HomeMy WebLinkAboutGPA 06-03; Rancho Milagro MND Attachment 2; General Plan Amendment (GPA)1927 Fiftti Avenue 525 W. Wetmore Rd„ Suite 111
San Diego, CA 92101-2357 Tucson, AZ 85705
P 619.308.9333 F 619.308.9334 P 520.325.9977 F 520.293.3051
www.recon-us.com
RECON RECEIVED
A Company of Specialists ^yQ Q 2 2011
May 4 2011 CITY OF CARLSBAD
PLANNING DEPT
Mr. Jack Henthorn
P.O. Box 237
Carisbad, CA 92018-0237
Reference: Rancho Milagro Compliance with HMP Zone 15 Planning Standards with Regard to
Coastal Sage Scrub (RECON Number 3889-1B)
Dear Mr. Henthorn:
Per your request I have prepared a detailed response to identify the ways in which the proposed
development project at Rancho Milagro will comply with the City of Carlsbad's Habitat
Management Plan (HMP)'s Planning Standards for coastal sage scrub impacts in Zone 15.
Attachment 1 is a summary table of the existing condifions, proposed impacts, and recommended
mifigafion measures for all vegetation communifies and land cover types mapped within the
Rancho Milagro study area.
HMP Condition for 67-percent Preservation
HMP Planning Standards includes a requirement to preserve at least 67 percent of coastal sage
scrub overall within the designated Standards Area. In compliance with this requirement, the
proposed Rancho Milagro development has been designed to presen/e 70 percent of the coastal
sage scrub on-site.
Total Acreage: 8.51 acres
Total Project Impacts: 2.56 acres (30%)
Total Presen/ed: 5.95 acres (70%)
HMP Condition for No-net-loss of Coastal Sage Scrub in Zone 15
Per HMP Planning Standards for Zone 15, the project is required to restore at least 2.56 acres of
coastal sage scrub to achieve a no-net loss of this vegetafion community. The project proposes to
restore 2.94 acres through the conversion of developed land, agricultural fields, and non-nafive
grassland. Restorafion will occur in the northern open space lots and will include the conversion of
non-nafive lands both within and adjacent to the northern 100-foot wefiand buffer. Restoration of
the lands within this buffer is also in compliance of the Zone 15 Planning Standards.
C 3
Mr. Jack Henthorn
Page 2
May 4, 2011
The restoration of 2.94 acres will result in a net gain of coastal sage scrub and meets both the
Zone 15 Planning Standards for no-net loss of coastal sage scrub and restorafion of the wetland
buffer.
Proposed Restoration/Conversion:
Non-native grassland: 1.40 acres
Agricultural land: 1.50 acres
Developed Land: 0.04 acre
Total Restoration: 2.94 acres
The following items summarize the commitments presented in the Biological Technical Report
(RECON 2011) that will be implemented as part of this project.
• Creafion of 0.21 acre of wefiand/riparian habitat to mifigate for impacts to southern willow
scrub and sycamore-oak woodland, which are regulated as sensitive resources by the
City of Carisbad and wefiand regulatory agencies: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE), California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG), and Regional Water Quality
Control Board (RWQCB). This is proposed to occur in the northern open space area.
• Preservafion of 5.95 acres and creafion/restorafion of 2.94 acres of coastal sage scrub in
the northern open space area will mifigate for impacts to this vegetafion community and
achieve the relevant HMP Planning Standards for Zone 15.
• Preservafion of non-native grassland and coast live oak woodland in the ratios described
in Attachment 1 will mitigate for impacts to these vegetafion communifies. Impacts to
agricultural lands will be mifigated by payment of an in-lieu mifigation fee for an amount
determined by the City of Carisbad's City Council.
• A full restorafion plan will be prepared and submitted to all required agencies for approval
prior to implementafion of the proposed restorafion.
• Application packages will be prepared and submitted to USACE (Clean Water Act Secfion
404 Permit), CDFG (Fish and Game Code Section 1602 Streambed Alterafion
Agreement), and RWQCB (Clean Water Act Secfion 401 Water Quality Certificafion) for
proposed impacts to jurisdicfional wefiand, waters, and riparian resources.
