Part X Conservation Element San Diego County General Plan Adopted December 10, 1975 Amended April 17, 2002 GPA 01-01 Chapter 1 - Introduction..………………….…………………….. X-1 Chapter 2 - General Conservation……………………………… X-13 Chapter 3 - Water………………………………………………… X-17 Chapter 4 - Vegetation and Wildlife Habitat……………………X-40 Chapter 5 - Minerals .................................................................X-55 Chapter 6 - Soil……………………………………………………X-74 Chapter 7 - Astronomical Dark Sky……………………………..X-85 Chapter 8 - Cultural Site ...........................................................X-88 Appendices ................................................................................. A-L CERTIFICATE OF ADOPTION I hereby certify that this is the text of the Conservation Element, which consists of three maps and this text, and that it is a part of the San Diego County General Plan, Section 1, Part X as amended by General Plan Amendment (GPA) 01-01, and that it was considered by the San Diego County Planning Commission on the 8th day of March 2002. _________________________________ David B. Kreitzer, Chairman _________________________________ Attest: Gary L. Pryor, Secretary I hereby certify that this is the text of the Conservation Element, which consists of three maps and this text, and that it is a part of the San Diego County General Plan, Section 1, Part X, as amended by General Plan Amendment (GPA) 01-01, and that it was approved by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors on the 17th day of April 2002. _________________________________ Ron Roberts, Chairman _________________________________ Attest: Thomas J. Pastuszka, Clerk of the Board Text Adopted on December 10, 1975, as part of GPA 75-02 Latest Amendment April 17, 2002, as part of GPA 01-01 A complete history of the amendments to this Element, both maps and text, is available at the Department of Planning and Land Use. TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................................. ii PERSONS AND ORGANIZATIONS CONSULTED ..................................................................................... iii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... X-1 SUMMARY ..................................................................................................... X-3 GENERAL CONSERVATION ............................................................. X-3 WATER ............................................................................................... X-3 VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE .......................................................... X-7 MINERALS .......................................................................................... X-9 SOIL .................................................................................................. X-10 ASTRONOMICAL DARK SKY .......................................................... X-12 CULTURAL SITES ............................................................................ X-12 CHAPTER 2: GENERAL CONSERVATION ................................................................................. X-13 CHAPTER 3: WATER ................................................................................................................... X-17 WATER SUPPLY ......................................................................................... X-17 WASTEWATER DISPOSAL ........................................................................ X-24 DRAINAGE AND FLOOD CONTROL ......................................................... X-28 WATER BODIES AND WETLANDS ........................................................... X-33 COMPREHENSIVE WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ....................... X-37 CHAPTER 4: VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE HABITAT .............................................................. X-40 NATURAL HABITATS ................................................................................. X-40 HABITAT MODIFICATION .......................................................................... X-48 CHAPTER 5: MINERALS ............................................................................................................. X-55 SAND, CRUSHED ROCK, DIMENSION STONE AND RIPRAP ................. X-57 OTHER MINERALS ..................................................................................... X-70 UNIQUE GEOLOGICAL FEATURES .......................................................... X-72 CHAPTER 6: SOIL ........................................................................................................................ X-74 AGRICULTURE ........................................................................................... X-75 EROSION CONTROL AND HILLSIDE PROTECTION MANAGEMENT .... X-78 CHAPTER 7: ASTRONOMICAL DARK SKY ................................................................................ X-85 CHAPTER 8: CULTURAL SITES ................................................................................................. X-88 FOOTNOTES .......................................................................................................................................... X-95 APPENDICES A: GLOSSARY ...................................................................................................................... X-A-1 B: HABITATS OF STATE & REGIONAL SIGNIFICANCE (INFORMATIONAL ONLY - NOT ADOPTED) ...................................................... X-B-1 C: THREATENED WILDLIFE SPECIES OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY 1974 .......................... X-C-1 D: RARE, RARE & ENDANGERED & POSSIBLY EXTINCT VASCULAR PLANTS OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY ..................................................................... X-D-1 E. SAND STRATEGY - DEMAND/SUPPLY METROPOLITAN MARKET AREA ................. X-E-1 F. SELECTED RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AREAS ......................................................... X-F-1 G. UNIQUE GEOLOGICAL FEATURES .............................................................................. X-G-1 H. STATE GUIDELINES FOR THE CONSERVATION ELEMENT ...................................... X-H-1 I. WATER MANAGEMENT AGENCIES ............................................................................... X-I-1 J. GOVERNMENT CODE: SECTION 65450 ...................................................................... X-J-1 K. RESOURCE CONSERVATION AREAS ........................................................................... X-K-I L. SOILS MAPS ..................................................................................................................... X-L-I i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This document has been prepared by the Conservation Element Subcommittee of the Citizen's Committee on the General Plan with the assistance of County staff. The members of this subcommittee have given long hours and the benefit of their expertise to the preparation of the Conservation Element. The subcommittee wishes to take this opportunity to express its appreciation for the work and patient guidance of the staff of the Planning Department and the Office of Environmental Management. CONSERVATION ELEMENT SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS Harriet Allen, Chairman Ed Backus, Vice Chairman George Anderlohr B. Carl Bossard Lois Ewen Richard Hagen Auren Pierce ii PERSONS AND ORGANIZATIONS CONSULTED CITIES CARLSBAD: City Manager and Planning Director CHULA VISTA: City Manager and Planning Director CORONADO: City Manager and Planning Director DEL MAR: City Manager and Planning Director EL CAJON: City Manager and Planning Director ESCONDIDO: City Manager and Planning Director IMPERIAL BEACH: City Manager and Planning Director LA MESA: City Manager and Planning Director NATIONAL CITY: City Manager and Planning Director OCEANSIDE: City Manager and Planning Director SAN DIEGO: City Manager and Planning Director, and Environmental Quality Department SAN MARCOS: City Manager and Planning Director VISTA: City Manager and Planning Director OTHER COUNTY AGENCIES AND DEPARTMENTS GENERAL ADMINISTRATION - Chief Administrative Officer, County Counsel, and Environmental Development Agency Advisory Board FISCAL AGENCY - Assessor HEALTH CARE AGENCY - Department of Public Health LAW AND JUSTICE AGENCY - Sheriff PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AGENCY - Organizations and Programs PUBLIC WORKS AGENCY - County Engineer and Sanitation and Flood Control SPECIAL PUBLIC SERVICES AGENCY - Department of Agriculture, Office of Emergency Services, Office of Fire Services Coordinator, Department of Parks and Recreation, and Park Development Division OTHER ORGANIZATIONS American Institute of Architects, San Diego Section American Institute of Planners, San Diego Section American Society of Landscape Architects, San Diego Section California Council of Civil Engineers and Land Surveyors, San Diego Section AFL-CIO Operating Engineers, Local Union #12; Alcor Engineering; Inter-City Engineers; Norris Leudtke; Samuel Safino; and Woodward-Gizienski and Associates California Department of Conservation, Division of Forestry California Department of Employment Development California Department of Fish and Game iii California Regional Water Quality Control Boards: San Diego Region and Colorado River Basin Region California Wildlife Conservation Board Camp Pendleton Natural Resources Office Citizens Coordinate for C-3: Olive Wehbring Cleveland National Forest Community Plan Executive Committee Chairman Comprehensive Planning Organization: Ruth Potter Construction Industry Coordinating Council County Fire Warden: John Morrow Engineering-Science