Attachment 4c APPENDIX B-2. Special-Status Plant Survey Report. Monk & Associates June 10, 2015

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1 Attachment 4c APPENDIX B-2 Special-Status Plant Survey Report Monk & Associates June 10, 2015

2 Environmental Consultants June 10, 2015 Midstate Construction 1180 Holm Road Petaluma, California Attention: Mr. Roger Nelson RE: Special-Status Plant Survey Report 2960 & 2970 South Dutton Avenue, Santa Rosa, California (~8 Acres) APN: Dear Mr. Nelson: 1. INTRODUCTION In the spring of 2015, Monk & Associates, Inc. (M&A) completed focused surveys for specialstatus (that is, rare, threatened, or endangered) plants on the 2960 & 2970 South Dutton Ave property in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California (herein referred to as the project site ). It should be noted that according to CDFG s 2009 Protocols for Surveying and Evaluating Impacts to Special-Status Native Plant Populations 1, protocol surveys may require yearly surveys for annual and short-lived perennial plants in herbaceous plant communities to accurately document baseline conditions for the purposes of impact assessment. No special-status plants were identified on the project site during appropriately timed surveys. Below we provide our survey methods, a description of the project site s plant communities, and the results of our surveys. 2. LEGAL PROTECTION FOR SPECIAL-STATUS PLANTS For purposes of this analysis, special-status plants are legally protected under the California and Federal Endangered Species Acts (CESA and FESA, respectively) or other regulations, and species that are considered rare by the scientific community (for example, the California Native Plant Society [CNPS]). Special-status plants are defined as: plants that are listed or proposed for listing as threatened or endangered under the CESA (Fish and Game Code 2050 et seq.; 14 CCR et seq.) or the FESA (50 CFR 17.12); plants that are candidates for possible future listing as threatened or endangered under the FESA (50 CFR 17; FR Vol. 64, No. 205, pages , October 25, 1999); and under the CESA (California Fish and Game Code 2068); 1 California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) Protocols for Surveying and Evaluating Impacts to Special-Status Native Plant Populations and Natural Communities. November 24, Saranap Ave., Suite Q Walnut Creek California (925) FAX (925)

3 Special-Status Plant Survey Report 2960 & 2970 South Dutton Ave, Santa Rosa, California (~8 Acres) APN: Page 2 of 6 plants that meet the definition of endangered, rare, or threatened under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (14 CCR 15380) that may include species not found on either State or Federal Endangered Species lists; The CNPS maintains an inventory of special status plant species. This inventory has four lists of plants with varying rarity. These lists are: Rank 1, Rank 2, Rank 3, and Rank 4. Although plants on these lists have no formal legal protection (unless they are also state or federal listed species), the Department requests the inclusion of Rank 1 species in environmental documents. In addition, other state and local agencies may request the inclusion of species on other lists as well. The Rank 1 and 2 species are defined below: Rank 1A Presumed extinct in California; Rank 1B Rare, threatened, or endangered in California and elsewhere; Rank 2A Plants presumed extirpated in California, but more common elsewhere; Rank 2B Rare, threatened, or endangered in California, but more common elsewhere. All of the plants constituting Rank 1B meet the definitions of Section 1901, Chapter 10 (Native Plant Protection Act) or Sections 2062 and 2067 (California Endangered Species Act) of the Fish and Game Code, and are eligible for state listing (CNPS 2001). Rank 2 species are rare in California, but more common elsewhere. Ranks 3 and 4 contain species about which there is some concern, and are review and watch lists, respectively. Additionally, in 2006 CNPS updated their lists to include threat code extensions for each list. For example, Rank 1B species would now be categorized as Rank 1B.1, Rank 1B.2, or Rank 1B.3. These threat codes are defined as follows:.1 is considered seriously endangered in California (over 80% of occurrences threatened/high degree and immediacy of threat) ;.2 is fairly endangered in California (20-80% of occurrences threatened) ;.3 is not very endangered in California (less than 20% of occurrences threatened or no current threats known). Under the CEQA review process only CNPS Rank 1 and 2 species are considered since these are the only CNPS species that meet CEQA s definition of rare or endangered. Impacts to Rank 3 and 4 species are not regarded as significant pursuant to CEQA. 3. PROJECT SITE LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION The project site is approximately 8 acres located at 2960 & 2970 South Dutton Avenue in the City of Santa Rosa in Sonoma County, California (Figures 1 and 2). It is located just east of South Dutton Avenue and the project site is bounded to the north by commercial and high density residential development, to the south by commercial development and to the east by railroad tracks. Essentially, the project site is surrounded by urban development on all sides. Figures 2 and 3 provide an aerial photograph of the project site showing the current land use of

