Administrative Zoning Public Hearing: May 27, 2026
Discussion Breakdown
Summary
Administrative Zoning Public Hearing: May 27, 2026
This hybrid public hearing was presided over by Zoning Administrator Amber Blazinski. Two items were considered: a recommendation to the city council for a planned community permit at 333 Franklin Street, and a modification to a conditional use permit for a parsonage at 1075 El Monte Avenue. No public comments were made on non-agenda items, and no opposition was voiced during either item. Both items were approved or recommended for approval as proposed.
333 Franklin Street – Recommendation to City Council
- Project: Request for the zoning administrator to forward a recommendation to the city council to approve a planned community permit and development review permit for a three-story, 11-unit multifamily building (plus two detached ADUs) on a vacant site that previously contained an eight-unit building. Also requested: a heritage tree removal permit for two heritage trees and a categorical CEQA exemption (infill development).
- The applicant is utilizing state density bonus law (50% density bonus, from 7 to 11 units) and requests five waivers (open space, floor area, landscaping, eve height, trash enclosure) and one concession (locating two BMR units in the ADUs). The project provides 8 below-market-rate units (7 low-income at 80% AMI, 1 very low-income at 50% AMI).
- Staff recommendation: Approve based on findings and conditions.
Public Comments & Testimony
- 333 Franklin Street: An applicant team member speaking online stated the project supports Mountain View's vision of a walkable city and affordable housing, and replaces an old unsafe building. No other public comments were made on either item.
Key Outcomes
- 333 Franklin Street: The zoning administrator moved to recommend that the city council approve the project as presented. Final action is tentatively scheduled for the city council meeting on June 23, 2026.
- 1075 El Monte Avenue: The zoning administrator approved the modification to the conditional use permit (allowing an ancillary residential parsonage and minor site improvements) based on findings and conditions. This decision is appealable to the city council within 10 calendar days.
Note on date discrepancy: The transcript states the hearing occurred on May 27, 2026, not May 28 as indicated in the provided timestamp.
Meeting Transcript
Yeah, no worries. Let me know. Are you good now? Okay, cool. All right. Good afternoon, everybody. Um, welcome to the administrative zoning public hearing uh of May 27th. My name is Amber Blazinski, and I'm presiding over the hearing as the zoning administrator. Um so I'll call the meeting to order at 402 p.m. So today's hearing operates in a hybrid format. Um, so staff, the applicants, and some of community members are in person. However, we'll also ask if community members joining us virtually want to speak on at certain points in the meeting. Uh, when those opportunities arrive, typically during the public comment portion of each agenda item, members of the public wishing to comment may do so by clicking on the raise hand feature in Zoom when I announce the item on which they wish to speak. Speakers will be notified of their turn shortly before they're called on to speak, and all speakers virtual or in person will have two to three minutes, and it'll be dependent on how many speakers we have to provide comments with the timing dependent on the total number of speakers. Uh so if you're in person and you wish to comment on an item today, not if you're an applicant, but if you just are here from the public and you want to comment, if you can fill out one of the um speaker cards over there, right on the other side of Roxanne. That will help us uh spell your name correctly in the meeting minutes. So again, if you are with applicant team, you don't need to do this. Uh, if you are not and you wish to comment on an item, please uh fill out that card. Um so we'll uh move on to oral communications from the public. So this is the time set aside for people wishing to address the zoning administrator on something that's not on the agenda, so not the two hearing items. Um speakers are limited to three minutes, and state law prohibits any action on any items that aren't on the agenda. Um, is there anybody uh first in the room who came to speak on an item that's not on the agenda? Just raise your hand, okay. Is there anybody online? Okay, great. So we'll move on to item three, which is the zoning administrator public hearing. So item 3.1 is 333 Franklin Street with a request for the zoning administrator to forward a recommendation to the city council to approve a planned community permit and development review permit to construct a three-story multifamily building with 11 apartment units and two detached accessory dwelling units on a vacant site, which previously contained a multifamily building, um, a heritage tree removal permit to remove two heritage trees, and a recommended determination that the project is categorically exempt per CEQA through the in-filled development uh exemption. Um, it's important to note that this decision that I'm making today um is just a recommendation to the city council. So the city council will be the hearing body that takes final that makes a final action on this project, and that um hearing is uh tentatively scheduled for June 23rd, 2026. Um so Vincent Quan's the project planner for this item. Vincent, do you have a stack presentation? Yes, right. Good afternoon, everyone. This is one associate planner. He represents the project to do Franklin for new residents and the project is located at 333 Franklin Street, which is in the downtown precise plan zoning district, specifically the area of the which is the record street really naturally transitioning. General plan land use for this um is in medium high density residential, which allows for up to 26 to 35 dwelling units per acre with a lot size of new 500 square feet. Um and the project site currently is vacant, but previously contained a site family corporate building. It was demolished in 2025. Um although the site is vacant, it previously contained an eight unit apartment building, and the new proposed project consists of a new 11-unit apartment building with two two-story detached ADUs and the removal of two heritage streets. The unit makes is between two bedrooms, one bedrooms, studios with eight units dedicated to below market rate. Additionally, the applicant is requesting a state density bonus for an additional four units on the site. So per government goes section 65915 requires the city to allow for additional units and allows the applicant to request for reduced parking standards, incentives, concessions, and waivers of development standards, is a certain percentage of affordable housing posts. Project is providing eight VMR units comprised of seven low income at 80% uh area median income, one very low income and 50% area medium income. This makes this project eligible for up to a 50% density bonus and up to three concessionslash incentives and waivers for standards that would physically preclude the construction project. The applicant is requesting a 50% density bonus along with one concession by waivers. Um so the density bonus is calculated based on base density, which for this project is seven units based on the general plan, with the applicant requesting a 50% density bonus, an additional 3.5 units, or uh which is rounded up to four units, is allowed for total of 11 units, not counting the ADUs. Additionally, the five waivers that um the applicant is requesting um a waiver for for development standards are regarding minimum open space requirement, maximum floor area, uh minimum landscape planting requirements, maximum building Eve height, and minimum trash enclosure dimensions. Lastly, the applicant is requesting a concession to locate two VMR units in the ADU, which consists of one one bedroom and one two-bedroom unit, including locating them all in the BMR unit, uh all of the BMR units in the main building. As for the design, the design of the project would be considered a more contemporary craftsman design with a mix of modern features while remaining uh maintaining a lot of craftsman design language. Specifically, the design is intentionally integrating the third floor into the dormers on the roof to maintain the residential scale to be more consistent with the surrounding single-family neighborhood, and also as a uh transition to between the downtown area.