Vision for Mountain View
We face important issues ahead. I pledge to continue to be the collaborative, balanced, and pragmatic Councilmember residents deserve.
Mountain View treasures its diverse community made up of people from all walks of life and from all over the world. We work hard to preserve that diversity so that our community is the best place it can be to experience and call home.
Our city is just over 12 square miles and home to nearly 83,000 residents, while our daytime population exceeds 125,000. The size and population of Mountain View may be modest, yet we have a prominent role on the world stage as the center of innovation for Silicon Valley, being the home to some of the most prominent tech companies in the world as well as hundreds of startups. Our vibrant downtown draws people from all over the world to visit its shops and restaurants. Our wonderful parks and network of trails delight people of all ages. As the birthplace of Silicon Valley, there are plenty of opportunities to immerse yourself in the history of the technology industry and visit historic landmarks.
I am honored to serve as you as we take on challenges and opportunities. I’ve spent years contributing to our City of Mountain View as a community volunteer, public policy professional, and Environmental Planning Commissioner including Chair and Vice-Chair. On the City Council in my first term, I have served as Vice Mayor and Mayor. I’ve worked hard to ensure that as we change and grow, Mountain View maintains its unique character, diversity, and high quality of life.
There is much work to be done but I am heartened by what we have already accomplished in my three years on the City Council and the change we can bring for the benefit of all in our community.
Please email me at: ellen@ellenkamei.com to share your vision for Mountain View with me.
Below are my thoughts and ideas on several topics facing Mountain View.
Housing
● Partnerships with everyone to generate solutions - including the school district and collaboration on teacher housing
● Support for first-time home buyers, especially middle-income residents who cannot qualify for other regional programs
● Streamline the development approval process for ownership housing on small parcels
● Expand opportunities for transit oriented development in areas where it has worked such as along El Camino Real
● Infrastructure in lock step with housing so that new development fits in with existing neighborhoods
● Enabling a multifamily residential community in the North Bayshore that will be a part of complete neighborhood
Transportation
● Improve Mountain View’s infrastructure by getting projects shovel-ready to be able to take advantage of state and regional funding as it becomes available, such as Santa Clara County Measure B transportation funds
● Decrease traffic congestion by building out our multi-modal transportation network to support pedestrians, bicyclists, light rail, CalTrain, and autonomous vehicles
● Expand our free community shuttle and looks for ways to partner with other intracity transit programs such as MVGo
● Smart growth to create walkable/bikeable communities
● Expand existing bicycle and pedestrian networks throughout the City to make it easier to get around
Public Safety
● Strengthen our safety through community collaborations and events
● Empower our police, firefighters, and first responders with the appropriate policies, resources, and training they need to keep Mountain View safe
● Rebuild the police and fire administrative building to a state of the art facility
● Support competitive and diverse recruitment for current vacancies
● Provide wraparound services and move individuals into permanent stable housing through safe parking programs like “Lots of Love”
● Address health and safety concerns for vehicle dwellers through city policy or vehicle parking ordinance
Quality of Life
● Support more open street events for residents that are community-based like “Thursday Night Live” and the “Spring Family Parade”
● Ensure new developments are aesthetically attractive and positive additions to existing neighborhoods
● Look for opportunities to build more parks of all sizes in new developments and new neighborhoods
● Recruit and retain a diversity of businesses
Environmental Sustainability
● Advance our Environmental Sustainability Action Plan recommendations from the Environmental Sustainability Task Force 2
● Expand Silicon Valley Clean Energy Program
● Approach each development and project through a lens of sustainability to create energy efficiencies, and encourage recycling, including water
● Reduce our GHG emissions through short term and long term community-wide actions
● Explore ways to add parks of all sixes and urban green spaces
● Sea level rise protection measures
● Support wetland restoration in the North Bayshore, and tree canopy expansion citywide
City Services
● Continue the City excellent financial standing with its AAA credit rating, ample reserves and minimized debt.
● Maintain service levels at pace with city growth and change
● Increase staff levels to improve responses, transparency, approvals and communications
● Advocate for our entire community & residents with transparency
Seniors
● Expanding transit options for seniors including the Community Shuttle routes
● Ensure seniors are able to age in place
● Focus on housing options for seniors on fixed income
Youth
● Strengthen relationships with school districts to ensure school sites have necessary support
● Expand and improve youth services and library programs for preschoolers to teens, especially at the Teen Center
● Promote the expansion of childcare programs