Biological Resources Assessment
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APPENDIX B BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES ASSESSMENT GENERAL BIOLOGICAL RESOURCE ASSESSMENT AND HABITAT ASSESSMENT FOR ASH-GRAY PAINTBRUSH (CASTILLEJA CINEREA), BIG BEAR VALLEY MILK-VETCH (ASTRAGALUS LENTIGINOSUS VAR. SIERRAE), BIG BEAR VALLEY PHLOX (PHLOX DOLICHANTHA), BIG BEAR VALLEY SANDWORT (EREMOGONE URSINA), PARISH'S YAMPAH (PERIDERIDIA PARISHII SSP. PARISHII), SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAINS BLADDERPOD (PHYSARIA KINGII SSP. BERNARDINA), SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAINS DUDLEYA (DUDLEYA ABRAMSII SSP. AFFINIS), LODGEPOLE CHIPMUNK (NEOTAMIAS SPECIOSUS SPECIOSUS), AND SOUTHERN RUBBER BOA (CHARINA UMBRATICA) PRE-DEVELOPMENT REVIEW 2020-015/PDR APN 0311-405-01, 0311-395-01 and 0311-395-02 42175 Big Bear Boulevard, Big Bear Lake, CA 92315 San Bernardino County, CA USGS 7.5-minute topographic quadrangle map Fawnskin in Section 16 of Township 2 North, Range 1 East Prepared For: Main and Main Capital Group, LLC Mr. Dan Dover 5750 Genesis Court, Suite 103 Frisco, TX 75034 Prepared By and Principal Investigator: GONZALES GONZALES EENNVVIIRROONNMMEENNTTAALL CCOONNSSUULLTTIINNGG,,, LLLLCC 358 Crystal Drive San Jacinto, CA 92583 (760) 777-1621 Report Date: June 6, 2020 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. TITLE PAGE ...................................................................................................................................... 3 II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................... 4 III. PROJECT AND PROPERTY DESCRIPTION .......................................................................................... 6 A. PROPERTY DESCRIPTION ......................................................................................................................... 6 SOILS ........................................................................................................................................................ 13 B. PROPOSED PROJECT DESCRIPTION .......................................................................................................... 16 IV. FOCUS STUDY/SPECIES OF CONCERN ............................................................................................ 17 A. LIST FROM U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE (USFWS)/CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE (CDFW) 17 B. CONSULT WITH CALIFORNIA NATURAL DIVERSITY DATABASE (CNDDB) ........................................................ 21 C. LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................................................ 25 V. METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................................ 26 VI. GENERAL BIOLOGICAL SURVEY RESULTS ....................................................................................... 30 A. PLANT ASSOCIATIONS ........................................................................................................................... 30 B. BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES MAP ................................................................................................................ 33 VII. RARE, ENDANGERED OR SENSITIVE SPECIES AND HABITATS RESULTS ..................................... 42 VIII. IMPACTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................................ 81 A. PROBABLE IMPACTS ............................................................................................................................. 81 B. CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ......................................................................................................................... 86 C. RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................................................................... 88 IX. PROPOSED MITIGATION MEASURES ........................................................................................ 90 MITIGATION RECOMMENDATIONS ......................................................................................................... 90 X. REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................. 92 A. BIBLIOGRAPHY / REFERENCES CITED ........................................................................................................ 92 B. PERSONS CONTACTED .......................................................................................................................... 96 XI. LIST OF TABLES.............................................................................................................................. 97 XII. LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... 98 XIII. LIST OF SITE PHOTOS ............................................................................................................... 