5 ms·

While I think the situation is ridiculous, I also can't help thinking that if you're one of the most successful companies in the world and you can't get this do

by gozo 11y ago

While I think the situation is ridiculous, I also can't help thinking that if you're one of the most successful companies in the world and you can't get this done. It's either not that great of priority for you or you're doing something wrong.

TulliusCicero 11y ago
Nope, it's something Google would really love to see. You have to remember that as the Goliath in the room, Google has to be somewhat careful about how hard they try to persuade local governments, as many residents already dislike how quickly they've grown and how that's contributed to rents going up and traffic getting worse. And Google has made a bunch of improvements themselves, like, I believe, the buffered bike lanes on Shorebird and the multi-use path that extends west from Shorebird. But they can't just do whatever they want, no matter how rich they are. Just look at how their plans for development in North Bayshore got shot down by the city.
- gozo 11y ago
  I was more thinking of compromising. Making deals is, at least to some extent, what business is about and I don't see the differences as insurmountable. Maybe Google don't play nice with others, but there's firms that do that too in exchange for money.
  - TulliusCicero 11y ago
    From what I can tell, Google plays as nice as humanly possible, there were just a lot of NIMBYs in the Mountain View city council until recently who hated the idea of getting housing in that area. But the NIMBYs lost badly last fall, and now the city actually is moving forward with housing in North Bayshore. I just wish they were moving forward with more (I think right now the plan is like ~5,000 units). See: http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2015/04/15/heres-where-mountain-view-might-put-all-its-north.html http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2015/04/15/heres-whe...
    - gozo 11y ago
      My observation would be that relationships are not Google strong suit. They don't really do customers or enterprise. Support has been lacking for a long time. They are not even that good at managing their brand considering their popularity. Maybe they will get their way eventually, but I think people are going to be disappointing in a decade or so. It's supposedly the technology capital of the world and deserves a greater outcome then what a few companies can push through a dysfunctional process.
- brlewis 11y ago
  as many residents already dislike...rents going up and traffic getting worse Those sound like good reasons for local residents to support more nearby housing.
  - TulliusCicero 11y ago
    Yup, and thankfully the outgoing NIMBY city council members got replaced last fall with ones that have a more urbanist leaning, and they're moving ahead of housing in North Bayshore now. I just wish it was more than ~5,000 units; that's not very much compared to how many people work there.
sliverstorm 11y ago
... or an example of the strength of NIMBYism and the empowerment of the vocal few in California politics to roadblock progress.
- DannyBee 11y ago
  I'm going to have to ask you to file an environmental impact statement and a report with the coastal commission of california before i'll give you the permits to comment further on this thread :)
plonh 11y ago
When you can't persuade a small town city council, it is because you aren't doing enough bribery. Maybe that is wrong.

by gozo 11y ago

TulliusCicero 11y ago

Nope, it's something Google would really love to see. You have to remember that as the Goliath in the room, Google has to be somewhat careful about how hard they try to persuade local governments, as many residents already dislike how quickly they've grown and how that's contributed to rents going up and traffic getting worse. And Google has made a bunch of improvements themselves, like, I believe, the buffered bike lanes on Shorebird and the multi-use path that extends west from Shorebird. But they can't just do whatever they want, no matter how rich they are. Just look at how their plans for development in North Bayshore got shot down by the city.

gozo 11y ago
I was more thinking of compromising. Making deals is, at least to some extent, what business is about and I don't see the differences as insurmountable. Maybe Google don't play nice with others, but there's firms that do that too in exchange for money.
- TulliusCicero 11y ago
  From what I can tell, Google plays as nice as humanly possible, there were just a lot of NIMBYs in the Mountain View city council until recently who hated the idea of getting housing in that area. But the NIMBYs lost badly last fall, and now the city actually is moving forward with housing in North Bayshore. I just wish they were moving forward with more (I think right now the plan is like ~5,000 units). See: http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2015/04/15/heres-where-mountain-view-might-put-all-its-north.html http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2015/04/15/heres-whe...
  - gozo 11y ago
    My observation would be that relationships are not Google strong suit. They don't really do customers or enterprise. Support has been lacking for a long time. They are not even that good at managing their brand considering their popularity. Maybe they will get their way eventually, but I think people are going to be disappointing in a decade or so. It's supposedly the technology capital of the world and deserves a greater outcome then what a few companies can push through a dysfunctional process.
brlewis 11y ago
as many residents already dislike...rents going up and traffic getting worse Those sound like good reasons for local residents to support more nearby housing.
- TulliusCicero 11y ago
  Yup, and thankfully the outgoing NIMBY city council members got replaced last fall with ones that have a more urbanist leaning, and they're moving ahead of housing in North Bayshore now. I just wish it was more than ~5,000 units; that's not very much compared to how many people work there.

sliverstorm 11y ago

... or an example of the strength of NIMBYism and the empowerment of the vocal few in California politics to roadblock progress.

DannyBee 11y ago
I'm going to have to ask you to file an environmental impact statement and a report with the coastal commission of california before i'll give you the permits to comment further on this thread :)

plonh 11y ago

When you can't persuade a small town city council, it is because you aren't doing enough bribery. Maybe that is wrong.