Every week our Community Services Department (CSD) is on Castro Street ensuring the streets are clean; caring for all of the plants, trees, and foliage; and maintaining City infrastructure. This team:

• maintains 60 hanging standard & self-watering flower baskets and 36 seat wall planters;

• oversees power-washing of the Pedestrian mall (twice a month), Centennial Plaza (quarterly), City Hall Plaza (quarterly), and the 400 block of Castro Street (quarterly);

• prunes all Castro Street trees every year;

• completes weekly street sweeping and leaf blowing; and

• installs and maintains all furniture and programming in the Downtown social zones and at City Hall Plaza.

Lighting for Safety and Comfort

Staff is currently researching additional lighting options within the Downtown pedestrian Mall.The aim is to enhance visibility and safety for patrons by improving alleyway illumination and addressing areas where string lighting may not be viable. Research by the Responsible Hospitality Institute underscores the significance of well-lit spaces in attracting patrons, emphasizing that dim or poorly lit areas can be deterrents. The City is working to implement strategic lighting improvements that not only align with these findings but also foster a lively and secure environment for all Downtown visitors.

Walk your Bike A Frames

New A-frame signs bring a fresh, modern aesthetic, aligning with the current Downtown design. They not only contribute to the visual appeal, but also offer messaging, incorporating welcoming language and featuring a QR code that directs visitors to a comprehensive Downtown map.

These two-sided signs have been printed in English, Spanish, and Chinese for broader accessibility. While a small enhancement, these signs contribute to creating a more enjoyable and informative experience for resident and visitors alike.

Focus Area(s):

The Community Services Department (CSD) will be bringing back a number of major events to the downtown this spring and summer, including:

Concerts on the Plaza: from June through September, CSD hosts Concerts on the Plaza at Civic Center Plaza. Each week there will be live music in the Plaza with an anticipated several hundred people in attendance. The concert series will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., prior to performances held at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts.

Music on Castro: A light music series will be added again this year to the 200 block of Castro Street featuring singers, songwriters, and small musical acts to activate the space for those shopping and dining in the downtown. The Music on Castro series is anticipated to occur April through October for close to 30 weeks of light live music on Wednesday evenings.

KidStock: A kid-friendly music series, KidStock, takes place May through July from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon on Civic Center Plaza. This series is geared towards families with preschool-aged youth with live children’s music performances and arts and crafts.

Learn more.

Focus Areas:

The City has installed furniture and planter boxes within the 200 and 300 blocks of Castro Street. These welcoming and comfortable social zones are being piloted to encourage gathering, playing, eating, and lounging. The colorful furniture complements the City brand/logo and includes rocking chairs, relaxed seating, and bistro dining sets.

At the beginning of April, the City installed games and additional seating areas in social zones located along the 200 and 300 blocks of Castro Street.

This includes:

• mini golf,
• ping pong,
• connect four,
• cornhole,
• foosball,
• picnic tables, and
• adirondack chairs.

Focus Areas:

The Outdoor Patio Program, launched fall 2023, allows businesses to extend operations into the public right of way (on Castro Street and/or sidewalks). The City has been working with Downtown Businesses on their Outdoor Patio License applications. As of March 27th, 2024 a total of 30 businesses have been given the green light to begin outdoor operations on Castro Street and/or the sidewalk:

• Vida (110 Castro)

• Ramen Izakaya Yu-gen (125 Castro)

• Oren's Hummus (128 Castro)

• Asian Box (142 Castro)

• Blue Line Pizza (146 Castro)

• Amarin Thai Cuisine #2 (147 Castro)

• Fu Lam Mum (153 Castro)

• Doppio Zero (160 Castro)

• Amarin Thai Cuisine #1 (174 Castro)

• Udon Mugizo (180 Castro)

• Hummus Mediterranean Kitchen (185 Castro)

• La Fontaine (186 Castro)

• Eureka (191 Castro)

• Redrock Cafe (201 Castro)

• Yifang Taiwan Fruit Tea (211 Castro)

• Pokeworks (211 Castro)

• Maison Alyzee (212 Castro)

• QBB (216 Castro)

• St. Stephen's Green (223 Castro)

• Ristorante Don Giovanni (235 Castro)

• Gelato Classico Italian Ice Cream (241 Castro)

• Zhangliang Malatang (246 Castro)

• Bonchon (260 Castro)

• Queen House (273 Castro)

• New Mongolian BBQ (304 Castro)

• Paris Baguette (315 Castro)

• Rootstock Wine Var (331 Castro)

