Appendix G Rare Plant Survey Report Rare Plant Survey Report FOUNTAINGROVE LODGE SANTA ROSA, SONOMA COUNTY CALIFORNIA Prepared For: Mr. Steve McCullagh Aegis Senior Living 220 Concourse Blvd. Santa Rosa, California 95403 Contact: Tom Fraser [email protected] Date: May 2007 2169-G Ea st Fra nc isc o Blvd ., Sa n Ra fa e l, C A 94901 (415) 454-8868 te l (415) 454-0129 fa x info @w ra -c a .c o m www.wra-ca.com TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION.........................................................1 1.1 Study Area Description...............................................1 1.1.1 Vegetation................................................1 1.1.2 Soils.....................................................4 2.0 METHODS..............................................................6 2.1 Background Data...................................................6 2.2 Field Survey.......................................................6 3.0 RESULTS. .............................................................7 3.1 Background Data Search Results.......................................7 3.2 Field Survey Results.................................................7 4.0 CONCLUSIONS..........................................................7 5.0 REFERENCES...........................................................8 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Location Map of Fountaingrove Lodge site. 2 Figure 2. Biological Communities within the Fountaingrove Lodge site. 3 Figure 3. Soils Map for the Fountaingrove Lodge site. 5 LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix A Study Area Photographs Appendix B Special Status Plant Species Documented to Occur in the Vicinity of the Study Area Appendix C List of Observed Plant Species 1.0 INTRODUCTION This report presents the results of 5 separate special status plant surveys conducted on approximately 9.85 acres to be developed as Fountaingrove Lodge (Study Area) in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California (Figure 1). The purpose of this study is to identify the location and presence of potentially occurring sensitive plant species. Focused special status plant surveys were conducted on October 5 and 14, 2005, June 16, 2006 and February 16, April 9, 2007 by WRA botanists. These surveys coincided with peak blooming periods of all potentially occurring special status species. These surveys did not locate any special status plant species. 1.1 Study Area Description The Study Area is approximately 9.85 acres and is located in the Santa Rosa USGS 7.5 minute quadrangle, north of Fountaingrove Parkway (also known as Fountain Grove Parkway), northeast of Santa Rosa in central Sonoma County, California (Figure 1). It is bounded by the Fountaingrove Golf Course to the east, Clover Leaf Ranch and a City Park Site to the west, and residential housing to the north and south. The site elevation is approximately 450 feet and the soils are predominantly volcanic in nature. Volcanic outcrops and talus slopes cover a majority of the site. The majority of the Study Area was historically used as rural residential. Land use for the Study Area is currently managed as an undeveloped portion of the golf course. No portions of the Study Area are located within the 100-year floodplain (www.fema.gov). The Study Area is dominated by oak woodlands with scattered coyote brush (Baccharis pilularis). A stream bisects the southern corner of the Study Area. Man-made stormwater ditches run along the western edge the Study Area, eventually entering culverts running beneath Thomas Lake Harris Drive. 1.1.1 Vegetation Dominant vegetation in the Study Area was classified according to Holland (1986) in the Biological Resources Assessment Report for Fountaingrove Lodge prepared by WRA (2007) and can be characterized as oak woodland and ruderal annual grassland with scattered coyote brush. In addition, an area of riparian vegetation occurs along the banks of a stream located in the southern portion of the Study Area. The observed plant communities are discussed in detail below and shown in Figure 2. Oak Woodland The majority of the Study Area consists of historically disturbed oak woodlands with scattered stands of coyote brush. The overstory is comprised of three oak species, coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), California black oak (Quercus kelloggii) and blue oak (Quercus douglasii), as well as other tree species such as California bay (Umbellularia californica), Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii) and European olive (Olea europaea). The understory consists of poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum), snowberry, (Symphoricarpos sp.) and grasses such as California canary grass (Phalaris californica), foxtail barley (Hordeum murinum), rattlesnake grass (Briza maxima), and hedgehog dogtail (Cynosurus echinatus). 