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City of Solana Beach
Section 3
Shoreline and Coastal Bluff Management Strategies Draft MEIR
Environmental Impact Analyses
the viewshed and decrease landform continuity cumulatively. This is considered a significant
cumulative impact to visual resources. Various types of revetments, such as riprap (rock, stone,
concrete block) and sand bags, would be temporary and used on a emergency basis and would
not result in any long-term permanent or cumulative visual impacts to the bluffs or the viewshed.
Alternative 1 Continuation of the Existing Policy, would reduce the armoring of the entire bluffs
by promoting the implementation of seacave plugging and filling over seawalls or gunite
covering. Seawalls or similar structures pose a higher cumulative visual impact than would
seacave plugs or fills; therefore, Alternative 2 would pose a higher cumulative visual impact.
Significant Viewer Response Issues
Views from the Beach
Views of the bluffs would not change significantly as a result of the proposed shoreline and
coastal bluff protection alternatives. However, the natural appearance of the bluffs could
change significantly depending upon the form, line, color, texture, and scale of the shoreline
and coastal bluff protection structures built along the bluffs.
Views from Residences
Existing residents that live immediately adjacent to the bluffs might have a higher concern
about the effect of proposed shoreline and coastal bluff protection and sand retention
structures on downward views of the bluffs. The form, line, color, texture, and scale of the
seawall structures could impact the quality of their views of the bluffs.
Visual Contrast Rating
The No Project Alternative and Repeal of the Shoreline and Coastal Bluff Protection Ordinance
Alternative were analyzed together because both alternatives would allow construction of the
same shoreline and coastal bluff protection structures, even though fewer seawalls would be
built under the No Project Alternative, due to the City's proactive approach of encouraging notch
and seacave fills and plugs in order to avoid the need for seawalls. As shown in Table 3.6-2,
each type of structure was evaluated according to basic visual elements of form, line, color, and
texture for degree of contrast strong, moderate, weak, and none.  Of the four types of
shoreline and coastal bluff protection structures, seawalls would have the greatest significant
visual impact on the existing bluffs due to their strong form and line elements in contrast to the
bluffs (refer to Figure 3.6-2). Fills and plugs of seacaves do not pose a significant visual impact;
however, they are somewhat visible due to the moderate contrast of their colors and texture
against the existing bluffs (refer to Figure 3.6-3). Gunite covering, although not as strong a
contrast in form and line elements, would pose a significant visual impact because of the
moderate degree of contrast from its form, line, and color against the existing bluffs as shown in
Figure 3.6-4. Revetments would not pose a significant visual impact because they would be
used on a temporary basis in emergency situations and the natural material, such as rock and
concrete blocks, does not attract as much attention as the other permanent structures
mentioned above (refer to Figure 3.6-5).
Project No. 323530000
Page 3-73






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