HomeMy WebLinkAboutCDP 98-39; Faraday Road Extension; Coastal Development Permit (CDP) (6)Pt»wmXJTESEKV1CX
US Fish & Wildlife Service
Carlsbad Field Office
2730 Loker Avenue, West
Carlsbad, CA 92008
(760)431-9440
FAX (760) 431-9624
CA Dept. of Fish & Game
1416 Ninth Street
PO Box 944209
Sacramento, CA 94244-2090
(916)653-9767
FAX (916) 653-2588
Ms. Sherri Howard
Associate Engineer
City of Carlsbad
2075 Las Palmas Drive
Carlsbad, California 92009
Subject: Habitat Loss Permit for the Faraday Avenue Extension; CDP 98-39; Carlsbad Project
No. 3593
Dear Ms. Howard:
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and California Department of Fish and Game
(Department), hereafter collectively referred to as the Wildlife Agencies, have completed their review
of the Habitat Loss Permit (HLP) submitted by the City of Carlsbad (City) for the Faraday Avenue
Extension project. In addition to reviewing the materials attached to the HLP, the following materials
were consulted: the Mitigated Negative Declaration (ND) for the Faraday Avenue Extension; the
"Draft Expanded Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Faraday Avenue Roadway
Extension"; the "Expanded Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring
Program for the Faraday Avenue Roadway Extension" prepared by Cotton/Beland/Associates (June
1998); the biotechnical report prepared by Merkel & Associates, Inc. (June 5, 1998); the City's draft
Habitat Management Plan (HMP; October 1998); the Final Environmental Impact Report for the
Carlsbad Municipal Golf Course (March 1998); and the Revised Draft Environmental Impact Report
for the Carlsbad Municipal Golf Course (October 1998). Ms. Julie Vanderwier (Service) and David
Lawhead (Department) also met with you, Christer Westman (City), and John Strohminger (O'Day
Consultants) on December 3, 1998 to resolve outstanding mitigation issues.
The Faraday Avenue extension project site is located in the northwest quadrant of the City of
Carlsbad (City), south and east of Agua Hedionda Lagoon, north of Macario Canyon and Palomar
Airport Road, and west of El Camino Real. The project would extend existing Faraday Avenue
approximately 5,400 linear feet from its westerly terminus to connect with future Cannon Road. With
the exception of a small portion of privately-owned land at the western end of the proposed project
area, the 72-foot wide right-of-way for the road is under City ownership and identified as open space
in the City's General Plan (1994). Faraday Avenue has been designed to be a "split" roadway which
will result in a linear and vertical separation of the two 26-foot wide travel lanes in several locations.
Construction is anticipated to commence in July 1999 and be completed by December 1999.
Project implementation would result in the direct, permanent loss of approximately six acres of
Diegan coastal sage scrub and one pair of the federally-listed threatened coastal California gnatcatcher
(Polioptila californica californica; gnatcatcher), one-half acre of non-native grassland, and an
unspecified amount of agricultural and disturbed lands. No direct impacts to southern maritime
chaparral or riparian/mulefat scrub communities are anticipated.
Ms. Sherri Howard 3
• The habitat loss is incidental to otherwise lawful activities. An Initial Study was prepared and
ND adopted for this project in the fall of 1998. Identified impacts will be fully mitigated
through the conditions which have been made part of the project description and mitigation
and as requirements of HLP issuance.
Based upon the project's consistency with the interim loss criteria discussed above, the Wildlife
Agencies would concur with the issuance of the 4(d) Special Rule permit for the Faraday Avenue
Extension project, provided the following conditions are included:
• Revise the breeding season for gnatcatcher from August 15 to August 30, annually;
• Direct and indirect impacts to least Bell's vireo (Vireo belliipusillus; vireo) should also be
addressed through the use of breeding season restrictions for grading and construction
activities. The breeding season for vireo extends from March 15 through September 15,
annually; and
• Wildlife Agencies' review of the coastal sage scrub restoration plan.
It should be noted that this habitat loss permit only allows for the loss of 5.5 acres of coastal sage
scrub associated with the Faraday Avenue Extension and expires within one year of Wildlife Agency
concurrence. The acreage of coastal sage scrub impacts and preservation should be submitted to
SANDAG for their use in the regional tracking system. Please provide us with copies of any
notification regarding the expiration of this permit.
If you have any questions regarding the contents of this letter, please contact Julie Vanderwier
(Service) at (760) 431-9440 or David Lawhead (Department) at (619) 467-4211.
SherylltJarre
Assistant Field Office Supervisor
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Sincerely,
William E. Tippets
Habitat Conservation Supervisor
California Department of Fish and Game
cc: Christer Westman, City of Carlsbad
Don Rideout, City of Carlsbad
David Lawhead, CDFG
#l-6-98-CA-029