75B - PH ADOPT RESO FOR PR NO 15-6827

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NT MENTS INITIAL STUDY/MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION FAIRVIEW BPIOGE REVLACEM REST TO STREET BEET) PROJECT L S A MAY 2020 (9Tx STREET To ANTx STREET) L, OLEGT SANTA ANAL CALIFOPHIA colonies) is present in the two hinges and in portions of a longitudinal joint near the middle of the structure, while night -roosting habitat is present throughout the bridge structure in the spaces between the concrete girders (refer to Appendix C, Representative Site Photos, of the NES). These girders form cavities in the underside of the bridge deck that trap warm air and offer shelter from the wind. Cliff swallow mud nests were also present throughout the girders of the bridge at the time of the assessment. The swallow mud nests may also provide day -roosting habitat for bat species, including the Yuma myotis and Mexican free - tailed bats, which have been documented day roosting in swallow mud nests and may use the mud nests observed on the bridge structure. Although the Santa Ana River is unvegetated and concrete -lined in the vicinity of the Fairview Street bridge, water within the channel as well as ornamental vegetation associated with nearby residences provides foraging habitat for a variety of bat species, thereby increasing the likelihood that this structure is used for roosting. No bats were observed during the daytime habitat assessment or the nighttime emergence survey; however, some scattered guano was observed beneath the hinges, confirming the use of these crevices by individual bats. A concrete double -box culvert is situated within 300 ft of the Fairview Street bridge over the Santa Ana River. This culvert structure was not entered during the assessment because the entrances to each box were partially gated and because there were indications of human habitation, both of which presented potential safety considerations and reduced the likelihood that roosting bats were present. Since the existing Fairview Street bridge over the Santa Ana River will be demolished for the proposed Project, potential direct and indirect impacts to roosting bats may occur. However, there is no evidence of maternity colonies roosting within the BSA. Potential impacts to bats would be mitigated by avoiding potential for take of individual roosting bats, incorporating alternate bat roosting habitat into the design of the new bridge, removing swallow nests in the fall (i.e., September or October) and ensuring they do not fall to the ground or are otherwise destroyed, minimizing indirect impacts during nighttime work associated with lighting, and designing new bridge lighting such that light would not overspill into the Santa Ana River. Mitigation Measures BIO-2 and BIO-3 include specific requirements to minimize the potential for take of individual roosting bats and impacts to suitable day- and night -roosting bat habitat within the Fairview Street bridge over the Santa Ana River. Mitigation Measure BIO-4 includes requirements to avoid potential impacts to bats day roosting in the swallow mud nests at the Fairview Street bridge over the Santa Ana River. In addition, Mitigation Measures BIO-5 and BIO-6 include requirements to minimize any potential indirect impacts to bats foraging and night roosting at the Fairview Street bridge over the Santa Ana River. Since the proposed Project would not affect the culverts and any potential impacts to bats would be avoided by implementing Mitigation Measures BIO-2 through BIO-6 above, potential impacts to bats would be reduced to a less -than -significant level. R:\WKE1702\ISMND\Fina1 ISMND\Fairview Street Bridge Final ISMN07,05RIM 7 3-23