PD-17-00001 Marian Meadows Full Record with Index (2)

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Marian Meadows Rezone and Subdivision Final Environmental Impact Statement 3-3  The Area of Influence is the area in which impacts of the site interact with other features of the natural or human environment to affect overall or cumulative impacts. This area differs according to the elements addressed. For public services, the Area of Influence includes the service area of the particular service provider. For utilities, it includes the boundaries of a service district or the boundaries of an area served by an identifiable system component. For natural function, the Area of Influence varies by the resource; it is different for geology, surface water, groundwater, wildlife, and other elements. Each subsection below describes the Area of Influence for the resource influence analyzed. 2 What are the existing land uses in the area? Project Site The project site land use is currently forest use. The site was previously owned by a timber resources company and has been harvested a number of times since the area was settled in the 1850s. Approximately 130 acres of the western flat portion of the site was harvested in the 1980s. Approximately 440 acres of the eastern portion of the site consists of steep slopes and includes areas harvested for timber resources in the 1970s and 1980s. The character of the site and the size of trees and other vegetation reflect the regrowth that has occurred since the last harvest. The largest trees on the site are on steep slopes that were not harvested in the most recent cycles. These trees range from 50 to 70 years of age. The site is crisscrossed with logging roads and a number of landing and staging areas. There is an abandoned hard rock quarry at the edge of the steep slope area east of the BPA easement about 1,800 feet south of the northern boundary of the site. Project Site Vicinity The area to the east of the project site is largely Wenatchee National Forest land managed for multiple purposes including water resources, timber harvest, and recreation. There are 25 parcels ranging from 2 to 10 acres located south of the project site on Sparks Road and Hawthorn Lane that accommodate full-time and seasonal home sites. To the southeast of this area is an active aggregate mine, the 97-acre Cresto Pit, operated by Ellensburg Cement Products within the Yakima River floodplain. To the southwest of the project site, the Easton Village plat consists of 72 parcels ranging from one-third to slightly over 1 acre. Immediately west of the project site is the Silver Creek subdivision with 35 parcels averaging approximately 5 acres and ranging from one to seven acres. The Easton State Airport, owned by WSDOT, is located on a 150-acre site about 0.25 mile west of the project. Northwest of the airport are two residential subdivisions off of Sparks Road with lot sizes between 0.50 acre to 1 acre. These subdivisions are Silver Acre Trails and Easton Estates. Commercial development on Sparks Road, north of I-90 consists of a convenience store, gas station, restaurant, and recreational vehicle park called Turtle Town.