Mountain View library trustees give input as city refocuses council work plan

Amanda Rotella, acting economic vitality manager for the city of Mountain View, reviewed the City Council’s two‑year work plan process and asked advisory bodies for input on which projects should be prioritized in the 2025–27 cycle. The council is pursuing a “quality over quantity” approach that will limit the next work plan to about 10–14 projects, staff said, and will return a recommended work plan for adoption with the budget in June.

The presentation outlined about 16 candidate projects that would be carved into the council’s strategic priorities, including extending the Stevens Creek Trail, supporting low‑ and moderate‑income homeownership and condominium development, updating R‑3 zoning standards for medium‑density housing, developing a natural‑gas phase‑out as part of decarbonization planning, expanding citywide broadband, installing smart water meters, a downtown vacant‑storefront activation program, pavement condition upgrades, and a temporary pickleball plan while the city studies long‑term court siting.

The Mountain View Board of Library Trustees provided individual top‑three priorities and additional comments that Amanda Rotella said she would compile and bring to council ahead of the April 22 study session. Board members did not take a formal vote on the work plan; their responses were recorded individually. Several trustees prioritized the citywide broadband initiative (project 6), smart water meters (project 7), updating the race equity and inclusion legislative priorities (project 5), a volunteer framework for the city (project 15), and R‑3 zoning standards to support missing‑middle housing (project 3). Trustee statements emphasized both access (to housing and to internet) and operational efficiency for the city.

Rotella described the timeline and staff process: departments are completing an analysis using internal criteria; advisory body feedback will be summarized and presented to council at an April 22 study session; the work plan will be adopted concurrently with the FY 2025–27 budget in June. She said council members previously narrowed their preferred approach and that the council will weigh staff analysis and advisory input before final adoption.

Trustees asked staff for clarity on project scope, progress status and legal or funding constraints. Rotella said some projects are already under way (she estimated roughly five as carry‑over projects), while others would move from “day one” research. She noted the city received a grant from Valley Water that supports the smart meter initiative and said the staff analysis will include legal review where projects may face statutory or judicial risk. Regarding potential ballot measures, Rotella said a proposed charter amendment and exploration of revenue measures were being considered for a future ballot (the presentation referenced possible placement on the 2026 ballot) and would be scoped in staff analysis.

Library Director Tracy (first reference: Library Director Tracy) described the library’s own separate broadband access arrangement procured through the California State Library that reduces connectivity costs for public libraries; she said that program is distinct from the city’s broader evaluation of household and infrastructure broadband coverage and age of city systems. Tracy also reported operational library news during the meeting: staff recruitment is nearly complete with two vacancies remaining; a new teen volunteer program called "Amplify Teen Voices" is launching; and the library participates in Silicon Valley Reads events.

Procedural business at the start of the special meeting included a motion to approve the minutes of the Feb. 24, 2025 meeting. The board approved the minutes by roll call.

What happens next: staff will compile and summarize trustee feedback and deliver that to the City Council for its April 22 study session. The council’s recommended work plan will be presented for adoption alongside the budget in June.