SITE INFORMATION AND CORRESPONDENCE

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5.13 VISUAL RESOURCES as a scenic route in the San Joaquin County General Plan.4 An unobstructed view of the project site is available from KOP 1.This view is seen by drivers and passengers in automobiles traveling south on I-5. These viewers could be making local,regional,or long- distance trips. The existing view in this location is industrial in character and is indicative of a highly engineered landscape. The foreground is characterized by the presence of agricultural land and the WPCF treatment and holding ponds. The middleground,which includes the project site,is dominated by the existing STIG plant and the 230-kV and 500-kV transmission lines that pass through the project site vicinity. The mountains that form a segment of the coast range are visible in the distance,but are partially obscured by existing structures and transmission lines. Applying the scale presented in Table 5.13-1,this view is rated as having a moderately low level of visual quality. While the ponds and farmland in the foreground provide a moderate level of vividness to the view,the prominence of the existing industrial uses and transmission lines,which occupy a majority of the horizon,contribute to a low level of visual intactness. All of the fore-and middleground consists of land that is under production;however, the uses are visually contrasting and thus result in a moderately low level of visual unity. 5.13.1.5.2 KOP 2—View from White Slough Wildlife Area Figure 5.13-3A depicts the view from KOP 2,a viewpoint within the WSWA, approximately one mile northwest of the project site. This KOP was selected to represent views from the nearest recreation area;the 880-acre WSWA provides opportunities for hunting,fishing, hiking, and wildlife viewing, and typical viewers from this KOP are likely people participating in one or more of those activities. The WSWA includes a series of man-made ditches,canals (burrow ponds),freshwater marshes, grassland,riparian habitat and constructed ponds. From this location,near Pond 11,the STIG plant is visible,with the exhaust stack being most prominently visible.Some of the structures associated with the WPCF are also visible to the east of the STIG plant.Views of the project site like this one are available from throughout the eastern edge of the WSWA. There are very few locations in which topography or vegetation obstruct views of the STIG plant. The foreground of this view includes land that has been only minimally developed. However,a short distance beyond the fence,in the middleground of this view,there is land currently under agricultural production that appears to extend almost completely from one side of this view to the other. Toward the background of this view are the already noted STIG plant and WPCF structures. The existing transmission lines pass through the middleground in the northern edge of this view,and extend into the horizon in the southern edge. Applying the scale presented in Table 5.13-1,this view is rated as having a moderately low level of visual quality. There is no distinctive pattern evident in the landscape and thus 4 The San Joaquin County General Plan identifies scenic routes and includes in its Open Spaces Element a policy on Scenic Route Enhancement.This policy states that the County shall:(a)initiate a program to enhance its scenic routes by litter removal programs,route identification signs,and provision of parking at desirable viewpoints;(b)require landscape plans for development along scenic routes;and(c)include in the Design Review Manual guidelines for development in the viewshed of the scenic route.Because the project site is not along any scenic routes,only the third point of this policy would apply to the proposed project,and it would be addressed during the project's design review,conducted by the San Joaquin County Community Development Department prior to construction. SAC/371322/082350001(LEC_5.13_VISUAL.DOC) 5.13-17