Of the 35 special-status biological resources known to occur in the vicinity of the project site (Tables 1-3),23 are considered to be absent from the site due to a lack of suitable habitat. These include:, triple-ribbed milkvetch, white-bracted spineflower, slender-horned spineflower, Harwood’s eriastrum, cliff spurge, little San Bernardino Mountains linanthus (gilia), spiny-hair blazing star, desert spike-moss,mesquite bosque, desert fan palm oasis woodland, northern red- diamond rattlesnake, coast horned lizard, Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard, Townsend’s big- eared bat, western yellow bat, San Diego desert woodrat, desert bighorn sheep, Los Angeles pocket mouse, American badger, and Coachella Valley Jerusalem cricket.
Six of the remaining species would be fully covered and conserved by the CVMSHCP: Coachella Valley milk-vetch, flat-tailed horned lizard, Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard, Palm Springs pocket mouse, and Palm Springs round-tailed ground squirrel. Payment of the requisite development fee under the CVMSHCP is required to mitigate potential project-related impacts to these species.
4.1.1 Potentially Occurring Plant Species
There is very low potential for Coachella Valley milk-vetch to occur on-site based on the presence of marginally suitable habitat along boundaries of the site to the west, east, and south. This species is known to occur in the vicinity of the site and the site does lie within designated critical habitat for this species. However, the field assessment was conducted on 24 April 2020 and this species was not detected during the field survey. Eighty percent (80%) of the site is highly disturbed, the field survey was conducted during the flowering period, and the species was not observed; Given these reasons, the species is considered absent and focused surveys for this species is not recommended at this time.
There is a very low potential for the singlewhorl burrobush, white-bracted spineflower and slender cottonheads Habitat on-site is marginal; the project site lies on the edge of each species range;
15th Avenue-Cabot Road Project Biological Resources Assessment Desert Hot Springs, Riverside County, CA 23 April 2020
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and the nearest CNDDB records are over five miles south and west of the site.Given these reasons, focused surveys for these species are not recommended at this time.
4.1.2 Potentially Occurring Reptile Species
There is a very low potential for the federally threatened desert tortoise and the state candidate for listing flat-tailed horned lizard to occur on-site as the site is eighty percent (80%) disturbed and is at the edge of these species known geographic range. Since the City was accepted into the CVMSHCP, no surveys are required and project-related impacts (if any) would be mitigated through payment of the development fee.
4.1.3 Potentially Occurring Mammal Species
There is a low potential for pallid San Diego pocket mouse, Palm Springs pocket mouse and for Coachella Valley (Palm Springs) round-tailed ground squirrel to occur on the project site. Eighty percent (80%) of the site is highly disturbed and no small mammal burrows were observed. Under the CVMSHCP, no surveys are required and project-related impacts (if any) would be mitigated through payment of the development fee for Palm Springs pocket mouse and the Coachella Valley (Palm Springs) round-tailed ground squirrel
4.1.4 Burrowing Owl
The burrowing owl is a covered species under the CVMSHCP, however the federal permit for the CVMSHCP does not allow take of this species under the MBTA. For these reasons, because the site in not within a conservation area and the City was accepted into the plan, a pre-construction may be required as part of the grading permit. This species nests and roosts underground and is thus particularly vulnerable to ground disturbing activities.
Although no natural burrows or man-made structures suitable for the owl were observed on-site, mammal burrows and man-made structures (i.e., drainpipes, piles of broken concrete and wood) suitable for burrowing owl occupation were observed nearby. Burrowing owls are sensitive to excessive noise and activities such as grading and operation of heavy equipment up to 500 feet away and may cause abandonment of nearby nests or burrows if/when such activities occur. Therefore, impacts to burrowing owls potentially occurring nearby off-site must also be considered and a pre-construction take avoidance survey is recommended.
4.1.5 Additional Bird Species and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act
Excluded from coverage under the CVMSHCP are a variety of common bird species that are protected by the MBTA. This includes virtually all native migratory and resident bird species,
including birds already known to occur in the vicinity. Avoidance of impacts to these nesting migratory and resident birds is a requirement of the federal permit issued for the CVMSHCP. In order to avoid impacting nesting birds, either avoidance of project-related disturbance during the nesting season (generally from approximately January 15 through July 31 for the Coachella Valley) or nesting bird surveys conducted by a qualified ornithologist or biologist immediately prior to on-site disturbance during the nesting season would be required.
If nesting birds are found, no work would be permitted near the nest until young have fledged. There is no established protocol for nest avoidance, however, when consulted the CDFW generally recommends avoidance buffers of about 500 feet for sensitive avian species or birds-of-prey, and 100–300 feet for songbirds. This buffer area may be adjusted by the biological monitor in cooperation with CDFW.