SFPUC 2001 Alameda Watershed Management Plan

XII. SUMMARY OF COMMMENTS AND RESPONSESC. STAFF-INITIATED TEXT CHANGESDEIR page II-20, paragraph 4:The preferred alternative was derived from an evaluation of the three alternatives andwas approved through a SFPUC resolution in January 1995. The direction of theSFPUC on the preferred Management Plan was general in nature and applied to boththe Alameda and Peninsula Watersheds (with the exception of several Watershedspecificissues, such as grazing and mining). This direction provided the basis fordevelopment of the details of the plans. Subsequent elements further refining theDraft Alameda Watershed Management Plan include the Sunol Valley ResourcesManagement Element (May 1996) and the Alameda Watershed Grazing ResourcesManagement Element (JuneAdopted July 27, 1997).DEIR page III.B-10, paragraph 2:Access to Public Use AreasThe primary land use changes that would result from implementation of the AlamedaWatershed Management Plan are associated with increased public access and theexpansion and extended timing of mining north and south iof I-680. Under theproposed Plan, a Watershed Visitor Education Center, public recreation area,commercial site, and overnight nature study area (Actions pub4, sun14, sun19, andsun20) could be developed on the Watershed. These uses are designed as generallylow intensity recreation and are more fully described in the preliminary SunolLandscape and Recreation Plan, which has been prepared to plan recreationalactivities and landscape concepts for the Sunol Valley in order to develop lease termsand conditions for mining under SMP-32. The Management Plan provides for theestablishment of new trails around the Sunol Temple and in the Sunol Valley asconnectors to the Sunol-Ohlone Regional Park areas (Policies WA15.2 and WA15.4and Actions sun14 and sun21). New trails would be restricted to areas of lowvulnerability and risk to protect water quality and ecological resources. Areas of lowvulnerability would be in the secondary Watershed (away from existing reservoirs)and in the Sunol Valley near the Town of Sunol, the only adjacent developed area.These trails would allow for general public access to the Watershed (no permitrequired). Access to existing internal roads and fire roads in the Watershed iscurrently restricted. Under the Management Plan, a docent-led program would bedeveloped to allow individuals access to selected areas of the Watershed that aregenerally closed to the public (Policy WA10 and Action pub1). In addition, theManagement Plan calls for provision of universal access to recreation facilities andtrails, which could increase public use of the Watershed (Actions des8 and sun17).DEIR page III.B-12, paragraph 4:As described earlier in this document, actions proposed in the Alameda WatershedManagement Plan for mining north of I-680 would take place substantially inaccordance with limits and mitigations set forth in the conditions of approval forNOP 96.223E: Alameda Watershed Management Plan C&R.115 ESA / 930385