Template for RECON Letter

An Employee-Owned Company June 24, 2016 Ms. Rikkie Ren Creative Design Associates 17528 E. Rowland Street, 2nd Floor City of Industry, CA 91748 Reference: Archaeological Survey for the Loma Alta Residence (RECON Number 7804) Dear Ms. Ren: This letter is to document the archaeological survey for the Loma Alta Residence (project) in the city of Oceanside, California. The archaeological survey was undertaken to fulfill City of Oceanside’s responsibilities under the California Environmental Quality Act. A qualified RECON archaeologist surveyed the project property on June 15, 2016 to identify, evaluate, and record any observable surface cultural resources. No prehistoric or historic cultural resources were observed during the survey of the property. 1.0 Introduction The project site is located in the city of Oceanside, east of Interstate 5 and north of State Route 78 (Figure 1). The project site consists of 4.13 acres (Assessor’s Parcel Number 149-010-2800) in Section 24 of Township 11 South, Range 5 West of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 7.5-minute topographic map, San Luis Rey quadrangle (Figure 2). The project site is composed of undeveloped land consisting of disturbed and ornamental vegetation and is surrounded by single-family residential development to the north, south, east, and west (Figure 3). The project proposes the construction of 10 single-family dwelling units on a previously undeveloped 4.13- acre parcel. 2.0 Environmental Setting 2.1 Physical Setting The project site is currently vacant. Residential fencing bounds most of the property, with a segment of chain-link fencing along Loma Alta Drive. Vegetation consists of non-native grasses, plants, and trees, with the predominant ground cover being black mustard (Brassica nigra) and thistles (Sonchus spp.). The north and west portions of the property are mostly flat (Photograph 1) with a gentle slope to the south that then drops into a small southwest-trending canyon (Photograph 2). There are no visible indications of once existent structures on the property. The property was once used as an orchard and there is evidence of terracing on the steeper (mostly south- and east-facing) slopes that make up the southern boundary of the property (Photograph 3). The most recent ground disturbance is an overall plowing of the property, which has exposed an abundant amount of cobbles (Photograph 4). Also present is a high amount of subsurface rodent activity. 2.2 Topography and Soils Elevations within the survey area range from 140 feet above mean sea level (AMSL) in the south to 200 feet AMSL in the north. One soil type, Chesterton fine sandy loam [CfB], 2 to 5 percent slopes, is mapped within the project site by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (1973). This soil type consists of gently sloping sandy loams with sandy clay subsoil, formed from material weathered in place from sandstone. It has very slow 1927 Fifth Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101 | 619.308.9333 | reconenvironmental.com SAN DIEGO | CENTRAL COAST | BERKELEY | TUCSON Ms. Rikkie Ren Page 2 June 24, 2016 permeability and slow runoff, with slight erosion hazard in cultivated areas. One formation type, Old Paralic deposits, units 2-4 (Qop2-4), which is a late to middle Pleistocene formation, is mapped within the project site by the U.S. Geologic Survey (2005). This formation type is mostly poorly sorted, moderately permeable, reddish–brown interfingered strandline, beach, estuarine, and colluvial deposits composed of siltstone, sandstone, and conglomerate. 2.3 Cultural Setting The prehistoric cultural sequence in San Diego County is generally conceived as comprising three basic periods: the Paleoindian, dated between about 11,500 and 8,500 years ago and manifested by the artifacts of the San Dieguito Complex; the Archaic, lasting from about 8,500 to 1,500 years ago (A.D. 500) and manifested by the cobble and core technology of the La Jollan Complex; and the Late Prehistoric, lasting from about 1,500 years ago to historic contact (i.e., A.D. 500 to 1769) and represented by the Cuyamaca Complex. This latest complex is marked by the appearance of ceramics, small arrow points, and cremation burial practices. The Paleoindian Period in San Diego County is most closely associated with the San Dieguito Complex, as identified by Rogers (1938, 1939, 1945). The San Dieguito assemblage consists of well-made scraper planes, choppers, scraping tools, crescentics, elongated bifacial knives, and leaf-shaped points. The San Dieguito Complex is thought to represent an early emphasis on hunting (Warren et al. 1993). The Archaic Period in coastal San Diego County is represented by the La Jolla Complex, a local manifestation of the widespread Millingstone Horizon. This period brings an