Dudek. 2007F. 2007 Sensitive Plant Survey Results for the Newhall
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Dudek, "2007 Sensitive Plant Survey Results for the Newhall Ranch Specific Plan Area, Los Angeles County, California" (December 2007; 2007F) 2007 Sensitive Plant Survey Report Newhall Ranch DECEMBER 2007 PREPARED FOR: The Newhall Land and Farming Company 23823 Valencia Blvd. Valencia, CA 91355 PREPARED BY : Dudek 25152 Springfield Court, Suite 180 Valencia, CA 91355 2007 SENSITIVE PLANT SURVEY RESULTS for NEWHALL RANCH SPECIFIC PLAN AREA LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Prepared for: Newhall Land 23823 Valencia Boulevard Valencia, California 91355 Contact: Matt Carpenter Prepared by: 25152 Springfield Court, Suite 180 Valencia, California 91355 Contact: Sherri L. Miller 661.705.4561 December 2007 2007 Sensitive Plant Survey Results Newhall Ranch Specific Plan Area TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page No. 1.0 INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................3 2.0 SITE DESCRIPTION........................................................................................................3 2.1 Plant Communities and Land Covers ............................................................................. 6 2.2 Geology and Soils...........................................................................................................6 3.0 SURVEY METHODS........................................................................................................7 3.1 Literature Review............................................................................................................ 7 3.2 Field Reconnaissance Methods....................................................................................... 8 3.2.1 Sensitive Plant Species ......................................................................................... 10 3.2.2 Survey Limitations................................................................................................ 10 4.0 RESULTS OF SURVEYS ...............................................................................................11 4.1 Botany – Floral Diversity.............................................................................................. 11 4.2 Sensitive Plant Species ................................................................................................. 11 4.2.1 San Fernando Valley Spineflower (Chorizanthe parryi var. fernandina) ............ 19 5.0 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...............................................................................................26 6.0 LITERATURE CITED ...................................................................................................26 3738-131 i December 2007 2007 Sensitive Plant Survey Results Newhall Ranch Specific Plan Area TABLE OF CONTENTS (Cont.) Section Page No. APPENDICES A Resumes of Survey Personnel B Vascular Plant Species Observed at Newhall Ranch C California Natural Diversity Database Forms LIST OF FIGURES 1 Regional Map...................................................................................................................... 4 2 Vicinity Map ....................................................................................................................... 5 3 San Martinez Grande Area................................................................................................ 20 4 Potrero Canyon Area......................................................................................................... 21 5 Grapevine Mesa Area ....................................................................................................... 22 6 Airport Mesa Area ............................................................................................................ 23 LIST OF TABLES 1 Survey Schedule & Personnel: Newhall Ranch Specific Plan Area................................... 8 2 Sensitive Plant Species Observed or Potentially Occurring in the Newhall Ranch Specific Plan Study Area .................................................................................................. 12 3 San Fernando Valley Spineflower Summary of Occurrence Data for the San Martinez Grande Canyon Vicinity............................................................................. 24 4 San Fernando Valley Spineflower Summary of Occurrence Data for the Potrero Canyon Vicinity ................................................................................................... 24 5 San Fernando Valley Spineflower Summary of Occurrence Data for the Grapevine Mesa Vicinity .................................................................................................. 25 6 San Fernando Valley Spineflower Summary of Occurrence Data for the Airport Mesa Vicinity....................................................................................................... 