VISUAL RESOURCES MITIGATION MEASURES
Mitigation Measure V-1: The Applicant shall store construction materials and excavated materials away from highly visible route segments along I-5, SR 166, Old Ridge Route, Templin Highway, Lebec Road, and Peace Valley Road, whenever possible, to reduce intrusion into scenic views. Material storage shall also be located away from residences, schools, and businesses.
Impact: Pipeline construction activities could impact visual resources (Class III).
Performance Criteria, Violation Level, and Timing:
PC1 PPSI specifies to its contractors that all material storage areas will be out of sight or visually screened from views from I-5, SR 166, Old Ridge Route, Templin Highway, Lebec Road, and Peace Valley Road, and also located not less than 50 yards from residences, schools, and light retail businesses. Visual screening may include simply collocating with existing facilities of a similar character, such that the stored materials are visually subordinate to the existing landscape character for casual viewers. Sites employing the collocation approach shall be presented to the CPUC/ANF designee for approval prior to use. (Level 1) - Prior to construction
PC2 PPSI monitors verity compliance before use of storage areas is allowed to begin. (Level 2) - Prior to and during construction.
PC3 Construction materials and excavated materials are stored more than 50 yards from residences, schools, and stores, and are in compliance with PC1 above. (Level 2) - During construction.
Effectiveness Criteria: Verification in field that construction and excavated materials are minimally visible from adjacent travel corridors, residences, schools, and businesses.
Effectiveness Timing: Prior to start of and during construction.
Mitigation Measure V-2: The Applicant shall confine construction activities and materials storage to within the pipeline ROW and above-ground facility sites. All food-related trash (wrappers, cans, food scraps, etc.) shall be disposed of in closed containers, and the containers regularly removed from the construction site.
Impact: Pipeline construction activities could impact visual resources (Class III).
Performance Criteria, Violation Level, and Timing:
PC1 All construction activities and materials are confined to designated pipeline ROW and above-ground facility sites. (Level 3) - During construction.
PC2 All food-related trash is disposed of in closed trash containers that are provided onsite. (Level 2) - During construction.
PC3 All trash containers are regularly emptied (Level 2 )- During construction.
Effectiveness Criteria: Verification that construction crews confine activities to ROW and that no food-related trash is visible along route.
Effectiveness Timing: During construction.
Mitigation Measure V-3: No new glare shall be created by above-ground facilities. Final design of above-ground facilities, including exterior lighting, shall be submitted to the Kern County Planning Department for review and approval prior to issuance of a land use/building permit.
Impact: Presence of above-ground facilities could result in long-term visual impact (Class III).
Performance Criteria, Violation Level, and Timing:
PC1 PPSI provides documentation that the final design of above-ground facilities, including exterior lighting, was submitted to and approved by Kern County Planning Dept. (Level 1 ) - Prior to start of station construction, during final design phase.
Effectiveness Criteria: Verification in field that no new glare is created by above-ground facilities offsite.
Effectiveness Timing: During construction of above-ground facilities.
Mitigation Measure V-3*: Design earthen berms surrounding above-ground facilities to look natural (mounded form), rather than manufactured (flat surfaces).
Impact: Presence of above-ground facilities could result in long-term visual impact (Class III)
Performance Criteria, Violation Level, and Timing:
PC1 PPSI=s final construction plans for above-ground facilities indicate mounded earthen berms (rather than flat-surfaced berms). (Level 1) - Prior to station construction.
Effectiveness Criteria: Verification in the field that earthen berms are mounded to soften the appearance of the facility and make it appear natural rather than manufactured.
Effectiveness Timing: During construction of above-ground facilities.
Mitigation Measure V-4: The Applicant shall attractively landscape around the chain link fences surrounding above-ground facilities to screen the facilities and enhance the visual quality of the surrounding areas. The Applicant shall submit the landscaping plan for review and approval by the Kern County Planning Department prior to issuance of a land use/building permit.
(Note: Mitigation Measure V-4 is for Emidio and Grapevine Stations only. Mitigation Measure V-5 is for Whitaker Station.)
Impact: Presence of above-ground facilities could result in long-term visual impact (Class III).
Performance Criteria, Violation Level, and Timing:
PC1 PPSI provides documentation that the landscaping plan (part of Erosion Control, Revegetation, Landscaping Plan) was submitted to and approved by Kern County Planning Dept. Plan to include location, size, and species of plants; irrigation system (if any); and expected length of time required for plants to screen facilities. (Level 1) - Prior to station construction.
Effectiveness Criteria: Facilities are screened and visual quality of surrounding area is enhanced.
Effectiveness Timing: Screening to be achieved within five years of completion of construction.
Mitigation Measure V-4*: Paint above-ground facilities using non-reflective paint in visually compatible colors to blend in with the surrounding structures and landscape. No new glare shall be created by above-ground facilities. Final design of above-ground facilities, including exterior lighting, shall be submitted to the County or City Planning Department for review and approval prior to issuance of a land use/building permit.
Impact: Presence of above-ground facilities could result in long-term visual impact (Class III)
Performance Criteria, Violation Level, and Timing:
PC1 PPSI provides documentation that non-reflective paint examples (not smaller than 8 X 10 inches) for facility colors were submitted to and approved by appropriate County/City Planning Dept. (Level 1) (See also Mitigation Measure V-3) - Prior to station construction.
Effectiveness Criteria: Verification in field that non-reflective paint is used and that facility colors blend with surrounding structures and landscape.
