HomeMy WebLinkAboutFW_ EXTERNAL_ Re_ _EXTERNAL_ HCP contactJust FYI
From: Winkleman, Ryan <Ryan.Winkleman@mbakerintl.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 22, 2022 11:11 AM
To: Roberts, Carol <carol_a_roberts@fws.gov>
Cc: Ashimine, Alan <aashimine@mbakerintl.com>; Ryan Wright <RWright@DiamondBarCA.Gov>
Subject: RE: EXTERNAL: Re: [EXTERNAL] HCP contact
CAUTION: This message originated outside of our City of Diamond Bar network.
Hi Carol,
I just wanted to follow up with you again about your availability to have a short meeting with me to bring you up to speed on this project before I send anything to you.
Thank you!
Ryan Winkleman | Project Manager/Senior Biologist/Certified Senior Ecologist
5 Hutton Centre Drive, Suite 500 | Santa Ana, CA 92707 | [O] 949-330-4115 | [M] (949) 533-0918
ryan.winkleman@mbakerintl.com <mailto:ryan.winkleman@mbakerintl.com> | www.mbakerintl.com <https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.mbakerintl.com%2f&c=E,1,n27M9LK45hGbnC2ZI_xm0n8wQfF
_Sf0_NjnFIj8rs2Z6jBHyqdzHDiNL6H5nrUl5W2t01KBcBELbJKgfsPbIdByVIJcrlTHTOIusoyT2UffZ0m5QkVkz&typo=1> <https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fmbakerintl.com%2fmedia%2f5024%2fs21_f_061907
_icons.jpg&c=E,1,i2VxBdENp0tZXB86ftWS-59Zvt0x8KN-uq-bXk9nnPm4xnBgcwKeEipDlEbrbchtgMyMY-t1SBmTgH8Twn4tJYjoE0FfFN8TtU3hKgwr02U2nWw,&typo=1>
From: Winkleman, Ryan
Sent: Monday, June 20, 2022 11:06 AM
To: Roberts, Carol <carol_a_roberts@fws.gov <mailto:carol_a_roberts@fws.gov> >
Cc: Ashimine, Alan <aashimine@mbakerintl.com <mailto:aashimine@mbakerintl.com> >; Ryan Wright <RWright@DiamondBarCA.Gov <mailto:RWright@DiamondBarCA.Gov> >
Subject: RE: EXTERNAL: Re: [EXTERNAL] HCP contact
Hi Carol,
I’m putting together the materials we discussed below but I was wondering if you and I could connect informally over Microsoft Teams sometime in the next couple days prior to me sending
you anything. That would give me a chance to go over the project history with you, talk about on-site gnatcatchers, and discuss the project with you in a live conversation, which may
help make things smoother for both of us later if I can bring you up to speed beforehand.
If that works, please let me know when you’re available.
Thank you!
Ryan Winkleman | Project Manager/Senior Biologist/Certified Senior Ecologist
5 Hutton Centre Drive, Suite 500 | Santa Ana, CA 92707 | [O] 949-330-4115 | [M] (949) 533-0918
ryan.winkleman@mbakerintl.com <mailto:ryan.winkleman@mbakerintl.com> | www.mbakerintl.com <https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.mbakerintl.com%2f&c=E,1,QSRItVWdb2mrpOOHRlz8uZ75LIK
Ljx_FsDXeX4IF5JdeM5c9N9S5T98hmJMA9qw9Et9y_UzEb3XJMfxV0sc4w40CpCB23UZXOwfJBrkllQDwFg,,&typo=1> <https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fmbakerintl.com%2fmedia%2f5024%2fs21_f_061907_ico
ns.jpg&c=E,1,W39thzHSmCUxpcgEwy8XgbTTwDaa0_oxMAbpEscplscAOtjQ9c6yLkx5fY2_76W7mmjNsrR9kpXdtiIGXkflIU1oQTnLk5zeltY9ZwTID05z6KudZKSyoVZHaA,,&typo=1>
From: Roberts, Carol <carol_a_roberts@fws.gov <mailto:carol_a_roberts@fws.gov> >
Sent: Tuesday, June 14, 2022 2:17 PM
To: Winkleman, Ryan <Ryan.Winkleman@mbakerintl.com <mailto:Ryan.Winkleman@mbakerintl.com> >
Subject: EXTERNAL: Re: [EXTERNAL] HCP contact
Please send the materials you described below (a brief memo describing the project, past survey efforts, and proposed avoidance measures) and also a map showing the location of the trail
widening to me. I will review the materials and either assign it to one of my staff or handle it myself.
Does that sound reasonable?
-Carol (she, her, hers)
Carol A. Roberts, Division Supervisor
Environmental Contaminants/Federal Projects/ESA Sec 7 & 10
Collateral Duty Safety Officer
Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office
2177 Salk Avenue, Suite 250, Carlsbad, CA 92008
760-431-9440, ext. 271 [Please note: we are on extended telework, so the mobile phone below is best.]
