LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. BERKELEY FT. COLLINS RIVERSIDE 157 PARK PLACE 510.236.6810 TEL CARLSBAD IRVINE ROCKLIN PT. RICHMOND, C A 9 4 8 0 1 510.236.3480 FAX COLMA PALM SPRINGS SAN LUIS OBISPO July 29, 2008 Richard Loewke Urban and Environmental Planning 547 Wycombe Court San Ramon, CA 94583 Subject: Results of the March/April Survey of Previously Unsurveyed Areas, Rockville Trails Estates, Solano County Dear Dick: This letter reports on the results of the botanical surveys of selected areas of the Rockville Trails Estates project site for special-status plant species. This letter updates the interim letter report of April 18, 2008. The selected survey areas (Figure 1) were among those few areas that were not surveyed during the original rare plant surveys of the Rockville Trails Estates site in 2005. Subsequently, project modifications entailed additional surveys to ensure absence of impacts to special-status plant species. METHODS Selected areas of the Rockville Trails Estates site were surveyed on March 31, April 9, May 8, May 20, and July 16, 2008 for special-status plant species. The use of a GPS device assisted in located the survey sites. RESULTS Plants that are either federally or state listed or on the CNPS list 1A, 1B or 2 were not observed within the designated survey areas. The majority of the areas was dominated by grassland and had extensive areas of shallow soil and rock outcrops. Two of the areas supported large manzanitas (Arctostaphylos manzanita) up to 12 feet tall and 8 inches in diameter. One of the areas was dominated by oak woodland and one of the areas supported some species of shrubs: California sagebrush (Artemisia californica) and sticky monkey flower (Mimulus aurantiacus). This area also supported rock outcrops with numerous herbaceous species such as: fringe pod (Thysanocarpus curvipes), tufted poppy (Eschscholzia caespitosa), sky lupine (Lupinus nanus), poison sanicle (Sanicula bipinnata), blue dicks (Dichelostemma capitaum), woodland star (Lithophragma affine), and others. Blue elderberry (Sambucus mexicana) occurred in two of the areas and we updated the elderberry figure (Figure 2). PLANNING | ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES | DESIGN LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. The list of plants observed during the surveys of 2005 is included in the results of LSA’s survey for rare plants in 2005 (letter to Tim Rainey of August 17, 2005). Plant species observed during the 2008 surveys that are to be added to that list include: ookow bells (Dichelostemma congestum), melic grass (Melica imperfecta), baby blue eyes (Nemophila menziesii var. integrifolia), small-flowered claytonia (Claytonia parviflora), white hawkweed (Hieracium albiflorum), rosin weed (Calycadenia truncata), California saxifrage (Saxifraga californica), California skullcap (Scutellaria californica), and two species of clover (Trifolium microcephalum) and (Trifolium oliganthum). In addition, a plant that most closely resembles streamside daisy (Erigeron bioletti), a species on the CNPS list 3, was also encountered during the surveys. CNPS list 3 species are on a review list pending the acquisition of additional information pertaining to their taxonomy, distribution, and/or threats. The June 2006 EIR does not consider potential impacts on any species maintained on Lists 3 and 4 of the CNPS Inventory to be significant and mitigation would not be required. If you have any questions regarding this letter or the results of these surveys, please feel free to contact me at (510) 236-6810. Sincerely, LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. Clinton Kellner, Ph.D. Attachments: Figures 1 and 2 7/30/2008 (P:\WWA530\Report\Rare Plant Survey_2_New Areas.doc) 2 FIGURE 1 Areas Surveyed for Rockville Trails Estates Special-status Plant Species Solano County Project Boundary Areas Surveyed for Special-status Plant Species 2008 0 625 1,250 FEET I:\WWA530\GIS\Maps\Elderberry\Figure1_AreasSurveyed_for_Spp_2008.mxd (4/18/2008) FIGURE 2 Rockville Trails Estates Elderberry Shrub Solano County Location of 0 500 1,000 Elderberry Shrubs FEET I:\WWA530\GIS\Maps\Elderberry\Figure2_Elderberry_2008.mxd (4/18/2008).