltrain station creates a less utilized neighborhood-
serving station. The proximity of existing transit-oriented-
development (TOD), the potential for significantly more
TOD in the Plan Area, and the proximity of the San
Antonio Transit Center, makes the Caltrain station ideal
for emphasizing pedestrian and bicycle access. In fact,
bike share facilities were recently installed at the station
and near the San Antonio Transit Center.
Under Caltrains Comprehensive Station Access
Program, the San Antonio station would meet the criteria
for a Neighborhood Circulator or an Intermodal
Connectivity station both defined as stations located
in moderate to high residential density areas with low
to moderate Caltrain service levels, but future TOD
opportunities are moderate to high. The access priority
for these types of stations is walking, bicycling and
transit.
The development of the San Antonio Precise
Plan in regards to the Caltrain Station should
consider including development standards that
ensure an adequately high density of housing
and commercial land uses to maximize the
advantage of the stations proximity, and
increased transit ridership and concepts to
improve the areas pedestrian and bicycle
connectivity to encourage the Areas residents
and employees, as well as persons from
outside of the Plan Area to walk and bicycle
to the Caltrain station.
Bicycle System Coverage and Limitations
The Plan Area is well served by an existing, but not
extensive, bicycle system that is suitable for the casual
bicyclist who rides for recreation, errands, shopping
or dining trips to the downtown, or to access transit
for commute trips. Within the Plan Area, the casual
bicyclists can use Class II bicycle lanes to access
Caltrain, the San Antonio Transit Center and the Rapid
Bus stops on El Camino Real. They can use the Class II
bike lanes on California Street to access downtown, or
use the lanes on Rengstorff Avenue or Shoreline Drive
to access the land uses and recreational opportunities
to the north.
The existing network has limitations for the inexperienced
bicyclist uncomfortable biking next to traffic and the
longer-distance bicycling commuter due to gaps in the
connectivity into Palo Alto and Los Altos, and the lack
of direct long-distance facilities on major corridors in
which the experienced bicyclist can access places
anywhere on the Peninsula.
El Camino Real is viewed as both an opportunity and
an obstacle in this regard. Some bicyclists believe
that El Camino Real would make an excellent bicycle
routeit is a straight and direct route from Palo Alto
to Sunnyvaleusing Class II bicycle lanes. A good
solution for the casual, inexperienced, and long-
distance bicyclist, however, is implementation of a
cycle track, a type of dedicated bike lane that is
physically separated from traffic using a raised median,
a painted median, or on-street parking. Implementing
this type of facility within El Camino Reals constrained
right-of-way would require trading on-street parking for
the cycle track on most segments.
Developing a more robust system of bicycle facilities
including off-street paths (e.g., along the Hetch
Hetchy right-of-way), cycle tracks or buffered bike
lanes on segments of El Camino Real or California
Street, and Bicycle Boulevards on low volume and
low speed streets such as Latham Street.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY | ix
PART IV: ECONOMICS
Housing
Future job and household growth in Mountain View will
generate demand for more multi-family rental units and
for-sale housing. The city will continue to attract many
younger, single-person and other non-family households
likely to generate continued demand for multi-family
housing, particularly one- and two-bedroom units. In
addition, condominium and townhouse development
is surging in the city as home prices escalate and the
number of families increases.
Mountain View plays an important role in housing
Silicon Valleys workforce at a range of income
levels. The city provides housing for a relatively high
share of the market areas low- and moderate-income
households.
Between 2010 and 2030, demand for housing in
Mountain View is expected to total between 6,500
and 7,200 new units. The demand for housing is
strong in Mountain View, and nearly 3,000 units are
already in the pipeline, indicating that the city is well-
positioned to capture much of the projected demand.
Office
Growing employment, particularly in the professional
and information sectors, is driving a boom in Mountain
Views office market. According to local real estate
brokers, the San Antonio Road area is one of the
most desirable locations for tenants, second only to
downtown Mountain View and the North Bayshore/
Shoreline area (which is dominated by Google). San
Antonios appeal lies in its Caltrain station and the new
restaurants and retail on the verge of opening. Office
buildings in the other segments of El Camino Real
command lower rental rates and are less attractive for
tenants and developers.
A large number of office projects are already in
construction and in advanced stages of planning.
It is estimated that there is five million square feet of
office development in the pipeline in Mountain View,
Palo Alto, Los Altos, and Sunnyvale. This pipeline
development would satisfy much of the future demand
for new office development in the market area over the
next 20 years.
The city could attract between 953,000 to 2.3
million square feet of additional development beyond
what is already in the pipeline. Assuming Mountain
View maintains its existing market share of office
development in northern Santa Clara County, the city
could see another 953,000 to 2.3 million square feet
of office development. Mountain View may capture
more (or less) space depending on the pace of future
job growth, relative land supply, land use regulations,
amenities, and other factors.
Retail
Future population growth will support demand for 1.2
to 1.4 million square feet of new retail in Mountain View
between 2010 and 2030. The city is likely to be most
competitive in attracting convenience retail like grocery
stores, general merchandise stores, restaurants, bars,
and service retail, and less competitive in attracting
comparison retail such as electronics, furniture,
appliances, and clothing stores.
Most new retail development is likely to occur in existing
activity centers.
Given the limited availability of land in Mountain
View, new retail development is likely to occur in major
activity centers and nodes, or in redevelopment of older
shopping centers. The San Antonio Precise Plan Area is
an extremely attractive location for retail development.
The new retail that has opened at San Antonio Center
to date has been highly successful, and the number
of retail proposals in the pipeline in the Precise Plan
Area indicates that developers are eager to continue
building. The development of proposed new office,
residential, and hotel space in the Plan Area is likely
to contribute to the continuing strength of San Antonio
as a retail node. However, as redevelopment of the
older retail properties is completed, land supply for
additional development is likely to become a limiting
factor. Assuming site availability, the potential tenants
are most likely to be restaurants, other grocery and
food stores, and personal/business services (e.g., nail
salons, spas, banks, cell phone stores).
Hotel
The Silicon Valley hotel market is strong, with growing
demand for hotel rooms in and around Mountain View.
Over the next two decades, the Silicon Valley is
estimated to generate demand for 8,000 new rooms.
Lack of available sites and financial feasibility present
challenges to attracting hotel development in the
Plan Areas. Hotel developers typically require large
parcels of at least two acres, which are difficult to find
in Mountain View. Furthermore, hotels are generally
not the highest and best use for most properties in
Mountain View when compared to the performance of
office and residential projects in Mountain View.
x | San Antonio Precise Plan Area Profile October 2013
Precise Plan Areas
The Precise Plan Areas are poised to capture much
of the future development potential in Mountain View.
Much of the recent development activity in Mountain
View, as well as planned projects, are located in the
two Precise Plan Areas. Furthermore, there are multiple
projects in construction and planning phases set to be
completed in the short term, in or near the San Antonio
and El Camino Real Precise Plans.
The limited number of large, developable sites in the
Plan Areas presents a challenge for accommodating
new demand. The Plan Areas, especially the El Camino
Real Precise Plan Area have only a limited number of
sites of that size available for redevelopment. Smaller,
shallower sites are typically more difficult to redevelop
into higher density projects due to capacity constraints.
