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is consistent with the City's General Plan, and staff believes that this finding can be made. However, staff notes that the Chick -fil -A site is located at a City entryway. The General Plan has the following programs regarding land uses and aesthetic character at the City's entryways: Community Character Element Program 7.2: The City should be particularly sensitive to aesthetic considerations when land -use planning in areas adjacent to City entryways. Program 7.4: Give the Hopyard /I -580 area a high priority for visual improvement when making land -use and public investment decisions. The project, which would result in the development of a fast -food restaurant at a major gateway to the City, may not adequately achieve the policies listed above. Although the project would provide a decorative City entry sign facing Hopyard Road, the predominant view upon entry onto Hopyard Road from EB 1 -580 would be the proposed fast -food restaurant and associated franchise signage. 3. Whether the plan is compatible with previously developed properties in the vicinity and the natural, topographic features of the site: The subject property is bordered by a variety of uses: a shopping center, an office building, a hotel, Interstate freeway off -ramp and a City thoroughfare. The proposed project would utilize the existing vacant land and construct a restaurant building that would have similar building height as the existing restaurant and retail buildings in the adjoining commercial areas. The proposed restaurant use would be compatible with the surrounding commercial uses. The building height and massing would be compatible with the buildings in the vicinity. New landscaping would be installed to soften the building and help screen the parking areas from off -site views. The proposed development would require grading for the construction of the building and other site improvements. Grading conducted on the site will be subject to engineering and building standards prior to any development. Therefore, staff believes that the plan is compatible with the previously developed properties and the natural, topographic features of the site, and staff believes that this finding can be made. 4. Whether grading takes into account environmental characteristics and is designed in keeping with the best engineering practices to avoid erosion, slides, or flooding to have as minimal an effect upon the environment as possible. The southern portion of the project site is generally flat while the northern portion has an upslope. Grading would be performed to create a building pad for the proposed restaurant and to install landscaping and to create proper drainage for the parking lot and bioswales. A two- tiered retaining wall would be constructed along the project site P13- 2533/PUD- 100/PUD- 96- 13 -02M Planning Commission Page 24 of 27