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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBates 07788-07856 KMA Froom Biological Resources InventoryFROOM RANCH PROJECT SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY,CALIFORNIA BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES INVENTORY Prepared for: John Madonna Construction,Inc. P.O.Box 5310 San Luis Obispo,California 93403 Prepared by: KMA Kevin Merk Associates,LLC P.O.Box 318 San Luis Obispo,California 93406 January 2016 07788 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc. ES--i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Kevin Merk Associates,LLC KMA)conducted a biologicalresourcesinventory to support development planning efforts on theFroom Ranch located in San Luis Obispo County,California.Thepurpose of the study was to characterize the existing conditions on the property and evaluate the potentialforspecial status biological resources tobepresent within the studyarea.A background literature review, floristic inventory,tree inventory and special status species evaluationwasconducted. The study took place over the course ofthewinter,spring,summer and fallof2015 to delineate and characterize plant communities onsite,conduct rare plant surveys,and identify any habitat thatcould potentially support special status speciesorotherwise be of concern to the United StatesFishand Wildlife USFWS),U.S.Army Corps of Engineers USACE),NOAA Fisheries,California Departmentof Fish andWildlife CDFW),California Regional Water Quality ControlBoardRWQCB),and theCity of San Luis Obispo.As stated above,prior to field work,abackground literature review including past biological studies conducted in theregion and environmental documents from projects onsiteandin the immediate area was conducted.The California NaturalDiversity Data Base CNDDB)maintained by theCDFW was queried to compile a list of specialstatus resources known to occurinthearea that could potentially be present onsite.The field effort mappedonsitehabitat types,characterized natural drainage features,and identified all plantswithin the studyarea to a sufficient level to determinetheir respective rarity status.For special status wildlife,a habitat suitability analysis wasusedtodetermine the species that could potentially occur withinthestudyarea.The following findings were gatheredin the report: Existing Conditions.The siteisa 111 acre working cattle/horse ranch that supportsprimarily grassland habitat both nativebunchgrass and non--native annual).Oak woodlands,coastal scrub,and serpentine outcrops were identified within the studyarea.Froom Creek andthree tributary drainages are also present onsite.Froom Creek is atributary to San Luis Obispo Creek located offsitetothe southeast.Asite locationmap,aerial overview map,soils map,habitat map,CNDDB botanical occurrences map,special status plant occurrences map,and CNDDB wildlifeoccurrencesmapare provided herein.A list of plant and animal speciesobserved,special status species known tooccurin the region and an evaluation of their potential tooccuronsite,a photo plate,andtree inventory data are included as appendices. Special Status Biological Resources.The site contains Froom Creek and associated tributary drainages.The upper elevation areas inthesouthwest of the sitehaveserpentine derived soils and rock outcrops.Grasslands in the southwestpart of the study areacontainnative species such aspurple needlegrass Stipa pulchra),and was mappedasserpentine bunchgrass grassland separated from the annual grassland that forms thedominant cover onsite.Other special status resources onsite include coast liveoak/California bay woodland,and wetland and riparian habitat associated with natural drainage features.In addition,wetlands were delineated along Calle Joaquin and LosOsosValleyRoad where surface and subsurface hydrology has been impounded due to theconstructionofroadsand adjacent development. The floristic inventory identified thefollowing special status plants occurringin the serpentine bunchgrass grassland,wetlands and on scattered serpentine outcrops in the southwest part of thesite: Blochman's dudleya Dudleya blochmaniae;CRPR List 1B.1); Brewer's spineflower Chorizanthe breweri;CRPR List 1B.3); Cambria morning gloryCalystegia subacaulis ssp.episcopalis;CRPR List4.2); Chaparral ragwort Senecio aphanactis;CRPR List2.2); Chorro Creek bog thistleCirsium fontinale var.obispoense;federal and state endangered and CRPR List 1B.2); club hair mariposa lilyCalochortus clavatus ssp.clavatus CRPR List 4.3); 07789 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc. ES--ii Congdon's tarplant Centromadia parryi ssp.congdonii;CRPR List 1B.1); Eastwood’s larkspur Delphinium parryi ssp.eastwoodiae;CRPR List1B.2); Jones's layia Layia jonesii;CRPR List1B.2); mouse--gray dudleya Dudleya abramsii ssp.murina;CRPR List1B.2); Palmer’s spineflower Chorizanthe palmeri:CRPR List4.2); San Luis mariposa lilyCalochortus obispoensis;CRPR List1B.2);and San Luis Obispo owl's--clover Castilleja densiflora ssp.obispoensis;CRPR List1B.2). No rare animals were observedonsite during the field surveys,but based on ahabitatsuitability analysis,the following special status animalscould potentially occuronsite: American badger Taxidea taxus;species of special concern) Burrowing owl Athene cunicularia;species of special concern); California homed lark Eremophila alpestris actia;watch list); Cooper’s hawk Accipiter cooperi;watch list); Golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos;watch list and CDFW FullyProtected); Loggerhead shrike Lanius ludovicianus;species of specialconcern); Merlin Falco columbarius;watch list); Northern harrier Circus cyaneus;species of specialconcern); Purple martin Progne subis;species of specialconcern); Sharp--shinned hawk Accipiter striatus;watch list); Tricolored blackbird Agelaius tricolor;candidate species and species of specialconcern); White--tailed kite Elanus leucurus;CDFW Fully Protected); Yellow warbler Dendroica petechia brewsteri;species of special concern); Big free--tailed bat Nyctinomops macrotis;species of special concern; Hoary bat Lasiurus cinereus;special animal); Pallid bat Antrozous pallidus;species of special concern); San Diego woodrat Neotoma lepida intermedia;species of special concern); Steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus;federal threatened and species ofconcern); Townsend’s western big--eared bat Corynorhinus townsendi townsendi;species of special concern); Western mastiff bat Eumops perotis californicus;species of special concern); Western red bat Lasiurus blossevilli;species of special concern);and Yuma Myotis Myotis yumanensis;special animal). A variety of birds and bats could also utilize the larger trees within theoak/baywoodlandandriparian habitat for nesting and roosting activities.In addition,several bird speciescouldpotentiallyusethe grassland habitat in the study area for nesting.Given the property containsamosaicofhabitattypes, birds and bats would be expected to forage throughouttheproperty. 07790 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc. i TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1 2.0 METHODS 1 2.1 Background Literature Review 1 2.2 Special Status Biological Resources Definition 4 2.3 Field Surveys 5 2.4 Tree Inventory 6 2.5 Floristic Inventory 7 2.6 Wildlife Assessment 7 3.0 RESULTS 8 3.1 Habitat Types 11 3.2 Tree Survey 15 3.3 Drainage Features 15 3.4 Soils 18 3.5 Special Status Biological Resources 19 5.0 CONCLUSION 26 6.0 REFERENCES 27 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Site Location Map 2 Figure 2 Aerial Overview Map 3 Figure 3 Soils Map 9 Figure 4 Habitat Map 10 Figure 5 Tree Survey Map 16 Figure 6 CNDDB Botanical Occurrences Map 20 Figure 7 Special Status Plant Occurrences Map 22 Figure 8 CNDDB Wildlife Occurrences Map 24 LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Survey Dates and Personnel 6 APPENDICES Appendix A List of Plantsand Animals Observed Onsite Appendix B CNDDB Table of Special StatusBiological Resources Known orPotentially Occurring on the Site Appendix C Photo Plate Appendix D Tree Survey Data Form 07791 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory Report John Madonna Construction, Inc. 1 1.0 INTRODUCTION Kevin Merk Associates,LLCKMA)conducted a biological resources inventory on the Froom Ranch located just outside the current city limits oftheCity ofSan Luis Obispo,in San Luis Obispo County, California.The purpose of theinvestigation was to provide baseline information ofthebiological resources present or potentially present on the site for future developmentplanningandreviewby the project team and the City ofSanLuisObispo.The site is located intheeastern flank ofthe Irish Hills of theSan Luis Range justnorth andwest of Highway101,and west ofLos Osos Valley Road please refer toFigures 1 and 2).The subject property is bounded by the Irish Hills Plaza tothe north,Los Osos ValleyRoad LOVR)to the east,the City of San Luis Obispo IrishHillsNatural Reserve to the west,and Mountainbrook Church and several hotels along CalleJoaquintothesouth. The Froom Ranch has a long history asaworking ranch composed ofa diverse array of coastal habitats including annual and perennialgrasslands,coastal scrub,chaparral,oak and bay woodland, riparian and wetland creating amosaicof plant communities across the landscape. The region is characterized as a Mediterranean climate with mild,wet wintersandwarm,dry summers.Duetothe site’s proximity to the PacificOcean,daily temperatures do not fluctuateas much as the County’s interiornortheast of the Santa Lucia Mountains.Average annual temperatures range from approximately 41degreesFahrenheit F)to 71 degrees F,andannual precipitation in the San Luis Obispoarearanges from approximately 21 to 24 inchesdependingon location Western Regional Climate CenterandNational Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration, 2015).Most ofthe rain occurs between November and March with a small amount attributed to coastal fogand monsoonal flowduring the summer months. The biological resources inventory was prepared at the requestofMr.John Madonna to identify plant communities,plants and wildlife presenton the property that could be of specialregulatory importance.In addition,a delineation of waters of the United States andStateofCaliforniawas conducted onsite KMA 2015),and the report was reviewed by the U.S.ArmyCorpsofEngineers USACE).Based on field and office reviewofthedelineation report,theUSACE confirmed the maps identified the extent of their Clean Water Actjurisdiction letter dated September 24,2015). 2.0 METHODS 2.1 Background Literature Review Prior toconducting field work,KMA’s Principal Biologist,KevinMerk,and Senior Biologist,Robert Sloan,reviewed pertinent background information from the generalarea.This included the review of past studies conducted byKMA and other biological consultants in theregionandon the subject site.Portions of the studyarea and surrounding lands have been subject to previous biological studies.Several Environmental Impact Reportsfor nearby development projects were also reviewed.Several surrounding development projects included wetland delineations and some focused biological studies.In some instances,the focusedstudiesincluded the northern and eastern parts of the study area i.e.:Home Depot/Irish Hills Plaza andCalleJoaquinImprovement projects).Hydrologic studies and wetland mitigation plans and subsequent mitigation monitoring reports were also prepared and reviewed as part of theinvestigation.Clean Water Act permitting for the Home Depot project,and subsequent regulatory actions taken bytheUSACE for permit violations during the construction ofHomeDepotresulted inasettlement agreement e.g.,Consent Decree dated August 12,2002)between the former owner of the property andtheUSACE.The Consent Decree has been resolved and all stipulations weremet letter from the USACEon 2/19/2015). 07792 Site Location Froom Ranch Figure 1 Sources: Sources: National Geographic, Esri, DeLorme, HERE, UNEP-WCMC, USGS, NASA, ESA, METI, NRCAN, GEBCO, NOAA, increment P Corp.© 2013 National Geographic Society, i-cubed 1 inch = 10,000 feet Site Location John Madonna Construction, Inc.Site Location 1 in = 400,000 ft 07793 Froom Ranch John Madonna Construction, Inc. Figure 2 Aerial Overvie w Sources: (c) ESRI and its data providers; USFWS, NWI Data; City of San Luis Obispo Study Area Boundary 1 inch = 1,500 feet HWY 101 L o s O s o s V alle y R d M a d o n n a R d S. Higuera St 07794 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory Report John Madonna Construction, Inc. 4 The following documents were reviewed as part of the existing conditions characterizationand preliminary biological constraints analysis: Madonna Eagle Hardware Environmental Impact Report1998); Biological Resources Analysis Letter of Findings for the Los OsosValleyRoadImprovement Project Olberding Environmental,2001); Wetland Restoration andMitigation Plans Relating to the Froom Ranch/HomeDepot Project Olberding Environmental,2002); San Luis Obispo Creek Watershed Enhancement Plan Land Conservancy ofSanLuisObispo County,2002); Year 1 Wetland Monitoring Report for the Froom Ranch/Boysen RanchMitigationSites Olberding Environmental,2003); Calle Joaquin Realignment Wetland Delineation Morro Group,2004); Irish Hills Plaza II Wetland Delineation Map MorroGroup,2004); Froom Ranch Wetland Assessment Morro Group,2005); Hydrologic Monitoring PlanforSustaining a Separated WetlandNear Calle Joaquin Balance Hydrologics,2005); Irish Hills Plaza Detention Basin Report Wallace Group,2006); Year 5 Wetland Monitoring Report for the Froom Ranch/HomeDepotSiteOlberding Environmental,2007); Los Osos Valley Road/U.S.101 Interchange Improvements Project Biological Assessment for Central California Coast Steelhead 2008);and Irish Hills Natural Area Conservation Plan Update2011). The California Natural Diversity Database maintained by the California DepartmentofFishand Game updated in2015;CNDDB)was searched for special status biological resourcesdocumented within the United States Geological Survey’sUSGS)7.5--minute topographic quadrangle maps centered on and surrounding the site.This included theMorroBaySouth,SanLuis Obispo,Lopez Mtn.,Port San Luis,Pismo Beach and Arroyo Grande NE quads.Giventheprojectsite’sproximityto the Pacific Ocean and geographic setting within the San Luis Range incloseproximitytoSanLuis Obispo,the focus on these sixquadswas deemed a sufficient search area to identifyspecialstatus species occurring in the vicinity of the site for inclusion in the study.Alargersearchradiuspicks up a number of plants andanimalsknown from higher elevations in the Santa LuciaMountains and further south in the Callendar and Guadalupe Dunes that would not beexpectedtooccuronthissite based on the lack of suitable habitatandsoils. The Natural Resources Conservation Service NRCS)Web Soil Survey wasreviewedtodetermine the soilmapping units present within the studyareaU.S.Department of Agriculture 2015).The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s online Wetland and CriticalHabitatMapper http://www.fws.gov/wetlands/Data/Mapper.html;http://criticalhabitat.fws.gov/crithab/)were also reviewed to evaluate the extent of documented wetlands and designatedcriticalhabitat defined in the region. 2.2 Special Status Biological Resources Definition For the purpose of this report,special status species are those plantsandanimalslisted,proposed for listing,or candidates for listing as Threatened or Endangered bytheU.S.FishandWildlife Service USFWS)underthe federal Endangered Species Act ESA);those listedorproposedfor listing as Rare,Threatened,or Endangered by the California DepartmentofFishand Wildlife 07795 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory Report John Madonna Construction, Inc. 5 CDFW)under the California Endangered Species Act CESA);animals designatedasSpeciesof Special Concern,”Fully Protected,”or Watch List”bytheCDFW;and plants occurring onCalifornia Rare Plant Rank 1,2,3and4developed by theCDFW working in concert with the CaliforniaNative Plant Society CNPS).Thespecific code definitions areas follows: Rank 1A Plants presumed extinct inCalifornia; Rank 1B.1 Rare or endangered in California and elsewhere;seriouslyendangered in California over 80%of occurrences threatened/high degree andimmediacyof threat); Rank 1B.2 Rare orendangered in California and elsewhere;fairlyendangeredin California 20--80%occurrences threatened); Rank 1B.3 Rare or endangered in California and elsewhere,notveryendangered in California 20%of occurrences threatened or no currentthreatsknown); Rank 2 Rare,threatened or endangered in California,butmorecommon elsewhere; Rank 3 Plants needing more information most arespeciesthatare taxonomically unresolved;few species on this list meet the definitions ofrarity under CEQA);and Rank 4.2 Plants of limited distribution watch list),fairlyendangeredin California 20--80%occurrences threatened,seldom meets the definition ofrarity under CEQA). Rank 4.3=Plants of limited distribution watch list),notveryendangeredin California seldom meets the definition of rarity underCEQA). Sensitive or special status natural communities are those plant communities listed asrareinthe CNDDB queried in AprilandNovember 2015.In addition,those habitat types or plant communities that have special regulatory status such as riparian habitatsprotected by California Fish and Game Code or the Clean Water Act are also identified as special statusbiologicalresources. 2.3 Field Surveys Kevin Merkand Robert Sloanwere the primary investigators for all field workassociated with the biological resources inventory.Additional field support was providedbyKMAstaff,Mr.Jaryd Block.Surveys were conducted onmultipledays through thewinter,spring,summer and fallof 2015.In addition,Mr.Merk conducted multiple site visitsprior to,during and immediately following winter rain events during 2013/2014 to evaluate and characterize onsite wetlands to support the delineation of waters of the United States and state ofCaliforniapreparedbyKMA in August 2015.A focused tree survey,a full floristic inventory,and a wildlife habitat assessment were conducted on thesite. The following table provides thedate and personnel for eachsurvey conducted in 2015: 07796 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory Report John Madonna Construction, Inc. 6 Table 1.2015 Survey DatesandPersonnel. Survey Date Survey Personnel January 28,Merk,Sloan,Block February 10 Sloan,Block March 3 Merk,Sloan March 11 Merk,Sloan,Block March 20 Merk,Sloan April 3 Merk,Sloan April 24 Merk May 22 Sloan June 1 Merk,Sloan June 19 Merk July 21 Merk,Sloan August 19 Merk September 17 Merk October 15 Merk The entire property was included in the study.Duringeachsurvey,thestudy area wastraversed on foot with special attention given to the drainagefeatures,wetlands,native grasslands and serpentine rock outcrops.Extensive time was spentonsite,especially in the lower elevation grasslands along Los Osos Valley Road and CalleJoaquin,to delineate the extent of federalandstate jurisdictional wetlands and other waters please refer to KMA’s Delineation of Waters oftheUnited States and State of Californiaprepared in August 2015 for further information).Existing plant communities were mapped on an aerial photograph obtainedfrom Google Earth and ESRI,both from 2015.Serpentine bunchgrass grassland was identified based on the dominantcoverofnative bunchgrasses and forb associates,and then delineated withaTrimbleGPSunit.Historic aerial imagery obtained from Google Earth was also utilized to assessplantcommunitydistribution onsite during field surveys.Photos of notable features including special status plantswerealsotaken to document existing conditions of thestudyarea. 