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Google plans to rebuild California hometown to 'prioritise people over cars'

Google has revealed ambitious plans to redevelop its hometown of Mountain View following a major land grab in California.

The technology giant submitted a development proposal to the city on Friday, titled 'A Shared Vision for North Bayshore', which describes Google's vision to transform the neighbourhood "from a place for cars to a place for people."

The plans include new office space, affordable housing, bike and foot paths, as well as provisions for climate change events predicted over the next century.

Google's proposal explains: "Protecting development and infrastructure against projected sea-level rise in the year 2100, with development generally located in upland areas; expanding the Charleston Retention Basin by over 2 acres to provide an additional 5 acre-feet of stormwater detention volume during larger storm events; and exploring a series of both public and private partnerships to plan for and fund regional level strategies to address sea-level rise (and associated climate risks)."

In November, Google acquired a 51.8-acre space in Mountain View for a reported $1 billion, making it the largest real estate transaction in the Bay Area in 2018.

The acquisition gave Google greater power to redevelop and renovate the land beside its sprawling headquarters.

An illustration from the proposal for 'A Shared Vision for North Bayshore' (Google)
An illustration from the proposal for 'A Shared Vision for North Bayshore' (Google)

The development proposal, first reported by CNBC, includes a "Jobs-Housing Balance Policy" that calls for a 4:1 ratio of housing to office space, while simultaneously making the North Bayshore neighbourhood a "welcoming destination" for people to visit.

"Transforming a suburban office park into vibrant new neighbourhoods also means taking a comprehensive approach to transportation and mobility – one that encourages people to get out of their cars," the proposal states.

"And better mobility options can have big outcomes: improving public health, changing behaviour, alleviating congestion, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle miles travelled, improving safety for cyclists and pedestrians, and simply creating great public places."

Google will work with the City of Mountain View over the following months to review the proposal in the hope of getting approval to realise the project within the next 10 to 15 years.