San Antonio is a competitive location for office,
multi-family residential, and retail. Due to its excellent
accessibility, the proximity to Caltrain, and the high
level of amenities in the San Antonio Center, the
San Antonio Precise Plan Area is very attractive to
developers, particularly for office projects, apartments,
and convenience retail uses. Hotel development may
also be possible in the plan area if suitable sites are
available.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY | xi
PART I
1 CONTEXT 5
1.1 Regional Location 5
1.2 Surrounding Context 7
1.3 Plan Area 9
2 REGULATORY FRAMEWORK 11
2.1 General Plan Change Areas and Land Use 11
2.2 Existing Zoning 15
2.3 Existing Precise Plan Regulations 16
2.4 Housing Element 19
2.5 San Antonio Area Visioning Report 20
2.6 Parks and Open Space 23
3 LAND USE & URBAN DESIGN 27
3.1 Existing Land Use 27
3.2 Size of Parcels 29
3.3 Parcel Ownership 31
3.4 Building Footprints 33
3.5 Sub Areas 35
3.6 Parking 39
3.7 Site Circulation 41
3.8 Building Entrances 45
3.9 Plan Area Street Character 46
3.10 Areas of Activity, Edges, and Views 49
3.11 Landscape and Natural Character 51
3.12 Gatekeeper and Pipeline Projects 53
3.13 Walkability 55
3.14 Blocks and Intersections 57
3.15 Existing Built Character 58
4 | San Antonio Precise Plan Area Profile October 2013
REGIONAL LOCATION
FIGURE 1-1
San Antonio Precise Plan Area El Camino Real Precise Plan Area
North Bayshore Precise Plan Area
0 0.5 1 Miles
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280
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SAN FRANCISCO BAY
MOUNTAIN
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SAN ANTONI O
NORTH BAYSHORE
EL CAMI NO
El Camino Real
San Antonio Precise Plan Area
Source:
CONTEXT | 5
1. University Avenue, Downtown Palo Alto
2. California Avenue, Palo Alto
3. San Antonio Precise Plan Area
4. Castro Street, Downtown Mountain View
1 CONTEXT
0 0.5 1 Miles
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San Antonio Precise Plan Area
Source:
PEDESTRIAN-ORIENTED COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS
FIGURE 1-2
1.1 Regional Location
Located at the intersection of the San Francisco
Peninsula and the South Bay Area, the City of Mountain
View is uniquely situated as a gateway to Silicon Valley
(see Figure 1-1), and benefits from the cultural and
economic amenities that come with such a distinction.
Several major freeways and interchanges run through
the city, helping to connect it to the greater Bay Area
region:
Highway 101 connects San Jose to San
Francisco
State Route 237 connects Mountain View to
the East Bay Area
Highway 85 connects Mountain View to
Cupertino, southern San Jose, and Highway
17
Key regional attractions include Moffett Field, an active
airfield operated by NASA Ames Research Center
adjacent to the northeast corner of Mountain Views city
limits, and numerous major office campuses for Silicon
Valley technology companies.
The city is nestled between the San Francisco Bay to
the north, and the base of the Midpeninsula Regional
Open Space District to the south.
The Plan Area fits neatly into an existing chain of
pedestrian-oriented commercial corridors along the
Peninsula that branch off of the Caltrain line, and
feature active pedestrian street life that is present from
morning to evening on both weekdays and weeknights
(see Figure 1-2).
Like other communities developed in the pre-World
War II era, these places feature a grid-style street
system, prominent main street style retail corridor,
and are located near a train station; all of which make
them pleasant, engaging, and walkable pedestrian
attractions.
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Cal trai n Stati on
VTA Bus
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BRT Stop
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C I T Y O F M O U N T A I N V I E W
S A N A N T O N I O P R E C I S E P L A N
E X I S T I N G C O N D I T I O N S A S S E S S M E N T
F I GU R E 1 - 2
S A N A N T O N I O P R E C I S E P L A N A R E A
Source:
Legend
0 0.25 0.5 Miles
Precise Plan Area Bike Route Schools
Transit Stations Parks
Downtown Mountain View
Major Roads
Secondary Roads
Parks
1. Del Medio Park
2. Hetch Hetchy Easement
Open Space
3. Klein Park
4. Gemello Park
5. Monta Loma Park
6. Thaddeus Park
7. Rengstorff Park
8. Castro Park
9. Sierra Vista Park
10. McKelvey Ball Park
11. Mariposa Park
12. Whisman Sports Center
13. Eagle Park
14. Stevenson park
15. Dana Park
16. Pioneer Memorial Park
17. Fairmont Park
18. Willowgate Community
Gardens
19. Mercy-Bush Park
20. Charleston Park
Schools
21. Community School of
Music and Arts
22. Mona Loma Elementary
School
23. Mariano Castro
Elementary School
24. St. Joseph Catholic
School
25. Crittenden Middle School
26. Theuerkauf Elementary
School
27. Stevenson Elementary
School
28. Mountain View Academy
29. Graham Middle School
SURROUNDING CONTEXT
FIGURE 1-3
CONTEXT | 7
1.2 Surrounding
Context
The San Antonio Precise Plan Area sits along the
western edge of Mountain View, adjacent to both Los
Altos and Palo Alto. Less than two miles to the east is
Downtown Mountain View, and the retail and dining
attractions of Castro Street, as well as the Citys Center
for the Performing Arts.
The Plan Area is situated between two major arterials
that run through the Peninsula to San Jose: El Camino
Real and the Central Expressway (Alma Street). Both
streets also connect the Plan Area to Downtown
Mountain View.
The Central Expressway functions like a typical
expressway; it has long blocks that rarely break for
cross traffic, limited sidewalks, higher traffic speed
limits, and sound walls and landscaping that hide and
buffer adjacent uses while also creating a consistent
and tree-lined street wall.
In contrast, El Camino Real has more frequently spaced
intersections, consistent sidewalks, and buildings and
driveways that front the street. Building setbacks range
considerably, resulting in an inconsistent street wall.
Commercial uses along El Camino Real range in scale
from larger big box retail and office buildings to
single-story buildings containing smaller footprint retail,
restaurants, fast food, gas stations or other auto-related
services, and small offices.
California Street is a curving tree-lined boulevard with
bike lanes that runs east-west, bisecting the Plan Area
and connecting it to the central core of Downtown
Mountain View. The street and bike lane end just
west of the Plan Area and result in vehicular high-turn
volumes at San Antonio Road.
San Antonio Road is one of few north-south streets that
crosses the Caltrain line, and serves as the most direct
route for accessing Highway 101 from the Plan Area.
Bicycle routes within and around the Plan Area feature
some good facilities; however, their overall connection
to one another and surrounding context lacks flexibility,
continuity, and safe options. Traveling north and south
through Mountain View is restricted to a limited number
of streets due to the Caltrain line. San Antonio Road,
the Caltrain-crossing street closest to the Plan Area,
offers no bicycle facilities.
East-west bicycle travel through the city is largely limited
to California Street, which offers a well-marked Class II
bicycle route
1
between Downtown Mountain View and
the Plan Area. However the Class II route ends just west
of the San Antonio Road intersection, leaving bicyclists
traveling to the western-most portion of Mountain View
and Palo Alto with fewer safe options.
The San Antonio Caltrain Station is just north of the
Plan Area on Showers Drive, and the Mountain View
Caltrain Station is two miles to the east in Downtown.
Area, most notably at the San Antonio Transit Center
located on Showers Drive at Latham Street. This center
is utilized by six different regional bus routes operating
throughout Santa Clara County.
Area. The San Antonio Transit Center on Showers Drive
at Latham Street is utilized by six different bus routes
that run regionally throughout Santa Clara County.
A Bus Rapid Transit line has been proposed by the
VTA which, when completed, would include a stop at
the intersection of El Camino Real and Showers Drive,
and would offer riders a faster and more comfortable
express bus option for traveling along El Camino Real
between Palo Alto and San Jose.
The Plan Area includes one school, Community School
of Music and Arts, and includes several public and
private schools in the vicinity.
Mountain View contains ample parks and open spaces
of varying sizes; however, the western region of the city
and the Plan Area have significantly fewer parks than
the citys other regions. One way of understanding the
scarcity of parks in and immediately around the Plan
Area is to compare the ratio of park square footage
per housing unit for this area to the ratio for the entire
city. Mountain Views city-wide ratio is 1,221 square
feet of open space for every housing unit, yet for every
housing unit that is west of Rengstorff Avenue and south
of Central Expressway, there is only 26 square feet of
open space.
1 A Class II bicycle route is defined as on-street route
marked with bike lanes.
SAN ANTONIO
PRECISE PLAN AREA
FIGURE 1-4
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123 ACRES
Source:
0 250 500 Feet
Precise Plan Boundaries
2030 General Plan San Antonio Change Area
Draft Additional Parcels to Study in Precise Plan Area
CONTEXT | 9
1.3 Plan Area
Situated along several major thoroughfares and the
Caltrain line, the Plan Areas location is highly visible,
well-traveled and well-suited for attracting visitors from
throughout the southern Peninsula. It is also well-
situated to serve as the gateway to Mountain View
from surrounding communities to the west.
