SR 06:101 - Laserfiche WebLink

:THE.t;I."_ It!... ....ON Exhibit A against which the proposed project should be evaluated. It is important to understand in performing this assessment that CEQA requires the disclosure of potential conflicts with policies that were adopted with the purpose of avoiding or reducing a potentially significant impact. There are broader planning policies that the City decision makers must consider in determining how well the proposed Staples Ranch project fulfills and supports the City's General Plan. This more encompassing examination of the proposed project will be covered in staff reports on the project. Based on this assessment, measures to improve the project's consistency with the Specific Plan, and Specific Plan Amendment policies, will be recommended. Aesthetics. The SEIR description of the visual setting will focus on the visual character of the project site, the visual relationship of the project site to the surrounding areas, and the views to and from the project site. Text in the Initial Study describing the existing visual landscape and resources succinctly characterizes the area. EIP proposes to supplement this description with photographs to better assist the public in understanding the changes that may result from the proposed project. As noted in the Initial Study, the site is relatively flat and highly visible from all directions. The site has been recently disked. The impact assessment will describe the proposed developments' effects on: . The landform and topography of the site; . Visual compatibility of the project along its borders with surrounding uses - in terms of height, mass, and development texture; . Views from along 1-580, El Charro Road, and Stoneridge Drive - the major travel corridors in the project vicinity; . Views from nearby residential areas; and . Light and glare. The assessment will concentrate on the degree of contrast the new development and facilities will have relative to existing development. The General Plan, Specific Plan, and City guidelines contained in design review will be used as "yardsticks" to measure the amount of contrast that would generally be considered acceptable and, hence, result in a less-than-significant effect. The 1989 Specific Plan calls for buffers and landscaping to reduce potential conflicts between adjoining land uses. This visual and physical separation between uses will be considered in determining the degree of visual contrast between uses. A visual reconnaissance will be performed to document views to and from the site. Particularly noteworthy views, i.e., those containing scenic resources, will be identified, and the extent to which those views would be screened or obstructed will be discussed. Based on our site visits, we recognize that the visual analysis will need to take into account the following factors: . The foothills to the east, cresting at the Altamont Pass, and to the west provide an attractive backdrop for the site. . The El Charro interchange is elevated such that the north-south road rises on an embankment and obstructs EI P Associates 2-8