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Board extends transfer‑of‑development‑rights program and amends joint‑use agreement with Mountain View after debate
Summary
Los Altos — Trustees approved an extension to the district’s Transfer of Development Rights program and, after debate, a revised funding and joint‑use agreement with the City of Mountain View that shifts delivery dates and clarifies joint‑use elements.
Los Altos — The Los Altos School District board approved two related contractual changes with the City of Mountain View to protect funding and timing for the San Antonio campus and its joint‑use amenities.
On the first item the board voted unanimously to approve a first amendment to the memorandum of understanding for the Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program. Staff said the amendment lengthens the life of the TDR program and gives the district and city more time to secure TDR proceeds as the local commercial market recovers.
The board then considered a proposed first amendment to the funding and joint‑use agreement (FJUA) that adjusts delivery timeframes and clarifies which improvements are part of the city’s joint‑use commitment. District staff said the amendment extends the time to complete certain joint‑use improvements to Sept. 30, 2030, and that the gymnasium was described separately in the agreement because final arrangements with the city remain subject to negotiation.
Trustee Brian moved the funding‑JUA amendment and Trustee Stella seconded. The motion passed 4–1; Trustee Jim cast the lone no vote.
Trustee Jim spoke at length and said he opposed the changes in part because of what he said was the potential long‑term cost to district taxpayers. “I don’t think it’s the right thing to do… I will be voting against them,” Jim said, citing ongoing concerns about the total district expenditure and the allocation of a high‑quality campus to one program.
Other trustees and staff pushed back that the amendments preserve flexibility for the district to use the property over many decades and that the city has been a cooperative partner, contributing $23 million to the project and assisting with TDR promotion. Legal counsel also advised the board that the underlying joint‑use arrangement is long term; counsel characterized the agreement as a 99‑year joint‑use framework, and said removing a neighborhood‑preference clause gives the district additional flexibility for future use of the site.
Public comment included neighborhood concerns about traffic and safety at the site and requests that the campus be designed to provide secure access and visual screening from the busy street. Staff said perimeter security and landscaping will be refined in the design development phase.
Actions recorded on these items: - Approval of first amendment to the TDR memorandum of understanding with the City of Mountain View: motion by Trustee Vladimir, second by Trustee Stella; outcome: approved unanimously. - Approval of first amendment to the funding and joint‑use agreement with the City of Mountain View: motion by Trustee Brian, second by Trustee Stella; outcome: approved 4–1; Trustee Jim opposed.
Staff said the amendments retain district control over long‑term use and funding distribution, while giving more time for the TDR program to generate proceeds and for city‑district coordination on joint‑use details.
