HomeMy WebLinkAboutStanley Ave Sub_Open Space Mgmt Plan
DRAFT
Open Space Management Plan
for the
Stanley Avenue Subdivision
Butte County, CA
November 2018
Prepared for:
Nels Leen
360 West East Avenue
Chico, CA 95926
Prepared by:
Open Space Management Plan
for the Stanley Avenue Subdivision
Butte County, CA
November 2018
Prepared for:
Nels Leen
360 West East Avenue
Chico, CA 95926
Prepared by:
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Stanley Avenue Subdivision i Open Space Management Plan
Butte County, California November 2018
Table of Contents Page
1. Project Location .................................................................................................................................... 1
2. Project Description ................................................................................................................................ 2
3. Project Setting ....................................................................................................................................... 2
4. Biological Resources .............................................................................................................................. 2
5. Purpose of the Open Space Preserve and Management Plan .............................................................. 1
6. Management and Monitoring ............................................................................................................... 4
7. Special-Status Species ........................................................................................................................... 3
8. Vegetation Management ....................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
9. Security, Safety, and Public Access ....................................................................................................... 4
10. Recreational Activities ...................................................................................................................... 4
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Stanley Avenue Subdivision 1 Open Space Management Plan
Butte County, California November 2018
1. Purpose of the Open Space Preserve and Management Plan
Butte County requires the creation of an open space management plan for all clustered development
projects, per Butte County Municipal Code Division 8 - Clustered Development. Therefore, the 12-acre
open space parcel is being established to fulfill a portion of the clustered development requirements
including, but not limited to the following:
• Require the preservation of environmentally sensitive areas (e.g., wetlands and special-status
species habitat), productive agricultural and timber lands, and important clultural and scenic
resources;
• Provide permanent open space for a variety of natural resource purposes;
• Provide increased open space which may include active and passive recreation features that
reduce demand for public park land; and
• Reduce infrastructure requirements by reducing the length of streets and water and sewer lines
by potentially reducing street width requirements.
In addition, Section 24-90(E) requires that the Open Space Management Plan address the following:
1. A description of site conditions such as vegetation and habitat type, natural and man-made
features, and other characteristics of the site;
2. Grass and brush clearing for fire fuel management, as required by site conditions;
3. Erosion control;
4. Sewage disposal, water well, and stormwater drainage facilities, including ditches and detention
basins, if proposed for the development;
5. Fencing if required for the protection of resources;
6. Recreational activities compatible with open space; and
7. Other natural resource management activities and uses. Open space management plans shall
include provisions for long-term maintenance of improvements and facilities that will not result
in a fiscal impact on the County.
2. Project Information
2.1 Project Location
The project site is located at 1232 Stanley Avenue, on the south side of Stanley Avenue, ¼ mile east from
Dayton Road, south of the city of Chico within Assessor’s Parcel Numbers 039-370-019 and 039-090-061.
Township 21 North, Range 1 East, Section 19 of the Chico USGS 7.5’ Quadrangle. Access to the site is
provided off Stanley Avenue Figure 1 - Location Map.
Stanley Avenue Subdivision 2 Open Space Management Plan
Butte County, California November 2018
2.2 Project Description
The project involves a Clustered Tentative Subdivision Map to divide an approximately 18.5-acre
property into 19 parcels (18 residential lots and one open space lot) ranging in size from 0.2 acres to
12.02 acres. The 18 clustered residential lots range in size from approximately 0.19 to 0.75 acres while
the open space lot is approximately 12.02 acres. The project includes several residential setbacks from
adjacent agricultural operations including a 300-foot residential setback from the southern property
line, which is adjacent to agriculturally designated land. The designated open space parcel is located in
the southern portion of the project area, encompassing approximately 12 acres.
All parcels will be served by community water provided by California Water Service Company,
additionally, all parcels will be served by a community wastewater system. The community wastewater
system will include a control building approximately 10 feet by 10 feet. The community wastewater
system will include an underground dosing tank, distribution lines, pumps, and leach lines. The area will
include 12-inch round access lids for sweeps and cleanouts at the end of the leach lines. Additionally,
there will be fiberglass lids approximately 30 inches in diameter accessible to the surface for inspection
and cleanout. The community wastewater system dispersal leach lines will be located within the Open
Space Area.
2.3 Project Site Conditions
An existing single-family residence is present within APN 039-370-019, additional secondary structures
include a carport, two garages, and a well. The existing single-family residence and additional structures
will remain on proposed Parcel 17. The site has historically been utilized for agricultural purposes
(orchards).
Site topography is flat, with elevations ranging from 177 feet above mean sea level (msl) in the
southwestern corner of the property to 182 feet above msl in the southeastern corner of the property.
Soils on the project site consists of Chico loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes. This unit is found on low fan
terraces and derived from mixed rocks. It is well drained with a very high depth to restrictive feature
(more than 80 inches). The soil is commonly used for growing almonds, walnuts, row crops, and
development.
