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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-Planning and Building CI(J OF SAN BERNARDtJO - REQUr,T FOR COUNCIL AC'JON From: Frank A. Schuma, Director Subject: VERDEMONT AREA PLAN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT Dept: P 1 anni ng Date: Apri 1 25, 1985 Synopsis of Previous Council action: November 5, 1984 Council allocates $15,000 for the preparation of traffic and seismic studies for the completion of the Verdemont Area Plan. Council approves contract with Greer and Company for the traffic and circulation analysis for the Verdemont EIR (Res. No. 84-96). November 21, 1983 September 11, 1984 -- Council approves amending of contract with Greer and Company to conduct engineering study of Meyers Road extension (Res. No. 84-347) Recommended motion: (1) That the Mayor and Common Council receive and file a letter request from Mrs. Helen Kopczynski to certify the Final EIR to the Verdemont Area Plan Study. (2) That the Mayor and Common Council approve the hiring of a consultant to conduct a complete biological survey of the Verdemont Area Study and allocate $5,000 for this purpose. G --^-- 0 -Y- Signature FRANK A. SCHUMA Contact person: Fr~nk A C\rhllmo:t Phone: 383-S0S7 Supporting data attached: Y!'lS Ward: 5 FUNDING REQUIREMENTS: Amount: t'i,nnn Sou rce: General Ftmd Finance: Council Notes: 75-0262 Agenda Item No, /,t., I eel' OF SAN BERNARICIO - REQUOT FOR COUNCIL A(..)ION STAFF REPORT REQUEST FOR CONSULTANT SERVICES FOR THE VEROEMONT AREA PLAN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT BACKGROUND At the April 9, 1985 hearing of the Planning Commission, the Commission selected a land use alternative and recommended cer- tification of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Verdemont Area Plan Study. Staff has determined that it would be most appropriate to consider the Final EIR at the same time as the Verdemont Area Plan document. Completion is anticipated within 90 days, after which the Planning Commission will make a recommendation, whether to approve the Plan, to the Council. The Council may then choose to either certify or not certify the Final EIR when it is pre- sented at th at ti me. Several key issues discussed in the EIR were brought up during the hearing and comment process. Specifically, two plant species eligible for State and Federal li sting as "Endangered" are suspected to have probable habi tat wi thi n the Verdemont Area. The Commi ssi on voted to certify the Final EIR with a mitigation measure assuring that future projects include a site-specific botanical assessment prior to approval. The Planning Commission's recommendation for certification of the EIR has been appealed on the grounds of a lack of complete botanical sur- vey or assessment for the study area. Certifying the Final EIR as is, amy open it up to potential legal challenge since a specific botanical assessment would only be available when a development project is sub- mitted. If a complete botanical assessment were completed prior to certification, it would provide the Environmental Review Committee with information, data and mitigation measures necessary if a probable habitat for a rare and endangered plant species were suspected. For this reason, the Planning Deparment recommends that certification of the Final EIR for the Verdemont Area Plan be done at the time the Area Plan document is considered. During the interim period, a complete botanical assessment should be completed and included in the Fi na 1 EI R as an appendi x with appropri ate miti gati on measures in the text as necessary, It should be noted that time is of the essense since many of the plant species to be identified are annuals and have a growing season terminating in late Spring (May). REQUEST Allocate $5,000 and approve the issuing of a Request for Proposal for Consultant Services necessary to conduct a biologic survey of the Verdemont Area. 75-0264 ",.. '''' ,-..I 8150 Cable Canyon Road San Bernardino, CA 92407 April 19, 1985 City Clerk 300 Horth "D" Street San Bernardino, CA 92418 Dear Mrs, S. Clark: The Planning Carmission recently rec<mnended certification of the E,I.R, for the Verdem:mt Area Plan on April 9. 1985, I am writing to request an appeal of this decision, The E.I.R, did not address the natural resources of the Verdem:mt Area, nor did it deal with the scenic highway zone, seismic hazard, or floodplain, Specifically, tm rare and endangered plant species have been identified and one has been located within the area. (Eriastrun. densifuliun. ssp. sanctorun and Chorizanthe leptoceras.) I am requesting a biological survey be conducted in order to JOOre fully ascertain the precise location of these plants. :;r::y'~ Helen Kopczynski . 8l ::>:I m n m ",. < ;g ,,, ::J .- I \0 n -i ""0 -.< W (") ,- j:,: IT1 -..J ;:u -:>: CITY OF SAN BEFetARDINO 0-. ME~ORANDUfj To Frank A. Schuma Planning Director CABLE LAKES PROJECT - FLORA INVESTIGATION From ,Ronald K. Running Senior Planner Subject Date April 30, 1985 Approved Date Today I met with Mr. Tim Krantz, principal in the firm BIO-TECH, Environmental Planning Consultants and Mr. Ratan Rege, Director of Land Development of the Campeau Corporation California (owner of the Cable Lakes Project in Verdemont). The purpose of the meeting was to make an on-site biological investigation of the site. Campeau Corporation had a couple of days previously began discussing operations in compliance with their weed abatement notification received from the City. . After a brief walk on the site we located several (estimated at 30+) plants of the Santa Ana River Wooly Star (Etriastrum densifolium sanctorum) species. This species along with the slender-horned spine flower (chorizanthe leptoceras gray) are candidates for federal and state listings as rare and endangered species. To my surprise, Mr. Krantz and Mr. Rege began to dig up the Wooly Star plants in an attempt to save as many plant samples from future weed abatement opera- tions. It was Mr. Krantz's hope to transplant the wooly star to San Antonio Botanical Gardens in Claremont and attempt to propagate it. It is not known, as yet; if the wooly star can survive any type of disturbance Whatsoever. ..- ..--- As a consequence of today's activity and the previous weed abatement procedures the Cable Lake wooly star population has been significantly reduced. Mr. Krantz admitted to have erroneously misinformed the Mayor and Common Council on April 15, 1985 that the species in question was not located on the site. Today's site survey establishes that the Wooly Star is in fact located within the project site within Verdemont. CONCLUSION Today's investigation has proven that habitats exist for the Wooly Star, a potential candidate for listing as a rare and endangered species of plant life. Adequate provision of mitigation measures must be undertaken by the City and developers alike to avoid potential litigation action. CITY Oil TH.~DV" \2-'