SONOMA COUNTY AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION & OPEN SPACE DISTRICT CALABAZAS CREEK OPEN SPACE PRESERVE PROJECT INITIAL STUDY AND PROPOSED MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION JUNE 2016 747 Mendocino Avenue, Suite 100, Santa Rosa, CA 95401 CALABAZAS CREEK OPEN SPACE PRESERVE PROJECT Initial Study and Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration The following Initial Study has b een prepared in compliance with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Prepared By: Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District 747 Mendocino Avenue, Suite 100 Santa Rosa, CA 95401 June 2016 Contact: Kim Batchelder (707) 565‐7360 TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................................... 1 Initial Study ................................................................................................................................................... 1 Public and Agency Review ......................................................................................................................... 1 Organization of the Initial Study ................................................................................................................ 2 1. PROJECT INFORMATION ......................................................................................................................... 3 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................................ 4 2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 4 2.2 Project Need, Objectives, and Scope ............................................................................................ 4 2.3 Project Location .............................................................................................................................. 4 2.4 Project Site Characteristics ............................................................................................................ 6 2.5 Project Components ..................................................................................................................... 10 2.6 Plan Implementation ................................................................................................................... 28 3. SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS .................................................................................... 32 4. DETERMINATION .................................................................................................................................... 33 5. EVALUATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS .............................................................................. 34 5.1 Aesthetics ...................................................................................................................................... 36 5.2 Agricultural and Forestry Resources ......................................................................................... 39 5.3 Air Quality .................................................................................................................................... 42 5.4 Biological Resources .................................................................................................................... 50 5.5 Cultural Resources ....................................................................................................................... 67 5.6 Geology and Soils ......................................................................................................................... 73 5.7 Greenhouse Gas Emissions ......................................................................................................... 76 5.8 Hazards and Hazardous Materials ............................................................................................ 80 5.9 Hydrology and Water Quality ................................................................................................... 84 5.10 Land Use and Planning ............................................................................................................... 88 5.11 Mineral Resources ........................................................................................................................ 90 5.12 Noise .............................................................................................................................................. 91 5.13 Population and Housing ............................................................................................................. 94 5.14 Public Services .............................................................................................................................. 96 5.15 Recreation ...................................................................................................................................... 98 5.16 Transportation and Traffic ........................................................................................................ 100 5.17 Utilities and Service Systems .................................................................................................... 102 5.18 Mandatory Findings of Significance ........................................................................................ 105 6. REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................................... 107 7. REPORT PREPARERS ............................................................................................................................. 108 Appendices A. Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration B. Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Calculations C. Erosion Control Sites Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation & Open Space District i Calabazas Creek Open Space Preserve Initial Study/MND June 2016 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1 Regional Location ......................................................................................................................................... 5 2 Project Location ............................................................................................................................................ 7 3 Erosion Control Locations ......................................................................................................................... 13 4 Ecological Management Issues ................................................................................................................. 21 5 Special Status Plant Species....................................................................................................................... 52 6 Special Status Wildlife Species ................................................................................................................. 53 LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1 Habitats on the Preserve .............................................................................................................................. 8 2 Proposed Erosion Control Activities ....................................................................................................... 11 3 Recommended Management Activities .................................................................................................. 29 4 Estimated Construction Emissions (lbs per day) ................................................................................... 44 5 Special‐Status Plant Species with Potential to Occur in Project Vicinity ............................................ 54 6 Special‐Status Wildlife Species with Potential to Occur in Project Vicinity ....................................... 57 Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation & Open Space District ii Calabazas Creek Open Space Preserve Initial Study/MND June 2016 INTRODUCTION Initial Study In 2004, the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District (District) purchased 1,285 acres of a 1,600‐acre property from Beltane Incorporated. Soon after the purchase, the District renamed the property Calabazas Creek Open Space Preserve (Preserve). The Preserve is located in southeastern Sonoma County along the western slope of the Mayacamas Mountains and the northeastern portion of Sonoma Valley, approximately 7 miles north of the town of Sonoma and 10 miles southeast of the city of Santa Rosa. To manage, enhance and protect the resources within the Preserve, the District has prepared the Calabazas Creek Open Space Preserve Resource Management Plan (Management Plan). The proposed project, for purposes of this environmental document, is the adoption and implementation of the Management Plan. Pursuant to Section 15063 of the State California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines (Title 14, California Code of Regulations, Sections 15000 et seq.), an Initial Study is a preliminary environmental analysis that is used by the lead agency as a basis for determining whether an Environmental Impact Report, a Mitigated Negative Declaration, or a Negative Declaration is required for a project. The State CEQA Guidelines require that an Initial Study contain a project description, description of environmental setting, identification of environmental effects by checklist or other similar form, explanation of environmental effects, discussion of mitigation for significant environmental effects, evaluation of the project’s consistency with existing, applicable land use controls, and the name of persons who