3.3 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES 3.3.1 INTRODUCTION This section of the EIR evaluates the potential for the proposed project to impact biological resources. AMEC Earth & Environmental, Inc (AMEC) prepared a General Biological Resources Assessment (BRA) report for the proposed project in November 2007, which is contained in Appendix C of this EIR. This BRA generally involved the following methods of investigation: Literature review, including review of: United States Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Wetlands Mapper; Web Soil Survey produced by the National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS) and operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS); California Department of Fish and Game’s (CDFG) California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB/Rarefind Version 3.1.1); California Native Plant Society (CNPS) Inventory of Rare Plants; Rolling Hills Estates General Plan; and Environmental documents for projects in the vicinity. Reconnaissance-level field survey (conducted on September 7, 2007). In addition to the BRA, Davey Resource Group conducted a tree survey of the site and prepared a Tree Inventory and Management Plan for the project, which consists of an October 2008 iteration and a November 2008 supplement. HRP Studio, the project landscape architects, subsequently developed existing and proposed tree exhibits for the project. The Davey Resource Group reports and the HRP Studio tree exhibits are included in Appendix C of this EIR. 3.3.2 EXISTING CONDITIONS PHYSICAL FEATURES OF THE REGION Geographically, the City of Rolling Hills Estates lies primarily within Palos Verdes Peninsula, which is comprised of a series of hills surrounded by the Los Angeles Basin to the northeast and the Pacific Ocean on the remaining three sides. The Palos Verdes Peninsula is drained via a system of natural watercourses and man-made drainage features. The natural watercourses on the south and west portions of the peninsula drain directly into the Pacific Ocean, while the watercourses and City of Rolling Hills Estates 3.3-1 Chandler Ranch /Rolling Hills Country Club Project 3.3 Biological Resources man-made drainages on the north and east sides of the peninsula primarily drain into regional storm drain facilities, which in turn drain into the Pacific Ocean. The City of Rolling Hills Estates has a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild winters. During the summer months, average high temperatures are in the mid 80s °F, while in the winter the average low temperatures are in the low 40s °F. REGIONAL BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES The Palos Verdes Peninsula is primarily developed with suburban uses arranged within and atop natural hills and interlaced with canyons and other open space areas. Development on the Palos Verdes Peninsula is of a lower density than the development of the adjacent Los Angeles Basin and, as such, the Peninsula provides more vegetative cover and natural areas than the adjacent Los Angeles Basin. Natural open space areas within and adjacent to Rolling Hills Estates include the George F. Canon Open Space Preserve, South Coast Botanical Gardens, and the Linden H. Chandler Nature Preserve. These features are described in Table 3.3.1. Table 3.3.1 Natural Areas in the Project Vicinity Natural Area Description George F Canyon Open Space Owned by City of Rolling Hills Estates and operated by the Palos Preserve Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy South of the Intersection of Palos Verdes Drive North and Palos Verdes Drive East 36 acres preserved in its natural state South Coast Botanical Gardens Owned/operated by County of Los Angeles with assistance from the Northwest corner of Rolling Hills Road South Coast Botanical Garden Foundation and Lariat Lane, immediately north of Rolling Hills Estates 87-acre botanic garden Various plant displays and water features Various improvements, including an auditorium, exhibit hall, and gift shop Linden H. Chandler Nature Preserve Joint-owned by City of Rolling Hills Estates and the Palos Verdes Bordering the southwest corner of the Peninsula Land Conservancy and operated by the Conservancy RHCC golf course 28 acres of open space City of Rolling Hills Estates 3.3-2 Chandler Ranch /Rolling Hills Country Club Project 3.3 Biological Resources PHYSICAL FEATURES OF THE PROJECT SITE Geographically, the project site lies on the north-facing flanks of the Palos Verdes Hills overlooking the Los Angeles Basin. The topography of the project site is characterized by the Chandler’s quarry pit and the gently rolling hills that make up the existing RHCC golf course. Drainage onsite generally flows from south/southwest to north/northeast (i.e., from the Palos Verdes Hills towards the Los Angeles Basin). Bent