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5. ALTERNATIVES DISTINCTIVE ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS Land Use The off-site alternative is agricultural land that is designated under the San Joaquin County General Plan as General Agriculture, and zoned as AG-40, General Agriculture with a 40-acre minimum parcel size. The off-site alternative would also be required to comply with the agricultural land use and quarry and mining land use statues specified in the San Joaquin County Development Title. Surrounding land uses are similar to the proposed project,including agricultural land,rural residential,and other mining operations. No significant land use impacts were identified for the proposed project and it is unlikely that any would result from implementation of this alternative. Agricultural Resources All parcels included in this alternative are classified as Prime Farmland, with some of the parcels under Williamson Act Contract. The San Joaquin County's General Plan indicates that quarries are considered a permitted use that can occur in the Agricultural zones provided there are mineral _ resources. Chapter 9-1810 of the San Joaquin County Ordinance indicates that quarry operations are a permitted use under the Williamson Act,provided that the subject land is rehabilitated for agricultural use [Section 9-1810.3(b)(1)(W)I. For these reasons,the off-site alternative, like the proposed project, would not significantly conflict with existing zoning or with the provisions of an existing Williamson Act contract. The impacts of this alternative would be similar to the proposed project. The conversion of Prime Farmland resulting in a significant and unavoidable adverse effect on local and regional agricultural resources would still occur under this alternative. Mitigation measures similar to those identified in Section 4.3 would be required. Transportation and Circulation Truck traffic transporting material from the off-site alternative to the market in the Tracy area would travel a shorter distance than the proposed project. The traffic impacts along major roadways and highways from the Vernalis area to the Tracy area, such as SR 132 and Interstate 5, would be reduced with this alternative. However, impacts to the off-site alternative local roadways and intersections would be similar to those of the proposed project. Transportation and Circulation impacts would be similar or could be less than those associated with the Proposed Project due to the shorter distances traveled by the trucks and less major J roadways impacted within San Joaquin County. Noise The noise generated by mining equipment, excavation activities,and processing operations at the off-site alternative would be similar to the proposed project. The off-site alternative includes RMC Pacific Vernalis Quarry Mining and Reclamation Project 5-16 FSA/203015 Administrative Draft EIR March 2004