Mountain View at Shoreline Regional Park:
Powering Mountain View’s Future

Shoreline at Mountain View regional park is a jewel in the crown of Bay Area parks and open space.

A vibrant oasis of preservation, recreation and entertainment, the 750-acre park is home to over 30 protected species and provides a wide range of recreation opportunities including: a robust trail system, a 50-acre sailing lake, an 18-hole championship golf course, a dog park, a kite flying area, as well as athletic fields, historic Rengstorff House and two restaurants. The famed Shoreline Amphitheater is located adjacent to the park.

This year, Shoreline at Mountain View is celebrating its 40th anniversary. The City of Mountain View is planning for the park’s future, which will build on the forward-looking legacy of its founders.

Made possible through the Shoreline Community Park District

In 1969, with an ambitious vision to preserve and develop the region, the California State Legislature voted to establish the Shoreline Park District. They had the incredible foresight to allow the park to evolve to meet the modern needs of the community.

The Shoreline Park District stewards Shoreline Park. The Shoreline Park District is a separate legal entity from the City, funded by property tax increment, with its own budget and financial statements. The Mountain View City Council serves as the Shoreline Park District’s Board of Directors.

Taxes generated through the park district provide the ongoing funding for the following key functions:

• Maintaining and operating Shoreline Regional Park.
• Protecting Shoreline and surrounding communities from sea level rise and climate change.
• Maintaining a closed regional landfill.
• Expanding opportunities for much needed housing and innovative land use planning.
• Investing in a vast biking and walking trail system.
• Contributing to better living conditions through improved overall community design.
• Providing for sound employment and economic growth.

The Shoreline Regional Park Community District is one of over a hundred Recreation and Park Districts in the State. Special districts are local governments authorized through state statute to deliver specialized services essential to the health, safety, economy, and wellbeing of a community or region. Shoreline Park has become one of the premier examples of properly managed Recreation and Park Districts. You can learn more information on the Shoreline Regional Park Community webpage.

North Bayshore Precise Plan: A Housing Vision Fulfilled

While a lot has changed in California since the formation of the Shoreline Park District, there is much still to be accomplished. The District envisioned Shoreline as a brand-new community, home to residential and commercial activity. The City’s North Bayshore Precise Plan brings this vision to life.

The Precise Plan sets the foundation for brand-new neighborhoods— enabling the development of up to 9,850 units of new housing. 15% of these homes will meet affordability criteria. The new housing proposed in the Shoreline Park District accounts for more than 30% of the units in the City’s recently adopted Housing Element and will help accomplish the purpose of the 1969 Shoreline Act that established Shoreline as a Special Park District.

The plan envisions new vibrant, mixed-use neighborhoods for Mountain View with nearby jobs, shops, parks and a 4.1-acre site for a future elementary school. Learn more about the North Bayshore Precise Plan.

Recreation

Shoreline offers rich programming and fun activities for people of all ages to enjoy.

Learn more about the recreational programs and activities that Shoreline offers on the Shoreline at Mountain View webpage.

Environmental Stewardship

Shoreline Park is one of the most ambitious and sweeping environmental stewardship projects across the Bay Area. Initiatives include:

• Preparing for sea level rise.
• Protecting the wetlands and its wildlife.
• Managing the environmental impacts of the closed regional landfill.
• Expanding bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.

Wildlife

Various species of animals, like the burrowing owl, call Shoreline home. The park dedicates hundreds of acres to protecting these species and their natural wetland habitat.

Shoreline is home to:

For more details, visit Shoreline’s habitat and wildlife conservation program webpage.

Economic and Technology Leadership

As Mountain View is a global epicenter of innovation and technology, Shoreline also brings together the world’s top minds to solve our most urgent problems. Google, Intuit, Microsoft, Wisk Aero, BMW iVentures, and Siemens Medical all have headquarters or major offices in the Shoreline District.

These businesses generate property tax revenue for the Shoreline Park District that funds the core functions of the District. The funding generated from new development will transform the original vision of the Shoreline District into a reality.

