Initial Study MND - Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and ...

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Taylor MountainINITIAL STUDY/MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATIONshown in Table B.3.4-3. However, this is a conservative estimate based on developmentenvelopes and conceptual design, including the assumption that a six-foot width would berequired for all trails. In fact, only a portion of the areas within the development envelopes willbe disturbed and in many areas, the trail width will be narrower, thus reducing the area ofimpact. Also, with implementation of Master Plan guidelines and standards (see below), thefinal design of facilities will reduce the overall acreage of impact. Trails can be designed toavoid trees and can be sited along the edges of habitat areas to minimize loss andfragmentation of habitat.Table B.3.4-3. Estimated Potential Impacts on Oak WoodlandLand Use TypeImpact Area (acres)Access and Parking 0.26Buildings and Infrastructure 0.001Trails 0.96Total 1.411Measures to protect oak woodland habitat and reduce potential impacts are included as part ofthe proposed project and are listed in the Master Plan, as follows:Construction Phase S13 – Tree removal shall be limited to the greatest extent possible during projectconstruction. S14 – Locate trails, visitor facilities, and other development-related disturbance outside ofnative forests and woodlands as feasible. Where ground disturbance is unavoidable,protection measures must be in place. These may include protecting soil surfaces by seedingor planting promptly with appropriate native species and covering with weed-free strawmulch. S15 – Develop and implement a restoration plan for any proposed trails and visitor facilitiesthat are unable to avoid native forest and woodland habitats. The restoration plan willinclude habitat restoration measures, success criteria, and monitoring requirements. Treereplacement ratios will also be included in the plan.Operational Phase S17 – Reduce and control French and Scotch broom. Remove small, isolated infestations thatare scattered through oak woodlands. Pull by hand or with weed wrench. Minimize grounddisturbance. S18 – Prevent the regeneration and/or spread of eucalyptus from the grove near the KawanaSprings Resort. S19 – Prevent the spread of invasive plant populations in forest and woodland habitats.In addition to minimizing tree removal and disturbance of woodlands, the Master Plan’scomprehensive set of SOD standards includes measures to prevent the introduction of SOD, aswell as activities to limit the spread of SOD on the property. Implementation of Standards S16,Final B-60 September 2012
Taylor MountainINITIAL STUDY/MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATIONS72 and S73 would involve education, physical construction practices, equipment cleaning, stafftraining, monitoring and other miscellaneous provisions to ensure potential SOD impacts areminimized to the maximum extent feasible.Implementation of the above measures would ensure that impacts on sensitive habitats are lessthan significant. As described above, with proper design and siting of facilities (primarily trails),impacts will be avoided or reduced to levels that are less than significant.c. Would the project have a substantial adverse effect on federally protected wetlands asdefined by Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (including, but not limited to, marsh, vernalpool, coastal, etc.) either individually or in combination with the known or probableimpacts of other activities through direct removal, filling, hydrological interruption, orother means?LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT. Potential jurisdictional wetlands, including vernal marsh, freshwaterseeps, and coastal and valley freshwater marsh, occur at several locations within the projectarea (Figure B.3.4-4, Potential Impact on Wetlands and Waters). As described in the settingsection, the Taylor Mountain property contains several different types of wetlands. Currently,wetlands are used extensively by cattle due to their proximity to existing water troughs andavailability as forage. Several existing public trails follow the edges of wetlands. Most of thenon-native plant species that are present in wetlands on Taylor Mountain are widelynaturalized both across the property and throughout California. Protecting water quality,quantity, and native vegetation around wetlands will enable these special environments tocontinue to provide valuable hydrologic and habitat functions.Currently, during periods of wet weather, livestock and human visitors trample wetlands,resulting in soil compaction, degraded water quality through elevated sedimentation andnutrient input from livestock waste, and impacts on native wildlife. Grazing is heaviest in thesouthwestern part of Taylor Mountain where water sources are most prevalent and topographyis gentle (Bush, 2012). Erosion from trampling and runoff from trails around marshes and seepscan increase sediment delivery into wetland habitats and adjacent receiving waters. Impacts onwetlands are problematic year round because common amphibians use them in the winter forbreeding but CRLF use them in the summer for non-breeding aquatic hydration habitat.Additionally, in-channel headcuts (vertical drops in the stream channel) have migratedupstream in several tributaries and have the potential to erode into and through some wetlandhabitats.Implementation of improvements identified in the Master Plan will potentially have directimpacts on small areas of wetlands and has the potential to cause indirect impacts on wetlandsas well. The proposed improvements have the potential to impact wetlands directly throughground disturbance and construction. These direct impacts would occur through road andinfrastructure development and trail and boardwalk construction. Potential impacts onfederally protected wetlands total 0.13 acres and are illustrated in Figure B.3.4-4 and describedin Table B.3.4-4 below.September 2012 B-61 Final
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