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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 12142010 - SD.11RECOMMENDATION(S): CONSIDER accepting the report from the Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee on implementation of the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Community Conservation Plan (HCP/NCCP). FISCAL IMPACT: None. BACKGROUND: The Transportation, Water and Infrastructure (TWI) Committee requested an update report on implementation of the East Contra Costa County HCP/NCCP. The Executive Summary of 2008-2009 Annual Report (attached) was recently approved by the TWI Committee and the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy, the joint exercise of powers authority formed by the County and four participating cities to manage implementation of the HCP/NCCP. The Executive Summary provides a concise report of activities during the first two years of HCP/NCCP implementation. The TWI Committee wanted the Board to be aware of progress on the HCP/NCCP. APPROVE OTHER RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE Action of Board On: 12/14/2010 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER Clerks Notes: VOTE OF SUPERVISORS AYE:John Gioia, District I Supervisor Gayle B. Uilkema, District II Supervisor Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor Contact: John Kopchik, (925-335-1227) I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED: December 14, 2010 David J. Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors By: June McHuen, Deputy cc: SD.11 To:Board of Supervisors From:TWIC Date:December 14, 2010 Contra Costa County Subject:Report on Implementation of the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Community Conservation Plan CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION: None. CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT: Not applicable. ATTACHMENTS Executive Summary G:\Conservation\ECCC Habitat Conservancy\County business\TWIC_annual_report_cover_memo_9-2010.doc CONTRA COSTA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION & DEVELOPMENT 651 Pine Street, N. Wing - 4th Floor Martinez, CA 94553 Telephone: 335-1290 Fax: 335-1300 TO: Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee (Supervisor Federal D. Glover, Chair; Supervisor Mary N. Piepho, Vice-Chair) FROM: John Kopchik, Conservation Planner DATE: September 14, 2010 SUBJECT: Update on Implementation of the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservation Plan / Natural Community Conservation Plan (HCP/NCCP) The Committee requested an update report on implementation of the East Contra Costa County HCP/NCCP. Attached please find the Executive Summary of 2008-2009 Annual Report recently approved by the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy, the joint exercise of powers authority formed by the County and four participating cities to manage implementation of the HCP/NCCP. The Executive Summary provides a concise summary of activities during the first two years of HCP/NCCP implementation. c: County Administrator’s Office Clerk of the Board Better Government Ordinance file East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Community Conservation Plan 2008/2009 Annual Report May 2010 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Eastern Contra Costa County is a unique region where the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, and Central Valley meet. It features a rich landscape that is home to a number of rare plants and animals. Located east of San Francisco, the area’s convenient location, natural beauty, and mild climate have led to rapid population growth. Contra Costa County’s population is predicted to grow by 127,000 people by 2025, and a significant portion of this growth will occur in Eastern Contra Costa County in habitat that supports state and federally listed species, resulting in a conflict between conservation and development. Between 2001 and 2006, the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservation Plan Association developed the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Community Conservation Plan (HCP/NCCP; or Plan) in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG). The Plan was developed to comply with the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Natural Community Conservation Planning Act (NCCPA). The Plan provides regional conservation and development guidelines that protect natural resources while improving and streamlining the permit process for state and federally listed species and impacts to regulated wetlands. The Plan was approved by participating local jurisdictions in 2006 and permits were issued by the USFWS and the CDFG in 2007 (permit numbers 1‐1‐07‐F‐ 2007 and 2835‐2007‐001‐01, respectively). The