Mountain View Council Transportation Committee Meeting - May 6, 2026
Council Transportation Committee Meeting Summary - May 6, 2026
The City of Mountain View Council Transportation Committee met on May 6, 2026 (note: the agenda and minutes list the meeting date as May 5, 2026; the date provided for this summary is May 6, 2026). The committee discussed two major items: a proposed citywide Transportation Demand Management (TDM) ordinance and an update on the Middlefield Road Complete Streets project. The committee voted to recommend the TDM ordinance to the City Council and received information on the Middlefield Road project without taking formal action.
Consent Calendar
- Approve Meeting Minutes: The committee unanimously approved the minutes from the December 2, 2025 meeting. (Motion by McAlister, second by Kamei; vote 3-0.)
Public Comments & Testimony
- Item 5.1 – TDM Ordinance: Two virtual speakers commented:
- David Watson requested that the parking reduction scaling be addressed administratively, that the "limit parking supply credit" not be contingent on adjacent street parking being metered, and that an enhanced TDM parking exemption pathway be opened for projects under 200 ADT. He also noted that the toolkit still has placeholder core strategies.
- Roni Hattrup, on behalf of the Mountain View Transportation Management Association (TMA), expressed concern that the ordinance does not require TMA membership, which could lead to reduced shuttle services and diminished outcomes. She urged the committee to establish a clear path for robust participation, such as a property-based assessment district.
- Item 5.2 – Middlefield Road Complete Streets: Numerous public speakers commented, both in-person and virtually. Key points included:
- Valerie Fenwick (former BPAC member) urged immediate removal of part-time parking, narrower lanes, and a reduced speed limit. She noted that the road diet on California Avenue has been successful.
- Greg Coladonato (Mountain View resident) supported upgrading the bike lane from Class II to Class IV, noted that current bike lane counts are low because it is unsafe, and advocated for a future road diet.
- Silja Paymer (GreenSpacesMV) supported a road diet, asked for quick-build options, and noted the irony of encouraging mode shift but not following suit on city projects.
- April Webster (GreenSpacesMV) questioned why a non-road diet design was advanced while traffic analysis was done, and noted that MTC indicated the OBAG 3 deadline should not prevent design changes. She also cited NACTO guidelines allowing 10-foot lanes.
- Cliff Chambers (Mountain View) advocated for full-time bike lanes, a road diet, and speed reduction. He noted that the corridor is a drag strip.
- Jesse (bicycle commuter) supported permanent protected bike lanes and a road diet, and asked for before/after data on previous projects.
- Mary Dateo supported lane narrowing to 10 or 10.5 feet to reduce speeding, and suggested a road diet on the overpass.
- Tracy (Mountain View) supported safer bike lanes and a road diet, noting that her grandson refuses to bike on the corridor.
- Another speaker (Pearl Leeman) urged reconsideration of a road diet, noting that car commuters have alternatives (Central Expressway, 101) but bicyclists do not, and highlighted the pedestrian safety issue on the 85 overpass.
Discussion Items
- 5.1 – Citywide TDM Ordinance: Staff presented a comprehensive framework to standardize trip reduction targets, monitoring, and enforcement for developments generating 200 or more average daily trips (ADT). The ordinance applies to all land uses, with exemptions for 100% affordable units, very small projects, and patron-driven uses under 100,000 sq ft. Projects must reduce ADT by 20–50% depending on size and type. Committee members discussed parking reductions, the evergreen toolkit, enforcement, and the role of the TMA. Staff clarified that TMA membership is voluntary to avoid legal constraints, but a property-based assessment district is being explored. Committee members expressed support for the ordinance, noting its flexibility and alignment with housing element goals. The committee asked for the ordinance to interface with the Active Transportation Plan.
- 5.2 – Middlefield Road Complete Streets: Staff presented the concept design for a Class IV protected bike lane from Moffett to Bernardo. The project is funded by an OBAG 3 grant with a deadline of January 2027. Staff analyzed a potential road diet (reducing from two lanes to one lane per direction) and concluded it would cause significant level-of-service degradation, increased queuing, and reduced capacity, and could delay the project past the grant deadline. Therefore, staff does not recommend a road diet. The project includes removing part-time parking to create full-time protected bike lanes, adding green conflict striping, and ADA upgrades. Committee members discussed the possibility of advancing parking removal before the full project, lane width reductions, speed limit signage, and the need for a "Green Complete Streets" checklist and a "Quick Build" program. Staff noted that parking removal could be done but would require council approval and staff resources. The committee also discussed the need to coordinate with Caltrans on the SR 85 overpass and with VTA/CPUC on the light rail crossing.
