Updated Biological Resource Study & Supplemental Wetland Delineation
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Updated Biological Resource Study & Supplemental Wetland Delineation Samoa Town Master Plan Humboldt County, California Prepared for the Samoa Pacific Group 5251 Ericson Way Arcata, California 95521 Submitted: May 17, 2019 J.B. Lovelace & Associates HC 69, Box 38 Covelo, CA 95428 www.jblovelace.com Table of Contents Summary................................................................................................................ i 1.0 Introduction .................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Previous Studies & Relevant Project Background ............................................ 1 2.0 Existing Conditions & Historical Context .................................................... 3 2.1 Historical Context ................................................................................................. 4 2.2 Current Environmental Conditions and Land Use Context .............................. 4 3.0 Methods .......................................................................................................... 8 3.1 Wetland & Non-Wetland Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas ............... 10 3.1.1 Supplemental Wetland Delineation ................................................................ 12 3.2 SPecial Status Botanical & Wildlife Resource Analysis .................................. 15 3.2.1 Preliminary Research ..................................................................................... 15 3.2.2 Special Status Botanical Surveys .................................................................. 16 3.2.3 Invasive Plant Species Documentation .......................................................... 17 3.2.4 Special Status Wildlife Habitat Assessment .................................................. 17 4.0 Results .......................................................................................................... 18 4.1 Wetland & Non-Wetland Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas ............... 18 4.1.1 Supplemental Wetland Delineation Results ................................................... 18 4.1.2 Non-Wetland Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas ................................. 25 4.2 Botanical & Wildlife Resource Analysis Survey Results ................................ 29 4.2.1 Botanical Survey Results ............................................................................... 30 4.2.2 Wildlife Resource Analysis Results ................................................................ 34 5.0 References & Literature Cited .................................................................... 37 List of Figures & Tables Figures Figure 1. Samoa Town Master Plan Study Area Vicinity .......................................... 2 Tables Table 1. Wetland Vegetation Indicator Status Ratings ........................................... 15 Table 2. Criteria for Evaluation of “Potential for Occurrence” ................................. 17 Table 3. Quantitative Summary of Wetland Habitat ................................................ 20 Table 4. Summary of Wetland Sampling Point Results .......................................... 22 Table 5. Comparative Summary of Recent & Historic Precipitation Values ............ 25 Table 6. Comparative Summary of ESHA & Non-ESHA Habitats .......................... 27 Table 7. Comparative Summary of Taxa & Communitites Addressed .................... 29 Table 8. Summary of 2018 Special Status Botanical Occurrences ........................ 30 Table 9. Invasive Plant Species Occurring in the STMP Study Area ...................... 33 Table 10. Summary of 2018 Special Status Wildlife Species Detections ............... 36 2018 Updated Biological Resource Study J.B. Lovelace & Associates & Supplemental Wetland Delineation Table of Contents Samoa Town Master Plan List of ApPendices Appendix A. Special Status Species Accounts .............................................................. A-1 Appendix B. Table of Special Status Species & Natural Communities Addressed ....... B-1 Appendix C. List of Botanical Species Encountered ..................................................... C-1 Appendix D. List of Wildlife Species Encountered ........................................................ D-1 Appendix E. Supplemental Wetland Determination Data Forms ................................... E-1 Appendix F. Project Figures .......................................................................................... F-1 2018 Updated Biological Resource Study J.B. Lovelace & Associates & Supplemental Wetland Delineation Table of Contents Samoa Town Master Plan Summary The Samoa Pacific Group, LLC continues to pursue acquisition of appropriate Coastal Development Permit approvals, in furtherance of the proposed merger, subsequent subdivision, and phased development of the Samoa Town Master Plan (STMP) project area on the North Spit of Humboldt Bay in Humboldt County, California. As part of this process, the Humboldt County Planning and Building Department is currently preparing a Supplement to the Master Environmental Impact Report (SMEIR) to evaluate potential environmental impacts resulting from substantial changes to the proposed implementation of the Samoa Town Master Plan and/or to environmental changes that may have occurred since certification of the Final Master EIR by the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors in 2009. As part of this additional analysis, J.B. Lovelace & Associates was engaged by the project applicant in 2018 to conduct an updated biological resource study and supplemental wetland delineation in order to provide current information regarding existing biological resources occurring within the STMP study area to better inform this process. Fieldwork and data collection associated with these tasks were performed during April, June, July, and November of 2018, and salient observations resulting from this fieldwork are briefly summarized below. Two State and Federally Endangered plants (Menzies’ wallflower, Erysimum menziesii and beach layia, Layia carnosa) and one additional special status plant (dark-eyed gilia, Gilia millefoliata) were found to occur in intact foredune and degraded dune habitats on both sides of New Navy Base Road, and west of Vance Avenue and adjacent abandoned industrial log storage areas. One previously documented (Mad River Biologists 2004) occurrence of dark-eyed gilia and two other special status plant species (pink sand-verbena, Abronia umbellata ssp. breviflora and American glehnia, Glehnia littoralis ssp. leiocarpa) in the northern portion of the study area (on both sides of New Navy Base Road) were not relocated during 2018 and are presumed to be extirpated from these specific locations. Significant observations of special status wildlife species were also documented during this process and although each observation occurred outside of the immediate study area, they are included herein for consideration due to their proximity. These consisted of: repeated observations of Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus anatum) hunting, roosting on industrial structures to the southeast (~1,500 feet) of the study area, and engaging in conspecific aggressive interactions during the breeding season; a single Northern Red-legged Frog (Rana aurora) loafing near a concrete drainage feature within 150 feet of the eastern edge of the study area; and five active Osprey nests just beyond the eastern and southeastern edge of the study area. One of the latter is ~100 feet 2018 Updated Biological Resource Study J.B. Lovelace & Associates & Supplemental Wetland Delineation Page i Samoa Town Master Plan from the southeastern study area boundary. Potentially important natural (e.g., cavities in mature conifer trees, etc.) and anthropogenic (e.g., abandoned buildings, etc.) wildlife habitat features were also observed throughout the study area. Results from the supplemental wetland delineation and delineation of non- wetland Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas (ESHA) confirm the persistence of previously delineated wetland and non-wetland ESHA, document changes in the boundaries of said habitats where they occurred, and present evidence for recently identified ESHA not previously delineated. Changes to previously identified ESHA boundaries were primarily attributable to vegetative development and plant community successional dynamics that have occurred during the 14-year interim since the originally delineation effort (Mad River Biologists 2004) was undertaken. These changes are manifest in the progressive growth and development of the woody vegetation associated with wetland and non-wetland (i.e., Northern Coastal Scrub) ESHA. Where both phenomena have occurred (in both wetland and non-wetland ESHA), the expansion of the vegetation has resulted in an expanded ESHA boundary. For the most part, these changes have been subtle and those of note are discussed herein. Elsewhere, the potential for additional expansion is limited, given the extensive physical constraints in the surrounding landscape inherited from the industrial legacy of the location. Additional new wetland features identified in 2018 include herbaceous and woody dune hollow Coastal Act wetlands (ESHA) occurring in the degraded foredune area between New Navy Base Road and either Vance Avenue or the adjacent (non-ESHA) abandoned industrial area near the Samoa Resource Recovery Center facility. Two additional “man-induced” Coastal Act wetland features were also identified, which do not warrant ESHA designation based on rationale that includes