2.4 Tree Inventory KMA Senior Biologist Robert Sloan with field support from Jaryd Block and Kevin Merk conducted an inventory of trees within the Froom Ranch propertyonFebruary10 and March 3,2015.The survey covered the entire FroomRanchproperty.Trees on the steep westernhillside area were not tagged due to access and densepoisonoak.All other trees located within the propertywitha diameter at breast heightabout 4.5 feet abovegrade;DBH)of approximately four 4)inchesor greater were identified,measured,tagged,and evaluated during the inventory.Tagsconsistedof aluminum disks numbered 1 through96,and wereattached with aluminum nails to the eastsideof the main trunk.The locations of all tagged treeswererecordedwitha Trimble GPS unit.Willow shrubs/trees along LOVRthatwere four inches DBHor greater were not tagged,but were counted and generally evaluated for health orvigor. Basic tree characteristics and physical conditions were evaluated for eachtaggedtree,andoverall health was evaluated based on vigor,presence of damage i.e.pathogens,insectpests,and other forms of natural andhuman--caused damage),and comparison to the typical archetypeofthesame species.Field evaluations of all trees considered thefollowingattributes: 07797 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory Report John Madonna Construction, Inc. 7 Trunk diameter The diameter of the trunk of each taggedtreewasmeasured at approximately 4.5 feet above grade using a forester’ssteeldiameter--equivalent tape measure.Trees withmultiple trunks or stems were measured at the same height and measurements foralltrunkslargerthan four inches were collected. Damage Identification of damage caused by pathogens or insect pests,bynaturalcausessuchas wildlife interaction,or by human activity was noted. Vigor rating All tagged trees were evaluated based on various parameters,includingamountof new growth,leafcolor,bark conditions,dead wood,evidence of wilt,excessivebranchorleaf necrosis,thinning of crown,presence of exudate,etc.A subjective rankingwasassignedtoquantify the overall physical condition of each tree based ontheratingsdescribedbelow: High:A healthy and vigorously growing tree characteristic ofitsspeciesandreasonably free of any visible signs of stress,disease,orpestinfestation. Moderate:A healthy and vigorous tree with minor visible signsofstress,disease,and/or pest infestation.Some dead wood,broken branches,or yellowing leavesmaybepresent. Low:A tree exhibiting signs of dieback,necrosis,stress,disease,orinsectdamageatlevels above what is typically expected for the species.Symptomscouldalsoinclude sparse leaf growth,predominately yellow leaves,dead or rotted wood in lowertrunk,brokenlimbs, exposed roots,and parasite growth. Dead:Tree had no foliage and exhibited nosignoflifeorvigor. 2.5 Floristic Inventory Kevin Merk and RobertSloan conductedthe botanical surveys in accordance with accepted protocols developed by the USFWS U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service,2000),CDFW California Department of FishandWildlife,2000),and CNPSCalifornia Native Plant Society,2001),which means:1)survey personnel traversed all suitable habitat within the entireprojectareaonfootby walking meandering transects to ensure thorough coverage of the area;2)surveyswerespaced throughout thelate winter,spring,summer and fall seasons to document the site’s flora;a3) surveys were floristic in nature,and all plant species observed wererecordedandidentifiedtoa sufficient level to determine rarity.Plant taxonomy followed nomenclature included intheJepson Manual,second additionBaldwin et al.,2012).Robert Hoover’s The Vascular Plants of San Luis Obispo County,California 1970)was also used to identify plants observed onsite.Speciesnot readily identifiable in the field were brought to the officeforfurtheranalysis.Calflora www.calflora org)and the Consortium of California Herbarium werealsoaccessed online to obtain records of special statusplant observations from the region.Special status plant occurrences observed in the field were delineated using aTrimbleGPSGeoXH 6000)unit capableofsub--meter and decimeter accuracy. 2.6 Wildlife Assessment Direct observations of wildlife including their sign i.e.:tracksandscat)werenotedin the fieldand are included on the species list inAppendixA.The evaluationof special status animal speciesand identification of habitat that could support these species was basedonourfieldobservations coupled with an understanding of the speciesbiology.Definitive or protocol--level surveys to determine the presence orabsence of theanimal species that mayoccur within the projectarea were not conducted.USFWS protocol surveys for special status wildlifespecies,such asthefederal threatened California red--legged frogRana draytonii;CRLF),require extensive fieldtime to be 07798 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory Report John Madonna Construction, Inc. 8 conducted only at certain times oftheyear.In addition,given that 2015 is the fourthyearofan ongoing drought,no sufficient aquatic habitat was present to search forspeciessuchastheCRLF. Further,we reliedonsurvey datafrom the immediate project vicinity contained in theCNDDBand conducted by other knowledgeable biologists to conclude whether or not certain specialstatus animals were expected to occur onsite.Known occurrence recordsinthe region coupled with our site--specific observations were usedto make presence/absence determinations for specialstatus wildlife potentially occurring onsite. 3.0 RESULTS The Froom Ranch covers approximately 111 acres spanning two Assessor’s parcels APN 067--241-- 030 and 067--241--031).The ranch has been grazed by cattle and horses formanyyears,andis composed of a mixofhabitat types,includingannual grassland,serpentine bunchgrass grassland, coastal scrub/chaparral,coast live oak/California bay woodland,wetland,and riparian.Also present are developed and disturbed or ruderal)areas includingexistingbuildings,roads,an active mine in the northwestern partofthesite,and storm water detention facilitiesforthe neighboring Irish Hills Plaza tothenorth.Planted trees suchasblue gum eucalyptus Eucalyptus globulus)and pepper treeSchinus molle)are also present. The primary parent material underlying the site is serpentinite withvaryingamalgamationsof serpentine derived clays that affect the distribution of vegetationonthe site.Serpentine rock outcrops are scattered acrosstheupper western part ofthesite and support a diverse assemblage of native plants adapted to the high metal content,including some thathavespecialregulatory status.Many of the nativeplantsare endemic to this area,and occur nowhereelseonearth. Hoover 1970)referred to this biological hotspot,which is within an approximateten--mile radius around San Luis Obispo,as the Obispoan pocket ofendemism. Froom Creek and three small tributary drainages are present on the study area.Inseveralareas, the drainages include pockets of wetland habitat.In addition,the steeperhillsidesin the southwestern part of thesitecontain springs,or seeps,where fresh water daylights”outofthe ground.Coastal scrub/chaparral occurs ondrier,shallow rocky soilson the steep slopesinthe upper western part of thesite.Coast liveoak/California bay woodlands are present alongdrainage courses identified as Drainages 1and2)and more north--facing slopesin thesouthwestern partof the site.As stated above,wetlands are present at seeps and springsformedatfracturesinthe serpentinite bedrock,along drainages,andalong Los Osos Valley Road and Calle Joaquinwherethe roads have impoundedsurface and subsurface flow.Riparian habitat is also presentonsite,but primarily restricted to the drainageditch constructed along Los OsosValleyRoad. A total of204 plant species were identified in thestudyarea,including 151 native species and53 non--natives.Thirteen of the native plants are special statusspecies as defined in this report.Of this number one plant is a federal and state endangeredspecies,nine 9)are California Rare Plant Rank CRPR)List 1B species and one 1)is a CRPRList 2 species.Three 3)are CRPR List4species, which is a watch list.The endangeredandList1Band 2species meet the rarity thresholddefined in Section 15380of the California Environmental QualityAct CEQA).List 4 species typically donot. 37 animal species were observed within the project areaduringfield surveys. A soils map is provided asFigure3 to illustrate soil map units present onsite,andFigure4 illustrates the plant communities,orhabitattypes,present onsite.A listofplants and animals observed during thesurveys is included as Appendix A.AppendixBincludes a list of allspecial status species and plant communities identified intheCNDDB,and identifies whether theywere 07799 Study Area Boundary Soil Type Cropley clay, 0 to 2 percent slopes Diablo and Cibo clays, 15 to 30 percent slopes Diablo and Cibo clays, 9 to 15 percent slopes Los Osos-Diablo complex, 15 to 30 percent slopes Los Osos-Diablo complex, 5 to 9 percent slopes Obispo-Rock outcrop complex, 15 to 75 percent slopes Riverwash Salinas silty clay loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes Xererts-Xerolls-Urban land complex, 0 to 15 percent slopes 0 230 460 690920115Feet Soils Map Figure3FroomRanch Source(s): (c) Microsoft Corporation and its data suppliers (2010): NRCS, SLO County Soils Data (2008) John Madonna Construction, Inc. 1 in = 400 ft HWY101 L o s O s o s V a lle y R d Ca lle Joaquin 07800 Irish Hills Plaza Mountainbrook Church Los Oso s V alle y R d HWY 101 CalleJoaquin Irish Hills Natural Reserve Froom Creek Drainage 1 Drainage 2 Drainage 3 Study Area Boundary Storm Water Basin (5.21 ac) Sycamore Trees (0.13 ac) Developed/Disturbed (8.88 ac) Eucalyptus Trees (0.61 ac) Arroyo Willow Riparian Scrub (1.87 ac) Wetland (7.25 ac) Drainage Feature (2.66 ac) Coast Live Oak/CA Bay Woodland (3.23 ac) Serpentine Rock Outcrop (1.96 ac) Serpentine Bunchgrass Grassland (13.46 ac) Coastal Scrub/Chaparral (6.52 ac) Annual Grassland (59.22 ac) 0 230 460 690920115Feet Habitat Map Figure4FroomRanch Source(s): ESRI and its data providers; San Luis Obispo County Parcel Information John Madonna Construction, Inc. 1 in = 400 ft 07801 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory Report John Madonna Construction, Inc. 11 observed onsite.If they werenotobserved,an evaluation as to theirpotentialto occur onsite is provided.Appendix C includesaseries of photographs of representative areasofthesiteand special status plantstaken during the field surveys.Appendix D includes the tree inventory data. 3.1 Habitat Types Six primary habitat types,or plant communities,were observed withintheprojectsite,and included native bunchgrass grassland Valley and Foothill Grassland/SerpentineBunchgrass Grassland),non--native annual grassland,coastal scrub,coast live oak woodland,wetland,and riparian.In addition,serpentine rock outcrops are present throughout thestudyareathatsupport an interesting assemblage of native plants that thrive duetothelowercompetition from non--native species as a result of the higher metalcontent.The characterizations of these plant communities generally follow those of Holland’s 1986)vegetation classification systemandtheplant community descriptions in the Manual ofCalifornia Vegetation,second edition Sawyer,Keeler-- Wolf,and Evens;2009).Other mapped features onsite included natural drainage featuresthat traverse the property and horticultural plantings ofMontereycypressHesperocyparis macrocarpa) and blue gumeucalyptus Eucalyptus globulus).The following discusses thehabitattypes delineated on Figure 4 and provides a characterization of the existingconditions. 3.1.1 Annual Grassland Lolium perenne Semi--Natural Herbaceous Stands) The primary grassland type observed onsite is dominated by annual species,andoccurs on theflat portions of the propertyhistorically impacted by cattle and horse grazing.Theannualgrassland habitat type corresponds to theperennial rye grass fieldsdescribed in the ManualofCalifornia Vegetation 2009,second edition)with the exception that it is dominated by theannualItalianrye grass.It corresponds to the Non--native Grassland described by Holland 1986).Theannual grassland onsite was dominatedbyItalian ryegrass Lolium multiflorum Festuca perennis).Other non--native grasses observed in this habitat typeincluded wild oatsAvena barbata),false brome Brachypodium distachyon),soft chessBromus hordeacous),and prickly sow thistleSonchus asper).Pockets ofyellow star thistle Centaurea solstitialis)were also present adjacentto disturbed areas.This grassland type was also present along the ranchroadsastheybecome recolonized by vegetation. Annual grasslands provide foraging,breeding habitat andmovement corridors for many wildlife species.Several mammals,such as the California groundsquirrel Spermophilus beecheyi),Botta’s pocket gopher Thomomys bottae),and deer micePeromyscus spp.)were observed within this habitat type.Numerousinvertebrate species such as insects),many of whichprovideafood source for larger animals such as lizards,birds and some small mammalscanalsobefoundwithin grassland communities.A variety of birds rely on open expanses ofgrasslandsforforaginghabitat. Grasslands that are bordered by habitats containing trees are particularly importantforraptors because the birds can use the large trees as nesting,roosting,and asobservationpointstolocate potential prey within nearby grassland habitats.Reptiles are also frequently found ingrasslands. In addition,in areas wheregrasslands surround creeks,wetlands and seasonalwater availability is important for wildlife. 3.1.2 Serpentine Bunchgrass Grassland Native grassland composed of purpleneedlegrass Stipa pulchra)along with a mix ofnativeand non--native species was present primarily in the upper elevation southwest portionofthestudy area where serpentine soils influence plantdistribution.The native grassland onsite correspondsto 07802 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory Report John Madonna Construction, Inc. 12 the Valley Needlegrass and Serpentine Bunchgrass Grasslands described by Holland1986)andthe Nassella or Stipa)pulchra Herbaceous Alliance purple needlegrass grassland)describedby Sawyer,Keeler--Wolf and Evens 2009).Occurrences ofnon--native species,such asred--stemmed filaree Erodium cicutarium),cat’s earHypochaeris glabra),and hairy vetchVicia villosa ssp. villosa)were observed scattered in this habitat on the site,but forthemostpart,theareawas dominated by native species such as yarrow Achillea millefolium),Cambria morning glory Calystegia subacaulis ssp.episcopalis),checker bloom Sidalcea malviflora),blue--eyed grass Sisyrinchium bellum),and western vervainVerbena lasiostachys). Similar to the wildlife habitat discussionabove,this grassland type provides suitable habitatfora number of species common tothearea. 3.1.3 Coastal Scrub/Chaparral The shrubland association found on the project site wasdominatedbyopen to dense stands of California sagebrush Artemisia californica),with other shrub constituents such as blacksage Salvia mellifera)primarily occurring ondrier serpentine soils and rock outcrops in the steep upper reaches of the project site.This habitat typewas described by Sawyer,Keeler--Wolf and Evensas the Artemisia californica--Salvia mellifera Shrubland Alliance Manual of California Vegetation,2009), and the Central Lucian Coastal Scrub byHolland1986).In some areas,the scrubvegetation segued into more chaparral habitat with speciessuchas buck brush Ceanothus cuneatus)forming the dominant cover.Also included in this shrub habitat wereoccurrencesofpoison oak Toxicodendron diversilobum),bush monkey flowerMimulus aurantiacus),California fuchsia Epilobium canum),and deerweed Acmispon glaber).The understory was composed of leaf litterin may places,but in some open areas theherbaceouslayer consisted of scattered occurrences of non-- native grasses suchas ripgut brome Bromus diandrus)and rattail fescue Festuca myuros)with pockets of purple needlegrass also present. Coastal scrub/chaparral communities provide cover and nesting habitat for avarietyofanimals such as western fence lizard Sceloporus occidentalis),western rattlesnake Crotalis viridis),blue-- gray gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea),wrentit Chamae fasciata),California towheeMelazone crissalis),California mousePeromyscus californicus),and grayfoxUrocyon cinereoargentus). Larger mammals such ascoyoteCanis latrans)and bobcat Lynx rufus)would alsobe expected to occur onsite and use the entire property.Mountain lions Felix concolor)have also been documented in the region and could occur onsite asararetransient. 3.1.4 Coast Live Oak/California BayWoodland The woodland community observedinthe study area was dominated by coastliveoakand California bay trees.This habitat type corresponds to the coast live oak woodlandandCalifornia bay forest Quercus agrifolia and Umbellularia californica woodland alliances)described bySawyer et al.in the Manual of California Vegetation 2009).Holland 1986)classifiedthiscommunityas the coast live oak woodland and California bay forest.Shrubs andunderstoryspeciesobservedin this part of the site consisted oftoyonHeteromeles arbutifolia),California coffeeberry Rhamnus Frangula californica),poison oak,and hummingbird sage Salvia spathacea).In areaswhere California bay trees formed the dominant cover,the understory was sparseandconsistedmostlyof leaf litter.Similarly,verylittle understory vegetation was present where the oaktreecanopywas dense. Oak/bay woodlands,in general,provide quality habitat for a large varietyofwildlifespecies.Large 07803 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory Report John Madonna Construction, Inc. 13 trees provide nesting sites and cover for birds andmanymammals.Dead anddecaying trees with few branches or no leaves providehawkingsites”for raptors and perches for otherbirdspecies. They also contribute woody debris to the duff in the woodland understory,whichprovidesforaging areas for small mammals and microclimates suitable for amphibians and reptiles inadditionto fungi.Acorns are a valuable food source for many animal species,includingacornwoodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus),scrub jayAphelocoma corulescens),western gray squirrelSciurus griseus),andblack--tailed deerOdocoileus hemionus).Scrub jay,westernbluebirdSialia mexicana),turkey vulture Cathartes aura),red--tailed hawkButeo jamaicensis),and black--tailed deer were observed within oak/bay woodlands onsite.Other representative animalspecies that could potentially occur in the oak dominatedwoodlandon--site include western screech owl Otus kennicottii),oak titmouse Baeolophus inornatus),and Virginia opossumDidelphis virginianus). 