Magnussen Toyota of Palo Alto, a well-established dealership and service center, plans to move and develop a new auto center less than half a mile away on Old Middlefield Road in Mountain View. However, the project is facing strong opposition from nearby residents who are concerned that the new auto center will negatively impact their neighborhood.
The city approved the project at a zoning hearing on December 18, but the decision could be appealed to the City Council by January 2.
The proposal is to build a two-story auto dealership, service, and repair facility on a 2.4-acre site at the corner of Old Middlefield Way and Independence Avenue. It will replace an empty auto service shop and an office building. The new center, which will be almost 40,000 square feet, will include a large showroom, offices, service areas, and parts storage. The two-story building will also have rooftop parking, making it one of the largest businesses in the area.
Sandra Magnussen, a representative for Magnussen Toyota, explained at the hearing that this was a return to Mountain View for the family-owned business, which had operated a franchise there until the pandemic. She described the redevelopment as an opportunity to improve and beautify an area that needed updating.
However, many residents, particularly those living in the Maravilla townhomes next to the project site, strongly disagreed. They voiced concerns about how the new auto center would affect their neighborhood’s character, quality of life, privacy, and property values. A petition started by these residents in May has gathered over 200 signatures urging the city to impose more conditions on the project or reject it altogether.
Residents raised concerns about the air, noise, and light pollution the auto center could cause, as well as the expected increase in traffic from vehicle deliveries. They felt that the mitigation measures proposed by Magnussen Toyota were insufficient to address these issues.
Tanya Rodchenko, a Maravilla resident, said that many of their requests for changes to the plan had been ignored, with only a few minor adjustments made.
Additionally, several community members expressed disappointment over the removal of 80 heritage trees on the site, including 61 small redwoods. The project’s arborist explained that these trees were in poor condition and would never mature into healthy trees, while other redwoods on the property were thriving and would provide better screening.
The city responded by saying that Magnussen Toyota had made changes to the plans over time to reduce the project’s impact. Amber Blizinski, assistant community development director, noted that the city had to balance supporting businesses with the concerns of residents. She also pushed Toyota to make a few additional concessions, such as installing motion-sensor lights on the rooftop and improving vehicle screening.
Blizinski encouraged residents to continue voicing their concerns and noted that Toyota had expressed a willingness to work with them during construction.