Mountain View Municipal Code Div. 23 General Plan Mixed-Use

SEC. 36.30.110. - General plan mixed-use village centers—Purpose and applicability.¶

General plan mixed-use village centers implement general plan goals and policies to encourage walkable centers with a mix of accessible retail and other uses in key areas. They shall include neighborhood-serving commercial uses, public plazas and walkable and accessible connections to surrounding neighborhoods.

Where general plan mixed-use village center is listed as a conditionally permitted use, residential development is only allowed as part of a general plan mixed-use village center development in compliance with the standards of this Division and only on properties with a general plan land use designation allowing residential uses, such as neighborhood mixed-use, general mixed-use or mixed-use corridor.

(Ord. No. 1.2023, § 4, 2/14/23; Ord. No. 2.2026, § 4, 1/27/26.)

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SEC. 36.30.113. - General plan mixed-use village center—Special land use standards.¶

a. Allowed residential uses. Only multiple-family dwellings, including supportive housing and transitional housing, are allowed. Single-family homes, townhouses, rowhouses and any other residential use with individual private garages are prohibited.

b. Accessory dwelling units. Accessory dwelling units shall be permitted and shall comply with the provisions of Section 36.12.85. Accessory dwelling units are not allowed to occupy neighborhood commercial floor area required under this Division.

c. Allowed land uses in ground-floor commercial spaces. Per the CN zoning district in Section 36.18.05.

d. Additional permitted land uses in the CO zoning district. In addition to the CN zoning district uses, administrative and executive offices are permitted in the CO zoning district.

(Ord. No. 2.2026, § 4, 1/27/26; Ord. No. 10.2026, § 5, 6/9/26.)

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SEC. 36.30.115. - General plan mixed-use village center development standards.¶

All general plan mixed-use village centers shall be designed and constructed in compliance with the requirements of the following provisions:

