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HomeMy Public PortalAbout4-2_AgricultureForestry.pdf4.2 AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY RESOURCES 4.2-1 This section discusses agricultural and forest resources in the vicinity of the project site, and evaluates the potential for adverse impacts to those resources as a result of buildout of the project. The following evaluation assesses farm- land and forestland conversion, Williamson Act contracts, and changes in the physical environment that could contribute to farmland and forestland con- version. A. Regulatory Framework This section summarizes key State and local regulations, policies and pro- grams pertaining to agriculture and forestry in the vicinity of the project site. 1. Federal Regulations There are no federal regulations pertaining to agriculture and forestry that apply to this project. 2. State Regulations a. Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program Within the California Natural Resources Agency, the State Department of Conservation provides services and information that promote informed land- use decisions and sound management of the State’s natural resources. The Department manages the Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program (FMMP), which supports agriculture throughout California by developing maps and statistical data for analyzing land use impacts to farmland. FMMP rates the production potential of agricultural land according to the following classifications: ¤ Prime Farmland has the best combination of physical and chemical fea- tures able to sustain long-term agricultural production. Prime Farmland has the soil quality, growing season, and moisture supply needed to pro- duce sustained high yields. Land must have been used for irrigated agri- culture production at some time during the four years prior to the map- ping date. TOWN OF TRUCKEE CANYON SPRINGS DRAFT EIR AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY RESOURCES 4.2-2 ¤ Farmland of Statewide Importance is similar to Prime Farmland but with minor shortcomings, such as steeper slopes or less ability to store soil moisture. Land must have been used for irrigated agricultural pro- duction at some time during the four years prior to the mapping date. ¤ Unique Farmland consists of lesser quality soils used for the production of the state’s leading agricultural crops. This land is usually irrigated, but may include non-irrigated orchards or vineyards as found in some climat- ic zones in California. Land must have been cropped at some time dur- ing the four years prior to the mapping date. ¤ Grazing Land is the land on which the existing vegetation is suited to the grazing of livestock. ¤ Urban and Built-Up Land is occupied by structures with a building den- sity of at least 1 unit to 1.5 acres, or approximately six structures to a 10-acre parcel. Common examples include residential, industrial, com- mercial, institutional facilities, cemeteries, airports, golf courses, sanitary landfills, sewage treatment, and water control structures. ¤ Other Land is land not included in any other mapping category. Com- mon examples include low density rural developments, brush, timber, wetlands, riparian areas not suitable for livestock grazing, confined live- stock, poultry, aquaculture facilities, and strip mines. Vacant and nonag- ricultural land surrounded on all sides by urban development and greater than 40 acres is mapped as other land. ¤ Water is used to describe perennial water bodies with an extent of at least 40 acres. b. Williamson Act The California Land Conservation Act, better known as the Williamson Act, preserves agricultural and open space lands through property tax incentives and voluntary restrictive use contracts administered by the County under State regulations. Private landowners voluntarily restrict their land to agri- cultural and compatible open space uses under minimum 10-year rolling term contracts, with counties and cities also acting voluntarily. In return, restrict- TOWN OF TRUCKEE CANYON SPRINGS DRAFT EIR AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY RESOURCES 4.2-3 ed parcels are assessed for property tax purposes at a rate consistent with their actual use, rather than potential market value.1 Local governments receive an annual subvention of forgone property tax revenues from the State via the Open Space Subvention Act of 1971. c. Z’Berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act The 1973 Z’Berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act (FPA) is the primary governing statute on matters related to forestry in the State of California. The FPA re- quires an owner of timberland who wishes to harvest timber for commercial purposes to submit one of several types of timber harvest plans, depending on the nature of the operation and the type of landowner involved, to the Cali- fornia Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF) for its review and approval. d. Timberland Productivity Act California also has enacted the 1976 Timberland Productivity Act (TPA), which establishes a special zoning designation for commercial timberland that restricts the use of such land to timberland production and compatible uses and which offers certain tax advantages. e. California Forest Practice Rules The purpose of the Forest Practice Rules is to implement the provisions of the Z'berg-Nejedly FPA in a manner consistent with other laws, including but not limited to, the Timberland Productivity Act, the California Envi- ronmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Porter Cologne Water Quality Act, and the California Endangered Species Act. The California Forest Practice Rules protect the forest and associated resources on non-federal lands from deple- tion and degradation through specific rules applicable to timber harvest plan- ning and operations. These detailed rules apply whenever forest products are sold, bartered, exchanged, or traded. 