HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-08-30.SII_Oasis_TwinCreeks_BIO-MM18-Compliance
Central Coast Office
1320 Van Beurden Drive, Suite 202-D4
Los Oso, CA 93402
Tel 805.434.2804 fax 805.980.5886
sage@sageii.com
www.sageii.com
August 30, 2019
Carol Florence, AICP
Principal Planner, Oasis Associates, Inc.
3427 Miguelito Court
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
SUBJECT: Pre-Construction Nesting Bird Survey Report for the Twin Creeks Mixed Use
Development Project, 791 Orcutt Road, 3330-3360 Broad Street, City of San Luis
Obispo County, CA
Dear Carol:
Sage Institute, Inc. (SII) is providing this pre-construction nesting bird survey report to demonstrate
compliance with the biological resources mitigation measures documented in the October 2005 Final
Environmental Impact Report for the Four Creeks Rezoning Project (FEIR; SCH#2004071043). The FEIR
covered the Twin Creeks Mixed Use Development project (Twin Creeks) referred to in the FEIR as
Creekston and Broad Street Parcels, along with the then named Tumbling Waters project. Specifically,
the FEIR identified the following impact and mitigation measure to protect active nesting birds.
BIO Impact 7 Construction of the project has potential to impact nesting birds.
BIO/mm-18 Prior to construction, if construction activities are scheduled to occur during the
typical bird nesting season (from March 1 to August 31) a qualified biologist
shall be retained to conduct a preconstruction survey (approximately 1 week
prior to construction) to determine presence/absence for tree-nesting birds
within riparian corridors and ground-nesting birds within annual grasslands
onsite. If no nesting activities are detected within the proposed work area,
noise-producing construction activities may proceed and no further mitigation is
required. If nesting activity is confirmed during preconstruction nesting surveys
or at any time during the monitoring of construction activities, work activities
shall be delayed within 100 feet of active nests until the young birds have
fledged and left the nest. In addition, the results of the surveys will be passed
immediately to the CDFG and the City Natural Resources Manager, possibly with
recommendations for buffer zone changes, as needed, around individual nests.
Tree removal in riparian zones shall be monitored and documented by the
biological monitor regardless of time of year.
Residual Impact With implementation of mitigation, impacts associated with
potential impacts to nesting birds would be considered less than significant with
mitigation, Class II.
SII biologists conducted field surveys for nesting birds from the end of May through the first week of
August 2019 in anticipation of the start of clearing and grubbing for site grading. The focus of the
nesting bird surveys was on the trees slated for removal and the surrounding riparian corridors of
Sydney Creek and Acacia Creek with special attention towards nesting raptors. The tree removals and
thickets of large shrubs were all internal to the site and not a part of the riparian corridors
TWIN CREEKS (CREEKSTON) PRE-CONSTRUCTION NESTING BIRD SURVEY REPORT – BIO/MM 18 2
No nesting birds were observed during site surveys in the trees and shrubs that were to be removed. A
pair of red-shouldered hawks were observed nesting in a large eucalyptus tree along Sydney Creek (not
slated for removal) upon initiation of the surveys in May. Two nestlings were observed at that time.
Given the typically 500-foot non-disturbance buffer zone for nesting raptors covered the entire site, SII
recommended that no construction should start until the red-shouldered hawks had fledged their young
or otherwise were not using or relying on the site. Surveys continued through June and July with
observations that the adults and at least one young had successfully left the nest and were using the site
and riparian corridors for roosting. Regular calling between the adults and the one young were readily
apparent during the surveys.
SII observations during the week of August 5, 2019 revealed the red-shouldered hawks and the one
juvenile were no longer using the site as there were no visual observations or calling. The final survey on
August 7, 2019 documented that the red-shouldered hawks were no longer reliant on the nest site or
project site, and that no other nesting birds were observed in tree and vegetation removal areas. The
survey documented that no active nests of birds would be impacted by construction in compliance with
FEIR BIO/MM 18.
Thank you very much for continuing with SII for your biological resources consulting services. Please
contact me directly if you have any questions or need any additional information.
Very truly yours,
David K. Wolff, Principal Ecologist