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Planning Division

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City Hall, First Floor
500 Castro Street
Mountain View, CA 94041
(650) 903-6306     planning.division@mountainview.gov

PUBLIC COUNTER HOURS: 

Monday through Friday 

8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (except Holidays)

 

COVID-19 Shelter-In-Place update

Based on the Santa Clara County Public Health Officer's Shelter-in-Place order and to protect the health of the community, City Hall is currently closed. The Community Development Department at City Hall will reopen by limited appointment on Monday, July 12, 2021. Some city services and public meetings will continue remotely. For more information, please contact the Planning Division by email at planning.division@mountainview.gov or by phone at 650-903-6306. Please check the City website for updates as these dates are subject to change.

The Planning Division's interim operations includes:

PUBLIC MEETINGS: The City is conducting public meetings in accordance with the State of California Executive Order N-29-20. All members of the Environmental Planning Commission (EPC), the Development Review Committee (DRC), the Zoning Administrator (ZA), and the Subdivision Committee will participate in scheduled public meetings by video conference with no physical meeting location. See meeting agendas, posted the Friday prior to each meeting, for details on participation, which can be viewed online at: EPC, DRC, ZA.

PUBLIC COUNTER: The public counter is closed; no in-person application submissions or inquiries are permitted at this time. 

  • Building Submittal: Building permits typically reviewed by a Planner at the public counter can submit directly to the Building Division at-risk. Plans submitted will be reviewed by a Planner as part of the building plan check process. Visit the Building Division webpage for more information.
  • Preliminary Review or Inquiries: Any preliminary sketch or inquiry typically reviewed by a Planner at the public counter can be reviewed electronically. The Planning Division encourages preliminary review for any building plans for single-family home additions/new construction, ADUs, and exterior commercial tenant improvements to ensure your plans meet zoning requirements, prior to submitting for Building Plan Check. See General Inquiries to submit your preliminary sketches. For informal review of new multi-family residential (4+ units), office, and mixed-use developments with all City Departments input, please follow the instructions under Submitting Applications.

GENERAL INQUIRIES: For general inquiries, please contact the Planning Division by email at planning.division@mountainview.gov or by phone at 650-903-6306. Staff will respond Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

PLANNING APPLICATIONS: The Planning Division is electronically accepting all new applications and resubmittals of existing applications. See Submitting Applications for details on how to submit (or resubmit) to the Planning Division.

****MODIFIED PERMIT INTAKE/REVIEW*****

During remote operations, the Community Development Department is modifying permit submission for the following project types in an effort to streamline processing, which will remain in effect until further notice:

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  • For Sign Permits: Please complete a Planning Submission Inquiry Form to submit your Sign Permit for both Planning and Building permit review. The Planning fee will be collected up front as part of the intake process, while Building fees will be collected at the end with building permit issuance. Once City staff contacts the applicant/submitter with submission instructions, please be prepared to provide the following materials:

    Once your plans are in good order, you will receive an email notifying you of the Planning Division's approval and your permits automatic transition to the Building Division for plan check review. NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR BUILDING PLAN CHECK. The intent of this modified process is to serve you faster. 

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  • For New Fences or Walls (Residential or Commercial): Please submit an email to planning.division@mountainview.gov with a basic drawing (or an aerial photo) showing the desired location of the proposed new fence/wall, an elevation of the proposed new fence/wall (either a drawing or photo) with height dimensions, and type of material. It may take up to 2 business days for a Planner to review the plans and respond with any necessary revisions or required next steps. In some cases, a Planning permit is required for a fence or wall, prior to submitting for a building permit.

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  • AC Units, Reroofs, and Rooftop Mechanical (Residential or Commercial): Please submit an email to planning.division@mountainview.gov with the following information:
    • Provide site address and scope of work (you can attach your completed Building Application for staff to reference)
    • An aerial photo or site plan of the project site identifying the exact location of the scope of work. This plan must list the site address and provide any necessary setback from property lines (for AC units), or building cross-sections/elevations (for rooftop screening).
    • For rooftop mechanical, must provide a line-of-site drawing showing rooftop mechanical equipment is screened from visibility on all sides.
    • For AC units on residential properties, must be screened and/or located behind a fenced yard or within a previously-approved location by the Home Owners Association (HOA). If the property is located within a HOA, then HOA approval is required (with a letter or signed form noting approval), which must be submitted with your application.
    • For reroofs, please note any changes to roof pitch, material, and/or color.

    Once reviewed by a Planner (which may take up to 2 business days), you will receive an email outlining required revisions or approval with instructions to submit for Building Plan Check review. NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR BUILDING PLAN CHECK. The intent of this modified process is to serve you faster.
 

SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS: To submit an application (new or resubmitting existing) to the Planning Division, please complete a Planning Submission Inquiry Form and a Planner will contact the person listed with submission instructions during business hours (Note: No documents can be uploaded with the Inquiry Form). The submission process is multi-step, may take more than one business day to complete, and is processed in the order submissions are received. An application is not considered received by the City until confirmation of fee payment (for a new application) has been provided and/or upon City Staff providing a confirmation email of acceptance following receipt of electronic materials.

The Planning Application form and submittal requirements are available on the Forms & Fees page.


APPLICATION FEES: The City accepts fee payments in the forms listed below. Detailed instructions on submitting a fee payment will be provided when a Planner responds to the Planning Submission Inquiry Form. Planning application fee amounts are available on the Forms & Fees page. 

Hardcopy Check

Made payable to City of Mountain View

Up to 3 business days to process
Credit Card (Visa or Mastercard), E-Check or PayPal

Collected over-the-phone or online with convenience fee

Up to 1 business day to process
In-Person

At the Ticket Booth of the Mountain View Performing Arts Center at 500 Castro Street

Monday to Friday:  8 a.m. to 12 Noon and 1 to 4 p.m., except for holidays

 

CONSTRUCTION INSPECTIONS (PLANNING): Required Planning inspections for projects under construction can be scheduled starting May 4, 2020. Please contact your assigned Project Planner directly or, if unknown, send an email identifying the project address, building permit no., and type of inspection to planning.division@mountainview.gov. For inspections, all City staff are abiding by social distancing and other best practices directed by the City of Mountain View, the County SIP Order, and State SIP Order. City staff reserves the right to leave a construction site inspection that is unsafe or is not abiding by the SIP Orders or City protocol at any time.  

 

As part of the Community Development Department, the Planning Division reviews and implements current and future development of the Mountain View community for residents, property owners and businesses. The Planning Division oversees the Environmental Planning Commission.

Current Planning

Current Planning involves the processing and review of various development applications for conformance with the City’s General Plan, Zoning Ordinance, Precise Plans, and other City land use policies. The processing of development applications includes the review of preliminary plans and the consideration of public input on formal development proposals at Development Review Committee (DRC) meetings, Administrative Zoning public hearings, and City Council study sessions and public hearings.

Long Range Planning

Long Range Planning involves the City’s policy planning activities, which include analyzing and preparing various planning documents such as the City’s General Plan, Precise Plans and other land use studies. Planning staff also assembles and maintains community data and demographics and coordinates the reporting of this data to outside agencies. Long-range projects are discussed and considered at Environmental Planning Commission and City Council study sessions and public hearings. 

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