• Ava's Downtown Market (340 Castro)

• Cafe Baklava (341 Castro)

• Limon (800 California Street)

 Program Guidelines and Standards:

The outdoor patio program guidelines and standards were developed to:

1. Create a welcoming and attractive atmosphere;

2. Preserve the central walkway for pedestrian and emergency vehicle access;

3. Safeguard ADA access and meet critical safety standards;

4. Provide equitable access and opportunity for all interested businesses; and

5. Formalize the program.

Patio areas do look different than they did during the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic when the businesses could not use indoor dining spaces. There is a limited amount of street frontage and often many businesses on a single block want outdoor patio space. Every business has been given the opportunity to operate in the area directly in front of their business, with expansion into neighboring storefronts with written permission from the neighboring business and property owner.

Recent Modifications:

In late January 2024, modifications were made to the program based on valuable insights gained from a review of patio areas that were installed at that time. In response to feedback from businesses, the City extended the maximum patio area depth from 18 to 20 feet providing additional patio square footage and a greater sense of activity on the street. The City also made modifications to patio areas that included public seat walls in order to preserve access to these seating areas by the public and City maintenance teams. Per the Outdoor Patio Standards and Guidelines, the Castro Street seat walls were always intended to remain accessible to the public. The City will continue to take in feedback and make adjustments with the aim to be both responsive to business requests and also ensure the program aligns with the intended goals.

Program Fees:

The City has also received questions and feedback on the program fees and costs to businesses. In developing the program, the City conducted thorough research and analysis of fees charged by other regional and neighboring cities for their outdoor dining areas. Mountain View’s fees are designed to be comparable and are significantly below the market rate cost per square foot for indoor dining space. Regular communication with participating businesses has indicated that the additional revenue generated from outdoor seating exceeds the fees imposed by the City.

Learn more and submit an application here.

Focus Area(s):

In late September 2023, the Fire Department and Police Department began an education campaign with the mobile food vendors that had been operating in the 200 block of Castro Street. The education included providing multilingual copies of the City of Mountain View mobile food vending and related Fire Code Regulations. Vendors were educated on where they could operate with required permits.

Following the education campaign, the Police and Fire Departments began to enforce the operational regulations associated with mobile vending on Castro Street. Related issues that were addressed include: using the City's electrical outlets, setting up large tents, and dumping food grease and other waste down City drains. The vendors that have been asked to leave are continuing to comply, but staff will continue to monitor any future activity.

Focus Area(s):

Issues surrounding road safety, parking, homelessness, unpermitted food vending, theft, and auto burglaries in Downtown are always a top priority for the Police Department. The Police Department has increased its physical presence and is actively utilizing both enforcement and outreach to contribute to community safety and accessibility.

Business and property owners are encouraged to reach out to Police@mountainview.gov or 650-903-6344 should they need assistance with any non-emergency safety concerns. For all emergencies dial 9-1-1.

Focus Area(s):

Like many cities with economic hubs and transit corridors like the Downtown, there are homeless individuals in the area, and the City partners with local service delivery sites such as Hope’s Corner to alleviate any concerns of business owners in the area. For example, business owners within the 400 block have reached out to the Economic Development Division about the unhoused loitering, littering, and sleeping in alcoves and entryway areas in the area.

In response, the Economic Development team works with the Police Department, Human Services Division, and other City Departments to find solutions to mitigate these concerns, ranging from increased outreach and education - to defensive place planning with fencing or other measures – to enforcement of illegal activity.

The City of Mountain View is currently in the process of developing a Homeless Response Strategy in partnership with Homebase.

Learn More about the City's Homelessness Response

In addition to developing a response strategy, Momentum for Health has implemented the Trust Program in Mountain View which is able to provide mental health field response teams to aid individuals in crisis.

Call 800-704-0900, press 1 (call 988 for local 408, 650 and 669 area codes) to reach TRUST if you, or someone around you, is experiencing concerning mental health or substance use symptoms.

Business and property owners are also encouraged to reach out to Police@mountainview.gov or 650-903-6344 should they need assistance with any non-emergency safety concerns. For all emergencies dial 9-1-1.

Focus Area(s):

In order to maintain both the safety and aesthetic of downtown, the City of Mountain View does conduct code enforcement activities by responding to complaints.

If your concerns involve sidewalks and streets please contact us at the Public Works Department at public.works@mountainview.gov

If there are concerns about private property please contact Community Development Department at community.development@mountainview.gov

Focus Area(s):

The Downtown is supported by 11 public parking facilities - 2 parking structures and 9 surface parking lots with approximately 1,500 off-street parking spaces. These off-street parking spaces have timed parking from Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (excluding holidays).

