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City of San Leandro Alvarado Commerce Center Project <br /> 14 <br />Impact Analysis <br />a. Would the project have a substantial adverse effect on a scenic vista? <br />The City’s 2035 General Plan Historic Preservation and Community Design Element (adopted <br />September 2016) (Figure 8-2) identifies community design features such as significant views, major <br />gateways, and key gateways streets. However, none of the significant view areas or major or key <br />gateways are located on or near the project site. In addition, there are no scenic views or views of <br />such features as the East Bay hills available from or through the site, due to the distance from such <br />features and the intervening buildings. The project would not block significant views or other scenic <br />vistas. <br />The project involves the construction of a new 159,450 square-foot, single-story building, parking, <br />and landscape improvements next to existing warehouses and industrial facilities. The new structure <br />would be 40 feet in height, an increase of approximately 19 feet compared to the existing onsite <br />warehouse building adjacent to Alvarado Street and an increase of approximately 10 feet compared <br />to the two existing onsite warehouse buildings along Aladdin Avenue (Table 2). However, as the <br />project is not in an area of significant views or gateways and it would not block views of scenic <br />resources or scenic vistas, there would be no impact. <br />NO IMPACT <br />b. Would the project substantially damage scenic resources, including, but not limited to, trees, <br />rock outcroppings, and historic buildings within a state scenic highway? <br />The closest designated state scenic highway is a portion of Interstate 580 (I-580) at the northern <br />edge of the city (Department of Transportation 2011). The project site is not visible from I-580. <br />Although there are trees on the project site, they are typical non-native landscaping trees lacking <br />the size or other significance to be considered scenic resources. In addition, the project includes <br />landscaping that would increase the overall number of trees on the site. There are no other scenic <br />resources, such as rock outcroppings, on the project site. In addition, as discussed in Section 5, <br />Cultural Resources, the existing onsite buildings are not historic resources for the purpose of the <br />California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) compliance. The project would not damage scenic <br />resources and would not be visible from a scenic highway. No impact would occur. <br />NO IMPACT <br />c. Would the project substantially degrade the existing visual character or quality of the site and its <br />surroundings? <br />The project is located in a developed, industrially zoned part of San Leandro. The project site is <br />currently developed with three warehouse buildings set back from the adjacent streets, parking <br />areas, equipment and materials storage areas, loading docks, and scattered landscaping throughout. <br />The existing buildings have generally low visual quality. <br />The project would change the visual quality of the site by demolishing existing buildings, removing <br />trees, and constructing a new 159,450 square-foot, single-story building that would front Aladdin <br />Avenue. The new structure would be 40 feet in height. The height of the new building would be 10 <br />feet higher than the two existing onsite warehouse buildings along Aladdin Avenue and <br />approximately 19 feet taller than the existing onsite warehouse building adjacent to Alvarado <br />Street. The project would be constructed at a similar height to buildings adjacent to the project site, <br />as shown in Table 2. <br />311