3.1.5 Wetland This habitat type is acombination of the Coastal and Valley Freshwater MarshandVernalMarsh vegetation communities described by Holland 1986).Sawyer,Keeler--Wolf and Evens have several classifications for wetlands that describe the perennial and seasonal wetlandsonsite,includingthe Eleocharis macrostachya,Juncus effusus,Juncus patens,and Juncus phaeocephalus Herbaceous Alliances spike rush,soft rush,and westernmarshes).In the wetland area adjacent toCalle Joaquin,a more perennial wetland wasobservedthat supports occurrences of other wetland plants such asround--leaf leather rootHoita orbicularis),seep spring monkey flower Mimulus guttatus), silverleaf Potentilla anserina),California bulrush Schoenoplectus californicus),and rough sedge Carex senta).Seasonalwetlands consisted of species suchas rabbitfoot grass Polypogon monspeliensis),Italian ryegrass,and grass polyLythrum hyssopifolia). Wetlands occur in nutrient--rich mineral soils that are saturated through part oralloftheyear. Wetland communities are best developed in locations withslow--moving,stagnant or ponded shallow water,which is the case with the impounded hydrology created bytheconstructionofLos Osos Valley Road and CalleJoaquin.In between the large constructed basin andthemapped wetland along Calle Joaquin,an extensive reed fescue occurrence was observed,mostlikelydueto the historic grazing regime onthesite. Small ponded areas withinthese wetlands may provide habitat for aquatic invertebrates suchas water striders family Gerridae)and boatmen family Carixidae),andmore opportunistic amphibians such as the Pacific chorusfrog Psuedacris regilla).Seasonal ponded water wouldalso be expected to be used as a drinking source for larger animals,andalsoapotentialstop over or foraging site for ducks and great blueheronsArdea herodias). 3.1.6 Riparian This habitat on--site is consistent with the Arroyo Willow Shrubland Allianceasdescribedby Sawyer,Keeler--Wolf and Evens 2009),and corresponds totheCentralCoast Arroyo Willow Riparian Scrub community described by Holland 1986).This vegetation community wasrestricted to the lower reachofthe study area alongLOVR.This habitat was mostly dominatedbyarroyo willow Salix lasiolepis)and contained a fewyoung cottonwoods in the ditch behindTJMaxx.The dry ephemeral nature ofFroom Creek and historic grazing pressure limited the extentofriparian vegetation development.In one location in the northwestern part of the site,asmalloccurrenceof riparian scrub was observedon the creek bank,south of the existing buildings andequipment storage yard.Common plant species observed in thishabitatincludedHimalayan blackberry Rubus discolor),poison oak,and stingingnettleUrtica dioica).Central Coast Arroyo Willow 07804 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory Report John Madonna Construction, Inc. 14 Riparian Scrub is a form of forested wetland thatisconsidered a sensitive natural communityby the CDFW. Riparian communities along larger drainage coursesare important for many wildlife speciessince the abundance of moisture andassociated vegetation provide structure,materials,andfoodsources for nesting and roosting animals.However,the onsite riparian habitat consists of arelativelyyoung monoculture of arroyo willows growing along a constructed roadsideditch.This severely limits the forage value within the understory and expected use of this habitat as coveror as a corridor for movement along the edges of openareas.In addition,people have been using theriparianhabitat in this area as shelter. Given the limitedextent of this habitat onsite,common wildlife such as the Pacific chorus frog, western fence lizard,raccoon Procyon lotor),opossum,and striped skunk Mephitis mephitis) would be expected to use this areaperiodically.While nesting habitat islimitedin this area,house wren Troglodytes aedon),ruby--crowned kinglet Regulus calendula),song sparrowMelospiza melodia),black phoebe Sayornis nigricans),and goldfinches Carduelis spp.)could potentially nest, perch and forage in thishabitat.As stated above,the willows are relatively young,andwouldnot be expected to provide suitable nesting or perching habitat for largerraptorssuchasthered--tailed hawk that are present inthearea. Seasonal water and the wetness ofthesoilwould typically increase the value of this habitatfor wildlife if it wasn’t associated with aroadsideditch.This riparian habitat likely improves water quality by protecting the ditch from erosion,and filtering sediment and some pollutantsfrom runoff before itdrains to the Calle Joaquin wetland area,and eventually offsitetowardsSanLuis Obispo Creek. 3.1.7 Developed/Disturbed Ruderal) The existing ranch roads,equipment storage area,buildings andactivemine were mapped as Developed/Disturbed also known asruderal)habitat based on the presence ofbaresoils,base rock,and structures.Developed/Disturbed Ruderal)habitat is not a native plant community,nor is it described bythe vegetation classification systems used inthisstudy since it is ananthropogenic influenced land type.Along road margins,high concentrations of invasive,non--native specieswere present,likely due to thehistoric disturbance.Someplants characteristic of theonsiteannual grassland habitat described above werepresent,in addition todominant weedy species suchas Italian thistle Carduus pycnocephalus)andyellow star thistle.Because of the highlydisturbed nature of this habitat,it is of marginal value to wildlife.Nonetheless,itsproximitytothenatural plant communities onsite allow several common species such as the westernfencelizardand California ground squirrel toutilizedisturbed orruderal areas of thesite for basking in the sunand foraging. 3.1.8 Serpentine Rock Outcrop Scattered throughout thesteeper portions ofsite,primarily in the southwest part ofthestudyarea, are areas of serpentine rock outcroppings.Theexposed serpentine rockswere mostly bare,butdid support native plants in cracks or areas of talus accumulation.Species observedincluded several species of mariposa lilyCalochortus clavatus ssp.clavatus,C.obispoensis),cryptantha Cryptantha clevelandii),mouse gray dudleyaDudleya abramsii ssp.murina),Blochman’s dudleya Dudleya blochmaniae),and stinging phaceliaPhacelia imbricata). 07805 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory Report John Madonna Construction, Inc. 15 3.1.9 Eucalyptus and Sycamore Trees Within the study area,several planted blue gum eucalyptus treeswerepresent.In addition,several sycamore Platanus racemosa)trees were identified in the active mine in thenorthwesternpartof the site.The extent oftree canopies was delineated on thehabitat map included asFigure4.While bird nests were not observed duringsurveys,these trees provide perching andnesting opportunities for a variety ofbirds,includingraptors such as greathorned owl and red--tailed hawk. 3.2 Tree Survey A total of 96 treeswithDBH of four 4)inches orgreater were tagged within the studyarea,and included five 5)species of native treesandtwo 2)non--native tree species.Please refer to Figure 5 the Tree Survey Map.Trees were concentrated primarilyalong Drainage 1.Native trees recorded included 41 Coast liveoakQuercus agrifolia),31 Californiabay Umbellularia californica), three 3)western sycamore Platanus racemosa),three 3)Fremont cottonwood Populus fremontii),three 3)arroyo willow Salix lasiolepis),andone 1)holly--leaf cherry Prunus ilicifolia). Non--native trees present included 12 blue gumeucalyptusEucalyptus globulus),andtwo 2) Peruvian pepper Schinus molle).Generally,the majority of trees present exhibitedhighor moderate vigor.Several large oak and bay trees exhibited hollow or deadmaintrunks,buthad large,healthy secondary trunk growth.Several trees exhibited sparse canopy growthandpoorleaf development. The very steep upper portionofDrainage 1 in thesouthwestern corner of the sitecontained oak and bay trees in a narrow canyonarea.This area was not accessibleduetosteep terrain,dense vegetation and poisonoak. The LOVR roadside channelcontained approximately 200 arroyo willowshrubs/trees that have established along the channel over the last 10 years.Thesewillowsconsisted primarily of multi-- stemmed specimens some with 10 ormoretrunks)located mostly within thecenterline of the ditch.The willow occurrences were mapped as riparian habitat as partoftheplantcommunityor habitat type mapping effort,and the arealextentcalculated. 3.3 Drainage Features 3.3.1 Froom Creek and Tributaries Froom Creek is an intermittent streamwith a relatively small watershed that originates intheIrish Hills to the southwest of thestudyarea.The creek channelbisects thestudy area in a generally north to south direction,and ultimately passes beneath Calle JoaquinandU.S.Highway 101 via two concrete box culverts,heading to its confluence with San Luis Obispo Creek.SanLuisObispoCreek flows in a westerly direction ultimately connecting to the PacificOceanatAvilaBeach.Due to the lack of dominant wetland vegetation withinoradjacent to the channel,Froom Creek wasclassified as Riverine Intermittent Streambed per Cowardin,andas non--wetland waters of the U.S.andstate of California subjecttoUSACE,RWQCB and CDFW jurisdiction. Three small ephemeral drainage featuresidentified as Drainages 1,2,and 3)arepresentinthe southwestern portion of the study area that are tributaries to Froom Creek.Duetothepresenceof a defined bed and bank,OHWM,and hydrologic connectivity to FroomCreek,thesesmallfeatures were classified as Riverine Intermittent Streambed per Cowardin,andconstitute jurisdictional non-- wetland waters of the U.S.and stateofCalifornia.While these drainages were mostly comprisedof 07806 Los Os o s V alle y R d CalleJoaquin HWY 101 Irish Hills Plaza Mountainbrook Church Tagged Trees (96 total) Arroyo Willow California Bay Coast Live Oak Eucalyptus Fremont Cottonwood Hollyleaf Cherry Peruvian Pepper Tree Western Sycamore Study Area Boundary Untagged Arroyo Willow Riparian Scrub Untagged Coast Live Oak Forest John Madonna Construction, Inc.0 230 460 690920115Feet Tree Survey Map Source(s): ESRI and its data providers; San Luis Obispo County Froom Ranch Figure51in = 400 ft 07807 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory Report John Madonna Construction, Inc. 17 upland vegetation,areas of wetlandhabitat were observed and mapped in specific locations.In addition,several seeps or springs were observed originating on adjacenthillsidesandwere hydrologically connected to the drainage feature.In--channel areas and abutting areasdominated by wetland vegetation are classified asPalustrine Emergent Wetlandper Cowardin,andconstitute wetlands under USACE,RWQCB and CDFW jurisdiction. 3.3.2 LOVR Roadside Channel The LOVR Roadside Channelis located along the northern property boundary,and contained a dense willow canopy and wetland understory,along a narrow and shallowconstructedchannel area.The willow canopy hasdevelopedsince the ditch was constructed,and the channel appearsto have lost capacity due to vegetative growth andsedimentaccumulation.Current channel dimensions in this area ranged from six inches to two feet deep,andonetofourfeetwide.Willow canopy and wetland vegetation extended beyond the channelbanksintotheadjacent meadow area, apparently the result of theconstructed roadways impounding seasonal surface andsubsurface water.Because the majority ofin--channel and abutting areaswere dominated by wetland vegetation,the LOVRRoadside Channel is classified as Palustrine Emergent Wetlandper Cowardin, and constitutes wetland waters under USACE,RWQCB and CDFW jurisdiction.Jurisdictional boundaries in this areawere mapped into the LOVR right--of way to the road shoulder,whichwas outside the Froom Ranch propertyline.Please refer to the KMA Delineation ofWaters of The U.S. and State of California for furtherdetail. 3.3.3 Detention Basins The northern basin is an approximatelyone--acre temporary basin constructed in uplandgrassland areas to receive runoff during the construction of Home Depot.Duringconstruction of the Irish Hills Plaza,a swale and culverts were installed behind the currentWholeFoodsandTJMaxx buildings to direct surface runoff into this basin and then let itspreadoverlandtosupportthe historic wetland feature in the area.Seasonally ponded water was evident in thebasinduring aerial photograph review,and patchy occurrences of seasonal wetland vegetationwerenoted during field workconducted in 2015confirming some wetland habitat attributes are stillpresent. However,it isourunderstanding that once the Home Depot and surroundingareaswere constructed,surface runoff from this development was directed into thelargerbasinsconstructed further south.As a result,this temporary basin was not identifiedasapotentialjurisdictional feature subject to Clean Water Actregulationsince it was constructed in an upland asatemporary basin to support construction of the neighboring project. The approximately 3.2--acre southern basin is a permanent feature constructedinuplandgrassland habitat to receive runoff from the Plaza Hills I development fronting LOVR.Following development of the Home Depot project,surface runoff was then directed into thisbasin.Itconsistsoftwo basins and a spillway,and was sizedtocontainrunoff from any future Phase II developmentwithin the study area Wallace Group,2006).This basin releases water totheLOVRRoadsideChannelby a storm drain and swale.During large storm events,it was designedtodischargewaterintothe wet meadow area along Calle Joaquin via a concrete spillway.Otherwise,waterleavesthebasin through evaporation and percolation into the ground.This feature wasalsonotidentifiedasa potential jurisdictional feature since it was constructed inanuplandareaand is part ofthe neighboring project’s storm drainage system. Because both basins are man--made structures constructed inuplands that arefed primarily by concentrated hardscape runoff from neighboring development,these basins andassociatedswales 07808 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory Report John Madonna Construction, Inc. 18 are not expected to be subject to Clean Water Act or California FishandGameCoderequirements. The 2015 USACE verification of the Wetland Delineation does not include these featuresasWaters of the U.S. 3.4 Soils The NRCS identified eight soilmapunits as occurring on the study area refertoFigure3).Of these map units,Riverwash,andXererts--Xerolls are listed as hydric soils by the NRCS CaliforniaHydric Soils List for San Luis Obispo County.AnunnamedcomponentofCropley clay,0--2 slopes,is also considered hydric,when present in drainageways. Cropley clay 0--2 slopes.Cropley clay consists of a dark gray or black 10YR4/1,3/1,2/1moist) clay horizon about 36 inches thick,underlain by a light brown calcareousclayloamto60inches or more.Permeability of this soil is slow and the available water capacityishigh.Cropleysoils formed in alluvium developed from sedimentary rocks.An unnamed componentofCropley clay is listed as a hydric soil when present indrainageways.This inclusion is typically very darkgray throughout,with mottles present in the lower horizons.This dark graysoilwasnotobservedon-- site.Mapped inclusions within this series include Diablo clay,Los Ososloam,andSalinassiltyclay loam. Diablo and Ciboclays 9--15 and 15 30 slopes.Diabloclayconsists of a 0 to 23 inch,black10YR 2/ 1)clay formed in residual material weathered from sandstone,shale,ormudstone,commonly displaying fine roots tofour inches.The structure is granular to4 inches,and coarse,angular,and blocky to 23 inches.This moderately to steeply sloping soil is very poorly drained.The soilhas moderate erodibility and highshrink--swell characteristics,and has potential septicsystem constraints due to steepslopes and slow percolation. Cibo clay consists of a 0 to 31 inch,dark brown 7.5YR 3/2)clayformedinresidualmaterial weathered from hard metasedimentary rocks,and commonly displaying fine roots.Thestructureis coarse and angular blocky.This moderately to steeply sloping soil is considered verypoorly drained.The soil has moderate erodibility andhighshrink--swell characteristics,and potential septic system constraints due to steep slopes,shallow depth to bedrock,andslowpercolation. Los Osos--Diablo Complex 5--9 and 15--30 percent slopes.LosOsos--Diablo Complex consists ofabout 40 percent Los Osos soil,and 35 percent Diablo soil,found on foothillsandmountainridgetops. These soils are moderately deep,well drained,andhavelowpermeability.Typical LosOsos--Diablo Complex soil moist)consists of a very dark grayish brown 10YR 3/2)loamorblack10YR2/2) clay,40--60 inches thick.Permeability ofLosOsos--Diablo Complex soil is rapid,and theavailable water capacity is low.Theavailable water capacity ofLosOsos--Diablo Complex soil is lowtovery high,while surface runoff israpid. Obispo--Rock outcrop 15--75%slopes.Obispo--Rock outcrop consists of about 50 percentObisposoil and 30 percent Rock outcrop.Obispo soilsareshallow,well drained,slowly permeable soilsformed in residual materials weathered from serpentine rock.Typical Obispo soilmoist)consistsofa black 10YR 2/1)clay to a depth of about 18 inches,underlain byserpentinerock.Theavailable water capacity of Obispo--Rock outcrop soil is low,while surface runoff israpidorveryrapid. Riverwash includes soils found in active stream and river channels,andconsistsofexcessively drained,water deposited sand,loamy sand,and sandy loamwithvaryingamounts of graveland cobbles present.Riverwash soils located in and along stream channelsaregenerallysubjectto 07809 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory Report John Madonna Construction, Inc. 19 flooding during and immediately after every storm.Riverwash soils aretypicallyexcessively drained,but can be somewhat poorlydrainedinlow lying areas.Permeability is veryrapid,surface runoff is very slow,and the erosion hazard is variable.TypicalinclusionsincludePsamments and Fluvents,and Corralitos soils.Riverwash and Psamments and Fluvents located indrainagewaysare listed as hydric soils.These soils have a Hydric CriteriaCodeof4:soils that are frequently flooded for long or very long duration during thegrowingseason. Xererts--Xerolls--Urban land complex0--15%slopes.The Xererts--Xerolls--Urban land complex consists of nearly level to strongly sloping soils and miscellaneous areas thatarecoveredbyurban structures.Most areas of these soils are used for urban development.Thesoilmaterialshavebeen modified by earthmoving equipment or covered byurbanstructures so that much of theiroriginal shape and physical characteristics have been altered.The Xererts ofthiscomplexareCropleyor Los Osos--Diablo soils.The percentage of the various soils in thiscomplexandthedegreeof urbanization vary from placeto place SCS 1984).An unnamed inclusion oftheXererts--Xerolls-- Urban land complex associated with depressions has a Hydric CriteriaCodeof2A:soils in Aquic suborder that are somewhat poorly drained and have a frequently occurringwatertablelessthan 0.5 feet from the surface for a significant period usually 14 consecutive daysormore)duringthegrowing season. 