The Plan Area includes 123 acres and is comprised
of a mixture of large parcels with large buildings that
make up San Antonio Center and are oriented away
from the streets, and smaller parcels with smaller
buildings that function independently from one another
and face the street. For the most part, the larger
parcels found in the Plan Area are larger than those in
its immediate surroundings, making the area stand out
from surrounding neighborhoods.
On the one hand, large parcels make for attractive
development opportunities, since such clusters of
larger parcels are not as common in Mountain
Viewparticularly in close proximity to transit stations.
However, the large scale of these parcels is also an
obstacle to the creation of a cohesive area where
people are comfortable walking and biking.
A large portion of the Plan Area is part of San Antonio
Center, a regional retail development, which sits
on a nearly 60-acre, uninterrupted super block,
where access to its commercial uses is limited to the
four major roads that bound it: El Camino Real, San
Antonio Road, California Street, and Showers Drive.
Internally, the super-block has an intricate network of
driveways connecting large parking lots, ultimately
making it feasible for one to drive from one corner
of San Antonio Center to another without needing to
access the external right-of-ways. It is not as convenient
or comfortable to walk or bike through San Antonio
Center, however.
Though San Antonio Center has served as a major
shopping destination for over 50 years, its combination
of big box buildings and expansive parking lots that
cover much of the site is outdated and not conducive to
more contemporary, walkable retail and entertainment
uses.
The form and character of the Plan Area changes
significantly along the western side of San Antonio
Road. Smaller local streets, Fayette Drive and Miller
Avenue, intersect with San Antonio Road to create
more walkable segments, and several one- and two-
story office buildings are oriented towards the sidewalk
with landscaping and a mature tree canopy that
provide both shade and a respite from the surrounding
hardscape street environment.
Several eras of retail development styles are represented
in the Plan Area, ranging from the recently completed
mixed-use retail project at San Antonio Road and El
Camino Real that includes a Safeway, restaurants, and
two five-story apartment buildings, to the 1970s Kohls
big box style building on the northern edge of San
Antonio Center.
The Plan Area is relatively flat, which would typically
foster a pleasant and accessible pedestrian and
bicycling circulation; however, the expansive blocks
and lack of comfortable and convenient routes through
the central portions of the Plan Area and along the
major roads nullifies this topographical characteristic.
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I NTENSI TY
1. 35 FAR maxi mum
( 43 du/acr e or
30- 90 r esi dent s/acr e)
Up t o 0. 50 FAR can be of f i ce
or commer ci al
HEI GHTS
Up t o 3 st or i es
GENERAL
MI XED-USE
I NTENSI TY
26- 35 DU/acr e
( 55- 74 r esi dent s/acr e)
HEI GHTS
Up t o 3 st or i es
MEDI UM-HI GH
DENSI TY RESI DENTI AL
I NTENSI TY
0. 35 FAR
HEI GHTS
Up t o 2 st or i es
NEI GHBORHOOD
COMMERCI AL
I NTENSI TY
2. 35 FAR
( 70 DU/acr e or
60150 r esi dent s/acr e)
Up t o 0. 75 FAR
can be of f i ce or commer ci al
HEI GHTS
Up t o 8 st or i es
MI XED-USE
CENTER
I NTENSI TY
1. 85 FAR maxi mum ( San
Ant oni o)
( 60 DU/acr e or
50130 r esi dent s/acr e)
Up t o 0. 50 FAR
can be of f i ce or commer ci al
HEI GHTS
Up t o 4 st or i es
MI XED-USE
CORRI DOR
Source:
0 250 500 Feet
Medium- and Medium High-Density Residential General Mixed-Use
Mixed-Use Corridor
Mixed-Use Center
(Res only in San Antonio)
Neighborhood Commercial
GENERAL PLAN LAND USE
FIGURE 2-1
General Mixed-Use Medium-High Density Residential
Neighborhood Commercial Mixed-Use Corridor
Mixed-Use Center Gatekeeper Request for Change
to Mixed-Use Corridor
Draft Additional Parcels to
Study in Precise Plan Area
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK | 11
2.1 General Plan
Change Areas and
Land Use
The 2030 Mountain View General Plan includes goals
and policies for five Change Areas identified to serve
as areas where significant change should occur for the
next 20 years. The following goals and policies for
the San Antonio Change Area, which is contained
within the San Antonio Precise Plan Areas boundaries,
allow for higher intensities and an increase in land use
diversity, as well as improved bicycling and pedestrian
circulation and connections to public transportation.
Goal LUD-21: A gateway neighborhood with diverse
land uses, public amenities and strong connections to
surrounding areas.
Policy LUD 21.1: A mix of land uses. Support
a mix of commercial land uses serving the
neighborhood and the region.
Policy LUD 21.2: Higher-density residential
near transit. Encourage higher-density
residential uses near bus and Caltrain stations.
Policy LUD 21.3: Improved connectivity.
Promote improved connectivity to adjacent
neighborhoods, destinations and Downtown.
Policy LUD 21.4: Improved pedestrian
and bicycle circulation. Support improved
pedestrian and bicycle circulation and
connectivity throughout the area.
Policy LUD 21.5: Hetch Hetchy right-of-
way. Promote the use of the Hetch Hetchy
right-of-way for open space and mobility
improvements in the area.
Goal LUD-22: A revitalized San Antonio Center with
a diverse mix of uses and connections to adjacent
neighborhoods.
Policy LUD 22.1: San Antonio Center
transformation. Support the transformation of
San Antonio Center into a regional mixed-use
and commercial destination.
Policy LUD 22.2: Residential uses. Support
new residential uses within San Antonio
Center.
Policy LUD 22.3: Gathering spaces.
Encourage new plazas, open space and
other gathering spaces in San Antonio Center.
Policy LUD 22.4: Pedestrian-oriented design
elements. Ensure that developments include
pedestrian-oriented design elements such
as accessible building entrances, visible
storefronts and landscaping.
Policy LUD 22.5: Finer street grid. Promote
a finer street grid and improved connectivity
within San Antonio Center.
Policy LUD 22.6: Improved mobility. Support
improved mobility within San Antonio Center
for vehicles, transit, bicyclists and pedestrians.
Policy LUD 22.7: Improved bicycle and
pedestrian connections. Promote improved
bicycle and pedestrian connections to the
San Antonio Caltrain station, El Camino Real
bus service, adjacent neighborhoods and the
citywide bicycle and pedestrian network.
Policy LUD 22.8: Parking area safety. Ensure
safe pedestrian and bicycle access through
parking areas.
The General Plan also describes form and character
components for change areas, and breaks them down
into four key topics:
Pedestrian and bicyclist environment
Site layout and design
Plazas and shared space
Building-to-street relationship
General Plan Land Use Designations
2
: The San Antonio
2 *A General Plan Amendment application has been
submitted to the City to change the designation of these
parcels to Mixed-Use Corridor.
2 REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
Precise Plan Area is notable for the amount of mixed-
use designations that it contains. Nearly the entire Plan
Area is designated as one of three types of mixed-use
land uses, which offers considerable flexibility for future
development.
