Draft Environmental Impact Report - California Off Highway Vehicle ...

3.4 Visual Resources
the visual context of the affected environment;
the extent to which the affected environment contains places or features that have been
designated in plans and policies for protection or special consideration; and
the number of viewers, their activities, and the extent to which these activities are related
to the aesthetic qualities affected by the project‐related changes.
General Plan Impact Analysis
IMPACT
3.4-1
Effect on Scenic Vistas or Visual Character of the Site or its Surroundings
Views of the project site and beyond seen from Larkin Road are considered of moderate quality.
Views to the south and east are free of intrusive elements, such as utility lines and structures, and
provide unobstructed views of the surrounding grasslands, riparian area, and the Sierra Nevada in
the distance. However, the disturbed nature of the site detracts from these vistas. The area to the
north and west of the site is occupied by the airport, which lowers the visual quality of views to
the north and northwest. The project site is characterized by its use as an OHV facility, while the
surrounding area is characterized by its use as an airport and related industrial park, a shooting
range, and a wildlife area. Generally, the character of the area is rural and recreation oriented.
Most of the area designated in the Clay Pit SVRA General Plan for developed uses is located within
the excavated basin. Therefore, most facilities envisioned in the General Plan, such as OHV tracks,
would be built at or below the elevation of the surrounding viewshed, thus keeping existing scenic
views largely unobstructed. (See Impact 3.4‐3 below for discussion of effects to scenic vistas and
visual character related to the headquarters facilities.) The recreation facilities envisioned in the
General Plan are also consistent with the existing recreation‐oriented character of Clay Pit SVRA
and surrounding area. Although implementation of the General Plan would create a more
developed project site, the character of the site as an OHV park would remain largely unchanged.
In addition, Clay Pit SVRA General Plan DU Guideline 2.2 requires that facilities be constructed
using materials that complement the nearby natural areas, which would ensure that the
appearance of structures in the Developed Use Area would not substantially detract from the
views across the site, and DU Guideline 2.3 requires that landscaping be used to soften the
appearance of the maintenance yard and buildings. Finally, implementing goals and guidelines
related to water, soils, natural resource management, plants, and wildlife provided in the General
Plan would reduce erosion and protect natural habitats on the site, which would reduce the
potential for degradation of scenic resources and improve existing on‐site scenic resources.
Because most facilities would be constructed below the elevation of the surrounding viewshed,
and because the Clay Pit SVRA General Plan includes goals and guidelines that would protect
Clay Pit State Vehicular Recreation Area
February 2012 3.4-4 Draft EIR