TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION TITLE PAGE 1 INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW 1-1 1.1 Purpose and Need 1-1 1.2 Goals and Objectives 1-3 1.3 Overview of the Planning Process 1-5 1.4 Federal and State Requirements and Legal Authority 1-7 1.4.1 Federal Requirements and Legal Authority 1-7 1.4.2 California Requirements and Legal Authority 1-8 1.4.3 Plan Compliance and Mandatory Requirements 1-9 1.5 Definitions 1-11 1.6 Acronyms 1-22 2 DESCRIPTION OF THE OCEANSIDE SUBAREA 2-1 2.1 Regional Location 2-1 2.2 Land Ownership and Land Uses 2-1 2.2.1 Land Ownerships 2-5 2.2.2 Major Land Uses 2-5 2.2.3 Transportation and Utility Corridors 2-6 2.3 General Plan, Zoning, and Local Land Use Regulation 2-6 2.3.1 City of Oceanside General Plan 2-10 2.3.2 Local Coastal Program 2-19 2.3.3 City Ordinances 2-20 2.4 Anticipated Public Projects 2-23 2.4.1 Water and Waste Water Projects 2-23 2.4.2 Transportation Projects 2-23 2.4.3 Parks and Public Facilities Projects 2-24 2.4.4 Stormwater Projects 2-24 2.4.5 Other Projects 2-24 3 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES 3-1 3.1 Methods 3-1 3.1.1 Existing Information 3-1 3.1.2 Biological Surveys 3-1 3.1.2.1 Vegetation Mapping 3-2 314553001 i Final Oceanside Subarea Plan
3.1.2.2 Sensitive Species 3-3 3.1.2.3 Habitat Linkages and Dispersal Corridors 3-4 3.1.2.4 Evaluation of Habitat Restoration/Enhancement Potential 3-5 3.2 Results 3-6 3.2.1 Vegetation Mapping 3-6 3.2.2 Sensitive Species 3-11 3.2.2.1 Sensitive Plants 3-11 3.2.2.2 Sensitive Animals 3-22 3.2.3 Habitat Linkages and Dispersal Corridors 3-30 3.2.3.1 Distribution of Natural Open Space 3-30 3.2.3.2 Gnatcatcher Dispersal Corridors 3-31 3.2.3.3 Constrained Segments of the Regional Corridor 3-38 3.2.3.4 Conservation Priorities within the Regional Corridor 3-41 3.2.4 Habitat Restoration Priorities within the Regional Corridor 3-43 4 PRESERVE DESIGN 4-1 4.1 Biological Preserve Design Objectives and Challenges 4-1 4.1.1 Objective 1 - Conserve the full range of extant vegetation communities, with a focus on habitats considered sensitive, rare, or declining 4-2 4.1.2 Objective 2 - Maintain functional wildlife corridors and habitat linkages between critical biological resource areas 4-2 4.1.3 Objective 3 Contribute to regional viability of sensitive plant species 4-3 4.1.4 Objective 4 Contribute to regional viability of sensitive Animal species and species that are indicators of important habitat 4-4 4.2 Land Use and Ownership Considerations 4-4 4.3 Preserve Design Strategy 4-7 4.3.1 Preserve Planning Zones 4-8 4.3.1.1 Wildlife Corridor Planning Zone 4-8 4.3.1.2 Pre-approved Mitigation Areas 4-9 4.3.1.3 Agricultural Exclusion Zone 4-9 4.3.1.4 Offsite Mitigation Zone 4-10 4.3.1.5 Coastal Zone 4-10 Final Oceanside Subarea Plan ii 314553001
4.4 Biological Preserve Criteria 4-13 4.5 Habitats Conserved 4-14 4.6 Species Conserved 4-17 5 PRESERVE ASSEMBLY AND CONSERVATION ACTIONS 5-1 5.1 Preserve Assembly Components 5-1 5.1.1 Existing and Proposed Conservation Banks and Major Mitigation Areas 5-1 5.1.2 Existing Public Open Space 5-5 5.1.3 Private Open Space 5-5 5.1.4 SDG&E Electric Transmission Corridor 5-6 5.1.5 Habitat Conserved in Conjunction with Private Development 5-7 5.1.6 Habitat Acquisition 5-8 5.2 Citywide Conservation Actions 5-9 5.2.1 Mitigation Standards for Vegetation Communities 5-10 5.2.2 Habitat Development Fee 5-13 5.2.3 Narrow Endemic Species Standards 5-13 5.2.4 Wetlands Mitigation Standards 5-16 5.2.5 Fire and Fuel Management Standards 5-19 5.2.6 Clustering Standards for New Development 5-20 5.2.7 Wildlife Road Crossing Standards 5-21 5.2.8 Project Implementation Guidelines 5-21 5.3 Planning Zone-specific Standards 5-25 5.3.1 Wildlife Corridor Planning Zone 5-25 5.3.1.1 General Development Standards 5-25 5.3.1.2 Hardline Area Development Standards 5-33 5.3.1.3 Priority Restoration Areas 5-34 5.3.2 Pre-approved Mitigation Areas 5-36 5.3.3 Agricultural Exclusion Zone 5-40 5.3.4 Offsite Mitigation Zone 5-41 5.3.5 Coastal Zone 5-41 5.4 Corrective Actions 5-46 5.5 Implementation Cost and Financing 5-47 314553001 iii Final Oceanside Subarea Plan