General Mixed-Use is found along San Antonio Road
and accommodates a mix of commercial, office, and
residential uses. This category is defined by the flowing
requirements:
Allowed Land Uses: Multi-family residential,
office, commercial, lodging
Intensity: 1.35 FAR (approximately 43 DU/
ac or 3090 residents/acre), of which up to
0.50 FAR can be office or commercial
Height Guideline: Up to 3 stories
Mixed-Use Corridor is located along El Camino Real
and California Street and allows a broad range of
commercial, office, and residential uses, and public
spaces serving both surrounding neighborhoods and
visitors from nearby areas. This category is defined by
the following requirements:
Allowed Land Uses: Multi-family residential,
office, commercial, lodging
Intensity: 1.85 FAR (approximately 60 DU/
ac or 50130 residents/acre), of which up
to 0.50 FAR can be office or commercial; on
El Camino Real intensities above 1.85 FAR
and up to 3.0 FAR may be permitted at key
locations with significant public benefits and
amenities specified within zoning or precise
plan standards. Projects above 1.85 FAR may
include office or commercial intensities greater
than 0.50 FAR Height Guideline: Up to 3
stories
Height Guideline: Up to 4 stories; up to 6
stories for projects above 1.85 FAR
Mixed-Use Center includes San Antonio Center and
the existing Target parcels on Showers Drive. It
promotes pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use centers with
integrated, complementary uses such as entertainment,
restaurants, department stores and other retail, office,
hotels, convention/assembly and/or civic uses and
public spaces that draw visitors from surrounding
neighborhoods and the region. This category is
defined by the following requirements:
Allowed Land Uses: Office, retail and personal
services, lodging, entertainment, parks and
plazas; multi-family residential is allowed in
the San Antonio Change Area
Intensity: 2.35 FAR (approximately 70 DU/ Existing commercial uses in the San Antonio Center
A buffered path provides safe pedestrian access to
retail uses from parking lots in San Antonio Center
acre or 60150 residents/acre), of which up
to 0.75 FAR can be office or commercial
The Plan Area also has a small pocket of Neighborhood
Commercial along the northern side of California Street
and adjacent to The Crossings residential development,
and there is Medium-High Density Residential allowed
along Ortega Avenue at Latham Street.
Neighborhood Commercial areas promote commercial
activity for surrounding neighborhoods, with retail and
service businesses such as grocery stores, cleaners,
restaurants, beauty salons and similar types of uses.
This category is defined by the following requirements:
Allowed Land Uses: Commercial with retail
and personal services; parks, plazas and
open space
Intensity: 0.35 FAR
Medium-High Density Residential is for multi-family
housing such as apartments and condominiums, with
shared open space provided for common use. This
category is defined by the following requirements:
Allowed Land Uses: Multi-family residential;
parks and open space
Density: 2635 DU/acre, approximately 55
74 residents/acre
Existing multi-family apartment building along San
Antonio Circle
Electric vehicle parking area in the recently completed
Village at San Antonio Center
EXISTING ZONING
FIGURE 2-2
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F I GU R E 2 - 1
E X I S T I N G B U I L D I N G F O O T P R I N T S
Source:
0 250 500 Feet
Commercial/Residential-Arterial
Planned Community/Precise Plan
Commercial/Residential - Arterial
Precise Plan Areas
Precise Plan Boundaries
2.2 Existing Zoning
The Plan Area contains parcels zoned Commercial/
Residential-Arterial (CRA) and five Precise Plan/
Planned Community Areas. The CRA district includes
the portion of the Plan Area that is west of San Antonio
Road and south of the intersection with San Antonio
Circle.
The rest of the Plan Area is within one of four Precise
Plans and one Planned Community district, which are
designed to provide for uses that would be appropriate
for a planned area development. Each plan provides
further area-specific standards for the districts density
and land uses, and general development and
streetscape design. The following Precise Plans are
found within the Plan Area:
San Antonio Station (P8): Includes the parcels on the
northern side of California Street and east of San
Antonio Road, as well as the parcels that front San
Antonio Circle within the Plan Area. The entire district
extends north and east beyond the Plan Area to include
the Caltrain station and the Crossings residential
development.
San Antonio Center (P9): Includes all parcels within the
block bounded by El Camino Real, San Antonio Road,
California Street, and Showers Drive.
California Street to Showers Drive (P11): Includes
parcels within the block bounded by Showers Drive,
Latham Street, and California Street. It does not include
the parcels along Ortega Avenue that are also within
the block.
394 Ortega Avenue (P12): Contains the parcels at the
northeastern-most tip of the Plan Area along California
Street and Ortega Avenue.
Northwest Corner of Ortega Avenue and Latham Street:
Contains a parcel regulated by a standalone Planned
Community district for the specific development on the
site.
16 | San Antonio Planning Area Profile DRAFT
2.3 Existing Precise
Plan Regulations
Key existing land use and development standards are
summarized below for each of the planned community
districts in the Plan Area.
San Antonio Station
Permitted Uses: Retail, residential, dining,
entertainment, personal service, office, child-
care, hotel, public park, and public or quasi-
public uses
Density: Maximum density of 35 dwelling
units per acre for multi-family units, and 100
dwelling units per acre for efficiency studios
Heights: 50-foot maximum
Setbacks: 10-foot minimum setback between
buildings, and 25-foot minimum setback from
San Antonio Circle.
Open Space: 20% minimum for office, hotel,
public and quasi-public uses, 55% for multi-
family, 45% for townhouses, 25% for efficiency
studios
San Antonio Center
Permitted Uses: Large-scale retail, medium
and small-scale retail and personal service,
restaurants
Lot Size: 40,000 square feet minimum
Intensity: 961,000 square feet maximum
commercial building potential for entire site
Heights: 55-foot maximum for commercial
buildings; 80-foot maximum for hotel and
residential buildings
Setbacks: None for buildings; 25-foot
minimum from public streets for parking lots
Open Space: 15% of total site area for each
proposed development
California Street to Showers Drive
Permitted Uses: Large-scale (30,000 s.f.
floor plate or greater) indoor-retail anchor,
department store or drugstore, grocery stores,
restaurant, banks and other local-serving
offices, gas stations and auto service, retail,
and personal service
Heights: 35-foot maximum
Setbacks: Minimum of 75 feet from the center
Smaller retail uses located along the eastern edge of
California Street and directly adjacent to the larger
Target building on Showers Drive
Existing buildings at San Antonio Center with entrances
oriented towards adjacent parking lots
line for 25% of the street frontage; and a
minimum of 120 feet for the remainder of the
frontage for Showers Drive and California
Street; minimum of 70 feet from the center line
for Latham Street; no minimum for commercial-
to-commercial property lines; minimum of 40
feet for commercial-to-residential property lines
Open Space: 15% minimum
395 Ortega Avenue
Permitted Uses: Moderate-density housing
Density: Maximum of 14.4 dwelling units per
acre with a density bonus of an additional
14.4 dwelling units for each acre of the Hetch
Hetchy right-of-way
Open Space: Hetch Hetchy right-of-way must
be fully incorporated into the sites overall site
design with at least 70% of the right-of-way
landscaped.
Smaller-scale retail along the northern end of San
Antonio Road
Phase I of the Merlone Geier development with ground
floor retail and apartments above
HOUSING ELEMENT SITES
(Adopted 2007-2014)
FIGURE 2-3
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Source:
Legend
0 0.5 1 Miles
SAN ANTONI O
Precise Plan Area
Low Income Sites Moderate/Above Moderate Income Sites
Medium Income Sites Transit Stations
2.4 Housing Element
The Citys adopted Housing Element describes both
how Mountain View plans to meet the projected housing
needs of all economic segments of the community and
the Citys fair-share allocation of regional housing
needs. The following goals, policies, and actions from
the Housing Element are the most pertinent to the San
Antonio Precise Plan Area:
Goal 1: Support the production of new housing units
serving a broad range of household types and incomes.
Policy C: Encourage a mix of housing types,
at a range of densities, that serves a diverse
population, including units serving both
young and mature families, singles, young
professionals, single-parent households,
seniors, and both first-time and move-up
buyers.
Policy D: Provide higher density housing near
transit, in the Downtown, near employment
centers, and within walking distance of
services.
Program 8 - Update Residential Densities
in General Plan: Use the General Plan
Update as an opportunity to target key
sites near transit and existing services for
higher-density development that allows
housing and/or mixed use. Some of
the target areas include San Antonio, El
Camino Real, Moffett Boulevard and Old
Middlefield.
Goal 7: Promote energy-efficient and environmentally
sensitive residential development, remodeling, and
rehabilitation.
Policy A: Support environmentally sustainable
practices in all aspects of residential
development.
Program 1 - Green Building Principles:
Continue to encourage developers
to use green building principals. The
City has adopted a Green Building
Code and Water Conservation in
Landscape Regulation to require that new
developments incorporate green building
techniques. The City will work with
developers to identify design techniques
to implement the Green Building Code
and Water Conservation in Landscape
Regulations. The City will request
subsidized developers to incorporate
these elements in their developments when
feasible, and will consider providing
assistance to these projects to support
green building principles.
