HomeMy WebLinkAboutCT 98-17; Hadley Property; Tentative Map (CT) (38)TDUDEK
& ASSOCIATES, INC.
Professional Teams for Complex Projects
EKgfneering, Planning,
Environmental Sciences and
Management Services
Corporate Office:
605 Third Street
Encinitas, California 92024
760.942.5147
Fax 760.632.0164
31 January 2000 2463-01
Mr. Jack Henthorn
Jack Henthorn & Associates
5375 Avenida Encinas, Suite D
Carlsbad, CA 92008
Subject: California Gnatcatcher Survey for the Hadley Property
Dear Mr. Henthorn:
Attached is a copy of the letter sent to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reporting the results of
the California gnatcatcher survey conducted on the Hadley Property, Zone 20, City of Carlsbad.
The survey was conducted according to the current protocol and addresses the condition placed
on the property by the City to document that the gnatcatcher is not present onsite for a two-
month period of time prior to grading the property. As noted in the letter, there is no coastal sage
scrub onsite which is the preferred habitat of the gnatcatcher. It would be very unlikely that the
gnatcatcher is present onsite now that we are approaching the breeding season of the gnatcatcher.
In addition, the attached letter document via a 3-visit protocol survey that the California
gnatcatcher is not present 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. Haywoftl/, Ph.D.
Biologist V
Permit Number TE-781084
cc: Ms. Dee Snow, Ryland Homes
DUDliKI Engineering, Planning,
Corporate Office:
Environmental Sciences and m Thjr(j Street 760.942.5147& ASSOCIATES. INC. |
ms for Compile Projects Management Serv/ces Encinitas, California 92024 Fax 760.632.0164
January 28, 2000 2463-01
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Attn: Doug Krofta
2730 Loker Avenue West
Carlsbad, CA 92008
Subject: California Gnatcatcher Survey for the Hartley Property, Carlsbad,
California
Dear Mr. Krofta:
A coastal California gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica californicd) survey was conducted for
the approximately 14-acre Hadley property situated within Zone 20 of the City of Carlsbad in
the western portion of San Diego County, California (Figure 1). The property is located west
of El Camino Real, south of Palomar Airport Road, east of Paseo del Norte and north of
Aviara Parkway (Figure 2). More specifically, the project site is located within the City of
Carlsbad, east of Black Rail Court, north of the Aviara development, south of the proposed La
Costa Boulevard (extension of Camino de las Ondas), and west of El Camino Real. The
property is surrounded by agriculture and greenhouse production or open space to the north,
west, and south and residential development to the east. Biological surveys of the property
were conducted on 15 September 1998 by Dudek & Associates (DUDEK) to assess the existing
conditions of the biological resources. The surveys augmented the existing data base
accumulated through previous survey work (e.g., SANDAG 1994). Based on species
composition and general physiognomy, three plant communities (or habitat types) were
identified within the Hadley property: southern mixed chaparral (with a small amount, less
than 0.02 acre disturbed chaparral), southern coast live oak riparian forest, and disturbed or
agriculture habitats. The survey consisted of a presence/absence survey for the California
gnatcatcher within an approximately 4.2-acre area of southern mixed chaparral and coastal live
oak riparian forest located within the property.
The California gnatcatcher is a federally-listed threatened species and a California Department
of Fish and Game species of special concern. It is closely associated with coastal sage scrub
(CSS) habitat, particularly that dominated by California sagebrush (Artemisia californicd) and
California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatuni). It typically occurs below 950 feet elevation
and on slopes less than 40%. The species is threatened primarily by loss, degradation, and
fragmentation of coastal sage scrub habitat and is also impacted by brown-headed cowbird
parasitism.
Mr. Doug Krofta
Re: CAGN Survey for the Hadley Property
28 January 2000
Pg.2
Project Location
The property lies within the northeastern quarter of the U.S. Geological Survey 7.5 minute
quadrangle Encinitas, California, T12S, R4W (Figure T).
Methods
The focused survey for the California gnatcatcher was conducted on the project site on January
13, 20 and 27, 2000 by DUDEK biologist Dr. Anita M. Hayworth (AMH). Dr. Hayworth
holds a federal permit (TE-781084) to conduct surveys for the gnatcatcher. The survey was
conducted following the currently accepted protocol of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Coastal California Gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica californica) Presence/Absence Survey
Protocol (July 28, 1997). The survey included the typical three visit survey to the site at
approximately weekly intervals. All areas of native vegetation, including the riparian habitat
were visited during each survey. The approximately 4.2-acre area was covered in a 1.5-hour
survey period. The route used to survey the habitat varied during each visit and was arranged
to ensure complete coverage of the habitat. Binoculars (10 x 50) were used to aid in detecting
and identifying bird species. The weather conditions were generally pleasant and mild as
shown in the table below. A tape of recorded vocalizations was used frequently hi order to
elicit responses from the species, if present. The tape was played approximately every 100 feet
and if a gnatcatcher was detected, the playing of the tape ceased in order to avoid harassment.
