2.
Response
to
Comments
2.9
Individual
Responses
to
Comments
from
Organizations
would
require
the
presence
of
trees
along
the
majority
or
substantive
portions
of
the
length
of
the
channel,
which,
in
fact,
does
not
occur.
On
page
4.C-10,
the
Draft
EIR
describes
vegetation
along
Visitacion
Creek
as
a
type
of
tidal
marsh,
which
is
a
specialized
wetland
habitat.
The
referenced
photograph,
4.A-2b,
is
supported
by
text
within
the
Draft
EIR
that
identifies
the
location
of
existing
wetland
habitats
in
Figure
4.c-1
,
including
the
area
proposed
to
be
restored
along
Visitacion
Creek
(i.e.,
daylighting
the
creek
up
to
the
roundhouse
area).
The
photograph
cited
on
page
4.A-5
is
intended
only
to
provide
a
visual
reference
to
the
setting
of
the
creek,
and
not
to
make
any
claim
of
the
creek’s
visual
appeal.
The
value
of
the
creek
as
riparian
habitat
is
discussed
in
Draft
EIR
Section
4.C,
Biological
Resources
.
The
photographs
included
on
page
4.A-6
accurately
illustrate
existing
conditions
within
the
Baylands
site,
including
the
roundhouse
building
and
the
Kinder
Morgan
tank
farm.
The
aerial
view
of
the
roundhouse
was
provided,
since
ground
level
photographs
cannot
capture
the
round
shape
of
the
building.
Mitigation
Measures
4.A-1a
and
4.A-1b
reduce
building
heights
in
the
eastern
portion
of
the
Baylands
Project
site
as
a
means
of
mitigating
impacts
related
to
blockage
of
views
of
scenic
vistas
(bluewater
views
of
San
Francisco
Bay).
This
measure
reduces
maximum
building
heights
within
350
feet
of
the
US
101
freeway.
In
addition
to
Mitigation
Measure
4.A-1a,
Mitigation
Measure
4.A-3
addresses
design
issues
for
future
development,
and
is
intended
to
provide
for
lower
building
heights
and
a
feeling
of
openness
within
the
Baylands
Project
site.
To
clarify
this
intent
and
also
address
views
from
the
US
101
freeway,
the
second
bullet
point
in
Mitigation
Measure
4.A-3
(page
4.A-35)
is
revised
to
read
as
follows.
Development
Intensity,
Setbacks,
Stepbacks,
and
Building
Heights
:
Variations,
including
reductions
in
the
development
intensity
of
site-specific
development
sites
within
the
Project
Site
from
the
maximum
allowable
development
intensity,
shall
be
provided
to
maintain
compatibility
with
the
development
intensity
of
surrounding
neighborhoods
and
community
areas.
Variations
in
building
heights
(including
reductions
from
maximum
allowable
heights),
along
with
appropriate
building
setbacks
and
provision
of
provision
of
buildings
stepbacks
in
height,
shall
be
employed
to
maintain
a
feeling
of
openness
within
Project
Site
open
space
areas;
to
maintain
compatibility
with
the
scale
of
historic
structures
being
preserved
onsite;
and
to
reduce
the
perceived
intensity
of
development
as
viewed
from
the
Geneva
Avenue
extension,
Bayshore
Boulevard,
US
101
freeway,
and
Viewpoints
1,
2,
3,
7,
8,
Brisbane
Baylands
Final
EIR
2.9.3-23
May
2015