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5.7 Biological Resources
MM 7-11
7 In Biology, “establish”, in this sense, refers to vegetation (including seeds) that has been planted and is becoming a
healthy, surviving plant with as much chance to survive as plants that have existed for a long period of time.
R:\Projects\PAS\CEN\000306\Draft EIR\5.7 Bio_051117.docx
The preservation phasing through conservation easements shall be based on
the percentage of total area of impact per phase of development, regardless of
specific resource impacts. The specific location of the acreage to be dedicated
within a particular phase will be chosen to maximize the replacement of
resource values lost during that phase of construction while maintaining as
much contiguous acreage as possible. In order to preserve an adequate
quantity of grassland, lands outside the County of Los Angeles, within the
County of Kern, would be used for mitigation. As each phase is proposed, a
percentage of the mitigation preserve (which is equivalent to the percentage
of that phase’s impacts) shall be dedicated concurrent with the entitlement
approval of that phase.
The open space preserve, including the grasslands within it, shall be preserved
in perpetuity to offset Project impacts on native grasslands and wildflower
fields prior to issuance of a grading permit for the Project site. The phasing of
mitigation has been previously described. The Native Perennial Grassland and
Wildflower Field Mitigation Plan will sufficiently offset and fully mitigate the
impacts on native grasslands and wildflower fields associated with the Project.
This measure prescribes mitigation for other special status vegetation types
including mixed oak woodland, oak trees, and other riparian and wetland
vegetation types. Each of these three vegetation types is discussed separately
(native grassland and wildflower fields are addressed in MM 7-10).
Mixed Oak Woodlands
The Project Applicant/Developer shall create mixed oak woodlands to achieve
resulting vegetation/habitat values. Since there would be approximately 6.2
acres of oak woodland impacts, mitigation will result in the preservation of a
minimum of 6.2 acres of mixed oak woodland and creation of a minimum of
6.2 acres of mixed oak woodland, which will include the establishment7 of 322
oak trees completed as part of oak tree replacement in accordance with the
County of Los Angeles oak tree permit requirements (see Oak Trees Section
below). Oak trees established in created oak woodlands will be credited
towards both oak woodland and oak tree mitigation requirements. If Project
impacts are reduced through a reduction in Project disturbance limits in oak
woodland areas, required mitigation acreage will be reduced accordingly.
In accordance with mitigation options outlined in Section 21083.4 of the
California Public Resources Code (PRC), replacement of oak woodlands shall
consist of no greater than ½ of the oak woodland mitigation requirement.
Therefore, half of the 6.2 oak woodland impact acreage will be mitigated via
the alternate option of preservation. The combined acreage of oak woodland
preserved both on site (unimpacted/Significant Ecological Area [SEA]) and
5.7-182 Centennial Project
Draft EIR