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5.13 VISUAL RESOURCES there is a low level of vividness present in the view. The industrial facilities and transmission lines in the middle-and background contrast with the less developed—albeit still disturbed—land closer to the viewer. As such,there is a moderately low level of visual intactness. Further, despite the appearance throughout the fore-and middleground of land that is under production,the dominant uses themselves contrast visually and result in a moderately low level of visual unity. Because this view represents the view from an area that provides opportunities for recreation,the level of visual sensitivity is moderate. 5.13.1.5.3 KOP 3—View from Eight Mile Road Figure 5.13-4A depicts the view from KOP 3,approximately 2 miles south of the LEC site, along the westbound shoulder of Eight Mile Road, a County-designated scenic route. Typical viewers along this road are drivers and passengers in automobiles traveling along the northern urban edge of Stockton. West of the KOP is a levee providing access to the main channel of White Slough. East of the KOP along Eight Mile Road is Oak Grove Regional Park. Residential subdivisions line the southern side of the road both to the east and west of I-5. This view is intended to represent the residential view from the homes on the southern side of Eight Mile Road,part of the Spanos Park development, and west of the shopping center. This neighborhood is densely populated relative to the surrounding area. There are homes along an approximately quarter-mile-long segment of the roadway that will have a view toward the project site similar to this one. In this view,the stack associated with the existing STIG plant is visible in the distance. It appears as almost in alignment with the two transmission lines that extend from the middleground in the south (right edge of the view) and recede into the horizon in the north (left portion of the view). The view is characterized by the presence of agricultural uses, however, and the middleground and foreground are dominated by the stalks of corn at mid-maturity. Applying the scale presented in Table 5.13-1,this view is rated as having a moderate level of visual quality. The prominence of a singular agricultural use in the foreground and middleground of the view provides a moderate degree of both vividness and unity. This would particularly apply during times when a crop has been planted and it is approaching maturity,as was the case at the time of the site visit. During other times of the year,such as when the fields are fallow,there would likely be a lower degree of vividness in this same view, and the industrial structures in the background would appear with slightly more prominence. Overall,this view of a landscape typical of land in the Central Valley has a moderately low to moderate level of intactness. Because this view represents the views from residential neighborhoods,the level of visual sensitivity is high. 5.13.1.5.4 KOP 4—View from Interstate 5 Northbound Figure 5.13-5 is the view from KOP 4,which is in the northbound lane of 1-5, approximately a quarter-mile southeast of the project site. This viewpoint was added to the set of KOPs per request from the CEC to demonstrate existing visual conditions from a more proximate location along 1-5. As previously noted,no simulation for this viewpoint was requested.As is the case with KOP 1,this view is seen mainly by drivers and passengers in automobiles traveling along 1-5. 5.13-18 SAC/371322/082350001(LEC_5.13_VISUAL.DOC)