4 Special-Status Plant Survey Report 2960 & 2970 South Dutton Ave, Santa Rosa, California (~8 Acres) APN: Page 3 of 6 the site and surrounding areas. Historically, the project site was used intermittently for cultivated hay production. The majority of the project site is relatively level with elevations ranging between 117 and 125 feet above mean sea level. A remnant swale/drainage with pockets of seasonal wetland characterized by hydrophytic (wetland) vegetation is located in the southwestern portion of the project site. 4. SURVEY METHODOLOGY 4.1 Background Research and Reference Site Visits Prior to conducting the 2015 surveys on the project site, M&A searched the CDFW s Natural Diversity Database (RareFind 3 Application) 2 for occurrences of special-status plants within a 2 mile radius of the project site. Drawings, photographs and written descriptions of all specialstatus plants were reviewed prior to or during the survey period. Additionally, visits to the Alton Lane Mitigation Preserve, a local reference site with populations of the federally and state listed vernal pool plants: Burke s goldfields (Lasthenia burkei), Sebastopol meadowfoam (Limnanthes vinculans), and Sonoma sunshine (Blennosperma bakeri), were made prior to each survey to determine if the special-status plants in question were flowering and otherwise visible at the time of the surveys. The Alton Lane Mitigation Preserve is located approximately 5.6 miles northeast of the project site. All three federally and state listed plants were observed at the Alton Lane Mitigation Preserve during the survey period in both the vegetative and flowering forms. Table 1, attached, lists all the target special-status plant species M&A looked for during focused surveys. 4.2 Site Surveys Special-status plant surveys were conducted by M&A qualified botanist Ms. Christina Owens and M&A biologist Ms. Bridgett Downs on March 20, April 21 and May 20, The surveys followed the USFWS (2000) 3, CDFW 4 and California Native Plant Society (CNPS) 5 published survey guidelines. These guidelines state that special-status plant surveys should be conducted at 2 California Natural Diversity Data Base (CNDDB) RareFind 3.1. Computer printout for special-status species within a 2-mile radius of the project site. California Natural Heritage Division, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Sacramento, CA. 3 United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Guidelines for Conducting and Reporting Botanical Inventories for Federally Listed Proposed and Candidate Plants. January CDFG (California Department of Fish and Game) Protocols for surveying and evaluating impacts to special status native plant populations and natural communities. November pps. 5 CNPS (California Native Plant Society) Inventory of rare and endangered plants of California (sixth edition). Rare plant scientific advisory committee, David P. Tibor, convening editor. California Native Plant Society. Sacramento, CA. x+338 pps.

