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Home My WebLink AboutCT 99-13; Steiner Property; Tentative Map (CT) (37)DUDE K & ASSOCIATES, INC. V VEngineering, Planning, Corporate Office: Environmental Sciences and 605 Third Street 760.942.5147 •naiTeams for Complex Projects Management Se/v/ces Encinitas, California 92024 Fax 760.632.0164 June 27,2000 ~ 2575-01 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Attn: Doug Krofta ;' 2730 Loker Avenue West Carlsbad, CA 92008 Subject: California Gnatcatcher Survey for the Steiner Property, Carlsbad, California Dear Mr. Krofta: A coastal California gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica californica} survey was conducted for the Steiner property in accordance with the City of Carlsbad Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) for the project. A condition within the MND states that grading will not be allowed on the project unless it is shown through field surveys that no gnatcatchers are present on the property or within 100 feet of the adjacent property to the north for a period two months prior to the start of grading. The Steiner property is an approximately 2.9-acre parcel situated within Zone 21 of the City of Carlsbad in the western portion of San Diego County, California. The survey consisted of a presence/absence survey within areas of native and non-native vegetation on the site and within a 100-foot perimeter offsite from the property boundary. 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 californica) and California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum). 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. Project Location The Steiner property is an approximately 2.9-acre parcel situated within Zone 21 of the City of Carlsbad in the western portion of San Diego County, California. The property is located Mr. Doug Krofta Re: CAGN Survey for the Steiner Property west of El Camino Real, south of Camino Vida Roble, and north of Aviara Parkway. It is bordered to the south and west by the Viadana residential development and to the north, and east by a residence or undeveloped areas, most of which contain native vegetation. The property lies approximately 3 miles east of Interstate 5, about 1.3 miles north of La Costa Avenue, and 0.2 mile west of El Camino Real. It is in the northeastern corner of the USGS 7.5 minute Encinitas quadrangle, Section 26, T.12S., R.4W. Methods The focused survey for the California gnatcatcher was conducted on the project site on April 27, May 3,10,17, 23, 31, June 7, and 14, 2000 by DUDEK biologist Dr. Anita M. Hayworth (AMH). Dr. Hayworth holds a federal permit (TE-781084-4) 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 visits to the site during a two-month period at approximately weekly intervals. All areas of coastal sage scrub vegetation, including all sub-associations were visited during each survey. The approximately 5-acre area encompassing shrub habitat was covered in a one-hour survey period. The route used to survey the habitat varied during each visit and was arranged to ensure complete coverage of the habitat. A 1"=200' aerial photograph and vegetation map of the property were available to map any gnatcatchers detected. 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 in 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. The following table provides the weather conditions and time of survey for each survey visit during the two-month period. iDUDEK!2575-01 & ASSOCIATES, INC. /or Complex ProjecB JllTO 27, 2000 Mr. Doug Krofta Re: CAGN Survey for the Steiner Property Date April 27 May3 May 10 May 17 May 23 May 31 June 7 June 14 Personnel AMH AMH AMH AMH AMH AMH AMH AMH Temperature 63-65 degrees 68-69 degrees 66-68 degrees 75-79 degrees 66-67 degrees 68-69 degrees 72-74 degrees 68-69 degrees Wind 1-3MPH 1-3MPH 0-2 MPH 1-4MPH 1-2 MPH 1-2 MPH 0-1 MPH 0-1 MPH Sky clear overcast overcast clear overcast clear clear overcast Time 0700-0800 0730-0830 0745-0845 1030-1200 0800-0900 0800-0900 0800-0900 0730-0830 Vegetation Characteristics Based on species composition and general physiognomy, two plant communities or habitat types were identified onsite: non-native grassland (0.3 acres), disturbed or developed land (1.8 acres) and 0.8 acres located within the Poinsettia Lane alignment and considered not a part of