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WILLOW GLENN IV MAZAMA POCKET GOPHER REPORT MAZAMA POCKET GOPHER (Thomomys Mazama) and REGULATED PRAIRIE ABSENCE REPORT Prepared for Denny Balascio October 4, 2023 Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 1 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 1.0 INTRODUCTION This report is the result of a Mazama Pocket Gopher and Regulated Prairie survey of the following parcel; (Figure 1): • The 12.53-acre parcel #64303500100 at 9819 GROVE RD SE Yelm with the legal description of MC KENNA IRR TR L 1 B 35 LESS STATE HW 1/2 VAC ST ADJON N in Thurston County, WA. The Purpose of this report is to provide a study of the presence or absence of indicators of the Mazama Pocket Gopher (Thomomys Mazama) (MPG) and Regulated Prairie under City of Yelm Code Chapter 1821. This study should allow the reader to assess whether the Mazama pocket gopher is likely to be found on site and what the implications of its presence or absence may have with regard to permitting. Mazama Pocket Gopher Four subspecies of Mazama pocket gophers found in Thurston City are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Impacts to Mazama pocket gophers should be avoided or addressed through USFWS permitting processes. The presence of this species on a property may have regulatory Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 2 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 implications that may limit the amount or type of development that can occur on a property in order to avoid “take” of the species. Take is defined under the ESA as harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect any threatened or endangered species. 2.0 METHODS 2.1 Review of Existing Information Background Review Background information on the subject property was reviewed prior to field investigations and included the following: • Thurston City Geodata Gopher Soils Shapefiles • WDFW Priority Habitats and Species Information • USFWS species list information • WDFW species information 2.2 Summary of Existing Information The existing information shows: • Spanaway gravelly sandy loam 0 to 3 percent slopes • Spanaway stony sandy loam 0 to 3 percent slopes on and within 300 feet of the subject property, which are more and less preferred by the MPG (Figure 2) and (Attachment A). Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 3 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 4 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 The WDFW Priority Habitats and Species Map shows the MPG was found within 600 feet of the subject property in 2019 (Appendix B). 2.3 2023 Mazama Pocket Gopher Protocol A. General Information – 2023 Approach 1. The MPG review season will run June 1-October 31, 2023. 2. The protocol described in this memorandum will only apply to properties not known to be occupied by MPG since April 2014, the date of the federal listing. 3. Negative determinations will be valid for the length of the underlying City permit or Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 5 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 approval, per City code. 4. Qualified consultants may perform field reviews and submit results for City evaluation, per the CAO. Consultants must have received training from USFWS at one of the two trainings offered in May/June 2019 and is certified to conduct these surveys. Alex Callender is qualified as a consultant as he received training and certification during the May 2018 class conducted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. . ____________________________________________________________________________________ B. In-Office Procedures 1. Staff will review land use applications to determine if the MPG field screening protocols described in this memorandum must be initiated for the following: a. Within 600 feet of a site known to have positive MPG occurrence; or b. On or within 300 feet of a soil type known to be associated with MPG occupancy. 8. Yelm landowners who know or learn that Mazama pocket gophers are present on their property can move forward with their proposed development by: 1) proposing mitigation to the City as directed in the City’s Critical Areas Ordinance (Title 24TCC); or 2) contacting USFWS directly to discuss the review, assessment, and mitigation process most appropriate for their site(s) and proposed activities, . C. Preliminary Assessment As land use applications are received, properties mapped with or within 300 feet of gopher and/or prairie soils undergo the following preliminary assessment in-office. 1. For properties or project areas that appear to meet City criteria below, an internal review is conducted by staff biologist to determine if the project may be released from the full gopher review process. The following criteria may release a project from further gopher review: • Locations west of the Black River, or on the Steamboat Island or Cooper Point peninsulas. • Sites submerged for 30 consecutive days or more since October 31, 2017. • Sites covered with impervious surfaces (as defined in CAO Chapter 17.15 and Title 24). • Fully forested (>30%) sites with shrub and fern understory. • Sites that consist of slopes greater than 40 percent, or that contain landslide hazard areas (per existing City regulations). • Sites on less preferred MPG soils north of Interstate 5. • Building to take place in the footprint of an existing structure (also mobile home replacements in the same footprint). • Mobile home replacements in existing lots in an existing mobile home park. • Heating oil tank removal Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 6 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 • Foundation repair • Projects which lie >300 feet from mapped gopher soils. 2. If a property and/or project area do not meet internal review criteria, the project is put on a list to be scheduled for full MPG review during the appropriate seasonal review period. In order to ensure the review process runs efficiently, the following measures will be implemented as part of the 2023 screening approach. These are intended to reduce costs and staff time, and ensure that MPG screening requests, especially those associated with building permit applications, are screened during the screening season. 