HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 3.01 - Study Session - Planetary Ventures (Google) Nasa-Bay View Development ProjectCITY OF MOUNTAIN VIEW
MEMORANDUM
DATE: June 30, 2011
TO: City Council
FROM: Randal Tsuda, Community Development Director
Michael A. Fuller, Public Works Director
Kevin S. Woodhouse, Deputy City Manager
Margaret Netto, Planner
SUBJECT: JULY 5, 2011 STUDY SESSION— PLANETARY VENTURES (GOOGLE)
NASA -BAY VIEW DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
The purpose of this Study Session is for the City Council to hear a presentation about
the Planetary Ventures (Google) NASA -Bay View development project and discuss the
proposed concept for the private Stevens Creek bridge crossings portion of the project
in preparation for the environmental review process.
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
In 2002, NASA Ames completed a comprehensive plan, the Ames Development Plan
(ADP), to serve as the overarching blueprint for building a world - class, shared -use
research and development campus in association with government entities, academia,
industry and nonprofit organizations. The ADP divides the entire NASA Ames Moffett
Federal Airfield site into four planning districts —NASA Research Park, Ames Campus,
Eastside /Airfield and Bay View (Attachment 1). In 2008, Google, doing business as
Planetary Ventures, became one of NASA's partners and executed an enhanced use
lease for construction of a campus in the Bay View district. This lease is for approxi-
mately 42 acres or up to 1.2 million square feet of office space, housing and support
services. According to the lease, Phase 1 construction --- offices and ancillary uses ---- -shall
begin before September 30, 2013. However, the applicant is pursuing an accelerated
schedule for this phase and is targeting occupancy by the end of 2013. This staff report
and the presentation at the Study Session are intended to provide the City Council with
general information about how the Bay View development project may interface with
City infrastructure and services, and specifically about the proposed bridge crossings
portion of the project. The City Council's early feedback will help guide preparation of
the environmental review documents for this project and the alternatives to be
evaluated and publicly reviewed later in 2011.
City Council
June 30, 2011
Page 2
jurisdictional Control, Tax Revenues and City Services
The Bay View district is within a portion of Moffett Federal Airfield (Moffett) that is
within the City's limits. Attachment 2 shows the City's limits overlaid on the Bay View
district. Cities cannot regulate land owned or leased by the Federal government.
Therefore, the City does not have land use or other project or planning review control
over development in the Bay View district. The City's only authority is as the lead
agency for environmental review for the bridge crossings, which are outside of Federal
lands. However, land within the City's limits holds tax implications for the City.
Google's lease in the Bay View district generates possessory interest tax to the City,
approximately $125,000 this year, which will increase as the property is developed. It is
estimated that tax revenue from the developed Bay View district could range from
$ 600,000 to $700,000 annually,
Another unique aspect of the Bay View district and other areas on the periphery of
Moffett is the form of legislative jurisdiction the Federal government holds. The Bay
View district falls under "proprietary jurisdiction," which means that the State or local
government retains hold of law enforcement obligations. As an undeveloped area at
Moffett, the Bay View district has not required any police or fire services. Were there
ever an emergency in this area, NASA's contracted police and /or fire currently would
be first responders. However, with development of the district, and if bridge connec-
tions were constructed over Stevens Creek to the City's North Bayshore Area, NASA
and Google are requesting the City to provide police and fire services to the district.
City staff has begun to preliminarily evaluate the potential operational or financial
impacts to the City related to providing public safety services to the district. At this
point in the review process, staff does not foresee operational or financial concerns and
anticipates that public safety services could be provided with existing resources.
However, further review will be required and is contingent upon final uses in the
district and roadway connections.
It is anticipated that the Bay View district development will tie into the City's sanitary
sewer system and recycled water supply. A large portion of the western side of Moffett
currently ties into the City's sanitary sewer system under an agreement that expired in
the 1990s. Staff is reviewing the sanitary sewer system capacity in anticipation of the
proposed development. City and NASA Ames staff are working on a new agreement to
provide sanitary sewer service to the existing and proposed uses at NASA Ames. The
City does not provide potable water or storm drainage utilities to NASA Ames.
City Council
June 30, 2011
Page 3
Stevens Creek Bridge Crossings
The purpose of the Stevens Creek crossings project is to provide a high - occupancy
transit vehicle, emergency service vehicle, business park service vehicle, pedestrian and
bicycle link between the Bay View district and the North Bayshore Area by constructing
two bridges over Stevens Creek at Charleston Road and Crittenden Lane. It is proposed
that these bridge connections would be privately owned and would prohibit personal
vehicles. A project context plan is provided as Attachment 3 and shows the Bay View
district and the proposed bridge crossing locations. Additionally, a draft project
description submitted by the applicant is provided as Attachment 4.