5 Special-Status Plant Survey Report 2960 & 2970 South Dutton Ave, Santa Rosa, California (~8 Acres) APN: Page 4 of 6 the proper time of year when special-status and locally significant plants are both evident and identifiable. These guidelines also state that the surveys be floristic in nature with every plant observed identified to species, subspecies, or variety as necessary to determine their rarity status. Finally, these surveys must be conducted in a manner that is consistent with conservation ethics and accepted plant collection and documentation techniques. Following these guidelines, surveys were conducted during the months when special-status plant species from the region are known to be evident and flowering. During surveys, all areas of the project site were examined by walking systematic transects through potential habitat, and by closely examining any existing microhabitats that could support special-status plants. Nearly all plant species found on the project site were identified to species. All plants were identified to the level required to determine their rarity status. A list of all vascular plant taxa encountered within the project site was recorded in the field. Plants that needed further evaluation were collected and keyed in the lab. Final determinations for collected plants were made by keying specimens using standard references such as The Jepson Manual, Second Edition 6 and A Flora of Sonoma County 7. Table 2, attached, lists all plant taxa observed on the project site. 5. PLANT COMMUNITIES Two distinct plant communities were identified on the project site: ruderal and seasonal wetland. Nomenclature used for plant names follows The Jepson Manual, 2 nd edition (Baldwin 2012) and changes made to this manual as published on the Jepson Interchange Project website RUDERAL Ruderal (weedy) communities are assemblages of plants that thrive in waste areas, roadsides and other sites that have been disturbed by human activity. This community is typically dominated by introduced annual grasses and forbs that are highly adapted to high-intensity ongoing disturbance. The native, perennial bunchgrasses that dominated the native grassland prior to European settlement have now been largely displaced by these ruderal species. A ruderal herbaceous community comprises the majority of the project site. Some of these nonnative grass dominants found on the project site include wild oats (Avena barbata), soft chess (Bromus hordeaceus), ripgut brome (Bromus diandrus), foxtail chess (Bromus madritensis ssp. madritensis), Italian ryegrass (Festuca perennis), brome fescue (Festuca bromoides), hare barley (Hordeum murinum ssp. leporinum), Mediterranean barley (Hordeum marinum ssp. gussoneanum) and Harding grass (Phalaris aquatica). Common non-native forbs found on the 6 Baldwin, B. (ed.) The Jepson Manual, Second Edition: Vascular Plants of California. University of California Press, Berkeley pp. 7 Best, C., J.T. Howell, W. & I. Knight, and M. Wells A flora of Sonoma County: manual of the flowering plants and ferns of Sonoma County, California. Published by the California native plant society. First edition pps. 8

6 Special-Status Plant Survey Report 2960 & 2970 South Dutton Ave, Santa Rosa, California (~8 Acres) APN: Page 5 of 6 project site include chicory (Cichorium intybus), bristly ox-tongue (Helminthotheca echioides), common filaree (Erodium botrys), vetch (Vicia benghalensis, V. sativa), wild radish (Raphanus sativus), wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis), clover (Trifolium hirtum, T. repens and T. dubium), cat s ear (Hypochaeris radicata and H. glabra), chicory (Cichorium intybus), bristly ox-tongue (Helminthotheca echioides), English plantain (Plantago lanceolata), prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola) and bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis). Due to past agricultural cultivation and disturbance, very few native, herbaceous taxa remain on the project site. The few native plant species found in the ruderal community includes California poppy (Eschscholzia californica), Spanish clover (Acmispon americanus ssp. americanus), redmaids (Calandrinia ciliata) goose grass (Galium aparine), bicolored lupine (Lupinus bicolor) and soap plant (Chlorogalum pomeridianum ssp. pomeridianum) SEASONAL WETLAND Pockets of seasonal wetland occur in the project site s topographic low areas in the southwestern portion of the project site, specifically the remnant swale/drainage. These wetlands are dominated by a mix of native and non-native, hydrophytic plant species. Common non-native herbaceous species that occur within the seasonal wetlands onsite include Mediterranean barley, Italian ryegrass, loosestrife (Lythrum hyssopifolium), fescue (Festuca bromoides), spiny-fruited buttercup (Ranunculus muricatus), little rattlesnake grass (Briza minor), curly dock (Rumex crispus) and fiddle dock (Rumex pulcher). Common native hydrophytic species onsite include semaphore grass (Pleuropogon californicus var. californicus), flowering quillwort (Triglochin scilloides), downingia (Downingia concolor var. concolor), tall flatsedge (Cyperus eragrostis), cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium), purslane speedwell (Veronica peregrina ssp. xalapensis) and smooth spike-primose (Epilobium campestre). 6. SURVEY RESULTS All plants observed on the project site during the 2015 surveys are listed in Table 2, attached. No special-status plant species were observed on the project site during the appropriatelytimed field surveys. As shown in Table 2, a total of 60 plant species were observed on the project site. Of the 60 plant species observed on the project site, 46 plants (or 77%) were nonnative species and 14 plants (or 23%) were native species. These numbers indicate that the project site s history of disturbance (past haying and annual mowing or discing) has fostered the dominance of non-native ruderal species. Native species also occur; however, their total percent cover and frequency is much lower than the non-native species present. This concludes our special-status plant survey report. It is M&A s understanding that there will be no impacts to Corps-regulated waters of the U.S. (which include wetlands) from the proposed project. A small remnant drainage/swale on the southern project site boundary is a water of the U.S. and any impacts to this feature would be regulated by the Corps pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. However, this remnant drainage/swale and an area of adjacent upland on either side of this swale will be set aside under permanent protection and there will be no project impacts to regulated waters of the U.S. (or to isolated waters outside of the Corps jurisdiction). Accordingly, no Corps permit (or any other federal permit) is required for the proposed