Neighborhood Commercial Floor Area	0.25 FAR, minimum, except this total can be reallocated among lots in a single village center through the development review process with the approval of all affected property owners.	0.25 FAR, minimum, except this total can be reallocated among lots in a single village center through the development review process with the approval of all affected property owners.
Neighborhood Commercial Floor Area	Ground-Floor Building Frontage (Storefront)	75% minimum of the building frontage facing the village center's adjacent street with the highest average daily vehicle trips (other than Central Expressway) shall be neighborhood commercial storefront. Neighborhood commercial storefront is prohibited on streets with a right-of-way width less than 60 feet opposite R1 and R2 zones.
Neighborhood Commercial Floor Area	Tenant Space to Accommodate Grocery Store	To ensure neighborhood access to daily goods, no existing tenant space of at least 15,000 square feet shall be reduced or demolished unless replaced with a tenant space of at least 15,000 square feet or unless the village center already contains a full-service grocery store or vacant tenant space of at least 15,000 square feet. As used in this Section, the term "existing tenant space" also includes any building area previously used as a single-tenant space. Over such tenant spaces, buildings shall be allowed 5 feet of additional height in addition to any other height allowances.
Maximum Density and FAR	Maximum floor area ratio (FAR) as identified by the general plan land use designation. Any building area provided to meet the required minimum neighborhood commercial floor area and its required minimum parking and loading will not reduce residential floor area allowed by this Section.	Maximum floor area ratio (FAR) as identified by the general plan land use designation. Any building area provided to meet the required minimum neighborhood commercial floor area and its required minimum parking and loading will not reduce residential floor area allowed by this Section.
Height Limits	See Sec. 36.08.30 for exceptions to height limits.	See Sec. 36.08.30 for exceptions to height limits.
Height Limits	Where the general plan allows greater than 1.6 FAR: 65 foot maximum. Where the general plan allows greater than 1.2 FAR and less than or equal to 1.6 FAR: 55 foot maximum. Where the general plan allows less than or equal to 1.2 FAR: 45 foot maximum. Wall plates at each floor of a building shall not be higher than the distance to an adjacent residentially zoned property.	Where the general plan allows greater than 1.6 FAR: 65 foot maximum. Where the general plan allows greater than 1.2 FAR and less than or equal to 1.6 FAR: 55 foot maximum. Where the general plan allows less than or equal to 1.2 FAR: 45 foot maximum. Wall plates at each floor of a building shall not be higher than the distance to an adjacent residentially zoned property.
Setbacks	Street	15 foot minimum. 10 feet of landscaping in front of parking, including trees.
Setbacks	Rear and Sides	Not adjacent to residential zoning districts: 15 feet minimum, except side setbacks may be 0 feet when creating continuous neighborhood commercial storefronts within a single center. Adjacent to residential zoning districts: 25 feet minimum, including at least 5 feet landscaping along the property line with adequate root zone for large-canopy trees.
Open Area	30% of lot area, minimum. Portions of the lot with only nonresidential uses and associated parking may be excluded from the required open area calculation. If excluded from this calculation, nonresidential development areas on a lot shall provide landscape/open area, consistent with the underlying CN, CO or CS zoning district, including applicable parking area landscaping requirements per Sec. 36.32.80 .	30% of lot area, minimum. Portions of the lot with only nonresidential uses and associated parking may be excluded from the required open area calculation. If excluded from this calculation, nonresidential development areas on a lot shall provide landscape/open area, consistent with the underlying CN, CO or CS zoning district, including applicable parking area landscaping requirements per Sec. 36.32.80 .
Publicly Accessible Open Space	At least one publicly accessible open space shall be provided, with a cumulative area equal to 5% of project lot area (minimum). Publicly accessible open space shall count toward compliance with the overall open area standard.	At least one publicly accessible open space shall be provided, with a cumulative area equal to 5% of project lot area (minimum). Publicly accessible open space shall count toward compliance with the overall open area standard.
Publicly Accessible Open Space	Location	Shall be adjacent to a public street. Projects are encouraged to locate publicly accessible open spaces adjacent to other sites in the same general plan village center to allow for expansion of public spaces over time.
Publicly Accessible Open Space	Minimum Dimensions	25 feet in all dimensions, minimum, except where the project lot area results in publicly accessible open space areas of less than 625 square feet.
Publicly Accessible Open Space	Dedication	The right of the public to access and use the open space shall be recorded against the property by an easement, covenant or restrictions subject to review and approval by the city attorney, and such right shall run with the land for the life of the development.
Personal Storage	A minimum of 164 cubic feet of personal storage shall be provided for each dwelling unit and shall be designed appropriately to accommodate a range of bulky items.	A minimum of 164 cubic feet of personal storage shall be provided for each dwelling unit and shall be designed appropriately to accommodate a range of bulky items.
Parking	Use multi-family and shopping center parking standards, except projects are encouraged to reduce parking by providing shared parking between residential and commercial uses (see Sec. 36.32.70 ). Along public streets and publicly accessible open spaces, parking structures shall be wrapped with neighborhood commercial tenant spaces or residential units.	Use multi-family and shopping center parking standards, except projects are encouraged to reduce parking by providing shared parking between residential and commercial uses (see Sec. 36.32.70 ). Along public streets and publicly accessible open spaces, parking structures shall be wrapped with neighborhood commercial tenant spaces or residential units.
Circulation	Developments shall maintain or establish mutual pedestrian access and shared parking within village centers. Developments shall establish new direct and publicly accessible pedestrian connections between neighborhood commercial uses, publicly accessible open spaces and surrounding neighborhoods. An exception may be granted if the zoning administrator determines the required connections are not feasible or meaningful (for example, if only backyards are adjacent to the site or if public streets already provide direct access).	Developments shall maintain or establish mutual pedestrian access and shared parking within village centers. Developments shall establish new direct and publicly accessible pedestrian connections between neighborhood commercial uses, publicly accessible open spaces and surrounding neighborhoods. An exception may be granted if the zoning administrator determines the required connections are not feasible or meaningful (for example, if only backyards are adjacent to the site or if public streets already provide direct access).
Exceptions	Exceptions to the following standards will be allowed if the standard would physically prevent the construction of the residential floor area allowed in the general plan: up to half the required minimum neighborhood commercial floor area and ground-floor building frontage (storefront), height limits, rear and side setbacks (not adjacent to residential zoning districts), open area and/or personal storage. To be granted the exception, the project applicant shall provide reasonable documentation of the project's physical constraints to demonstrate the need for the exception. Any reduction in development standards shall be no greater than what is reasonably necessary to physically construct the residential floor area, together with other mandatory components of the project as required by this Division.	Exceptions to the following standards will be allowed if the standard would physically prevent the construction of the residential floor area allowed in the general plan: up to half the required minimum neighborhood commercial floor area and ground-floor building frontage (storefront), height limits, rear and side setbacks (not adjacent to residential zoning districts), open area and/or personal storage. To be granted the exception, the project applicant shall provide reasonable documentation of the project's physical constraints to demonstrate the need for the exception. Any reduction in development standards shall be no greater than what is reasonably necessary to physically construct the residential floor area, together with other mandatory components of the project as required by this Division.

(Ord. No. 1.2023, § 4, 2/14/23; Ord. No. 2.2026, § 4, 1/27/26.)

Exceptions & meaning →