3.5 Special Status Biological Resources The San Luis Obispo area supports numerous special status,or rare,plant communities,andspecies of plants and animals.As stated in the methodology section above,the biological resources inventory used a six quadrangle search of the CNDDB in addition to the review ofenvironmental documents prepared for projects inthearea to identify specialstatus resources that could be present onsite.Appendix B providesa table withthespecial status biological resources occurrence data,listing status for all special statusspeciesand habitats,the results of the surveys,and an evaluation of wildlife presence or potential to occuronsite.The following discussion provides further detail regarding the special status biological resources occurring or potentiallyoccurringon the Froom Ranch study area. 3.5.1 Special Status Natural Communities The CNDDBsearch identified occurrences of nine 9)special status plant communities withinthe general area and included Central DuneScrub,Central Foredunes,Central Maritime Chaparral, Coastal Brackish Marsh,Coastal and Valley FreshwaterMarsh,Northern Coastal Marsh,Northern Interior Cypress Forest,Serpentine Bunchgrass,and Valley andFoothillGrassland.Please refer to Figure 6 illustrating the botanical data obtained fromtheCNDDB.Our observations onsite identified another special status naturalcommunity in the area,consisting of the riparian habitat along LOVR and FroomCreek.Three special status natural communities,including the Coastal and Valley Freshwater Marsh Wetland),Riparian,and theSerpentine Bunchgrass Grassland were observed onsite please refer to Figure 6)and meet the special status natural communities definition pursuant tothe CDFW.In addition,special status plants occur onserpentinerock outcrops or in areas of annual grassland,these features should alsobeconsideredspecial status resources since they support special statusplants. 07810 USGS QUAD PORT SAN LUIS USGS QUAD PISMO BEACH USGS QUAD MO RRO BAY SOUTH USGS QUAD LOPEZ MTN.USGS QUAD SAN LUIS OBISPO USGS QUAD ARROYO GRANDE NE Study Area Boundary USGS Quadrangle Search Radius (5 miles) CNDDB Occurrences (CDFW October 2014) Agrostis hooveri Arctostaphylos cruzensis Arctostaphylos morroensis Arctostaphylos pechoensis Arctostaphylos pilosula Astragalus didymocarpus var. milesianus Calochortus obispoensis Calochortus simulans Calystegia subacaulis ssp. episcopalis Carex obispoensis Castilleja densiflora var. obispoensis Centromadia parryi ssp. congdonii Chorizanthe breweri Cirsium fontinale var. obispoense Cirsium occidentale var. lucianum Clarkia speciosa ssp. immaculata Delphinium parryi ssp. blochmaniae Delphinium parryi ssp. eastwoodiae Dudleya abramsii ssp. bettinae Dudleya abramsii ssp. murina Dudleya blochmaniae ssp. blochmaniae Eriodictyon altissimum Eryngium aristulatum var. hooveri Fritillaria viridea Horkelia cuneata var. puberula Layia jonesii Lupinus ludovicianus Monardella palmeri Monardella sinuata ssp. sinuata Monolopia gracilens Sanicula maritima Scrophularia atrata Senecio aphanactis Streptanthus albidus ssp. peramoenus Trifolium hydrophilum Central Maritime Chaparral Coastal and Valley Freshwater Marsh Serpentine Bunchgrass John Madonna Construction, Inc04,700 9,400 14,100 18,8002,350 Feet CNDDB Botanical Occurrences Map Figure6FroomRanch Source(s): ESRI and its data providers: CDFW, CNDDB, October 2014; USFWS Critical Habitat Data, September 2015 1 in = 8,000 ft 07811 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory Report John Madonna Construction, Inc. 21 3.4.2 Special Status Plants The CNDDB contains records of many special status plant species thatareknowntooccurwithin the greater San Luis Obispoarea please refer to Figure6).Special status plant species typically have highly localized habitat requirements and many are known tooccuronserpentinerock outcrops and soils,active and stabilized coastal dunes,or in maritime chaparral,and brackish marsh habitats.Coastal dunes,central maritime chaparral and brackish marshhabitatsdonot occur on the property,and therefore,species such asbeachspectaclepodDithyrea maritima), Morro manzanita Arctostaphylos morroensis),and salt marsh bird’sbeakChloropyron maritimum) are not expected to occur onsite based on the lack of suitable habitat.Inaddition,anumberof species identified in the database search occur at higher elevations intheSantaLuciaMountains further to the north of theRanch.This includes species such as the San BenitofritillaryFritillaria viridea),hooked popcorn flowerPlagiobothrys uncinatus),and Cuesta Pass checkerbloomSidalcea hickmanii ssp.anomala). While elevation alone is not sufficient to ruleoutaspeciesfrom a particular study area,these species were not observed during the focused surveys of the property atatimeofyearwhenthey would have been identifiable.Therefore,it is reasonable to conclude thattheyarenotexpectedto occur onsite.Moreover,special status perennials would havebeenidentifiable at the time thefield surveys were conducted.Perennial shrubs such as Arroyo de laCruzmanzanitaArctostaphylos cruzensis),Santa Lucia manzanitaArctostaphylos luciana),and Santa Margarita manzanita Arctostaphylos pilosula)were not observed during field surveys,andasaresult,are not expectedto occur on the project site. Special status plants identified in the area by the CNDDB that are known tooccuronserpentinebased soils were identified as having potential to occuronsiteand put on thetargetsearch list during the surveys please refer to Appendix B forfurtherdetail).Surveysconducted in 2015 located the 13 special status plants listed below.Please refer to Figure7 for species locations. Blochman's dudleya Dudleya blochmaniae;CRPR List 1B.1); Brewer's spineflower Chorizanthe breweri;CRPR List1B.3); Cambria morning gloryCalystegia subacaulis ssp.episcopalis;CRPR List4.2); Chaparral ragwort Senecio aphanactis;CRPR List 2.2); Chorro Creek bog thistleCirsium fontinale var.obispoense;federal and state endangeredand CRPR List 1B.2); club hair mariposa lilyCalochortus clavatus ssp.clavatus CRPR List 4.3); Congdon's tarplant Centromadia parryi ssp.congdonii;CRPR List 1B.1); Eastwood’s larkspur Delphinium parryi ssp.eastwoodiae;CRPR List1B.2); Jones's layia Layia jonesii;CRPR List1B.2); mouse--gray dudleya Dudleya abramsii ssp.murina;CRPR List1B.2); Palmer’s spineflower Chorizanthe palmeri:CRPRList 4.2); San Luis mariposa lilyCalochortus obispoensis;CRPR List1B.2);and San Luis Obispo owl's--clover Castilleja densiflora ssp.obispoensis;CRPR List1B.2). Even though drought conditions were experienced in the project regionoverthecourseofthe last four years,sufficient rain fell during the 2015 growing season to allow an accurate inventoryofthesite’s vegetation and identification of special status plants on the study areaasshownonFigure7 the Special Status Plant Occurrences Map. 07812 De paeaLajo De pa ea De pa La jo Ca de ob Ca deobCaob Du ab m u La jo Ca deobLajo Ca de ob La joCadeobLajo Ca de ob Du bl Du bl Du bl La jo Du ab m u Se ap Ca de ob Du ab m u Ch br Ch br Ca de ob Du bl Ce pa co La jo Study Area Boundary Cirsium fontinale var. obispoense CDFW List 1B Species John Madonna Construction, Inc.0 200 400 600800100Feet Special Status Plant Occurrences M ap Froom Ranch Figure71in = 350 ft Irish Hills Natural Reserve Irish Hills Plaza Mountainbrook Church Ca de ob = Castilleja densiflora ssp. obispoensis Ca ob = Calochortus obsipoensis Ce pa co = Centromadia parryi ssp. congdonii Ch br = Chorizanthe breweri De pa ea = Delphinium parryi ssp. eastwoodiae Du ab mu = Dudleya abramsii ssp. murina Du bl = Dudleya blochmaniae La jo = Layia jonesii Se ap = Senecio aphanactis 07813 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory Report John Madonna Construction, Inc. 23 3.4.3 Special Status Animals The CNDDB contained occurrence datafornumerous special status animal speciesinthegeneral area.Please refer toFigure 8 and Appendix B for the special statusanimalsthat were evaluated in this study,and a determination as to their potentialtooccuronsite.Similar to the plant evaluation above,many of these special status animal species are not expected to occuronthesubjectsitedue to the lack of suitablehabitat.Species such as California blackrailRallus longirostris obsoletus), western snowy ploverCharadrius alexandrines nivosus),Morro shoulderband snail Helminthoglypta walkeriana),and Morro Bay blue butterflyPlebejus icarioides morroensis)are coastal species thathave specific habitat attributes and requirements that arenotpresentonsite, and therefore,are not expected to occurontheproperty because suitable habitat is notpresent. A number of avian species are known fromthegeneralareaand could potentially utilizethe grasslands,coast live oak/California bay woodland,coastal scrub,andeucalyptusstandsfor nesting and foraging.Given the large expanses of open grasslands andmixedshrub/woodlandsonthe property,many of thespecial status birds known from the general area could potentiallyoccuron the property at least as transients moving throughtheregion seasonally.Ground nesting birds,and small songbirds could potentially use the site for nesting activities.Specialstatus species identified in the CNDDB and that could potentially occur onsite include thegrasshoppersparrow Ammodramus savannarum),ferruginous hawk Buteo regalis),peregrine falconFalco peregrinus anatum),Cooper’s hawkAccipiter cooperii),burrowingowl Athene cunicularia),and white--tailed kite Elanus leucurus). Bat species,such as the pallid batAntrozous pallidus),Townsend’s big--eared batCorynorhinus townsendii),and various speciesofMyotis have large home ranges,andcould forage over and around the site,as well as roost intreesandunder the evesofexisting structures.The Monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus)isa relatively common species from the general area,and could forage onsite.It would not be expectedtooverwinteron theRanch because the species requires specific autumnal and overwintering habitat attributestypically observed closer tothecoast.The small grouping of eucalyptus trees,and riparian oakandbay trees that are present in the study area are not suitable tosupport monarch butterfly overwintering habitat. Based on the lack ofsuitablesandy soils,the legless lizardAnniella pulchra)and coast horned lizard Phrynosoma blainvillii)are not expected to occurinthecoastal scrub habitat mappedonsite. The heavy clay soils on the property preclude fossorial burrowing)reptilessuchasthelegless lizard from occurring under shrubs on the slopes or flatterareasofthesite.Species such astheSan Diego woodrat Neotoma lepida intermedia)and American badger Taxidea taxus)could potentially occur onsite,and woodrat nests were observed indenseoak/California bay woodland areas in the southwestern part of theproperty. The portion ofFroom Creek within the sitedoes notappear to contain appropriate aquatic and riparian habitat to support thefederally threatened California red--legged frogRana draytonii; CRLF).The closest known occurrence is from the waste water treatment pondsontheeastsideof Highway 101.No records of CRLF intheimmediateproject area were found.It appearsthatFroom Creek does not contain flowing water or any deep pools during thelatespringorsummermonths to support a breeding population ofCRLF.The small tributary drainages in the higherelevationsof the study area also 07814 USGS QUAD PORT SAN LUIS USGS QUAD PISMO BEACH USGS QUAD MO RRO BAY SOUTH USGS QUAD SAN LUIS OBISPO USGS QUAD LOPEZ MTN. USGS QUAD ARROYO GRANDE NE Study Area Boundary USGS Quadrangle Search Radius (5 miles) CNDDB Occurrence (CDFW September 2015) Am erican badger Atascadero June beetle California red-legged frog Coast Range newt San Luis Obispo pyrg Townsend's big-eared bat black legless lizard (silver legless lizard) ferruginous hawk foothill yellow-legged frog mon arch butterfly pallid bat prairie falcon steelhead - south/central California coast DPS tidew ater goby vernal pool fairy shrimp western mastiff bat western pond turtle western yellow-billed cuckoo white-tailed kite USFWS Critical Habitat California red-legged frog (USFWS 2010) Steelhead Critical Habitat (USFWS 2005) John Madonna Construction, Inc.0 4,100 8,200 12,3 00 16,4002,050 Feet CNDDB Wildlife Occurrences Map Figure8FroomRanch Source(s): (c)ESRI and its data suppliers (2010): CDFW, CNDDB, October 2014; USFWS Critical Habitat Data, September 2015 1 in = 7,000 ft 07815 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory Report John Madonna Construction, Inc. 25 did not contain suitable aquatic habitat tosupportCRLF.The constructed detention basins onsite lack suitable aquatic habitat with a sufficient hydroperiod tosupportCRLF,and did not containany emergent vegetation. Southern steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus)are known to occur furthertothesoutheast of the project site in San Luis ObispoCreek.They havealso been identified as occurring withinthe upper reaches of Froom Creek outside the study areapersonal communication with FreddyOtte, City of San Luis ObispoBiologist).Also,other highly aquatic species such asthewesternpond turtle Emys marmorata),the two--striped garter snakeThamnophis hammondii),and the Coast Range newtTaricha torosatorosa)are not expectedto occur onsite in Froom Creek,its tributaries or the constructed basinsbased onthe lack of seasonally flowing and pondedwater. The USFWS has identified critical habitat for steelhead andCRLFintheregion.The projectsite, however,does not occur inthecritical habitat polygons developed for CRLF,but Froom Creekis identified ascritical habitat for southern steelhead.It is highlyunlikely,however,that FroomCreek supports a steelhead run since it isseparatedfromSan Luis Obispo Creek by a series ofculvertsand man--made ditches. The Coast Range newtisa species of concern known to occur in the SantaLuciaMountainsand Santa Margarita region north of the project site.This species lives interrestrialhabitatsand breeds in ponds and slow moving streams duringwintermonths.Although the species isnot documented from the Irish Hills of the SanLuisRange,there is potential for this animal tooccurfurther upstream in the watershed.It is unlikelytooccurwithin the study area due to thelackofsuitable habitat. The evaluation of special status speciesoccurrences onsite was based on a habitat suitability analysis coupled with on the ground observations.Please refer to AppendixB for further detail. The investigation did not include definitive surveys to determine thepresenceorabsence of species such as the CRLF,but did include direct observation of onsite and offsite conditions,inspection of the drainage channels and their respective hydrologic regime,and review of biological reportsand the CNDDB records documenting recorded occurrence data from the areatoconcludewhetheror not a particular species could be expected to occur.Basedonthisanalysis,the following species have the potential to be present within the project studyarea at some point intime: American badger Taxidea taxus;species of special concern) Burrowing owl Athene cunicularia;species ofspecial concern); California homed lark Eremophila alpestris actia;watch list); Cooper’s hawk Accipiter cooperi;watch list); Golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos;watch list and CDFW FullyProtected); Loggerhead shrike Lanius ludovicianus;species ofspecial concern); Merlin Falco columbarius;watch list); Northern harrier Circus cyaneus;species ofspecial concern); Purple martin Progne subis;species ofspecial concern); Sharp--shinned hawk Accipiter striatus;watch list); Tricolored blackbird Agelaius tricolor;candidate species and species of specialconcern); White--tailed kite Elanus leucurus;CDFW Fully Protected); Yellow warbler Dendroica petechia brewsteri;species of special concern); Big free--tailed bat Nyctinomops macrotis;species of special concern; Hoary bat Lasiurus cinereus;special animal); 07816 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory Report John Madonna Construction, Inc. 26 Pallid bat Antrozous pallidus;species of special concern); San Diego woodrat Neotoma lepida intermedia;species of special concern); Steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus;federal threatened and species ofconcern); Townsend’s western big--eared bat Corynorhinus townsendi townsendi;species of special concern); Western mastiff bat Eumops perotis californicus;species of special concern); Western red bat Lasiurus blossevilli;species of special concern);and Yuma Myotis Myotis yumanensis;special animal). As stated above,CRLF,western pond turtle,Coast Range newt,andtwo--striped garter snakeare known from the region.Given Froom Creek’s inconsistent flow regime,thesespeciesarenot expected to occur onsite based on the lack of seasonalaquatichabitat.Under above average rainfall years when Froom Creek is flowing andseasonalin--channel poolspersist for a longerperiod,itis possible,albeit unlikely,that these species could find their wayontothesite.Furthermore, seasonally ponded water along Calle Joaquincouldalso potentially provide seasonal habitatfor these highly aquatic species. 