HomeMy WebLinkAboutMP 10-01A; Quarry Creek Master Plan; Master Plan (MP) (2)United States Department of the Interior
FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
In Reply Refer To:
FWS/CDFW -SD-06B0009-I 5CPA0043
Mr. Van Lynch
Senior Planner
City of Carlsbad
1635 Faraday Avenue
Carlsbad, California 92008-7314
Ecological Services
Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office
2177 Salk Avenue, Suite 250
Carlsbad, California 92008
City ·Of Carlsbad DEC 1 6 2014
DEC 1 9 2014
Planning Division
Subject: Request for Determination of Equivalency for a Hardline Modification of the Quarry
Creek Master Plan Project 10-01(A), City of Carlsbad, California
Dear Mr. Lynch:
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has reviewed your November 18, 2014, request for
determination of equivalency for a hardline modification of the Quarry Creek Master Plan
Project (Project). The Service and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (Department,
collectively, Wildlife Agencies) previously concurred with hardline modifications for the Quarry
Creek Reclamation Plan Project in our October 13,2010, January 25,2013, and September 19,
2014, letters. We reviewed the equivalency findings for the proposed hardline modification for
consistency with the City of Carlsbad's (City) Habitat Management Plan (HMP) based on the
information provided in your request.
The project site is located in the northeast portion of the City, approximately a quarter to half
mile west of College Boulevard, and immediately south of State Route 78 (SR-78). The project
site is comprised of 2 parcels ofland: the 1 00-acre Reclamation Parcel (APN # 167 -040-21-00)
to the east, and the 56-acre Panhandle Parcel (APN #167-040-11 -00) to the west. Buena Vista
Creek bisects the Reclamation Parcel and runs westerly as it exits the Reclamation Parcel, and
continues off-site north of the Panhandle Parcel. The project site is generally bounded to the
north by SR-78, to the east by a commercial center and auto dealership, to the south by
residential development, and the Department-owned Buena Vista Creek Ecological Reserve to
the west.
The proposed hardline modification is the result of direction from the Carlsbad City Council in
their approval of Master Plan MP 10-01, and Habitat Management Permit HMP 11-07, on
April 16, 2013; and excludes the approved bridge over Buena Vista Creek, a trail, water line, and
drainage structure easements as analyzed in our biological opinion dated October 27, 2014
(FWS-SDG-06B0009-14F0522) (Figure 1). The proposed hardline modification will establish a
90.71-acre preserve, which is a 7.96-acre net increase over the 82.75-acre preserve established
by the 2013 hardline modification. The 7.96-acre net increase in hardline preserve includes 0.81
Mr. Van Lynch (FWS/CDFW-SD-06B0009-15CPA0043) 2
acre of coastal sage scrub (CSS), 6.51 acres of non-native grassland, and 1.66 acres of disturbed
habitat (Figure 1, Table 1).
Table 1. Quarry Creek Proposed 2014 Hardline Preserve Vegetation Changes
Vegetation Type
Existing
Hardline
(acres)
Removed
from
Adopted
Hardline
Area
(acres)
Added to
Adopted
Hardline
Area
(acres)
Proposed
Hardline
Area
(acres)
Total
Difference
(acres)
Sensitive
Coastal sage scrub 35.71 -0.33 1.14 36.63 0.81
Coastal sage scrub revegetated 4.52 -0.38 -- 4.14 -0.38
Chaparral 4.94 -0.18 0.03 4.79 -0.15
Riparian 16.12 -0.28 -- 15.84 -0.28
Freshwater marsh 0.44 -0.02 -- 0.42 -0.02
Subtotal Sensitive 61.73 -1.19 1.17 61.71 -0.02
Non-Sensitive
Non-native grassland 10.14 -0.46 6.97 16.65 6.51
Eucalyptus woodland 0.04 -0.01 -- 0.03 -0.01
Disturbed 10.37 -0.04 1.70 12.03 1.66
Developed 0.47 -0.18 -- 0.29 -0.18
Subtotal Non-sensitive 21.02 -0.69 8.67 29.00 7.98
TOTAL 82.75 -1.88 9.84 90.71 7.96
The applicant has agreed to place a conservation easement or declaration of restrictive covenant
over the hardline preserve, to provide funding for perpetual management of the hardline
preserve, and to otherwise comply with all applicable mitigation measures adopted in the Final
Environmental Impact Report (HDR 2013) for the project. The conservation easement should be
in favor of the Department or other qualified entity. A declaration of restrictive covenant should
only be used if the applicant demonstrates that it cannot retain a qualified entity to hold the
conservation easement.
