Happy Thanksgiving & What’s Coming Up In December

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

I recently returned from a trip to Yosemite and am feeling rested and ready to go back to work.

I’m grateful to be back on City Council representing you. I’m also very grateful to all the voters and volunteers who helped me get here. A big thanks to everyone who reaches out to share their thoughts on the various issues that come before Council AND the people who answer all the questions I send out. It really helps me do a much better job.

One of the biggest planning jobs for the next year will be writing the Housing Element. The Housing Element is a chapter of the City’s General Plan that the State requires to be redone every eight years. The process kicked off at a 2-hour study session on November 16^th and must be completed by the end of 2022. The Housing Element must describe how to meet our Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA- pronounced reena) which is a whooping 11,135 new housing units. This is made more difficult, but also more meaningful, because 6,255 of the units are supposed to be affordable for people with moderate to very low income. To see how all the communities in the area did during the last RHNA cycle (2014-2022), take a look at the infographic which was on page B19 the San Jose Mercury News last Sunday (Nov 21, 2021).

The Environmental Planning Commission will essentially function as the task force for writing the Housing Element to meet our RHNA numbers. Your input will help them do a better job. You can get involved by participating in EPC meetings or other opportunities that are listed on this educational webpage.

The Christmas Tree Lighting is back this year on Monday, December 6th from 5:30 to 8 PM. Santa has been invited. There will be live music and snow.

The last two City Council agendas of the 2021 are packed. The Tentative Agenda lists all the items. North Bayshore Plans will be considered at both meetings The December 7th meeting will focus on Gateway Master Plan and the Circulation Plan for the North Bayshore. The December 14th meeting will focus on Google’s Master Plan. We will also be hearing the new Public Safety Advisory Board’s recommendation of the School Resource Officer Program.

On December 11th, I’ll be hosting a bike ride along the Bay Trail from Charleston Slough to the Sunnyvale Treatment Plant. We’ll stop several places along the way to talk about the restoration and sea level rise protection efforts that will be going on there. The group will gather at Shoreline Lake Parking Lot at 10 AM. We should end in time for lunch at either the Lakeside Café or Michaels. You can register at this link.

Thanks again for your support. Please contact me with any questions and Happy Thanksgiving!

Pat Showalter
Councilmember
City of Mountain View