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affordable housing units or funds, funding traffic calming measures in Kottinger Ranch and citywide, and construction of needed infrastructure improvements including a City water tank. Visual Analysis The principal vehicle for evaluating the impacts of the project on aesthetics and visual resources is the representation of future visual conditions provided by the computer simulations that have been provided. These simulations represent what would be seen from within the site as well as from outside the site. These simulations represent views as realistically as possible, and were prepared by a visual consultant with considerable expertise in this area, working as part of the City's EIR team. There has been considerable public testimony related to the adequacy of the visual analysis in the EIR. These issues relate to: • whether the photographs on which the visual simulations are based utilized an appropriate lens, • whether the choice of viewpoints was appropriately chosen, and • whether the size of the buildings presented in the visual simulations adequately represents what is likely to be viewed when the project is developed. Attached is an email communication from Alan Roberts on these issues and the response to Mr. Roberts email from Mundie and Associates, the City EIR consultant. The Mundie response was incorporated in the following discussion. CEQA Criteria The visual analysis is a part of the analysis of aesthetics and visual resources per CEQA and is found in the Draft EIR which outlines significance criteria for the analysis of the proposed project. CEQA Guidelines Appendix G (Items Xll (a), (b), (c), and (d) states the significance criteria and can be found on pp. 7 - 8 of the June 27th Planning Commission staff report. Additionally, project consistency with public policies regarding visual quality, as described in the Pleasanton General Plan, was also taken into account. Lens Choice The issue of the use of a 28-mm lens versus a 50-mm lens has had significant discussion related to how realistic the representation is. A 28-mm lens was used because such a lens enabled a larger area to be photographed at one time, duplicating the seamless manner in which people view a panorama, scanning the view from side to side. The 50-mm lens duplicates the manner in which people view a scene when standing stationary. This perception of a wider view than that provided by a 50-mm lens occurs routinely in landscape observation. Staff and the consultant believe that the 28- mm lens would duplicate this perception by portraying the project within the visual context that conveys its appearance relative to existing landscape features. Page 13 of 27