The coffeebeer buzz WEEKEND | 16
FEBRUARY 28, 2014 VOLUME 22, NO. 5
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MOVIES | 20
Tall buildings win big in North Bayshore plan COUNCIL GOES FOR MAJOR OFFICE GROWTH IN NORTH BAYSHORE By Daniel DeBolt
vard between Highway 101 and Charleston Road, where ffice buildings from five major employee shuttle stops to eight stories tall soon would also go amidst groundcould be allowed north floor retail. John Inks, John of Highway 101, if City Council McAlister and Jac Siegel were direction on Tuesday is any opposed. indication. The tallest buildings allowed In a study session, Council — eight stories — would be members picked a conceptual at “gateway” properties where plan for adding as many as 3.4 Shoreline meets the north side million square feet of new offices of Highway 101. Height limits — with room for at least 15,000 would be six stories on most of employees — to Mountain View’s Shoreline, though there would North Bayshore, an area north of be yet-to-be-determined restricHighway 101 that’s tions on how much home to Google, of a footprint such Microsoft, Linkedbuildings could ‘We are In and Intuit, have. among others. The “core” pushing for extends Planning North through the Bayshore appears Google properties on too much to be one of the Joaquin and the east more stressful development.’ side of Huff. Outside tasks for council the core, heights of RONIT BRYANT, members in recent four stories domiCOUNCIL MEMBER memor y, with nate, tapering to two members expressstories near Shoreing hesitancy to line Park and Stepick a rough zonvens Creek. ing map to go with a detailed The council backed away from new “precise plan” for the area the idea of having many taller that’s being developed this year. buildings along Highway 101. More office growth could mean “The idea of having developmore traffic, more impacts to ment spread along the 101 freewetland wildlife and more tech way — you disperse the demand employees driving up local (for transit service) and you home prices. But members want have more of what North Bayto see “super blocks” broken up shore has been, which is a 1960s to allow more pedestrian and business park,” said resident bike mobility throughout the Cliff Chambers. area on new streets and pathAt one point in the discussion ways. council members seemed to Mayor Chris Clark and other back away from the core conmembers said that won’t hap- cept, apparently fearing that it pen unless property owners are would be the start of allowing “incentivized” to build through such heights throughout the new zoning for taller buildings. area. City planning director A 4-3 majority of council Randy Tsuda assured counmembers supported a concept cil members that the concept called “option A” for focusing could always be changed later growth along a transportation “spine” on Shoreline BouleSee NORTH BAYSHORE, page 10
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Albere Correa uses the Google WiFi system to check his email in downtown Mountain View on Feb. 25. He says the current service drops often.
Google trades new WiFi for old system SERVICE WILL BE LIMITED TO OUTDOORS IN DOWNTOWN AREA ONLY By Daniel DeBolt
T
he end is near for the city’s aging Google WiFi system, City Council members decided Tuesday. Residents who are still using the failing system of 563 light
pole-mounted nodes have 60 days to find a new Internet service, according to the plan approved by a unanimous council vote. The city and Google have reached an agreement to install a new Wifi system that serves the downtown only. The
agreement includes a $500,000 technology grant while officials are beginning talks for a Google Fiber network installed throughout Mountain View, allowing Internet connections See GOOGLE WIFI, page 11
Could wrestling return to MVHS? PARENTS, BOOSTERS, SCHOOL OFFICIALS HOPE TO BRING SPORT BACK By Nick Veronin
A
group of local parents are prepared to go to the mat in support of a proposal to bring back Mountain View High School’s long-discontinued wrestling program. Bob Capriles, the father of a freshman, and Mike Johnson, president of the school’s Sports Boosters, say it’s high time to rebuild the Spartan wrestling
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program. “I think it really needs to be brought back to the high school,” Johnson told the Voice — especially in light of the fact that we are the only high school in Santa Clara County without a wrestling program.” According to Capriles, the lack of a Spartan wrestling team is even more vexing when one considers that both of Mountain View’s feeder schools — Blach
and Graham — have strong wrestling programs. Dave Grissom, principal of Mountain View High School, said he doesn’t want to rule out an eventual return of wrestling to his school. However, bringing the program back could prove tricky, he explained. “We haven’t said now,” Grissom said. “I have some concerns See WRESTLING, page 9
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