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City of Pleasanton—Hidden Canyon Residences and Preserve Draft EIR Biological Resources FirstCarbon Solutions 3.3-25 https://adecinnovations.sharepoint.com/sites/PublicationsSite/Shared Documents/Publications/Client (PN-JN)/2148/21480016/EIR/3 - Draft EIR/21480016 Sec03-03 Bio Resources.docx Special-status Species Impact BIO-1: The proposed project would not have a substantial adverse effect, either directly or through habitat modifications, on any species identified as a candidate, sensitive, or special-status species in local or regional plans, policies, or regulations, or by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife or United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Special-Status Plant Species As discussed above in Section 3.3.4, Congdon’s tarplant (Centromadia parryi ssp. Congdonii) was observed within the project site. Project construction may result in significant harm or removal of this species through habitat modification and grading. All remaining special-status plant species have been determined unlikely to occur on-site based upon the results of the species review, habitat present, and reconnaissance-level field assessments. The project is designed to avoid impacts to the most important and stable populations of Congdon’s tarplant on the project site which occur on areas being conserved in perpetuity. Four new populations identified in 2023 occur in the conservation area and will be avoided by the project. However, grading and habitat modifications related to project construction would still result in significant harm or removal of Congdon’s tarplant. Therefore, impacts to this species prior to mitigation would be significant. However, implementation of Mitigation Measure (MM) BIO-1a would reduce potentially significant impacts to Congdon’s tarplant to a less than significant level through the preservation of estimated individuals at a mean ratio of 8:1 and instigation of a Resource Management Plan (RMP) to enhance existing habitat. Special-Status Wildlife Species Of the 10 special-status species mentioned in Section 3.3.4, all have the potential to occur within the project site. These species include CRLF, Alameda whipsnake, burrowing owl, American badger, San Francisco dusky-footed woodrat, ringtail, Crotch’s bumble bee, along with protected functional groups such as nesting raptors and migratory birds such as the white-tailed kite, northern harrier, and golden eagle. For the remaining species discussed above, potential impacts are less than significant and therefore species-specific mitigation measures are not warranted. California Red-legged Frog The western portion of the project site that is proposed for in-perpetuity preservation occurs within Critical Habitat Unit ALA-1B for the CRLF, while most of the areas of the site proposed for development occur outside of and to the east of critical habitat. A habitat assessment was conducted on the site by LOA Associate Herpetologist Dr. Mark Jennings to determine whether habitat was present on the site for CRLF and for other sensitive amphibian and reptile species. Dr. Jennings determined that aquatic features of the site lacked suitable hydrology to provide breeding habitat for CRLF, and, therefore, the proposed project is not expected to result in a loss of breeding habitat for this species. Although breeding habitat is absent, CRLF may occur within the riparian corridors or in their immediate vicinity during movement and foraging activities. The proposed project is designed and will be built and operated in ways that minimize both direct and indirect impacts to the CRLF. Clustering and siting of the proposed project allows for the in- perpetuity preservation of approximately 103.5 acres of open space outside of the grading envelope,