The R3 Zoning District Update Project

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NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF A DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT (EIR)

Project Title: The R3 Zoning District Update Project

City/County: City of Mountain View, County of Santa Clara

Public Review Period: May 15, 2026 through June 29, 2026

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Mountain View (City) has prepared a programmatic Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the R3 Zoning District Update Project (the Project, Zoning Update), pursuant to and in accordance with Title 14, Section 15060(d) of the California Code of Regulations, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and the State of California CEQA Guidelines. The City is accepting comments on the Draft EIR during the required 45-day public review and comment period. The Draft EIR document is available in print format for public review at the following locations during their respective business hours:

• City of Mountain View Community Development Department, 500 Castro St, Mountain View, CA 94041
• Mountain View Public Library, 585 Franklin St, Mountain View, CA 94041

A full copy of the Draft EIR and all Project documents can be found at:

https://www.mountainview.gov/r3zoningupdate

Written public comments must be submitted by 5:00 PM on June 29, 2026. Written comments may be submitted via e-mail or via U.S. Mail to the following addresses:

Email: Eric.Anderson2@mountainview.gov

Mail:    City of Mountain View Community Development Department

               Attn: Eric Anderson, Planning Manager

              500 Castro Street, PO Box 7540

              Mountain View, CA 94039-7540

 

Project Location:

The Zoning Update could affect approximately 8,350 parcels over approximately 1,260 acres throughout the City of Mountain View.

 Project Background and Description: 

The R3 Zoning District Update Project involves the creation of several subdistricts under the R3 zoning designation and amendments to additional existing zoning districts to support multi-family housing development. The Project would introduce new zoning subdistricts, some of which would include an increase in allowed density. Additionally, all subdistricts will include new/updated development standards.

These changes aim to support diverse housing types, including middle-income ownership and stacked flats, improve design through form-based standards, create opportunities for neighborhood-serving commercial, and align with recent state laws. The Project would also incorporate Mountain View 2023-2031 Housing Element programs 1.3(a), (c), (e), and (h), which address development feasibility, live-work opportunities, the integration of R2-zoned properties into the R3 zone to advance key policy goals, and allowance for SB 9 type development, plus ADUs, in remaining R2 areas. Full buildout associated with the R3 Zoning District Update would result in up to 10,000-16,000 additional residential units through the year 2050, consisting of existing development potential for roughly 1,200 existing units plus potential for approximately 8,800-14,800 additional units. 

In addition, other code updates may be included with the Project, including implementation of Housing Element Program 1.5, which would allow improvements on properties that are currently developed with nonconforming densities in R1 and R2 Zoning Districts, and the rezoning of specific public parks from a residential zoning designation to the Public Facilities Zoning District.

 Draft EIR Analysis:

The Draft EIR focuses on the resource areas/issues applicable to this Project. It evaluates the potentially significant environmental impacts of the proposed Project and includes mitigation measures that may lessen or avoid such impacts, as feasible. Adoption of the zoning updates would not approve any physical development (e.g., construction of housing or infrastructure). The Draft EIR evaluates a reasonable range of Project alternatives that, consistent with CEQA, meet most of the proposed Project objectives and reduce or avoid potential environmental effects.

Mitigation measures are included in the EIR to reduce impacts to less-than-significant levels; however, significant and unavoidable impacts would remain for impacts to Greenhouse Gas Emissions and cumulative impacts to Air Quality and Transportation. In accordance with Government Code Section 65962.5, a total of 39 open or active hazardous materials sites and 243 closed or inactive sites are within the Project area.

If you have questions regarding this Notice, please contact Eric Anderson, Planning Manager at (650) 903-6306 or Eric.Anderson2@mountainview.gov. More information about the proposed Project can be found on the City’s website, along with an opportunity to request email updates: https://www.mountainview.gov/r3zoningupdate.