1 California Department of Conservation, California Land Conservation (Williamson) Act Status Report, August, 2002, page 1. TOWN OF TRUCKEE CANYON SPRINGS DRAFT EIR AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY RESOURCES 4.2-4 3. Local Regulations a. Town of Truckee 2025 General Plan The Town of Truckee 2025 General Plan includes goals and policies that relate to resource open space for its productive resource values, including timber harvesting and grazing uses. Table 4.2-1 lists these goals and policies. TABLE 4.2-1 TRUCKEE GENERAL PLAN POLICIES PERTAINING TO AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY Policy or Goal No. Goals and Policies Goal COS-7 Protect and conserve managed resource open space for its productive resource values, including timber harvesting and grazing uses, and for its recreational, scenic, and biological values. COS-P7.1 Work closely with the Forest Service and private property owners to ensure that forest or rangeland areas are preserved, to the extent feasible, for continued managed resource, recreation, scenic or biological resource open space uses. COS-P7.3 Require a Conditional Use Permit for any proposed conversion of timberland to an alternate use not associated with an approved development project. COS-P7.4 Coordinate with the California Department of Forestry in the review of all timber harvesting and conversion plans relative to potential impacts on visual, biological, and recreational resources. Source: Town of Truckee 2025 General Plan. B. Existing Conditions 1. Agriculture The Town of Truckee 2025 General Plan establishes several categories of open space, including Managed Resource Areas, which are defined as land under public or private ownership where uses focus on the land’s resource values from activities such as cattle grazing, forestry, or mineral extraction. Areas of rangeland vegetation in and around Truckee generally provide the best poten- TOWN OF TRUCKEE CANYON SPRINGS DRAFT EIR AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY RESOURCES 4.2-5 tial for agricultural uses; however, there is no active grazing taking place in Truckee today.2 The project site itself is not in agricultural use and does not contain any Prime Farmland, Unique Farmland, or Farmland of Statewide Importance identified on the 2008 FMMP map of Important Farmland in California.3 Additionally, there are no Williamson Act contracts in force in eastern Neva- da County, including on the project site or in its general vicinity.4 The area directly to the south of the project site in unincorporated Nevada County has 20± acres zoned AG (General Agriculture)5 and designated RUR- 20 (Rural: 20-acre minimum parcel size) under the Nevada County General Plan. This area is comprised of the Juniper Hills subdivision and is not cur- rently in use for the production of any crops. 2. Forestry The Truckee/North Tahoe region contains some important areas of protect- ed forest land, including Mount Rose Wilderness and Donner Memorial State Park. However, there are no protected forest lands on project site or imme- diately adjacent to it. There are no commercial forestry operations in the Truckee area today, although some timber harvesting for forest management does occur. 6 The project site itself is currently undeveloped and dominant plant communities on the site include Jeffrey Pine Forest and Sagebrush Scrub. 2 Town of Truckee General Plan 2025, page 7-12. 3 California Department of Conservation, Farmland Mapping & Monitoring Program, "County PDF Maps," http://www.conservation.ca.gov/dlrp/fmmp/Pages/ Index.aspx, accessed on April 22, 2011. 4 California Department of Conservation, "Williamson Act Program," http://www.conservation.ca.gov/dlrp/lca/Pages/Index.aspx, accessed on April 22, 2011. 5 Nevada County, "County Zoning Maps," http://mynevadacounty.com/ gis/index.cfm?ccs=629&cs=1119, accessed on April 22, 2011. 6 Town of Truckee General Plan 2025, page 7-12. TOWN OF TRUCKEE CANYON SPRINGS DRAFT EIR AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY RESOURCES 4.2-6 C. Standards of Significance The proposed project would have a significant impact with regard to agricul- tural and forest resources if it would: ¤ Convert Prime Farmland, Unique Farmland, or Farmland of Statewide Importance (Farmland), as shown on the maps prepared pursuant to the Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program of the California Resources Agency, to non-agricultural use. ¤ Conflict with existing zoning for agricultural use, or a Williamson Act contract. ¤ Conflict with existing zoning for, or cause rezoning of, forest land, tim- berland, or timberland zoned Timberland Production. ¤ Result in the loss of forest land or conversion of forest land to non-forest use. ¤ Involve other changes in the existing environment which, due to their lo- cation or nature, could result in conversion of Farmland, to non- agricultural use or conversion of forest land to non-forest use. D. Impact Discussion The following discussion provides an analysis of potential project and cumu- lative impacts to agricultural and forest resources that could occur as a result of buildout of the proposed project. 