5.0 CONCLUSION The Froom Ranch is situated in a biologically richarea of San Luis ObispoCountycomposed of a mosaic ofannual andnative grasslands,coast liveoak/California bay woodland and coastal scrub/chaparral habitats bisected by natural drainages in the northeastern flank ofthe Irish Hills of the San Luis Range.Froom Creek traverses the site in a mostly north tosouthdirectionandjoins San Luis Obispo Creek southof the site before flowing to the Pacific OceaninAvilaBeach.Wetland habitat occurs along the unnamed tributary drainages to FroomCreek,andin flat grassland areas where surface and subsurface water is impounded by LOVRandCalleJoaquin.The LOVR Roadside Channel also contained riparian habitat composed of an arroyo willow monoculture.The most significant biological resources present onsite are the naturaldrainagefeatures i.e.:Froom Creek and itsthree tributary drainages)and associated wetland and riparian habitats,and the native serpentine bunchgrass grassland and serpentine rock outcrops supporting a suite ofspecialstatus plant species,many of which are endemic to theSanLuisObispoarea. Non--native annual grasslandwas the dominantplant community on the ranch,primarilyoccurring in the flatter portions of the site where past disturbancessuchascattle/horse feeding has occurred. The southwestern part of the sitecontained native serpentine bunchgrass grassland whererock outcrops and thinner,lessdeveloped soilswere present.The wetland,riparian,and native bunchgrass grassland habitats delineated onthe habitat map were identified as special status natural communities. Occurrences of special statusplantswere identified within thestudy area and their occurrences shown on Figure 7,the Special Status PlantOccurrenceMap.Nine of the special status plantsare California Rare Plant Rank List 1B species,and one is a List 2 species.List2meansthatthespecies is rare inCalifornia but more widespread elsewhere.The federal and stateendangeredandCRPR List 1B Chorro Creek bog thistle was also identified onsite,and wasconfinedtowetlandareasin Drainages 1 and 2 in the southwestern partofthestudyarea.List 4species are on a watchlistand are relatively common in the projectarea.No special status wildlife species were observedonsite, but Froom Creek could potentially provide a movement corridor forthefederalthreatened southern steelhead between upstreambreeding areas and San Luis Obispo Creekwhenflowing water was present.In addition,a number of species of special concernincludingadiverserangeof birds,including raptors),andbats could potentially occur onsite on a seasonalbasis. 07817 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory Report John Madonna Construction, Inc. 27 6.0 REFERENCES Baldwin,B.G.,D.H.Goldman,D.J.Keil,R.Patterson,T.J.Rosatti,and D.H.Wilken,editors.2012.The Jepson Manual:vascular plants of California,second edition.UniversityofCaliforniaPress, Berkeley. Calflora.2015.Information on wild California plants for conservation,education,and appreciation. Berkeley,CA.Accessed via:http://www.calflora.org/. California Department of Fish and Game.2009.Protocols for SurveyingandEvaluatingImpactsto Special Status Native Plant Populations and Natural Communities.November 24,2009. California Department of Fish and Game.2001.Fish and Game CodeofCalifornia,Section3503.5. Gould Publications,Altamonte Springs,FL. California Department of Fish and Game.2003.CaliforniaNatural Diversity Database,Rarefind V. 3.QueriedApril and November 2015. County of San Luis Obispo.2009.Guidelines for Preparation of BiologicalReports.Departmentof Planning and Building,Environmental Division. Granger,T.,T.Hruby,A.McMillan,D.Peters,J.Rubey,D.Sheldon,S.Stanley,E.Stockdale.April 2005.Wetlands in Washington State Volume 2:Guidance for Protecting and Managing Wetlands.Washington State Department ofEcology.Publication 05--06--008.Olympia,WA. Holland,R.F.1986.Preliminary Descriptions of the Terrestrial Natural Communities ofCalifornia. California Department of Fish and Game,Sacramento. Hoover,Robert F.1970.The Vascular Plants of San Luis Obispo County,California.Universityof California Press,Berkeley,CA. Jennings,M.R.,and M.P.Hayes.1994.Amphibian and reptile speciesofspecialconcernin California,1 November 1994.California Department of Fish andGame,InlandFisheries Division,Rancho Cordova,California.255pp. National Marine Fisheries Service.2006 January).50 CFR Parts 223and224.Endangeredand Threatened Species:Final Listing Determinations for 10 Distinct Population SegmentsofWest Coast Steelhead;Final Rule.National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,UnitedStates Department of Commerce. Natural Resources Conservation Service.2015.Web Soil Survey.National Cooperative SoilSurvey, U.S.Department of Agriculture.Accessed via:http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app. Sawyer,J.O.,T.Keeler--Wolf,and J.M.Evens.2009.A Manual of California Vegetation,Second Edition.California Native Plant Society,Sacramento,CA. United States Fish and Wildlife Service.1973.The Endangered Species Actof1973,asamended16 U.S.C 1531 etseq.). United States Fishand Wildlife Service.2000.Guidelines for Conducting andReportingBotanical Inventories for Federally Listed,Proposed,and Candidate Plants.January2000. United States Fish and Wildlife Service.2015.National Wetlands Inventory website.U.S.Department of the Interior,Washington,D.C.Accessedvia:http://www.fws.gov/wetlands/. 07818 APPENDIX A List of Plants and AnimalsObserved KMA 07819 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc A - 1 Appendix A List of Plantsand Animals Observed Onsite During 2015 Field Surveys. Scientific Name Common Name Plants Achillea millefolium Yarrow Achyrachaena mollis Blow wives Acmispon americanus var.americanus Spanish lotus Acmispon glaber Lotus scoparius)Deer weed Acmispon wrangelianus Lotus Agrostis pallens Bent grass Aira caryophyllea*Silver hair grass Allium crispum Crinkled onion Ambrosia psilostachys Ragweed Amsinckia intermedia Common fiddleneck Anagallis arvensis Scarlet pimpernel Anthriscus caucalis*Bur chervil Aquilegia eximia Vanhouette’s columbine Artemisia californica California sagebrush Artemisia douglasiana Mugwort Asphodelus fistulosus*Onionweed Astragalus curtipes South coast milkvetch Astragalus gambelianus Gambel’s dwarf locoweed Avena barbata*Slender wild oats Baccharis pilularis Coyote brush Bloomeria crocea Golden stars Brachypodium distachyon*False brome Brassica nigra*Black mustard Brodiaea terrestris Dwarf brodiaea Bromus carinatus California brome Bromus diandrus*Ripgut brome Bromus hordeacous*Soft chess Bromus madritensis ssp.rubens*Red brome Calandrinia ciliata Red maids Calochortus argillosus Clay mariposa lily Calochortus clavatus ssp.clavatus Club--hair mariposa lily List4.3) Calochortus obispoensis San Luis mariposa lily List1B.2) Calystegia macrostegia ssp.cyclostegia Coast morning glory Calystegia subacaulis ssp.episcopalis Cambria morning glory List 4.2) Cardamine californica California toothwort Carduus pycnocephalus*Italian thistle Carex praegracilis Clustered field sedge Carex senta Rough sedge Castilleja densiflora ssp.obispoensis San Luis Obispo owl’s clover List1B.2) Ceanothus cuneatus Buck brush Centaurea solstitialis*Yellow star thistle Centromadia parryi ssp.congdonii Congdon’s tarplant List 1B.1) Chenopodium album*Goosefoot Chlorogallum pomeridianum var.pomeridianum Soap plant Chorizanthe breweri Brewer’s spineflower List 1B.3) Chorizanthe palmeri Palmer’s spineflower List 4.2) Cirsium fontinale var.obispoense Chorro Creekbog thistle FE,SE,List 1B.2) Cirsium vulgare*Bull thistle 07820 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc A - 2 Scientific Name Common Name Clarkia bottae Botta’s clarkia Claytonia perfoliata Miner’s lettuce Conium maculatum*Poison hemlock Conyza canadensis Horseweed Corethrogyne filaginifolia Corethrogyne Crassula connata Pygmy weed Cryptantha clevelandii Cryptantha Cynodon dactylon*Bermuda grass Cyperus eragrostis Tall flatsedge Deinandra fasciculata Yellow tarweed Delphinium parryi ssp.eastwoodiae Eastwood’s larkspur List 1B.2) Dichelostemma pulchra Blue dicks Dipsacus fullonum*Fuller’s teasel Distichlis spicata Saltgrass Dodecatheon clevelandii Padre’s shooting star Dudleya abramsii ssp.murina San Luis Obispo serpentine dudleya List1B.2) Dudleya blochmaniae Blochman’s dudleya List 1B.1) Eleocharis macrostachya Spike rush Elymus glaucus Western wild rye Epilobium canum California fuchsia Erigeron philadelphicus Philadelphia fleabane Eriogonum fasciculatum California buckwheat Eriogonum parvifolium Coastal buckwheat Eriophyllum confertiflorum Golden yarrow Erodium botrys*Filaree Erodium cicutarium*Red--stemmed filaree Eschscholzia californica California poppy Eucalyptus globulus*Blue gum eucalyptus Euphorbia peplus*Petty spurge Euphorbia spathulata Spurge Festuca arundinaceae*Tall fescue Festuca microstachys Eastwood fescue Festuca perennis*Italian rye grass Filago californica California filago Filago Logfia)gallica*Narrowleaf cottonrose Foeniculum vulgare*Fennel Fritillaria biflora var.biflora Chocolate lily Galium aparine Bedstraw Galium porrigens Climbing bedstraw Gastridium ventricosum*Nit grass Genista monspessulana*French broom Geranium dissectum*Cut--leaf geranium Gilia achilleifolia California gilia Gilia capitatum Blue field gilia Gnaphalium californica California everlasting Gnaphalium purpureum Purple everlasting Hazardia squarrosa Saw--tooth golden bush Helminthotheca echioides Prickly ox tongue Hemizonia congesta ssp.luzulifolia Hayfield tarweed Hesperocyparis Cupressus)macrocarpa Monterey cypress Hesperoyucca whipplei Chaparral yucca 07821 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc A - 3 Scientific Name Common Name Heteromeles arbutifolia Toyon Hirschfeldia incana*Summer mustard Hoita orbicularis Round--leaf leather root Hordeum brachyantherum Meadow barley Hordeum marinum ssp.gussoneanum*Mediterranean barley Hordeum murinum ssp.leporinum*Foxtail Hypochaeris glabra*Smooth cat’sear Juncus bufonius Toad rush Juncus effusus Spreading rush Juncus patens Common rush Juncus phaeocephalus Brown headed rush Koeleria micrantha June grass Lactuca serriola*Wild lettuce Lamarckia aurea*Goldentop Lasthenia californica Common goldfields Layia jonesii Jones’s layia List 1B.2) Leptosiphon parvifolius Variable linanthus Leymus condensatus Giant wild rye Leymus triticoides Creeping wild rye Lomatium utriculatum Biscuit root Lotus corniculatus Birdsfoot trefoil Lupinus bicolor Miniature lupine Lupinus microcarpus Chick lupine Lupinus nanus Sky lupine Lupinus succulentus Succulent lupine Lythrum hyssopifolium*Grass poly Malva nicaaensis*Bull mallow Matricaria matricarioides*Pineapple weed Medicago polymorpha*Bur clover Melica californica California melic Melica imperfecta Melic grass Melilotus sativa*Sweet cicily Microseris douglasii Douglas’microseris Mimulus aurantiacus Sticky monkey flower Mimulus guttatus Seep monkey flower Muhlenbergia stricta Deer grass Nicotiana glauca Tree tobacco Oenanthe sarmentosa Water parsley Opuntia ficus--indica Prickly pear cactus Oxalis pes--caprae Bermuda buttercup Pellaea mucronata Birdfoot fern Pennisetum setaceum*Fountaingrass Phacelia imbricata Stinging phacelia Plagiobothrys nothofulvus Popcorn flower Plantago erecta California plantain Plantago lanceolata*English plantain Platanus racemosa Sycamore Platystemon californicus Cream cups Polypogon monspeliensis*Rabbitfoot grass Populus fremontii Fremont cottonwood Potentilla anserina Silverweed 07822 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc A - 4 Scientific Name Common Name Prunus ilicifolia Holly--leaved cherry Psilocarphus tenellus Wooly marbles Quercus agrifolia Coast live oak Ranunculus californicus California buttercup Raphanus sativa*Wild radish Rhamnus Frangula)californica Coffeeberry Rosa californica California rose Rubus discolor Himalayan blackberry Rubus ursinus California blackberry Rumex acetosella*Sheep sorrel Rumex crispus*Curly dock Rumex pulcher*Fiddle dock Salix lasiolepis Arroyo willow Salvia columbariae Chia sage Salvia mellifera Black sage Salvia spathacea Hummingbird sage Sanicula bipinnatifida Purple sanicle Sanicula crassicaulis Common sanicle Sanicula laciniata Coast sanicle Schinus molle*Peruvian pepper Schoenoplectus acutus var.occidentalis California tule Schoenoplectus californicus California bulrush Scirpus microcarpus Panicled bulrush Scrophularia californica California bee plant Senecio aphanactis Rayless ragwort List 2.2) Sidalcea malviflora Checker bloom Silene californica California catch--fly Silybum marianum*Milk thistle Sisyrinchium bellum Blue--eyed grass Solanum xantii Purple nightshade Sonchus asper*Prickly sow thistle Stachys pycnantha Short spikehedge nettle Stipa Nassella)pulchra Purple needlegrass Symphoricarpos mollis Creeping snowberry Toxicodendron diversilobum Poison oak Trifolium depauperatum var.depauperatum Dwarf sack clover Trifolium fucatum Sour clover Trifolium hirtum*Rose clover Trifolium subterraneum*Subterranean clover Trifolium willdenovii Tomcat clover Triphysaria eriantha ssp.eriantha Butter and eggs Typha latifolia Cattail Umbellularia californica California bay laurel Urtica dioica ssp.holosericea Stinging nettle Verbena lasiostachys Western vervain Veronica anagallis--aquatica Water speedwell Vicia sativa*Spring vetch Vicia villosa ssp.villosa*Hairy vetch Viola pedunculata Johnny jump up Woodwardia fimbriata Giant chainfern Xanthium spinosum Spiny cocklebur 07823 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc A - 5 Scientific Name Common Name Xanthium strumarium Cocklebur Zeltnera davyi Davy’s centaury Zigadenus fremontii Star lily Animals Accipiter cooperi Cooper’s hawk Agelaius phoenicius Red--winged blackbird Ammodramus savannarum Grasshopper sparrow Aphelocoma corulescens Scrub jay Ardea herodias Great blue heron Bubo virginianus Great horned owl Buteo jamaicensis Red--tailed hawk Buteo lineatus Red--shouldered hawk Callipepla californica California quail Calypte anna Anna’s hummingbird Canis latrans Coyote Carpodacus mexicanus House finch Cathartes aura Turkey vulture Chamae fasciata wrentit Circus cyaneus Northern harrier Egretta thula Snowy egret Elgaria multicarinata Alligator lizard Euphagus cyanocephalus Brewer’s blackbird Icterus bullockii Bullock’s oriole Melanerpes formicivorus Acorn woodpecker Melazone crissalis California towhee Mimus polyglottos Northern mockingbird Odocoileus hemionus Black--tailed deer Pituophis catenifer catenifer Pacific gopher snake Procyon lotor Raccoon Regalus calendula Ruby crowned kinglet Sayornis nigricans Black phoebe Sceloporis occidentalis Western fence lizard Setophaga townsendi Townsend’s warbler Sialia mexicana Western blue bird Spermophilus beecheyi California ground--squirrel Sturnella neglecta Meadowlark Sturnus vulgaris*European starling Thomomys bottae Botta’s pocket gopher Tyrannus verticalis King bird Zenaida macroura Mourning dove Zonotrichia leucophorys White crowned sparrow Asterisk identifies non--native species;species in bold type are special statusspecies. 07824 APPENDIX B Special Status Biological Resources Known to Occur or Potentially Occurring Onsite KMA 07825 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc. B - 1 Appendix B.Special--Status Biological Resources Present or Potentially OccurringOnsite Species Status* Fed/CA/CRPR Habitat Requirements Project Site Suitability/Observations LICHENS/BRYOPHYTES Firm cup lichen Cladonia firma --/--/-- Lichen known from maritime habitats in Europe and North America on stabilized sand dunes on the coast. Documented in the Morro Bay/Los Osos area on sands of marine origin. No suitable habitat present onsite. Not expected to occur. Splitting yarn lichen Sulcaria isidiifera --/--/-- Known from the Los Osos area growing on branches of coast live oak and maritime chaparral plants in sandy areas. No suitable habitat present onsite. All reported collections are from the Baywood fine sands of Los Osos. Not expected to occur based on the lack of suitable habitat. PLANTS Adobe sanicle Sanicula maritima --/ R/1B.1 Perennial herb; blooms February through March; ranges from 30 to 240 meters; Occurs on clay and serpentine soils in chaparral, coastal prairie, meadows, seeps, and valley and foothill grassland. Potential habitat present in on-site grasslands in proximity to serpentine rock outcrops. Not observed within the study area during floristic surveys. Not expected to occur. Arroyo de la Cruz manzanita Arctostaphylos cruzensis 1B.2 Perennial shrub; blooms from December to March; occurs between 60 and 310 meters in sandy soils; found in broadleaved upland forest, coastal bluff scrub, closed-cone coniferous forest, chaparral, coastal scrub and valley and foothill grassland. This perennial shrub would have been easily identifiable during surveys. Not observed during surveys. Not present onsite. Beach spectaclepod Dithyrea maritima --/ T/1B.1 Rhizomatous, perennial herb; blooms March through May; found in sandy soils, usually near shore, in coastal dunes and coastal scrub habitats; ranges from 3 to 50 meters in elevation. Site is too far from the immediate coast for this species to occur. Species only known to occur on sand dunes along the coast. Not observed during surveys. Not present onsite. Betty’s dudleya Dudleya abramsii ssp. bettinae 1B.2 Perennial succulent; blooms May through July and is endemic to coastal San Luis Obispo County west of Cerro Romualdo; found in chaparral, coastal scrub, and valley and foothill grasslands, usually on serpentine outcrops or shallow rocky soils; ranges in elevation from 20 to 180 meters. Suitable serpentine soils present on-site, but this particular subspecies is known to occur further west of the property towards Morro Bay and Cayucos. The Dudleya observed onsite was D. abramsii ssp. murina. Betty’s dudleya was not observed onsite and is not expected to occur. Black-flowered figwort Scrophularia atrata --/--/ 1B.2 Perennial herb; blooms April through July; ranges from 10 to 500 meters in elevation; occurs in closed-cone coniferous forest, chaparral, coastal dunes, coastal scrub, and riparian scrub habitats, typically on sandy or diatomaceous shale soils. Marginal habitat present along the edges of coast live oak woodland and riparian habitats on-site. Not observed during surveys, and not expected to occur. S. californica was identified on site. Blochman’s dudleya Dudleya blochmaniae ssp. blochmaniae 1B.1 Perennial herb; blooms April through June; found on rocky, often clay or serpentine soils in coastal bluff scrub, chaparral, coastal scrub, and valley and foothill grassland; ranges from 5 to 450 meters in elevation. This species was observed growing on rock outcrops in select locations in the southwestern part of the study area. Blochman’s leafy daisy Erigeron blochmaniae --/--/ 1B.2 Rhizomatous perennial herb; blooms July through August; ranges from 3 to 45 meters in elevation and occurs in coastal dunes and coastal scrub. This species is restricted to coastal dunes typically along the immediate coastline. No suitable habitat or soils present onsite. Not observed during surveys, and not expected to occur onsite. 