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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY <br />Live Oak Associates, Inc. conducted an investigation of the biological resources of an <br />approximately 23-acre parcel located in Pleasanton, Alameda County, California to assess <br />possible regulatory constraints to future site development. The study site is located south of <br />Mohr Avenue, just south of a large water retention basin, and north of a truck yard that is north <br />of Busch Road within the City of Pleasanton, Alameda County, Califomia. The proposed <br />project, Ironwood 55+, is an active community and development will consist of 110 detached, <br />single-family homes and a private recreational facility for residents. Currently, the site consists <br />of a ruderal landscape and is used for borrow material. <br />The site itself does not support any natural water features, and therefore, development of the site <br />will not fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USAGE), the California <br />Department of Fish and Game (CDFG), or the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) <br />for regulated habitats. <br />The overall biological value of the site has been low for several decades as it had been an <br />intensely farm for several decades and more recently converted to a site that consist primarily of <br />ruderal vegetation. As such, this habitat provides low quality habitat for wildlife and thus, tends <br />to be inhabitated by common species adapted to living in urban disturbed settings. The site does <br />support a small population of California ground squirrels, and therefore also supports potential <br />habitat for the burrowing owl, California species of special concern. However, no burrowing <br />owls were observed during reconnaissance surveys conducted in February and April 2008 <br />(during the breeding season), and there aze only five recorded observation of burrowing owls <br />within three miles of the site, all recorded in 1993. Though no evidence of bunrowing owls (e.g., <br />white wash, pellets, feathers) was observed onsite during reconnaissance level surveys, <br />potentially suitable habitat for the owl is present in the small number of ground squirrel burrows <br />on site. Therefore, pre-construction protocol-level surveys would need to be conducted by a <br />qualified biologist for the burrowing owl to determine if they remain absence from the site. Due <br />to the fact no owls have been observed within three miles of the site since 1993, it is unlikely <br />burrowing owls would be found onsite. However, if burrowing owls were found onsite in the <br />future, and prior to site development, the owls would need to be avoided if found during the <br />breeding season, or evicted if found during the non-breeding season to avoid causing nest failure <br />or harming individuals. <br />Live Oak Associates, /nc. <br />