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<br />Marian Meadows Rezone and Subdivision Final Environmental Impact Statement 3-31 <br /> <br />Changes to visual character would <br />be especially pronounced on the <br />upper eastern portion of the site as <br />discussed in the visual quality <br />analysis in Section 3.6. <br />the majority of the development in the vicinity, particularly the lots directly adjacent to the site, which are <br />generally greater than 3 acres. The majority of the property in the vicinity consists of lots larger than <br />3 acres. Of the privately owned land in the vicinity (outside Marian Meadows), about 75 percent is in <br />parcels larger than 3 acres. There are several existing subdivisions of smaller lots totaling approximately <br />80 lots that account for about 25 percent of the land area. If the Easton State Airport is included, almost <br />90 percent of the area in the project vicinity consists of 3-acre parcels or larger. <br />It is not anticipated that there would be any direct impacts to existing land uses on existing parcels in the <br />area. <br />Approximately 18 large lots located immediately adjacent to the property would no longer be bounded by <br />forest land. Instead, each existing lot would be abutted by three to four smaller lots with associated <br />residences. This would result in a change in the character of the area for those adjacent large lots in terms <br />of the amount of vegetation, the proximity of buildings, the frequency that other people are seen, and <br />proximity impacts such as noise and lights. Most existing residences on adjacent lots are generally <br />100 feet or more from the new lots and in many cases are substantially screened by existing vegetation, <br />which would reduce visual impacts. <br />Most residents in the area would experience the proposal and the alternatives in terms of a change in <br />character as described below. <br /> The landscape in the area would no longer be characterized primarily by natural features and open <br />space. Native forest vegetation would no longer predominate on the site. The size of proposed lots <br />and typical associated clearing would result in elements of the built environment such as buildings <br />and ornamental landscaping being the dominant features. <br /> The observed visual character of the community would <br />change due largely to the predominance of residences and <br />associated permanent clearing of the forest. Clearing and <br />grading for roads and residences on the upper eastern portion <br />of the site would be readily visible to residents in the area. <br />This would substantially change one of the visual elements <br />that provides a defining characteristic of the community. This element is the forested ridges that <br />frame the Yakima River Valley and provide natural features as the dominant visual character (see <br />Section 3.6, Visual Quality, Light, and Glare for additional discussion of this impact). <br /> It is unlikely that forestry use would occur on residential parcels, except cutting of trees for <br />firewood. The uppermost portion of the site could continue to be managed as commercial forest but <br />are likely to provide limited opportunities because of the small area. <br /> Residents of Marian Meadows would be unlikely to derive significant support from traditional rural <br />resource-based economies, and would likely be predominantly commuters to urban areas or <br />recreational users. This may result in fewer social interactions between members of the community.