apparent shift toward a more generalized economy and an increased emphasis on seed resources, small game, and shellfish. The local cultural manifestations of the Archaic Period are called the La Jollan Complex along the coast and the Pauma Complex inland. Pauma Complex sites lack the shell that dominates many La Jollan sites. Along with an economic focus on gathering plant resources, the settlement system appears to have been more sedentary. The La Jollan assemblage is dominated by rough, cobble-based choppers and scrapers, and slab and basin metates. Large side-notched and Elko series projectile points appeared late in the period. Large deposits of marine shell at coastal sites argue for the importance of shellfish gathering to the coastal Archaic Period economy. The Late Prehistoric Period is represented by the San Luis Rey complex. Research by True (True et al. 1974; True and Waugh 1981) has put possible initial San Luis Rey complex movement into northern San Diego County at approximately 2,000 B.P. This move into the county began with a foraging pattern, characterized by small camps and multiple residential shifts during the course of the year (True and Waugh 1981). Later period settlement becomes more territorial, correlating with drainage systems, and shifting to a classic collector strategy. This settlement pattern is also seasonal, with permanent winter camps in the western foothills and summer camps in the mountains. These mountain camps are frequently associated with bedrock milling features, used for processing acorns and other plant products. At the time of the Spanish arrival in A.D. 1769, the project area was within traditional territory of the Luiseño. The Luiseño are the most southwesterly of the Shoshonean or Uto-Aztecan speakers, and Luiseño territory encompassed much of northern San Diego and Orange counties. Luiseño settlement systems have been carefully reconstructed on the basis of extensive ethnographic and ethnohistoric research (Bean and Shipek 1978; Kroeber 1925; Sparkman 1908; Strong 1929; White 1963). White (1963:117) suggested that an average inland rancheria had a territory of approximately 30 square miles. He suggested that the Luiseño settlement system consisted of a series of villages or rancherias located on terraces above the valley bottom watercourse (i.e., the San Luis Rey River). The rancheria-owned territory is a contiguous strip leading from the valley bottom to upland areas. This vertical pattern of rancheria territory facilitated gathering plant foods through the year. In fall, the people moved temporarily to higher elevations (e.g., Palomar Mountain) for the acorn harvest (White 1963:121). a r i t Temecula RIVERSIDE S A N D I E G O a g r COUNTY COUNTY r a e Pechanga M v i Tribal S a R a n t Lands Cleveland NF Rainbow t a r i a g r a r M e v i a t R Fallbrook n a Pauma CAMP PENDLETON S and Yuima MARINE CO BASE i s Pala Reservation u r L e Reservation n i v S a R y Camp R e Pendleton UV76 North Bonsall Rincon Reservation Valley Center Hidden Meadows Oceanside kj ¨¦§15 Daley San Pasqual Ranch Reservation Vista UV78 5 ¨¦§ Lake Wohlford San Marcos Escondido Carlsbad Lake San Marcos o d Batiquitos i i t o d g u Lagoon n k e o e i c e r D s E C n r a e S Lake i v Encinitas Hodges R Rancho Santa Fe Solana Fairbanks Beach Ranch Poway SAN BERNARDINO San Del Mar Diego ORANGE RIVERSIDE UV56 Los Penasquitos Canyon Presv 67 SAN DIEGO USMC AIR UV STATION ¦§¨805 MIRAMAR USMC AIR Santee MEXICO STATION MIRAMAR 0Miles 5 [ kj Project Location FIGURE 1 Regional Location M:\JOBS4\7804\common_gis\fig1.mxd 5/4/2015 fmm Map Source: USGS 7.5 minute topographic map series, San Luis Rey quadrangle, 1975, T11S R05W 0Feet 2,000 [ Project Site FIGURE 2 Project Location on USGS Map M:\JOBS4\7804\common_gis\fig2.mxd 5/4/2015 fmm E D G E W O Image Source: SanGIS (flown May 2012) O D P L OD DR O V AN ROY WAY DGEW E APN 149-010-2800 H IL L D A L E S T ST WALSH M:\JOBS4\7804\common_gis\fig3.mxd 6/8/2015 ccn Project Site LOMA ALTA DR Project Location on Aerial Photograph 0 150 Feet FIGURE 3 [ Ms. Rikkie Ren Page 6 June 24, 2016 A wide range of tools were made by the Luiseño using both locally available and imported materials. Numerous other flaked stone tools were made including scrapers, choppers, flake-based cutting tools, and bifacial knives. Preferred stone types were locally available metavolcanics, quartz, and Piedra de Lumbre chert. Obsidian was imported from the deserts to the north and east. Ground stone objects include mortars and pestles typically made of fine-grained granite. Mortars are associated with grinding acorns, although a variety of other materials was processed in them as well (Yohe et al. 1991). Simple basin metates and cobble manos were also used for grinding grass seeds and other items.

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