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Low-Effect Habitat Conservation Plan for the Smith's Blue Butterfly And

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Low-Effect Habitat Conservation Plan for the Smith's Blue Butterfly And Low-Effect Habitat Conservation Plan for the Smith's Blue Butterfly and California Red-Legged Frog, at the Post Ranch Inn (APN 419-311-034) in Big Sur, Monterey County, California Prepared for: Michael S. Freed, General Partner Post Ranch L.P. Highway 1, Big Sur, CA 93920 Prepared by: Richard A. Arnold, Ph.D. John A. Gilchrist Entomological Consulting Services, Ltd. John Gilchrist & Associates 104 Mountain View Court 226 Spring Street Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (925) 825-3784 (831) 429-4355 Mark Allaback Jeff Norman Biosearch Associates PO Box 15 PO Box 1220 Big Sur, CA 93920 Santa Cruz, CA 95061 (831) 667-2815 (831) 662-3938 Draft 3.7 (USFWS Revision 8) March 2006 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Post Ranch Inn is a premier resort complex set among the ridges of the rolling Santa Lucia Mountains at the edge of the Pacific Ocean in Big Sur (Monterey County), California. The Post Ranch L.P., a California limited partnership that operates the Post Ranch Inn, has applied for a permit pursuant to Section 10 (a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531-1544, 87 Stat. 884) (ESA), as amended from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (the Service) for the incidental take of the endangered Smith's blue butterfly (Euphilotes enoptes smithi) and the threatened California red-legged frog (Rana aurora draytonii). The potential taking would occur incidental to proposed expansion of the existing visitor-serving facilities at a 91.98-acre parcel (APN 419-311-034) owned by the Post Ranch L.P. Two adjacent parcels: APN 419-311-035 owned by the Sullivan Family, and APN 419-0311-036 owned by the Post family are part of a Monterey County Minor Subdivision but not part of this HCP. These three neighboring parcels are located in Big Sur (Monterey County), CA. The HCP area or covered area includes a total of 91.98 acres. Within this area, 0.003 acre of Smith’s blue butterfly (SBB) habitat (0.001 ac. of sagebrush scrub with seacliff buckwheat and 0.002 ac. of sagebrush scrub that could support buckwheat) will be lost. An additional 0.826 acre of California red-legged frog (CRLF) upland forest and scrub habitat (see Table 3) will be removed. The proposed new facilities will include additional inn units, new yoga/spa buildings, a central services facility, employee housing and a maintenance/shop building. The total area for proposed expansion activities measures 3.06 acres, which includes new building footprints, new roads and parking, landscaping, and drainage and erosion control improvements. In addition 0.25 acre of scrub habitat may be impacted by fire clearance activities. Approximately 77% (2.35 acres) of areas proposed for expansion are located within existing developed or landscape areas. Habitat types at Post Ranch Inn include a diverse range of forest, shrub, grassland and aquatic habitat types. Expansion activities and minimal removal of vegetation for fire clearance will result in the loss of 0.001 acres of California sagebrush scrub which support an estimated 10 individuals of seacliff buckwheat (Eriogonum parvifolium), the larval and primary adult food plant for the Smith’s blue butterfly. Another 0.353 acres of California sagebrush scrub and California annual grassland which do not support seacliff buckwheat will also be affected by the project. Adults of the Smith’s blue were most recently observed at the project site during a status survey for the butterfly that conducted in July 2000 and August 2001. Outside of the proposed construction site but elsewhere within the HCP boundaries at the Post Ranch Inn, an additional 137 resident seacliff buckwheat plants could be affected by fire management, weed control, and habitat management activities, although that number is expected to be much lower. Take limits are proposed as follows: a) a maximum take limit of 15 seacliff buckwheat plants in the construction zone from construction-related impacts; b) outside of the construction zone but elsewhere within the HCP boundaries, a maximum take limit of 10 buckwheat plants/year, or a maximum of 100 total buckwheats throughout the 20-year permit term may occur due to other activities such Draft v3.6: HCP for Smith’s Blue Butterfly and Calif. Red Legged Frog at Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur, CA Page i as creation and maintenance of fire breaks, removal of exotic plants, and other habitat management or habitat restoration activities. Also, expansion activities could impact the CRLF. CRLF breed in the pond near the center of the property. Breeding and juvenile frogs in the pond could be affected by adverse water quality changes, and frogs emerging from the pond to upland habitats could be killed by auto traffic in the vicinity. As a result of these