COAST DAIRIES LONG-TERM RESOURCE PROTECTION T HE TRUST AND USE PLAN F OR PUBLIC LAND Existing Conditions Report for the Coast Dairies Property June 2001 Prepared for The Trust for Public Land COAST DAIRIES LONG-TERM RESOURCE PROTECTION T HE TRUST AND USE PLAN F OR PUBLIC LAND Existing Conditions Report for the Coast Dairies Property June 2001 Prepared for The Trust for Public Land 225 Bush Street 1000 Broadway 700 University Avenue 4221 Wilshire Boulevard 2685 Ulmerton Road Suite 1700 Suite 410 Suite 130 Suite 480 Suite 102 San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Clearwater, California California California California Florida 94104 94607 95825 90010 33762 (415) 896-5900 (510) 839-5066 (916) 564-4500 (323) 933-6111 (727) 572-5226 200071 TABLE OF CONTENTS COAST DAIRIES PROPERTY LONG-TERM RESOURCE PROTECTION AND USE PLAN (COAST DAIRIES PLAN) EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................... I-1 1.0 COAST DAIRIES: A LAND USE HISTORY ........................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Prehistory............................................................................................................................ 1-1 1.1.1 Physiography ......................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1.2 Terrestrial Environment and Resources ................................................................ 1-2 1.1.3 Marine Resources................................................................................................. 1-3 1.1.4 Archaeological Research....................................................................................... 1-3 1.1.5 Human Occupation along the North Coast............................................................ 1-3 1.2 A Humanized Landscape.................................................................................................... 1-5 1.2.1 The View From the Sea......................................................................................... 1-7 1.2.2 The View From the Land ...................................................................................... 1-8 1.2.3 The Spanish Colonial Era (1770-1822)................................................................. 1-9 1.2.4 The Mexican Era (1822-1848) ............................................................................ 1-11 1.2.5 Statehood (1850 – 1900) ..................................................................................... 1-13 1.3 The Coming of Coast Dairies: Transformation............................................................... 1-29 1.3.1 North Coast Bitumin Mining and the Oil Rush of 1901 .................................... 1-30 1.3.2 Portland Cement ................................................................................................. 1-33 1.3.3 Southern Pacific Railroad.................................................................................... 1-34 1.3.4 The Cement Plant and the Quarry Railroad ........................................................ 1-40 1.3.5 The Role of Coast Dairies – The Company Town of San Vicente ..................... 1-42 1.3.6 The Last Extraction: the San Vicente Lumber Company.................................... 1-43 1.3.7 Santa Cruz Needs More Water............................................................................ 1-44 1.3.8 The Swiss Return to Switzerland ........................................................................ 1-46 1.3.9 The Effect of the Railroad on North Shore Agriculture...................................... 1-47 1.4 Into the Present................................................................................................................. 1-52 1.5 References Cited............................................................................................................... 1-56 Coast Dairies Long-Term Resource Protection and Use Plan i Existing Conditions Report Environmental Science Associates/200071 Table of Contents 2.0 EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT METHODOLOGY .......................................................... 2-1 2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 2-1 2.1.1 Project Overview................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1.2 Project Location ...................................................................................................2-1 2.2 Conceptual Methodology ................................................................................................... 2-2 2.3 Acquiring and Storing Information .................................................................................... 2-3 2.4 Review of Existing Information ......................................................................................... 2-4 2.4.1 Previous Reports Prepared for CDLC................................................................... 2-4 2.4.2 Other Relevant Land Use Documents and Planning Documents.......................... 2-7 2.5 Analysis Zones ................................................................................................................... 2-7 2.5.1 Purpose .................................................................................................................. 2-7 2.5.2 Design....................................................................................................................2-8 2.6 Use of GIS ........................................................................................................................ 2-10 2.6.1 System Configuration.......................................................................................... 2-10 2.7 References Cited ................................................................................................................. 2-13 3.0 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES OF THE COAST DAIRIES PROPERTY 3.1 Botanical and Wetland Resources................................................................................... 3.1-1 3.1.1 Regional Setting................................................................................................. 3.1-1 3.1.2 Methodology....................................................................................................... 3.1-1 3.1.3 Vegetation .......................................................................................................... 3.1-2 3.1.4 Wetlands........................................................................................................... 3.1-13 3.1.5 Special Status Plant Species ............................................................................ 3.1-16 3.1.6 Issues ...............................................................................................................3.1-25 3.1.7 Summary of Vegetative Conditions ................................................................. 3.1-32 3.1.8 Botanically Sensitive Areas.............................................................................. 3.1-32 3.1.9 References Cited............................................................................................... 3.1-35 3.2 Terrestrial Wildlife Resources ........................................................................................ 3.2-1 3.2.1 Regional Setting................................................................................................. 3.2-1 3.2.2 Methodology and Overview of Habitats ............................................................ 3.2-2 3.2.3 Special Status Species ...................................................................................... 3.2-10 3.2.4 Unique Habitats and Associations.................................................................... 3.2-39 3.2.5 Summary Analysis Zone Evaluations............................................................... 3.2-40 3.2.6 Issues ................................................................................................................ 3.2-42 3.2.7 References Cited ..............................................................................................3.2-44 3.3 Fisheries Resources......................................................................................................... 3.3-1 3.3.1 Regional Setting................................................................................................. 3.3-2 3.3.2 Methodology ......................................................................................................3.3-3 3.3.3 Special Status Fish Species ................................................................................ 3.3-4 Coast Dairies Long-Term Resource Protection and Use Plan ii Existing Conditions Report Environmental Science Associates/200071 Table of Contents 3.3.4 Stream and Reach Information........................................................................... 3.3-9 3.3.5 Instream Flow Requirements............................................................................ 3.3-25 3.3.6 Issues ................................................................................................................ 3.3-26 3.3.7 References Cited...............................................................................................3.3-30 4.0 PHYSICAL RESOURCES OF THE COAST DAIRIES PROPERTY 4.1 Hydrology.......................................................................................................................