Table 1. Survey Dates and Conditions
Date
1/13/00
1/20/00
1/27/00
Personnel
AMH
AMH
AMH
Temperature
62°F
62-63°F
61-62°F
Wind
1-5 MPH
1-3 MPH
1-3 MPH
Sky
partly cloudy
sunny
overcast
Time
0900 - 1030
1000 - 1130
0900 - 1030
Vegetation Characteristics
Based on species composition and general physiognomy, three plant communities (or habitat
types) were identified within the Hadley property: southern mixed chaparral (with a small
am<3unt, less than 0.02 acre disturbed chaparral), southern coast live oak riparian forest, and
disturbed or agriculture habitats. The existing plant communities are described below and their
distribution onsite is presented on the 1" = 150' topographic site map (Figure 3). The acreage
of each community was digitized and is indicated in the text and hi Table 2.
Oceanside \
1" = 8 Miles
Encinitas
O
O
x' Rancho
Santa Fe
Rancho
Bernardo
Del Mar Poway
Santee
La Jolla f
San Diego
P/^l.
Coronado \
Imperial
Beach
\\
I La Mesa
Lemon
Grove
v National /*\£^
City
Chula
Vista
Otay Mesa
Tijuana
Ramonal
Alpine
Mexico
Hadley Zone 20 - Biological Resources Letter Report
Regional Map
SOURCE: USGS 7.5 Minute Series, Encinitas Quadrangle
Hadley Zone 20 - Biological Resources Letter Report
Vicinity Map
ation Types/Landcovers:
Southern Mixed Chaparral
Coast Live Oak Riparian Forest
Agriculture
Disturbed Habitat
,: A lower case 'd' in front of a vegetation type
designator indicates that it is disturbed.
V ;ve Plant Species:
\iothus oerrucosus
Tciisdumosa
BASE TOPO SOURCE: Hunsoker & Associates
»&;•£150
Scale in Feet
!0 - Biological Resources Letter Report
Biological Resources Map
FIGURE
Mr. Doug Krofta 28 January 2000
Re: CAGN Survey for the Hadley Property Pg. 6
TABLE 2
Existing Plant Community Acreages
Plant Community (abbreviation used on map)
Southern Mixed Chaparral (SMX)
Coast Live Oak Riparian Forest (ORF)
Disturbed or Agriculture Habitat (AGR or DH)
TOTALS
Existing
Acreage
4.0
0.2
10.5
14.7
Southern Mixed Chaparral (4.0 acres)
Southern mixed chaparral is a drought- and fire-adapted community of woody shrubs, 1.5-3.0
meters tall, frequently forming dense, impenetrable stands. It develops primarily on mesic
north-facing slopes and in canyons, and is characterized by crown- or stump-sprouting species
that regenerate following burns or other ecological catastrophes. This association is typically a
mixture of chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum), mission manzanita (Xylococcus bicolor),
ceanothus (Ceanothus sp.), Nuttall's scrub oak (Quercus dumosd), laurel sumac (Malosma
laurind), and black sage.
A relatively large area onsite is composed of southern mixed chaparral. It is located in the
eastern portion of the property and extends into the drainage that runs offsite to the northeast.
Much of the area mapped as southern mixed chaparral onsite is dominated by chamise. There
are also scattered individuals of mission manzanita, laurel sumac, chamise, black sage (Salvia
mellifera), and California sagebrush (Artemisia californicd). A total of approximately 4.0
acres of southern mixed chaparral is present onsite.
Southern Coast Live Oak Riparian Forest (0.2 acre)
Southern coast live oak riparian forest is an open to locally dense evergreen sclerophyllous
riparian woodland dominated by coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia). According to Holland
(1986) it is richer in herbs and poorer hi understory shrubs than other riparian communities. It
typically occurs in bottomlands and outer floodplains along larger streams, on fine grained,
rich alluvium.
r-
w
Mr. Doug Krofta 28 January 2000
Re: CAGN Survey for the Hadley Property Pg. 7
Riparian habitats such as southern coast live oak riparian forest represent high quality wildlife
habitat, providing structural diversity. They are important sites of primary productivity and
play a vital role hi nutrient recycling and maintenance of water quality. Many species of
animals that are resident in adjacent scrub habitat forage in riparian areas during the drier
tunes of the year.
Onsite this community is represented by a band of coast live oak dominated habitat, a total of
0.2 acre with scattered individuals of southern mixed chaparral species.
Disturbed or Agriculture Habitat (10.5 acres)
Disturbed or agriculture habitat is defined as areas where the native vegetation has been
removed by mechanical means. The area may be unvegetated or vegetated with weedy non-
native annual dicots, such as telegraphweed (Heterotheca grandiflora), Russian-thistle (Salsola
tragus), and tocalote (Centaurea melitensis). This category includes open fields, areas devoid
of vegetation, and other areas supporting weeds. Most of the disturbed/agriculture habitat
onsite consists of the large area currently disced for agriculture production. A total of
approximately 10.5 acres of disturbed or agriculture habitat is located onsite.
Results
California Gnatcatcher Survey
No California gnatcatchers were observed during the survey of the Hadley property. Due to
the lack of coastal sage scrub, the preferred habitat of the California gnatcatcher, and the -
relatively small patch of chaparral habitat, it is unlikely that a gnatcatcher would occupy the
site.
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,
Biologist V
Permit Number TE-781084