• Grading and vegetafion clearing will occur outside of the breeding season for sensifive
bird species in and within 500 feet of suitable habitat. A qualified biological monitor may
be required, if active nests are detected within 500 feet of the construction work area.
• Trees suitable for nesfing by raptor species should be removed outside of the breeding
season. A raptor nest survey should be conducted by a qualified biologist, if trees are to
be removed during the breeding season.
• In the event of a "frac-out"* or any other unexpected impact as a result of the jack-and-
bore method used to install the sewer pipeline beneath Agua Hedionda Creek, the extent
ofthe resultant impact will be assessed, measured, and mifigated. Work will cease
A localized surface seepage created by subsurface fractures allowing bentonite drilling fluid to
flow to the surface.
o o
Mr. Jack Henthorn
Page 3
May 4, 2011
immediately and measures taken to contain any resultant slurry within as small of an area
as possible. A qualified biologist will assess the impacts to natural resources and contact
the City and appropriate resource agencies within 24 hours of the event Additional
mifigafion for impacts would be required, at a rafio of at least 3:1. The location and
composifion of this mifigafion would be determined at the fime of the impact, once the
scope and nature of that impact is determined.
• Landscaping within the brush management zones will consist of low-fuel species to
minimize the potenfial for fire within the adjacent preserve areas.
• Erosion control is addressed in the soils report (Geotechnical Exploration Inc. 2009),
which provides for proper placement of manufactured slopes to maximize slope stability;
landscaping plan (GMP Inc. 2009), which describes planfing on the slopes to reduce the
level of erosion; and storm-water management plan (Manitou Engineering Company
2009), which identifies construcfion and post-construcfion best management pracfices
(BMPs) that will ensure that run-off is appropriately treated, minimize the potenfial for
construcfion-level erosion, and to prevent any silt entering the open space areas.
• Landscaping within the brush management zones and along development slopes adjacent
to the open space areas will encourage the use of a native plant palette consistent with
the adjacent native vegetafion communifies, prohibit the use of ornamental invasive
species, and limit the use of fertilizers to prevent excess run-off entering the open space.
Irrigation should not be permanent, but should only be installed temporarily in order to
ensure that the plants are established. In addifion, the use of cultivars of native species
will be prohibited to avoid genetic contamination of the nafive plant species in the
preserve.
• Fencing will be installed along the perimeter of the development to limit the access of
humans and domesfic pets into the open space areas. Fencing will consist of a five-foot-
high chain-link fence to be placed at the property line between the residenfial lots and the
open space. Signage will be placed at intervals along the fence to inform the public about
the presence and funcfion of the open space areas. Lighfing will be shielded or directed
away from the open space areas to avoid increasing nighttime light input into the open
space.
• The perimeter fence will be designed to limit access of domesfic and feral animals from
accessing the open space areas. Any long-term management on-site should also include
development of a cowbird trapping program, nafive predator program, and exofic plant
control program.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me at (619) 308-9333.
Respectfully,
Wendy Loeffler
Senior Biologist
WEL:eab:sh
Attachment
Mr. Jack Henthorn
Page 4
May 4, 2011
References Cited
Geotechnical Explorafion Inc.
2009 Report of Preliminary Geotechnical Invesfigafion.
GMP Inc.
2009 Landscape Architectural Concept Plan.
Manitou Engineering Company
2009 Storm Water Management Plan.
RECON
2011 Revised Biological Technical Report for the Rancho Milagro Study Area.
Mr. Jack Henthorn
Page 5
May 4, 2011
ATTACHMENT 1
SUMMARY OF VEGETATION COMMUNITIES AND JURISDICTIONAL AREAS IMPACTS AND MITIGATION
Exisfing Conditions
Total Total Available
Vegetation Community
Rancho
Milagro
Mitigation Off-site
Area* Sewer
Study
Area
Project
Impacts^ Mitigafion Rafio
Required
Mitigation
Mifigation Area
On-site^ Proposed Mitigation
Freshwater marsh 0.21 0.21 -3:1 -0.21
Southern willow scrub 0.90 1.68 2.58 0.05 3:1 0.15 0.85 Wetland communitv impacts will be mitigated as
Mule fat scrub 0.04 0.04 -3:1 -0.04 described below in the Jurisdictional Areas section.
