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SAN LEANDRO SHORELINE DEVELOPMENT DRAFT EIR <br />CITY OF SAN LEANDRO <br />AESTHETICS <br />As seen in Figure 4.1-6a, Viewpoint B — Existing View, the terminus of West Avenue 133rd is largely <br />surrounded by tall trees and bushes, both in the foreground on residential properties, as well as on the <br />border of the Marina 9 -hole Golf Course. As a result of the trees on the border of the golf course and <br />Monarch Bay Drive, views of the Marina itself and the San Francisco Bay are very limited under existing <br />conditions. As seen in Figure 4.1-6b, Viewpoint B — Photo Simulation, the main change to the character of <br />this viewpoint would be the addition of the North Golf Course residential units. The screening provided by <br />the trees in the foreground, which are proposed to remain, helps to break up the mass of the new <br />buildings. Moreover, the fact that the trees along the border of the golf course and Monarch Bay Drive <br />block long range views under existing conditions helps to minimize the impact of these changes since the <br />range of views would be similar under existing and Project conditions. The visibility of small portions of <br />the proposed buildings behind the North Golf Course Residential component would have a minimal <br />impact to public views since only small portions would be visible and there is a considerable distance from <br />the existing views from West Avenue 133rd and the proposed buildings west of Monarch Bay Drive. A <br />break in the row of housing adjacent to the terminus of West Avenue 133rd would allow for the retention <br />of some of the longer range views onto the Marina, though there would still be trees blocking much of <br />this view. Through that break in the North Golf Course Residential component, people standing at the end <br />of West Avenue 133rd would be able to see small portions of the 150,000 square foot commercial campus <br />which as seen in Figure 4.1-6b would be placed just north of the existing Horatio's Restaurant. Compliance <br />with the applicable development standards for height, setbacks, landscaping and architecture, and the <br />relatively small visible portion of the buildings would ensure that all of these buildings would be <br />compatible with their surroundings and in conformance with all of the policies in the San Leandro General <br />Plan pertaining to urban design. <br />As seen in Figure 4.1-7a, Viewpoint C — Existing View, similar to Viewpoint B, the terminus of West Avenue <br />134th is largely surrounded by trees and other vegetation. As seen in Figure 4.1-7b, Viewpoint C— Photo <br />Simulation, intervening landscaping and the distance of the proposed development from this public view <br />point, due to the buffering provided by the Marina 9 -hole Golf Course, would serve to minimize the <br />impact of the new buildings on this vantage point. The North Golf Course Residential buildings would <br />block nearly all of the other proposed buildings west of the North Golf Course Residential. However, while <br />small portions of the tops of buildings behind the North Golf Course Residential buildings may be visible, <br />this would not result in a substantial change to existing views due to the screening that the existing trees <br />provide. The required development standards review described above would ensure that all of these <br />buildings would be compatible with their surroundings and in conformance with all of the policies in the <br />San Leandro General Plan pertaining to urban design. <br />Viewpoint D shows the effect of the Project on the entry point to the south of the Project site and <br />represents the view that pedestrians entering from Fairway Drive or people parking in the Monarch Bay <br />Golf Club parking lot might see when looking toward the Project site. As seen in Figure 4.1-8a, Viewpoint <br />D — Existing View, from the intersection of Fairway Drive and Monarch Bay Drive, there are existing long- <br />range views of the San Francisco Bay as well as views of a portion of Faro Point which is occupied by <br />Marina Park. Existing views of the Project site from this vantage point are characterized generally by open <br />parking lots, sparse landscaping, and trees along Monarch Bay Drive. As seen in Figure 4.1-8b, Viewpoint <br />D — Photo Simulation, the primary change to the character of this view point would result from the <br />addition of the South Mixed -Use structure. <br />PLACEWORKS 4.1-17 <br />