CITY OF HOPE CAMPUS PLAN DRAFT EIR CITY OF DUARTE Appendices Appendix D Biological Report November 2017 CITY OF HOPE CAMPUS PLAN DRAFT EIR CITY OF DUARTE Appendices This page intentionally left blank. PlaceWorks Biological Resources Technical Report City of Hope Campus Plan, City of Duarte Los Angeles County, California FINAL REPORT Prepared for: PLACEWORKS 3 MacArthur Place, Suite 1100 Santa Ana, CA 92707 Contact: Nicole Morse, (714) 966-9220 Prepared by: Cadre Environmental 701 Palomar Airport Road, Suite 300 Carlsbad, CA 92011 Contact: Ruben Ramirez, (949) 300-0212 CADRE Environmental February 2017 D-1 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE INTRODUCTION 1 PROJECT LOCATION 1111 PROJECT DESCRIPTION 4 METHODOLOGY 4 4 LITERATURE REVIEW 4 5 FIELD SURVEY 5 7 EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING 6 VEGETATION COMMUNITIES 7 GENERAL PLANT & WILDLIFE SPECIES 11 JURISDICTIONAL WETLAND RESOURCES 12 SENSITIVE BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES 12 FEDERAL PROTECTION AND CLASSIFICATIONS 13 STATE PROTECTION AND CLASSIFICATIONS 14 SENSITIVE HABITATS 16 SENSITIVE PLANTS 17 SENSITIVE WILDLIFE 18 JURISDICTIONAL WETLAND RESOURCES 22 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS 22 THRESHOLD OF SIGNIFICANCE 22 DIRECT IMPACTS 23 INDIRECT IMPACTS 27 CUMMULATIVE IMPACTS 28 MITIGATION MEASURES 28 LITERATURE CITED 30 Biological Resources Technical Report City of Hope Campus Plan Cadre Environmental February 2017 i D-2 LIST OF FIGURES PAGE 1 – Regional Location Map 2 2 – Project Site Map 3 3 – Vegetation Communities Map 8 4 – Current Project Site Photographs 9 5 – Current Project Site Photographs 10 6 – USFWS Sensitive Species Occurrences 21 LIST OF TABLES PAGE 1 – Project Site Vegetation Community Acreages 11 2 – Sensitive Plant Species Assessment 17 3 – Sensitive Wildlife Species Assessment 19 4 – Project Site Vegetation Community Potential Temporary/Permanent Impacts 25 Biological Resources Technical Report City of Hope Campus Plan Cadre Environmental February 2017 ii D-3 INTRODUCTION The following biological resources technical report describes a detailed assessment of potential sensitive natural resources located within and/or immediately adjacent to the City of Hope Campus plan project site (Project Site). The report has been prepared to support compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) documentation including the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and environmental review process conducted by the City of Duarte, California. As discussed below, the assessment included a thorough literature review, site reconnaissance characterizing existing conditions (including floral, faunal and dominant vegetation communities), impact analysis, and development of proposed mitigation measures to reduce impacts to a level of less than significant. As stated by PlaceWorks: “The project applicant, City of Hope National Medical Center (City of Hope), is seeking approval of the City of Hope Campus Plan, which through a comprehensive Specific Plan would provide direction for the enhancement and development of the City of Hope campus over a period of 20 years, including the replacement of existing outdated and/or obsolete buildings with modern facilities. Specifically, City of Hope proposes additions to the existing outpatient (clinic), inpatient (hospital), research, office, industrial, warehouse, and hospitality uses at its main campus. New parking structures, surface parking lots, internal roadways, pedestrian and open space improvements are also proposed. Improvements would support the applicant’s efforts to expand its research and treatment capabilities in order to ensure continued advances in the treatment and research of cancer, diabetes, and other life-threatening diseases, while accommodating the needs of patients and their families, faculty, staff, and the community. The Specific Plan would be a guide and vision for the long-term improvements that will enable City of Hope to meet its commitment to transform the future of medicine.” (PlaceWorks 2015) PROJECT LOCATION The 116-acre Project Site is located completely within Los Angeles County near the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, immediately south of Interstate 215 and west of Interstate 605 as shown in Figure 1, Regional Location Map. Specifically, the Project Site is primarily located in the City of Duarte (89.5 acres) and partially within the City of Irwindale (26.5 acres) as shown in Figure 2, Project Site Map. The Project Site is bordered by Duarte Road to the north, Cinco Robles and Buena Vista Street on the western boundary, and the Santa Fe Flood Control Basin to the east and south. The southwestern region of the Project Site is bisected by the Duarte Flood Control Channel. Biological Resources Technical Report City of Hope Campus Plan Cadre