Appendix B Biological Evaluation

Appendix B Biological Evaluation UHC MORGAN HILL BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION CITY OF MORGAN HILL, CALIFORNIA Prepared by LIVE OAK ASSOCIATES, INC. Rick Hopkins, Ph.D., Principal and Senior Wildlife Ecologist Davinna Ohlson, M.S., Senior Project Manager and Plant/Wildlife Ecologist Arren Allegretti, Ph.D., Plant Ecologist Prepared for A0702 Morgan Hill L.P. Attn: Mark Irving 2000 E Fourth St. #205 Santa Ana, CA 92705 September 3, 2020 PN 2478‐01 UHC Morgan Hill BE PN 2478‐01 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Live Oak Associates, Inc. (LOA) examined the biological resources of the approximately 3.7‐acre UHC Morgan Hill project site (“site”) plus an additional 0.9 acres of off‐site improvements. LOA evaluated possible impacts to these biological resources resulting from the development of affordable rental housing units (“project”). The site is located on Watsonville Road, approximately one mile west of Highway 101 in the City of Morgan Hill, Santa Clara County, California. Habitat and land use types occurring in the site include developed areas, ruderal fields, and a retention basin that is a relict from a former mushroom production facility. Sensitive natural communities are absent from the site and subsequently no impacts to these communities are anticipated. The site does not serve as a wildlife movement corridor, although wildlife may use the site as part of their typical dispersal movements to higher‐quality habitats in the region. Site development is not expected to have a significant effect on home range and dispersal movements of native wildlife that may occur in the region. Special status species that may occur on the site include the white‐tailed kite, loggerhead shrike, Townsend’s big eared bat, and pallid bat. These species could occasionally forage and/or could breed on or near the site. While breeding individuals would be vulnerable to construction‐related disturbance at their nest, foraging individuals would not be vulnerable because of their high mobility and ability to avoid active construction zones. Mitigation measures for breeding individuals of these species are provided in this document. Foraging habitat for these species would not be adversely affected by the project, particularly since this habitat is not uniquely important for sustaining viable populations. As a result, the loss of native habitat for these species would be considered less than significant. Similarly, impacts to habitat for special status plants would also be considered less than significant. The timing of site development could result in harm or injury to tree‐nesting raptors or migratory birds and roosting bats, should they occur onsite prior to development. Although nests were not observed during LOA’s field survey, onsite trees and shrubs provide nesting habitat for migratory birds and raptors, including special status birds such as the white‐tailed kite and loggerhead shrike. Buildings onsite also provide nesting habitat for swallows and roosting habitat for bats. Mitigation measures include timing both tree removal and building demolition to occur during the non‐breeding season to avoid impacts to nesting or roosting habitat. If the latter could not be accomplished, preconstruction surveys would be required. Although unlikely, burrowing owls could occur onsite, and preconstruction surveys would be required. Mitigation measures in compliance with the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Plan (SCVHP) are included in this document. Onsite hydrologic features include a roadside ditch and retention basin. Neither of these features are believed to be regulated waters (i.e., waters of the U.S. and waters of the State). The project would be subject to the nitrogen deposition fee and Conditions 1, 3, and 15 of the SCVHP. These conditions avoid direct impacts on special status species (Condition 1), maintain UHC Morgan Hill BE PN 2478‐01 hydrologic conditions and protect water quality (Condition 3), and protect the Western Burrowing Owl (Condition 15). Compliance with Conditions 1 and 15 involves mitigation measures of preconstruction surveys, avoidance measures for owls and nests, and construction monitoring. Condition 3 requires all projects to minimize impacts to covered species and their aquatic habitat. Additionally, Condition 3 requires the local jurisdiction (i.e., the City of Morgan Hill) to verify the implementation of appropriate mitigation measures. These measures should be incorporated into project engineering and Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPP). If the retention basin is determined by the Habitat Agency to be a seasonal wetland, the payment of a wetland surcharge fee would be required. The project would also be subject to SCVHP’s Condition 12, which avoids and mitigates impacts to wetlands and ponds. Impacts to degradation of water quality in seasonal creeks, reservoirs, and downstream waters would be considered less‐ than‐significant. The project is consistent with the Morgan Hill 2035 General Plan’s biological and natural resource protection policies. The City’s tree ordinance specifies mitigation measures regarding the removal of trees, and project buildout will result in the removal of some, if not all, trees onsite. Tree removal, along with construction activities that lead to the injury, decline, structural failure, or death of a tree proposed to be retained on the site, would constitute a significant impact. Mitigation measures reducing tree impacts to a less‐than‐ significant level are provided in this document. UHC Morgan Hill BE PN 2478‐01 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 PROJECT LOCATION .......................................................................................................... 1 1.2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ..................................................................................................... 3 1.3 STUDY METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................... 3 2 EXISTING CONDITIONS ....................................................................................................... 4 2.1 REGIONAL SETTING .......................................................................................................... 4 2.2 SOILS ................................................................................................................................. 4 2.3 BIOTIC HABITATS AND LAND USES ................................................................................... 5 2.3.1 Developed/Landscaped .......................................................................................... 5 2.3.2 Ruderal ................................................................................................................... 7 2.4 SENSITIVE NATURAL COMMUNITIES ................................................................................ 8 2.5 WILDLIFE MOVEMENT CORRIDORS .................................................................................. 9 2.6 SPECIAL STATUS PLANTS AND ANIMALS ......................................................................... 10 2.7 DESIGNATED CRITICAL HABITAT ..................................................................................... 23 2.8 JURISDICTIONAL WATERS ............................................................................................... 23 3 REGULATORY FRAMEWORK ............................................................................................. 24 3.1 CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) .................................................... 24 3.2 NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT (NEPA) .......................................................... 25 3.3 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES ..................................................................... 26 3.4 MIGRATORY BIRDS ......................................................................................................... 27 3.5 BIRDS OF PREY ................................................................................................................ 27 3.6 BATS ............................................................................................................................... 27 3.7 JURISDICTIONAL WATERS AND WETLANDS .................................................................... 27 3.7.1 Clean Water Act, Section 404 ............................................................................... 27 3.7.2 Porter‐Cologne Water Quality Act/Clean Water Act, Section 401 ....................... 30 3.7.3 California Fish and Game Code, Section 1602 ...................................................... 31 3.8 CITY OF MORGAN HILL TREE ORDINANCE ...................................................................... 31 3.9 MORGAN HILL 2035 GENERAL PLAN .............................................................................. 31 3.10 SANTA CLARA VALLEY HABITAT PLAN ........................................................................... 32 4 ANALYSIS OF PROJECT IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES ....................................... 37 4.1 IMPACTS TO SPECIAL STATUS PLANTS ............................................................................ 37 4.2 IMPACTS TO HABITAT FOR SPECIAL STATUS ANIMALS ................................................... 37 4.3 IMPACTS TO TREE‐NESTING RAPTORS AND OTHER MIGRATORY BIRDS ......................... 38 4.4 IMPACTS TO BURROWING OWLS ................................................................................... 39 4.5 IMPACTS TO BATS

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