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City of Pleasanton—Merritt Property Project <br />15183 Consistency Checklist Consistency Checklist <br /> <br /> <br /> 35 <br />a)-c) Scenic Vista, Scenic Resources, Visual Character <br />Would the project: a) Have a substantial adverse effect on a scenic vista? <br />b) Substantially damage scenic resources, including, but not <br />limited to, trees, rock outcroppings, and historic building within a <br />State Scenic Highway? <br />c) In non-urbanized areas, substantially degrade the existing visual <br />character or quality of public views of the site and its surroundings? <br />(Public views are those that are experienced from publicly <br />accessible vantage point). If the project is in an urbanized area, <br />would the project conflict with applicable zoning and other <br />regulations governing scenic quality? <br />Summary of Housing Element Update FEIR <br />Scenic Vistas <br />The Housing Element Update FEIR indicated that development consistent <br />with the Housing Element Update could result in increased intensity, <br />increased height, and greater bulk and mass of buildings, which could <br />partially or fully obscure a presently visible scenic vista, resulting in a <br />potentially significant impact to scenic vistas. Three Housing Element Update <br />sites which were rezoned for housing—Site 1 (Lester), Site 22 (Merritt), and Site <br />27 (PUSD-Vineyard)—have the greatest potential for visibility from scenic <br />resources, but compliance with Land Use Objectives, Municipal Code <br />requirements, and General Plan and Specific Plan policies would ensure <br />potential impacts are reduced, as discussed below. <br />The Housing Element Update FEIR concluded that compliance with the <br />applicable goals, policies, and programs included as part of the General <br />Plan, zoning requirements, Design Guidelines, Objective Design and <br />Development Standards, and the design review process, would ensure that <br />the City’s scenic resources, including hillsides and ridgelines, would largely be <br />protected from impacts resulting from development facilitated by the <br />Housing Element Update and impacts would be less than significant with <br />respect to scenic vistas. <br />Scenic Highways <br />The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) identifies I-680 through <br />the city limits as an officially designated State Scenic Highway. Caltrans <br />identifies I-580 along the northern boundary of the City as eligible for <br />designation as a State Scenic Highway (see Exhibit 3.1-2 in the Housing <br />Element Draft EIR).