5.5.1 Estimated Program Cost 5-47 5.5.2 Financing of Implementation Costs 5-57 5.6 Projected Conservation Summary 5-63 6 SUBAREA PLAN IMPLEMENTATION 6-1 6.1 Implementation Policies and Assurances 6-1 6.1.1 Cooperative Implementation Structure 6-1 6.1.1.1 Local Implementation 6-1 6.1.1.2 No New Institutional Structures 6-2 6.1.1.3 Phased Local Implementation 6-2 6.1.1.4 Sequential Adoption 6-3 6.1.1.5 Rough-step Implementation 6-3 6.1.2 Take Authorizations 6-4 6.1.2.1 City of Oceanside 6-4 6.1.2.1 Project Proponents 6-4 6.1.3 Development Process Assurances 6-5 6.1.3.1 Flexible Subarea Plan Development 6-5 6.1.3.2 Improved Regulatory Process 6-5 6.1.3.3 Equitable Allocation of Costs 6-5 6.1.3.4 Plan Implementation Monitoring 6-5 6.1.3.5 Private Property Rights 6-5 6.2 Implementing Agreement 6-6 6.2.1 Assurances in the Implementing Agreement 6-6 6.2.1.1 Local Land Use 6-6 6.2.1.2 New Development 6-6 6.2.1.3 Streamlining Environmental Review 6-6 6.2.1.4 Phased Implementation of Severability 6-7 6.2.1.5 Covered Species 6-7 6.2.1.6 Critical Habitat 6-7 6.2.1.7 Future Listings of Covered and Non-covered Species 6-7 6.2.2 Changed and Unforeseen Circumstances 6-8 6.2.2.1 Changed Circumstances 6-8 6.2.2.2 Unforeseen Circumstances 6-22 6.3 City Implementation Actions and Process 6-24 6.3.1 Local Regulatory Actions 6-25 Final Oceanside Subarea Plan iv 314553001
6.3.1.1 Urgency Ordinance for Interim Compliance 6-25 6.3.1.2 General Plan Update 6-25 6.3.1.3 Update Local Coastal Program Land Use Plan 6-25 6.3.1.4 Update Municipal Code 6-25 6.3.1.5 Update Zoning Ordinance 6-25 6.3.1.6 Revise Hillside Development Provisions 6-26 6.3.1.7 Update Grading Regulations Manual and Ordinances 6-26 6.3.1.8 Comply with Implementing Agreement and Permits 6-26 6.3.2 Interim Resource Protection 6-26 6.3.3 Development Review and Approval Process 6-27 6.3.3.1 Hardline Project Plans 6-27 6.3.3.2 Softline Project Plans 6-29 6.3.3.3 Planning Zones 6-29 6.3.3.4 Wildlife Agency Consultation 6-29 6.3.3.5 Habitat Tracking and Reporting 6-29 6.3.3.6 Reporting and Annual Meeting 6-30 6.3.4 Oceanside Conservation Strategy and Preserve Design 6-31 6.3.5 San Luis Rey River Channel 6-32 6.3.6 Buena Vista Lagoon Restoration and Management Plan 6-33 6.4 Subarea Plan Amendments 6-33 6.4.1 Minor Amendments 6-33 6.4.4.1 Equivalency Findings 6-33 6.4.4.2 Consistency Findings 6-33 6.4.2 Major Ammendments 6-34 6.5 Preserve Boundary Adjustments 6-36 6.5.1 Mapping Conflicts 6-36 6.5.2 Boundary Adjustments 6-37 6.6 Annexations 6-38 6.7 Process for Adding Species to Covered Species List 6-39 6.8 Permanent Resource Protection 6-40 6.8.1 Local Regulations 6-40 6.8.2 Assurance of Long-term Biological Integrity 6-40 6.9 Relationship of Subarea Plan Approval to MHCP Core Conservation 6-41 314553001 v Final Oceanside Subarea Plan
6.10 Coordination with Other NCCP Subarea Plans and the MHCP 6-42 6.11 Cooperative MHCP Implementation Structure 6-42 6.11.1 Introduction and Overview 6-42 6.11.2 MHCP Elected Officials Committee Structure 6-43 6.11.3 MHCP Advisory Committee 6-45 6.11.3.1 MHCP Staff Subcommittee 6-46 6.11.3.1 MHCPStakeholders Subcommittee 6-47 6.11.4 MHCP Land Conservancy 6-48 6.11.5 MHCP Preserve Manager 6-49 6.11.6 Preserve Steward 6-49 6.11.7 Preserve Manager 6-50 7 PRESERVE MANAGEMENT 7-1 7.1 Management Responsibilities 7-1 7.1.1 Responsibilities on Public Lands 7-2 7.1.2 