07826 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc. B - 2 Appendix B.Special--Status Biological Resources Present or Potentially OccurringOnsite Species Status* Fed/CA/CRPR Habitat Requirements Project Site Suitability/Observations Brewer’s spineflower Chorizanthe breweri --/--/ 1B.3 Occurs in closed-cone coniferous forest, chaparral, cismontane woodland, and coastal scrub habitats on serpentine derived soils and rock outcrops, mostly in rocky and gravelly areas; ranges in elevation from 45 to 800 meters; annual herb; blooms May through August. This species was observed growing on serpentine rock outcrops and gravelly soils in the southwestern part of the study area. California seablite Suaeda californica E/--/1B.1 Perennial succulent shrub that grows along the margins of coastal salt marshes in a narrow elevational range from 0 to 5 meters; known to occur in the Morro Bay area Not expected to occur onsite due to the lack of suitable habitat (i.e., no coastal salt marsh habitat present). Cambria (San Luis Obispo County) morning-glory Calystegia subacaulis ssp. episcopalis 4.2 Rhizomatous, perennial herb; blooms from April to May; occurs in chaparral, cismontane woodland, and sparse to dense grassland covering sloped or flat areas in clay-rich soils; ranges from 60-500 meters; restricted to outer South Coast ranges in SLO and Santa Barbara Counties. Observed as a component of onsite serpentine bunchgrass grasslands. Present in varying densities throughout the western part of the study area. Caper-fruited tropidocarpum Tropidocarpum capparideum 1B.1 Annual herb; blooms March through April; ranges from 1 to 455 meters and is found on alkaline clay soils in valley and foothill grassland. Potentially suitable habitat present in onsite grassland habitats. Not observed during surveys when species would have been in flower and identifiable. Not expected to occur onsite. Chorro Creek bog thistle (San Luis Obispo fountain thistle) Cirsium fontinale var. obispoense E/E/1B.2 Perennial herb; blooms February to July; ranges from 35 to 365 meters in elevation; occurs in chaparral and cismontane woodland habitats, often in serpentine seeps. Species was observed in wetland habitat along the upper portions of Drainages 1 and 2. Club-haired mariposa lily Calochortus clavatus ssp. clavatus 4.3 Perennial bulbiferous herb known to occur on serpentine rock outcrops, valley grassland (i.e., perennial bunchgrass), chaparral, and foothill woodland; typically blooms from May to June. Species was observed in the extreme southwestern portion of the study area growing on rocky serpentine soils in coastal scrub and native grasslands. Coast woolly threads Nemacaulis denudata var. denudata 1B.2 Annual herb that grows in coastal sand dunes in open spaces of the coastal strand; known to occur in the Montana de Oro area in sandy soils. No suitable habitat present. Not observed during surveys, and not expected to occur onsite. Coastal goosefoot Chenopodium littoreum --/--/ 1B.2 Annual herb that grows on sandy flats in coastal dunes along wetland and salt marsh habitat. Typically found between 30 and 100 meters, and is known from the Morro Bay estuary. No suitable habitat present onsite for this species. Not observed during surveys, and not expected to occur onsite. Congdon’s tarplant Centromadia parryi ssp. congdonii 1B.2 Annual herb; blooms from June to November; occurs in moist alkaline conditions in marshes, swamps, vernal pools, and valley and foothill grassland habitats; ranges from 1 to 230 meters in elevation. Species was observed growing in the temporary stormwater basin in the northern part of the site. 07827 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc. B - 3 Appendix B.Special--Status Biological Resources Present or Potentially OccurringOnsite Species Status* Fed/CA/CRPR Habitat Requirements Project Site Suitability/Observations Coulter’s goldfields Lasthenia glabrata ssp. coulteri 1B.1 Annual herb that grows in coastal salt marshes, playas, valley and foothill grassland, and vernal pools usually on alkaline soils from 1- 1,400 meters. Marginal habitat present in onsite wetlands and seeps. Only Lasthenia californica, a common species, was observed growing in and around the serpentine outcrops. Not observed during surveys, and not expected to occur onsite. Coulter’s saltbush Atriplex coulteri --/--/ 1B.2 Perennial herb grows in coastal bluff scrub, sandy dune habitat as well as in valley grassland and coastal sage scrub. Marginal habitat present onsite. Not observed during surveys, therefore, not expected to occur. Crisp monardella Monardella crispa --/--/ 1B.2 Rhizomatous, perennial herb; blooms April through August; ranges from 10 to 120 meters in elevation and occurs on sandy soils in coastal dunes and coastal scrub. Species typically occurs in coastal dunes in close proximity to the Pacific Ocean, and the site is therefore outside the species range. Not observed during surveys. Not expected to occur onsite. Cuesta Pass checkerbloom Sidalcea hickmanii ssp. anomala R/1B.2 Perennial herb; blooms May through June; ranges from 600 to 800 meters and is found on serpentine soils in closed-cone coniferous forest; known from only three occurrences on Cuesta Ridge in San Luis Obispo County. Project site is outside the known range for this species. Although suitable serpentine soils are present onsite, only the common checkerbloom, Sidalcea malviflora, was observed in bunchgrass grassland on the site. Cuesta Pass checkerbloom was not observed during surveys and is not expected to occur onsite. Cuesta Ridge thistle Cirsium occidentale var. lucianum 1B.2 Perennial herb known to occur along the Cuesta Ridge in openings on steep rocky serpentinite slopes from 500 to 750 meters. Although suitable serpentine-based soils are present onsite, the study area is lower in elevation than areas in the Santa Lucia Mountains where this species has been observed. This species was not observed during field surveys, and is not expected to occur onsite. Dacite manzanita Arctostaphylos tomentosa ssp. daciticola 1B.1 Perennial shrub known to occur in chaparral and cismontane woodland. Only one known occurrence of this species in SLO County on the porphyry buttes Hollister Peak) east of Morro Bay No suitable habitat for this species present onsite. Perennial shrub would have been identifiable if encountered during the surveys. Not expected to occur onsite. Diablo Canyon blue grass Poa diabolic 1B.2 Perennial rhizomatous herb known from highly localized areas along the coast from Montana de Oro south onto Diablo Nuclear Power Plant property. Chaparral, cismontane woodland, coastal scrub and closed cone coniferous habitat types on shale. Marginal habitat present onsite. This species was not observed during surveys of the site at times when it would have been identifiable if encountered. Given it is a highly restricted species known to occur on the western flank of the San Luis Range, and there are no shale outcroppings onsite, this species is not expected to occur. Dune larkspur Delphinium parryi ssp. blochmaniae 1B.2 Perennial herb; blooms April through May; occurs in maritime chaparral and coastal dune habitats at elevations ranging from 0 to 200 meters, typically on volcanic soils and/or rocky slopes. No suitable habitat present onsite due to lack of sandy soils. Not observed during spring surveys. Not expected to occur onsite. A closely related species was observed onsite – see below. Dwarf soaproot Chlorogalum pomeridianum var. minus 1B.2 Bulbiferous, perennial herb; blooms May to August; occurs on serpentine soils in chaparral and valley and foothill grassland habitats, ranging from 305 to 1000 meters in elevation. Suitable habitat present at serpentine rock outcrops and thin soils in native bunchgrass grassland. Only the common soaproot, Chlorogalum pomeridianum var. pomeridianum was observed onsite. Dwarf Soaproot was not observed during rare plant surveys. Not expected to occur onsite. 07828 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc. B - 4 Appendix B.Special--Status Biological Resources Present or Potentially OccurringOnsite Species Status* Fed/CA/CRPR Habitat Requirements Project Site Suitability/Observations Eastwood’s larkspur Delphinium parryi ssp. eastwoodiae 1B.2 Perennial herb known to occur on serpentine based soils (clays) and outcrops in the general San Luis Obispo area with collections made on Camp San Luis Obispo. Blooms March to May. Species was observed in the southwestern portion of the study area growing in coastal scrub and native grasslands on rocky serpentine soils. Hardham’s evening- primrose Camissoniopsis hardhamiae 1B.2 Annual herb known to occur in chaparral and foothill woodland habitats; typically blooms from March to May. Only one recorded occurrence in the region from sandy openings in oak woodland in Los Osos. No suitable sandy soils present onsite. Not observed during field surveys, therefore, it is not expected to occur onsite. Hooked popcorn flower Plagiobothrys uncinatus --/--/ 1B.2 Annual herb known to occur in the Santa Lucia Mountains growing in chaparral typically on shale and sandstone soils. No suitable habitat present onsite. Not observed during surveys, and not expected to occur. Hoover’s bent grass Agrostis hooveri --/--/ 1B.2 Stoloniferous, perennial herb; blooms April to July; occurs between 60 and 600 meters on sandy soils in chaparral, cismontane woodland, and valley and foothill grassland habitats. No suitable sandy soils present to support this species. Grassland and oak woodland areas were searched for this species, but it was not observed. Not expected to occur onsite. Hoover’s button-celery Eryngium aristulatum var. hooveri 1B.1 An herb that can occur as either an annual or a perennial; blooms in July and occurs at elevations ranging from 3 to 45 meters; found in vernal pools, seasonally wet grasslands, and often in roadside ditches. Marginal habitat present in wetlands on- site. Seasonally wet areas were searched for this species and it was not observed. Not expected to occur onsite. Indian Knob mountainbalm Eriodictyon altissimum E/E/1B.1 Evergreen shrub; blooms March through June; ranges in elevation from 80 to 270 meters and occurs in maritime chaparral, cismontane woodland, and coastal scrub, usually on sandstone; often found in open disturbed areas. Marginal habitat identified in oak woodland and coastal scrub habitats on-site. No suitable sandstone based soils present. Not observed during surveys. Not expected to occur onsite. Jones’ layia Layia jonesii --/--/ 1B.2 Annual herb; blooms March through May; occurs on clay soils and serpentine outcrops in chaparral and valley and foothill grassland; ranges in elevation from 5 to 400 meters. Species was observed in the southwestern portion of the study area growing in native grasslands on rocky serpentine soils. Leafy tarplant Deinandra increscens ssp. foliosa 1B.2 Annual herb; blooms June through September; typically found in sandy soils in valley and foothill grassland, and ranges from 300 to 500 meters in elevation. No suitable sandy soils present on-site to support this species. Leafy tarplant is known to occur further east on the Arroyo Grande NE quad. Not observed during surveys and not expected to be present onsite. Marsh sandwort Arenaria paludicola E/E/1B.1 Stoloniferous, perennial herb; blooms May to August; occurs in freshwater marshes and swamps, bogs and fens, and some coastal scrub, ranging from 3 to 170 meters in elevation; common associates include Typha, Juncus, and Scirpus. Marginal habitat was identified in Drainage 1. Species was not observed during surveys. Not expected to occur onsite. Mesa horkelia Horkelia cuneata ssp. puberula 1B.1 Sandy or gravelly sites in chaparral, coastal scrub and cismontane woodland; 70 to 700 meter elevation range. Marginal habitat identified in coastal scrub and oak woodland on-site, but this species typically occurs in sandy soils not on clay and serpentine. Not observed during surveys. Not expected to occur onsite. 07829 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc. B - 5 Appendix B.Special--Status Biological Resources Present or Potentially OccurringOnsite Species Status* Fed/CA/CRPR Habitat Requirements Project Site Suitability/Observations Miles’ milk-vetch Astragalus didymocarpus var. milesianus 1B.2 Annual herb; blooms March to June; found in coastal scrub habitats, typically occurring on clay soils; ranges in elevation 20 to 90 meters. Suitable habitat identified in coastal scrub and adjacent bunchgrass grassland habitats on-site. Not observed during surveys. Not expected to occur within the site. Morro manzanita Arctostaphylos morroensis T/--/1B.1 Evergreen shrub; blooms December through March; ranges in elevation from 5 to 205 meters; typically found on sandy-loam or Baywood sands in chaparral, woodlands, coastal dunes and coastal scrub. Project site is outside the known range for this species. Not observed during surveys. Not expected to occur onsite. Most beautiful jewel- flower Streptanthus albidus ssp. peramoenus 1B.2 Annual herb; blooms April through June; occurs on serpentine soils in chaparral, valley and foothill grassland, and cismontane woodland, ranging from 120 to 1000 meters in elevation. Suitable serpentine soils and rock outcrops present. Not observed during surveys when this species would have been in identifiable condition. Not expected to occur onsite. Mouse-gray dudleya aka San Luis Obispo dudleya) Dudleya abramsii ssp. murina 1B.3 Perennial succulent herb; blooms May through June; occurs in chaparral and cismontane woodland, usually on serpentine rock outcrops, at elevations ranging from 90 to 300 meters. Species was observed in the western portion of the study area growing in coastal scrub and native grasslands on rocky serpentine soils, and in the northern portion of Froom Creek. Oso manzanita Arctostaphylos osoensis --/--/ 1B.2 Perennial shrub known to occur in chaparral and cismontane woodland on the porphyry buttes east of Morro Bay. No suitable habitat present. Shrub would have been identifiable if encountered during surveys. Not expected to occur. Palmer’s monardella Monardella palmeri --/--/ 1B.2 Rhizomatous, perennial herb; blooms June through August; occurs on serpentine soils in chaparral and cismontane woodland habitats at elevations ranging from 200 to 800 meters. Suitable serpentine soils and habitat present onsite. Not observed during surveys. Not expected to occur onsite. Palmer’s spineflower Chorizanthe palmeri --/--/ List 4.2 Annual herb known to occur on serpentine-based soils in grassland and coastal scrub habitats in the outer coast ranges of Monterey, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara Counties. Blooms from April through August Species was observed in the western portion of the study area growing in native grasslands on thin rocky and clay derived serpentine soils. Pappose tarplant Centromadia parryi ssp. parryi 1B.2 Annual herb known to occur in coastal prairie, meadows and seeps, coastal salt marsh and valley and foothill grasslands typically vernally mesic; elevation ranges from 2 – 420 meters. Only occurrence of this species in the area is known from the Boysen Ranch wetland mitigation area at Foothill Blvd. and Los Osos Valley Road in seasonal wetlands on the valley floor east of Laguna Lake. It is possible that this occurrence was confused with Congdon’s tarplant, which is known from the Boysen Ranch. Not observed during surveys, and not expected to occur. Pecho manzanita Arctostaphylos pechoensis 1B.2 Perennial shrub; blooms November to March; occurs on siliceous shale in closed-cone coniferous forest, chaparral, and coastal scrub habitats, ranging from 170 to 1100 meters in elevation. No suitable habitat present. Not observed during surveys. Not expected to occur onsite. 07830 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc. B - 6 Appendix B.Special--Status Biological Resources Present or Potentially OccurringOnsite Species Status* Fed/CA/CRPR Habitat Requirements Project Site Suitability/Observations Pismo clarkia Clarkia speciosa ssp. immaculata E/R/1B.1 Annual herb; blooms May through July; ranges from 25 to 185 meters in elevation and occurs in sandy soils in chaparral (margins, openings), cismontane woodland, and valley and foothill grassland. No suitable habitat present. Not observed during surveys, and not expected to occur onsite. Rayless (chaparral) ragwort Senecio aphanactis 2.2 Annual herb; blooms January through April; ranges from 15 to 800 meters in elevation; typically found on drying alkaline flats, serpentine soils and barren gravelly or sandy slopes in chaparral, cismontane woodland, and coastal scrub habitats. Three plants were observed at one location in the southwestern portion of the study area, growing on rocky serpentine soils. Saline clover Trifolium hydrophilum --/--/ 1B.2 Annual herb; blooms April through June; ranges from 0 to 300 meters in elevation and occurs in mesic and alkaline conditions in marshes and swamps, valley and foothill grasslands, and vernal pools. Marginal habitat identified in wetlands on- site, however not observed during surveys. Not expected to occur onsite. Salt marsh bird’s-beak Chloropyron maritimum ssp. maritimum E/E/1B.2 Annual herb known to occur along margins of salt marsh habitat and coastal dunes. Limited to the higher zones of the Morro Bay estuary. No suitable habitat present onsite. Not observed during surveys. Species not expected to occur onsite. San Benito fritillary Fritillaria viridea --/--/ 1B.2 Bulbiferous, perennial herb; blooms March to May; ranges from 200 to 1525 meters in elevation and occurs in chaparral on serpentine soils. Suitable serpentine soils present. Not observed during surveys. Only Fritillaria biflora observed onsite. Not expected to occur onsite. San Joaquin spearscale Atriplex joaquinana --/--/ 1B.2 Annual herb that grows in seasonal alkali wetlands and alkali sink scrub typically found in the San Joaquin Valley. One recorded occurrence of this species from 1899 in CNDDB was from the vicinity of Morro Bay. Unlikely that this species occurs in the project area. No alkali meadow habitat present, or other indicator species such as Distichlis spicata or Frankenia salina. Not observed during surveys, and not expected to occur onsite. San Luis mariposa-lily Calochortus obispoensis 1B.2 Bulbiferous, perennial herb; blooms May to July; ranges from 75 to 730 meters on sandstone, serpentine and/or sandy soils in chaparral, coastal scrub and valley and foothill grassland; endemic to San Luis Obispo County and is known from localized occurrences in the San Luis Obispo and Arroyo Grande region. Species was observed in the southwestern portion of the study area growing in native grasslands on rocky serpentine soils. San Luis Obispo (La Panza) mariposa-lily Calochortus simulans 1B.3 Bulbiferous, perennial herb; blooms April to May; occurs in sandy, often granitic, sometimes serpentine soils in chaparral, cismontane woodland, lower montane coniferous forest, and valley and foothill grassland; ranges from 395 to 1100 meters in elevation. Suitable serpentine soils present in western portion of site. Not observed during surveys. Not expected to occur onsite. San Luis Obispo County lupine Lupinus ludovicianus 1B.2 Perennial herb; blooms April through July; commonly found on sandstone or sandy soils in chaparral and cismontane woodland, ranging in elevation from 50 to 525 meters. Suitable habitat identified in oak woodlands and adjacent scrub/grasslands on-site, but no suitable soil substrate given the serpentine and clay soils. Not observed during surveys. Not expected to occur onsite. 