Biological Technical Report for the Torrey Pines Golf Course Storm Drain Repair Project
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Biological Technical Report for the Torrey Pines Golf Course Storm Drain Repair Project July 23, 2019 Prepared for: City of San Diego 1222 First Avenue San Diego, CA 92101 Prepared by: Alden Environmental, Inc. 3245 University Avenue, #1188 San Diego, CA 92104 Principal Investigator: Greg Mason, Senior Biologist 1 Biological Technical Report for the Torrey Pines Golf Course Storm Drain Repair Project TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Title Page 1.0 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................1 1.1 Project Location ..................................................................................................1 1.2 Project Description ..............................................................................................1 2.0 METHODS & SURVEY LIMITATIONS .................................................................2 2.1 Literature Review ................................................................................................2 2.2 Biological Surveys ..............................................................................................2 2.2.1 Vegetation Mapping..................................................................................2 2.2.2 Mapping of Potential Jurisdictional Areas ................................................3 2.2.3 Sensitive Species .......................................................................................3 2.2.4 Survey Limitations ....................................................................................4 2.2.5 Nomenclature ............................................................................................4 3.0 REGULATORY CONTEXT ......................................................................................4 3.1 Regulatory Issues ................................................................................................4 3.1.1 City of San Diego......................................................................................5 4.0 REGIONAL CONTEXT ............................................................................................5 4.1 Multiple Species Conservation Program Subarea Plan .......................................5 4.1.1 Multi-habitat Planning Area .....................................................................6 4.1.2 Land Use Adjacency Guidelines ...............................................................6 5.0 SURVEY RESULTS ..................................................................................................7 5.1 Physical Characteristics .......................................................................................7 5.2 Vegetation Communities .....................................................................................7 5.3 Plant Species Observed .......................................................................................8 5.4 Animal Species Observed or Detected ................................................................9 5.5 Sensitive Biological Resources ...........................................................................9 5.5.1 Sensitive Vegetation Communities ............................................................9 5.5.2 Sensitive Plant Species ...............................................................................9 5.5.3 Sensitive Animal Species .........................................................................20 5.5.4 Waters of the U.S., Waters of the State, and City Wetlands ....................23 5.5.5 Wildlife Corridors ....................................................................................24 i TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) Section Title Page 6.0 PROJECT IMPACT ANALYSIS .............................................................................24 6.1 Criterion 1 ..........................................................................................................24 6.1.1 Criterion 1 Impact Analysis ....................................................................24 6.2 Criterion 2 ..........................................................................................................25 6.2.1 Criterion 2 Impact Analysis ....................................................................25 6.3 Criterion 3 ..........................................................................................................26 6.3.1 Criterion 3 Impact Analysis ....................................................................26 6.4 Criterion 4 ..........................................................................................................27 6.4.1 Criterion 4 Impact Analysis ....................................................................27 6.5 Criterion 5 ..........................................................................................................27 6.5.1 Criterion 5 Impact Analysis ....................................................................27 6.6 Criterion 6 ..........................................................................................................27 6.6.1 Criterion 6 Impact Analysis ....................................................................27 6.7 Criterion 7 ..........................................................................................................27 6.7.1 Criterion 7 Impact Analysis ....................................................................28 6.8 Criterion 8 ..........................................................................................................28 6.8.1 Criterion 8 Impact Analysis ....................................................................28 6.9 Cumulative Impacts ...........................................................................................28 7.0 AVOIDANCE AND MINIMIZATION MEASURES .............................................28 8.0 REFERENCES .........................................................................................................31 9.0 PREPARER’S QUALIFICATIONS/CERTIFICATIONS .......................................32 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) LIST OF FIGURES Follows Number Title Page 1 Regional Location .......................................................................................................2 2 Project Location ..........................................................................................................2 3 Biological Resources ..................................................................................................8 LIST OF TABLES Number Title Page 1 Existing Vegetation Communities and Land Cover Types in the Study Area ...........7 2 Sensitive Plant Species and Their Potential to Occur ...............................................12 3 MSCP Narrow Endemic Plant Species and Their Potential to Occur ......................17 4 Sensitive Animal Species and Their Potential to Occur ...........................................21 5 Impacts to Vegetation Communities and Land Cover Types in the Study Area ......26 LIST OF APPENDICES Letter Title A Plant Species Observed B Animal Species Observed or Detected C State and Federal Regulations iii 1.0 INTRODUCTION This report describes existing biological conditions in the Torrey Pines Golf Course Storm Drain Repair (project) study area and provides the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and City of San Diego (City) with information necessary to assess impacts to biological resources under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and City, State of California (State), and federal regulations. 1.1 PROJECT LOCATION The study area for the project is located at the Torrey Pines Golf Course, 11480 North Torrey Pines Road, in the City west of the northbound Interstates 5 and 805 merge (Figures 1 and 2). The study area includes the project impact footprint where it occurs on undeveloped land and a portion of where the footprint occurs on developed golf course (the remainder of the project impact footprint is entirely on developed golf course so it is not addressed herein). The study area also includes a mapped buffer in order to address potential indirect effects to sensitive biological resources adjacent to the project. The study area is not within or adjacent to the City’s preserve, the Multi-habitat Planning Area (MHPA). The study area is located in unsectioned land in Township 15S, Range 4W on the U.S Geological Survey (USGS) Del Mar quadrangle. 1.2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION The project involves the repair of a storm drain outfall on the edge of the golf course, along a coastal canyon. The outfall is approximately 400 feet northwest of the Clubhouse. The outfall conveys runoff from an existing 18” reinforced concrete pipe (RCP) storm drain. It is not known when the original 18” RCP storm drain was constructed, but based on available record drawings, the outfall consisting of a straight concrete headwall was added to the pipe in 1960. This headwall was installed along the face of the coastal canyon, but has since fallen off, thus requiring repair. The City completed an alternatives analysis report for the project. The selected design alternative would remove the existing cleanout east of the outfall. A new A-5 cleanout would be constructed in its place to accommodate a proposed 42” RCP storm drain. From this location, the 42” RCP would be directed to the northwest along the perimeter of the canyon. Approximately 300 feet from the connection location, a second A-5 cleanout will be installed. At this location, the 42” RCP