1. Project Impacts a. Convert Prime Farmland, Unique Farmland, or Farmland of Statewide Importance (Farmland), as shown on the maps prepared pursuant to the Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program of the California Resources Agency, to non-agricultural use. As there is no Prime Farmland, Unique Farmland, or Farmland of Statewide Importance on or near the project site, buildout of the project would not re- TOWN OF TRUCKEE CANYON SPRINGS DRAFT EIR AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY RESOURCES 4.2-7 sult in conversion of important farmland identified under the FMMP, and therefore there would be no impact with respect to this criterion. b. Conflict with existing zoning for agricultural use, or a Williamson Act contract. The project site is not zoned for agricultural use. A central portion of the project site is zoned Open Space in recognition of a wildlife migration corri- dor, and the remainder of the site is zoned for residential use. Additionally, there are no Williamson Act contracts binding on the project site or adjacent lands. Therefore, implementation of the project would not conflict with zon- ing for agricultural uses or with Williamson Act contracts and as such there would be no impact. c. Conflict with existing zoning for, or cause rezoning of, forest land, tim- berland, or timberland zoned Timberland Production. The project site is not zoned for forestry or Timberland Production and im- plementation of the project would not require changes to existing zoning for the site. As such, there would be no impact related to zoning of forest land or timberland. d. Result in the loss of forest land or conversion of forest land to non-forest use. The project site is primarily comprised of Jeffrey Pine Forest and Sagebrush Scrub, some of which would be removed with buildout of the project. As shown in Figure 3-5 in Chapter 3, Project Description, of this Draft EIR, a central portion of the project site along the north fork of Juniper Creek would be preserved in its current undeveloped state as open space in recogni- tion of the wildlife migration corridor. Overall, the 176.17 acres of public open space on the project site would be permanently reserved by protective conservation easement or dedication to the Town of Truckee/Truckee Don- ner Land Trust. Further, as shown on Figure 3-6, the project includes re- planting native vegetation on the approximately seven-acre portion of the project site that was the location of a previous fire. Jeffery Pine saplings will be clustered and spacing will be varied for a natural appearance at approxi- TOWN OF TRUCKEE CANYON SPRINGS DRAFT EIR AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY RESOURCES 4.2-8 mately 35 feet apart. The more densely forested southern portion of the site would also remain undeveloped. Residential development proposed as part of the project would be concentrated in the portions of the project site currently zoned RS-1.0, Single-Family Residential, and designated for residential use at 0.5 to 1.0 dwelling units per acre (du/acre) in the Town of Truckee 2025 Gen- eral Plan. Although the project is not located in a Timberland Production Zone (TPZ), under Section 4526 of the California Public Resources Code the project site is considered timberland because it is capable of and available for commercial production of lumber or other commercial forest crops.7 However, pursuant to Section 1104.2 of the California Forest Practice Rules, the project would be exempt from the State requirement for a Timberland Conversion Permit on the condition that the Truckee Town Council approves the proposed subdi- vision map and grants the use permits required for the project. In compliance with Section 1034 of the California Forest Practice Rules, a Timber Harvesting Plan (THP) would be prepared prior to the issuance build- ing permits. The THP would describe the boundaries, conditions, and own- ership of the land to be cleared for project buildout. Additionally, a Notice of Exemption from Timberland Conversion Permit for Subdivision would be filed with the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection before site clearing begins and before the THP is submitted, as required under the California Forest Practice Rules. Therefore, as the project does not conflict with existing zoning of forest land and as the project would comply with the California Public Resources Code and Forest Practice Rules pertaining to conversion of timberland, buildout of 7 According to the California Public Resources Code, "Timberland" is land, other than land owned by the federal government and land designated by the board as experimental forest land, which is available for, and capable of, growing a crop of trees of any commercial species used to produce lumber and other forest products, includ- ing Christmas trees. Commercial species shall be determined by the board on a dis- trict basis after consultation with the district committees and others. TOWN OF TRUCKEE CANYON SPRINGS DRAFT EIR AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY RESOURCES 4.2-9 the project would result in a less-than-significant impact with respect to tim- berland conversion. e. Involve other changes in the existing environment which, due to their location or nature, could