Black Lake Ecological Enhancement, Minor Use Permit/Coastal Development Permit C-DRC2021-00047 (ED23-033)
Summary
SCH Number
2023050698
Public Agency
San Luis Obispo County
Document Title
Black Lake Ecological Enhancement, Minor Use Permit/Coastal Development Permit C-DRC2021-00047 (ED23-033)
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
5/30/2023
Document Description
A request by The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County for a Minor Use Permit and Coastal Development Permit (C-DRC2021-00047) to allow for restoration activities at Black Lake through increasing the capacity of the lake and the surrounding wetlands. The restoration activities would take place on the eastern portion of the lake and when complete would reestablish the area’s natural hydrologic functions and provide habitat for rare, sensitive, and listed species. Major construction and wetland restoration at the East end of Black Lake would include two main components. A 1-acre area would create expanded open water habitat by re-contouring the slopes and depressions and lowering the finished elevation of the area by up to 5.8 feet. A 0.5-acre area would create marsh sandwort habitat through the installation of at least 350 plugs and lowering of the finished elevation of the area by up to 2.8 feet. This project will temporarily disturb 1.5 acres of coastal freshwater pond by removing approximately 10,715 cubic yards of sediment and vegetation to create additional open water habitat, and the disturbance of 1 acre of freshwater emergent and forested/shrub wetlands in order to create of La Graciosa thistle habitat on the 90-acre site. The project will also remove up to 1.5 acres of hedgerow eucalyptus, and 10 Arroyo Willow trees, to restore approximately 16 acres of coastal dune scrub habitat, including 13 acres adjacent to the established monarch overwintering grove, and 3 acres within the sediment disposal site. The project is located on the west side of California State Route 1 (SR 1), approximately 1,000 feet north of Callender Road, in the South County (Coastal) Planning Area and the California Coastal Zone.
Contact Information
Name
Schani Siong
Agency Name
County of San Luis Obispo
Job Title
Supervising Planner
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Coordinates
Counties
San Luis Obispo
Regions
Southern California
Cross Streets
HWY 1 and Callender Rd
Zip
93420
Total Acres
90
Parcel #
075-261-006
State Highways
1
Railways
Union Pacific Railroad Company
Schools
Pacific View Academy, Lopez Continuation High School
Waterways
Black Lake, CDFW jurisdictional wetland, unnamed tributary, Pacific Ocean
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
California Public Resources Code Section 21080.56
Reasons for Exemption
The project consists of restoration of an existing freshwater lake to reestablish hydrologic functions and supportive habitat for rare, sensitive, and listed species. The purpose of the project is to assure the maintenance, restoration, enhancement, and protection of the lake. The project would be undertaken by the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County, which is an organization that works to restore wildlife habitat.
The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County has prepared a Biological Resource Assessment (BRA) to provide technical information for the NEPA and CEQA processes. The BRA found that the proposed restoration would not have an adverse impact on marsh sandwort, Gambel’s watercress, La Graciosa thistle or any other federally listed, candidate, or proposed plant species and that no take of federally listed, candidate, or proposed plant species is expected. The project would have a beneficial impact due to the creation of suitable habitat for marsh sandwort, which is not currently present in the project area.
The project would permanently impact 0.1 acres of CDFW jurisdictional wetlands through the removal of wetland and woody vegetation along the wetland shore. The purpose of the project is to remove this vegetation to create open water habitat that has been degraded by this vegetation and therefore the project would have a beneficial impact on the wetland and no mitigation was proposed.
The project would temporarily impact 2.0 acres of CDFW jurisdictional wetlands through the removal of wetland and woody vegetation along the wetland shore. The purpose of the project is to remove this vegetation, which will provide the necessary topographic complexity to plant marsh sandwort within the wetland as well as provide enhanced wetland habitat for a diversity of species including California red-legged frog and Western pond turtle. Therefore, the project would have a beneficial impact on the wetland and no mitigation was proposed.
The BRA identifies the need for a Programmatic Formal Endangered Species Act Consultation and Biological Opinion from the USFWS to identify and minimize impacts to California red legged frog. If California red legged frog are present onsite during construction, they may require relocation by a qualified biologist. However, long-term, the restoration activities would provide open water habitat and a diversification of vegetation, which would directly benefit California red legged frog. Overall, the project would provide a net-benefit for California red legged frog. The project would be required to comply with the recommendations of the USFWS related to California red legged frog.
The project would remove 0.1 acres of woody vegetation, primarily riparian woodland, which may provide some habitat for least Bell’s vireo. The purpose of the project is to remove this vegetation to create open water habitat that has been degraded by this vegetation. The likelihood of permanent impacts to potential nesting habitat is very small and the overall health of the riparian habitat at Black Lake will not be affected. The open water habitat would provide increased foraging habitat for least Bell’s vireo and other birds. Therefore, the project would have a beneficial impact on least Bell’s vireo and other birds.
County Clerk
San Luis Obispo
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
Disclaimer: The Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) accepts no responsibility for the content or accessibility of these documents. To obtain an attachment in a different format, please contact the lead agency at the contact information listed above. You may also contact the OPR via email at state.clearinghouse@opr.ca.gov or via phone at (916) 445-0613. For more information, please visit OPR’s Accessibility Site.