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SAN LEANDRO SHORELINE DEVELOPMENT DRAFT EIR <br />CITY OF SAN LEANDRO <br />AESTHETICS <br />The Marina Faire neighborhood includes some newer homes, including several two-story homes. Heron <br />Bay was developed in the mid-1990s with a combination of small -lot single-family homes and garden <br />court -type residential units. To the west is the San Francisco Bay. Uses further out to the north include the <br />Oyster Bay Regional Shoreline, Oakland International Airport, the City's Water Pollution Control Plant, and <br />the Metropolitan Golf Links Golf Course. The Oyster Bay Regional Shoreline to the north is completely <br />surrounded by the San Francisco Bay and industrial/commercial uses. The area surrounding the Oakland <br />International Airport has an industrial character and contains a variety of airport -serving uses. The <br />proximity of the airport to the Project site results in aircraft flying relatively low over the site affecting the <br />visual character with their frequent presence. <br />The landscaping on the landside portion of the site west of Monarch Bay Drive is relatively sparse and the <br />expanses of asphalt, rip rap and concrete dominate the site. Trees are dispersed throughout the site <br />including a variety of deciduous and evergreen trees and several palm trees, particularly near the eastern <br />end of the Marina, near Horatio's restaurant and the Marina Inn. Additionally, landscaped areas with a <br />variety of shrubs and small plants can be seen throughout the site surrounding paths and dividing <br />portions of the parking lots. The Marina Golf Course contains several mature and well-established <br />evergreen trees. These trees line much of the course and create a visual barrier between the golf course <br />side of the site and the Marina side of the site. <br />The site's position on the eastern edge of the San Francisco Bay and relatively flat topography allows for <br />expansive views in all directions from the western portion of the site. This open character represents a <br />departure from the visual character of the residential neighborhoods that exist east of the Project site. <br />While a portion of the Mulford Gardens neighborhood is directly adjacent to the site, to the north, <br />Monarch Bay Drive provides a visual separation because the shoreline is set back to the east, north of the <br />site. <br />Views from the Project Site <br />As discussed above, the flat topography of the site combined with its location on the eastern shore of the <br />San Francisco Bay allows for expansive views in nearly every direction. As show in Figure 4.1-3, on a clear <br />day, distant views of the hills surrounding the Bay can be seen in all directions. To the northeast, views of <br />the Oakland Piedmont hills area are possible. To the northwest, beyond the Oakland International Airport, <br />one can see views of the Bay Bridge, the City of San Francisco, and far field views of the North Bay hills, <br />including Mount Tamalpais. To the west, the hills across the Bay as well as development on the Peninsula <br />are visible. To the southwest, the San Mateo Bridge and the open space provided by the San Francisco Bay <br />allow for long-range, expansive views. To the east, partial views of the hills east of San Leandro are visible <br />but these views are predominantly blocked by trees on the golf course and structures on the Project site. <br />4.1-8 DECEMBER 2014 <br />