City Hall Connection
July 7, 2021
News and Information from the City of Mountain View
City Phased Reopening Continues
Preparations are underway for the reopening of Mountain View City Hall next week. Here is what the public can expect: 
City Hall Reopens Monday, July 12
  • Community Development will offer counter services for Building, Fire and Planning by appointment only, with an in-person option for individuals and Zoom appointments for multiple-person meetings. For more details, visit the Community Development Department webpage.
  • The City Clerk’s Office will be open with modified hours for in-person services.
  • The Finance and Administrative Services Department counter will be open with limited lobby capacity for people to drop in and make payments. Payments may still be made online, over the phone or via the dropbox outside City Hall near the front door. 
  • The Public Works counter will be open for drop-ins with limited lobby capacity. The following services will be provided to the public: information regarding solid waste services, excavation permits, Community Development Department permit support and any other general Public Works questions.
  • The Fire Prevention and Environmental Division will be open for consultation by appointment. Make appointments via phone by calling 650-903-6378.
Library Service Updates
  • Starting July 12, the Library will be open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Group study rooms are available for a maximum of two hours per day. Reservations can be made up to three days in advance.
  • For more information, visit the Current Library Services page on our website.  

Masks are required for unvaccinated members of the public. Vaccinated customers are no longer required to wear masks.
The View Teen Center Reopens for Regular Hours 
The View Teen Center opened for regular hours on July 6, which are: Monday through Friday, from 3:30 to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 1 to 6 p.m. Masks are required for teens and staff, regardless of vaccination status, as required for all youth settings defined by the State of California.
Teen Open Gym Returns
Teen Open Gym will return Saturday nights beginning July 17 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Whisman Sports Center. This free drop-in program is open to all Mountain View 6th- through 12th grade students with a student ID. Teen Open Gym is an opportunity for teens to play basketball and other indoor sports in a fun and safe environment.

All City facilities will fully reopen on Monday, Sept. 13 in accordance with current State of California and County of Santa Clara public health guidelines. For more information, visit MountainView.gov/Reopening.
The 400 Block of Castro Street Now Open to Vehicles
Castro Street 400 block reopened
Changes are coming to Castro Street. This week, the 400 block of Castro Street reopened to vehicle traffic. This action reflects the wishes of the majority of businesses and building owners on the 400 block. Drive carefully as the traffic signal at the Mercy/Castro streets intersection has returned to normal operation and is no longer flashing red.

The City’s Castro StrEATS and Outdoor Mountain View! programs will remain in place for a portion of Castro Street. The public can still enjoy outdoor dining and other outdoor business activities on the 100, 200 and 300 blocks of Castro Street. These blocks will remain closed to vehicles and open to pedestrians through Monday, Jan. 3, 2022.

In June 2020, the City launched the Castro StrEATS and Outdoor Mountain View! programs to help support downtown businesses during the pandemic. For more details on these programs and others, visit MountainView.gov.
LifeMoves Mountain View Gets Special Visitors
On Friday, June 25, Governor Gavin Newsom visited the LifeMoves Mountain View interim housing community to highlight the State’s Homekey program which provides funding to LifeMoves Mountain View. During the news conference, Governor Newsom showcased Mountain View’s efforts to tackle homelessness through bold, innovative actions during the pandemic. Najee Harris, who was recently drafted to play in the NFL for the Pittsburgh Steelers, was also on hand to advocate for homeless individuals as he spent several years with his family in a Bay Area homeless shelter.

California Extends Eviction Moratorium and Provides More Rent Relief
On Monday, June 28, the Governor signed a legislative bill (Assembly Bill 832) to extend the statewide eviction moratorium until Sept. 30, 2021, for those impacted by COVID-19.

In addition, the Governor recently announced that increased funding for California’s rent relief program is coming. The provisions involve the State covering 100% of overdue rent and utilities for low-income Californians with COVID-related economic hardship between April 2020 through September 2021.

Annual Water Quality Report Released
Mountain View’s 2020 Consumer Confidence Report, also known as the Water Quality Report, is now available. The report describes where your water comes from and how it compares to drinking water standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the State Water Resources Control Board.

For example, the City of Mountain View supplies approximately 8.9 million gallons per day of drinking water to nearly 18,000 metered customers using reservoirs, pump stations, wells and approximately 180 miles of pipeline.

