open space & conservation element OSC-3: Natural Landforms

Only areas below are considered part of the General Plan.

Natural Landforms

The City of Menifee is a community with a dynamic topography; hills and small mountains can be found dispersed throughout the city alongside low-lying plains and waterways. The steepest slopes and largest cluster of hillsides can be found north of Menifee Lakes, traveling northward across McCall Boulevard. Quail Valley also has a number of steep hillsides that influence development patterns in the area. Menifee's 2 tallest peaks-Quail Hill at 2,250 feet and Bell Mountain at 1,850 feet-are important landmarks in the city and have been important to the Native American tribes who have ancestral territories within the city. In addition, rock outcroppings and large boulders often contain archaeological features associated with the Native American tribes who inhabited this area prehistorically and whose descendants still live in and around the city proper. Preserving these features whenever feasible will further preserve and protect the unique history of the city, while adding to the future character of Menifee. Menifee's prominent natural hillsides are one of the city's most identifiable features. Exhibit OSC-2 illustrates the city's significant slopes.

Goal

  • OSC-3: Undisturbed slopes, hillsides, rock outcroppings, and other natural landforms that enhance the City's environmental setting and rich cultural and historical past and present.

Policies

  • OCS-3.1: Identify and preserve the view corridors and outstanding scenic vistas within the city.
  • OCS-3.2: Promote thoughtful hillside development that respects the natural landscape by designing houses that fit into the natural contours of the slope and sensitive development that preserves and protects important cultural and biological resources.
  • OCS-3.3: Encourage the use of clustered development and other site planning strategies to facilitate the preservation of the city's natural landforms, boulders, and rock outcroppings.
  • OCS-3.4: Support the preservation of natural vegetation and rock outcroppings during and after the construction process.
  • OCS-3.5: Develop suitable long-term preservation plans with appropriate Native American tribes who have ancestral lands within the city to ensure the perpetual preservation of cultural resources, boulders, and rock outcroppings protected under this policy.

General Plan Exhibits