7 Special-Status Plant Survey Report 2960 & 2970 South Dutton Ave, Santa Rosa, California (~8 Acres) APN: Page 6 of 6 development project. As no Corps permit is required, there are no Corps Regional Conditions for conducting rare plant surveys that apply to this project site. As such, M&A s 2015 special-status plant surveys fulfill the USFWS (2000), CDFW and CNPS rare plant survey protocol requirements pursuant to the CEQA. If you have any questions regarding M&A s special-status plant surveys, or have any other questions regarding biological resources, please do not hesitate to call me or Mr. Geoff Monk at (925) Sincerely, Christina Owens Project Biologist Attachments: Figures 1-3 and Table 1 and 2

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11 Table 1 Special-Status Plant Species Known To Occur in the Vicinity of the South Dutton Project Site Family Taxon Common Name Status* Flowering Period Habitat Area Locations Probability on Project Site Asteraceae Balsamorhiza macrolepis Fed: - Big-scale balsam-root March-June Cismontane woodland; chaparral; valley and foothill grassland; [sometimes serpentinite] meters None. No suitable grassland habitat or serpentine soils on the project site. Not observed during appropriately timed surveys. No impact Blennosperma bakeri Fed: FE Sonoma sunshine State: CE February-April Valley and foothill grassland (mesic); vernal pools. Closest record located 1.7 miles southeast of the project site (Occurrence No. 39) None. Suitable wetland habitat on the project site but none Hemizonia congesta congesta Fed: - White seaside tarplant April-November Valley and foothill grassland. 20 to 560 meters. None. No suitable grassland habitat on the project site. Not Lasthenia burkei Fed: FE Burke's goldfields State: CE April-June Meadows and seeps (mesic); vernal pools. Closest record located 1.7 miles southeast of project site (Occurrence No. 43) None. Suitable wetland habitat on the project site but none Boraginaceae Amsinckia lunaris Fed: - Bent-flowered fiddleneck March-June Cismontane woodland, valley and foothill grassland, coastal bluff scrub. Closest record located 1.9 miles northeast of project site (Occurrence No. 67) None. No suitable grassland habitat on the project site. Not Campanulaceae Downingia pusilla Fed: - Dwarf downingia CNPS: Rank 2.2 March-May Valley and foothill grassland (mesic); vernal pools. Closest record located 1.9 miles west of project site (Occurrence No. 86) None. Suitable wetland habitat on the project site but none Page 1 of 4

12 Table 1 Special-Status Plant Species Known To Occur in the Vicinity of the South Dutton Project Site Family Taxon Common Name Status* Flowering Period Habitat Area Locations Probability on Project Site Ericaceae Arctostaphylos stanfordiana decumbens Fed: - Rincon manzanita February-April Chaparral (rhyolitic). None. No chaparral habitat on the project site. No species of Arctostaphylos observed onsite during surveys. No impact Fabaceae Amorpha californica napensis Fed: - Napa false indigo April-July Broadleaved upland forest (openings); chaparral, cismontane woodland m. None. No forest, chaparral or woodland habitat on the project site. Not observed during appropriately timed surveys. No impact Astragalus claranus Fed: FE Clara Hunt's milkvetch State: CT March-May Cismontane woodland; valley and foothill grassland; [serpentinite, volcanic clay]. None. No suitable grassland habitat or serpentine or volcanic clay soils on the project site. Not Trifolium amoenum Fed: FE Showy Indian clover April-June Valley and foothill grassland (sometimes serpentinite) Closest record located 2.0 miles west of the project site (Occurrence No. 20) None. No suitable grassland habitat or serpentine soils on the project site. Not observed during appropriately timed surveys. No impact Trifolium hydrophilum Fed: - Saline clover April-June Marshes and swamps; valley and foothill grassland (mesic, alkaline); vernal pools m. Closest record located 0.8 miles west of the project site (Occurrence No. 14) None. No alkaline grassland or wetland habitat on the project site. Not observed during appropriately timed surveys. No impact Liliaceae Fritillaria liliacea Fed: - Fragrant fritillary February-April Coastal prairie; coastal scrub; valley and foothill grassland; [often serpentinite]. Closest record located 1.7 miles southwest of project site (Occurrence No. 49) None. No suitable grassland habitat on the project site. Not Page 2 of 4

