Site Assessment
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635 Carmel Avenue, Albany, CA 94706 Fingerman Property 1755 South Fork Diamond Mountain Road Calistoga, Napa County BIOLOGICAL HABITAT EVALUATION REPORT PREPARED FOR: Prunuske Chatham, Inc. 400 Morris Street, Suite G Sebastopol, CA 95472 Contact: Carrie Lukacic 707/824-4600 PREPARED BY: Pacific Biology 635 Carmel Avenue Albany, CA 94706 Contact: Josh Phillips 510/527-1008 October 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................... ii 1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................. 1 2.0 PROJECT LOCATION .................................................................................................................... 1 3.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION .............................................................................................................. 1 4.0 METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................................ 5 5.0 EXISTING BIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS .................................................................................... 6 (i) Regional Setting ....................................................................................................................... 6 (ii) Geology and Soils .................................................................................................................... 7 (iii) Climate ..................................................................................................................................... 7 (iv) Project Site Botanical Resources .......................................................................................... 7 6.0 SPECIAL-STATUS SPECIES ....................................................................................................... 12 (i) Special-Status Plant Species ................................................................................................. 12 (ii) Special-Status Wildlife Species ............................................................................................ 22 7.0 JURISDICTIONAL RESOURCES ............................................................................................... 27 8.0 SENSITIVE PLANT COMMUNITIES ........................................................................................ 28 9.0 WILDLIFE MOVEMENT CORRIDORS .................................................................................... 30 10.0 LITERATURE CITED ................................................................................................................... 31 FIGURES: Figure 1. Regional Location ....................................................................................................................... 3 Figure 2. Project Site................................................................................................................................... 4 Figure 3. Onsite Plant Communities ......................................................................................................... 9 Figure 4. Local CNDDB Map ................................................................................................................... 14 Appendices: Appendix A: USFWS Species List Appendix B: Resumes Appendix C: Site Photos Appendix D: Plant List 1755 South Fork Diamond Mountain Rd Project i Biological Habitat Evaluation Report EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The proposed project involves the construction of a 3,267 square foot (sf) winery, 5,486 sf of exterior work areas, a 7,134 sf wine cave with three proposed portals, the restoration of the existing pond, and improvements to the driveway entrance. Natural habitats within or immediately boarding the project’s disturbance boundary include fresh emergent wetland (associated with the onsite pond), montane hardwood, annual grassland/ruderal, mixed chaparral, and redwood. The onsite redwood habitat is considered a sensitive plant community by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and portions of the onsite mixed chaparral may be described as Stanford manzanita chaparral, which is also considered a sensitive plant community by the CDFW. The project site provides suitable habitat for special-status plants and two potentially special-status plant species were identified during the August reconnaissance survey – species that appear to match the description of the vegetative characteristics for Napa false indigo (Amorpha californica var. napensis) (CRPR List 1B.2) and Calistoga ceanothus (Ceanothus divergens) (CRPR List 1.B.2) were observed, but the identity of these plants should be confirmed during plant’s flowering phase. Appropriately timed surveys are required to determine if these or other special-status plants occur on the project site. Avoidance measures are also required to prevent impacts to bird species potentially nesting on or near the project site and to protect western pond turtle (should the species occur in the onsite pond). The onsite pond is expected to be under the jurisdiction of the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) and the CDFW. The associated wetlands may also be under the jurisdiction of the RWQCB. The pond and associated wetlands are not expected to be under the jurisdiction of the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) because there is no hydrologic connection of the pond to a Waters of the U.S. The potential occurrence of northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina), a state and federally threatened species, is addressed in a separate report. 1755 South Fork Diamond Mountain Rd Project ii Biological Habitat Evaluation Report 1.0 INTRODUCTION Pacific Biology and Vollmar Natural Lands Consulting (VNLC) conducted a biological habitat evaluation of the 1755 South Fork Diamond Mountain Road project site, located in Calistoga, Napa County, California. The evaluation was conducted to identify and characterize onsite and surrounding habitats; to assess the potential of these habitats to support special-status plant and wildlife species; to identify any wetlands, riparian areas, or other sensitive habitats present; to evaluate potential project-related impacts to sensitive biological resources; and to identify feasible avoidance measures that could be implemented to protect sensitive biological resources. 2.0 PROJECT LOCATION The project site is located at 1755 South Fork Diamond Mountain Road, which is accessed from Diamond Mountain Road via the Saint Helena Highway (CA-29). The project site is located in the hills approximately 2 miles south of Calistoga (Figure 1). The site is in a sparsely developed area and is generally bordered by vineyards and undeveloped lands (including forested and chaparral habitats). The project site is mapped on the Calistoga USGS 7.5-minute quadrangle. 3.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION The proposed project involves the construction of a 3,267 square foot (sf) winery, 5,486 sf of exterior work areas, a 7,134 sf wine cave with three proposed portals, and the restoration of the existing pond to be used as a landscape element. Improvements would also be made to the driveway entrance, where the existing driveway meets South Fork Diamond Mountain Road. The approximate disturbance boundaries of the proposed project are shown in Figure 2. The winery will be constructed on an area of the property currently used to house horses. The fenced area includes an onsite barn/storage structure. All winery construction activities will occur within the footprint of the barn and surrounding fenced horse area. The wine cave will be constructed underground with three proposed exit portals. Portal #1 will serve as the primary cave access and will be located immediately adjacent to the winery. The other two portals will be the only other aboveground components of the cave. Construction of the proposed wine cave exit portals will require excavation of the portal, construction of a concrete bulkhead wall, and installation of two 22-foot long entryway wing walls for each portal. Installation of a temporary road will be required to provide access for the excavator and concrete trucks during construction. The temporary access road will be located between the existing unpaved road on the north side of the pond towards the portals, which will be located just below the paved driveway to the residence. The temporary access road will be 1755 South Fork Diamond Mountain Rd Project 1 Biological Habitat Evaluation Report between 10 and 12 feet wide and approximately 55 feet long for Portal #2 and 78 feet long for Portal #3. The area between the two wing walls at each portal will be used for winery guest areas with tables and chairs. The temporary access roads will be converted to narrow walking paths for guests, and the disturbed areas will be restored and planted native vegetation. Spoil material from the cave construction will be used to rehabilitate the existing pond. The pond will be drained. Planting material on the pond bottom will be removed and stored and used as planting medium for pond restoration. Approximately 3,900 cubic yards of spoil material from the wine cave construction will be stockpiled in the drained pond. Once the wine cave is constructed, the pond will be rough graded according to the landscape design and an artificial liner will be placed to stop pond leakage. The spoil material will be spread over the liner. The stored growing medium will be placed and augmented with compost and topsoil. Native grasses and forbs will be