Responsibilities on Private Lands 7-5 7.2 Framework Preserve Management Guidelines 7-6 7.2.1 Prohibited and Allowed Land Uses Within Preserve Areas 7-6 7.2.2 Fire Management 7-9 7.2.3 Habitat Restoration 7-9 7.2.4 Recreation and Public Access 7-15 7.2.5 Predator and Exotic Species Control 7-17 7.2.6 Hydrology and Flood Control 7-18 7.2.7 Species Reintroduction and Translocation 7-18 7.2.8 Public Education and Enforcement 7-20 7.2.9 Adaptive Management 7-21 7.3 Area-specific Management Guidelines 7-23 7.3.1 San Luis Rey River 7-24 7.3.2 Oceanside Harbor 7-24 7.3.3 Buena Vista Lagoon 7-25 7.3.4 Existing Conservation Banks 7-25 7.4 Habitat Tracking, Reporting, and Monitoring 7-25 8 REFERENCES 8-1 Final Oceanside Subarea Plan vi 314553001
LIST OF FIGURES NUMBER TITLE PAGE 2-1 Oceanside Regional Location Map 2-3 2-2 2008 Generalized Land Ownership 2-7 2-3 2007 Generalized Land Use 2-13 2-4 2007 Generalized Planned Land Use 2-15 2-5 Major Transportation and Utility Corridors 2-17 2-6 Development Constraints 2-25 2-7 Anticipated City Infrastructure Projects 2-27 3-1 Vegetation Communities 3-9 3-2 Locations of Selected Plants within the Oceanside Subarea 3-13 3-3 Locations of California Gnatcatcher, Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, and Least Bell s Vireo within the Oceanside Subarea 3-23 3-4 Locations of Selected Animals within the Oceanside Subarea 3-25 3-5 Locations of Selected Animals within the Oceanside Subarea 3-27 3-6 Regional Overview of the Gnatcatcher Corridor through Oceanside 3-33 3-7 Constrained Areas along California Gnatcatcher Corridors through Oceanside 3-35 3-8 Priority Areas for Restoration in the Regional Stepping-stone Corridor 3-45 4-1 Preserve Planning Map and Habitat Conservation Overlay Zones 4-9 5-1 SDG&E Buffer Policies within the WCPZ 5-29 5-2 One-Time Cost of Plan Implementation 5-51 5-3 Annual Costs of Plan Implementation 5-55 5-7 Estimated Initial and Ongoing Costs of Habitat Management 5-53 6-1 Project Review and Approval Process 6-28 6-2 MHCP Implementation Structure Primary Responsibilities 6-44 7-1 Land Management 7-3 LIST OF TABLES NUMBER TITLE PAGE 2-1 Generalized Land Ownership in Oceanside, California 2-2 2-2 Oceanside Existing Land Uses 2-9 2-3 Oceanside Planned Land Uses 2-11 3-1 Oceanside Vegetation Communities 3-7 3-2 Updated Oceanside Vegetation Communities 3-10 314553001 vii Final Oceanside Subarea Plan
3-3 Sensitive Species Occurring or Potentially Occurring in Oceanside 3-15 3-4 Proposed Covered Species for the Oceanside Subarea Plan 3-20 3-5 Priority Areas for Habitat Restoration or Enhancement 3-47 4-1 Minimum Required Conservation Acreage Goals by Vegetation Community 4-15 4-2 Minimum Required Conservation Acreage Goals by Vegetation Community within the WCPZ 4-16 5-1 Target Conservation of Natural Habitats 5-2 5-2 Mitigation Standards for Impacts to Natural Vegetation and Habitat 5-11 5-3 MHCP Narrow Endemic Species List 5-15 5-4 Native Landscaping Shrubs Suitable for Use Adjacent to Preserve Areas 5-38 5-5 Common Invasive Exotic Plant Species Prohibited for Planting Within 1,000 feet of Preserve Areas within the WCPZ 5-39 5-6 Publicly Funded One-Time & Annual Costs of Implementation 5-49 5-7 Estimated Initial and Ongoing Costs of Habitat Management 5-37 5-8 Local Public Financing for Plan Implementation 5-60 5-9 Illustrative Schedule of Expenditures for Habitat Management Under the Direction of the City of Oceanside 5-64 7-1 Plant Palette for Coastal Sage Scrub Restoration 7-12 LIST OF APPENDICES LETTER TITLE PAGE A Proposed Covered Species Conservation Analysis and Conditions of Coverage A-1 B Tables Habitat Conservation and Potential Impact B-1 C Science Review Panel Consensus Report for the Pavilions Site C-1 Final Oceanside Subarea Plan viii 314553001