RES 231363 - Laserfiche WebLink

AUGUSTIN BERNAL MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAIL PROJECT DRAFT INITIAL STUDY 12956 DUDEK 43 April 2022 Special-Status Wildlife California red-legged frog The project site does not support aquatic breeding or non-breeding habitat for California red-legged frog but may be used as upland or dispersal habitat by any individuals breeding in the ridgetop ponds 0.9 to 1.1 miles to the north during the rainy season. Any frogs dispersing through the site would not be expected to remain for extended periods due to the lack of aquatic habitat. In addition, project construction would occur outside the rainy season when frogs would be on the move. Vegetation clearing and ground disturbance would therefore not result in injury or mortality of individual red-legged frogs. Impacts to potential California red-legged frog movement habitat from new trail construction would be offset by the decommissioning and restoration of existing unauthorized mountain bike trails. Therefore, impacts on California red-legged frog movement habitat would be less than significant. Alameda Whipsnake The project would be constructed in a coast live oak woodland and scrub mosaic suitable for Alameda whipsnake, although it has not been observed on the site to date by City staff. Clearing and grubbing of shrubs and ground vegetation would directly impact potential Alameda whipsnake movement habitat but would not result in injury or mortality of individual whipsnakes because of the Alameda Whipsnake AMM that has been incorporated in the project design and implementation methodology. Hiking and biking trails in and near occupied Alameda whipsnake habitat do not cause as much mortality as motor vehicles, and Alameda whipsnakes can persist in areas bisected by hiking and biking trails; however, heavily trafficked and high-density trails can result in occasional disturbance and mortality of Alameda whipsnake (USFWS 2011). Miller and Alvarez (2016) reviewed 356 reported observations of Alameda whipsnake and found that 25% of these observations were in open habitat such as roads, trails, and parking areas. At least 13 of the observations in such areas included specimens that apparently succumbed to human-related mortality, including at least one killed by a mountain bike. Mortality and disturbance of Alameda whipsnakes, if present, from future mountain bike use of the trail system would be an indirect impact of the project. Any Alameda whipsnakes currently occurring on or near the project site would be exposed to existing mountain bike traffic on the numerous informal dirt trails that permeate this portion of Augustin Bernal Community Park. The intent of the project is to formalize mountain bike use in the park to eliminate, or at least minimize, unauthorized use, which the City acknowledges as a current adverse effect on native vegetation and wildlife habitat in the park. Although the project would not entirely remove the risk of Alameda whipsnakes being harassed or killed by mountain bikes, it would not expand mountain bike use into other parts of the park, and would result in a net reduction in the total linear feet of trails within the park. The proposed trail would largely replace an existing unofficial, user-created trail. The total length of the new trail would be approximately 3,700 linear feet, of which approximately 1,070 linear feet would require new construction and 2,630 linear feet would replace the existing trail surface. In addition approximately 4,300 linear feet of other existing unofficial, user-created trails would be