RES 06035 - Laserfiche WebLink

Inventory, All special status species known from the project site vicinity are included in the reviewed reference sources, 3 Comment: Given the nature of this project, CNPS recommends an additional survey to the one completed in March, 1997 (Section 2a(2)) for the required CEQA-protected species during their proper flowering periods, The California Department of Fish and Game requires that the latest survey be current, more recent than 10 years old, which requires appropriate survey protocol as defined by the Guidelines for Assessing the Effects of Proposed Projects on Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Plants and Natural Communities, [Since] CEQA compliance requires that the most recent survey be conducted within 10 years of the EI R, a new plant survey is required for compliance, Response: All areas of the project site proposed for development have been extensively dis- turbed in recent years through agricultural activity, grading, or both, Under these circumstances, it is very unlikely that special status plant species remain from an earlier time when natural habitats existed on the site or have colonized the site since the 1997 plant survey, The DEIR addresses a Specific Plan covering a 318-acre area, Individual projects are expected to be proposed for specific sites within this area over the long range plan- ning period contemplated by the Specific Plan, Such developments will be subject to review and approval through the City's PU D process (DEI R, p, 18), "[T]he appropri- ate level of environmental analysis is to be conducted prior to the submittal of formal plans for all projects" (DEIR, p, 17) and" , , , as planning and environmental review proceeds for an individual project, responsible agencies will be involved in the review and possibly in permit processes where they have jurisdiction over some aspect of the operations of effects of that project" (DEIR, p, 18), With this planning' framework established, impacts of the project on biological resources would be avoided or otherwise mitigated by implementation of environmental review at the time that a particular project is proposed and presented for public consideration, To clarify the protection provided by this process, it is recommended that Biological Resources Policy 4: Special Status Species Protection be amended as follows: Biological Resources Policy 4: Special Status Species Protection, Protect special status species by providing for identification and preservation or mitigation of those species at the time specific projects are planning and implemented, It is recommended that, to assure adequate consideration ofthe potential present of special status plant species, the following guideline be added to Biological Resources Policy 4: Special Status Species Protection: Guideline 4,7, A biological assessment by a qualified biologist shall be conducted at the site of each potential project at the time such a project is planned, If the assessment discloses the presence or possible presence of a special status plant, a plant survey consistent with the survey protocol of appropriate regulatory agencies shall be conducted, For any special status species identified on the site, mitigation meeting the requirements of appropriate regulatory agencies shall be identified and implemented, 38