24-hour Emergency Spill Response Mobile Phone 760-607-9768
________________________________
From: Winkleman, Ryan <Ryan.Winkleman@mbakerintl.com <mailto:Ryan.Winkleman@mbakerintl.com> >
Sent: Tuesday, June 14, 2022 13:19
To: Roberts, Carol <carol_a_roberts@fws.gov <mailto:carol_a_roberts@fws.gov> >
Subject: [EXTERNAL] HCP contact
This email has been received from outside of DOI - Use caution before clicking on links, opening attachments, or responding.
Hi Carol,
I have a small trail widening project in Diamond Bar for which I did gnatcatcher surveys in 2020. I found multiple pairs on-site and breeding within the 500-foot buffer that I surveyed.
One of the recommendations that we made at the time was that FWS be approached to determine if the project required any sort of HCP (including low-effect), as it doesn’t have a federal
nexus, and that went into the official project mitigation requirements. As the project has developed and we now as of last week have approved design drawings, the project has really
scaled back what impacts it may have on the species. The impacted acreage of CSS will be very small and the project will be incorporating temporal avoidance strategies, hoping to construct
this fall outside of the breeding season. As I mentioned, it’s just a small trail widening project, widening an existing trail to 5 feet where it’s generally already 3 to 4 feet wide
anyway. Super small. With the low effect HCP screening form I don’t see it having any of the significant impacts that might trigger even a low effect HCP (e.g., the impacted acreage
will be nominal and will be mitigated for (we’re thinking the Soquel Canyon bank), they are constructing outside of the breeding season, there is no intentional take of individual birds
proposed).
I’m hoping that at this point we can just get some sort of written concurrence from USFWS that the project will not require any additional measures beyond what is already being incorporated,
and I had hoped to connect with the appropriate person at USFWS to initiate that conversation. I had planned to put together a brief memo describing the project, past survey efforts,
and proposed avoidance measures and hopefully get something in writing back that the project impacts do not meet the level of significance requiring any sort of HCP and that the proposed
measures are adequate to protect the species.
Can you please point me in the right direction for whom I could talk to to get the ball rolling?
Thank you!
Ryan Winkleman | Project Manager/Senior Biologist/Certified Senior Ecologist
5 Hutton Centre Drive, Suite 500 | Santa Ana, CA 92707 | [O] 949-330-4115 | [M] (949) 533-0918
ryan.winkleman@mbakerintl.com <mailto:ryan.winkleman@mbakerintl.com> | www.mbakerintl.com <https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mbakerintl.com%2F&data=05%7C01%7CRyan
.Winkleman%40mbakerintl.com%7C72e3e9e3950e40bd7a3608da4e4b45ea%7C4e1ee3db4df64142b7b9bec15f171ca4%7C0%7C0%7C637908382467237324%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1h
aWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=CEbwB5upKCGTDvKxSXu62IzKq%2FpWupM1XtVMH7xJGQY%3D&reserved=0> <https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fmbakerintl.com%2fmedia%2f5024%2fs21_f_06
1907_icons.jpg&c=E,1,m1Y3LyRA2TuoKIafSQUhAsdKSHgHlWBSOGLK9978z1qNZq6qS6RREYVyIuAFcbGHSi1i76h_-62iZxhZop6kDHY4P5x1zbA0MtUKKHfidhgukvtz9utCtim4&typo=1>
-303-7467) or via Email at: EPIMSHELP@wildlife.ca.gov <mailto:EPIMSHELP@wildlife.ca.gov>
From: Winkleman, Ryan <Ryan.Winkleman@mbakerintl.com <mailto:Ryan.Winkleman@mbakerintl.com> >
Sent: Wednesday, November 2, 2022 2:00 PM
To: Rieman, Frederic@Wildlife <Frederic.Rieman@Wildlife.ca.gov <mailto:Frederic.Rieman@Wildlife.ca.gov> >
Cc: Ryan Wright <RWright@DiamondBarCA.Gov <mailto:RWright@DiamondBarCA.Gov> >; Greg Gubman <GGubman@DiamondBarCA.Gov <mailto:GGubman@DiamondBarCA.Gov> >; Ashimine, Alan <aashimine@mbakerintl.com
<mailto:aashimine@mbakerintl.com> >
Subject: Canyon Loop Trail Improvement Project follow-up
You don't often get email from ryan.winkleman@mbakerintl.com <mailto:ryan.winkleman@mbakerintl.com> . Learn why this is important <https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2faka.ms%2fLearnA
boutSenderIdentification&c=E,1,iBsbvb3a2YHmzdPiQ-ZupfJbOjkX24gbaIl3UiUWl3kGgr2d5PqCwwQkC2evp9xD82lFxRn__7ptw7gomcsgcsdrBLluTzH8R0Bgi_wZOXDOjFF_VQ,,&typo=1>
WARNING: This message is from an external source. Verify the sender and exercise caution when clicking links or opening attachments.