25 7 San Fernando Valley Spineflower Summary of Occurrence Data for the Newhall Ranch Specific Plan Study Area ........................................................................ 26 3738-131 ii December 2007 2007 Sensitive Plant Survey Results Newhall Ranch 1.0 INTRODUCTION The purpose of this report is to document the results of surveys for sensitive plant species within the approximately 7,778-acre Newhall Ranch Specific Plan study area, a subset of the 11,963- acre Newhall Ranch Specific Plan area, for the 2007 field season. Surveys focused on known locations of the state-listed endangered San Fernando Valley spineflower (Chorizanthe parryi var. fernandina) (SFVS). Other sensitive plant species were recorded if observed on site. 2.0 SITE DESCRIPTION The Newhall Ranch Specific Plan study area is located in an unincorporated portion of the Santa Clara River Valley in northwestern Los Angeles County (Figure 1). It lies roughly one-half mile west of Interstate 5 (I-5) and largely southwest of the junction of I-5 and State Route 126 (SR- 126), with portions of the Specific Plan study area located in San Martinez Grande and Chiquito canyons north of SR-126. The City of Santa Clarita is located to the east of the study area, and the Ventura County/Los Angeles County line lies along the western boundary. Site elevations range from 825 feet above mean sea level (AMSL) in the Santa Clara River bottom at the Ventura County/Los Angeles County line to approximately 3,200 feet AMSL on the ridgeline of the Santa Susana Mountains along the southern boundary (Figure 2). Dudek surveyed known locations of SFVS within areas that are designated for development according to the approved Specific Plan. The Newhall Ranch Specific Plan study area consists of approximately 7,778 acres, with the actual area surveyed containing approximately 6,644 acres. The study area includes areas north of SR-126 between Chiquito Canyon west to the Ventura County line; south of SR-126, it includes areas between the Airport Mesa and Potrero Canyon, including Middle, Dead-End, Lion, Humble, and Long canyons. However, the active channel in the Santa Clara River, agriculture fields (e.g., Potrero Mesa), and areas currently proposed for conservation (most notably the “High Country” area) were excluded from the study area. This study area is dominated by east-, west-, and northwest-trending primary ridges, with north- and south-trending secondary ridges. Site elevations range from approximately 850 feet AMSL in the Santa Clara River floodplain to approximately 2,000 feet AMSL along the ridgeline, which separates Potrero Canyon from Salt Creek Canyon and Grave Canyon. Slope gradients range from moderate to very steep in the hillside areas to very gentle within the Santa Clara River floodplain, tributary canyons, and associated mesas. Distinctive elevated geographic features include Sawtooth Ridge; Razorback Ridge; Windy Gap; Ayers Rock; and Potrero, Grapevine, and Airport Mesas. 3738-131 3 December 2007 KERN COUNTY LOS ANGELES COUNTY LOS Lancaster VENTURA ANG SANTA BARBARA COUNTY COUNTY BARBARA SANTA VENTURA COUNTY COUNTY VENTURA ELES COUNTY CO UNTY Palmdale Ojai Project Site Santa Clarita Fillmore Piru Valencia Santa Paula San Ventura Fernando Thousand Reseda Oxnard Oaks Burbank Pasadena Azusa Westlake Village Hollywood Los Angeles El Monte Malibu Walnut Santa Monica Bell Whittier P A C I F I C Lakewood O C E A Rancho Long N Palos Verdes Beach Miles 06 12 Z:\Projects\j373801\Spineflower Management Plan\arcmap\2007 Sensitive Surveys\FigurePlant 1 Regional- Map.mxd 1/21/2008 -SL FIGURE Santa Barbara GIS Division Newhall Ranch - 2007 Sensitive Plant Surveys 621 Chapala Street Santa Barbara, Ca 93101 (805)963-0651 Regional Map 1 Val Verde Valenci Commerce KERN COUNTY Center SANTA BARBARA COUNTY LOS ANGELES COUNTY VENTURA COUNTY COUNTY VENTURA LOS ANGELES COUNTY VENTURA C Project Site OUNTY Ojai ek e r Fillmore C Santa Santa Clarita ic Paula Valencia ta s Ventura San a Airport ANGELES C C Fernando COUNTY LOS h Mesa Thousand i q Oxnard u Oaks i t o M i d Los C d le RA CO U N TY a C Angeles n a y n Santa o y P n o a c Monica n i f D i c e O a c e d a n -E n San Jos d Landmark C Flats y n Indian Village M i Dunes d E xx M on Mission a C r a n n t y i Humbl o Village o n n n y e y z Crossing n C a Homestead C e C y d n n n West n L i a io a n n r n C t H o o r Grapevine a n G e n y y v u y u n n z i m Mesa o o a a n e R b M n le C C i C t n a c o r Homestead i d d y n a g a a n a a y r o a e e C M t t l a East n l M s s u n e e a C a S H S m m a - w o o f f Onio t Newhall Ranch Specific Plan study area H H o O o t a Fie lds t h n R County Boundary S a i d g e Lo n g C any Mayo on Crossing Ay res C SL 1/21/2008SL a n yon - Potrero Potrero Wind