Mountain View Public Schools: Building and Funding Our Student Community’s Future

The City of Mountain View prioritizes meeting the needs of our youth and preparing them to be the leaders of tomorrow. Shoreline is a place where our community’s kids can live, learn, play and grow. The City partners with our school districts to allocate an annual amount of over $15 million, plus additional one-time funding, to ensure lifelong success for our students.

Learn more about how the City is investing in our future generations.

The Shoreline District provides vital funding to our public schools.

In the 2023-2024 fiscal year, MVWSD will receive approximately $6.4 million and MVLA will receive approximately $4.3 million. Payments from the Shoreline Park District to the schools are provided through an agreement called the Education Enhancement Reserve Joint Powers Agreement. For more about this agreement, visit EER JPA webpage.

The Shoreline Park District and the school districts are in the process of reaching a longer-term agreement. The new agreement will continue payments to the school districts while still meeting the statutory obligations of the Shoreline Park District and funding the fulfillment of its purpose.  The Shoreline District will also provide 4.1 acres of land valued at $48 million in current dollars for a new MVWSD elementary school site.

Shoreline offers several activities and events for kids, including:

• Golf discounts, camps and lessons.
• Youth sports and camps at the athletic fields.
• Sailing, kayaking and other water sports at the Sailing Lake including various school break camps.
• Volunteer opportunities to support wildlife habitat.

History of Shoreline Park

Shoreline used to be the site of a regional landfill, auto wrecking yard and hog farm. State and local leaders had the foresight to know that their vision would be realized over the course of decades. In 1969, the California State Legislature voted to adopt the Shoreline Act and establish the Shoreline Regional Park Community Tax District with an ambitious vision to:

• Create the Shoreline we know today,
• End the use of the landfill and clean up the site,
• Protect the environment,
• Generate economic activity,
• Create new neighborhoods and add needed housing, and
• Develop a regional destination for the community to gather.

The Shoreline Park District was specifically not created to be a redevelopment agency. It has a broader purpose, which includes the ongoing operation of the regional park and closed landfill.

Today, Shoreline Park is home to the most innovative companies in the world, top-notch community amenities, and a vast expanse of wildlife conservation and recreational activities.

But the transformation of Shoreline is not complete and remains underway. The purpose of the Shoreline Act has not yet been fulfilled. Shoreline is planning now for the needs of the future by creating new housing, enhancing its economic strength and providing even more opportunities for residents to enjoy all it has to offer.

Landfill

When you visit Shoreline Park or Shoreline Amphitheater, you may not realize that underneath your feet is a 682-acre closed landfill. This area is comprised of 19 million cubic yards of non-hazardous solid waste that was received through a contract with the City and County of San Francisco. The landfill was originally built to provide flood control in response to multiple floods that occurred in the mid-20th century and affected most of Mountain View.

In managing this closed landfill, the City complies with state regulations, maintaining the landfill final cover system, implementing erosion control measures, and monitoring groundwater, surface water and landfill gas. This landfill maintenance aims to prevent contamination into the groundwater and emission of air pollutants and greenhouse gas.

When the district was created, the area was home to a hog farm, rundown housing, a dumping ground, and other undesirable land uses. The area was prone to frequent flooding.

Since its inception, the North Bayshore has transformed into a regional open space and recreation destination. The area is also home to a thriving office park. A number of plans have been adopted to chart a course for the Shoreline area.

• North Bayshore Precise Plan
• Gateway Master Plan
• Google North Bayshore Master Plan
• North Bayshore Circulation Study
• Sea Level Rise Study
• Post-Closure Landfill Maintenance
• Shoreline Wildlife Management Plan

The City of Mountain View is commemorating 40 years of Shoreline in 2023.

40 years ago, lawmakers laid the foundation of an ambitious plan to create Shoreline Park— to preserve the environment, protect the area from flooding, generate economic activity, create new neighborhoods and create a place for the community to gather.

40 years later, this vision is well on its way to coming to life.

During 2023, the City is celebrating the achievements of Shoreline and recognizing the work left to be done.

Throughout the year, the City will honor the 40th anniversary through events where the community can learn more about Shoreline Park and all it has to offer. You are invited to join us. Learn more about Shoreline’s 40th Anniversary Celebration.