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7C Page 26 building permits. As the Precise Plan formulation and approval process proceeds, the details of the Development Standards and Urban Design Guidelines may be re�ned and revised, The i�corparation of such �erformance standards and gui�+elines into the project approval process, and the City's commitment to the Precise Plan process and community workshops, provide substantia! evidence pursuant to CEQA and associated case law#hat this Mitigation Alternative 5-1-2 will reduce the patential visual impacts of the current Peninsula Park project to a less- fhan-signi�canf level. B. Views Vistas and Overall Visuaf Charac#er of the Surroundinq Area Potentiaf Impact 5-2: Current development and vegetatian form a base visuai plane that is approximatefy 5a feet in height and merges with the horizon as seen from surrounding areas. Proposed project buildings wauld extend significantly above this plane, impacting the visual quality of the Bayfront Area. The proposed project would include ten residential multi-stary buildings ranging from 100 to 120 feet in t�eight, with all other project buildings (including 86 residen#ial buildings pius the commercial and hotel buildings) at or below 75 feet in height. The proposed residential multi-story buifdings would extend approximately 50 to 70 feet above the 50-foot base plane. The mid-rise elements of the project (at 75 feet, including 28 residential buildings and the hotel complex}would extend approximately 25 feet above the plane. A portion nf sky and distant views would be blocked, shifting the focus of views towards the project devefopment. As a result, the proposed project waufd have a substantial adverse effect on surrounding and distant {Redwood City hillside) views, scenic vistas, and view corridors. The project wauld noticeably alter the existing visua! character of the surrounding area, which is currently characterized by views ofi a generally uniform, expansive urban and bay [andscape. The project would diminish the perceived qual+ty o# views from surrounding vantage points, including adjacent residential, commercial, and recreational areas, Highway 101, the Whipple Avenue and Map#e Street overpasses, and the western hills. As a result, the project would have a significant visua!impecf on the character ofi the surrounding area. Mitigation 5-2: (mplement one af the folfowing hrvo alt�rnative mitiga#;ans: 1. Mitigation Alternative 5-2-9: Reduce project building heights to 75 feet or less to rr�erge with the visual base plane of the project site. At this height, buildings would be consistsnt with current City policy and would nat obstruct existing views of the sky and surrounding hills to a substantially greater degree than existing buildings and vegetatian. The buildings may also be mare effectively screened by perimeter trees, blending the project more sensitively into the natural Bayfront surroundings. (A similar condition currently exists along the Redwaad Creek frontage of Seaport Center.} The angle of enclosure created by new buildings generally shauld not exceed the angle created by existing trees and buildings which line Redwood Creek and Steinberger Slough. Implementation of these measures would reduce this impact{Visual Impacts on Views and Vistas and on the Character of the Surrounding Area}to a less-than-significant level. 2. Mifigafion Atternafive 5-2-2: fmplement Mitigation Alfernafive 5-1-2 (adoption of a Precise Plan). Implementation of this measure would reduce the degree of praject impaets on views and vistas and on the character of the surraunding area to a less-than- signifrcant level. Atty/ResolReso.1772 5 12i307