99 XIV. CERTIFICATION ...................................................................................................................... 117 GENERAL BIOLOGICAL RESOURCE ASSESSMENT AND HABITAT ASSESSMENT APN 0311-405-01, 0311-395-01 and 0311-395-02 PAGE 2 I. TITLE PAGE A. Date report prepared: June 6, 2020 B. Report Title: GENERAL BIOLOGICAL RESOURCE ASSESSMENT AND HABITAT ASSESSMENT for ASH-GRAY PAINTBRUSH (CASTILLEJA CINEREA), BIG BEAR VALLEY MILK-VETCH (ASTRAGALUS LENTIGINOSUS VAR. SIERRAE), BIG BEAR VALLEY PHLOX (PHLOX DOLICHANTHA), BIG BEAR VALLEY SANDWORT (EREMOGONE URSINA), PARISH'S YAMPAH (PERIDERIDIA PARISHII SSP. PARISHII), SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAINS BLADDERPOD (PHYSARIA KINGII SSP. BERNARDINA), SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAINS DUDLEYA (DUDLEYA ABRAMSII SSP. AFFINIS), LODGEPOLE CHIPMUNK (NEOTAMIAS SPECIOSUS SPECIOSUS), AND SOUTHERN RUBBER BOA (CHARINA UMBRATICA) On PRE-DEVELOPMENT REVIEW 2020-015/PDR; APN 0311-405-01, 0311-395-01 and 0311-395-02; 42175 Big Bear Boulevard, Big Bear Lake, CA 92315 C. Project site location: USGS 7.5-minute topographic quadrangle map Fawnskin in Section 16 of Township 2 North, Range 1 East D. Assessor's Parcel Number(s) and any related County assigned planning application numbers (i.e., Tract Map #) : PRE-DEVELOPMENT REVIEW 2020-015/PDR APN 0311-405-01, 0311-395-01 and 0311-395-02 42175 Big Bear Boulevard, Big Bear Lake, CA 92315 E. Owner/Applicant: Main and Main Capital Group, LLC Mr. Dan Dover 5750 Genesis Court, Suite 103 Frisco, TX 75034 F. Principal Investigator(s): Teresa Gonzales Address: 358 Crystal Drive San Jacinto, CA 92583 Phone: 760.777-1621 G. Name and phone number of person preparing report and of all persons who performed fieldwork on the site. Name of Person Role on project Teresa Gonzales Prepared report and performed fieldwork Paul Gonzales Performed fieldwork GENERAL BIOLOGICAL RESOURCE ASSESSMENT AND HABITAT ASSESSMENT APN 0311-405-01, 0311-395-01 and 0311-395-02 PAGE 3 II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Findings and Conclusions Main and Main Capital Group, LLC has proposed development of the 2.92-acre project site located in the City of Big Bear Lake, San Bernardino County, California. In May 2020, Teresa Gonzales, Principal Biologist, and Paul Gonzales, Senior Biologist of Gonzales Environmental Consulting, LLC (GEC) conducted general biological resource assessment (BRA), native plant assessment and habitat assessment for to characterize biological resources on the site, and to identify any biological constraints to the proposed project. Main and Main Capital Group, LLC is planning to install a Grocery outlet and associated parking. The purpose of the BRA was to address potential effects of the project to designated critical habitats and/or any species currently listed or formally proposed for listing as endangered or threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the California Endangered Species Act (CESA) or species designated as sensitive by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW, formerly California Department of Fish and Game) and/or the California Native Plant Society (CNPS). The site was assessed for sensitive species known to occur locally. Attention was focused on those State- and/or federally-listed as threatened or endangered species and California Fully Protected species that have been documented in the project vicinity with appropriate habitat. This includes: • Ash-gray paintbrush (Castilleja cinerea) • Big Bear Valley milk-vetch (Astragalus lentiginosus var. sierrae) • Big Bear Valley phlox (Phlox dolichantha) • Big Bear Valley sandwort (Eremogone ursina) • Parish's yampah (Perideridia parishii ssp. parishii) • San Bernardino Mountains bladderpod (Physaria kingii ssp. bernardina) • San Bernardino Mountains dudleya (Dudleya abramsii ssp. affinis) • Lodgepole chipmunk (Neotamias speciosus speciosus) • Southern rubber boa (Charina umbratica) In addition to the above listed species, the site was assessed for its potential suitability to support San Bernardino flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus californicus). Although not a State- or federally-listed species, San Bernardino flying squirrel are a CDFW Species of Special Concern and are considered a particularly sensitive species within the region. The site consists of habitat characterized as disturbed, Ericameria nauseosa (Rubber rabbitbrush scrub) Alliance, landscape and Pinus ponderosa (Ponderosa GENERAL BIOLOGICAL RESOURCE ASSESSMENT AND HABITAT ASSESSMENT APN 0311-405-01, 0311-395-01 and 0311-395-02 PAGE 4 pine forest) Alliance. The locations of the native plant communities within the project footprint have been impacted by anthropogenic activities in the area,