HomeMy WebLinkAboutCT 06-27; Muroya Subdivision; Tentative Map (CT) (3)HABITAT
CONSERVATION
AREA
NO
TRESPASSING
OCTOBER 2 0 1 5 PREPARED FOR,
Taylor Morrison Services, Inc.
15 Cushing
Irvine, California 92618
Contact: April Tomillo
PREPARED BY
DUDEK
605 Third Street
Encinitas, CA 92024
Contact: Paul Walsh, Landscape Architect #4446
Third Annual Biological Monitoring Report for the
Muroya Uplands Mitigation Project
THIRD ANNUAL BIOLOGICAL MONITORING REPORT
for the
MUROYA UPLANDS MITIGATION PROJECT
CITY OF CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA
A.KA. VISTA DEL MAR
Prepared for:
Taylor Morrison Services Inc.
15 Cushing
Irvine, California 92618
Contact: April Tornillo
Prepared by:
DUDEK
605 Third Street
Encinitas, California 92024
Tel. 760.942.5147
Contact: Paul Walsh, Landscape Architect #4446
Habitat Restoration Specialist
OCTOBER 2015
Third Annual Biological Monitoring Report for the
Muroya Uplands Mitigation Project, Carlsbad, California
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section Page No.
SUMMARY III
1 PROJECT INFORMATION 1
2 MONITORING SCHEDULE AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS 9
2.1 Agency-Approved Performance Standards 9
3 BIOLOGICAL MONITORING 11
3.1 Monitoring Results/Data 11
3.2 Monitoring Results Compared to Performance Standards 12
4 SUMMARY OF YEAR THREE MAINTENANCE AND
REMEDIAL ACTIONS 15
5 MAINTENANCE AND REMEDIAL RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR YEAR FOUR 17
6 REFERENCES 19
FIGURES
1 Regional Map 3
2 Vicinity Map 5
3 Mitigation Area and Photo Locations Map 7
4 Mitigation Site Photographs 13
TABLES
1 Monitoring Timeline 9
2 Performance Criteria by Year 9
3 Performance Criteria Compared to Actual Percent Cover (Year Two) 12
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SUMMARY
This report summarizes the third-year (October 2014—October 2015) monitoring results for the
Muroya Uplands Mitigation Project (Mitigation Project). The Mitigation Project was designed to
mitigate for upland impacts associated with the construction of the Muroya (a.k.a. Vista Del
Mar) single-family housing project. The Mitigation Project is located in the City of Carlsbad,
California, immediately west of Black Rail Road. The project was installed in accordance with
the Final Conceptual Upland Mitigation Plan for the Muroya Property, City of Carlsbad,
California, dated December 2011.
The third-year performance of the Mitigation Project was assessed utilizing qualitative data
collected during biological monitoring visits conducted in January, July, August, and October
2015. Results of the third-year monitoring indicate that habitat establishment has been good.
Native cover ranged from 75% to 95% with an overall average estimated at 85%. Species
diversity is good, with over 15 different native species inventoried. Weed growth and cover was
low to moderate during Year Three. The maintenance contractor (FIRS) performed seasonal weed
control to keep weeds at low levels, i.e., less than 5% cover. The site was irrigated until December
2014 to help establish the native container plantings and hydroseed and has remained off. This
demonstrates that the mitigation site has successfully adapted to natural rainfall cycles. The
primary maintenance activities during Year Three included weed control, irrigation system
adjustments, and trash removal. The habitat fencing remains in place and intact. Erosion has not
been observed in the mitigation areas. Trash accumulation during Year Three was not significant
and the contractor removed trash during routine maintenance visits. The Year Three performance
standards have been exceeded and remedial actions are not necessary at this time. The final Year
Five criteria have been exceeded for the past two years. The irrigation system has been off since
December 2014, and therefore the site is recommended to be approved/signed off in spring 2016.
Quarterly maintenance visits that focus on timely weed control and trash removal are
recommended for Year Four.
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1 PROJECT INFORMATION
The Vista Del Mar project located on the former Muroya property includes an approximately 10-
acre residential development within the approximately 20-acre property (Figures 1-3). The
property falls within the jurisdiction of the City of Carlsbad (City), is located in the southern
portion of the City and is subject to the Carlsbad Habitat Management Plan (HMP) and
California Coastal Commission regulations.
