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City of Pleasanton 2023-2031 (6th Cycle) Housing Element Update CEQA Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Considerations 10 FirstCarbon Solutions Https://adecinnovations.sharepoint.com/sites/PublicationsSite/Shared Documents/Publications/Client (PN-JN)/2148/21480022/FOF/21480022 Pleasanton Housing Element FOF.docx Findings: Less than significant impact. Facts in Support of Findings: The city is surrounded by various scenic resources, including hillsides, ridge views, vast open spaces, valleys, arroyos, and canals. Many of these resources are visible from the eligible and officially designated State Scenic Highways that have been identified as in or near the city. Development on Sites 1 (Lester) and 2 (Stoneridge Shopping Center, Mall) that is consistent with the Housing Element Update could partially obstruct views from Interstate 680 (I-680) portions of which are officially designated as a State Scenic Highway. As previously discussed, both Sites 1 (Lester) and 22 (Merritt) would be designated as low-density sites and Site 2 (Stoneridge Shopping Center, Mall) would be designated as a high-density site, which represents an increase in intensity at these sites from existing conditions. Additionally, Sites 9 (Metro 580), 11 (Old Santa Rita Area), 12 (Pimlico Area), and 29 (Oracle) and the Dublin-Pleasanton BART station property are located adjacent to I- 580, and development consistent with the Housing Element Update would be fully visible from the highway. All of the sites adjacent to I-580 would be designated as high-density sites, which represents an increase in intensity at each of these sites from existing conditions. State Route (SR) 84 is an also an officially designed State Scenic Highway near the city; however, none of the potential sites for housing are located within the highway corridor. All future development consistent with the Housing Element Update would be required to be reviewed for conformance with Objective Design Standards, as outlined in Municipal Code Chapter 18.20, which would ensure that development would be constructed in such a way as to not obstruct views of scenic resources from the State Scenic Highways. Additionally, all future development consistent with the Housing Element Update would be required to comply with applicable General Plan policies, including Land Use Element Policy 21, which preserves scenic hillsides and ridge views in the city and Conservation and Open Space Element Policy 8. Program 8.2 preserves the scenic attributes of existing and proposed scenic highways including views of woodlands, hills and ridges, valleys, and grazing lands. Program 8.1 requires implementation of the recommendations contained in the Scenic Highway Plan for I-680. Thus, all future development consistent with the Housing Element Update would be required to comply with the Scenic Highway Plan. Moreover, the sites located near I-580 would be within areas already subject to relatively dense development, and in some cases, adjacent to existing tall commercial buildings; in this context, and with application of applicable design guidelines, potential visual impacts would be limited. Policies contained within the Scenic Highway Plan would preserve existing large stands of trees and vegetation along the State Scenic Highways and existing views of hillsides and open spaces available from the State Scenic Highways. The majority of the potential sites for rezoning are already developed or partially developed with urbanized uses, or are relatively small sites, completely surrounded by urbanized uses. However, Sites 1 (Lester), 3 (PUSD-Donlon), 14 (St. Elizabeth Seton), 21a and b (Kiewit), 22 (Merritt), 26 (St. Augustine), 27 (PUSD-Vineyard), 29 (Oracle) and portions of Site 24 (Sonoma Drive) are vacant. Out of the currently vacant sites, only Site 22 (Merritt) is within the I-680 corridor and, given the historical and current uses, does not contain large stands of vegetation that would be impacted by future development.