A winning blend Gochi serves up Japanese fusion WEEKEND | 15 FEBRUARY 7, 2014 VOLUME 22, NO. 2
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MOVIES | 18
A transformed El Camino Real in the works COUNCIL WANTS BIKE LANES, DEVELOPMENT ON ABANDONED LOTS
Activity Centers along El Camino Real in Mountain View San Antonio Road
By Daniel DeBolt
Showers Drive
San Antonio Precise Plan Area
Activity Centers High Intensity Zones
Rengstorff Drive
Moderate Intensity Zones Escuela Avenue
Del Medio Neighborhood Center
Low Intensity Zones Plan Area
San Antonio Village Center Rengstorff Neighborhood Center
Shoreline Blvd.
Escuela/El Monte Village Center
Castro Street
Calderon Avenue Grant Road Village Center
El Camino Real Downtown Village Center City Council members want dense development focused on four major "activity centers" on El Camino Real, shown here in red.
Sylvan Neighborhood Center
Calderon/Phyllis Neighborhood Center
Grant Road Sylvan Avenue
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n a study session Tuesday, City Council members made some preliminary — but very significant — moves in planning the El Camino Real of the future. If council members’ direction Tuesday is any indication, an El Camino Real “precise plan” drafted for approval by year’s end may allow higher density development in four “activity centers” at major intersections, along with bike lanes on portions of El Camino Real where street parking isn’t needed, and some incentives for the development of shallow and often long-vacant lots, all while requiring “sensible” building heights against neighboring homes. The four “activity centers” included the shopping center areas at Grant Road and Highway 237; a large area where El Monte and Escuela both meet El Camino; the north sides of the See EL CAMINO REAL, page 6
Local water districts urge conservation RESIDENTS URGED TO CUT WATER CONSUMPTION BY 10 PERCENT By Nick Veronin
M
ountain View residents are being asked to cut water consumption by 10 percent, responding to the governor’s call for local water agencies to activate their drought contingency plans. The Santa Clara Valley Water District and the San Francisco Public Utilities
INSIDE
Commission have each set water reduction goals of 10 percent for their service areas, both of which include parts of Mountain View. The city receives the bulk (87 percent) of its water supply from the San Francisco PUC, while the Santa Clara Valley Water District provides most of the remainder. Marty Grimes, a spokesman for the water district, said the
board hopes people will heed the recommendation and begin doing their part to reduce water usage whenever possible. Consumers can help by taking shorter showers, only running full loads through the dishwasher and washing machine, and not letting the faucet run while they brush their teeth. Every little bit helps, Grimes said, emphasizing the importance of conservation. “It’s pretty serious,” he said of the current drought conditions. Last year was the driest on record for Santa Clara County — the third “critically dry year” in a row for the region — and many area creeks See CONSERVATION, page 13
VIEWPOINT 14 | GOINGS ON 19 | MARKETPLACE 20 | REAL ESTATE 22
Scholarship to honor former Castro student By Nick Veronin
A
scholarship fund is being created in memory of Garon Bolden, a former Mountain View resident who wrote a popular pro-education rap song when he was just 10 years old. Bolden, 17, was killed last month when he was struck by a hit-and-run driver in San Jose. Investigators are still looking into the circumstances surrounding Bolden’s death. The teen was apparently on a freeway on-ramp when he was hit,
according to one local news report. Bolden’s father, Greg, said he wants people to remember his son for the Garon Bolden vibrant life he lived. According to an obituary issued by his family, Bolden showed a love and gift for music at a young See SCHOLARSHIP, page 10