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1 <br />' Visual impacts <br />To assess visual impacts ofthis mine, two visuai parameters to define the viewshed will be used: <br />viewer distance and viewer obstructions. <br />A humans ability to perceive objects such as mining equipment, fades somewhere between one <br />mile and two miles away. Other factors such as angle of view, background, and weather <br />conditions can even further reduce [he viewing distance. In this study points that aze within two <br />miles of the quarry edge were considered. <br />' Second, ridges in the vicinity obstruct the view of the quarry. Therefore, this analysis considers <br />only view points that aze not blocked by these ridges. <br />' In order to assess the impacts of the quarry, three areas were selected and views toward to quarry <br />site were analyzed. These three areas are the roads surrounding the quarry site, homes, and <br />Castlewood Canyon State Park. Each of these areas were analyzed for duration, extent, and <br />' exposure. Please refer to Figure 3.H.5(1) -Visual Analysis Map. <br />Roads <br />1 Lake Gulch Road -Lake Gulch Road connects the Town of Castle Rock with Route 83 and runs <br />' in a northwesterly to southeasterly direction. Lake Gulch Road is a well maintained paved road, <br />with a safe traveling speed from 25 mph to 35 mph. Our Visual Analysis Map shows a one mile <br />section of the road which is at an elevation higher than the quarry site and from which a portion <br />of [he quarry can be observed. For northwest bound travelers, the quarry site is off the front, <br />right-hand side of the vehicle. Southeast bound travelers are essentially moving away from the <br />quarry site. Distance of the road from the southern boundary of the quarry varies between ] .5 <br />' miles and 2 miles away and thus distinguishing features and details of the operation are not <br />evident to the viewer. <br />' Ridge Road -Ridge Road is a north/south road connecting Lake Gulch Road and Route 86 <br />(Franktown Road). Immediately west and northwest of the quarry site there aze approximately <br />1.5 miles of Ridge Road from which the western segment of the quarry can be seen. This section <br />' of the quarry will be mined for cut stone, which is a small scale, low volume operation. The one <br />mile section of'Ridge Road immediately to the west probably has the best view of the operation <br />' because 'tis from about 1 to 1.5 miles away from the operation itself. The depressed mining <br />operation will •.imit some of the views. Being a gravel surface, Ridge Road has a speed limit of <br />30 mpli. F'ur 1-1/2 miles of the road, the view duration is six minutes. Again, on a daily basis, <br />' only a few people will see the operation from one mile away. <br />Castlewood Canyon Road -Our analysis shows that no travelers on Castlewood Canyon Road <br />' can see the operation. This road is much lower than the quarry site and view lines extend over <br />the rimrock edge of our site. <br />' 28 <br />