APPENDIX L Visual Impact Assessment DRAFT Visual Impact Assessment for the Campo Wind Project with Boulder Brush Facilities Lead Agency: Bureau of Indian Affairs Pacific Regional Office 2800 Cottage Way Sacramento, California 95825 Contact: Dan Hall Prepared by: 605 Third Street Encinitas, California 92024 Contact: Josh Saunders, AICP Phone: 760.479.4283 OCTOBER 2019 Printed on 30% post-consumer recycled material. Visual Impact Assessment for the Campo Wind Project with Boulder Brush Facilities TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page No. ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ..................................................................................... V 1 INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................1 2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ..............................................................................................3 2.1 Project Components ................................................................................................ 3 2.1.1 Boulder Brush Facilities ............................................................................. 4 2.1.2 Construction ................................................................................................ 4 2.1.3 Operations and Maintenance....................................................................... 4 2.1.4 Decommissioning and Restoration ............................................................. 5 2.1.5 Land Use Designations and Zoning ............................................................ 5 3 VISUAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE PROJECT ...........................................................7 3.1 Project Area ............................................................................................................ 7 3.2 Surrounding Area .................................................................................................... 8 3.3 Scenic Vistas ........................................................................................................... 9 3.4 Scenic Highways ..................................................................................................... 9 3.5 Recreation Areas ................................................................................................... 10 4 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ......................................................................................13 4.1 Regional and Local Landscape Setting ................................................................. 13 4.2 Project Viewshed .................................................................................................. 13 4.3 Visual Resources Components ............................................................................. 15 4.3.1 Visual Quality ........................................................................................... 15 4.3.2 Landscape Character Units ....................................................................... 15 4.3.3 Viewer Groups and Sensitivity ................................................................. 16 4.3.4 Key Observation Points ............................................................................ 18 5 REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT ...............................................................................23 5.1 Federal................................................................................................................... 23 5.1.1 National Environmental Policy Act .......................................................... 23 5.1.2 Federal Highway Administration Visual Resource Guidelines ................ 23 5.1.3 Federal Land Policy and Management Act ............................................... 24 5.1.4 Bureau of Land Management Visual Resource Management and Contrast Rating ......................................................................................... 25 5.1.5 Bureau of Land Management Wind Energy Development Policy Instructional Memorandum (IM 2009-043) .............................................. 25 5.1.6 National Trails .......................................................................................... 26 10212 i October 2019 Visual Impact Assessment for the Campo Wind Project with Boulder Brush Facilities TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) Section Page No. 5.1.7 Federal Aviation Administration .............................................................. 26 5.2 State....................................................................................................................... 28 5.2.1 California Scenic Highway System .......................................................... 28 5.3 Local ..................................................................................................................... 28 5.3.1 San Diego County General Plan ............................................................... 29 5.3.2 Mountain Empire Subregional Plan .......................................................... 29 5.3.3 Boulevard Community Plan ...................................................................... 29 5.3.4 Boulevard Community Trails and Pathways Plan .................................... 29 5.3.5 Campo/Lake Mornea General Plan ........................................................... 30 5.3.6 Campo/Lake Morena Community Trails and Pathways Plan ................... 31 6 IMPACT ASSESSMENT ................................................................................................33 6.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 33 6.2 Assessment Process .............................................................................................. 34 6.3 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................... 37 6.3.1 Impact Indicators ...................................................................................... 37 6.3.2 Proposed Project (Alternative 1) ............................................................... 39 6.3.3 Effects to Visual Resources from the Reduced Intensity Alternative (Alternative 2) ........................................................................ 63 6.4 Cumulative Projects .............................................................................................. 65 6.4.1 Cumulative Effects.................................................................................... 68 6.4.2 Residual Effects ........................................................................................ 69 6.4.3 Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitment of Resources ......................... 69 7 RECOMMENDATIONS AND MITIGATION MEASURES .....................................71 7.1 Mitigation Measures ............................................................................................. 71 7.2 Effectiveness of Recommended Mitigation .......................................................... 72 8 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................75 9 REPORT PREPARERS ..................................................................................................77 10212 ii October 2019 Visual Impact Assessment for the Campo Wind Project with Boulder Brush Facilities TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) Page No. TABLES 1 Visual Resources Classification Summary ........................................................................16 2 Key Observation Points .....................................................................................................19 3 Contrast Ratings Criteria....................................................................................................38 4 Visual Impact Significance Matrix – Sensitive Viewing Areas ........................................38 5 Mountain Empire Subregional Plan Consistency Analysis ...............................................60 6 Boulevard Community Plan Consistency Analysis ...........................................................61 7 Campo/Lake Morena Community Plan Consistency Analysis ..........................................63 FIGURES 1 Project Location .................................................................................................................79 2 Project Layout ....................................................................................................................81 3 Viewshed............................................................................................................................83 4 Scenic Quality Rating Units ...............................................................................................85 5a Existing Conditions: Key Observation Points 1 and 2.......................................................87 5b Existing Conditions: Key Observation Points 3 and 4.......................................................89 5c Existing Conditions: Key Observation Points 5 and 6.......................................................91 5d Existing Conditions: Key Observation Point 7 and 8 ........................................................93 6a Alternative 1 Visual Simulation: Key Observation Points 1 and 2 ...................................95 6b Alternative 1 Visual Simulation: Key Observation Point 2 ...............................................97 6c Alternative 1 Visual Simulation: Key Observation Point 3 ...............................................99 6d Alternative 1 Visual Simulation: Key Observation Point 4 .............................................101 6e Alternative 1 Visual Simulation: