HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Bill 3BLate18 10/19/2009~~:
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~~~ CITY OF PETAL~UIVi,A, CALIFORIV"IA
IVIENIC~RANDI.J
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Water Resources any! Cnnservatialf Uepatfinent, 202 i'V. i~leDowell Bou/erard; Petaluma, CA 94954
-(707) 778-454b' Fr~Y (?07) 778-430$ F'-nu~il: dwrctai,~ipetalurna.ca.us
D?.TE`. (3ctober 19;;200.9'
TO: John C. Brown City Manager
FROM: M-chael J Ban, P:E. -~Drec[or Water Resources & Conservation ~~!
.SUBJECT: Ellis Creek `V+'ater~Recycling"Fac'iiity Brolog~cal~Assessment ~~'""""""""
- Elttaclied per,-your request are pa~acs:66 - 6S:frorri Chapter 6 of the Bioloical assessment'(BAj for.the
Ellis.Creek Water RecyclingFacilit~',prcpared h~ ahe Citti iii September 200 These pages describe the. "
mitigatipn plandesigned to,protect,thc C'aliforniaCla ~ erRail. Actions spec.ifie'to feral,eats"include: "2):. _ "
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;Hawing staffand"8ccents monitor the business park and Shollcnber~er Park..to ensure~that~shelter and;food
are riot.being prouicie;d to feraC cats- and that garbage does not-provide a'f~iod source; and f3) Placir3g .
signagean bofh~~ locati~~ns~to alert the public that feeding and'~heltering feral cats,is-proh~i6'ited,"~ ~ ~ ~-
In its fetter of'1Vlarch, 1?1)- 2Qf>> autlioi~izii~~ the,project, the lL S. Fish and"1?b'itdlife:Service slated "~Ve also
~"` have defermiied-thatahesuccessfulimplementatiomofthe6~tti~off?etaluma';s"proposedJinitigationand'
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rnonito_iing plan~as identified~in Gh~ipter~6~ofthe Cit}'s Biological:Assessinent dat~,d:September.l, 2004,
"~forthe-proposed project is likely to prevent'any~indirect adverse~affc,cts rothese"speeies"from occurring.,
Therefore,, we~~concur with your detcrin~nation-that the proposedspro~ect is:nat likely to-affect the.harvest
mouse and the:clapper`''ratl "'
~P]'ease contact me,if,you have.any~fu,rther-guest~ions. ~ ~ ~ -
`~MITIGA°TIOIV"
Salt Marsh~Haivest Mouse
lridi•ect effects to the."mouse may oecUr from woi~k.ad~acent to habrtat along the southernmost,;
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levee access roadadjacent tiJ P_ai~ds ~9 and l0 related to road~resurfacmg and publrc access onthe .
,trail to the navaFbuilding; and outfall r."epatr"s adjacerit`to habitat alorig~ttie Retaluma'Ri~_er." '
.~ ~~- During the;"desigri`phase~of the=`pro~ect,~~pipeliri~ alr~enrrrcnt and'=oi-k area~~as configured to avoid
salt;marsh_habitatpotenti~ally~used by sensiti~~e species~~likc the salt <rriarshharvesf mouseclapper
cail_andblack rail:' ~ . ~ ~ ~ "
~rv'here potential rnouse habitat i"s ad~3cent to t_he ~~~ork area for pipe ine excavation and access -
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road use durrnb~consti•uction (see Figure ~ l; southwest-comer. ofPond.~10), work'fenccs v<ill. ~ .~
he installed a ~niiiimum of,l0 :feet from the"potential habitat. Dui-in~~resurfacir2 ~tior4s area.
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fence writ°~bc installed; at: the ed«e of,'the existing surface of the:'trail tothe:NavalBuilding.-,~ ~ - `~'
- Maintarriin~ thisexrstiiig,screeninC7 ~e~etation're'duces the sightJines for aon-native"predators
ofnativespecies like.themouse":~ - ~ -
Rules shall be establrshed h}~ the Crty~for the, public to remain on estabh~hcd trills<and-not to
venfur`e-off traiLinto therriarsh.~:~ e:anfrcipate that~mitigaticii~ measuies~will he fully effecti~e,for ~~~~
~polential impacts"; and,the ~projcct is ~i~ot lrk~l~ `to ady~crsely, affect salt'anarsti~~harvest mouse ~ ~, ~~~~;
- ~"`L;nhancements fo~mouse~tiabitat wrll~~result;from_the'.project through ~.the'..protecuon o'f eristina
'hahitat and~non-native predator-control-(see the description-for clapper rail'.belo~~):`"' ~. ~ ~ ` -
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Califorri`ia Clapper,Rail i `\
`Indircet effects to.the rail may occrir from work adjacent t~''habitat'along theaouthernmost levee
access road next to Ponds 9 and: 10. frgm resurfaciny~ of the rarl foahe'~Javal 13u~ilding and public..' ,
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access to` he t e alunia'River, and~workon the ~ ~ ~~~~
Durin,= the.desigri'.phasirofthc prolec.t; pipeline. all<~rrnent and work area ~~a~ cc~ifi/.;ured to avid
. habitat potentially., used b~ sensiti~ e, species ~lrke the; s rli marsh harvest inous~, clapper rail ~aitd .~.
black rail Additional protections associated «ith t,he'a~.c,css trail tu~the Petaluma Fiiv'er include; ~.,
Pre=Consfruction~~"~
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. l . '. A`rail, hahitat assessment ~~.ill he `conducted during the pre-construction.`survey-s
~~ needed "i~~r the \~'R1-' construction_~Tl~c.results~~of the, assessment and-~con~currence~ ~° ` : ~~_
of ~LSF1'~ S~wrll determine~ahe ~xact.houridary~ of~rail'~habitat. and the;poinf o~n the
trail ~~,~here acc.e ss'~~ ill he restricted during the breeding; eason:
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SEP,TEMSER. 1 2004.` PARSQ'NS/MERRITT SM1THCONSULT/NG PAGE B8 •
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PETA'LUMA W:ASE'R RECYC•LLNG FACILITY - PROPOSED BIOLOGICAL ASSES'SM'~'NT
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Construction
2. To avoid arsy potential .impaefs to the rail, ail. construetiorr will either occur during
the non-breeding season for the rail as prescribed by USFWS, or at a distance
greater than 200 feet from potential rail habitat W9rk areas that are «~ithin t:he
200-foot :boundary where construction must occur .during the non-breeding
season, .potentially :include construction of pipelines in the southern berms of
Ponds 9 and ,] 0, .outfall repairs. and resurfacing: of the~.road'to the Naval Building.
The pre-construction surveys will ~de'terrriine the proximity of rail hab'itaf to work
areas. lf.rail habitat is, identified .within 200 fefa of the construction work .areas,
- construction will he conducted during the non=breeding season to limit potential
impacts to this species. ,
3. Resurfacing-of the ,frail would occur only after.;thc~6reeding; easonihas ended on
August 31 (unless outside 6f.the 200-foot boundaryl; and, would .avoid disturbing
vegetation alongsthe~ed~es of'the road which currently: may obstruct the sight-line
of predators.
4. Vegetation .adjacent to ahe trail would not bc, cut back except in ahe event -of
USFWS support for a native lilai~t restoration '.program m;.which native species
would replace the invasive spec.es• re~~o~ed: The residents of Petaluma :have
expressed interest in replacing non-nati~•e habitat ~yith,~~atiue plants..
Maintenance ~ •
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5. Maintenance would occur after=breedtng~seasgn~ has ended. on August 3l (unless
outside of the 200=foot boundary).
Operation -
G. Use of the°trail woetld 6e prohhited •durit~g the first trvo meinths of the clapper rail.
'breeding season (1%15 ~to 3115). Duringthis ,time four-.passive aurveys would 'be
.conducted to determine;if:clapperarails ~tre hr"ceding within.20O,,feet of the trail. 'If
nesting rails_are found; t}ie trail; `from the area of the':nest to the River, would be
~chsed to thegeneral public~.for;the remainder of'the breeding season'(~unti~l August
3 L). Access, a~i this,t~oi not of the`tra~l w~otild however, Ge permitted for groups. led
by trained.doc.nts,.°(~roups would primarily consist of ~~liool_'groups and b`i•rders.
Docents would ensure'th'at groups are quiet aad.stay'on the trail. If no nesting. .
clapper rails,;are found:wifhin 200 feet of the trail; it v~ouid.be open to the general,.
public for t}ie rest of the year.