Diegan coastal sage scrub (DCSS), southern mixed chaparral (SMX), and southern maritime
chaparral (SMC) habitats occur within the project site. The federally listed threatened coastal
California gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica californica) has been documented utilizing the
native habitat areas on site. Mitigation for impacts to southern mixed chaparral and southern
maritime chaparral were provided through land dedication and on-site habitat restoration. This
report addresses the on-site restoration of 0.05 acre of southern mixed chaparral and 0.87 acre of
southern maritime chaparral for a total of 0.92 acre of on-site uplands mitigation.
The project proponent is Taylor Morrison of California LLC, which is located at 15 Cushing
Avenue, Irvine, California, 92618. The contact person at Taylor Morrison is April Tornillo,
phone: 949.341.1289. Dudek is serving as environmental consultant for the Mitigation Project.
The representative for the project at Dudek is Paul Walsh (Habitat Restoration Specialist).
Dudek's phone number is 760.479.4265.
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October 2015
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FIGURE 1
Regional Map
Annual Biological Monitoring Report for the Muroya Uplands Mitigation Project
Third Annual Biological Monitoring Report for the
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try
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Vicinity Map
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I=1 Muroya Project Preserve
WIA HMP 20-Foot Buffer
Proposed Chaparral Restoration Areas
Southern Maritime Chaparral
Southern Mixed Chaparral
Development Area
SDG&E Easement
Vegetation Communities/Landcovers
AGR, Agriculture
BS, Baccharis Scrub
CSS, Coastal Sage Scrub
DEV, Developed Land
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SOURCE:
Annual Biological Monitoring Report for the Muroya Uplands Mitigation Project
FIGURE 3
Mitigation Area and Photo Locations Map
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2 MONITORING SCHEDULE AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
Table 1 shows a monitoring timeline for the five-year biological monitoring program and
monitoring/reporting tasks completed to date.
Table 1
Monitoring Timeline
Year
2012 S
2013 M M M M R
2014 M M M
2015 M M MR
2016
2017 C
Completion of Site Preparation and Irrigation Installation and Start of the Five-Year Maintenance and Monitoring Period
Biological Monitoring Performed
Report Due/Submitted
Scheduled Completion of the Five-Year Maintenance and Monitoring Period
Monitoring Work Completed to Date
2.1 Agency-Approved Performance Standards
Table 2 outlines the agency-approved performance standards for each year.
Table 2
Performance Criteria by Year
Year
Coastal Sage Scrub
Percent Survival of
Container Plants Percent Native Cover Percent Non-Native Cover Percent Invasive/Exotics
1 90 30 <20 0
2 80 40 <15 0
3 80 50 <10 0
4 80 60 <10 0
5 80 75 <5 0
Percent Survival Total percentage surviva of all container plants.
Percent Cover Total percent cover of all native plant species, including trees, shrubs, and herbs.
El Current Year
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3 BIOLOGICAL MONITORING
Biological monitoring is conducted quarterly each year. Visual estimates of percent native and
weed species cover and dead plant counts are conducted during the fall quarter of each year. Line
intercept transect data will be collected in years 4-5 and tabulated. Monitoring data collected
during Year Three is summarized in the following section.
3.1 Monitoring Results/Data
Quarterly monitoring site visits included an assessment of plant and habitat health and vigor (or
mortality), species presence, and weed and invasive species control, as well as an assessment of
the soil moisture and watering schedule, boundary fencing/signage, erosion control, and the need
for trash removal.
Overall, the Mitigation Project continues to perform well and exceed the annual native cover
criteria. Container plants and seed throughout the site are growing well. Native recruitment of
coyote bush (Baccharis pilularis), bush mallow (Malacothamnus fasciculatus), and California
yerba santa (Eriodictyon californica) have been observed. Species diversity is high with over 15
native species tallied within the mitigation areas. Native plant species present on site include the
following: coastal goldenbush (Isocoma menziesii), coyote brush, California sage scrub
(Artemisia californica), deerweed (Lotus scoparius var. scoparius), black sage (Salvia mellifera),
Eastern Mojave buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum), toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia), laurel
sumac (Malosma laurina), sticky monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus), coastal prickly pear
(Opuntia littoralis), wart-stemmed ceanothus (Ceanothus verrucosus), chamise (Adenostoma
fasciculata), lemonade berry (Rhus integrifolia), Mojave yucca (Yucca schidigera), and Nuttall's
scrub oak (Quercus dumosa). Native cover was visually estimated in October 2015 and ranged
from 75% to 95% with an overall average of approximately 85%. Figure 4 includes
representative photographs of the mitigation areas.