Springs Canyon and its unnamed tributary flow onto the site from the southwest and ultimately drain into the existing quarry pit onsite. Before percolating into the quarry, the flows of Bent Springs Canyon occasionally pond in a retention facility within the quarry area. Other onsite surface water features include a variety of existing golf course ponds. The USFWS Wetlands Mapper identifies five freshwater ponds, three freshwater forested/shrub wetlands, one freshwater emergent wetland, and one National Hydrography Data (NHD) stream (Bent Springs Canyon) onsite (see Figure 3.3.1). These ponds, wetlands, and stream are all associated with the RHCC golf course, are man-made features, and are not connected to any navigable waters. Therefore, they are not federal or state jurisdictional waters or wetlands. VEGETATIVE CHARACTERISTICS AND RESOURCES AMEC provides the following description of the site’s vegetation in their November 2007 BRA report (Appendix C): The southern portion of the project site consists of the RHCC golf course (see Photographs 3 & 4 in Appendix C [of the BRA]). The conceptual landscape plant palette associated with the RHCC golf course is listed in Appendix B [of the BRA]. The northern portion of the project site consists of the Chandler Quarry, which is primarily void of vegetation (see Photographs 3, 5, & 6 in Appendix C [of the BRA]). There are a few small remnant patches of coastal sage scrub present along the steep- sided margins and bluffs of some of the Chandler Quarry’s mining pits (see Photographs 7,8, & 9 in Appendix C [of the BRA]). The habitats (and approximate acreages) present on-site include disturbed/Chandler Quarry (120 acres), disturbed/golf course (102 acres), freshwater ponds (1.6 acres), coastal sage scrub (1.5 acres), and freshwater emergent vegetation (0.4 acres) [Figure 3.3.2]). Plant species observed during the course of the field survey are listed in Appendix A [of the BRA]. Additional species not observed, but expected to occur on the project site, may have been undetectable because of the timing of the survey (blooming periods). In addition to the general vegetative cover, the site contains 1,482 trees representing 77 species, as identified by Davey Research Group. Table 3.3.2 identifies the 15 tree species comprising more than 1% of the total tree population onsite. City of Rolling Hills Estates 3.3-3 Chandler Ranch /Rolling Hills Country Club Project 3.3 Biological Resources Table 3.3.2 Predominant Tree Species Onsite Species Count % of Total Pinus halepensis (ALEPPO PINE) 218 15% Eucalyptus globulus (BLUE GUM) 192 13% Eucalyptus citriodor (LEMON-SCENTED GUM) 150 10% Pinus canariensis (CANARY-ISLAND PINE) 118 8% Pinus radiata (MONTEREY PINE) 108 7% Fraxinus spp. (ASH SPECIES) 85 6% Myoporum laetum (MYOPORUM) 65 4% Washigtonia filifera (CALIFORNIA FAN PALM) 65 4% Schinus terebinthifo (BRAZILIAN PEPPER) 57 4% Schinus molle (CALIFORNIA PEPPER) 43 3% Greveilla robusta (SILK OAK) 36 2% Pinus spp. (PINE SPECIES) 26 2% Cupressus spp. (CYPRESS SPECIES) 22 1% Jacaranda mimosifoli (JACARANDA) 18 1% Pittosporum undulatum (VICTORIAN BOX) 15 1% WILDLIFE CHARACTERISTICS AND RESOURCES The vast majority of wildlife observed by AMEC onsite were birds. AMEC observed the following bird species onsite: red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), American kestrel (Falco sparverius), rock pigeon (Columbia livia), mourning dove (Zenaida macroura), white-throated swift (Aeronautes saxatalis), Anna’s hummingbird (Calypte anna), common raven (Corvus corax), barn swallow (Hirundo rustica), California towhee (Pipilo crissalis), and house finch (Carpodacus mexicanus). The only other species observed by AMEC was the side-blotched lizard (Uta stansburiana). Additional species that were not observed may exist onsite. Certain species may have been undetectable because of the timing of the survey, species seasonality (migratory patterns of birds), species daily activity patterns (diurnal, crepuscular, or nocturnal wildlife), behavior (fossorial or burrowing species), and/weather conditions (species that typically bask during sunny conditions or species associated with rainfall events [toads]). WILDLIFE CORRIDORS AND CONNECTIVITY The ability of wildlife to move from one area to another increases the value of the habitat. Habitats with wildlife movement opportunities increase the area for home range activities and allow for population dispersal and seasonal migration. Areas with physical or natural features that support wildlife movement are called wildlife corridors. In general, there are three types of wildlife corridors – travel routes, habitat linkages, and wildlife crossings. Travel routes are linear landscape features, such as watercourses or ridgelines that provide City of Rolling Hills Estates 3.3-4 Chandler Ranch /Rolling Hills Country Club