Effectiveness Timing: During construction of above-ground facilities
Mitigation Measure V-5:. The Applicant shall redesign the Whitaker Station to meet the VQO of Partial Retention for motorists on Templin Highway. Effective redesign can be achieved by techniques such as lowering the roof of the tank and landscaping the top of the north slope of the site next to the east-bound shoulder of Templin Highway in the vicinity of Key Viewpoint No. 2. Shrubs and other appropriate plantings should be of sufficient heights to screen views down to the site from east-bound Templin Highway.
(Note: Mitigation Measure V-5 is for Whitaker Station, only. Mitigation Measure V-4 is for Emidio and Grapevine Stations.)
Impact: Presence of above-ground facilities could result in long-term visual impact (Class III)
Performance Criteria, Violation Level, and Timing:
PC1 PPSI submits redesign of Whitaker Station to CPUC/ANF designee, indicating lower tank roof or other redesign measures to reduce visibility from Templin Hwy. (Level 1) - Prior to station construction.
PC2 PPSI submits landscaping plan for north slope of the Whitaker site next to the east-bound shoulder of Templin Highway in the vicinity of Key Viewpoint No. 2 to Aspen for review and approval. Plan to include location, size, and species of plants; irrigation system; and expected length of time required for plants to screen views down to the site from east-bound Templin Hwy. (Level 1) - Prior to station construction.
Effectiveness Criteria: Views of the Whitaker facilities are screened from east-bound Templin Hwy.
Effectiveness Timing: Screening to be achieved within five years of completion of construction.
Mitigation Measure V-6: In order to reduce the time frame for vegetation recovery, the Applicant shall revegetate that portion of the ROW in the immediate foreground east of Copco Avenue.
Impact: Visibility of pipeline ROW may impact visual resources (Class III)
Performance Criteria, Violation Level, and Timing:
PC1 Revegetation of that portion of the ROW in the immediate foreground east of Copco Avenue occurs. (Level 2) - During revegetation.
Effectiveness Criteria: Verification that pipeline ROW scar is not visually prominent
Effectiveness Timing: Within 3 years of construction
Mitigation Measure V-7: In revegetating the right of way in the immediate foreground east of Copco Avenue, the Applicant shall "feather" the edges of the right of way (place vegetation in an uneven pattern to blend with adjacent vegetation) in order to lessen the visual prominence of the right of way/vegetation lines of demarcation.
Impact: Visibility of pipeline ROW may impact visual resources (Class III).
Performance Criteria, Violation Level, and Timing:
PC1 PPSI "feathers" the edges of the ROW in immediate foreground east of Copco Ave. (EMP 32 to 33) to lessen the linear visual prominence of the ROW. (Level 1) - During revegetation at Copco Avenue.
Effectiveness Criteria: Verification in field that ROW does not significantly contrast with adjacent landscape as viewed from I-5 and Copco Avenue.
Effectiveness Timing: Within three years of construction
Mitigation Measure V-8: In order to blend in with surrounding soil and vegetation, the Applicant shall use visually compatible colors on any waterbars installed on slopes for erosion control or in any other highly visible portion of the ROW.
Impact: Existence of pipeline ROW may impact visual resources (Class III).
Performance Criteria, Violation Level, and Timing:
PC1 PPSI uses colors that are visually compatible with the surrounding areas on waterbars. (Level 1) - During construction.
Effectiveness Criteria: Verification in field that waterbars do not create visual contrast with adjacent landscape.
Effectiveness Timing: Immediately after construction
Mitigation Measure V-9: [Deleted; included in Applicant-proposed measures.]
Mitigation Measure V-10: In revegetating those portions of the right of way in foreground views from sensitive viewing areas with substantial brush cover (e.g., in Angeles National Forest), "feather" the edges of the right of way (place vegetation in an uneven pattern to blend with adjacent vegetation), in order to lessen the visual prominence of the right of way/vegetation lines of demarcation.
Impact: Construction could cause long-term visual impacts (Class II)
Performance Criteria, Violation Level, and Timing:
PC1 PPSI "feathers" the edges of the ROW to lessen the linear visual prominence of the ROW in foreground views from sensitive viewing areas in ANF. (Level 1) - During revegetation in sensitive viewing areas in ANF.
Effectiveness Criteria: Verification that pipeline ROW scar is not visually prominent.
Effectiveness Timing: Restoration and revegetation shall occur within one year of construction disturbance. Blending of pipeline ROW to occur within 3 years of construction.
VISUAL RESOURCES APPLICANT PROPOSED MEASURES
Applicant Proposed Measure V-11**: The Applicant proposes to prepare and implement a revegetation plan and paint each pump station in earth tones to blend into the surrounding landscape in order to reduce the visual impact of the stations and the pipeline ROW.
Impact: See Mitigation Measures V-3, V-3*, V-4, V-4* and V-5
Performance Criteria, Violation Level, and Timing: See Mitigation Measures V-3, V-3*, V-4, V-4* and V-5
Effectiveness Criteria & Timing: See Mitigation Measures V-3, V-3*, V-4, V-4* and V-5
Applicant Proposed Measure V-12**: The Applicant has also proposed a series of landscaping and restoration measures for the proposed route.
Impact: See Mitigation Measures V-3*, V-4, V-5, V-6, V-7, V-8, and V-10
Performance Criteria, Violation Level, and Timing: See Mitigation Measures V-3*, V-4, V-5, V-6, V-7, V-8, and V-10
Effectiveness Criteria & Timing: See Mitigation Measures V-3*, V-4, V-5, V-6, V-7, V-8, and V-10