CC SR 20161115 D - PVPLC Comprehensive ReportRANCHO PALOS VERDES CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA REPORT
AGENDA DESCRIPTION:
MEETING DATE: 11/15/2016
AGENDA HEADING: Consent Calendar
Consideration and possible action to receive and file the 2013-2015 Comprehensive
Report and the 2015 Annual Report submitted by the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land
Conservancy on its management activities for the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1) Receive and file the 2013-2015 Comprehensive Report and the 2015 Annual
Report submitted by the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy on its
management activities for the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve.
FISCAL IMPACT: None
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: Katie Lozano, Administrative Analyst/Open Space Manager
REVIEWED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, Director of Community Development
Cory Linder, Director of Recreation and Parks fiat
APPROVED BY: Doug Willmore, City Manager f',,7 1
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. Letter from Andrea Vona, PVPLC Executive Director (page A-1)
The complete 2013-2015 Comprehensive Report and the 2015 Annual Report are
available for review on the City's website by clicking
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION:
The City's 2004 Council -adopted Draft Natural Community Conservation Plan (NCCP)
calls for the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy (PVPLC) to serve as the City's
habitat management agency for the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve. In this capacity, the
PVPLC is required by the NCCP to submit certain reports to the City and Wildlife
Agencies (the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service). Specifically, the PVPLC is required to submit annual and comprehensive
(every 3 years) monitoring reports on its habitat restoration and exotic plant removal
activities. Additionally, the NCCP requires the City to provide components of the report
discussing night activities in the Preserve and impacts to habitat throughout the NCCP
sub -area.
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Pursuant to the City Council -approved NCCP and the management agreement
authorizing the PVPLC to perform manage activities in the Preserve on the City's
behalf, PVPLC has submitted, for the City Council's acceptance, the 2013-2015
Comprehensive Report and the 2015 Annual Report, summarizing the PVPLC's
management activities in the Preserve. An electronic copy of both the Comprehensive
and the Annual Reports were transmitted to the City Council on October 27, 2016. The
reports have also been posted on the City's webpage and distributed through the
Preserve listsery group for public review.
2013-2015 PVPLC Comprehensive Report
The PVPLC-submitted 2013-2015 Comprehensive Report includes the covered species
monitoring program, predator control plan, 3 -year habitat restoration plan, management
recommendations, and the 2015 Annual Report.
Covered Species Monitoring Program: PVPLC monitors six (6) protected plant
species and four (4) protected animal species in the Preserve. The plants include
Aphanisma, South Coast saltbush, Catalina crossosoma, bright green Dudleya,
Catalina Island desert box thorn, and woolly seablite. Per the NCCP, PVPLC monitors
whether these populations are expanding, stable, or declining; identifies threats; and
provides management recommendations. Monitoring over this reporting period show
that populations of South Coast saltbush, Aphanisma, Catalina crossosoma, and bright
green Dudleya have increased, and woolly seablite and Catalina Island desert box thorn
populations have remained stable. Threats identified are invasive non-native species,
cliff erosion, drought, and trampling. PVPLC recommendations include for PVPLC to
continue seed collection for propagation, install covered plant species and/or broadcast
seed, remove threatening invasive species, continue to enhance species surveying and
mapping techniques, and continue to seek funding for this work.
Covered wildlife species include the EI Segundo blue butterfly (ESB), California
gnatcatcher, and cactus wren (CAWR). ESB populations remain low. Identified threats
are prolonged drought conditions affecting ESB host plants. PVPLC recommendations
are to alter monitoring timeframe and enhance butterfly habitat. Gnatcatcher surveys
show that populations are the same as 2012. PVPLC recommendations are to continue
monitoring every three years, and if funding permits, conduct directed searches to better
understand population changes. CAWR populations have decreased during the 2015
survey compared to 2012 survey counts. PVPLC recommendations are for PVPLC to
continue to restore habitat for the CAWR as well as foster species-specific research
through the citizen science cactus wren monitoring program in an effort to better inform
the science advisory panel on CAWR habitat use and populations dynamics.