1 0 1 2 4 Miles Windsor Fountaingrove Lodge 101 Fountaingrove Lake Santa Rosa Fountaingrove Fountaingrove Lodge Lake T h H o a m r r a i s s L D a r k . e 101 y. grove Pk Fountain M e n d o c in o A v e . Figure 1. Location Map of Fountaingrove Lodge Site Date: February 2007 Feet Basemap: USGS DRG Fountaingrove Lodge Map By: Michael Rochelle 0 500 1,000 2,000 Filepath: l:\ACAD2000\15150\GIS\ArcMap\ Santa Rosa, California StudyArea2.mxd Fountaingrove Lodge (9.85 acres) Intermittent Stream Man-made Stormwater Ditch Fountaingrove 2169-G East Francisco Blvd. Ruderal Annual Grassland (3.98 acres) Lake San Rafael, CA 94901 Oak Woodland (5.78 acres) (415) 454-8868 Phone (415) 454-0129 Fax Riparian (0.05 acres) Developed (0.04 acres) Fountaingrove Lodge Santa Rosa, CA e ours olf C ve G ngro ntai Fou Figure 2. Biological Communities Within Fountaingrove Lodge Site Fountaingrove Lodge e riv D ris ar H ke La as om City Park Site Th 1 inch equals 200 feet 0 100 200 400 Feet Date: May 2007 Map By: Michael Rochelle File: l:\Acad 2000\15000\15150\GIS\ ArcMap\WetlandDelinNewBase.mxd Riparian Habitat An area of riparian vegetation was observed occurring along a stream bisecting the southern corner of the Study Area. Riparian vegetation included scattered cattail (Typha latifolia), rush (Juncus sp.), and knotweed (Polygonum sp.) individuals growing in the stream bed, as well as a few small ash trees (Fraxinus latifolia) on the upper banks. Ruderal Annual Grassland Ruderal annual grassland with scattered shrubs occurred between oak woodland stands (Figure 2). Commonly observed species included weedy forbs such as bristly ox-tongue (Picris echioides) and fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), and annual grasses, such as slender wild oat (Avena barbata), false brome (Brachypodium distachyon), rattlesnake grass (Briza maxima), Harding grass (Phalaris aquatica), soft chess (Bromus hordeaceus), and Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum). 1.1.2 Soils The Sonoma County Soil Survey (USDA 1972) indicates that the Study Area has five native soil types: Goulding cobbly clay loam, 15 to 30 percent slopes; Raynor clay, 9 to 15 percent slopes; Felta very gravelly loam, 15 to 30 percent slopes; Felta very gravelly loam 30 to 50 percent slopes; and Spreckels loam, 9 to 15 percent slopes. These soil types are described in detail below and their extents and locations within the Study Area are shown on Figure 3. Goulding cobbly clay loam, 15 to 30 percent slopes. This Goulding series consists of well- drained clay loams, underlain by metamorphosed basic igneous and weathered andesitic basalt of old volcanic formations at a depth of 12 to 24 inches. This soil series occurs on mountainous uplands. In a typical profile the surface layer is brown and dark-brown, clay loam about 11 inches thick. The surface layer of this soil contains as much as 25 percent cobblestones and stones and ranges in depth from 16 to 20 inches. The subsoil is dark-brown, very gravelly clay loam about 11 inches thick. Fractured basalt occurs at a depth of about 22 inches. Included in this map unit are small areas of Boomer loam, Spreckels loam, and Toomes loam. Runoff is medium to rapid, and the hazard of erosion is moderate to high. This soil is mainly used for range purposes. In the Study Area, this soil is found throughout the center of the site. Raynor clay, 9 to 15 percent slopes. The Raynor series consists of well-drained clays underlain by volcanic and andesitic rocks at a depth of 20 to 60 inches. These soils are on rolling hills. In a typical profile the surface layer is black and olive-gray, slightly acid to moderately alkaline clay about 47 inches thick. At a depth of about 47 inches it is pale-olive, very cobbly and stony clay. Basaltic cobblestones and stones are present at a depth of 56 inches. On steeper slopes, this soil is typically only 20 to 40 inches deep. Included in this map unit are small areas of Cotati fine sandy loam, Diablo clay, and Goulding cobbly clay loam. Raynor clay is primarily located along the northern edge of the Study Area. Felta very gravelly loam, 15 to 30 percent slopes. The Felta series consists of well-drained very gravelly loams that have a very gravelly clay loam subsoil. These soils formed from material from 4 Fountaingrove Lodge (9.85 acres) FaE: FELTA VERY GRAVELLY LOAM, 15 TO 30 PERCENT SLOPES (Argixerolls) FaF FaF: FELTA VERY GRAVELLY LOAM, 30 TO 50 PERCENT SLOPES (Argixerolls) GlE: GOULDING COBBLY CLAY LOAM, 15 TO 30 PERCENT SLOPES (Xerochrepts) FaF RaD: RAYNOR CLAY, 9 TO 15 PERCENT SLOPES (Pelloxererts) SkD: SPRECKELS LOAM, 9 TO 15 PERCENT SLOPES (Palexeralfs) SkE: SPRECKELS LOAM, 15 TO 30 PERCENT SLOPES (Palexeralfs) W: Water RaD SkD FaE GlE W SkE W FaF FaE SkE SkE SkE Figure 2. Map of Soils Within Fountaingrove Lodge Date: May 2007 0 125 250 500 The Oaks at Fountaingrove Map By: Michael Rochelle Feet Filepath: l:\ACAD2000\15150\GIS\ArcMap\ Santa Rosa, California Soils.mxd volcanic tuffs mixed with uplifted river sediment and metamorphosed basic rock. In a typical profile the surface layer is grayish-brown, very gravelly loam about 5 inches thick. At a depth of about 24 inches this soil is a mixed volcanic tuff, river sediment, metamorphosed basic rock, and grayish- brown, strongly acid, sandy clay loam. This soil type is 50 to 60 percent gravel by volume throughout the profile.