Plan will allow Contra Costa County (County), the Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (County Flood Control District), the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD), the Cities of Brentwood, Clayton, Oakley, and Pittsburg, and the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy (Conservancy) to control endangered species permitting for activities and projects in the region while providing comprehensive species, wetlands, and ecosystem conservation and contributing to the recovery of endangered species in northern California. East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy Page ES‐1 Draft East Contra Costa County HCP/NCCP 2008/2009 Annual Report Within the 174,018‐acre inventory area, the permits issued provide take authorization under the federal ESA and state NCCPA for between 8,670 acres and 11,853 acres of urban development and 1,126 acres of rural infrastructure projects. The primary means to offset these impacts is to conserve lands in a Preserve System. The Preserve System will encompass 23,800 acres to 30,300 acres of land that will be managed for the benefit of 28 covered species as well as the natural communities that they, and hundreds of other species, depend on for habitat. By proactively addressing the long‐term conservation needs, the Plan strengthens local control over land use and provides greater flexibility in meeting other needs such as housing, transportation, and economic growth in the area. This is the first Annual Report prepared by the Conservancy and it documents the progress toward implementation of the Plan. This Annual Report summarizes implementation activities undertaken between January 18, 2008 to December 31, 2009 per the conditions of the Plan and Implementing Agreement. Covered Activities A total of eleven projects received take coverage under the Plan in 2008 and 2009, including three urban development projects, five rural infrastructure projects, and three activities within the Preserve System, totaling approximately 49 acres of permanent impacts and 41 acres of temporary impacts. Covered activities impacts were tracked by land‐cover type and covered plant occurrences. Impacts to aquatic and stream land‐cover types were additionally tracked by watershed. Impacts on aquatic land‐cover types during the reporting period were limited to the Sand Creek watershed and the Lower Marsh Creek watershed. Land Acquisition and Stay-Ahead The first two years of Plan implementation resulted in significant progress toward acquisition goals. Seven properties were acquired for the Preserve System totaling 4,513 acres, including three properties acquired prior to permit issuance. Signed Purchase Agreements are in place for two additional properties. Highlights of the acquisitions include the following achievements. • More than 2,500 acres of annual grassland preserved. • 22% of the oak savanna preservation requirements achieved. East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy Page ES‐2 Draft East Contra Costa County HCP/NCCP 2008/2009 Annual Report • 96% of the oak woodland preservation requirement achieved. • 15% of pond and 18% of alkali wetland preservation requirements achieved. • 44% of covered plant occurrence preservation requirements achieved. • 100% of stream, including ephemeral and intermittent, preservation requirements achieved. In addition to providing habitat connectivity, land acquisitions provide suitable habitat for, or contain known occurrences of, San Joaquin kit fox (Vulpes macrotus mutica), California red‐ legged frog (Rana aurora draytonii), California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense), Alameda whipsnake (Masticophis lateralis euryxanthus), vernal pool fairy shrimp (Brachinecta lunchi), vernal pool tadpole shrimp (Lepidurus packardi), midvalley fairy shrimp (Branchinecta mesovallensis), western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugea), golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), tricolored blackbird (Agelaius tricolor), Swainson’s hawk (Buteo swainsoni), Mount Diablo Manzanita (Arctostaphylos auriculata ), recurved larkspur (Delphinium recurvatum), San Joaquin spearscale (Atriplex joaquiniana), brittlescale (Atriplex depressa), big tarplant (Blepharizonia plumose), Brewer’s dwarf flax (Hesperolinon breweri), Diablo helianthella (Helianthella castanea), alkali milk‐vetch (Astragalus tener var. tener), and Mount Diablo fairy lantern (Calochortus pulchellus). The Conservancy is in compliance with the Plan’s Stay‐Ahead provision. For all land‐cover types the Conservancy is 7% ahead of acreage targets, while compliance with individual land‐cover types ranges from 0% to 95% ahead. For all plant occurrences, the Conservancy is 100% ahead