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 City of Solana Beach
Section 3
Shoreline and Coastal Bluff Management Strategies Draft MEIR
Environmental Impact Analyses
The City of Solana Beach Draft LCP also addresses scenic and visual qualities of Solana
Beach. Policy guidance for achieving objectives related to coastal visual resources from the
California Coastal Act is incorporated into the LCP. In addition, Chapter 17.48 and 17.63 of the
Solana Beach Municipal Code include specific regulations designed to protect coastal visual
resources. Chapter 17.48 establishes the Overlay/Special Purpose zones, including the Scenic
Area Overlay Zone (SAOZ). The purpose of the SAOZ is to regulate development in areas of
high scenic value to preserve and enhance the scenic resources within and adjacent to such
areas, as well as to ensure exclusion of incompatible uses and structures. The coastal bluffs
are not within the SAOZ, but are within the Coastal Zone Boundary of the LCP. Chapter 17.63
requires assessment of the impact of proposed development on existing view and viewsheds by
the City prior to approval of proposed development or redevelopment.
3.6.2 Environmental Impacts
3.6.2.1 Significance Criteria and Methodology
The visual impact assessment was conducted in accordance with the objectives and methods
described in the Visual Impact Assessment for Highway Projects, Federal Highway
Administration, March 1981. The Visual Impact Assessment was used to define the viewshed,
viewer groups, and visual resource issues. The following steps were conducted for this
assessment:
define the visual environment and document existing landscape characteristics within the
project viewshed;
identify major viewer groups, and determine anticipated viewer response; and
identify key views for the visual assessment, based upon representative viewer types and
typical viewing conditions.
The Visual Contrast Rating System developed by the Bureau of Land Management was used to
evaluate the various types of shoreline and coastal bluff protection alternatives. The existing
bluffs, without any protective structures, were separated into two major features consisting of
bluffs and vegetation (refer to Table 3.6-1). Each feature was then evaluated according to basic
visual elements of form, line, color, and texture for degree of contrast strong, moderate, weak,
or none. This would provide a basis for comparison of compatibility and impact between the
natural bluffs without and with the proposed alternative shoreline and bluff protection structures.
The next step was to evaluate the various alternatives to shoreline and bluff protection using the
same evaluation (see Table 3.6-2).
Project No. 323530000
Page 3-64
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