A major objective of the project, as proposed, is to reduce vehicular trip generation to
the Bay View district. Google currently operates a large shuttle bus system for its
employees, as well as encourages bicycle transportation or walking between its various
North Bayshore Area campuses. The project concept is that the shuttle bus and other
public transit bus connections between the Bay View district and the North Bayshore
Area will reduce traffic impact on the north side of Highway 101 that, without the
bridge connections, would potentially worsen.
The proposed bridges represent the basic preliminary elements of the project that will
be refined during the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review process. To fully comply with NEPA, addi-
tional design alternatives and potential location options will be developed and evalu-
ated as part of the environmental review process, which would also include trail
crossing alternatives. Trail crossing alternatives would include rerouting the trail either
under or at -grade at the proposed bridge crossings. A description of the bridges is as
follows:
1. One new bridge aligned with the eastern terminus of Crittenden Lane, and
perpendicular to the PG &E right -of -way and to Stevens Creek. From levee top to
levee top, the estimated distance is 175 linear feet.
a. The roadway approaches on each end of the bridge structure will consist of a
two -lane paved road with sidewalks and bike lanes on both sides. Author-
ized utility access to and within the existing PG &E transmission line corridor
and Santa Clara Valley Water District levee structures will be maintained. No
changes to the existing transmission line structures or levees are required.
b. At or near the proposed western point of connection to the bridge roadway at
the existing terminus of Crittenden Lane, vehicular traffic will be controlled
for access by high - occupancy transit vehicles, other business park service
vehicles and emergency response vehicles.
City Council
June 30, 2011
Page 4
C. At the top of the existing western levee (the Stevens Creek Trail alignment
operated and maintained by the City of Mountain View), the public access
crossing of the proposed roadway will include two alternatives for evaluation
in the environmental document —an at -grade crossing and a grade - separated
crossing with the trail routed under the new roadway.
d. The new structure would replace the existing pedestrian bridge at this
location.
2. One new bridge aligned with the eastern terminus of Charleston Road, and
perpendicular to the PG &E right -of -way and to Stevens Creek. From levee top to
levee top, the estimated distance is 180 linear feet,
a. The roadway approaches on each end of the bridge structure will consist of a
two -lane paved road with sidewalks and bike lanes on both sides. Author-
ized utility access to and within the existing PG &E transmission line corridor
and Santa Clara Valley Water District levee structures will be maintained.
b. At or near the proposed western point of connection to the bridge roadway at
the existing terminus of Charleston Road, vehicular traffic will be controlled
for access by high - occupancy transit vehicles, other business park service
vehicles and emergency response vehicles.
C. At the top of the existing western levee (the Stevens Creek Trail alignment
operated and maintained by the City of Mountain View), the public access
crossing of the proposed roadway will include two alternatives for evaluation
in the environmental document —an at -grade crossing and a grade - separated
crossing with the trail routed under the new roadway.
Environmental Review Process
Similar to other development projects within the City's limits, the City is the lead
agency for CEQA review, with NASA as a cooperating agency, and will be the primary
public contact for comment on the project. NASA will be the lead agency for NEPA
review with the City as a cooperating agency. The first step in the environmental
review process, the Initial Study/ Environmental Assessment (IS /EA), serves as an
informational document to be used in the planning and decision- making process; it
does not recommend approval or denial of the project. To comply with the require-
ments of CEQA and NEPA, the IS /EA will evaluate a range of reasonable alternatives
to the proposed project. The IS /EA will evaluate the project for potentially significant
impacts to the environment for the resources identified under CEQA and NEPA as per
City Council
June 30, 2011
Page 5
the City's CEQA checklist and NASA's procedural requirements for implementing
NEPA.
If the IS /EA determines that all potentially significant impacts are less than significant
or can be fully and definitively mitigated to less than significant, the City and NASA
can issue the IS /EA for public review. The public review would include the City's draft
Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) and NASA's preliminary Finding of No
Significant Impact (FONSI). These documents would be made public for review and
comment for a period of thirty (30) days. If, at any point in the process, the City or
NASA determine that the project will result in significant impacts or cannot be fully and
definitively mitigated to less than significant, the agencies can opt to prepare a joint
Environmental Impact Report/ Environmental Impact Statement (EIR /EIS) or not
approve the project.
