Visual Resources

  1. Outstanding scenery is one of Mono County's significant attributes. The county's scenic beauty and dramatic vistas attract tourists and recreationists, and are valued by residents.

  2. Major issues to be addressed in protecting and enhancing visual resources in Mono County are protecting views from major travel routes and recreation destinations;  improving the opportunity for visitors to view spectacular scenery (e.g., by providing additional turnouts and scenic vista points); designing community and man-made structures to blend in and be compatible with the surrounding environment; and coordinating scenic policies of local and federal agencies so that they complement each other.

  3. Mono County participates in the State Scenic Highways Program, and designated sections are described in the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) in the Circulation Element (see Scenic Routes/Scenic Highway Designation in Issues and Needs chapter). County-designated Scenic Highways are also described in the RTP, along with federally designated Scenic Byways in Mono County. In addition, a Scenic Byway Planning Grant is underway to develop a formal plan and application to seek designation of US 395 through Mono County as a National Scenic Byway.

  4. The visual impacts of utility corridors and overhead utility lines have become an issue both in community areas and undeveloped areas. The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) regulates transmission lines; the County has authority over some distribution lines. The Mono County General Plan currently requires underground utility lines unless certain findings can be made and a use permit is approved for overhead lines (see Chapter 11 of the Land Use Element).

  5. The Mono County General Plan provides for design review in community areas through the implementation of a Design Review District. Currently, there is one Design Review District in the county in the Wheeler Crest Planning Area. The intent of this district is to maintain and enhance the aesthetic qualities of community areas. Similarly, the Scenic Combining District is intended to minimize the visual impacts of development in scenic areas outside communities, especially in areas adjacent to and visible from designated scenic highways and other important scenic areas.

  • Printer-friendly version