of target. The Conservancy is on or ahead of target for conservation of all of the land‐cover types and plant occurrences addressed in the Plan. Habitat Restoration and Creation The Plan requires stream and wetland restoration and pond creation to compensate for impacts on streams, wetlands, and ponds covered by the Plan. Although no impacts on wetlands or ponds have occurred under the Plan to date, the Conservancy expects these impacts to occur within the next year. Over the 30‐year life of the Plan, the Conservancy anticipates restoring or creating up to 500 acres of wetlands and ponds, and 6 miles of streams. The Conservancy is aggressive in meeting its wetlands and pond restoration requirements. During the reporting period, the Conservancy initiated three restoration projects. East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy Page ES‐3 Draft East Contra Costa County HCP/NCCP 2008/2009 Annual Report • Lentzner Springs Wetland Restoration Project. • Vasco Caves Souza I Pond Project. • Souza II Wetland Restoration Project (Phase I). A fourth project was initiated in late 2009. This project was performed by Save Mount Diablo Staff and volunteers and involved planting 150 valley oaks and buckeyes in a denuded stream corridor. The Conservancy anticipates that these four restoration projects resulted in restoration or creation of: • 0.4 acre of alkali grassland. • 0.4 acre of native grassland. • 0.2 acre of alkali wetlands. • 8.9 acres of seasonal wetlands. • 0.9 acre of riparian woodland. • 1.3 acres of ponds. • 3,508 feet of intermittent stream. These restoration projects provide a range of benefits to covered species. Components of the restoration projects have been specifically designed to benefit California red‐legged frog, vernal pool fairy shrimp (and other covered branchiopods), and alkali plant species such as brittlescale and spearscale. East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy Page ES‐4 Total Conservation Requirement Achieved Total Impacts Incurred Conservation Requirements Acheived and Impacts Incurred - Terrestrial All Grassland & Irrigated agriculture Chaparral & Scrub Oak Savanna Oak Woodland 0% 22% 0% 7% 0.4% 12.5% 0% 95%100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0 Total Conservation Requirement Achieved Total Impacts Incurred Conservation Requirements Acheived and Impacts Incurred - Aquatic 0%0% 20% 0%2%0%1%0%2%0% Riparian Woodland/Scrub Perennial Wetland Seasonal Wetland Alkali Wetland Pond Reservoir (Open Water) Slough/Channel 0%1%0%0% 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0 Total Conservation Requirement Achieved Total Impacts Incurred Conservation Requirements Acheived and Impacts Incurred - Stream Perennial Stream Intermittent Stream Ephemeral Stream 0%0% 21% 0% 739%157%100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0 YEARSChapparal & Scrub Oak Savanna Oak Woodland Year 2 Target Percentage of Terrestrial Land Cover Acquired All Grassland & Irrigated Agriculture 12.5% 7% 22% 95%30 25 20 15 10 5 0 YEARSYear 2 Target Percentage of Aquatic Land Cover Acquired Reservoir (Open Water) 0% Pond 20% Alkali Wetland 2% Seasonal Wetland 1% Perennial Wetland 2% Riparian Woodland/Scrub 0% Slough/Channel 0% 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 YEARSYear 2 Target Percentage of Stream Land Cover Acquired Perennial Stream 21% Intermittent Stream 739% Ephemeral Stream 157%30 25 20 15 10 5 0 State Route 4Bypass Phase 2(15.07 ac) PGE Contra-Costa Las PositasReconductering Project(22.8 ac) 2515 Pittsburg-Antioch Hwy,Construction Staging(12.1 ac) Mount DiabloRecycling Center(5.06 ac) SBA Towers(0.04 ac) Ameresco GasPower PlantKeller CanyonLandfill(0.61 ac) Verizon Wireless14031 Vasco Road(0.1 ac) 02/25/2010 ¥§¦680 456J4 ·|}þ4 ¥§¦580 ·|}þ4 ·|}þ160 ·|}þ4 O 2 0 21 Miles Souza 1 Ang Lentzner VaqueroFarms N VaqueroFarms S FoxRidge Schwartz ChaparralSpring Souza 2 1644 ac 617 ac 577 ac 461 ac 333 ac 320 ac 222 ac 191 ac 153 ac ·|}þ4 County Urban Limit LinePreservedLands Figure 7 - EBRPD Acquisitions Completed and in Progress under HCP as of December 31, 2009 456J4 ·|}þ4 ·|}þ160 ·|}þ4 Pittsburg Antioch Oakley Brentwood Bay Point Knightsen Byron DiscoveryBay Concord WalnutCreek Clayton BethelIsland HCP Pending HCP Acquired SanRamon Blackhawk Alamo Pre HCP O 0 2 4 Miles ·|}þ4 County Urban Limit LinePreservedLands Figure 26 - Location of Habitat Restoration and Creation Projects Constructed in 2008-2009 456J4 ·|}þ4 ·|}þ160 ·|}þ4 Pittsburg Antioch Oakley Brentwood Bay Point Knightsen Byron DiscoveryBay Concord WalnutCreek Clayton BethelIsland HCP Pending HCP Acquired SanRamon Blackhawk Alamo Pre HCP O 0 2 4 Miles Souza II WetlandRestorationProject Vasco CavesSouza I PondCreation Project Lentzer SpringsWetland Restoration Project