Based on a preliminary review performed by the City of Mountain View and NASA, the
following environmental resources could be affected by construction and operation of
the project: ambient noise, air quality, biological resources, cultural and paleontological
resources, recreation, traffic flow, visual resources, water quality and hydrology. As the
potential for significant impacts on the environment does exist, the City and NASA
have decided to prepare a joint IS /EA to determine the extent and magnitude of poten-
tial impacts and to determine if all impacts can be definitely mitigated to a less than
significant level. The draft IS /EA will analyze the topic areas identified above in detail
and any others for which potentially significant impacts are identified and will propose
measures to mitigate (avoid, reduce or compensate) for any impacts evaluated as
significant.
In addition to the list of potential interested stakeholders that were notified about this
Study Session, the City will also continue its standard environmental review practice of
compiling a list of interested parties and providing notice when the draft IS /EA is
available for public review.
Next Steps
Following the Council's and any public comments at the Study Session, the following
draft time line for environmental review milestones is anticipated unless a joint EIR /EIS
is determined to be necessary:
Finalize project description July 2011
Identify baseline conditions and conduct analysis August- September 2011
Public Draft Initial Study/ Environmental Assessment October 2011
30 -day public review and comment October- November 2011
City Council
June 30, 2011
Page 6
Respond to comments and prepare final IS/ EA November- December 2011
Final IS/ EA and Mitigation and Monitoring Plan December 2011
CONCLUSION
City Council discussion and any public input received at the Study Session regarding
the proposed concept for the private Stevens Creek bridge crossings portion of the
Planetary Ventures (Google) NASA -Bay View development will inform preparation of
environmental review documents. The environmental review process will allow for
additional public review and comment prior to City Council decision- making on this
portion of the project.
Prepared by:
Kevin S. Woodhouse
Deputy City Manager
Margaret Netto
Planner
KW/6/CAM/610-07-05-11M-EA
Community Development Director
Michael A. Fuller
Public Works Director
Melissa Stevenson Dile
Interim City Manager
Attachments: 1. Ames Development Plan Planning Districts
2. City Limits in Bay View District
3. Project Context Plan
4. Draft Project Description
City Council
June 30, 2011
Page 7
cc: Google
Seres Regis
NASA Ames
Santa Clara Valley Water District
City of Sunnyvale
PG &E
Stevens Creek and Permanente Creek Watershed Council
Friends of Stevens Creek Trail
Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition
Save Our Trails
San Francisco Bay Trail
Santa Clara Audubon Society
Santa Clara County Creeks Council
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space Trust
Peninsula Open Space Trust
Committee for Green Foothills
Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Commission
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory
California Native Plant Society
Parents' Club of Palo Alto and Menlo Park
Las Madres
State of California, Department of Fish and Game
National Marine Fisheries Service
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Attachment 1
NASA -Ames Development Plan Planning Districts
Attachment 2
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Attachment 4
DRAFT PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Stevens Creek Crossings Project
,Tune 28, 2011
The purpose of the Stevens Creek Crossings Project (Project) is to provide a High Occupancy
Vehicle (HOV) / non - motorized vehicular link between the existing research and
development /office campus district in the North Bayshore area of the City of Mountain View
west of Stevens Creek with leased lands in the Bay View Area of the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA) Research Park by constructing two bridges over the Santa Clara
Valley Water District (SCVWD) channel and connecting roadway approaches to Charleston
Road and Crittenden Lane.
These new bridge crossings will be used by high- occupancy vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians.
Use by personal vehicles will be prohibited. The bridges will also enhance the City's ability to
provide essential police and fire services and reduce response times.
Other benefits from implementation of the proposed Project will be:
• Improved emergency vehicular access from the areas northeast of Highway 101 to new
development in the Bay View area which is within the City of Mountain View's
jurisdiction;
• Enhanced bicycle and pedestrian access to Stevens Creek Trail;
• Improved safety for pedestrians and bicyclists;
• Improved traffic circulation north of Highway 101; and
• Prevention of further degradation of Highway 101 facilities.
i i
1. Provide for reduced single - occupancy /personal vehicle trip generation and
incentivize HOV /non - motorized transit options for potential trips that will be
generated through the previously approved development of the Bay View Area of
the NASA Research Park.
2. Provide new ingress and egress for City of Mountain View public safety and
emergency response services vehicles to /from the Bay Trail and the Bay View
Area of the NASA Research Park.
3. Provide the Valley Transit Authority (VTA) with new routing and service options,
including additional access and stops for existing and future employment centers
currently underserved and/or not served.
4. Preserve and enhance opportunities and access for Bay Trail users — both
pedestrians and cyclists.
5. Increase and improve access points for the public to enjoy the Bay Trail, ancillary
traits, and the bay wetlands to the North of the Project.
6. Support the preservation of existing regional open space by ensuring that view
corridors are sustained and enhanced via the design of the Project.