To help manage daytime parking demands between long-term and short-term parkers, the City administers a Downtown Parking Permit Program for property owners, businesses and residents who contribute to the Downtown Parking & Maintenance District.

Learn More

Focus Area(s):

Downtown Mountain View continues to evolve and change with new investments being made in the built environment. There are several projects seeking permits within the Downtown. The Planning Department regularly publishes an update on new projects working through the planning permit process.

June 2024 

April 2024

February 2024

December 2023

October 2023

September 2023

June 2023

Focus Areas:

Support for businesses in the Downtown is provided by the City Economic Vitality Team along with the Downtown Business Association. The Economic Vitality Team provides support through two grant programs, permit navigation and general business education and promotion. The Downtown Business Association supports events, activations, and awareness campaigns for the Downtown.

Downtown Businesses:

View a map current downtown businesses (maintained by the Chamber of Commerce)

New and expanded businesses bring with them added investment and energy, further enriching the diversity and vitality of our Downtown. Business openings and expansions from the last six months include:

• Joyous Cuisine (100 block) opened in February 2024 and is serving traditional Chinese cuisine.

• Sushi Arashi (200 block), a Japanese-style restaurant, opened in October 2023.

• InOrbit (200 block) tripled their square footage by expanding into the neighboring vacant space in February2024.

• Ice Cream Kween (200 block) underwent a rebrand, transitioning from the Icicles Franchise to an independent
  operation in February 2024.

New Communication Channels:

The Economic Development Team also recently launched new Facebook & Instagram Social Media Account. These accounts will be used to share resources and highlight Mountain View Businesses.

Small Business Outdoor Furnishing Grant Program:

In 2023, the City of Mountain View released the Small Business Outdoor Furnishings Grant Program to help address the lingering impacts of COVID-19 on the Mountain View small business community. The City allocated $200,000 to the grant program, providing 40 eligible businesses with onetime grants of $5,000 for the purchase of outdoor furnishings.

To date, 29 applications have been approved and those businesses are currently in the contracting process. The program can accommodate an additional 11 grant recipients, and the City will continue to accept applications until the funds are depleted. Learn more about the program and application process.

Facade Improvement Program

In July 2024, the City of Mountain View launched a limited period Façade Improvement Program focused on the following goals:

1. Visually improve storefronts and streetscapes;
2. Enhance prominent retail and commercial areas; and
3. Rehabilitate or replace historic features

To encourage economic vitality and commercial viability of storefront businesses, the City will offer grants with a maximum value of $17,500, including: 

• $2,500 for architectural design services from a city-retained architect; and

•  Up to $15,000 for physical facade improvements, such as signage, awning, or window replacements, lighting, and more.

Funding will be administered in a tiered structure, with 50% matching grants ranging from $5,000 to $15,000. 

to Learn more about the Facade Grant Improvement program and apply for funds.

Focus Area(s)

The Community Development Department has developed two teams to aid both developers and small businesses with understanding and navigating the entitlement and permitting processes.

Team 1: Navigators from Planning, Building and Public Works oversee and ensure seamless handoffs between internal teams.

Team 2: An ambassador team, made up of interdepartmental staff, has been developed to help small businesses understand and work through the permit process. The ambassador team helps to identify the types of permits needed and then acts as a liaison with small businesses to obtain those permits.  Learn more about the Ambassador team.

Downtown Committee Meetings:

The City of Mountain View has an advisory body associated with all things Downtown. This Committee meets the first Tuesday of every month. The Committee receives regular updates on development activity, events and programming that occurs in Downtown. The Committee made up of Mountain View residents, property and business owners provides valuable direction to City staff on a range of topics from busking to public safety matters. Learn ore about the committee and upcoming meetings.

At the March 5th meeting, the Committee received updates on Castro Street projects and Downtown Development, heard a presentation from the Fire Department on the event celebrating the Department's upcoming 150th anniversary, provided feedback on the Active Transportation Plan, and received a presentation on the Sister Cities program.

Other Downtown Meetings:

Every day, Mountain View staff works to support and implement Downtown projects and initiatives, with coordination meetings happening weekly. Each month there are formal meetings of the Downtown Committee and Downtown Business Association. Staff from multiple departments meet weekly to addresses key issues, and department leadership convene once a month to discuss Downtown trends, challenges, and opportunities. Economic Development staff also has weekly meetings with the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce and have near-daily discussions with Downtown property and business owners.

Focus Area(s):