§ 36.52

The general plan covers the incorporated area of Mountain View and unincorporated areas that are within the city's defined "sphere of influence," which is the outer boundaries of future incorporation to the city. Applications to adopt or amend the general plan shall first be submitted to the city council for determination of the appropriate timing of review of such applications.

(Ord. No. 18.13, § 1, 12/10/13; Ord. No. 5.18, § 10, 4/24/18.)

a.

Amendment of the general plan text or land use map category may be initiated by the director, commission or council.

b.

An application to amend the text of the general plan may be initiated by any interested party residing in, owning property or doing business in the city.

c.

Unless initiated in accordance with subsection 36.52.15.a., an application to amend the land use map category on a specific property may be made only by the property owners or the authorized agent of the affected property(ies).

d.

For applications for a general plan text or map amendment submitted by a property owner, person doing business in or resident of Mountain View, the application shall first be forwarded to the city council to authorize staff review in accordance with this Section.

e.

General plan amendments that meet the requirements set forth in City Council Policy G-9 (Gatekeeper Application Policy and Procedures) shall be subject to a streamlined review process that is exempt from the authorization hearing requirement.

f.

Applications for authorization by the city council shall submit all information specified in City Council Policy G-9 (Gatekeeper Application Policy and Procedures) as well as the following information and documents.

1.

Project letter. A letter requesting city council authorization to proceed with the review that includes all of the following information.

(a)

A summary of the proposed project, specifying its type (e.g., residential, commercial, industrial, mixed use), size and location.

(b)

Information about how the application aligns with, advances or supports established City Council goals, objectives or priorities or other community needs as described in City Council Policy G-9 (Gatekeeper Application Policy and Procedures).

(c)

Information about the subject property's current general plan land use designation, zoning classification and existing land use of the property, along with an analysis of surrounding land uses and designations.

(d)

Information about the general plan amendment requested, including its scope and implications, and the necessity for the amendment to enable the proposed project.

(e)

Information about the application's consistency with established city council goals, priorities and objectives as well as its potential to address broader community needs.

(f)

Information about the potential fiscal impact of the proposed general plan amendment, including any measures proposed by the applicants to offset any adverse fiscal impacts.

(g)

Any other information necessary to demonstrate consistency with City Council Policy G-9 (Gatekeeper Application Policy and Procedures) or that the applicant feels pertains to the council's review of the request.

2.

Plans. A set of plans which include:

(a)

Site plan;

(b)

Elevations; and

(c)

Conceptual renderings.

(Ord. No. 18.13, § 1, 12/10/13; Ord. No. 5.18, § 11, 4/24/18; Ord. No. 14.18, § 1, 11/27/18; Ord. No. 10.2025, § 4, 10/28/25.)

a.

Upon receipt of a general plan text or map amendment application, the city council shall schedule an authorization hearing for consideration of the application consistent with City Council Policy G-9 (Gatekeeper Application Policy and Procedures). The authorization hearing shall be noticed in accordance with Sec. 36.56.20 (Notice of Hearing).

b.

Once a project is authorized to apply by city council pursuant to this Section, the following actions shall require the project to return before the city council for reauthorization consistent with the application

submittal requirements and hearing procedures of this Chapter and City Council Policy G-9 (Gatekeeper Application Policy and Procedures).

1.

Change in ownership of project parcel(s). If a parcel included within the project site of a general plan text or map amendment authorized application changes ownership prior to submittal of a formal planning application.

2.

Expiration. A formal planning application for the project has not been submitted to the planning division within one (1) year of city council authorization. This one (1) year period shall not begin until after any submittal deferral required by the council.

3.

Change in project. Substantial changes to the project as determined by the community development director to be a deviation of ten (10) percent or more from the original project authorized, including, but not limited to, the number of units, land use type, square footage or community benefits.

Any application not authorized by the city council to proceed to the formal planning application stage shall be subject to any limitation on resubmission of a substantially similar project for authorization that is provided in City Council Policy G-9 (Gatekeeper Application Policy and Procedures).

(Ord. No. 5.18, § 12, 4/24/18; Ord. No. 10.2025, § 4, 10/28/25.)

Editor's note— ; Ord. No. 10.2025, § 4, adopted Oct. 28, 2025, amended the title of § 36.52.20 to read as herein set out. The former § 36.52.20 title pertained to authorization hearing.

Upon receipt of a complete application to amend the general plan, or upon initiation by the director, commission or council, and following department review, a duly noticed public hearing shall be scheduled before the commission and council in compliance with Sec. 36.56 (Applications, Hearings and Appeals).

At the conclusion of its public hearing, the commission shall make a written recommendation to the council on whether to approve, approve in modified form or disapprove a new or amended general plan based upon the findings required by this article and include its reasons supporting the recommendation, if appropriate. Prior to the item being forwarded to council, the community development director may withdraw a staff-initiated amendment, or an applicant may withdraw their application from further consideration. The commission, by majority vote, may withdraw a commission-initiated amendment.

Recommendations on amendments that do not require environmental impact reports (EIR) shall be forwarded to the council within ninety (90) days of the public hearing, including any date-specific continuations of the public hearing, unless an extension is agreed to by the applicant. For amendments requiring an EIR, the environmental planning commission's recommendation on the draft EIR and on the proposed amendment shall be forwarded to the council within ninety (90) days of the commission's receipt of the responses to comments on the draft EIR, unless an extension is agreed to by the applicant. If no

recommendation is made within this time period, it shall be considered a recommendation for disapproval, which shall be forwarded to the council.

Upon receipt of the commission's recommendation at a public hearing, the council shall, within sixty (60) days, approve, approve in modified form or disapprove the proposed amendment, unless an extension is agreed to by the applicant. No action within this time period shall constitute disapproval of the proposed amendment.

If the council proposes to adopt any substantial modification to the amendment not previously considered by the commission during its hearings, the proposed modification may be first referred back to the commission for its recommendation. Failure of the commission to report within sixty (60) days after the referral (or within any longer time set by the council) shall be deemed a recommendation for approval of the modification.

(Ord. No. 18.13, § 1, 12/10/13; Ord. No. 5.18, § 13, 4/24/18.)

An amendment to the general plan may be approved only if all of the following findings are made:

a.

The proposed amendment is internally consistent with the general plan;

b.

The proposed amendment would not be detrimental to the public interest, health, safety, convenience or welfare of the city;

c.

The site is physically suitable for the requested/anticipated land use development(s) (including, but not limited to, access, provision of utilities, compatibility with adjoining land uses and absence of physical constraints); and

d.

The proposed amendment is in compliance with the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

(Ord. No. 18.13, § 1, 12/10/13.)

The adoption or amendment of a precise plan in accordance with Section 36.50.60 shall be considered an implementation of the general plan, providing additional site specific detail to the goals, objectives and land use policies of the general plan.

(Ord. No. 18.13, § 1, 12/10/13.)