RES 06035 - Laserfiche WebLink

It is also recommended that Guideline 4,3 be amended to add the term "pre- construction" as follows: Guideline 4,3, Pre-construction surveys shall be conducted for the western pond turtle and, if determined to be present on-site, suitable protective measures shall be implemented through consultation with the California Department of Fish and Game, 4 Comment: CNPS recommends that an assumption be eliminated from Section 2b(3)a which states that extensive disturbance from agricultural production, flood control improve- ments, and intensive grazing eliminated suitable habitat for special status species populations, Many highly disturbed ecosystems respond to restorative action once they are managed for species of special interest. CNPS recommends that this assumption be eliminated since the "habitat", if managed for non-native species removal, may yield individuals of several species of potential occurrence that are actually present. Response: It is true that portions of the site could be restored to provide habitat for special status plant species, but under existing graded and disked conditions it is unlikely that any such species occur on the development portion of the project site, 5 Comment: Section 2(b)4 inconclusively states that other wetlands may be present on the site, An EIR requires the evaluation of impact on Wetlands and Water of the US" all sites must be mapped with certainty, Without a proper wetland survey, no EIR can adequately, nor legally, determine impacts on Wetlands and Waters of the US, or as predicted by guidelines in Section 3b3 (Significance criteria established by Section 4040 of the Clean Water Act,) Response: The 1997 Draft EIR on the Bernal Property (which covered the full 506-acre site) included a review of potential wetlands on the site and described preliminary wetland assessments conducted at that time, Followup jurisdictional determinations, subject to the provisions of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, were conducted in conjunction with the Phase I Specific Plan and approval and the construction of site improvements and projects, The DEIR (p, 66) refers to mitigation measures built into the Specific Plan addressing potential impacts on wetlands, The commenter is referred to the Specific Plan, p, 73, which requires at Guideline 1,3 that "Prior to the approval of final grading plans, the locations of wetlands on the project development site shall be delineated and veri- fied, If additional wetlands are delineated on the site that would be adversely affected by the project, a mitigation plan shall be prepared, including an avoidance alternative, that will meet federal and state requirements, , , " 39