Sycamore/oak woodland 0.11 9.34 9.45 0.02 3:1 0.06 0.09
Diegan and disturbed coastal sage scrub^ 7.46 1.05 8.51 2.56
67%
preservation/
1:1 (no-net loss)
5.70^/
2.56
On-Site: Presen/ation of 70% (5.95 acres) of coastal sage
scrub (CSS) on-site. A total of 2.94 acres of CSS will be
created through the conversion of 1.50 acres of
5.95^ agricultural lands, 0.04 acre of developed land, and 1.40
acres of non-native grasslands. This will achieve the no-
net loss of coastal sage scrub within Zone 15 requirement
in the HMP and will result in a net gain of CSS.
Coast live oak woodland 1.05 2.36 3.41 0.02 3:1 0.06 1.03 On-Site: Presen/ation of 0.06 acre.
Non-native grassland 4.40 0.96 5.36 2.50^ 0.5:1 1.25 q„ On-Site: Preservation of 1.25 acres for direct project
impacts and conversion related to restoration.
Eucalyptus woodland
Agricultural fields
0.06
12.06
0.06
12.06 11.83^
Fee
Fee
Fee
Fee
0.06 Payment of an in-lieu mitigation fee for an amount as
0.23 determined by the City of Carlsbad City Council.
Developed area 0.98 0.91 0.06 1.95 1.18 N/A N/A 0.77
TOTAL 18.16 7.22/Fee 11.13
Jurisdictional Areas^
USACE Jurisdicfion
Wetland 1.06 0.13 1.19 0.05 3:1 0.15 All jurisdictional water impacts are regulated by a no-net-
loss policy. Mitigation should include on-site creation of Non-Wefiand Waters of U.S. 0.07 1.59 1.66 0.001 1:1 0.001
All jurisdictional water impacts are regulated by a no-net-
loss policy. Mitigation should include on-site creation of
TOTAL USACE 1.13 1.72 2.85 0.051 0.151 habitat at a 1:1 ratio. The remaining mitigation should be
accomplished through on-site creation or enhancement of
degraded habitat. The conceptual plan includes creation CDFG Jurisdicfion
habitat at a 1:1 ratio. The remaining mitigation should be
accomplished through on-site creation or enhancement of
degraded habitat. The conceptual plan includes creation
Riparian^ 1.20 1.20 0.07 3:1 0.21 of suitable riparian habitat on-site through conversion of
0.21 acre of agricultural fields. Mitigation ofthe CDFG
impacts will encompass USACE and wetland community Streambed 0.07 0.07 0.001 1:1 0.001
of suitable riparian habitat on-site through conversion of
0.21 acre of agricultural fields. Mitigation ofthe CDFG
impacts will encompass USACE and wetland community
Terraces at Sunny Creek Mifigafion Site® 11.01 mitigation.
TOTAL CDFG 1.27 11.01 12.28 0.071 0.211
Isolated Drainage^ 0.06 0.47 0.53 0.04
^ Total impacts include impacts from proposed restoration when it consists of conversion from one mapped vegetation community to coastal sage scrub or riparian scrub.
^ Acres remaining within study area available for mitigation after excluding the development impact area and the area dedicated as open space for wetland mitigation from development of Terraces at Sunny Creek.
^ Acreage based on all coastal sage scrub present within the total project ownership.
Does not include jurisdictional areas in the open space dedicated for wetland impacts on the off-site Terraces at Sunny Creek, nor does it include drainages delineated as isolated.
^ Acreage overlaps and Includes USACE jurisdictional wetland acreage.
® A portion of this area was dedicated as open space for the purpose of wetland mitigation associated with mitigation for impacts to another off-site project; Terraces at Sunny Creek.
^ This drainage has been delineated and does not appear to fall under the jurisdiction of wither USACE or CDFG. This will need to be verified by these agencies during the permitting process.
RECON