4.1 Aesthetics
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4.1 AESTHETICS This section describes the existing visual characteristics within the region, identifies the regulatory framework with respect to regulations that address aesthetic resources, and evaluates the significance of the potential changes in the visual character that could result from development of the proposed Regional Transportation Plan (RTP)/Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS). In addition, mitigation measures are identified as appropriate and feasible to reduce identified impacts. The RTP/SCS plan area consists of transportation routes, including highways, rail alignments, bicycle trails, roads, and Caltrans right-of-way in San Joaquin County. The aesthetic appearance of San Joaquin County is a function of both the natural landscape and man-made elements that create an urban and rural character and design. Because transportation facilities can have a major influence on human perception of the visual environment, this section addresses the general aesthetic landscape of the region and assesses the potential impacts from region-wide construction of at- and above-grade transportation facilities. The County is centrally located between the San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys and serves as the transition between the coastal region and Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. Overall the area is relatively flat. The aesthetic quality of the County has been affected by various forms of transportation for some time. As a result, the existing and planned multimodal transportation system is not considered to have a significant impact on the aesthetic quality in San Joaquin County. However, current aesthetic values can be maintained as the planned regional transportation system is implemented. The SCS component of the RTP would influence urban development in San Joaquin County and therefore patterns of development are assessed. 4.1.1 ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING The aesthetic value of an area is a measure of its visual character and quality, combined with the viewer response to the area. Scenic quality can best be described as the overall impression that an individual viewer retains after driving through, walking through, or flying over an area. Viewer response is a combination of viewer exposure and viewer sensitivity. Viewer exposure is a function of the number of viewers, number of views seen, distance of the viewers, and viewing duration. Viewer sensitivity relates to the extent of the public’s concern for a particular viewshed. These terms and criteria are described in detail below. Visual Character: Natural and artificial landscape features contribute to the visual character of an area or view. Visual character is influenced by geologic, hydrologic, botanical, wildlife, recreational, and urban features. Urban features include those associated with landscape settlements and development, including Impact Sciences, Inc. 4.1-1 2014 San Joaquin COG RTP/SCS Draft EIR 1173.001 March 2014 4.1 Aesthetics roads, utilities, structures, earthworks, and the results of other human activities. The perception of visual character can vary significantly seasonally, even hourly, as weather, light, shadow, and elements that compose the viewshed change. The basic components used to describe visual character for most visual assessments are the elements of form, line, color, and texture of the landscape features. The appearance of the landscape is described in terms of the dominance of each of these components. Visual Quality: Visual quality is evaluated using the well-established approach to visual analysis adopted by Federal Highway Administration, employing the concepts of vividness, intactness, and unity, which are described below. Vividness is the visual power or memorability of landscape components as they combine in striking and distinctive visual patterns. Intactness is the visual integrity of the natural and human-built landscape and its freedom from encroaching elements; this factor can be present in well-kept urban and rural landscapes, and in natural settings. Unity is the visual coherence and compositional harmony of the landscape considered as a whole; it frequently attests to the careful design of individual components in the landscape. Visual quality is evaluated based on the relative degree of vividness, intactness, and unity, as modified by visual sensitivity. High-quality views are highly vivid, relatively intact, and exhibit a high degree of visual unity. Low-quality views lack vividness, are not visually intact, and possess a low degree of visual unity. Various jurisdictions within the County such as cities, the County, and federal or regional agencies, provide guidelines regarding the preservation and enhancement of visual quality in their plans or regulations.1 An example of such guidance is the Caltrans Scenic Highway Visual Quality Program Intrusion Examples, which are presented in Table 4.1-1, Caltrans Scenic Highways Program: Examples of Visual Quality Intrusions. As that table illustrates, a given visual element may be considered desirable or undesirable, depending on design, location, use, and other considerations. Because of the size and diversity of San Joaquin County, it is not possible or appropriate to apply uniform standards to all areas within the region. Scenic resources can include natural open spaces, topographic formations, landscapes, and manmade features. Many people associate natural landforms and landscapes with scenic resources, such as woodlands, lakes, rivers, streams, mountains, habitat, and agricultural lands. Scenic resources can also 1 California cities and counties are not required to include visual quality elements in their General Plans, although many do. However, the General Plans are required to include a Conservation Element, which includes resources such as waterways and forests that frequently are also scenic resources. Impact Sciences, Inc. 4.1-2 2014 San Joaquin COG RTP/SCS Draft EIR 1173.001 March 2014 4.1 Aesthetics include urban open spaces and the built environment. Examples of these would include urban parks, trails, and nature centers, archaeological and historical resources, and man-made structures like buildings and bridges with unique architectural features. Tall buildings may also provide excellent views of scenic resources beyond the urban core. Typically, jurisdictions identify designated scenic resources, or some similar classification system, to identify priority scenic resources. These designated scenic resources are the focus of this chapter. Table 4.1-1 Caltrans Scenic Highways Program: Examples of Visual Quality Intrusions Land Use Type Minor Intrusion Moderate Intrusion Major Intrusion Buildings: Residential, Widely dispersed buildings. Increased number of Dense and continuous Commercial, Industrial Natural landscape buildings, but are development. Highly Development dominates. Wide setbacks complimentary to the reflective surfaces. Buildings and buildings screened from landscape. Smaller setbacks poorly maintained. Visible roadway. Exterior colors and and lack of roadway blight. Development along materials are compatible screening. Buildings do not ridgelines. Buildings with environment. Buildings degrade or obstruct scenic degrade or obstruct scenic have cultural or historical view. view. significance. Unsightly Land Uses: Dumps, Screened from view so that Not screened from view and Not screened from view and Quarries, Concrete Plants, facility is not visible from the visible but visible by motorists. Will not Tank Farms, Auto Dismantling highway. programmed/funded for be removed or modified. removal and site restoration. Scenic view is degraded. Strip Malls Neat and well landscaped. Not harmonious with Blend with surroundings surroundings. Poorly maintained or vacant. Blighted, Development degrades or obstructs scenic view. Parking Lots Screened from view so that Neat and well landscaped. Not screened or landscaped. vehicles and pavement are Blend with surroundings Scenic view is degraded. not visible from the highway Off-Site Advertising Structures Billboards degrade or obstruct scenic view Noise Barriers Noise barriers are well Noise barriers obstruct landscaped and complement scenic view. the natural landscape. Noise barriers do not degrade or obstruct views. Power Lines Not easily visible from road. Visible, but compatible with Poles and lines dominate surroundings view. Scenic view is degraded. Agriculture: Structures, Blends in and complements Not in harmony with Incompatible with and Equipment, Crops scenic view. Indicative of surroundings. Competes dominates natural regional culture. with natural landscape for landscape. Structures visual dominance. equipment or crops degrade scenic view. Exotic Vegetation Used as screening and Competes with native Incompatible with and landscaping. Blends in and vegetation for visual dominates natural complements scenic view. dominance. landscape. Structures equipment or crops degrade scenic view. Impact Sciences, Inc. 4.1-3 2014 San Joaquin COG RTP/SCS Draft EIR 1173.001 March 2014 4.1 Aesthetics Land Use Type Minor Intrusion Moderate Intrusion Major Intrusion Clearcutting Tress bordering highway Clearcutting or deforestation remains so that clearcutting is evident. Scenic view is is not evident. degraded. Erosion Minor soil erosion. Slopes beginning to erode. Large slope failures and no Not stabilized. vegetation. Scenic view is degraded. Grading Grading blends with Some changes, but Extensive cut and fill. adjacent landforms and restoration is taking place. Scarred hillsides and topography. landscape. Canyons filled