Type: report

Article abstract: INTRODUCTION A. Purpose for Inclusion of the Preserve Area in the Habitat Management Plan The proposed project on the Muroya property is an approximately 11.5-acre residential development within the approximately 20-acre property. The proposed preserve area of the project, a total of 8.50 acres is proposed to provide mitigation for direct impacts to the habitat on site and to be included in the assembly of the Carlsbad Habitat Management Plan (HMP; City of Carlsbad 1999, finalized 2004) preserve. This Preserve Management Plan (PMP) has been prepared for the preserved open space areas (preserve) within the Muroya project site (Figures 1 and 2). The Muroya project was approved and mitigation identified in the Mitigated Negative Declaration (State Clearinghouse 2010021061; City of Carlsbad, CA 2009). The project is identified under the following application numbers: GPA 06-09/AC 06-08/LCPA 06-09/SP 203D/CT 06-27. The City of Carlsbad is a member of the North County Multiple Habitat Conservation Plan (MHCP; San Diego Association of Governments 2001) and has adopted an HMP (Habitat Management Plan) which is a subarea plan under the MHCP. The MHCP is a comprehensive, multiple jurisdictional planning tool designed to create, manage, and monitor an ecosystem preserve in northwestern San Diego County. The HMP is a citywide program with the purpose of preserving the diversity of species and habitats as well as sensitive biological resources while allowing for development that is consistent with City plans. The objectives of the HMP are to develop a plan that conserves the full range of vegetation types with the focus on rare species and habitat; conserves areas capable of supporting covered species in perpetuity; and maintains functional wildlife corridors and habitat linkages. Under the HMP, a portion of the project area, as well as surrounding lands, are within a Focused Planning Area (FPA) of the City. FPA boundaries were created based on the existing distribution of vegetation communities and sensitive species. The FPAs were further broken down into HMP cores, linkages and Special Resource Areas. The Muroya property is located within the Local Facilities Management Zone 20 and is designated as a Standards Area in the HMP. It is located approximately in the central portion of Linkage Area F which is part of a stepping stone linkage connecting Core Areas 4, 6 and 8 and contains significant amounts of coastal sage scrub acting as a corridor for movement for the