| Draft Environmental Impact Statement Shorts School Road Am Antenna Structures 37 medium level of unity. The existing visual quality seen from Viewpoint 3 is in the medium range with a rating of 3.2. Viewpoint 4 Looking northwest from Shorts School Road, Viewpoint 4 is level with the proposed project site (Figure A.4). Built elements such as the road, a farmhouse with fencing and equipment, and telephone poles are visible in the foreground. Agricultural fields, stands of trees and farmhouses are visible in the middleground. In the background, the Snohomish foothills (with houses), are visible to the north against the skyline. This open view of the Snohomish River Valley is distinct and creates a medium level of vividness. There is an average visual integrity between the agricultural fields, punctuated by stands of trees and farmhouses, and the foothills in the distance. The road, farm equipment and telephone poles visible in the foreground encroach on the view of the wider valley. As a result, the intactness level of this view is in the medium range. However, the telephone poles, farm equipment, and fencing in the foreground disrupt the compositional harmony in this view. As a result, the unity level of this scene is in the medium range. The existing visual quality seen from Viewpoint 4 is in the medium range with a rating of 3.9. Viewpoint 5 Viewpoint 5 looks northwest from the Lord Hill neighborhood west of 148th and 123rd and is superior in elevation to the proposed project site (Figure A.5). Neighborhood houses and evergreen and flowering trees are visible in the foreground. Agricultural fields along the valley floor are partially visible in the middleground of this view. In the background, Fiddler�s Bluff (with houses) is visible against the skyline with the City of Everett in the distance. Partial views of the Snohomish River Valley and the trees in the foreground from Viewpoint 5 are striking and create a high level of vividness. There is visual integrity between the trees in the foreground, the valley in the middleground, and Fiddler�s Bluff in the background. As a result, the intactness level in this view is high. The trees in the foreground, which are dominant elements, contrasted with the wider landscape in the middleground and background create a coherent visual pattern and a high level of unity. The existing visual quality seen from Viewpoint 5 is high with a rating of 6.3. Viewpoint 6 Looking northeast from the main east-west trail in Bob Heirman Park, Viewpoint 6 is slightly inferior to the proposed project site (Figure A.6). Since this photograph was taken, the Snohomish County Parks Department has begun a program of habitat restoration at the park. Large masses of woody vegetation, including both native deciduous and evergreen trees, have been planted adjacent to the north side of the path, directly in the foreground of Viewpoint 6. Within a few years these trees are expected to grow to obscure any potential views of the proposed alternatives from Viewpoint 6. A stand of trees have been planted in the foreground since the photo simulations were completed for this viewpoint. A field of grass is the dominant element in the foreground. The deciduous trees that line the Snohomish River are visible in the middleground. In the background, the Snohomish foothills (with houses) are partially visible through the trees in the background. Background views are likely less visible during the summer |