A dead plant count was conducted in October 2015. Only a few container plants had perished.
Dudek does not recommend replacing these container plants at this time because more than 90% of
the planted containers have survived, natural recruitment has more than offset plant container
fatalities, and the site has exceeded the performance standards for Year Five.
Weeds germination was low-moderate during Year Three. The most prevalent weed species
requiring control included black mustard (Brassica nigra), spotted sandmat (Euphorbia
maculata), scarlet pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis), tumbleweed (Salsoa tragus), and goosefoot
(Chenopodium spp.). Weed cover was visually estimated in October 2015 and ranged between
1% and 5% with a combined site average of 3%. HRS controlled weeds periodically during Year
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three with a combination of hand tools and spot spraying of herbicide. No invasive species were
observed on site, although tree tobacco (Nicotiana glauca), sea fig (Carpobtouts edulis), and
castor bean (Ricinus coninninis) were observed in the adjacent areas.
The irrigation system has been off since December 2014 but appeared to be in condition. Soil
moisture was moderate due to recent rains. No erosion problems were observed within the
mitigation areas.
The project boundary posts, fencing, and signage appeared to be in good working order. Trash
accumulation was minimal and was removed during maintenance visits by HRS.
3.2 Monitoring Results Compared to Performance Standards
Results of the Year Three data are summarized in Table 3 and indicate that the percent cover of
native species, as well as the overall container plant mortality, exceeds the performance
standards for Year Three. Weed cover was within the acceptable range (<5%) for Year Three.
Table 3
Performance Criteria Compared to Actual Percent Cover (Year Two)
Criteria Category Performance Criteria Actual Percent Cover
Percent Container Survival ?.. 80 95%
Percent Native Cover 40 85%
Percent Weed Cover 15 5%
Only a few container plants deaths were noted in Year Three. Container plant growth and
hydroseed establishment have been good, and natural recruitment was observed; therefore,
replacement plantings are not necessary.
Percent native cover was determined during Year Two to be 85% (average), which exceeds the
50% goal for Year Three. In fact, the Year Five criteria of 75% native cover have been exceeded
the last two years running.
Weed cover was determined during Year Three to range from approximately 1% to 5% cover, which
exceeds the performance goal of less than 10% cover by weed species.
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Photo Point 1
Photo Point 4
Photo Point 2
Photo Point 5
Photo Point 3
Note: See Figure 3 for Photo Point Locations
FIGURE 4
Mitigation Site Photographs
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4 SUMMARY OF YEAR THREE MAINTENANCE AND
REMEDIAL ACTIONS
Maintenance activities during the third year included weed control, irrigation system scheduling, and
trash removal. Each of these maintenance items are discussed in more detail in the following list:
• Weed control efforts were performed approximately quarterly during Year Three. In general,
weed growth was controlled by carefully spot spraying with herbicide or hand pulling.
• The irrigation system was operated until December 2014 to establish the native container
plantings and hydroseeding. The irrigation is recommended to be shut off at the backflow
device and ball valves as it will no longer be needed.
• Trash and debris were removed on a regular basis during Year Three by HRS.
Remedial work was not need during Year Three.
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5 MAINTENANCE AND REMEDIAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
YEAR FOUR
Recommended maintenance work during Year Four includes seasonal weed control. The
irrigation schedule has been off since December 2014 and should be kept off at this time. The
irrigation system should be shut off at the backflow device (assuming it is not shared), ball
valves and the master valve. Any accumulated trash should be removed during routine
maintenance visits and any pest outbreaks noted and coordinated with the Biologist and Owner.
Remedial actions are not needed at this time as the site has already met the Year 5 performance
standards. The site will be non-irrigated for one year as of December 2015 and thus an early sign
off is recommended to occur in spring 2016 should the site continue to do well without
supplemental water.
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6 REFERENCES
Walsh, P. 2011. Final Conceptual Upland Mitigation Plan for the Muroya Property, City of
Carlsbad, California. December 2011.
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