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4.2 VISUAL RESOURCES <br /> This section describes the existing visual characteristics of the project area and evaluates the visual effects of the <br /> project. The analysis considers existing scenic resources and the potential visibility of project facilities from <br /> surrounding areas,including both the physical characteristics of the project and lighting and glare.The descriptions <br /> of the existing visual setting are accompanied by exhibits that provide photographs of representative views taken <br /> during a site visit in August 2006(Exhibits 4.2-2 through 4.2-6).Photograph locations are shown in Exhibit 4.2-1. <br /> 4.2.1 ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING <br /> VISUAL CHARACTER OF THE PROJECT AREA <br /> The project area consists of the 22-acre wastewater quality control facility(WQCF) site, several alignments for <br /> the wastewater collection system and recycled-water distribution system pipeline(see Exhibit 3-3 in Chapter 3, <br /> "Project Description"), an outfall pipeline alignment and outfall structure at the San Joaquin River, and several <br /> potential pumping station sites throughout the city. <br /> The city of Manteca is centrally located in the Central Valley near the northern end of the San Joaquin Valley, in <br /> San Joaquin County. Because the topography of Manteca is relatively flat,views of the cityscape and surrounding <br /> landscape are available only from the ground-level perspective and are limited to localized views rather than <br /> broad landscape views. Therefore,views of the project area from surrounding areas would be limited to those <br /> areas that have direct,unobstructed sight lines to project sites, or certain isolated locations that are at a slightly <br /> higher elevation than project sites and the surrounding area. <br /> VISUAL CHARACTER OF THE WQCF SITE <br /> The WQCF site is located near the western boundary of the city of Manteca, approximately 500 feet south of West <br /> Yosemite Avenue between South Airport Way and McKinley Avenue. The WQCF site is located within a greater <br /> 210-acre City-owned property that is bounded by West Yosemite Avenue to the north, State Route (SR) 120 to the <br /> south, and McKinley Avenue and the Union Pacific Railroad(UPRR)tracks to the west(see Exhibit 3-2 in Chapter <br /> 3, "Project Description"). The WQCF site includes 22 acres of flat land developed with industrial-type facilities <br /> including large warehouse-type buildings, administrative buildings,treatment towers,human-made ponds, large <br /> tanks, and other industrial wastewater treatment structures. Flat agricultural fields dominate the remainder of the <br /> WQCF property. <br /> The topography of the WQCF site is generally flat with an elevation of 25 feet above mean sea level. The site is <br /> generally a rural tract of land located adjacent and west of the developing urban core of the City. Views from <br /> local roadways near the WQCF site generally consist of flat row crops, orchards,wastewater treatment structures, <br /> high-voltage power lines, and fallow land. West Yosemite Avenue and South Airport Way are local roadways that <br /> provide east-west and north-south access to the WQCF site. South Airport Way provides access to SR 120. SR <br /> 120 is a highly traveled roadway that provides access to SR 99 to the east and Interstate 5 (1-5)to the west. <br /> Lands surrounding the 210-acre WQCF property are also flat and are used for agricultural production,residential <br /> subdivisions, active recreation, and commercial development. Commercial development is located directly north <br /> of the WQCF along West Yosemite Avenue, and the"Stadium Center"shopping center is approximately <br /> 2,000 feet to the south on SR 120. This 52-acre shopping center development consists of approximately <br /> 500,000 square feet of retail buildings located on the northwest corner of SR 120 and Airport Way. The shopping <br /> center is anchored by a Kohl's department store and includes six additional small to midsize box stores,three <br /> buildings for smaller shops, and seven pads for restaurants. A"Big League Dreams"recreational sports complex <br /> is located approximately 600 feet to the south. This 38-acre sports complex consists of a six baseball/softball <br /> fields, a multisport covered pavilion, a restaurant,multiple concession buildings,batting cages, sand volleyball <br /> courts, and children's playgrounds. <br /> Manteca WQCF and Collection System Master Plans EIR EDAW <br /> City of Manteca 4.2-1 Visual Resources <br />