07831 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc. B - 7 Appendix B.Special--Status Biological Resources Present or Potentially OccurringOnsite Species Status* Fed/CA/CRPR Habitat Requirements Project Site Suitability/Observations San Luis Obispo monardella Monardella frutescens 1B.2 Rhizomatous, perennial herb; blooms May through September; ranges from 10 to 200 meters and occurs on sandy soils in coastal dunes and coastal scrub. Species is known to occur in sand dunes along Pacific Ocean. No suitable habitat present. Not observed during surveys. Not expected to occur onsite. San Luis Obispo owl’s clover Castilleja densiflora ssp. obispoensis 1B.2 Annual herb; blooms in April; ranges from 10 to 400 meters in elevation and occurs in meadows, seeps, and valley and foothill grassland. Occurrences of this species were observed in the southwestern portion of the study area, growing in native grasslands on rocky serpentine and clay soils. San Luis Obispo sedge Carex obispoensis --/--/ 1B.2 Rhizomatous, perennial herb; blooms April to June; ranges from 10 to 790 meters; occurs in closed- cone coniferous forest, chaparral, coastal prairie, coastal scrub, valley and foothill grassland (usually near seeps and springs); Usually occurs in transition zone on sand, clay or serpentine. Suitable soils and wetland/seep habitat present on-site. Suitable habitat was searched, but species was not observed during surveys. Not expected to occur onsite. Santa Lucia manzanita Arctostaphylos luciana --/--/ 1B.2 Perennial shrub; blooms February to March; occurs on shale outcrops in chaparral and cismontane woodland habitats; ranges from 350 to 850 meters in elevation. Site lacks shale outcrops and is well outside known range for this species. Perennial shrub would have been identifiable during field surveys. Not observed during surveys. Not expected to occur onsite. Santa Margarita manzanita Arctostaphylos pilosula 1B.2 Perennial shrub; blooms December to March; occurs in Closed cone coniferous forests, cismontane woodland, and chaparral, typically on shale outcrops/soils in San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties; ranges from 170 to 1100 meters in elevation. Potentially suitable habitat identified in oak woodland on-site. Perennial shrub would have been identifiable during field surveys. Not observed during surveys. Not expected to occur onsite. Straight-awned spineflower Chorizanthe rectispina 1B.3 Annual herb; blooms May through July; occurs in chaparral, cismontane woodland, and coastal scrub habitats, ranging in elevation from 200 to 1035 meters; has even been found in vineyards and other frequently disturbed areas. Found in granite sand or disintegrating shale. Marginal habitat present in coastal scrub and oak woodland habitat on-site. Unlikely to occur on serpentine-based soils. Not observed during surveys. Not expected to occur onsite. Surf thistle Cirsium rhothophilum --/ T/1B.2 Perennial herb; blooms April through June; ranges in elevation from 3 to 60 meters; occurs in coastal dune and coastal bluff scrub communities in close proximity to the ocean. No suitable habitat present. Not observed during surveys. Not expected to occur onsite. Woodland woolly threads Monolopia gracilens 1B.2 Annual herb known to occur in chaparral, valley and foothill grasslands and cismontane woodlands growing on serpentine soils. Potentially suitable habitat present in grasslands near serpentine rock outcrops. This species was not observed within the project area. Not expected to occur. INVERTEBRATES Atascadero June beetle Polyphylla nubila --/SA/-- Sand dunes. No suitable habitat. Not expected to occur. 07832 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc. B - 8 Appendix B.Special--Status Biological Resources Present or Potentially OccurringOnsite Species Status* Fed/CA/CRPR Habitat Requirements Project Site Suitability/Observations California linderiella Linderiella occidentalis --/SA/-- Seasonal pools in grasslands underlain by hardpan or in sandstone depressions. Marginal habitat identified in seasonally wet areas. Site does not appear to support necessary habitat attributes to support the species. Further, no vernal pool habitat present onsite or in the immediate vicinity. Unlikely to occur. Globose dune beetle Coelus globosus --/ SA/-- Inhabits coastal sand dune habitat in foredunes and sand hummocks most common beneath dune vegetation. No suitable habitat present. Not expected to occur onsite Mimic tryonia California brackishwater snail) Tryonia imitator SA/-- Found only in permanently submerged areas in coastal lagoons. No suitable habitat present. Not expected to occur. Monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus --/SA/-- Wind-protected tree groves of eucalyptus, Monterey pine and cypress with nectar and water sources nearby. No suitable overwintering habitat present on-site. Eucalyptus trees present do not create the necessary microclimate needed for overwintering. Species expected to forage onsite, but is not expected to use the project area for overwintering. Morro Bay blue butterfly Plebejus icarioides moroensis SA/-- Inhabits stabilized dunes and adjacent areas of coastal San Luis Obispo and NW Santa Barbara counties. No suitable habitat present. Not expected to occur. Morro shoulderband snail Helminthoglypta walkeriana E/--/-- Known to occur in coastal sage scrub and dune scrub habitats on Baywood fine sands on the southside of Morro Bay. No suitable habitat present. Not expected to occur. San Luis Obispo pyrg Pyrgulopsis taylori --/ SA/-- Freshwater habitats in San Luis Obispo County. Marginal habitat present in lower wetlands of project area, but unlikely since they are man-induced wetlands. Unlikely to occur. Sandy beach tiger beetle Cicindela hirticollis gravida SA/-- Inhabits area adjacent to non- brackish water along the coast of California from San Francisco Bay to Northern Mexico. No suitable habitat present. Not expected to occur. Vernal pool fairy shrimp Branchinecta lynchi T/SA/-- Endemic to grasslands of central coast mountains; opportunistic species inhabits a variety of small clear-water pools including sandstone depressions and grassland swales that contain surface water for approximately 30 days during the winter and spring rain season. Marginal habitat identified in seasonally wet areas at Calle Joaquin wetland. Nearest observation of vernal pool fairy shrimp is on the Chevron Tank Farm near the San Luis Obispo Airport. Past studies for Calle Joaquin improvements did not locate this species. Unlikely that this species would have colonized the site in a short period of time. Unlikely to occur. White sand bear scarab beetle Lichnanthe albipilosa SA/-- Coastal sand dunes of San Luis Obispo County, in the vicinity of dune lakes. No suitable habitat present. Not expected to occur. 07833 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc. B - 9 Appendix B.Special--Status Biological Resources Present or Potentially OccurringOnsite Species Status* Fed/CA/CRPR Habitat Requirements Project Site Suitability/Observations FISH Steelhead – South/Central California ESU Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus T/SSC/-- Fresh water, fast flowing, highly oxygenated, clear, cool stream where riffles tend to predominate pools. Suitable habitat present further upstream offsite in Froom Creek. SLO Creek is identified by USFWS as critical habitat for the species, and Froom Creek is shown as a steelhead stream. Potentially could occur onsite during high rainfall years when flowing water is present. Not expected to spawn onsite, but would use this portion of Froom Creek as a movement corridor to areas of suitable habitat further upstream in the Irish Hills Natural Reserve. Tidewater goby Eucyclogobius newberryi E/SSC/-- Brackish water habitats along the California coast from San Diego county to Del Norte county. No suitable habitat present. Not expected to occur. AMPHIBIANS/REPTILES California red-legged frog Rana draytonii T/SSC/-- Lowland and foothills in or near permanent or semi-permanent sources of deep water (at least 0.5 meter) bordered by emergent wetland and/or riparian vegetation. May use a variety of aquatic and upland habitats during the year for refugia and dispersal. Potential habitat was identified in several locations onsite including a ponded culvert at Calle Joaquin wetland. Onsite portion of Froom Creek does not contain aquatic habitat with any frequency to support this species, which reduces the potential for red-legged frogs to successfully breed onsite. Nearest recorded occurrence is from the wastewater treatment ponds to the east of San Luis Obispo Creek that are separated from the site by Highway 101 and Los Osos Valley Road. No direct surveys were conducted as part of this investigation due to the lack of aquatic habitat greater than 12 inches deep due to the ongoing drought. Unlikely to occur onsite due to the lack of suitable aquatic habitat at least on a seasonal basis. Coast horned lizard Phrynosoma blainvillii --/ SSC/-- Frequents a wide variety of habitat including sandy washes with scattered shrubs and open areas for sunning. Loose soils for burial. Marginal habitat present on-site given dense clay soils and rock outcroppings. Even though site does not contain loose friable sandy soils, species could potentially occur in onsite coastal scrub habitat in upper elevations, but appears unlikely. Coast Range newt Taricha torosa torosa --/ SSC/-- Coastal drainages from Mendocino County to San Diego County. Lives in terrestrial habitat and breeds in ponds, reservoirs and slow moving streams. No suitable habitat present in this portion of Froom Creek. The onsite tributary drainages are highly ephemeral in nature and lack suitable in channel ponds and vegetative cover to support breeding. Known records of this species are in Santa Lucia Mountains to the north and Arroyo Grande Creek to the south. Not expected to occur based on the lack of suitable habitat. Foothill yellow-legged frog Rana boylii SSC/-- Occurs in partly shaded, shallow streams and riffles with a rocky substrate in a variety of habitats typically in the upper mountainous reaches of drainages in the outer coast ranges. Species needs at least some cobble-sized substrate for egg-laying and 15 weeks of aquatic habitat to attain metamorphosis. No suitable habitat present onsite given the highly ephemeral nature of the drainages. Two old occurrence records in CNDDB from upper San Luis Obispo Creek and upper Lopez Canyon. Unlikely that this species occurs onsite due to lower elevation of the Ranch and lack of typical habitat. 07834 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc. B - 10 Appendix B.Special--Status Biological Resources Present or Potentially OccurringOnsite Species Status* Fed/CA/CRPR Habitat Requirements Project Site Suitability/Observations Silvery legless lizard Anniella pulchra pulchra --/SSC/-- Sandy or loamy soils in valley and foothill woodlands, chaparral, coastal scrub and coastal dunes. No suitable habitat present onsite due to the heavy clay soils and rocky serpentine outcrops. Not expected to occur. Southern Pacific western) pond turtle Emys marmorata SSC/-- Basking sites such as partially submerged logs, vegetation mats, or open mud banks. No suitable habitat present in onsite drainages, and marginal habitat present seasonally within the Calle Joaquin wetland. Species known to occur in San Luis Obispo Creek where perennial water is present. Unlikely to occur onsite due to barriers such as Highway 101 and LOVR. Two-striped garter snake Thamnophis hammondii SSC/-- Perennial and intermittent streams bordered by dense vegetation; stock ponds bordered by dense emergent riparian vegetation. Small highly ephemeral drainages and wetlands do not provide sufficient habitat for this species. Not expected to occur. Western spadefoot Spea hammondii --/SSC/-- Grassland habitats and vernal pools for breeding/egg-laying with loose friable soils for burrowing. No suitable vernal pool habitat present nor are suitable loose friable soils present to support burrowing during dry summer/fall months. Not expected to occur. BIRDS Burrowing owl Athene cunicularia SSC/-- burrow sites and wintering sites) Grasslands; nests in burrows. They prefer areas with low vegetation on small hills that provide a vantage point of the surrounding areas. Suitable habitat present in grasslands, however extensive burrowing mammal activity was not observed within the project area. Could occur as a seasonal transient overwintering on and around the site, but would not be expected to breed onsite. California black rail Laterallus jamaicensis coturniculus T/-- Freshwater marshes, wet meadows and shallow margins of saltwater marshes bordering larger bays. Needs water depths of about 1 inch that does not fluctuate and dense vegetation for nesting. No suitable habitat present. Not expected to occur. California clapper rail Rallus longirostris obsoletus E/E/-- Occurs in salt-water and brackish marshes traversed by tidal sloughs with abundant growths of pickleweed. No suitable habitat present. Not expected to occur. California condor Gymnogyps californianus E/E/-- Roosts in cliffs or ledges; feeds in open areas up to 100 miles from roost. No suitable roosting or nesting habitat on- site, but could forage in grasslands as a very rare transient. Unlikely to occur. California homed lark Eremophila alpestris actia WL/-- Sparse coastal sage scrub and grasslands. Suitable foraging and nesting habitat in grasslands on-site. Could occur. California least tern Sterna antillarum browni E/E/-- Nests along coast from San Francisco Bay to northern Baja California. Nests on sandy beaches, alkali flats, landfills or paved areas. No suitable habitat present. Not expected to occur. Cooper’s hawk Accipiter cooperii WL/-- nesting) Wooded areas. Nests in tall trees and often hunts around human structures. Potentially suitable nesting habitat present in oak/bay woodlands and eucalyptus/sycamore trees on-site. Could also forage across the site. Could occur. Ferruginous hawk Buteo regalis WL/-- nonbreeding/ wintering) Open grasslands, sagebrush flats, desert scrub, low foothills and fringes of pinyon-juniper habitats. Eats mostly lagomorphs, ground squirrels and mice. Suitable foraging habitat present in grasslands on-site, however this species typically does not nest in California. Could occur as a seasonal transient during fall/winter months. Golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos WL, FP/-- nesting & nonbreeding/ wintering) Nests on cliffs and rocks and forages in open country, grasslands. Suitable foraging habitat in grasslands on- site. Unlikely to nest on the property, but rock outcroppings and cliff faces in the upper elevations outside the study area could be used for nesting. 07835 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc. B - 11 Appendix B.Special--Status Biological Resources Present or Potentially OccurringOnsite Species Status* Fed/CA/CRPR Habitat Requirements Project Site Suitability/Observations Loggerhead shrike Lanius ludovicianus SSC/-- nesting) Nests in shrubs in coastal sage scrub and chaparral habitats or in trees that overlook grasslands; preys over semi-open habitats and feeds primarily on large insects and often skewers prey on a barb or thorn to cache for later feeding. Suitable woodland, grassland, and scrub habitat present for foraging and nesting. Could occur. Merlin Falco columbarius WL/-- nonbreeding/ wintering) Nests outside of California; forages in a variety of habitats. Uses clumps of trees or windbreaks for roosting. Suitable foraging habitat present on-site. Could occur. Northern harrier Circus cyaneus SSC/-- nesting) Forages and nests in grasslands and marshes. Requires large expanses of habitat for foraging. Suitable habitat present onsite for this species as the grassland habitat is expansive and connected to large open space. Observed foraging across the site, but no signs of nesting behavior. Could occur. Prairie falcon Falco mexicanus WL/-- nesting) Catches pray in air and in open ground in grasslands. Nests in cliffs overlooking large areas. No nesting habitat present, but rocky outcrops in hills outside study area could potentially support nesting activities. Potential foraging habitat present on-site. Unlikely to occur. Purple martin Progne subis SSC/-- nesting) Nests in cavities of large trees in oak and riparian woodlands, and low elevation coniferous forests; rare; usually found near water. Suitable nesting habitat present in oak woodland and marginal habitat present in riparian habitat along LOVR. Could occur. Sharp-shinned hawk Accipiter striatus WL/-- nesting) Prefers riparian plant communities, but can be found in pine and oak woodlands on north-facing slopes. Potentially suitable foraging and nesting habitat in oak//bay woodland and large trees present onsite. Could occur. Tricolored blackbird Agelaius tricolor nesting colony) C/SSC/-- nesting colony) Found near freshwater habitats where it nests in emergent freshwater or riparian vegetation. This species prefers nesting in dense thickets of cattails and tules. Due to their highly colonial nature, nesting areas must be large enough to support a colony of about 50 pairs. No suitable nesting habitat present in onsite detention basins or along the Froom Creek corridor. While a patch of tules is present along Calle Joaquin the area does not appear to be large enough to support nesting tricolored blackbirds. Not observed during surveys and unlikely to nest within the study area. Could occur as an uncommon transient and potentially nest onsite should the tule patch enlarge. Western snowy plover Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus T/SSC/-- nesting) Sandy beaches, salt pond levees or shores of large alkali lakes. Sandy, gravelly or friable soils required for nesting. Federal listing refers only to the Pacific coastal population. No suitable habitat present. Not expected to occur. Western yellow-billed cuckoo Coccyzus americanus occidentalis C/E/-- nesting) Nests and forages in dense lowland riparian vegetation during summer. Marginal habitat present in onsite riparian habitat along OVR. Last CNDDB record for the County was in 1921, and given the riparian habitat is comprised of a thin band of willows along a busy road, it is unlikely that this species would nest onsite. White-tailed kite Elanus leucurus FP/-- nesting) Riparian woodlands near agricultural fields; forages over open grasslands and scrub. Suitable nesting habitat in oak, bay, eucalyptus and sycamore trees on-site, with good quality foraging habitat in grasslands throughout the Ranch. Not observed during surveys and no stick nests observed that could be used by this species for nesting activities. Known to occur further north of the site in the Los Osos Valley, and could occur onsite during foraging activities. Could also potentially nest onsite in the future. 