Shops at Austin Creek Reference Document 7 Updated Biological Resources Report
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LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. F R E S N O R I V E R S I D E 157 PARK PLACE 510.236.6810 TEL B E R K E L E Y I R V I N E R O C K L I N PT. RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA 94801 510.236.3480 FAX C A R L S B A D PALM SPRINGS SAN LUIS OBISPO January 5, 2014 Mr. Bruce Codding One Calistoga Road Associates, LLC 3575 Alturia Heights Santa Rosa, CA 95403 Subject: The Shops at Austin Creek Updated Biological Resources Report City of Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California Dear Mr. Codding: This letter updates the biological resources report prepared by LSA Associates, Inc. (LSA), dated January 7, 2005, which evaluated biological resources on the Shops at Austin Creek project site. The Shops at Austin Creek site, which is currently being used as a retail nursery (Prickett’s Nursery), is located at the northwest corner of the intersection of Highway 12 (Sonoma Highway) and Calistoga Road; the business address is 5173 Sonoma Highway. This report was conducted to assess the current biological resources present with a focus on Austin Creek, to determine the presence or potential for occurrence of special-status plant and animal species. Jurisdictional waters were delineated at the site on October 2, 2008 and verified by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) on December 17, 2008. LSA re-mapped wetlands on August 7, 2013 and they were re-verified by the Corps on October 1, 2013. The following information describes methods, results, discussion, and recommendations regarding development constraints and additional biological surveys that may be required prior to development. METHODS Prior to conducting field work, LSA reviewed the California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB) (CDFW 2014) and the California Native Plant Society On-line Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants (CNPS 2014) to determine if any new records of special-status species and sensitive communities/habitats in the vicinity of the project site had been reported. The database searches and LSA’s knowledge of plants and wildlife in Sonoma County provided a basis from which to conduct the field survey. LSA conducted a recent field survey of the property on December 18, 2014. The survey included recording plant and animal species, assessing current habitat conditions, and noting potential habitat for special-status species. LSA conducted previous surveys on the site on November 23 and December 1, 2004. PLANNING | ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES | DESIGN LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. RESULTS Project Site Description The project site is located on the floor of Rincon Valley at the eastern end of the City of Santa Rosa, at the intersection of Highway 12 and Calistoga Road. The property is accessed via Calistoga Road and exits via Highway 12. The site is bordered to the east by Calistoga Road, to the west by Sonoma Highway (State Highway 12), and to the north and the west by residential development. Austin Creek forms the north property boundary. A drainage ditch runs through the site from Calistoga Road to Austin Creek. Except for the riparian vegetation along Austin Creek and scattered native coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia ) trees, the site is low-intensity urban in character. The property contains a retail nursery, an unoccupied residence and outbuildings, cell tower, and yard space used for overstock plant material, green waste, and related items. Several on-site native and non-native trees provide shade and visual buffering from the adjacent roadways. Vegetation Austin Creek and its associated riparian vegetation forms the north property boundary. Native trees found along the creek include coast live oak, valley oak ( Quercus lobata ), red willow ( Salix laevigata ), Pacific willow (Salix lasiandra ), Oregon ash ( Fraxinus latifolia ), California buckeye (Aesculus californica ), California bay laurel ( Umbellularia californica ), box elder ( Acer negundo ), and Northern California black walnut ( Juglans hindsii ). Native shrubs include poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum ) and coyote brush ( Baccharis pilularis ssp. consanguinea ). Non-native plants found in the riparian corridor include periwinkle ( Vinca major ), cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera ), medusa-head ( Taeniatherum caput-medusae ) and smilo grass ( Piptatherum miliaceum ). Periwinkle is growing throughout the creek corridor and covers both the north and south banks of Austin Creek. The eastern and southern sections of the property contain the retail nursery sales area, a paved parking lot, and compacted soil and gravel in the plant display sections. Several ornamental trees and native coast live oaks provide shade within the plant display areas. Except for one large planted live oak