anticipated impacts, the Post Ranch Inn has applied for a Section 10 (a)(1)(B) permit and proposes to implement this HCP as described herein, which provides measures for minimizing and mitigating adverse effects on SBB and CRLF. Post Ranch L.P. Inn is requesting the Section 10 (a)(1)(B) permit be issued for a period of 20 years, with the possibility of renewal at the end of this term if the Inn is still operating. This HCP summarizes the project and identifies the responsibilities of the Service, Post Ranch Inn and its successors and assigns, and the conservation easement holder. The biological goals of the HCP are: 1. Protect SBB and host plant seacliff buckwheat during construction, and replace SBB habitat impacted by construction and management activities at Post Ranch Inn. 2. Protect CRLF breeding habitat at the pond and enhance upland dispersal habitat at the Post Ranch Inn site. To meet these goals, the following objectives are proposed: a) replace the 0.003 acres of impacted California sagebrush scrub habitat (0.001 ac. Calif. sagebrush scrub with seacliff buckwheat) with 0.736 acres of restored California sagebrush scrub habitat elsewhere on the project site; b) replace the impacted seacliff buckwheats providing foraging habitat for Smith’s blue butterfly with 200 mature buckwheat plants in the restored California sagebrush scrub habitat and by supplementing low density portions of the site with additional buckwheat plants; and c) permanently protect 36.1 acres of current and restored habitat for Smith’s blue butterfly and California red-legged frog (including breeding, dispersal corridors, etc.) at the project site via a recorded conservation easement. d) implement measures to reduce traffic on roads near the pond; e) continue exotic species removal at the pond; f) revegetate the pond perimeter with wetland species and pond weed for frog cover; g) and, provide additional upland habitat for the red-legged frog by planting native upland species, including native shrubs in the unvegetated parking turnout area south of the pond. This HCP also describes measures that will be implemented by Post Ranch Inn to minimize and mitigate the impacts of the project to the Smith's blue butterfly and its habitat, minimize and mitigate impacts to California red-legged frog, and to further the conservation of these species. These measures include: a) having a biological monitor present during construction; b) dust control during grading and construction; Draft v3.6: HCP for Smith’s Blue Butterfly and Calif. Red Legged Frog at Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur, CA Page ii c) fencing during grading and construction activities to protect butterfly and frog habitat; d) restoration of disturbed areas on site to create/enhance California sagebrush scrub for the butterfly, and emergent wetland and native scrub habitat for frogs; e) seed collection, propagation and outplanting of E. parvifolium; f) eradication of various invasive plants; g) eradication of bullfrogs and non-native fishes in the pond; h) implementation of a shuttle system to reduce traffic near the pond; i) staff and guest educational program to describe conservation strategies for the two listed species; j) water quantity and quality enhancement measures for the pond; k) placement of a conservation easement on 36.1 acres of habitat at the site; l) post-construction monitoring for a period of at least 10 years or longer until habitat restoration goals are satisfactorily achieved. The net effect of these measures is that 0.67 acres of California sagebrush scrub and 0.066 acres of California annual grassland habitats will be restored to benefit the endangered butterfly. A total of 15.4 acres will be protected in perpetuity for the butterfly. Also, 20.7 acres of wetland and upland habitats for the threatened frog will also be protected in perpetuity. A conservation easement will be recorded to insure the 36.1 acres of butterfly and frog habitat are protected. The HCP also describes measures to ensure that the elements of the HCP are implemented in a timely manner, funding sources for implementation of the HCP are assured, actions to be taken for changed circumstances and unforeseen events, alternatives considered, the permit amendment/renewal process, and other measures required by the Service. Draft v3.6: HCP for Smith’s Blue Butterfly and Calif. Red Legged Frog at Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur, CA Page iii TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY i TABLE OF CONTENTS iv LISTS OF TABLES AND FIGURES viii 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Project Location 2 1.2 Project Site 2 1.3 History of the HCP Process 5 1.4 Definitions 8 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND AREA 9 2.1 Project Description 9 2.1.1 Background--Existing Facilities 9 2.1.2 Proposed New Facilities Covered under HCP 9 2.1.2.1 Construction Staging and Timing 13 2.1.3 Site Development Issues 14 2.1.3.1 Grading and
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