1. No soil verification will be required in conjunction with MPG field screening. 2. Site mowing or brushing will be required to initiate first site visits, where necessary and feasible, and completed two to four weeks in advance of the site visit. 3. No further screening will be conducted in 2023 following the detection of MPG mounds on a property. The city will notify landowners that MPG evidence has been detected within two weeks. 4. At the end of the 2023 season, City staff will provide data regarding MPG occupancy to USFWS. 5. No additional site visit will be required if indeterminate mounds are detected, if the full number of required visits has been completed. 6. The City will prioritize project specific applications over non-project applications. This will help ensure that applicants that have projects ready for construction will receive necessary permits and may initiate construction in a timely manner. ________________________________________________________________________________ E. Site Visit Overview Hired consultants will conduct field observations to determine MPG presence on sites with potential habitat. These site visits will be conducted as follows: 1. All valid site visits must be conducted from June 1 through October 31, 2023. Site visits outside that survey window will not be considered valid. The visits were conducted according to the protocol. 2. A site or parcel is considered to be the entire property, not just the footprint of the proposed project. The entire parcel was surveyed. Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 7 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 3. Sites with less preferred soils (see Attachment A) will be visited two (2) times, at least 30 days apart. The surveys were conducted according to the protocol. 4. Sites with more preferred soils (see Attachment A) will be visited two (2) times, at least 30 days apart. The surveys were conducted according to the protocol. 5. Site conditions must be recorded on a data sheet or similar information documented in narrative form. A template data sheet can be found on the city website at http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/permitting/gopher-reviews/index.html The data sheets are provided in Appendix C. 6. Document and describe which areas of the parcel cannot be screened due to limited accessibility and/or dense understory. This should be depicted on an aerial or site plan submitted to the city. The entire parcel was surveyed. 7. The ground must be easily visible to ensure mound observation and identification. Request mowing if necessary to ensure visibility. Wait two to three weeks after mowing before beginning screening. The ground was visible. http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/permitting/gopher-reviews/index.html F. Detailed Field Methodology 1. The survey crew orients themselves with the layout of the property using aerial maps, and strategizes their route for walking through the property. 2. Start GPS to record survey route. 3. Walk the survey transects methodically, slowly walking a straight line and scanning an area approximately 2-3 meters to the left and right as you walk, looking for mounds. Transects should be no more than five (5) meters apart when conducted by a single individual. 4. If the survey is performed by a team, walk together in parallel lines approximately 5 meters apart while you are scanning left to right for mounds. The survey was conducted according to the protocol. 5. At each mound found, stop and identify it as an MPG or mole mound. If it is an MPG mound, identify it as a singular mound or a group (3 mounds or more) on a data sheet to Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 8 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 be submitted to the city. (City has developed data sheets for your use on http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/permitting/gopher-reviews/index.html ) No mole or MPG mounds were found during either survey. 6. Record all positive MPG mounds, likely MPG mounds, and MPG mound groups in a GPS unit that provides a date, time, georeferenced point, and other required information in City GPS data instruction for each MPG mound. Submit GPS data in a form acceptable to the city. City GPS Data instruction can be found at http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/permitting/gopher-reviews/index.html No MPG mounds or likely MPG mounds were found. 7. Photograph all MPG mounds or MPG mound groups. At a minimum, photograph MPG mounds or MPG mound groups representative of MPG detections on site. No MPG mounds or likely MPG mounds were found during the surveys. 8. Photos of mounds should include one that has identifiable landscape features for reference. In order to accurately depict the presence of gopher activity on a specific property, the following series of photos should be submitted to the City: • At least one up-close photo to depict mound characteristics No MPG mounds were found. • At least one photo depicting groups of mounds as a whole (when groups are encountered). N/A • At least one photo depicting gopher mounds with recognizable landscape features in the background, at each location where mounds are detected on a property N/A • Photos can be taken with the GPS unit or a separate, camera, preferably a camera with locational features (latitude, longitude) N/A • Photo point description or noteworthy landscape or other features to aid in relocation. Additional photos to be considered. N/A • The approximate building footprint location from at least two cardinal directions. N/A • Landscape photos to depict habitat type and in some cases to indicate why not all portions of a property require gopher screening. Appendix A Photos 9. Describe and/or quantify what portion and proportion of the property was screened, and record your survey route and any MPG mounds found on either an aerial or parcel map. The entire parcel was surveyed. 10. If MPG mounds are observed on a site, that day’s survey effort should continue until the entire site is screened, and all mounds present identified, but additional site visits are not Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 9 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 required. No mounds were found. 