HomeMy WebLinkAboutCT 98-17; Hadley Property; Tentative Map (CT) (26)gineering. Planning, Corporate Office: 760.942.5147
Environmental Sciences and 605 Third Street Fax 760.632.0164
& ASSOCIATES, INC.Management Services Encinitas, California 92024
13 November 1998 1724-01
Mr. Don Rideout
City of Carlsbad
2075 Las Palmas
Carlsbad, CA 92009
Re: Shrub Impacts on the Hadley Property, City of Carlsbad, California
Dear Don:
A biological survey was conducted by DUDEK (September 1998) for the approximately 14-
acre Hadley property situated within Zone 20 of the City of Carlsbad. During the survey of
the site, it was observed that the agriculture areas of the property had been recently disced. It
was also noted that along the edge of the existing shrub community, some shrubs had also been
removed during the discing operation. It appeared that as the equipment neared the edge of the
shrubs, the discing equipment strayed at times into the shrub habitat. This resulted in the
removal of a number of shrubs along the edge in some areas. A visit was made on 13
November 1998 to identify, as much as possible, the plant species that were removed or
damaged by the discing operation. The shrubs removed (with approximate quantity)
included:
Scientific Name/Common Name Number
Malosma laurina - laurel sumac approx. 6
Rhus integrifolia - lemonadeberry 1
Baccharis pilularis - coyotebush several to many
Foeniculum vulgare - sweet fennel few
Eriodictyon crassifolium - thick-leaved yerba santa many (dominant)
Salvia mellifera - black sage few
Adenostoma fasciculata - chamise few
Yucca schidigera - Mojave yucca 2
None of these species is classified as sensitive by the jurisdiction or resource agencies.
Although it is preferable to not affect the shrubs along the edge of the shrub line when
brushing, the overall dominance of thick-leaved yerba santa as the affected shrub is of less
concern due to its typical early colonizing ability and habit. Additionally, if is assumed that an
approximately 5-foot wide swath of vegetation was affected along the shrub line, a total of
0.16 acre would be affected. This is an overestimate since a 5-foot width was not affected
along the perimeter of the shrub line. Almost 4 acres of chaparral community is onsite within
open space to compensate for this impact from the discing operation.
The 21 September 1998 letter regarding the biological resources onsite identified the chaparral
community onsite as southern mixed chaparral. Although our botanist and the City of
Carlsbad Draft HMP concurred with this identification, upon my most recent visit, I feel the
Mr. Don Rideout, City of Carlsbad Page 2
Re: Shrub Impacts on the Hadley Property 23 November 1998
vegetation community should be identified as southern maritime chaparral. Currently the
resources agencies and jurisdictions are working on providing solid definitions of southern
mixed and southern maritime chaparral so that these communities are correctly identified in the
field by the numerous biologists in San Diego County. The habitat onsite contains 4 of the
necessary indicators to conclude the habitat is southern maritime chaparral. These indicators
are: wart-stemmed ceanothus, Nuttall's scrub oak, sandstone soils and location within the fog
belt. The agencies currently feel that having 4 of the long list of possible indicators of
maritime chaparral results in the conclusion that the habitat is maritime chaparral.
Although changing the habitat mapped onsite from southern mixed to southern maritime
chaparral changes the sensitivity of the habitat from not sensitive to highly sensitive and rare,
there are still no impacts proposed to occur due to the development of the site, and the small
impact resulting from sloppy discing is well compensated by the preservation of habitat onsite.
Please feel free to contact me at (760) 942-5147 with questions or if you require additional
information.
Very truly yours,
DUDEK & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Anita M. Hay worth, Ph.D*
Biologist V
cc: Jack Henthorn, Jack Henthorn & Associates
Wes Witt, Hadley Trust