Program 6 - Energy Efficiency:
Encourage and support energy-efficiency
improvements and modifications for
existing subsidized housing units and low-
income households.
The Housing Element also includes an analysis of
potential housing sites throughout the city for varying
income levels. Most of the sites are concentrated around
major arterials and/or transit lines. The following sites
identified in the Housing Element are located within or
directly adjacent to the Plan Area boundary:
395 Ortega Avenue on the eastern side of
the Plan Area was suggested as a potential
medium-income housing site.
The 2650 and 2656 El Camino Real site,
partially contained by the San Antonio Precise
Plan Area, was included as a potential low-
income housing opportunity. The 2.93-acre
site contains four parcels, two of which
are part of the Hetch Hetchy right-of-way.
Although the Housing Element indicates that
low-income housing would be suitable for this
site, a multi-family project with no allocation
for low-income housing units is already under
construction on the site.
The City is currently updating its Housing
Element to cover the 2014-2022 planning
period.
2.5 San Antonio Area
Visioning Report
In 2012 the City of Mountain View worked with
members of the community on a visioning process
for shaping the future of the San Antonio Change
Area. Over a three-month period the City hosted two
community workshops and provided online interactive
tools to gather input from the community and ultimately
determine any agreed-upon opportunities or preferences
for change and enhancement in the Change Area to
refine the 2030 General Plan direction over the next
20 years.
Overall, each of the workshops were attended by
60 to 80 participants, and over 700 responses were
submitted electronically via the online interactive tools.
The final San Antonio Visioning Report, while not
regulatory, includes invaluable information about the
ways in which the community views the San Antonio
Change Area that will greatly inform the final San
Antonio Precise Plan.
The following community principles were the result of
group discussion held at the community workshops:
Create human-oriented streets, open spaces,
and buildings.
Create a balanced multimodal community
with appropriate design, traffic mitigations,
and safety measures.
Expand and improve the pedestrian network
through means such as connections through
San Antonio Center and access to transit.
Expand and create an interconnected bicycle
network.
Create a range of community gathering
spaces in the neighborhood.
Ensure proper transitions from higher densities
within San Antonio Center to adjacent
neighborhoods.
Retain existing and encourage new
neighborhood-serving businesses mixed with
regional commercial destinations.
Retain existing and encourage new community
services.
Explore opportunities to create a greenway
along the Hetch Hetchy right-of-way.
Common preferences amongst community participants
for changes or improvements included the following:
Connectivity
Improved pedestrian and bike connections
Major new north-south and east-west streets
and pathways
Tree and landscaping buffers in residential
areas
Retail streets with a walkable main street
character
Open Space
A greenway along Hetch Hetchy
Balanced ratio of built space to open space
Amenities for community gathering
Mix of well-designed open spaces that
provide an inviting environment
Childrens play areas
Land Use and Intensity
New buildings to include stepbacks,
setbacks, staggered heights, faade
variety, and individual identity
Large retail wrapped with mixed use
development
Ground-floor design with large windows,
entries, and other human-scaled features
New buildings that fit into the neighborhood
There were also topics that participants felt should be
studied further, several of which were:
Specific bike and pedestrian design standards
Location of new north-south and east-west streets
and pathways
Potential for bike- and pedestrian-only retail
pathways
Relationship of pathways and greenways to
new open space
Economic impact of designating areas as open
space
Landscape design styles
Ratio of hardscape to landscape
Use of open space to create viewsheds
Building heights and intensity in different
locations
Importance of mountain views
Architectural styles
Design of parking structures
Affordable housing near transit
PARKS AND OPEN SPACES
FIGURE 24
143
CHAPTER 6
Parks, Open Space and
Community Facilities
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LEGEND
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l|gure 6.1. larks, 2010
SAN ANTONI O
0 0.5 1 Miles
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Source: City of Mountain View, County of Santa Clara, 2011
Neighborhood Park Other Open Space
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Community Park Community Garden
Precise Plan Area
2.6 Parks and Open
Space
Mountain View has nearly 1,000 acres of parks and
open space that range from large regional open spaces
like the Stevens Creek Trail to small neighborhood parks,
all of which offer a variety of recreational amenities.
The General Plan establishes a standard of at least
three acres of parkland per 1,000 residents, which the
City exceeded in 2010 with 13.5 acres of parkland
per 1,000 residents. While greatly exceeding the
General Plan standard, this ratio does not provide for
the equitable distribution of open spaces within each
neighborhood so that all residents have a park within
walking distance of their home.
Bicycle and pedestrian routes linking the citys parks
and opens spaces together is also an important topic
to consider. As mentioned previously in Chapter 1.2
Surrounding Context, the citys existing bicycle route
system leaves some areas lacking safe routes for
cyclists, particularly in and around the Plan Area.
The Hetch Hetchy right-of-way offers a unique open
space possibility for the Plan Area where a chain
of large, connected open spaces could essentially
function as a public trail, and/or greenway.
The Parks, Open Space and Community Facilities
Element of the General Plan includes several goals and
policies that are important to consider for the purposes
of the San Antonio Precise Plan.
Goal POS-1: An expanded and enhanced park and
open space system.
Policy POS 1.1: Additional parkland. Expand
park and open space resources to meet current
City standards for open space acreage and
population in each neighborhood.
Policy POS 1.2: Recreation facilities in
new residential developments. Require new
development to provide park and recreation
facilities.
Goal POS-2: Parks and public facilities equitably
distributed throughout the community and accessible to
residents and employees.
Policy POS 2.1: Distribution of parks. Give
priority for park acquisition to the Planning
Areas identified in the Parks and Open Space
Plan.
Policy POS 2.2: Connectivity and transit
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Parks
PARKS AND OPEN SPACE
ADJACENT TO PLAN AREA
FIGURE 2-5
access. Improve connectivity and transit
accessibility to parks.
Policy POS 2.3: Pedestrian and bicycle
access. Improve pedestrian and bicycle
access to parks, and create new connections
to parks to minimize pedestrian and bicycle
travel distances.
Policy POS 2.6: Diverse park amenities.
Design parks to address a range of activities
for diverse populations.
Goal POS-6: An integrated system of multi-use trails
connecting to key local and regional destinations and
amenities.
Policy POS 6.1: Citywide network of
pathways. Develop a citywide network of
pedestrian and bicycle pathways to connect
neighborhoods, employment centers, open
space resources and major destinations within
the city.
The City is currently updating the Parks, Open Space
and Community Facilities Element with a target to
complete the update before the end of Fiscal Year
2013-14.
EXISTING LAND USE
FIGURE 3-1
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Source:
0 250 500 Feet
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Car and General Services
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Big Box Retail
Medical
Mini-Mart
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Parks
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0 250 500 Feet
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Office
Multi-Family
Single Family
Parks
Vacant
Personal Care
Recreation/Fitness
LAND USE & URBAN DESIGN | 27
3 LAND USE & URBAN DESIGN
3.1 Existing Land Use
The San Antonio Precise Plan Area is nearly surrounded
by residential development, most of which are multi-
family apartment buildings. With so many homes in
close proximity to the Plan Area, potential buffering
solutions for protecting these sensitive uses is an
important topic to consider.
Retail uses are the predominant use along El Camino
Real, as well as the central portion of the Plan Area,
San Antonio Center. Retail uses range in type and
scale, from big box style department stores to smaller
shops and restaurants.
There is considerable range in the age of retail uses,
from stores that have opened within the last six months,
to stores that have an established history in the Plan
Area, such as Jo-Anns Fabrics.
San Antonio Centers buildings also demonstrate a
broad range of construction ages, the most recent of
which is The Village at San Antonio Center at the El
Camino Real and San Antonio Road intersection.
There are a number of grocery stores in and around the
Plan Area, with Safeway and Trader Joes located on
adjacent parcels in San Antonio Center, and a Whole
Foods less than a quarter-mile away on El Camino Real
(just outside of the Plan Area boundary in Los Altos).
There is also the Milk Pail Market, a locally-owned,
open air market on California Street.
Office uses within the Plan Area are clustered mainly
along San Antonio Road, not including one six-story
office building on the El Camino Real side of San
Antonio Center, adjacent to the new Safeway.