7. Dogs would be prohibited on,the`trail.at..a'Il dines of th'e year. ,- •
8. The VJildiife Services division of USDA 'sl-1 'he: contacted to. conduct an
assessment of predator eontrot needs iri 'and .adjacent to the ;project area:
Recciinmendafions rx~ill be incorporated into the ongoing predator coi~tr..ol efforts,.
The recommendations may include: 1 j 1-laving WRF.staff and docents monifor:f~r
feral cats and dogs, red fpxes, and other non-native predators on the property; and
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SEPTEMBER h, 2004 PARSONS/MERRfTT SMITH CONS ULT7NG PAGE 8T
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_ P E TA"i U;M'A ,'W A T E1R 'RECY'C'LING ',,F'A.'C,'I L 1-T:Y ' RtR 0'P'O S E ~ B 1-0;L 0'G I GA'L A'.$ 5;E S S'M EN T
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' ~~ for increased numbers of~skunk"s and~~ ~raecoons. ~hf sighted; Petatirma Animal"-,:.
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~'•Services could 'be ;called fo remove °the 'ani'ma'ls; ~) Havin~~ staff and docents.' . -
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monitor the~businc_ss park and,Shollenberger Park zoensure~that she.laer and'food~
are ..not being provided to_:feral cats and that .garbage .does not provide a food
source, and. 3) Placing signage in both `Locations ;to alert the' public `that feedm~.
• ~ and sheltering feralcats as prohibited'.
y Signage will be installed in the'publrc park-ng;,area.and at':the trailkiead defining, .
the- access:restrictibns (no .dogs, Seasonal ; docent'=ted tours,: only, .etc,.) ,and .
describin"g fh~e life~cycle and Importanceofthe,'clappersrarl
-l U, The; area will be monitored by the City` to',pre~ er-E =trespass info the marsh and: -
establishment of unauthorized ti-ails.,City code;prohibits.unauthoi-ized access onto`
~_ - ' public'or.private lands and"a call;to the'City.Polrce will elicit'aii on'site response: ' -
-~Trespassers~ are ~su6~ect to 'arrest; ~ and"`signage vvill''~reflect ~-the_ City's right toy
respond to`uiiauthorized access. - ' . -
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~~:-- ~,,' ~~ g anee of the visitor's parking:<lot will be proi~ided. The Cite has..
1 I ~~ The atc~at the entr
~~ , ~ a 'security service xhat ~ drives through :the parking: ~~lot,~, checks "and, locks the. -r..
' ,` bathrooms, and closes the "gate at' 10 pm each;. evening. The gate is opened and
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bath r' , ~ _ .
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-~ ~~. '~ ~ - ooms unlocked each rriornirig at 6 am: ~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~-
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`N~ise-generating activities such'.as the use of generators aid other equipment will be minimized - . •
~, ~ ~ anii/or baffled ~as practicable. 'A ;vibrator}~~ hammer: will be used. in~the event°that ,pilings Fare .: -
- . '~. rernoved or replaced during outfall repairs. Access to!the site will 6e restri'cted,to'avoid impacts to ~'
r tidal marsh habitat .Dui-to,•the~measures described'above, the project isrnot.likely,to adversely -
affect California elapper:rail.: ~<.. ~ '~ - . . .
required Tor`bald°~eagle: The project,will not adversely affect baldeagle. ~Hov<ever, to investigate ' ~ ~ ~~
for presence and avoid any potential impacts to raptor species in ~*~neral, pre construction surveys;"
will be conducted in the spring~ust;prior to construction.,Wildlifebiologists will_detenrirne Ifany~~.
actr,ve Ya ~tor or,ml~?ator}' ;ithin X00 feet of the project area prior to initiation of
p b 6ird'ncsts-occur w
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eonstructlon~activmes. Surveys will-be conducted ~.~U days~pnor-to3construetron start,,~and every
vear~during constructioi~'bettveen Match and-Mav.`~; ~ ~ -
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..,If active ~raptot :nests: are located in the study area construct-ionexclusion zones shall be
'on with USF\\';S and CDFG)~around each;actrve nest Construction.
established (throu h consultatl ~ ~~
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actrvrtres,~-shall be proh~ibrted_~wrthrrt the exclusion. zone'°~untrl °ahe end; of~th~e nesting season ~ ~ ~~
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SEPTEMBER .i, 20, ,~ $~~ ~ -
NSULTtNC, PAGE 88
0'4 ~ ~ ~ ~~ PARSONS{MERRIT.T'SMITH••CD~~