Wildlife Monitoring and Predator Control Plan: PVPLC monitored predator species
(i.e., brown headed cowbirds, feral cats, coyote, and foxes) during the reporting period
observed no impacts to covered species. PVPLC observed a slight increase in scat and
tracks of fox and a decrease of coyote scat and track observations. Decreases in
coyote presence and increased presence of mesopredators (fox and feral cat) within the
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preserve could have negative impacts on protected wildlife species. PVPLC
recommends continued monitoring of predators in the Preserve.
3 -Year Habitat Restoration Plan: Per the NCCP and the management agreement
between the City and PVPLC, PVPLC is required to plant five acres of habitat annually.
PVPLC has submitted its proposed restoration activities from 2017-2019 in the
Comprehensive Report. PVPLC will plant seven (7) acres in the Alta Vicente Reserve
in 2017, four (4) acres in the Portuguese Bend Reserve in 2018, and an additional four
(4) acres in the Portuguese Bend Reserve in 2019. Neighbors near the Alta Vicente
Reserve restoration site have been notified of next year's work, and Rolling Hills
residents adjacent to the Portuguese Bend Reserve restoration sites will be notified well
in advance.
Additional PVPLC Management Recommendations: Additional management
recommendations include: 1) the City developing a utility access protocol and fuel
modification protocol to prevent habitat impacts and erosion; 2) City enforcement to
target individuals vandalizing spur trail closures and signage 3) City enforcement to
target individuals creating new trails; 4) City enforcement using PVPLC Volunteer Trail
Watch reports to help target patrol; and 5) Increased distribution of the City's "Sharing
Trails Safely" brochure. City Staff will work with PVPLC on all of their recommendations
during monthly management meetings.
2015 PVPLC Annual Report: A component of the Comprehensive Report (Section 7)
is the required Annual Report, which covers the period of January 1, 2015 to December
31, 2015 (starts on p. 348 of the Comprehensive Report). The Annual Report describes
the PVPLC's management activities relating to habitat enhancement and restoration,
property maintenance and monitoring, vegetation and wildlife monitoring, trail
management and monitoring, and volunteer involvement during the 2015 calendar year.
The 2015 PVPLC Annual Report includes the following sub -reports:
• Fires in the Preserve
• Habitat Restoration Monitoring
• Research and Monitoring
• Targeted Exotic Plant Removal Program for Plans (TERPP)
• Brush Clearance
• Scientific Research and Wildlife Monitoring
• Trail Management and Monitoring
• Future Trails Project List (2016)
• Utility and Contractor Access
• Volunteer Involvement
• Management Recommendations
City Staff has reviewed the reports and finds that they are consistent with PVPLC's
Preserve management responsibilities as required by the City Council -approved NCCP
and the current management agreement between the City and the PVPLC.
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PALOS VERDES PENINSULA
PRESERVING LAND AND RESTORING HABITAT FOR THE EDUCATION AND ENJOYMENT OF ALL
August 9, 2015
Ara Mihranian
Director, Community Development
City of Rancho Palos Verdes
30940 Hawthorne Boulevard
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
Subject: Draft Comprehensive Management and Monitoring Report 2013-2015,
includes Annual Report for 2015
Dear Mr. Mihranian,
This letter is to confirm that the draft Comprehensive Management and Monitoring Report
2013-2015 and Annual Report for 2015 for the Rancho Palos Verdes Draft Natural Community
Conservation Plan and Habitat Conservation Plan (NCCP/HCP) were delivered to you as well
as the wildlife agencies via dropbox for your collective review.
These reports are part of our commitment under our management agreement with the City as
well as the requirements of the Draft NCCP/HCP. We request that the City also provide the
required habitat tracking report and a summary of night use in the Preserve, which is a portion
of the City's requirements under the Draft NCCP/HCP, as additional information to the report.
As we are eager to finalize these reports, please provide any comments you may have to
Adrienne Mohan at amohan(a-)pvplc.org in the next 30 days, or by September 9th. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Andrea Vona, Executive Director
Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy
Cc: Mary Beth Woulfe, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, USFWS
Eric Porter, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office, USFWS
Dave Mayer, Senior Environmental Scientist — Supervisory, CDFW
Randy Rodriguez, Senior Scientist (Specialist), CDFW
916 SILVER SPUR ROAD # 207. ROLLING HILLS ESTATES. CA 90274-3826 T 310.541.7613 WWW.PVPLC.ORG
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