13 Table 1 Special-Status Plant Species Known To Occur in the Vicinity of the South Dutton Project Site Family Taxon Common Name Status* Flowering Period Habitat Area Locations Probability on Project Site Lilium pardalinum pitkinense Fed: FE Pitkin Marsh lily State: CE June-July Cismontane woodland (mesic); meadows and seeps; marshes and swamps (freshwater). Closest record located 2.0 miles west of project site (Occurrence No. 1) None. No woodland, meadow or marsh habitat on the project site. No impact Limnanthaceae Limnanthes vinculans Fed: FE Sebastopol meadowfoam State: CE April-May Meadows (mesic); vernal pools. Closest record located 1.5 miles southwest of the project site (Occurrence No. 1) None. Suitable wetland habitat on the project site but none Polemoniaceae Leptosiphon jepsonii Fed: - Jepson's leptosiphon March-May Chaparral; cismontane woodland (usually volcanic). Closest record located 1.7 miles north of project site (Occurrence No. 3) None. No chaparral or woodland habitat on the project site. Not Navarretia leucocephala bakeri Fed: - Baker's navarretia May-July Cismontane woodland; lower montane coniferous forest; meadows (mesic); valley and foothill grassland; vernal pools. None. Suitable wetland habitat on the project site but none Navarretia leucocephala plieantha Fed: FE Many-flowered navarretia State: CE May-June Vernal pools (volcanic ash flow). None. Suitable wetland habitat on the project site but none Rhamnaceae Ceanothus confusus Fed: - Rincon Ridge ceanothus February-April Closed-cone coniferous forest; chaparral; cismontane woodland; [volcanic or serpentinite]. None. No chaparral habitat on the project site. No species of Ceanothus observed onsite during surveys. No impact Page 3 of 4

14 Table 1 Special-Status Plant Species Known To Occur in the Vicinity of the South Dutton Project Site Family Taxon Common Name Status* Flowering Period Habitat Area Locations Probability on Project Site Ceanothus divergens Fed: - Calistoga ceanothus March-April Chaparral (serpentinite or volcanic). None. No chaparral habitat or serpentine soils on the project site. No species of Ceanothus observed onsite during surveys. No impact Ceanothus sonomensis Fed: - Sonoma ceanothus February-April Chaparral (sandy, serpentinite, or volcanic). None. No chaparral habitat on the project site. No species of Ceanothus observed onsite during surveys. No impact Themidaceae Brodiaea leptandra Fed: - Narrow-anthered California brodiaea May-July Broadleafed upland forest; chaparral; cismontane woodland; lower montane coniferous forest; valley and foothill grassland. Elevation meters. None. No suitable grassland on the project site. Not observed during appropriately timed surveys. No impact *Status Federal: FE - Federal Endangered FT - Federal Threatened FPE - Federal Proposed Endangered FPT - Federal Proposed Threatened FC - Federal Candidate State: CE - California Endangered CT - California Threatened CR - California Rare CC - California Candidate CSC - California Species of Special Concern CNPS: Rank 1A - Presumed extinct in California Rank 1B - Plants rare, threatened, or endangered in California and elsewhere Rank 1B.1 - Seriously endangered in California (over 80% occurrences threatened/ high degree and immediacy of threat) Rank 1B.2 - Fairly endangered in California (20-80% occurrences threatened) Rank 1B.3 - Not very endangered in California (<20% of occurrences threatened or no current threats known) CNPS Continued: Rank 2 - Plants rare, threatened, or endangered in California, but more common elsewhere Rank 2A - Extirpated in California, common elsewhere Rank 2B.1 - Seriously endangered in California, but more common elsewhere Rank 2B.2 - Fairly endangered in California, but more common elsewhere Rank 2B.3 - Not very endangered in California, but more common elsewhere Rank 3 - Plants about which we need more information (Review List) Rank Plants about which we need more information (Review List) Seriously endangered in California Rank Plants about which we need more information (Review List) Fairly endangered in California Rank 4 - Plants of limited distribution - a watch list Page 4 of 4