Key Outcomes
- Item 5.1 – TDM Ordinance: The committee voted unanimously (3-0) to recommend that the City Council adopt the ordinance as presented. The ordinance will go to Council for first reading on May 12, 2026, and second reading on May 25, 2026, with adoption anticipated in May 2026 and effective in June 2026.
- Item 5.2 – Middlefield Road Complete Streets: No motion was made. The committee received the update and directed staff to:
- Explore advancing the removal of part-time parking and converting to 24-hour bike lanes, pending staff resources and council approval.
- Consider adding speed limit signage on the corridor.
- Continue discussions on a "Green Complete Streets" checklist and a "Quick Build" program, possibly as part of the Active Transportation Plan.
- Report back to the committee as the design progresses, including coordination with Caltrans and VTA.
- Committee Comments: Member McAlister shared photographs of interesting street designs he observed, and the committee agreed to continue sharing such examples at future meetings.
Meeting Transcript
Three, which is oral communications. This portion of the meeting is reserved for persons wishing to address the committee on any matter not on the agenda. Speakers are allowed to speak on any topic for up to three minutes during this section. State law prohibits the committee from acting on non-agenda items. Would any member, that means if you say something interesting, we can't respond to you. Would any member of the public on the line like to provide comment on a not on non-agenda items? If so, please click the raise hand button in Zoom or approach the lectern if you are here in person. We will take in-person speakers first. Staff will display the timer on the screen. And I believe we're doing two minutes. So are there any in-person speakers? Okay, seeing none, are there any virtuals to be posted? No hand, please. Okay. In that case, we will move on to item number four, which is approval of meeting minutes. So the minutes for the December 2nd, 2025 meetings are presented for approval tonight. Would any member of the public joining us, either virtually or in person, like to write a comment on the minutes? Anyone in person? Anyone on the hand for this? Okay, then I'll bring the item back for committee deliberation and action. Are there any corrections or comments on the minutes among committee members? Not and I see a motion to do approved. So move. Okay, all those in favor. Okay, pass this unanimously. We'll now move on to new business. So Article 10, Chapter 19, 19 is the motor vehicles and traffic section of the Mount View Municipal Code to establish a citywide TDM program. TDM standing for transportation demand management. So let's see. Okay, the next part of my script is a little repetitive, but I'll see if there's anything that I need to redo. Item 51 is title demand and add new sections to Article 10, Transportation Demand Manager, Chapter 19. This appears to be what I already just told you. So I'll just go. Okay. So City Council identify the development of a transportation demand management ordinance as a strategic priority for fiscal years 2023 and 2025. It was identified as a priority as a result of the city's 2030 general plan, the greenhouse gas reduction program, sustainability action plan or SAP 4, precise plans, as well as regional and state laws. To date, the city's approach to TDM spans a mix of project five and land use types. There are over 27 entitled development projects in Mountain View that have TDM requirements as part of their conditions of approval. These current TDM requirements include different targets and measures. Sorry, the proposed ordinance aligns with the existing policies and strategizing TDM standards and monitoring requirements. It ensures consistency with the MTA handbook, the BMT screenings, and the city's greenhouse gas reduction program while also standardizing trip reduction targets, the TDM planning process and monitoring enforcement, monitoring and enforcement provisions. So reviewing the project workflow, staff is currently in the project phase focused on developing the ordinance language seen here in blue. Over the course of the project, staff has engaged key stakeholders and advisory bodies to gain a broad understanding of current practice with TDM, as well as how requirements can be further streamlined and made more effective under the ordinance. Key insights were gathered from the Downtown Business Association and the TMA. One-on-one interviews were held with developers, employers, property managers, and community members. Collectively, the input gathered has been used to guide the direction of the project, including its vision and goals in the TDM framework. Staff presented the project vision and goals to VPEC, EPC, and CTC in quarter four of 2023, where members voice their support for the project's objectives. In quarter one of 2025, staff returned to BPEC and EPC to present the TDM policy framework that includes trip reduction standards, reporting elements, and enforcement provisions. CTC and City Council reviewed and supported the proposed framework in quarter two and quarter three of 2025. Staff will present the TDM ordinance to council for the first and second reading in May of 2026.
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