Hello Fritz,
Thanks for your call earlier and I apologize for the misunderstanding with the project description on the website. I have included some selected photos of the southern loop of the trail
where nearly all of the work will be conducted, as well as a kmz showing the trail loop and the east and west ends of the widening/improvement along the southern loop. The northern
loop will be largely untouched other than one new bench area where there is already existing disturbance; the northern loop is an SCE access road for some transmission towers alongside
it so the road is already quite wide on the north. On the southern loop there is trail widening along most of the length that I’ve highlighted as well as some isolated occurrences of
gabion wall installations, stair installations, and new benches. The “drainage crossings” referred to on the City website refer simply to diversions to take rainfall off of the trail
during rain events. As you can see from the kmz and if you manipulate your viewpoint in Google Earth, the southern loop is at the top of the slope. There is nothing above it and no
waterways crossing through it; it is completely dry with no possibility of water unless it rains due to its position at the apex of the slope. The only waterway in the project area
is the one down at the bottom of the canyon between the north and south loop trails, which will not be touched and will not have any construction anywhere near it.
Please let me know if you have any further questions or if you’d still like to meet on-site to verify in person next week; the City has also expressed interest in attending if so.
Thank you!
Ryan Winkleman | Project Manager/Senior Biologist/Certified Senior Ecologist
5 Hutton Centre Drive, Suite 500 | Santa Ana, CA 92707 | [O] 949-330-4115 | [M] (949) 533-0918
ryan.winkleman@mbakerintl.com <mailto:ryan.winkleman@mbakerintl.com> | www.mbakerintl.com <https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mbakerintl.com%2F&data=05%7C01%7CRyan
.Winkleman%40mbakerintl.com%7C7d0483a54f7840b43a6508dac29f7594%7C4e1ee3db4df64142b7b9bec15f171ca4%7C0%7C0%7C638036287397174249%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1h
aWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=0Kt88Gffu65izB9omnrA0ARcuAWpJDVIHbVI4PCGQm8%3D&reserved=0>
t. Concrete swales are being constructed in (7) locations, as follows:
* (2) locations for shade shelter pads
* (3) locations where adjacent to new timber steps
* (1) location adjacent to/behind Gabion Wall No. 1
* (1) location adjacent to widened trail at T-intersection with existing Summit Ridge Trail. At this location, the completed concrete swale will be filled up with rock cobble, so as
to avoid pedestrians’ mis-stepping off the trail and into the concrete swale.
* Reduction of Erosion and Surface Soil Displacement
* Throughout the trail length, (exclusive of the steep segments now receiving timber steps) where the grade of the trail, longitudinally, is great enough where potential erosion down
the trail surface is likely (historically been occurring in significant rain events), strategically-placed Trail Water Diverters are being constructed to quickly remove more significant
flows of rain water, directing such flows off the trail and down the lower side of the trail topography while still in small quantities. All “run-off” water is being directed into
natural vegetation areas, where it will be absorbed into the natural terrain in small volumes. There are (19) Trail Water Diverters (Construction Item No. 3 on the Title Sheet).
* The bottom line goals for this project includes REDUCING natural erosion activities which this trail system has encountered over its many years of existence.
* No run-off water, from this project’s trails improvement work, is anticipated to get within 650 feet of any established storm water conveyance systems.
* Concerning the trail width:
* All trail improvements are to be reconstructed to 5’-0” in width at the completion of the project (Construction Notes #1 on Title Sheet).
* The note on the plans at various locations say: “Existing Trail/Protect in Place”. This note has been used in those locations where new grading and/or trail widening is not necessary.
HOWEVER, (just as was anticipated), in order to widen those portions of the trail prior to/after these noted “protect-in-place areas”, there will be trail disturbance (within the existing
5’ trail width) due to hauling construction materials over them with mechanical equipment, and must be fine-graded and compacted again. The purpose of this Protect-in-Place note is
to differentiate between trail distances needing widening to 5’-0” and those trail areas which already meet the 5’-0” width, as well as to pre-determine how much square footage of native
vegetation areas will be impacted (and reported within the Environmental Documents for the project).
* In all areas where the existing trail was less than the 5’-0” designated width (to be attained at the completion of the project), and residual grading must occur on either one side
or both sides, the limited displacement of existing vegetation (some of which will be native vegetation, while substantial growth is actually invasive weed material) will be necessary.
These designations are being called out by the project’s botanist team, which have been on-site during clearing and grubbing activities to help guide where the removal of plant material
has the least impact on native vegetation. During project design, the design team made anticipated calculations of the amount of (SF) area projected for disturbance; and the actual
areas are being calculated by the naturalists as the project progresses.
* For discussions regarding clarifications on the BMP’s, please communicate with the City Engineering staff (Fabian?)
Hopefully this information will be helpful.
Best,
Dick Fisher
Richard Fisher Associates
4902 Kron Street, Irvine CA 92604
(714) 342-5467
rfisher@rfaland.com <mailto:rfisher@rfaland.com>
From: Winkleman, Ryan <Ryan.Winkleman@mbakerintl.com <mailto:Ryan.Winkleman@mbakerintl.com> >
Sent: Monday, November 28, 2022 2:03 PM
To: Rya