The HMP standards for the western portion of Zone 25 require the maintenance of a contiguous
linkage of CSS, chaparral, and grassland habitats averaging 800 feet to 1,000 feet wide along the
southern and western portion of the zone and to maintain a minimum constriction of 500 feet
where narrower constrictions do not currently exist. The proposed hardline modification will
widen (up to approximately 400 feet) and conserve more CSS in this linkage on the Panhandle
Parcel than the hardline preserve originally approved under the City’s HMP.
Mr. Van Lynch (FWS/CDFW-SD-06B0009-14CPA0406) 2
Table 1. Quarry Creek Proposed 2014 Hardline Preserve Vegetation Changes
Vegetation Type
Existing
Hardline
(acres)
Removed
from
Adopted
Hardline
Area
(acres)
Added to
Adopted
Hardline
Area
(acres)
Proposed
Hardline
Area
(acres)
Total
Difference
(acres)
Sensitive
Coastal sage scrub 35.71 -0.22 1.14 36.63 0.92
Coastal sage scrub revegetated 4.52 -- -- 4.52 --
Chaparral 4.94 -0.18 -- 4.76 -0.18
Riparian 16.12 -- -- 16.12 --
Freshwater marsh 0.44 -- -- 0.44 --
Subtotal Sensitive 61.73 -0.40 1.14 62.47 0.74
Non-Sensitive
Non-native grassland 10.14 -- 6.97 17.11 6.97
Eucalyptus woodland 0.04 -- -- 0.04 --
Disturbed 10.37 -- 1.70 12.07 1.70
Developed 0.47 -- -- 0.47 --
Subtotal Non-sensitive 21.02 -- 8.67 29.69 8.67
TOTAL 82.75 -0.40 9.81 92.16 9.41
The applicant has agreed to place a conservation easement or declaration of restrictive covenant
over the hardline preserve, to provide funding for perpetual management of the hardline
preserve, and to otherwise comply with all applicable mitigation measures adopted in the
certified Final EIR for the project. The conservation easement should be in favor of the
Department or other qualified entity. A declaration of restrictive covenant should only be used if
the applicant demonstrates that it cannot retain a qualified entity to hold the conservation
easement.
The HMP standards for the western portion of Zone 25 require the maintenance of a contiguous
linkage of CSS, chaparral, and grassland habitats averaging 800 feet to 1,000 feet wide along the
southern and western portion of the zone and to maintain a minimum constriction of 500 feet
where narrower constrictions do not currently exist. The proposed hardline modification will
widen (up to approximately 400 feet) and conserve more CSS in this linkage on the Panhandle
Parcel than the hardline preserve originally approved under the City’s HMP.
Mr. Van Lynch (FWS/CDFW-SD-06B0009-14CPA0406) 4
Based on the above, the Wildlife Agencies concur with the equivalency finding for the proposed
hardline modification, and have determined that the modifications are consistent with City’s
HMP. We appreciate the opportunity to review the City’s request for a hardline modification. If
you have any questions regarding this letter, please contact Janet Stuckrath (Service) at 760-431-
9440, extension 270 or Stephanie Ponce (Department) at 858-467-4237.
Sincerely,
For, Karen A. Goebel Gail K. Sevrens
Assistant Field Supervisor Environmental Program Manager
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service California Department of Fish and Wildlife