04 ATTACHMENT 10 - Laserfiche WebLink

Page 3, February 3, 2009 Honorable Jennifer Hoster an, Mayor and City Council California Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma aliforniens The project area provides potential habitat for this species. Mitigation ratios for this species should be consistent with those contained in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Opinion for the Santa Rosa Plain Conservation Strategy.' FChe California Fish and Game Commission is currently considering an emergency rule to list the California tiger salamander as a candidate species for state listing. The analysis should take this into consideration. Western Pond 'Turtle _ l mm s marm r la One western pond turtle was found and relocated to an upstream location during construction of the adjacent Arroyo Macho Widening Arroyo Las Posita Realignment project in 2003. Western pond turtles were observed during post construction monitoring in May 2004 near the Arroyo Las Positas fish ladder, and its March 2005, in a plunge pool area immediately downstream of the Manson Bridge. As the Il states "suitable aquatic habitat for the turtles ccists in portions of Arroyo Mocho, and the Arroyo Mocho Realignment project included western pond turtle habitat enhancements; however, fencing along the arroyo prevents this species from migrating and V nhabiting upland habitats in the Staples lunch site." Will the project insure that the upland habitat on the Staples Ranch site is accessible from the arroyo? Riparian !-habitat We arc concerned that the current riparian habitat restoration efforts that are a part of the Arroyos project is not providing adequate habitat for native species. The riparian area is important for the future use of the project area by st elhead, pond turtles* songbirds, and manor � other species. Restoration f full ecological function to the npanan torte i s far from complete. Since the project site provides upland habitat for species that would utilize the riparian habitat along the Arroyos, there should be measures in place to insure the future productivity of the riparian zone. The City of Pleasanton and Alameda County are participating on the Steering Committee for the East Alameda County Conservation Stmtegy "EA C " that will provide guidelines For mitigating projects like this one at Staples Ranch. As such the City and County should be interested in prodding mitigation measures consistent with those anticipated to result From the FACCS process. Included in the list of focal species for the EACCS are some of the species that are addressed in the EIR: western burrowing owl, California tiger salamander. California red - legged frog, San Joaquin spearscale, steelhead trout* and western pored turtle. As an example, when the Santa Rosa Plain Conservation Strategy was approved, standard mitigation measures for California tiger salamander were set throughout the conservation area — a similar approach should be used for Staples Ranch. f http: ' W WW. rw 1.gov, sacramentav'esl onsultati ns E_ Santa -Rosa -CTS-and plant programmati .pdf