15 Table 2 Plant Species Observed on the South Dutton Project Site Angiosperms - Dicots Apiaceae *Daucus carota *Foeniculum vulgare Asteraceae Baccharis pilularis subsp. pilularis *Cichorium intybus *Helminthotheca echioides *Hypochaeris glabra *Hypochaeris radicata *Lactuca saligna *Lactuca serriola *Leontodon saxatilis *Sonchus oleraceus *Taraxacum officinale *Tragopogon porrifolius Xanthium strumarium Brassicaceae *Raphanus sativus *Sinapis arvensis Campanulaceae Downingia concolor var. concolor Convolvulaceae *Convolvulus arvensis Fabaceae Acmispon americanus var. americanus *Lotus corniculatus Lupinus bicolor *Medicago polymorpha *Melilotus indicus *Trifolium dubium *Trifolium hirtum *Trifolium repens *Vicia benghalensis *Vicia sativa *Vicia villosa Geraniaceae *Erodium botrys *Geranium dissectum Lythraceae *Lythrum hyssopifolia Montiaceae Calandrinia ciliata Queen Anne's lace Sweet fennel Baccharis Chicory Bristly ox-tongue Smooth cat's-ear Rough cat's-ear Willow lettuce Prickly lettuce Long-beaked hawkbit Common sow-thistle Common dandelion Common salsify Cocklebur Wild radish Wild mustard Downingia Bindweed Spanish-clover Birdfoot trefoil Bicolored lupine California burclover Annual yellow sweetclover Little hop clover Rose clover White clover Purple vetch Common vetch Winter vetch Broad-leaf filaree Cut-leaf geranium Hyssop loosestrife Red maids * Indicates a non-native species Page 1 of 2

16 Table 2 Plant Species Observed on the South Dutton Project Site Onagraceae Epilobium campestre Orobanchaceae *Parentucellia viscosa Papaveraceae Eschscholzia californica Plantaginaceae *Plantago lanceolata Veronica peregrina subsp. xalapensis Polygonaceae *Rumex acetosella *Rumex crispus *Rumex pulcher Ranunculaceae *Ranunculus muricatus Rosaceae *Rubus armeniacus Rubiaceae Galium aparine Smooth spike-primrose Yellow glandweed California poppy English plantain Purslane speedwell Sheep sorrel Curly dock Fiddle dock Spiny-fruit buttercup Himalayan blackberry Goose grass Angiosperms -Monocots Agavaceae Chlorogalum pomeridianum var. pomeridianum Cyperaceae Cyperus eragrostis Juncaginaceae Triglochin scilloides Poaceae *Avena barbata *Briza minor *Bromus diandrus *Bromus hordeaceus *Bromus madritensis subsp. madritensis *Cortaderia sp. *Festuca bromoides *Festuca perennis *Hordeum marinum subsp. gussoneanum *Hordeum murinum subsp. leporinum *Phalaris aquatica *Phalaris paradoxa Pleuropogon californicus var. californicus Soap plant Tall flatsedge Flowering quillwort Slender wild oat Small quaking grass Ripgut grass Soft chess Foxtail chess Pampass grass Brome fescue Italian ryegrass Mediterranean barley Hare barley Harding grass Paradox canary-grass Annual semaphore grass * Indicates a non-native species Page 2 of 2