In the 2042 NADP Programmatic EIS, NASA analyzed the environmental impacts of the
proposed redevelopment of NASA Ames Research Center after having acquired the
majority of the former Naval Air Station Moffett Field. The NADP contemplates an
aggregate of approximately five million square feet of new development and renovation
of existing buildings. NASA issued a Record of Decision in 2002, which incorporated by
reference a Mitigation Implementation and Monitoring Plan summarizing mitigation
commitments under NEPA. Mitigation Measure CIR -1 of the NADP Programmatic EIS
requires NASA and its development partners to implement a Transportation Demand
Management ( "TDM ") Plan to reduce trip generation by 22 %.
As part of the NADP, NASA has approved the development of approximately 42 acres of
office space, housing and support services in the Bay View Area, which will be
implemented under the lease agreement between NASA Ames and Planetary Ventures
signed in 2008. Planetary Ventures, a wholly owned subsidiary of Google Inc. is the
proponent of the Stevens Creek Crossings Project. As part of the lease agreement to
develop the Bay View Area of the NASA Research Park, Planetary Ventures agreed to
reduce trip generation. Google, of course, is known for its efforts to incentivize HOV use
and reduce trips. As indicated above, the Project proponent believes that the Stevens
Creek Crossings Project will enhance achievement of all trip reduction goals.
C. PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT
The Stevens Creek Crossings Project is anticipated to include the design and construction
of the following new facilities and improvements:
I . One new bridge aligned with the eastern terminus of Crittenden Lane, and
perpendicular to the PG &E right -of -way and to Stevens Creek. From levee top to
levee top, the estimated distance is 175 linear feet.
a. The roadway approaches on each end of the bridge structure will consist
of a 50 -foot wide, two lane paved road with sidewalks and bike lanes on
both sides. Authorized utility access to and within the existing PG &E
transmission line corridor and Santa Clara Valley Water District levee
structures will be maintained. No changes to the existing transmission line
structures or levees are required.
b. At or near the proposed western point of connection to the bridge roadway
at the existing terminus of Crittenden Lane, vehicular traffic will be
controlled for access by high- occupancy transit vehicles, other business
park service vehicles, and emergency response vehicles. .
C. At the top of the existing western levee (the Stevens Creek Trail alignment
operated and maintained by the City of Mountain View), the public access
crossing of the proposed roadway will be designed so as to not impede
existing uses of the Bay Trail.
d. The new structure would replace the existing pedestrian bridge at this
location.
2. One new bridge aligned with the eastern terminus of Charleston Road, and
perpendicular to the PG &E right-of-way and to Stevens Creek. From levee top to
levee top, the estimated distance is 180 linear feet.
a. The roadway approaches on each end of the bridge structure will consist
of a 50 -foot wide two lane paved road with sidewalks and bike lanes on
both sides. Authorized utility access to and within the existing PG &E
transmission line corridor and Santa Clara Valley Water District levee
structures will be maintained.
b. At or near the proposed western point of connection to the bridge roadway
at the existing terminus of Charleston Road, vehicular traffic will be
controlled for access by high- occupancy transit, other business park
service vehicles, and emergency response vehicles.
C. At the top of the existing western levee (the Stevens Creek Trail alignment
operated and maintained by the City of Mountain View) the public access
crossing of the proposed roadway will be designed so as to not impede
existing uses of the Bay Trail.
The proposed improvements represent the basic preliminary elements of the Project that
will be refined during the CEQAINEPA process. To fully comply with NEPA, additional
design alternatives and potential location options will be developed and evaluated as part
of the environmental review process.
A! ! • '
A number of permits and approvals, including the discretionary actions listed below, may
be required before development of the proposed Project can proceed. The City of
Mountain View has the greatest overall regulatory responsibility for this Project, and in
that capacity, will serve as the CEQA "lead agency." NASA will serve as the NEPA
"lead agency ". The CEQAINEPA analysis will be covered in a Joint Document that will
meet the compliance needs of both agencies.
Permits and approvals that may be required for this Project include:
I . City of Mountain View - Planned Community Permit.
2. Santa Clara Valley Water District — Encroachment Permit for modifications,
entry, use or access to facilities and/or property or easements managed by the
District.
3. California Public Utilities Commission — Section 851 authorization to allow
PG &E to convey a roadway easement.
4. Regional Water Quality Control Board — 401 Water Quality Certification required
in connection with the USAGE Section 404 Nationwide Permit authorization.
5. California Department of Fish and Game — Streambed Alteration Agreement.
6, NASA ROD on the Joint Document, likely citing consistency with the NADP EIS
and TDM Plan.
7. U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (USAGE) - Section 404 Nationwide Permit
authorization, including compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act and Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act.