near the display arbor, all of the coast live oaks on-site are naturally occurring trees. Ornamental tree species on the site include silver maple ( Acer saccharinum ), cork oak ( Quercus suber ), London plane (Platanus acerifolia ), and sweet gum ( Liquidambar styraciflua ). Naturally occurring native madrone (Arbutus menziesii ), Oregon white oak ( Quercus garryana ), and valley oak are growing on the short slope between the parking lot and Highway 12. The majority of the western section of the property is characterized by ruderal (weedy) grasses and forbs and scattered valley and coast live oak. The unoccupied home is located in the southwest corner of the site. A drainage ditch, which crosses the center of the site and flows in a northwesterly direction, is devoid of vegetation through the nursery, but contains several wetland species in the western section. Wetland species found along the ditch include water plantain ( Alisma plantago-aquatica ), nut-grass (Cyperus eragrostis ), willow herb ( Epilobium densiflorum ), Himalayan blackberry ( Rubus armeniacus ), bristly ox-tongue ( Helminthotheca echioides ), and red willow. Non-wetland species found along the ditch include periwinkle, California brome grass ( Bromus carinatus ), golden bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea ), fennel ( Foeniculum vulgare ), vetch ( Vicia sp.), wild radish ( Raphanus sativus ), Italian arum ( Arum italicum ), dove =s foot geranium ( Geranium molle ), and Algerian ivy (Hedera canariensis ). 1/5/15 (P:\COD1401\Bio Report.doc) 2 LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. Wildlife The developed nature of the site supports wildlife species that are adapted to urban communities. Common bird species observed during LSA’s most recent and prior site visits include turkey vulture, American crow, western scrub-jay, northern flicker, Nuttall’s woodpecker, acorn woodpecker, rock pigeon, mourning dove, Anna =s hummingbird, chestnut-backed chickadee, American robin, California towhee, spotted towhee, dark-eyed junco, golden-crowned kinglet, lesser goldfinch, and house finch. A small stick nest was observed in a coast live oak near the nursery, which may have been used several nesting seasons ago by a western scrub-jay. This species and several others are likely to use the site year-round or during parts of the year and may nest in the trees or large shrubs on or adjacent to the site. While no mammal species were observed during the field survey, several common species are likely to be found on the property. These species include western gray squirrel ( Sciurus griseus ), Botta =s pocket gopher ( Thomomys bottae ), field mice ( Peromyscus sp.), striped skunk ( Mephitus mephitus ), and raccoon ( Procyon lotor ). The most common reptile to be found in this habitat type is the western fence lizard ( Scleroperus occidentalis ), which was the only reptile that LSA has observed on the site. Other reptile and amphibian species that may occur include Sierran tree frog (Pseudacris sierra ), ensatina salamander (Ensatina eschscholtzii ), California slender salamander ( Batrachoseps attenuata ), northern alligator lizard ( Elgaria coerulea ), common garter snake ( Thamnophis sirtalis ), and gopher snake ( Pituophis melanoluecus ). JURISDICTIONAL FEATURES Austin Creek Austin Creek is a jurisdictional perennial stream that flows in a generally westerly direction. The creek =s top of bank is approximately 5 feet above the channel on the south side, and approximately 4 feet on the north side. Both banks are covered with periwinkle and Himalayan blackberry that overhang into the creek and partially covers undercut banks and exposed tree roots. Oaks, willow, and California bay laurel shade the creek, however extensive periwinkle and Himalayan blackberry cover limits natural regeneration of the native trees. Virtually no emergent vegetation is present due to the shading by the tree canopy. One plunge pool within the creek was observed at the outfall from Calistoga Road and a few shallow pools further downstream. Austin Creek is channelized for flood control west of the site, and eventually flows into Rincon (Brush) Creek. Although maintained periodically for flood control, Rincon Creek is relatively undisturbed with tangled vegetation present through the downstream section (Bill Cox, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, personal communication). Jurisdictional Ditch The ditch, which flows in a northwesterly direction through the property from a culvert beneath Calistoga Road to Austin Creek, is subject to Corps jurisdiction. This ditch appears to collect runoff from Calistoga Road and Highway 12 storm drains, in addition to nursery irrigation run-off. Wetland vegetation grows within approximately 100 linear feet of the western half of the ditch. The portion of 1/5/15 (P:\COD1401\Bio Report.doc) 3 LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. the ditch within the nursery section is largely bare of vegetation. The ditch varies in width from approximately 2-5 feet.