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Health & Fitness

North of El Camino & LASD growth

Novel solutions are sought for addressing existing and anticipated LASD growth North of El Camino. What do residents of the area desire? Let's use this forum to lay out some ideas and concerns.

When looking at the enrollment growth throughout the district, it is abundantly clear a significantly high concentration originated from what is called the North of El Camino (NEC) area, containing what is also called the San Antonio Change Area (a Mountain View City Council designation).   Even though only 1/4 th of the district's growth occurred in this area, because of the concentration the impacts on the local schools is high.

The question to ask is how best can we accommodate district growth within this area while not neglecting the growth throughout the rest of the district?  Is it feasible to develop a new school site within or near the NEC area?   What trade-offs or novel design approaches will be required given the land opportunities within that area?   Can the district "umbrella" absorb an adjacent, out-of-district land for LASD use, such as the Mayfield Mall site (North of Central Expressway) or East of Ortega Ave (Klein Park + Adjacent Parcel)?  What creative partnerships between the school and the Cities are required?

Also important, and can not be neglected:   What to current residents in NEC desire?

These are complex questions that I can not answer.   The best we can start with is opening the floor to public debate.  Write or talk with your board and city council members, get them to publicly strategize. 

Below is a list of known existing and future housing development projects within the district.   This list is not complete and should not be taken as absolute fact, I will update/correct if needed:

  • 455 San Antonio Rd., Mountain View:  (“Carmel The Village”).   This is the already completed Phase I construction by Merlone Geier of 330 luxury apartments.   Assigned School:  Almond.
  • 2580 California St, Mountain View:  (“Safeway”).   In Oct 2011, a Gatekeeper request was authorized to study a high density apartment project.   Currently the project is on hold as of June 2012.   Expected number of units was 306.    Assigned School:  Covington.
  • 420 San Antonio Rd, Mountain View:  (“Firestone Store”).   In January of 2013, a Gatekeeper request was authorized by the Mountain View City Council to study a high density apartment project on this land.   Land size is ~ 4.6 acres.   Expected number of apartment units is 277.  Assigned School: Santa Rita.
  • 2650 W. El Camino Real, Mountain View: (“San Antonio Inn”) Approved in June 2012, this will be a 193 unit apartment project by the Urban Housing Group.    Completion expected in fall 2014.   Assigned school:  Santa Rita
  • 4730 El Camino Real, Los Altos:  (“Los Altos Garden Supply”) In combination with neighboring land, this will be a mix of 167 apartments (“The Colonnade”) and 38 townhouses.   Assigned School:  Almond
  • 960 N. San Antonio Rd., Los Altos: (“Los Altos Gardens”) 2013 completed, 46 unit condo and 56 refurbished apartments.   Assigned School:  Santa Rita
  • 100 1st Street, Los Altos:   To be completed within late 2013 - 2014, 48 condominiums are expected to be constructed.   Assigned School:  Gardner Bullis
  • 4329 El Camino Real, Palo Alto: (“Palo Alto Bowl”) This is a Classic Communities project to construct 26 condo units.   Assigned School: Santa Rita
  • 396 First St., Los Altos:  ("Adobe Animal Hospital")  Lennar Homes development of 20 condos, with completion in 2013.   Assigned School:  Gardner Bullis

Total # of units:  1507 (excluding the California St. Safeway site, 1201).

Not every unit is going to be attractive to families with children and not all units will have the same fraction of school children, known as "yields".   The average Los Altos & Mountain View apartment and condominium yield is ~15%.  Some units will be higher, some lower.   Further, the average yield rate has been climbing for the past 18 years, despite the low number of new apartment & condominium construction during that period.    The numbers above can be taken as a conservative measure.   Conversations of some Task Force members with city planners indicate desires for longer term housing growth by a similar magnitude.


Sources of interest:  

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