Sonoma County Agriculture Preservation and Open Space District Final Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration Wright Hill Ranch Open Space Preserve Management Plan State Clearinghouse: No. 2016112054 Prepared for: Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District 747 Mendocino Avenue Santa Rosa, CA 95401 707.565.7360 Prepared by: Prunuske Chatham, Inc. 400 Morris Street, Suite G Sebastopol, CA 95472 January 2017 This page is intentionally blank. Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District January 2017 Wright Hill Ranch Management Plan Final Initial Study/ Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigated Negative Declaration Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District Wright Hill Ranch Management Plan Project Lead Agency Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District Contact Person Kim Batchelder, Natural Resources Planner Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District 747 Mendocino Ave Santa Rosa, CA 95401 Kim.batchelder@sonoma‐county.org Project Sponsor Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District Project Location Wright Hill Ranch Open Space Preserve is located in Sonoma County, approximately three miles southeast of the town of Jenner and one mile inland from the Pacific Ocean and Highway 1. Project Description The District proposes to adopt the Wright Hill Ranch Open Space Preserve Management Plan (Management Plan) and to implement actions described in the Management Plan. The Management Plan was developed to guide preservation, protection, and enhancement of the Wright Hill Ranch Open Space Preserve’s biological, ecological, cultural, and historical resources while supporting ongoing grazing. The Management Plan is designed to enhance native habitats and protect sensitive biotic resources, protect cultural resources, restore and maintain Preserve facilities over the long‐term, and inform future Conservation Easements. The Management Plan identifies and prioritizes the actions needed to protect and enhance native habitats and protect sensitive biotic resources, protect cultural resources, and restore and maintain Preserve facilities over the long‐term. To achieve the management recommendations, the District intends to implement short‐ and long‐term management actions along with avoidance measures needed to protect or enhance resources during implementation of the actions. Findings Impacts from implementation of the Management Plan would be mitigated to less than significant levels through implementation of avoidance measures or mitigation measures identified in the Initial Study. With implementation of the measures, no significant adverse effects to the environment are expected. Implementation of the Management Plan would not have impacts which are individually limited but Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District January 2017 Wright Hill Ranch Management Plan Final Initial Study/ Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration cumulatively considerable; nor would it have impacts that will cause substantial adverse effects, either directly or indirectly. Initial Study An initial study was prepared and circulated to the State Clearinghouse and interested agencies on November 22, 2016 for a 30‐day public review period. The District held a public meeting on December 8, 2016 to provide the public with an opportunity to comment on the Management Plan and the Initial Study. Response to Comments on the Initial Study The District received 23 comments from neighbors, Jenner residents, Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District, LandPaths, Sonoma County Trails Council, and the grazing leasee. The District also received comment letters from Caltrans and the California Coastal Commission. The District must consider the comments received during the comment period prior to adopting a Mitigated Negative Declaration. The District’s responses to the comments received are included in Appendix B to the Final Initial Study/Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration. The comments resulted in minor modifications to mitigation measures, but no new mitigation measures were required. No significant effects were identified. These changes were incorporated into the Final Initial Study/Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration, and are shown in underline font for added language and in strikeout font for language removed. Mitigation Measures The following list of avoidance and mitigation measures have been added to the Project, have been agreed to by the District, and have been found to reduce potentially significant impacts from implementation of the Management Plan to less than significant. A Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) has been prepared and is available in Appendix G. The MMRP provides the complete text for each measure after responding to public comments. Project Measure 1 ‐ Planting and Revegetation after Soil Disturbance for Restoration Project Measure 2 ‐ Erosion Control, Sediment Detention, and Site Maintenance Project Measure 3 ‐ Pollution Prevention Project Measure 4 ‐ Prevent Spread of Sudden Oak Death Project Measure 5 ‐ Pesticide Use Project Measure 6 ‐ General Measures to Avoid Impacts on Biological Resources Project Measure 7 ‐ Prevent the Spread of Invasive Species Mitigation Measure BIO‐1a ‐ Avoid Loss of Listed or CNPS 1B, 2, 3, or 4 Plants and their Habitats Mitigation Measure BIO‐1b ‐ Protect Special‐status Butterflies Mitigation Measure BIO‐1c ‐ Protect California Red‐legged Frog Mitigation Measure BIO‐1d ‐ Protect Northern Western Pond Turtle Mitigation Measure BIO‐1e ‐ Protect Birds during Construction and Other Management Activities Mitigation Measure BIO‐1f ‐ Protect Northern Spotted Owl and Marbled Murrelet Mitigation Measure BIO‐1g ‐ Protect Sonoma Tree Vole Mitigation Measure BIO‐1h ‐ Protect Special‐status Bats Mitigation Measure BIO‐1i‐ Protect American Badger Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District January 2017 Wright Hill Ranch Management Plan Final Initial Study/ Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Measure BIO‐2 ‐ Protect Wetlands and Waters Mitigation Measure CR‐1 ‐ Identify and Avoid or Minimize Impacts on Historic Resources Mitigation Measure CR‐2‐ Identify and Avoid or Minimize Impacts on Archaeological Resources Mitigation Measure CR‐3 ‐ Procedures for Encountering Human Remains Mitigation Measure CR‐4 ‐ Identify and Avoid or Minimize Impacts on Tribal Cultural Resources Mitigation Measure HAZ‐1 ‐ Reduce Wildland Fire Hazards during Construction Mitigation Measure HAZ‐2‐ Reduce Wildland Fire Hazards from Controlled Burns Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District January 2017 Wright Hill Ranch Management Plan Final Initial Study/ Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration Table of Contents Page 1 Project Information ................................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Background and Need ................................................................................................................... 2 1.2 Project Location and Setting ......................................................................................................... 2 1.3 California Environmental Quality Act Requirements .................................................................... 4 2 Project Description ................................................................................................................................. 6 2.1 Short‐term and Site‐specific Activities .......................................................................................... 7 2.2 Long‐term and Overall Program Management Activities ........................................................... 18 2.3 Short‐term and Long‐term Monitoring Activities ....................................................................... 23 2.4 Future Studies ............................................................................................................................. 25 2.5 Site‐specific and Programmatic Environmental Protection Measures and General Program Measures ..................................................................................................................................... 25 2.6 Permits and Approvals ................................................................................................................ 29 3 Determination ...................................................................................................................................... 30 4 Environmental Effects of the Project ................................................................................................... 31 4.1 Aesthetics .................................................................................................................................... 31 4.2 Agriculture and Forest Resources ............................................................................................... 32 4.3 Air Quality .................................................................................................................................... 33 4.4 Biological Resources .................................................................................................................... 38 4.5 Cultural Resources ....................................................................................................................... 55 4.6 Geology and Soils .......................................................................................................................