| Draft Environmental Impact Statement Shorts School Road Am Antenna Structures 23 Table A.1: Viewer Sensitivity 3.1.1.6 Identifying Viewpoints A field study was conducted to identify representative viewpoints for the three viewer groups. This study resulted in the visual simulations prepared for the initial permit application for the antennas. The process included floating a 4-foot-diameter yellow balloon (on clear, windless days) at the end of a 400-foot-long tether. This length of tether gave assurance that even with some sag due to tether weight, and slight drift from a stray breeze, the balloon elevation would still approximate the height of the 349-foot Antenna. The base of the balloon tether was located at the surveyed coordinates of the proposed main antenna. A field technician then inventoried locations in Lord Hill, Lord Hill Regional Park, Bob Heirman Park, the valley floor, and the Kenwanda neighborhood for viewpoints from which the balloon was visible. The Kenwanda neighborhood and Bob Heirman Park were given special consideration due to their proximity to the proposed project (slightly more than one-half of a mile from the proposed antenna site), and the number and sensitivity of viewers they represented (residents and recreation visitors). Another field technician stayed with the balloon to verify that it remained vertical (there was no wind) during the field inventory. Photos were taken, using a 50 millimeter (mm) lens, and GPS coordinates taken at the 31 locations inventoried. Of these 31 locations, the balloon was visible from 16 locations and was not seen from 13 locations (Table A.2). All 16 locations from which the balloon was visible were chosen for key viewpoints (Figure A.0). This figure also identifies locations where it was determined that the Antenna would not be visible. Three additional viewpoints were added to those initial viewpoints for analysis during preparation of this EIS, based on further field investigations and public comments. These additional viewpoints bring the total number of visual simulations to 19. These 3 additional viewpoints represent 1) a viewpoint very close to the antennas from the valley floor (Viewpoint 17), 2) a viewpoint from the Kenwanda golf course(Viewpoint 18), and 3) a viewpoint representing the views of recreational balloonists (and/or skydivers) (Viewpoint 19). For this latter viewpoint, photos were shot from a small plane flying at 1000 feet, to simulate typical balloon heights (pers. comm., Aerial Balloon Company 2003), over the proposed project site. Again, a balloon was floated to the height of 400 feet above the ground when preparing the viewpoint photo. The base of the balloon tether was located at the surveyed coordinates of the proposed main antenna. The flight GPS coordinates were monitored on the plane navigation system as well as a handheld GPS unit, and photos were taken of the proposed project site with a 50 mm lens. |
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