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Draft Environmental p Impact Report Page IV.K-8 Forward Landfill Expansion ' Applicable Plans and Policies Open Space Policy No. 10 in the San Joaquin County General Plan states: "Views of waterways, hilltops, and oak groves from public land and public roadways shall be protected." Solid Waste Disposal Policy No. 4(c) states that: "New sanitary landfills shall be located outside of view from a scenic route." Scenic Routes in the County are identified in the General Plan. The Scenic Route nearest the proposed project is a five-mile segment of Austin Road beginning six miles south of the project site and leading southward to the Stanislaus River. Impacts �i Standards of Significance The proposed project would have a significant visual impact if it would: • Have a substantial adverse effect on a scenic vista • Substantially damage scenic resources including trees, rock outcroppings, and historic buildings within a state scenic highway • Substantially degrade the existing visual character or quality of the site and its surroundings • Create a new source of substantial light or glare that would adversely affect day or nighttime views in the area Impact K1: Effects on scenic routes and vistas. There are no scenic vistas,rock outcroppings, or historic buildings in the vicinity of the project site. The nearest County-designated Scenic Route is a segment of Austin Road beginning approximately six miles south of the project site + and continuing south. The proposed project would not have a substantial effect on this Scenic Route due to its distance from the project area, and the screening effect of intervening trees and grasslands along the five miles of flat terrain separating the Scenic Route from the project site. Therefore,the project would have no impact to this resource. Mitigation Measure Kl: None required. Impact K.2: Effects of relocation of the South Branch of the South Fork of Littlejohns Creek. Relocation of a 3,200-foot reach of the South Branch of the South Fork of Littlejohns Creek to the eastern and southern boundaries of the landfill would include creation of approximately nine net acres of riparian woodland habitat. Because the existing creek traversing the landfill is generally a trapezoidal channel with little riparian habitat that is regularly cleared of emergent vegetation by County personnel,the creek relocation would not create any adverse visual impacts. A segment of the relocated creek would parallel, and be visible from,the west side of Austin Road along the southeast boundary of the landfill. The creation of riparian habitat along the entire stretch of realigned creek may be considered a beneficial visual impact,especially the segment adjacent to Austin Road. The visual impact-of the creek relocation/restoration would be less than significant. :- Mitigation Measure K.2: None required. Impact K.3. The increase in mass of the proposed project would disrupt the physical pattern and scale of the surrounding agricultural landscape. While the height of the proposed expansion area would be lower than the currently permitted maximum height of the existing landfill,the proposed lateral expansion would increase the horizontal footprint of, and add + �r i