Environmental February 2017 1 D-4 City of DuarteDurate City of Irwindale Project Site Figure 1 - Regional Location Map CADRE Biological Resources Technical Report Environmental City of Hope Campus Plan not to scale D-5 Duarte Road Pioneer Park Buena Vista Buena Vista Street Cinco Robles Drive Cinco Cinco Robles Drive Cinco PROJECT SITE City of Duarte Heritage Park City of Irwindale Santa Fe Flood Control Basin Figure 2 - Project Site Map CADRE Biological Resources Technical Report Environmental City of Hope Campus Plan 1 inch = 500 ft. D-6 PROJECT DESCRIPTION The project applicant is seeking approval of a Specific Plan developed for City of Hope Campus for the purpose of providing direction for enhancement and development over a 20-year period. As stated by PlaceWorks: “City of Hope (project applicant) is seeking approval of a Specific Plan, which would provide comprehensive direction for enhancement and development of its approximately 116-acre campus (less than one half acre is not owned by City of Hope) adjacent to the campus over a 20-year period. City of Hope proposes additions to the existing outpatient (clinic), inpatient (hospital), research, office, industrial, warehouse, and hospitality uses. New parking structures and surface parking lots are also proposed, as well as internal driveways and open space improvements. These changes and improvements throughout the campus would be implemented primarily through the Specific Plan, which would govern future development of the campus, supporting City of Hope’s efforts to expand its research and treatment capabilities, while accommodating the needs of patients and their families, faculty, staff, and the community.” (PlaceWorks 2015) METHODOLOGY The following section details the methods implemented prior and during the reconnaissance survey conducted throughout the Project Site. LITERATURE REVIEW Existing biological resource conditions within and adjacent to the Project Site were initially investigated through review of pertinent scientific literature. Federal register listings, protocols, and species data provided by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) were also reviewed in conjunction with anticipated federally listed species potentially occurring within the region of the Project Site. The California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB) (CDFW 2016a), a California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Natural Heritage Division species account database, was also reviewed for all pertinent information regarding the locations of known occurrences of sensitive species in the vicinity of the property. In addition, numerous regional floral and faunal field guides were utilized in the identification of species and suitable habitats. Combined, the reviewed sources provided an excellent baseline from which to inventory the biological resources potentially occurring in the area. Other sources of information included the review of unpublished biological resource letter reports and assessments. Other CDFW reports and publications consulted include the following: Special Animals (CDFW 2016b); Special Vascular Plants and Bryophytes List (CDFW 2016c); Endangered, Threatened, and Rare Plants of California (CDFW 2016d); and State and Federally Listed Endangered and Threatened Animals of California (CDFW 2016e); Biological Resources Technical Report City of Hope Campus Plan Cadre Environmental February 2017 4 D-7 FIELD SURVEY A reconnaissance survey of the Project Site was conducted by Ruben Ramirez of Cadre Environmental on January 21st, 2016 in order to characterize and identify potential sensitive plant and wildlife habitats, and to establish the accuracy of the data identified in the literature search. Geologic and soil maps were examined to identify local soil types that may support sensitive taxa. Aerial photograph, topographic maps, vegetation and rare plant maps prepared for previous studies in the region were used to determine community types and other physical features that may support sensitive plants/wildlife, uncommon taxa, or rare communities that occur within or adjacent to the Project Site. Habitat assessments were conducted for, but not limited to, the following target species/groups. Coastal California gnatcatcher – FT/SSC Least Bell’s vireo – FE/SE Southwestern willow flycatcher – FE/SE Sensitive plants Protected street trees (City of Duarte Municipal Code, Chapter 13.08) Vegetation Communities/Habitat Classification Mapping Natural community names and hierarchical structure follows the CDFW “List of California Terrestrial Natural Communities” and/or Holland (1986) classification systems, which have been refined and augmented where appropriate to better characterize the habitat types observed onsite. Floristic Plant Inventory A general plant survey was conducted throughout the Project Site during