Auto-and general-service businesses are largely
clustered in the northwestern portion of the Plan Area
along San Antonio Road and California Street, with
some additional businesses on the northern and
southern ends of Showers Drive.
PARCEL ACREAGES
FIGURE 3-2
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Source:
0 250 500 Feet
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3.2 Size of Parcels
A majority of the acreage in the Plan Area is made up
of large parcels greater than two acres in size, followed
by a relatively even mixture of medium (between one
and two acres) and small parcels (less than one acre).
This mixture of parcel sizes in the Plan Area allows
for smaller, and perhaps locally-owned, establishments
like the Milk Pail Market to co-exist with major retail
anchors.
Smaller parcels are typically found fronting along the
major streets (El Camino Real, San Antonio Road,
California Street, and Showers Drive), while the larger
parcels occupy the interior locations. There are no large
parcels west of San Antonio Road, which is indicative
of that areas role as a transitional zone between the
major retail development at San Antonio Center to the
multi- and single-family housing along Fayette Drive,
Miller Avenue, and California Street.
PARCEL ACREAGE COMPARISON
FIGURE 3-3
Small parcels < 1 acre
Total: 18.3 acres
Medium parcels between
1 and 2 acres
Total: 25.1 acres
Large parcels > 2 acres
Total: 61.9 acres
PARCEL OWNERSHIP
FIGURE 3-4
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Source:
0 250 500 Feet
3.3 Parcel Ownership
Over 70% of the Plan Area is owned or operated by
eight unique owners, resulting in a large area that is
controlled by few entities.
Groups of parcels with shared ownership or
management are found covering much of San Antonio
Shopping Center (including the Target parcels on the
eastern side of Showers Drive), west of San Antonio
Road, North of California Street, and the entire Hetch
Hetchy right-of-way running east-west through the Plan
Area.
EXISTING BUILDINGS
AND VIEWSHEDS
FIGURE 3-5
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F I GU R E 2 - 1
Source:
Legend
0 250 500 Feet
Public Viewsheds
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F I GU R E 2 - 1
Source:
0 250 500 Feet
<10,000 SF
10,000 - 20,000 SF >50,000 SF
20,000 - 30,000 SF 40,000 - 50,000 SF
30,000 - 40,000 SF
3.4 Building
Footprints
Buildings with the largest footprints are typically located
within the interior of the Plan Area, and set back from
the major streets.
Conversely, the smaller buildings are more visible from
the street, with the majority found along San Antonio
Road and its cross streets.
Nearly all of the buildings are detached from one
another, and their setbacks, both from the street as well
as from adjacent buildings, vary considerably from
parcel to parcel. This building characteristic contributes
to the fact that there are no streets in the Plan Area with
consistent street walls to frame the pedestrian realm.
Noticeable clusters of buildings tend to be located
around the four-way intersections in the Plan Area,
particularly along San Antonio Road. Larger footprint
buildings in San Antonio Center are not as densely
clustered, largely due to the parking lots that separate
many of the buildings from the street and from one
another. However, there are two loosely clustered
groups of buildings in the Center: one at the northern
end of the Center near California Street (Ross, Bev-Mo,
Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Store, 24 Hour Fitness, Kohls,
etc.), and another at the southwestern corner of the
Center (The Village at San Antonio Center).
BUILDING FOOTPRINT SIZE COMPARISON
FIGURE 3-6
< 10,000 SF
10,000 - 20,000 SF
20,000 - 30,000 SF
30,000 - 40,000 SF
40,000 - 50,000 SF
> 50,000 SF
SUB AREAS
FIGURE 3-8
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Source:
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3.5 Sub Areas
The sub areas described below (with the addition of
Sub Area G, the Village at San Antonio Center) were
previously devised in the San Antonio Area Visioning
Report for discussion purposes only, and may not
correspond to any sub areas to be defined in the
Precise Plan.
Sub Area A
This sub area contains a mixture of large,
medium, and small parcels with buildings
that are setback from their parcel lines and
surrounded by parking.
Due to the elevation increase that occurs as
San Antonio Road transforms into a ramp over
Central Expressway, the more northern parcels
in the sub area are less accessible and visible
than those that front California Street.
San Antonio Circle breaks off of San Antonio
Road, before the start of the ramp, and
meanders to the northcreating a sheltered
and detached area for the Community School
of Music and Arts and San Antonio Place, an
affordable housing development.
Sub Area A also includes Pacchetti Way
and San Antonio Circle, two of the routes for
vehicles, bikes, and pedestrians for accessing
the San Antonio Caltrain Station.
A
B
Sub Area B
This area includes mainly smaller parcels that
help to buffer the adjacent residential uses to
the west from San Antonio Road.
Landscaping and mature shade trees separate
several of buildings from the right-of-ways,
particularly along San Antonio Road. This
contrast to the surrounding hardscape helps to
set a new tone for this sub area as less-intense
and quieter commercial area.
D
E
C
Sub Area C
This sub area is unique for the highly transitional
status of its current built environment. Roughly
half of the sub area is under construction for
the Merlone Geier Phase II project, while the
rest of the sub area is either soon to be under
construction as well, or is not slated for any
kind of immediate construction.
The California Street side of the sub area is
more established, with mature street trees lining
the sidewalk and smaller retail with minimal
setbacks at the San Antonio Road intersection
that help to frame the pedestrian realm.
In contrast, the southern end of the sub area
is both a construction zone as well as a main
entrance to the existing Ross store, making for
a confusing and unfriendly sense of place.
Sub Area D
This area includes an array of opposites:
major big box retail stores, as well as
smaller neighborhood commercial style uses;
buildings situated right along the public right-
of-way and buildings that are set back nearly
300 feet from the street.
A mature tree canopy, both along California
Street and throughout the large parking lot
help to create a green and more tranquil
environment within the sub area, and minimize
the presence of the larger retail buildings.
Showers Drive leads into The Crossings
development at California Street, and serves
as the third entrance to the San Antonio
Caltrain Station.
Sub Area E
This area is characterized by both big-box
and strip-style retail development that is
oriented towards shared parking areas. Strip-
style retail is situated along the Showers Drive
sidewalk, but all entrances and transparent
building elements are located on the buildings
interior-facing facades and away from the
public right-of-way.
Walmart, located on the eastern edge of the
area, serves as the areas commercial anchor
and is separated entirely from the other San
Antonio Center retail uses by parking areas.
The VTA Bus Transfer Station to the east of
Walmart on Showers Drive includes a plaza
with decorative paving, seating, landscaping,
G
F
and several bus shelters that protect people
from the elements, as well as a pedestrian
path into San Antonio Center.
The El Camino Real side of the sub area
serves as the figurative backdoor to
San Antonio Center by providing multiple
driveways that lead to the major retail stores
located in the interior, but offering no formal
signage or gateway features that indicate
where these anonymous driveways lead.
There is also small neighborhood strip-style
retail development at the intersection of El
Camino Real and Showers Drive that functions
separately from San Antonio Center.
Sub Area F
Target and its expansive parking lot along
Showers Drive occupy the majority of this sub
area, with smaller retail and auto service shops
to the north and residential on the southeastern
corner. Target is currently remodeling their site
and is considered a Gatekeeper project.
Latham Street, on the southern edge of the
sub area, is bounded entirely by parking lots
and the rear sides of buildings, resulting in
a streetscape character that feels detached
from the rest of the sub area, as well as the
greater Plan Area. There has been strong
community desire to make Latham Street into a
bike boulevard.
Sub Area G
This sub area contains The Village at San
Antonio Center, the recently completed
mixed-use retail development that includes a
Safeway grocery store with a wrapped, multi-
story parking garage, smaller floor plate retail
along San Antonio Road and El Camino Real,
and three five-story apartment buildings with
ground floor commercial and parking.
There is a large park with seating, decorative
lighting, and pedestrian pathways on the
northern end of the sub area within the Hetch
Hetchy right-of-way, which currently serves as
the only form of open space in the Plan Area.
The contemporary architectural and
commercial character of the sub area is
distinctly different than the other sub areas,
and it adds energy and activity to the Plan
Area that is not found elsewhere in the Plan
Area.