The property is bordered by residential development (one with an agricultural use) to the north and
east, on the south by Comanche Creek which separates the property from a 146-acre orchard, zoned
Agriculture – 40-acre minimum (A-40), and a mobile home park and residential development on the
west. Other than Comanche Creek on the southern portion of the project site, there are no aquatic
features, waterways, or drainage pathways within the project site. As such, hydrology on the site is
predominately confined to precipitation events and localized runoff from areas surrounding the project
site.
2.4 Site Vegetation and Habitat
Vegetation within the site is primarily ruderal annual species, with the exception of a few trees within
the site and the riparian vegetation found along Comanche Creek. Ruderal species present include milk
thistle (Silybum marianum), Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense), sunflower (Helianthus sp.), pokeberry
(Phytolacca americana), and Brassica sp. Trees present on-site include European olive (Olea europaea),
persimmon (Diospyros sp.), and English walnut (Juglans regia). Three large valley oaks (Quercus lobata)
Stanley Avenue Subdivision 3 Open Space Management Plan
Butte County, California November 2018
can be found at the southern boundary of APN 039-370-068 which is directly adjacent to APN 039-090-
061.
The open space parcel contains ruderal annual grassland habitat consisting of primarily non-native
grasses and forbs. The southern boundary of the property contains riparian habitat adjacent to
Comanche Creek. Species found in the riparian strip are consistent with riparian areas found in the
northern central valley. Riparian species found along Comanche Creek are typical of riparian areas
within the northern Sacramento Valley. Dominant canopy species include valley oak, western sycamore
(Platanus racemosa), Oregon ash (Fraxinus latifolia), and Fremont cottonwood (Populus fremontii).
Commonly encountered sub-canopy species include black walnut (Juglans hindsii) and cherry plum
(Prunus cerasifera). Ground cover species within the riparian corridor included Himalayan blackberry
(Rubus armeniacus), English ivy (Hedera helix), California wild grape (Vitis californica), and Santa Barbara
sedge (Carex barbarae). Additionally, blue elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea) was encountered
within the riparian vegetation along Comanche Creek. Blue elderberry is the sole host plant for the
federally threatened valley elderberry longhorn beetle (Desmocerus californicus dimorphus).
Wildlife species that may be encountered in the disturbed grassland portions of the site may include but
are not limited to western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis), garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis),
northern pacific rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus), California ground squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi),
western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta), horned lark (Eremophila alpestris), black-tailed jackrabbit
(Lepus californicus). Wildlife species that may be encountered in the riparian habitat found along the
southern border include a number of migratory bird species,
Potentially sensitive biological resources may be found within the Open Space Area. As previously
mentioned, blue elderberry is found along the riparian vegetation adjacent to Comanche Creek. These
shrubs are the sole host plant for the federally endangered valley elderberry longhorn beetle.
3. Management Activities
3.1 Special-Status Species Management
The Open Space Area should be managed to preserve and maintain habitat for valley elderberry
longhorn beetle (VELB) along Comanche Creek. Clearing and habitat maintenance activities should not
disturb VELB habitat, Figure 2.
3.2 Fire Hazard Reduction
The following measures shall be implemented to minimize potential fire hazards:
1. Maintain the site as required for fire control while limiting impacts to biological resources,
including special-status species.
2. Mow or graze to reduce thatch accumulation, in a manner consistent with goals of the Open
Space Area.
3. Once yearly, when weather permitting allow (May-June), shallow disk a fire break around the
open space perimeter, depending on land uses and activities.
Stanley Avenue Subdivision 4 Open Space Management Plan
Butte County, California November 2018
3.3 Erosion Control
The Open Space Area will be maintained in such a way as to prevent onsite sedimentation and erosion
from entering adjacent waterways and stormwater facilities.
3.4 Sewage Disposal
The County appointed public entity in charge of maintaining the community wastewater system would
be allowed access to the system for routine maintenance. Access to the system would likely be provided
through the end of the cul-de-sac.
3.5 Fencing
The Open Space Area will be fenced and shall have no general public access, nor any regular public use.
3.6 Recreational Activities
It is anticipated that the Open Space Area will not be used for recreational activities to minimize impacts
to sensitive resources (including but not limited sensitive plant and wildlife species), cultural resources,
and the Community Wastewater Treatment System:
1. Recreational use on the location of the Community Wastewater Treatment System will be not
be allowed.
2. The Open Space Area shall be managed and maintained by the HOA (management of the
Community Wastewater Treatment Plant System shall be managed by a County approved public
entity).
3.7 Other Management and Monitoring Activities and Uses
The following management strategies, approved uses, and restrictions are intended to provide a
framework for the long-term management and operation of the Open Space Area, per the requirements
of Butte County Municipal Code Section 24-90 - Clustered Development Open Space Requirements.
Permitted uses within the Open Space Area, per Section 24-90(E) include:
1. Agriculture, including grazing and timber management, when allowable by the zone applicable
to the property;
2. Resource conservation;
3. Wildlife management;
4. Community wells, community septic systems, community sewage disposal systems, and
individual wells under certain circumstances;
5. Other similar uses, as determined through the application review process.
Stanley Avenue Subdivision 5 Open Space Management Plan
Butte County, California November 2018
Figure 1 - Location Map
Stanley Avenue Subdivision 6 Open Space Management Plan
Butte County, California November 2018
Figure 2 - VELB Habitat