11. In order for the city to accurately review Critical Area Reports submitted in lieu of City field inspections the information collected in the field (GPS, data sheets, field notes, transect representations on aerial, etc.) shall be filed with the City. GPS No mounds were found, the information was submitted in an acceptable format. Regulated Prairie, Garry Oaks and Mima Mounds The parcel contains soil types associated with prairies as defined in the Thurston County Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO 24.25). Transects were walked throughout the parcel (or at least throughout the building envelope and 50-foot buffer area). A list of plant species encountered during the survey was recorded and CAO target prairie plants were noted. Regulated prairie can be either wet or dry outwash prairie and is critical habitat for the Taylors checkerspot butterfly and the Mardon skipper butterfly. Prairie habitat is regulated if three indictor species are found within 5 meters (15 feet) of each other with 25 or more of each species in the plot. 1. Prairie Review Method The parcel contains soil types associated with prairies as defined in the Thurston County Critical Areas Ordinance. Transects were walked throughout the parcel, except for the excluded areas, looking for signs of regulated prairie plants. 2. A list of plant species encountered during the survey was recorded and CAO target prairie plants were noted. Plants encountered are listed on the CAO plant list (Appendix D). 3. Confirmation that CAO prairie plants were surveyed for and either found or not found, prairie criteria met or not met, etc. An example statement of your findings could be: Two CAO prairie plants, Camassia quamash and Lupinus polyphyllus, were found during the survey but prairie criteria was not met. 4. If prairie habitat is identified onsite it is regulated pursuant to Chapter 24.25 of the CAO. Provide either a GPS map or hand-drawn aerial map indicating location of prairie plants on the parcel in relation to the proposed building area. No prairie habitat was found onsite. 5. A full species list of plants (prairie and non-prairie) found at the time of survey. Attached is a blank checklist and data sheet if you choose to use. Even if no CAO prairie plants were detected, a complete species list of vegetation observed helps characterize site conditions. The full plant list is in Appendix D. Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 10 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 6. Color photos of plant species encountered. See Appendix A. 7. Transect map. If done concurrently with gopher review, you can use the same transect map. Transect maps are shown in Appendix C. 8. Oregon white oak trees, if observed onsite, must also be documented, mapped, and included in the prairie plant survey. As with prairie plants, provide either a GPS map or hand-drawn aerial map indicating location of oaks on the parcel in relation to the proposed building area. One Oregon white oak was found onsite and the location is mapped on the transect maps in Appendix C. 9. Mima mounds, if observed onsite, must also be documented, mapped, and included in the prairie plant survey. Provide either a GPS map or hand-drawn aerial map indicating location of Mima mounds on the parcel in relation to the proposed building area. No Mima mounds were found onsite. 3.0 CURRENT CONDITIONS AND METHODS Land Services Northwest conducted surveys on August 30 and October 2, 2023, walking the area and looking for signs of the MPG and regulated prairie in accordance with the protocol. This large parcel has mobile homes, a large boat, miscellaneous equipment, and large rock piles throughout. The surveyors walked the entire parcel to the best of our ability. The ground is rocky throughout. There are single-family residences on small lots to the west and south and single-family residences on large lots to the east and north. 4.0 RESULTS No Mazama pocket gophers were found on site. No regulated prairie plants or Mima mounds were found. One approximately 4” Garry oak was found and is shown on the transect maps in Appendix C. Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 11 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Appendix A – Photos Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 12 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 13 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 14 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 15 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 16 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 17 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 18 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 19 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 20 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 21 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 22 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 23 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 24 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 25 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 26 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Appendix B - WDFW Priority Habitats and Species Map Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 27 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 28 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 29 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 30 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Appendix C - MPG Survey Form and Transect Map Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 31 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 32 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 33 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 34 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 35 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 36 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023 Appendix D - Prairie Plants Ballascio MPG and Regulated Prairie Absence Report - 37 - Land Services Northwest October 4, 2023