3 - The Bowery_PUBLIC COMMENT_RAMSEY

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5.0 Environmental Analysis 5.1 Land Use Avion Project SEIR Page 5.1-10 identified conservation or management needs for the subarea or cause the need for additional measures. Effects on Ecotones or Other Conditions Affecting Species Diversity • The proposed changes to the MHPA boundary at this location would improve the extent of open space and local habitat linkages to the surrounding MHPA preserve lands. These modifications to the MHPA would maintain the local topographic and structural diversity of the preserve while slightly improving the habitat interfaces along the southern, western, and eastern project site borders over the current preserve design at this portion of the MHPA. Effects to Species of Concern Not Covered under the MSCP • The proposed MHPA BLA at this location would not significantly increase the likelihood that any uncovered species would be listed under either the federal or state Endangered Species Act. The observed nest of the San Diego woodrat would be avoided and the surrounding habitat would be preserved in open space. The proposed MHPA boundary line adjustment was approved by the Wildlife Agencies and City MSCP on June 21, 2019. Once the boundary line adjustment is completed, no direct impacts or loss of MHPA lands would result from the project. The proposed MHPA BLA would be beneficial to the overall MHPA preserve at this location due to an increase in Tier IIIA and IIIB habitats and acreage of preserved land. The minor losses of coastal sage scrub, southern mixed chaparral, and non-native grassland habitats from encroachments into the current MHPA total 0.55 acre and would be offset by additions of coastal sage scrub, southern mixed chaparral, and non-native grassland habitats into the MHPA currently located within the southern portion of the project site totaling 5.06 acres. This proposed land exchange complies with the overall MSCP policy for BLAs, as the approved BLA would transfer equal or higher biological values of impacted species and habitats into the preserve. b. Area Specific Management Directives Measures to protect the MHPA are outlined in the MSCP and include general and specific guidelines for development within and adjacent to the MHPA, and management and monitoring goals for specific areas, habitat, and species. These guidelines are intended to preclude impacts, particularly those related to urban edge effects which include (but are not limited to) trampling, dumping, vehicular traffic, competition with invasive species (i.e., parasitism or predation from invasive animal species and habitat degradation from introduction of non-native plant species), predation by domestic animals, noise, collecting, recreational activities, and other human intrusion (City of San Diego 1997). Appendix A of the MSCP (City of San Diego 1997) also outlines species specific conditions of coverage for all covered species. These conditions of coverage are outlined in below.