07836 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc. B - 12 Appendix B.Special--Status Biological Resources Present or Potentially OccurringOnsite Species Status* Fed/CA/CRPR Habitat Requirements Project Site Suitability/Observations Yellow warbler Dendroica petechia brewsteri SSC/-- nesting) Riparian plants, prefers willows, cottonwoods, aspens, sycamores and alders for resting and foraging. Marginal habitat is present in willow riparian area along the LOVR ditch, especially considering the well developed riparian corridor along San Luis Obispo Creek to the east. Could potentially occur in more dense riparian habitat but unlikely to nest onsite given disturbance along LOVR. MAMMALS American badger Taxidea taxus --/SSC/-- Friable soils and open, uncultivated ground for denning. Preys on burrowing rodents such as groundsquirrels. Suitable habitat is present in grassland on- site, but heavy clay soils likely preclude badgers from being regular residents onsite. No dens or large ground squirrel colonies observed within the project area. Could potentially occur as a transient across the site. Big free-tailed bat Nyctinomops macrotis --/SSC/-- Occurs in low lying arid areas of Southern California. Needs high cliffs or rocky outcrops for roosting sites. Feeds primarily on large moths. Could potentially occur onsite, and use the upper rocky ridgelines and rock outcrops outside the study area for roosting sites. Not expected to roost onsite, but could forage over the grasslands, oak woodlands and coastal scrub areas. Hoary bat Lasiurus cinereus --/SA/-- Roosts in dense foliage of large trees. Requires water. Prefers open habitats or habitat mosaics with access to trees for cover and open areas of habitat edge for feeding. Suitable foraging habitat on-site. Potentially suitable roosting habitat present in oak woodland especially in close proximity to confluence of Drainages 1, 2, and 3 with Froom Creek. Could occur. Morro Bay kangaroo rat Dipodomys heermanii morroensis E/E/-- Coastal sage scrub on the south side of Morro Bay. Needs sandy soil on stabilized dunes with vegetation. No suitable habitat present. Not expected to occur. Pallid bat Antrozous pallidus --/SSC/-- Occurs in deserts, grasslands, shrublands, woodlands, and forests. Most common in open, dry habitats with rocky areas for roosting. Roosts under bridges and in some areas in old structures such as barns. Potentially suitable roosting habitat present in oak/bay woodland. Suitable foraging habitat in on-site grasslands and coastal scrub. Could occur. San Diego woodrat Neotoma lepida intermedia SSC/-- Coastal scrub, oak woodlands with moderate to dense canopies. Abundant in and around rock outcrops and rocky cliffs and slopes with shrub and tree cover. Suitable habitat present in oak woodlands and coastal scrub throughout the southwestern part of the site. Wood rat nests observed in upper reaches of the property in coastal scrub habitat. Could potentially occur. Townsend’s western big-eared bat Corynorhinus townsendii townsendii SSC/-- Requires caves, tunnels, mines, or similar man-made structures for roosting. This bat feeds primarily on moths, but will eat a variety of soft- bodied insects. Suitable foraging habitat present throughout the site. Potential roosting habitat located at existing buildings. Could occur. Western mastiff bat Eumops perotis californicus SSC/-- Open, arid habitats including conifer and deciduous woodlands, coastal scrub, grassland, and chaparral. Roosts in crevices in cliffs faces high buildings, trees and tunnels. Suitable foraging habitat in grasslands on- site. Potentially suitable roosting habitat present in oak woodland and large eucalyptus and sycamore trees. Could occur. Western red bat Lasiurus blossevilli --/SSC/-- Roosts in trees near open areas for foraging. Potentially suitable roosting habitat present in oak/bay woodland and foraging habitat consists of onsite grasslands. Could occur. Yuma myotis Myotis yumanensis --/ SA/-- Riparian, arid scrublands, deserts, and forests near permanent sources of water. Roosts in trees, rock crevices, trees hollows, mines, caves and a variety of manmade structures. Potentially suitable roosting and foraging habitat on-site. Could occur. 07837 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc. B - 13 Appendix B.Special--Status Biological Resources Present or Potentially OccurringOnsite Species Status* Fed/CA/CRPR Habitat Requirements Project Site Suitability/Observations Plant/Natural Communities Central Dune Scrub Not present Central Foredunes Not present Central Maritime Chaparral Not present Coastal Brackish Marsh Not present Coastal and Valley Freshwater Marsh Present. In select areas in Drainages 1, 2, and 3 and along LOVR and Calle Joaquin Northern Coastal Salt Marsh Not present Northern Interior Cypress Forest Not present Serpentine Bunchgrass Grassland Present. Identified on the habitat map as Native Bunchgrass habitat. Valley Needlegrass Grassland Present. Synonymous with the above Serpentine Bunchgrass Grassland habitat. E = Endangered; T = Threatened; R = Rare CL = Candidate for Listing Status; SSC = California Species of Special Concern; FP = Fully Protected; WL = Watch List; SA – Special Animal; ‘—‘ = no status; List 1B – Rare, threatened, or endangered in California and elsewhere; List 2 – Rare, threatened or endangered in California, but more common elsewhere; List 4 – Limited distribution (Watch List). Source: California Natural Diversity Database (CDFW 2015); California Native Plant Society Online Inventory of Rare Plants, accessed April and November 2015 (online at www.cnps.org); and background literature review. 07838 APPENDIX C Photo Plate KMA 07839 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc. 1 PHOTO PLATE Photo 1.Northwesterly view of annual grassland in the flat areas adjacent totheCalleJoaquinwetland.In the distance is the large detention basin and spreading occurrenceofreedfescue. Photo 2.Representative viewofserpentine bunchgrass grassland with Eastwood’s larkspur infloweronthe slopes in the southwest part ofthesite. 07840 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc. 2 Photo 3.Northerly view of the Calle Joaquin wetland area showing tules growinginshallowsurfacewater. Photo 4.Overview of annual grasslandand serpentine bunchgrass grassland in the southwest partofthe site.Oak/bay woodland can beseennear the confluence of Drainages 1,2 and 3.Coastalscrub/chaparral habitat is in the foreground with black sage,buck brush andCaliforniasagebrushpresent. 07841 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc. 3 Photo 5.View of wetland habitat at seep dominated by sedges and rushes adjacenttoDrainage2. Photo 6.Wetland habitat in the upper reach of Drainage 2 with young ChorroCreekbogthistleplants present.Steep hillside in the distanceiscomposed of coastal scrub/chaparral habitat. 07842 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc. 4 Photo 7.View of oak/baywoodland with large eucalyptus present near confluence ofDrainages 1 and 2. Native serpentine bunchgrass grassland with associated wildlfowers isintheforeground. Photo 8.Westerlyview of the upper reach of Drainage 1 showing purpleneedlegrassinflower beige color) on opposite sides of the drainage.Oak/bay woodland and coastal scrub/chaparral isvisibleonthehillsidein the distance. 07843 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc. 5 Photo 9.Southerly view of Froom Creek traversing the center of the site.Channeliscomposedofserpentine cobble and gravel substrate with verylittlein--channel vegetation. Photo 10.Northerly view of the Los Osos Valley RoadRoadsideChannelshowing arroyo willows growingin the constructed channel.Wetland vegetation was also present with poison hemlockvisibleinthelowerright. 07844 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc. 6 Photo 11.Calochortus obispoensis observed growing in the upper elevations of the southwesternpartofthe study area in thin rocky serpentinesoils. Photo 12.Castilleja densiflora ssp.obsipoensis growing in serpentine bunchgrass grasslandinthe southwestern part of thesite.Photo to theright shows stigma extending beyond corolla lip. 07845 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc. 7 Photo 13.Centromadia parryi ssp.congdonii observed in theconstructed Home Depot detention basininthe northeastern part of thesite. Photo 14.Chorizanthe breweri growing in serpentine gravelly soils alongFroomCreek. 07846 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc. 8 Photo 15.Cirsium fontinale var.obispoense growing in wetland habitat alongDrainage2. Photo 16.Delphinium parryi ssp.eastwoodiae growing in serpentine bunchgrass grassland insouthwestpart of the site. 07847 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc. 9 Photo 17.Serpentine rock outcrop with Dudleya abramsii ssp.murina. Photo 18.Young Dudleya blochmaniae plants observed insmall occurrences in the southwest partofthesite. 07848 KMA Froom Ranch Project Biological Resources Inventory John Madonna Construction, Inc. 10 Photo 19.Layia jonesii growing in the southwest part ofthesite. Photo 20.Senecio aphanactis growing along top ofserpentine rock outcrop north of Drainage3. 07849 APPENDIX D Tree Inventory DataForm KMA 07850 Froom Ranch Tree Survey 1 Tree Survey Monitoring Form Date______2/10/15_____Surveyor__________Sloan,Block_______ Tag Scientific Name Common Name Vigor Rating DBH inches) GPS Point Notes Observations 1 Umbellularia californica California Bay H 16,11, 12 154 large healthy tree 2 Umbellularia californica California Bay M 12,12, 11,10 153 one 12”isdead 3 Umbellularia californica California Bay H 13 155 young healthy tree 4 Umbellularia californica California Bay H 9 156 young healthy tree 5 Umbellularia californica California Bay H 8,8,11, 7,12 157 large healthy tree 6 Umbellularia californica California Bay M 14,10,9, 14 158 old tree,large burl,poorcondition 7 Umbellularia californica California Bay H 12 159 young healthy,edge of channel 8 Umbellularia californica California Bay H 9 160 young healthy,edge of channel 9 Umbellularia californica California Bay M 7,9,14,8 161 some splitting at base,old,large burl 10 Umbellularia californica California Bay H 19,12 162 old tree 11 Umbellularia californica California Bay H 15 163 young tree 12 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak H 6,7 164 young tree 13 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak H 4,7,7,7 165 young tree 07851 Froom Ranch Tree Survey 2 Tag Scientific Name Common Name Vigor Rating DBH inches) GPS Point Notes Observations 14 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak H 10,8 166 young healthy tree 15 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak M 11,11 167 weak crotch on one trunk,main trunk splitting at base 16 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak H 21,22, 28 168 very old large tree 17 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak L 26 169 old,low vigor,smallcanopy 18 Umbellularia californica California Bay H 7 170 young healthy tree 19 Umbellularia californica California Bay H 5 171 young healthy tree,numerous trunks under 4” 20 Quercus agrifolia Coast LiveOak L 10 172 Spanish moss,thin canopy,unhealthy 21 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak H 13 173 healthy tree 22 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak H 13,5 174 healthy tree 23 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak H 14,7,11, 9 175 healthy tree 24 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak M 6,4,5 176 Spanish moss on base,stunted,small 25 Umbellularia californica California Bay L 6,5,4 177 Spanish moss,2trunks under 4” 26 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak M 13 178 old tree,rotten bark on main trunk 27 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak H 20 179 old tree,leaning,lichens on bark 28 Umbellularia californica California Bay H 10,13 180 healthy tree 29 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak H 12 181 very large burl,in lower creek bank 30 Umbellularia californica California Bay M 22,23 182 very large burl,old tree 07852 Froom Ranch Tree Survey 3 Tag Scientific Name Common Name Vigor Rating DBH inches) GPS Point Notes Observations 31 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak L 12 183 small,split at base 32 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak L 22 184 hollow,large cavity at base 33 Umbellularia californica California Bay H 18,23, 22 185 large healthy tree 34 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak H 27 186 large healthy tree 35 Umbellularia californica California Bay L 9 187 small,sparse canopy 36 Umbellularia californica California Bay H 8 188 small healthy tree 37 Umbellularia californica California Bay M 9,10,8 189 sparse canopy 38 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak M 32 190 splits in bark,old,large tree 39 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak H 14,16 191 large healthy tree 40 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak H 6 192 small tree,2stems under 4”dbh 41 Prunus ilicifolia Hollyleaf Cherry M 7 193 very large old specimen 42 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak M 28 194 large old tree 43 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak M 31 195 large old tree 44 Umbellularia californica California Bay H 37,16 196 large old tree 45 Umbellularia californica California Bay M 5,4,6,5 197 one dead trunk,moderate health 46 Umbellularia californica California Bay H 45 198 very large tree,leaning over channel 47 Eucalyptus globulus Blue Gum H 23 199 tall,straight,on bank 07853 Froom Ranch Tree Survey 4 Tag Scientific Name Common Name Vigor Rating DBH inches) GPS Point Notes Observations 48 Umbellularia californica California Bay M 5,5,4 200 hollow base,split trunk 49 Umbellularia californica California Bay H 16,22, 21 201 large,within thechannel bank 50 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak H 23,34 202 big,old,pruned up from ground 51 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak L 15,27, 22 203 big,old,leaning,hollowbase 52 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak H 8 204 young healthy tree 53 Umbellularia californica California Bay M 24,13,5 205 largest trunk hollow,others healthy 54 Umbellularia californica California Bay M 16,4,15, 21,28 206 bark damage/cuts from campers 55 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak H 24 208 large,healthy tree 56 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak H 24,15 209 large tree,in channel 57 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak H 12,23 210 lower branches pruned up fromground 58 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak M 17 211 large broken branch,on bank 59 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak H 39,30 212 big,old,onbank of channel 60 Umbellularia californica California Bay H 20,10,10, 12,14,6, 22 213 old,healthy,largeburl 61 Eucalyptus globulus Blue Gum H 97 215 very large old tree,upland area 62 Eucalyptus globulus Blue Gum H 83 216 very large old tree,upland area 63 Eucalyptus globulus Blue Gum H 22 217 young tree,upland area 07854 Froom Ranch Tree Survey 5 Tag Scientific Name Common Name Vigor Rating DBH inches) GPS Point Notes Observations 64 Eucalyptus globulus Blue Gum H 16,16, 8,13 218 upland area 65 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak M 32,36 214 old,large,thin canopy 66 Umbellularia californica California Bay M 25 219 old,thin canopy,many burlsprouts 67 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak M 21 220 thin canopy,hill top 68 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak M 26 221 thin canopy,hill top 69 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak M 48 222 thin canopy,hilltop 70 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak L 42 223 hollow trunk,sparse canopy 71 Umbellularia californica California Bay M 8,10,15, 8,21,26 224 large burl,lichen on trunk,hollow 72 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak M 20 225 small,sparse canopy 73 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak H 21 231 lichen on trunk 74 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak M 5 232 hilltop,young,sparse canopy 75 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak L 7 233 hilltop,moss,few leaves 76 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak H 19 234 in channel,thick canopy 77 Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak M 30 in channel,sparse canopy 78 Schinus molle Peruvian Pepper M 34 235 very old,hollow,manynew sprouts 79 Eucalyptus globulus Blue Gum H 35 236 very large,uplandarea 80 Eucalyptus globulus Blue Gum H 12 236 upland area 81 Eucalyptus globulus Blue Gum H 32 237 upland area 07855 Froom Ranch Tree Survey 6 Tag Scientific Name Common Name Vigor Rating DBH inches) GPS Point Notes Observations 82 Eucalyptus globulus Blue Gum H 51 237 upland area 83 Eucalyptus globulus Blue Gum H 22 238 upland area 84 Eucalyptus globulus Blue Gum H 36 238 upland area 85 Eucalyptus globulus Blue Gum H 53 238 upland area 86 Schinus molle Peruvian Pepper M 12,12,8, 9 239 old,moss/lichens,young sprouts atbase 87 Populus fremontii Fremont Cottonwood H 14,10 277 young,healthy,dormant 88 Populus fremontii Fremont Cottonwood H 9,9,8,6 278 young,healthy,starting to leafout 89 Salix lasiolepis Arroyo Willow H many,4-- 12 inches 279 large base,10 to 12trunks 90 Salix lasiolepis Arroyo Willow H many,4-- 10 inches 280 at culvert,8trunks observed 91 Populus fremontii Fremont Cottonwood H 11 281 starting to leaf out 92 Salix lasiolepis Arroyo Willow H 11 282 at culvert 93 Umbellularia californica California Bay H 49,32,27, 14,12 303 rock outcrop on hillside,very largetree 94 Platanus racemosa Western Sycamore H 18,6 304 upland area near road basemining storage activity 95 Platanus racemosa Western Sycamore H 16,14 305 upland area near road basemining storage activity 96 Platanus racemosa Western Sycamore H 16 306 upland area near road basemining storage activity 07856