E
LAND DEDICATED
TO VEHICULAR PARKING
FIGURE 3-9
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3.6 Parking
Land dedicated to parking makes up an overwhelming
proportion of the Plan Area and, furthermore, parking
lots and driveways divide most of the buildings from the
public right-of-ways.
The vast parking areas within San Antonio Center are
particularly noteworthy because there is no distinction
between parking lots for each parcel. A positive aspect
of this characteristic is that cars are able to circulate
from one end of the site to another without having to
access the public right-of-ways.
However, for the pedestrian, the continuous parking lots
of San Antonio Center give the impression of retail boxes
sitting on an undifferentiated table top of asphalt with
large gaps in between one another that seem daunting
to try and navigate by foot or bike. The expanse of
asphalt that covers the majority of the superblock results
in run-off that is environmentally unfriendly and could
better align with the Citys General Plan Stormwater
Goals to create sustainable streetscapes that minimize
stormwater runoff, using techniques such as on-street
bio-swales, bio-retention, permeable pavement or other
innovative approaches.
3
The parking garages for the new Safeway and
apartment buildings in The Village at San Antonio
Center are the only parking garages in the Plan Area,
and offer new alternatives to the surface parking trends
that take up most of the space within San Antonio
Center.
There are reciprocal parking agreements in effect
among parcel owners within San Antonio Center.
3 Goal INC-8: An effective and innovative stormwater
drainage system that protects properties from flooding
and minimizes adverse environmental impacts from
stormwater runoff.
EXISTING SITE CIRCULATION
FIGURE 3-10
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Source:
Legend
0 250 500 Feet
Public Streets
Primary Internal Circulation Routes
Traffic Signal Locations
Existing Crosswalk at Non-Signalized Intersection
Secondary Internal Circulation Routes
Conceptual Merlone Geier Phase II Routes
3.7 Site Circulation
Circulation within the Plan Area can be broken down
into four categories: public streets, primary internal
circulation routes, secondary internal circulation routes,
and parking lanes.
The public streets cater mainly to car travel, particularly
El Camino Real and San Antonio Road, and offer few
pedestrian amenities. They include both shorter and
more walkable street segments along the northern
portion of the Plan Area as well as the longer and
uninterrupted stretches of Showers Drive and El Camino
Real.
Primary internal circulation routes function as make-
shift streets within San Antonio Center parking lots
that allow for cars to travel efficiently through the
interconnected parking lots from one end of the site to
another. These routes include painted travel lanes, stop
signs, pedestrian crosswalks and some non-contiguous
sidewalks, and landscaping. These features help to
define the routes as preferred pathways for navigating
the parking areas as both a driver and a pedestrian.
EXISTING PEDESTRIAN
CIRCULATION
FIGURE 3-11
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SIDEWALKS AND CROSSINGS
Source:
Legend
0 250 500 Feet
Existing Sidewalk
Conceptual Merlone Geier Phase II Sidewalks
Existing Street-Crossing at Signalized Intersection
Proposed Merlone Geier Phase II Development
Existing Crossing at Non-Signalized Intersection
Pedestrian signal at California Street
Portion of sidewalk along San Antonio Road offers no
landscaping or other form of buffering for the pedestrian
from adjacent vehicle traffic
Landscaping and seating areas line portions of the
sidewalk in San Antonio Center
Figure 3-11 displays the existing pedestrian circulation
system within the Plan Area, as well as the proposed
system for the Merlone Geier Phase II development.
As evidenced by the figure, the eastern side of San
Antonio Center offers considerably fewer connections
and routes for pedestrians seeking to traverse the area
between El Camino Real and California Street.
Secondary internal circulation routes do not have as
many of the streetscape elements that the primary routes
offer, and are used mainly for driving within a particular
portion of a parking lot and not for moving across the
entire San Antonio Center.
Parking lanes make up the remaining internal circulation
routes and are the least suitable pedestrian routes within
the Plan Area.
As the circulation system stands today, there is little
incentive for visitors to Plan Area to walk from one
location to another.
BUILDING ENTRANCES
FIGURE 3-12
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Source:
Legend
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Building Entrances
3.8 Building Entrances
Building entrances within the Plan Area vary in both
their orientation and proximity to the street. There is
also variation in the total number of entrances that each
building possesses, and in the number of sides of a
building that contain an entrance.
There is a particular lack of consistency with entrance
locations in San Antonio Center where adjacent
buildings occasionally do not provide entrances on
the same side, as evidenced by the 24 Hour Fitness
building that offers no entrances on its southern side,
and the adjacent Kohls building that includes six
entrances on its southern side to the main department
store, as well as smaller shops and restaurants.
A buildings proximity to the street is not an indicator
as to whether its entrances will be oriented towards the
street. Most of the existing buildings have entrances
that are oriented toward their primary parking areas,
and despite the fact that some newer retail buildings in
The Village at San Antonio Center are built right to their
street-side property, their entrances are located along
their opposite, inward-facing sides.
3.9 Plan Area Street
Character
The following section describes the character of each
of the Plan Areas bounding streets.
El Camino Real
A regional connector that is often crowded
with traffic across as many as eight travel
lanes, and also features numerous driveways
leading to the many parking lots and small
parcels that front it.
Though it has continuous sidewalks along both
sides and no utility lines overhead, it is one of
the least pedestrian-friendly streets in the Plan
Area. It features occasional street trees along
the sidewalk and within the central median,
and its buildings are largely separated from
the pedestrian realm by parking.
San Antonio Road
San Antonio Road is also a busy regional
connector and leads directly to Highway
101. It is a similar size to El Camino Real with
six travel lanes and double turn lanes at key
intersections, but it features a smaller and more
pedestrian-friendly scale. This is perhaps due
to the mature street trees along the parcel lines
on the west side of the road.
There is no street parking provided, and
sidewalks abut the travel lanes without any
landscaping buffer.
Bus stops along the street have sheltered
benches.
Overhead utility lines run along the north side
of the street.
Above: Retail frontage along El
Camino Real for The Village at San
Antonio Center
Above right: Driveway access into
The Village at San Antonio Center
from El Camino Real
Right: Intersection of El Camino
Real and San Antonio Road,
looking south towards San Antonio
Center
Below: Recently completed five-
story mixed-use building along San
Antonio Road with ground floor
retail and apartments above
Right: Existing office building
with a mature set of trees with its
landscaped setback
Below right: Safeway store and
parking lot along San Antonio
Road
Showers Drive
Showers Drive has two travel lanes in each
direction, clearly marked Class II bicycle
lanes, and some areas with on-street parallel
parking, though the pakring appears to be
underutilized.
There are narrow sidewalks immediately
adjacent to the street on both sides, and an
inconsistent provision of street trees, which
appear to be placed at the discretion of the
adjacent property owner.
The VTA Bus Transfer Station near the Walmart
is actively used and provides for gathering
with a specially paved plaza, seating, bus
shelters, and landscaping.
Nearly all of the buildings along Showers
Drive are set back behind parking.
Utility lines are overhead along the east side.
California Street
The street is typically composed of two travel
lanes in each direction, with narrow, Class II
bike lanes striped alongside. There is usually
a turn lane in the center giving access to the
many driveways.
California Street is more shaded than other
streets in the Plan Area due to mature trees on
fronting properties, and some median street
trees.
The gradual curve of the street also gives it a
suburban feel, but drivers speeds contribute to
a lack of sense of safety for bicyclists.
Buildings are normally set back behind
parking, with the exception of the Milk Pail
Market and a portion of The Crossings
neighborhood.
West of San Antonio Road, California Street
becomes one lane in each direction, and then
ends at Del Medio Avenue.
There are no overhead utility lines along the
street.