this project. In addition, approximately 2 acres of southern maritime chaparral habitat was surveyed offsite of the property. These habitat types are described below. Southern Maritime Chaparral Southern maritime chaparral is similar to southern mixed chaparral but is restricted to coastal localities within the fog belt and typically develops on sandstone soils. This community is characterized by several shrubs of limited distribution, including Del Mar manzanita (Arctostaphylos glandulosa var. crassifolia), wart-stemmed ceanothus (Ceanothus verrucosus), coast spicebush (Cneoridium dumosutri), and Nuttall's scrub oak (Quercus dumosa). Other shrubs encountered frequently in this community are chamise, lemonadeberry, laurel sumac, toyon, and summer-holly. There is some question regarding the definition of this community, and considerable disagreement exists among those who map plant communities. For purposes of this study, any mixed chaparral community that had Del Mar manzanita as DUDEK 2575-01 |& ASSOCIATES, INC. [ Pro/eiiioiulTeatiu for Complex Project! JUD8 27, 2000 c Mr. Doug Krofta Re: CAGN Survey for the Steiner Property one of the shrub components was included in this category. Patches of chaparral in which Nuttall's scrub oak occurs, contained no other species characteristic of this community and did not occupy sandstone soils; hence, these were considered southern mixed chaparral. Likewise, although scrub oak is considered characteristic of southern maritime chaparral, the presence of scrub oak alone was not considered diagnostic for this community. Southern maritime chaparral is recognized as a sensitive plant community owing to its limited distribution, depleted nature and presence of sensitive plant species including Del Mar manzanita. Annual, Non-native Grassland Within the project site, most of the present-day annual grassland evidently is the result of past land uses, including mechanical disturbances. The annual grassland onsite consists of large areas with high cover of non-native grasses including slender-oat (Avena barbata), English ryegrass (Lolium multiflorutn), and rattail fescue (Vulpia myuros). Disturbed/Developed Habitat Disturbed habitat refers to areas that lack vegetation entirely. These areas generally are the result of severe or repeated mechanical perturbation. Developed land refers to areas that include homes, yards, ornamental landscaping, corrals, and other highly modified lands that support structures, land use, or vegetation associated with dwellings. Within the property, disturbed/developed habitat includes dirt roads, trails, plowed land, residential dwellings and outbuildings, and ornamental landscape. Results No California gnatcatchers were observed within the native or non-native habitats located onsite. There is no coastal sage scrub within the property boundaries, however, southern maritime chaparral containing very small patches of coastal sage scrub, is located adjacent to the site on the property to the north and within the 100-foot offsite area that was included within the survey area. The southern maritime chaparral habitat is a habitat with which the California gnatcatcher is not typically associated, however they could use it as a portion of their territory, especially during the non-breeding season. DUDIK 2575-01 |& ASSOCIATES, INC. /or Co^ptec Project. JUH6 27, 2000 Mr. Doug Krofta Re: CAGN Survey for the Steiner Property 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. Hayworth, Ph.D, Biologist V Permit Number TE-781084-4 AMH/tsf att: Figures 1 & 2 cc: Darren Warren, Western Pacific Housing Jeremy Riddle, Engineering Department, City of Carlsbad Van Lynch, Planning Department, City of Carlsbad DUDEK _ 2575-01 |& ASSOCIATES, INC. | Pm/e»ioiuJTeam»/or Complex Project! JURS 27, 2000 . Orange County Lemon Grove National /<£-* City San Diego Mexico 1"- 8 Miles Tijuana Steiner Property • Biological Resources Report & Impact Analysis Regional Map BASE MAP SOURCE: USGS 7.5 Minute Series, Encinitas Quadrangle 1" -2000' Steiner Property - Biological Resources Report & Impact Analysis Vicinity Map VEGETATION TYPES: |AGL| Annual Non-native Grassland DH Disturbed Habitat BASE TOPO/GRAWNG SOURCE: Hunsoker & Associates, May 1999 100 Scale In Feet Steiner Property - Biological Resources Report & Impact Analysis Biological Resources Map