Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCT 99-08; Spyglass II; Tentative Map (CT) (37)Uiduiig Design Group, Inc. January 31,2000 Mike Smith Fire Prevention Officer / City of Carlsbad 1635 Faraday Ave. Carlsbad, CA 92008 Reference: PROPOSED CONTROL BURN ON THE CALTRANS' PARCEL IN NORTHEAST CARLSBAD FOR SPYGLASS H - (CT 99-09) (LADWIG DESIGN GROUP, INC. JOB NO. L-1065) Dear Mike: To follow up on our discussion, enclosed is a letter addressed to me from Pacific Southwest Biological Services, Inc. responding to the five items that you and I talked about last week. Mitch Beauchamp has gone through the five items in detail. He has also included the timing of the proposed burn, what he feels you would need to provide and the proposed conditions under which the burn would occur. Please look over the attached letter, and I would appreciate a response back. In addition, if you feel it would be helpful, I would be happy to take you out onto the site so you can get a good feel for the surrounding conditions. I look forward to your response, and if you need anything in the meantime, please give me a call. Sincerely, LADWIG DESIGN GROUP, INC. Robert C. Ladwig, President RCL:lb:007 Enclosures cc: Don Rideout w/enclosure Michael Ugar w/o enclosure 703 Palomar flirport Road + Suite 300 + Carlsbad, California 92009 (760)438-3182 FflX (760) 438-0173 /'•••*. . ---"S Pacific Southwest Biologiccd Services, Inc. Post Office Box 985, National City, California 91951-0985 • (619) 477-5333 • FAX (619) 477-5380 Robert C. Ladwig 28 January 2000 Ladwig Design Group, Inc. 703 Palomar Airport Road, Suite 300$ PSBS # T472C Carlsbad CA 92009 Dear Bob, Thanks for discussing the prescribed burn with Mike Smith, Fire Prevention Officer of Carlsbad. I have developed below responses to your 27 January 2000 letter regarding that conversation and his inquiries. 1. Liability Concerns - The liability for the burn would be largely with the City of Carlsbad. The prescribed burn, under Air Pollution Control District Rule 102, must be set or under the supervision of an official governmental agency. The improvement is part of a Fish and Game mitigation measure, an aspect which is also required under APCD Rule 102. My corporation has a liability insurance policy for $2 million for our operations and that was adequate for a proposed burn on Otay Mesa about 5 years ago. The reason I have asked Mr. Smith and his Department to be involved was for the above reasons and so that his crew could be present for possible suppression and for training relative to burn characteristics when suppression is not a present concern. In a prescribed burn we had previously proposed on Otay Mesa, the City of San Diego Fire Department had agreed to be present to monitor the burn. Unfortunately the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service never responded, so the burn do not take place. It was a similar annual grassland situation without any structures nearby. With the K^rail present at this site in Carlsbad and under prescription conditions described below, the burn oj^a low density grassland is not any significant hazard or liability. 2. Value to City to Participate - The over-riding reason to have the City burn the site is that they are the only agency within their City that can do this. They would probably be there anyway even if a private firm were hired with its own trucks and personnel to burn the site. The training from such a burn would be valuable in demonstrating the characteristics of a grassland burn with a rather high moisture condition. The alternative to burning the site is to apply herbicides which could become part of the runoff into Agua Hedionda Lagoon. This is something I would rather avoid. Manual removal of the weeds is cost prohibitive and does not allow the native grasses to grow quickly. Burning is a normal tool of grassland habitat management in the Midwest. For the improvement of this grassland, the proposed prescribed burn is the only practicable alternative. If the Department has a cost they need to have reimbursed, I think that is a reasonable request. I would think that $2,000 would be in the ball park of full fee recovery for their participation. 3. Can we do the mitigation without burning the site? - Burning achieves several goals. It removes the past seasons' duff layer which interferes with germination and growth of beneficial plants. The heat also destroys the seedling weeds, eliminating the need for subsequent hand or chemical removal. The ash from the fire is also a stimulant for the germination of several native plant seeds. Fire is a natural aspect of grassland ecology that has been suppressed by the present RECEIVED JA?J 3 1 2C3C LADWIG DEC;.N GR attitude toward fire and the condition of development in most urban areas. I am surprised that there have not been more wildfires in this area with the magnitude of off-highway vehicles using the trails and running across the grasslands. 4. What will it look like 5 years from now? - The objective of the revegetation is .to develop an open, native grassland, largely composed of native bunch grasses and bulbous perennials. This range improvement is a mitigation for a proposed development which impacts similar vegetation at a site a few miles to the northwest. The density of the native grasses and bulbs will be somewhat less than the present native grassland condition. In addition, the taller mustard, artichoke thistle and fennel plants will not be an aspect of the target vegetation. Fuel loading will be about 70% of what is presently on the site. The open areas of clay would be occupied by annual wildflowers where now non-native grasses do not allow for such a condition. The site is a CalTrans mitigation area which will always be in a natural open space condition. 5. I have developed below an outline proposal: Timing I would proposed that the burn occur on or about 1 November 2000, depending upon rainfall, during permissive burn days. Staffing and Equipment The City of Carlsbad Fire Department would minimally need to provide two engine companies, i.e. 8 men, one battalion chief and whoever else they would like to have attend the event, to observe and provide back up control for the prescribed burn. Prescription Conditions I would propose that the Battalion Chief initiate the burn under prescription conditions, i.e. early in the morning (but not before 8 A.M.) with 70% fuel moisture, seedling weed seeds germinated, no wind greater that 5 knots, and the 3' tall K-rails be in place on the sides and up slope portions of the burn area. The burn would be initiated from the top of the slope so the fire burns down hill at the slowest rate, achieving maximum temperatures and duff removal. No clearing to mineral soil is proposed as a fuel break since this creates a seed germination problem which we are trying to avoid with the controlled burn. Duration of Exercise The time required for the actual range improvement burn would be about 30 minutes, with an equal time before and after to lay down and take up hoses from the pumpers located at the base of the slope. I don't think they can get to the top of the hill at the burn site. Training Aspects If the Department wants to do some training with actual suppression, the K-rails could be extended onto the property to the south temporarily so that the area could be used for training. I would prefer that all the mitigation site be allowed to burn without disturbance from suppression activities. This usually results in just stirring up weed seeds that have to be controlled once the plants germinate. I would proposed that the School District lands to the south be the site of this suppression activity if the Department cares to do this as part of their training value of the activity. The Department could request permission from the District since that would pose less procedural delays. Air Pollution Control District Permit I would process the burn permit through the Fire Department. Since the proposal is 10 months away, there should be enough time for this to be accomplished. / Please keep me advised as to the status of your discussions with Mr. Smith. Regards, R. Mitchel Beauchamp, M. Sc., President cc: Michael C. Uger - Concordia Homes of California, LLC