Left: Gradual curve of the street
creates a suburban feel
Below left: Class II bike lane and
bus stop along California Street
Below: The Milk Pail Market is built
right up to the sidewalk, helping to
create a more pedestrian-friendly
experience along this portion of the
street
Above left: Buildings from San
Antonio Center along Showers
Drive
Above: Occasional mature street
trees provide an inconsistent
canopy for pedestrians
Left: Class II bike lanes heading
towards the VTA Bus Transfer
Station
NODES, EDGES, AND VIEWS
FIGURE 3-13
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LOS ALTOS
PALO ALTO
San Antoni o
Stati on
VTA Transfer
Stati on
Tar get
Saf eway
Tr ader
J oe s
Wal mar t
Communi ty
Gatheri ng Space
Kohl s
Ross
24 Hour
Fi t ness
Source:
0 250 500 Feet
Key Access Points Public Viewsheds
Residential Boundary Building Frontage Built to Street
Nodes
3.10 Areas of Activity,
Edges, and Views
The edges of the Plan Area are primarily bounded by
residential uses on the north, east, and south. Most of
these buildings contain multi-family residential except
for some single-family homes to the south and The
Crossings neighborhood, a development with single-
family homes and townhomes, between the Precise Plan
Area and the Caltrain Station. The residences along
these bounding streets have partial views through San
Antonio Center. To the west are commercial properties
along El Camino Real and the border of Los Altos.
The major area of activity in the Plan Area is the
intersection at El Camino Real and San Antonio Road.
Recently, this area has been reinforced by The Village
at San Antonio Center, which frames a gathering space
at the corner. The other major intersections of the Plan
Area do not currently have as strong of a presence.
The two existing transit stations (San Antonio Caltrain
and the VTA Bust Transfer) also serve as important areas
due to their roles as access points to and from the Plan
Area and for the important role they play in facilitating
pedestrian and bicycle travel.
There are additional areas of activity outside of the Plan
Area, which will be addressed in the El Camino Real
Precise Plan. As alternatives are developed, attention
should be paid to creation of additional areas.
Preservation of views towards the mountains has been
clearly stated as a priority for residents. Currently there
are public views to the south from San Antonio Road,
Showers Drive and at a few locations along California
Street. Other vistas in the Precise Plan area are difficult
to find from ground level, however, new development
in multistory buildings may be able to create private
views.
EXISTING TREES CANOPY
FIGURE 3-14
Si gni fi cant
Character
Oak Tree
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PALO ALTO
Source:
0 250 500 Feet
3.11 Landscape and
Natural Character
There are a fair number of existing trees throughout
the Plan Area, including a significant oak tree along
the El Camino Real side of the Plan Area. However,
due to the large percentage of parking lots the overall
impression of the area is one of a heavily asphalted,
gray environment.
One significant oak tree in front of the six story office
tower at 2558 West El Camino Real stands out.
Many of the parking lots contain good tree cover,
particularly the portion that fronts the northern entrance
to the Kohls and 24 Hour Fitness along California
Street.
The new open space on the Hetch Hetchy right-of-way
will be a major focal point; it will serve as an organizing
landscape feature to which new development could
orient since it currently serves as the only form of open
space for the Plan Area and has the potential of serving
as the spine of the area.
GATEKEEPER AND
PIPELINE PROJECTS
FIGURE 3-15
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PALO ALTO
405 SAN ANTONI O
MERLONE GEI ER
PHASE I I
2580 CALI FORNI A
555 SHOWERS
TARGET
400-520 SAN ANTONI O
455 SAN ANTONI O
MERLONE GEI ER
PHASE I
2650 & 2656
EL CAMI NO REAL
S TAT US OF GAT E KE E P E R P R OJ E C T S
Source:
0 250 500 Feet
Under Construction
Inactive Gatekeeper Project Recently Completed
Active Gatekeeper Project
Active Gatekeeper
Inactive Gatekeeper
Recently Completed or Under Construction
3.12 Gatekeeper and
Pipeline Projects
Development pressure in and around the Plan Area is
high, as demonstrated by the relatively high percentage
of properties that have come forward as Gatekeeper
4

projects.
There are currently three active Gatekeeper projects in
the Plan Area, one inactive project in the Plan Area,
and two recently completed or under construction
projects in or around the Plan Area.
While several of these Gatekeeper projects are already
well into their development review process, the Precise
Plan will ideally give clear direction to projects that are
currently proposed.
4 The term Gatekeeper refers to the authorization by
City Council to have staff work on a submitted proposal
in order to ensure that development applications are
processed timely. Gatekeeper status is granted to projects
deemed suitable by the Council, pending availability of
staff resources.
PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
WALKABILITY
FIGURE 3-16
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San Antoni o
Stati on
VTA Bus Rapi d
Transi t Stati on
Source:
0 250 500 Feet
1/2 Mile Walkable Network for Caltrain Station
1/2 Mile Walkable Network for VTA Bus Rapid Transit Station
1/2 Mile Walkable Network Overlap for Both Stations
3.13 Walkability
The Plan Area was studied to determine how easy it
is to walk to and from transit stops, which determines
its walkability. The walkability analysis included half-
mile walking distances from the San Antonio Caltrain
Station and from the proposed VTA Bus Rapid Transit
stop on El Camino Real along public sidewalks in the
Plan Area. Research has shown a half-mile to be a
reasonable distance that most people will walk to and
from public transit.
Green sections of streets indicate that there is overlap
between the two stations half-mile walk routes. Uses
along these sections of the streets are highly walkable
from transit. Due to the large block pattern in the Plan
Area and limited pedestrian infrastructure, such as a
lack of continuous sidewalks, the areas that are within
walking distance of both of the transit stations are
minimal.
There are two key areas of overlap, first of which is the
area around the intersection of California Street and
Showers Drive. The overlapping area extends along
California Street to the east, and also north on Showers
into The Crossings neighborhood. There is also an
overlapping of transit station walkability along San
Antonio Road around the Fayette Drive intersection and
north towards Miller Avenue.
It is important to note that this walkability analysis does
not take into account the overall pedestrian experience
one would encounter when walking to and from uses
within a quarter mile of either of the transit stations.
Walking to a destination along El Camino Real, with its
higher traffic speeds and numerous driveways, would
be a less comfortable experience than walking to a
destination on one of the tree-lined and slower traffic
streets within The Crossings neighborhood, despite the
fact that both destinations would be within a quarter
mile of a transit station.
BLOCKS AND
INTERSECTIONS
FIGURE 3-17
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SAN ANTONI O CI R
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DOWNTOWN
MOUNTAIN VIEW
SAN ANTONIO
Controlled Intersections
3.14 Blocks and
Intersections
Figure 3-17 compares the size of blocks and the
number of street intersections within the San Antonio
Precise Plan Area with Downtown Mountain View. As
clearly evidenced by the figure, Downtown Mountain
View has considerably more intersections, which helps
to facilitate a more pleasant pedestrian environment.
There is no dispute that parcel and ownership patterns
in the Plan Area are very different from Downtown,
and the form and character of Downtown will not be
replicated in the Plan Area. However, this analysis is
useful in that it shows how a street grid comprised of
smaller blocks helps to create a place where people
like to meet, walk, shop and work.
3.15 Existing Built Character
1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
Kohls building facade lacks
windows and other human-scale
elements
Smaller floor plate retail along
Showers Drive in San Antonio
Center
A liquor store with an apartment
unit above along California Street
The large sign, windows, and
entrance bays imply that this is
an entrance for the BevMo store,
however the actual entrance is on
the opposite side of the building
Buildings in San Antonio Center
generally lack entrances, windows
and other design elements on all
four of their sides
A six-story office building adjacent
to a single story restaurant
The Community School of Music
and Arts incorporates contemporary
architecture into its design
San Antonio Place also utilizes a
contemporary architectural style
The Firestone Auto Service Shop
features building elements with
unique character
10 11 12
13
17 16
15
Single-story service commercial
along San Antonio Road includes a
considerable amount of transparent
materials in its facade, as well as
landscaping
Single-story commercial along the
western side of San Antonio with
landscaping and an entryway
emphasized with columns
Restaurant with a unique roof pitch
and overhang
The Village at San Antonio Centers
street wall along El Camino Real
An elevated look at the interior
configuration of The Village at San
Antonio Center
14
Contemporary apartments at The
Village at San Antonio Center
incorporate materials with a variety
of transparency, color, and texture
The Hetch Hetchy open space park
with apartments in the distance
Five-story apartments with ground
floor commercial at The Village at
San Antonio Center

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SAN ANTONIO PRECISE PLAN

PLAN AREA PROFILE

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