result in conversion of Farmland, to non- agricultural use or conversion of forest land to non-forest use. As discussed above, land adjacent to the project site immediately to the south in unincorporated Nevada County is not currently in agricultural produc- tion. The proposed project would result in the construction of residences on the project site; however, buildout of the project would not create adverse impacts which could trigger conversion of adjacent land zoned General Agri- culture to non-agricultural use. Additional noise, traffic, and human activity on the project site would be sufficiently separated from the adjacent lands zoned General Agriculture given the open space buffer at the south of the project site (shown on Figure 3-5) and the distance between the proposed res- idential development and adjacent farmland. As discussed above, there are no commercial forestry operations in the Truckee area and land surrounding the project site is not currently used for timber harvesting. Buildout of the project would, therefore, not affect ongo- ing forestry and timberland harvesting activities. As such, overall, buildout of the project would have a less-than-significant impact regarding the conversion of Farmland to non-agricultural use or conversion of forest land to non-forest use. 2. Cumulative Impacts This section analyzes potential impacts to agricultural and forest resources that could occur from a combination of the project with the Town buildout identified in the Town of Truckee 2025 General Plan and reasonably foreseea- ble projects in the surrounding area. The geographic scope of this analysis is taken as the Town of Truckee sphere of influence (SOI), as defined in the Town of Truckee 2025 General Plan and reasonably foreseeable projects in the surrounding area. Therefore, a cumulative impact would be considered signif- icant if, taken together with past, present, and reasonably foreseeable projects TOWN OF TRUCKEE CANYON SPRINGS DRAFT EIR AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY RESOURCES 4.2-10 in the Town of Truckee SOI and other reasonably foreseeable projects in the surrounding area, it would result in the conversion of farmland of concern to non-agricultural use, the conversion of forest land to non-forest use, a conflict with existing zoning for agricultural or forest use, a conflict with a William- son Act contract, or otherwise involve changes in the existing environment which could cause the conversion of farmland to non-agricultural use or for- est land to non-forest use. As described above, buildout of the project would not conflict with existing zoning for either agricultural or forest use or with a Williamson Act contract. Therefore, development on the project site would not cause or contribute to a cumulative impact related to conflict with existing zoning or Williamson Act contracts. Project buildout would also not cause the conversion of agricul- tural land on or adjacent to the project site to non-agricultural uses, and there- fore would not result in an associated cumulative impact. As described in Chapter 4, Environmental Evaluation, of this Draft EIR, the Boca Quarry Expansion project in Nevada County, when considered with the project and the Town buildout of the Town of Truckee 2025 General Plan could result in cumulative environmental impacts. However, the Boca Quar- ry Expansion project site has no important Farmlands designations and there are no agricultural operations in the vicinity of the Boca Quarry site. Fur- thermore, the Boca Quarry site is not within a Timberland Production Zone possibly due to the lack of substantial timber resources on-site. The Boca Quarry site is however zoned for Mineral Extraction, and is a viable aggregate resource for the Eastern Nevada County.8 Additionally, the Town of Truckee 2025 General Plan contains policies which protect forest resources, including those on and adjacent to the project site. These policies, listed above on Table 4.2-1, include Policy P7.1, which re- quires the Town to work with the Forest Service and private property hold- 8 Nevada County California Initial Study for the Boca Quarry Expansion Project prepared by Tod Herman, Senior Planner, County of Nevada, on December 29, 2010. TOWN OF TRUCKEE CANYON SPRINGS DRAFT EIR AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY RESOURCES 4.2-11 ers to preserve forest land; Policy P7.3, which mandates a Conditional Use Permit for any proposed conversion of timberland to alternative uses not associated with an approved project; and Policy P7.4, which call for coordina- tion and cooperation with the California Department of Forestry in review of timber harvesting and conversion plans. Continued implementation of Town of Truckee 2025 General Plan Policies related to forestry would ensure that cumulative impacts associated with the conversion of forest land to non- forest use would be less than significant. Overall, cumulative impacts to agricultural and forest resources from the buildout of the proposed project in combination with other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable projects in the Truckee SOI would be less than signifi- cant. E. Impacts and Mitigation Measures Project and cumulative impacts related to agriculture and forest resources would be less than significant and no mitigation measures are warranted. TOWN OF TRUCKEE CANYON SPRINGS DRAFT EIR AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY RESOURCES 4.2-12