IMPLEMENTING AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES AND THE PALOS VERDES PENINSULA LAND CONSERVANCY AND THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE AND THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE FOR THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES NATURAL COMMUNITY CONSERVATION PLAN AND HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN (NCCP/HCP) March 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT ................................................................... 1 2.0 RECITALS ............................................................................................................ 1 3.0 PURPOSE .............................................................................................................. 4 4.0 DEFINITIONS ...................................................................................................... 4 5.0 FINDINGS BY THE USFWS AND CDFW ..................................................... 13 6.0 NATURAL COMMUNITY CONSERVATION PLAN/HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN .................................................................................. 13 7.0 RESERVE DESIGN AND CONSERVATION STRATEGY ......................... 14 7.1 Existing Public Lands to be Dedicated to the Preserve .................................... 14 7.2 Other Private and Public Targeted DEFINITIONS Lands for Dedication to the Preserve ............................................................................................................ 15 7.3 Neutral Lands .................................................................................................... 15 7.4 Conservation Easements ................................................................................... 16 7.5 Habitat Restoration/Enhancement Potential ..................................................... 16 8.0 COVERED Projects and ACTIVITIES............................................................ 16 8.1 Covered CITY Projects/Activities .................................................................... 17 8.2 Covered Private Projects and Activities ........................................................... 17 8.3 Other Covered Activities .................................................................................. 18 8.3.1 Operation and Maintenance .......................................................................... 18 8.3.2 Public Use ..................................................................................................... 18 8.3.3 Preserve Management ................................................................................... 19 8.4 Habitat Impact Avoidance and Minimization Measures for Covered Projects and Activities .................................................................................................... 19 8.5 Avoidance and Minimization Measures for Covered Species .......................... 19 8.6 Restrictions and Requirements for Projects/Activities Abutting and Adjacent to the Preserve ...................................................................................................... 19 9.0 TAKE AUTHORIZATIONS ............................................................................. 19 9.1 Take Authorizations for Permittee .................................................................... 20 9.2 Timing of Take Authorizations.. ....................................................................... 20 9.3 Take Authorizations for Non-Listed Covered Species ..................................... 20 9.3.1 ESA Section 10. ............................................................................................ 20 9.3.2 NCCP Act ..................................................................................................... 20 9.4 Take Authorization for Migratory Bird Species ............................................... 20 9.5 No Take Authorization for Fully Protected Species ......................................... 21 9.6 Take Authorizations for Third-Party Participants............................................. 21 9.6.1 Grant of Take to Third-Party Participants .................................................... 21 9.6.2 Requirements for Third-Party Participants ................................................... 22 10.0 OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES ................................................................ 22 10.1 Obligations of the CITY ................................................................................... 22 10.1.1 Assembly of Preserve System ................................................................... 23 10.1.2 Management of the Preserve System ........................................................ 23 10.1.3 CITY Implementation Process .................................................................. 23 10.1.4 CITY Urgency Ordinance ......................................................................... 24 10.1.5. CITY and Wildlife Agency Coordination................................................. 24 10.1.6 Compliance with Existing Federal and State Wetland Regulations ......... 25 10.2 Obligations of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy ........................ 25 10.3 Obligations of the USFWS ............................................................................... 25 10.3.1 Section 7 Consultations............................................................................. 25 10.3.2 Future Environmental Documentation. ..................................................... 26 10.4 Obligations of CDFW. ...................................................................................... 26 10.4.1 CEQA. ....................................................................................................... 26 10.4.2 Future CEQA by CDFW. .......................................................................... 27 11.0 PRESERVE MANAGEMENT .......................................................................... 27 11.1 Non-Native Animal Species Management Plans. ............................................. 27 11.2 Habitat Restoration Plan ................................................................................... 27 11.3 Targeted Exotic Removal Plan for Plants (TERPP). ........................................ 28 11.4 Covered Species Reintroduction. ...................................................................... 28 12.0 MONITORING, MANAGEMENT, AND REPORTING ............................... 29 12.1 The Public Use Master Plan .............................................................................. 29 12.2 Fire and Fuel Modification in the Preserve ....................................................... 29 12.3 Fencing and Signage. ........................................................................................ 30 12.3.1. Fencing ...................................................................................................... 30 12.3.2. Signage ...................................................................................................... 30 12.4 Covered Species Monitoring............................................................................. 30 12.5 Wildlife Agencies Monitoring .......................................................................... 30 12.6 Reporting........................................................................................................... 31 12.6.1 Preserve Habitat Management Plan (PHMP) ........................................... 31 12.6.2 Annual Reports ......................................................................................... 31 12.6.3 Comprehensive Reports ............................................................................ 32 12.6.4 Annual Coordination Meetings ................................................................. 33 13.0 ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT .......................................................................... 34 13.1 CITY and PVPLC-initiated Adaptive Management. ........................................ 34 13.2 Reductions in Mitigation................................................................................... 34 13.3 No Increase in Take .......................................................................................... 35 14.0 FUNDING ............................................................................................................ 35 14.1 Management Budget Analysis .......................................................................... 35 14.2 Habitat Management Funding........................................................................... 35 14.2.1 Habitat Restoration Fund .......................................................................... 36 14.3 Non-Wasting Endowment Fund ....................................................................... 36 14.4 Effect of Inadequate Funding............................................................................ 37 15.0 CHANGED CIRCUMSTANCES ...................................................................... 38 15.1 CITY-Initiated Response to Changed Circumstances ...................................... 38 15.2 Wildlife Agency-Initiated Response to Changed Circumstances ..................... 38 16.0 REGULATORY ASSURANCES ...................................................................... 39 16.1 Assurances under the ESA. ............................................................................ 39 16.1.1. No Surprises. ............................................................................................. 39 16.1.2 Unforeseen Circumstances. ....................................................................... 39 16.2 Assurances Under the NCCP