Learn about your drinking water and much more: view the report online.
PG&E Launches Thursday Safety Webinars
PG&E announced that weekly regional wildfire safety webinars will take place every Thursday in July. Each event will feature a brief presentation, after which participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback to PG&E representatives. The webinar for Santa Clara County is scheduled for July 15 from 6 to 7:30 p.m., but customers are also welcome to join and ask questions at any of the other regional webinars.

During the events, the PG&E team will discuss:
  • PG&E’s wildfire prevention efforts,
  • Resources to help customers and communities before, during and after Public Safety Power Shut-off events, and
  • Improvements to PG&E’s safety technology and tools.

For more information, visit PGE.com/WildfireSafety.
Community Activities
Summer Outdoor Movie Nights Return July 16
Join us for an exciting Summer Outdoor Movie Night Series on Friday evenings in July and August. All movies begin at 8:30 p.m. or dark. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and enjoy the show. For more information, visit MountainView.gov/SummerMovies.

Schedule:
  • July 16: Cuesta Park - Raya The Last Dragon
  • July 23: Stevenson Park - Onward
  • July 30: Whisman Park – Scoob!
  • August 6: Sylvan Park – Secret Life of Pets 2
  • August 13 Eagle Park - Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
  • August 20: Rengstorff Park – Sonic the Hedgehog
Check Out This Year's Virtual Technology Showcase
This year's Technology Showcase is a two-day virtual event that is free for anyone.

Presented by the City of Mountain View and the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce, the Technology Showcase is a rare opportunity to experience the newest ideas created in our own backyard. Attendees can also experience product demos and live Q&A from companies showing their newest innovations; local tech company meetups; librarians giving tips about new tech tools; an interactive workshop on preparing for a technical job interview; and much more.

Register for the event here to attend on Tuesday, July 20 from 2-5:30 p.m. and Wednesday, July 21 from 8-11 a.m.
New Makerspace at The View Teen Center
Teen Center Makerspace
The View Teen Center opened a new Makerspace on July 2. The Makerspace will be open during Teen Center hours and filled with arts and craft supplies and materials. Teens are invited to create, explore and invent. There is no cost to use the Makerspace.

For more information, go to MountainView.gov/TeenCenter.
COVID-19 Briefing
COVID-19 Vaccines
The last day to receive a free COVID-19 vaccine at the Mountain View Community Center vaccination site will be Wednesday, July 21. The County of Santa Clara recently notified the City of the closure date for the County Health System-operated site due to decreasing vaccine demand.

Walk-ins and appointments for vaccinations are available Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., at the Community Center, 201 S. Rengstorff Ave. To schedule an appointment at this location or others, visit sccFreeVax.org.

From January 22 through July 2, the County has administered 79,164 vaccinations at the Mountain View Community Center location.
COVID-19 Testing
The OptumServe mobile testing bus, a State of California resource that is being shared by the counties of Santa Clara and San Mateo, will offer free appointment-based COVID-19 testing on Saturday, July 10 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. at 460 Bryant St. in Mountain View. Individuals will need to register for a patient ID prior to registering for an appointment. To register and book appointments, call 1-888-634-1123 or visit lhi.care/covidtesting.

Free COVID-19 testing will also be available by appointment only on Wednesday, July 28 and Wednesday, August 25 at the Mountain View Community Center, 201 S. Rengstorff Ave. To sign up, visit sccFreeTest.org.
Upcoming Meetings & Events
For a complete list and more information, visit MountainView.gov/Events.

  • July 7 | Cuesta Park Pop-up | 4—6 p.m.
  • July 14 |Whisman Park Pop-up | 4—6 p.m.
  • July 16 | Summer Movie Night at Cuesta Park – Raya The Last Dragon | 8:30 p.m.
  • July 20 & 21 | Technology Showcase | online
  • July 21 | Sylvan Park Pop-up | 4—6 p.m.
  • July 23 | Summer Movie Night at Stevenson Park – Onward | 8:30 p.m.
AskMV at Your Service
Available 24/7, Ask Mountain View is an easy way to send your questions, concerns and compliments directly to City staff who can help you. Download the app or submit a request online at MountainView.gov/AskMV.