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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01. Final IS MND & MMRP California Environmental Quality Act Initial Study, Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program For Tentative Tract Map No. 20078 MASTER CASE NO. 16-061 TENTATIVE TRACT MAP CASE NO. 16-015 City of Fontana, California Prepared for: City of Fontana Community Development Department Planning Division 8353 Sierra Avenue Fontana, California 92335 Prepared by: The Planning Consortium 29422 Modjeska Canyon Road Silverado, California 92676 March 2020 Intentionally Blank Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project i March 2020 TABLE OF CONTENTS Initial Study - Environmental Checklist Form……………… …………..……………………….………… 1 Environmental Factors Potentially Affected……………………………………………………...………… 2 Mitigated Negative Declaration Determination……………………………………………………...……... 3 Evaluation of Environmental Impacts……………………………………………………………..…….….. 4 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………. 5 I. Aesthetics……………………..………………………………………….…………………...…… 10 II. Agricultural Resources……………..…………………………………………………………….... 12 III. Air Quality……………..…………………………………………………………..……………..... 15 IV. Biological Resources……………………………………………..…………………………...…… 26 V. Cultural Resources……………………………………………………..………….……………..… 43 VI. Energy………………………………………………………………..………………………..…… 57 VII. Geology and Soils………………………………………………..…………………………..….…. 60 VIII. Greenhouse Gas Emissions…………………………………..…………………………….….…… 67 IX. Hazards and Hazardous Materials…………………………..………………………………..….…. 71 X. Hydrology and Water Quality………………………..…………………………………….………. 75 XI. Land Use……………………………………………..……………………….……………………. 81 XII. Mineral Resources………………………………..…………………………………………………83 XIII. Noise……………………………………………..………………………………………………… 84 XIV. Population and Housing………………………..……………………………………………….….. 88 XV. Public Services…………………………………..……………………………………….……….... 90 XVI. Recreation………………………………………..………………………………………………… 93 XVII. Transportation…………………………………..………………………………………………….. 94 XVIII. Tribal Cultural Resources……………………..……………………………….…………………... 97 XIX. Utilities and Service Systems………………..…………………………………….……………… 101 XX. Wildfire…………………………………………..……………………………….……………..…106 XXI. Mandatory Findings of Significance………..………………………………………………..….....117 LIST OF EXHIBITS Exhibit 1: Regional Location Map……………………………………………………………………….….. 6 Exhibit 2: Local Vicinity Map………………………………..………………………………………….….. 7 Exhibit 3: Project Site Aerial Photo……..…………………..………………………………………………. 8 Exhibit 4: Project Site Plan………………………………………………………………………………….. 9 Exhibit 5: USGS Vicinity Map……………………………………………………………………………... 44 Exhibit 6: Current Natural Setting Photo…………………………………………………………………… 45 Exhibit 7: Previous Cultural Resources Studies……………………………………………………………. 49 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: SCAQMD Thresholds of Significance………….………………………………………...…….. 15 Table 2: Localized Significance Thresholds at the Nearest Receptor…..………………………..………. 16 Table 3: Peak Construction Emissions by Construction Activity…………..……………………….….… 17 Table 4: On-Site Emissions by Construction Activity………………………………...……….….….…... 17 Table 5: Regional Operational Emissions………………………..……………………….….................… 21 Table 6: Comparison of Project Emissions with South Coast Air Basin Emissions…….…….…..…..….. 21 Table 7: On-Site Emissions by Operations………………………………………………….……..……… 22 Table 8: Construction GHG Emissions………………………………………………….………………… 67 Table 9: Annual Project Emissions………………………………………………………………………... 68 Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project ii March 2020 LIST OF APPENDICES A. Focused Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emission Analysis for the Tract 20078, City of Fontana, Greve & Associates, October 2017. B. Biological Resources Assessment for Proposed Subdivision, Tentative Tract Map 20078, Fontana, San Bernardino County, California, H. Lee Jones, Ph.D., November 2017. C Results of Breeding Season California Gnatcatcher Presence/Absence Surveys on Tentative Tract Map 20078, Fontana, San Bernardino County, California (Permit No. TE-829204)", H. Lee Jones, Ph.D., June 2018. D. Results of a 2017 field habitat assessment to determine the potential presence of the federally endangered San Bernardino kangaroo rat (SBKR) on the approximately 7-acre Tentative Tract 20078, located in the San Sevaine Area of Rancho Cucamonga, California", SJM Biological Consultants, December 2017. E. Historical/Archaeological Resources Survey Report, Tentative Tracy Map No 20078. APN 0226-421-06, City of Fontana, San Bernardino County, California, CRM TECH, October 2017 F. Fault Rupture Hazard Investigation, Tentative Tract Map No. 20078, City of Fontana, California, Sampson and Associates, April 2019. G. Preliminary Soils Evaluation, Proposed 21 Single-Family Residences, Tentative Tract Map No. 17199, North Fontana, California, Sampson & Associates, Consulting Engineers, October 2016; H. Phase 1 Environmental Audit (APN No. 0226-421-06) Fontana, CA 92336, Geoscience Analytical, Inc. July 2018. I. San Bernardino County Storm Water Program, Preliminary Water Quality Management Plan, Santa Ana Watershed Region, Tract Map 20078, APN 0226-421-06, Fontana CA 92335, HP Engineering, Inc. July 2019. J. Hunter’s Ridge II Tentative Tract 20078, Fontana, California, Fire Protection Plan, Firewise 2000, Inc. October 2108. K. Annexation No. 98-02, General Plan Amendment No, 98-07, Specific Plan Amendment No, 98-05 and Zone Change 98-07 Initial Study and Negative Declaration, February 11,1999. Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 1 March 2020 INITIAL STUDY - ENVIRONMENTAL CHECKLIST FORM 1. Project Title: Tentative Tract Map No. 20078 2. Lead Agency Name and Address: City of Fontana, 8353 Sierra Avenue, Fontana, California 92335 3. Contact Person and Phone Number: Jon Dille, Associate Planner (909) 350-6681 4. Project Location: The project site is located approximately 140 feet north of the northeast corner of the intersection of Labrador Avenue and Moncton Avenue (at the existing terminus of Moncton Avenue) and also known as Phase No. “4” of the Hunter’s Ridge Specific Plan (APN: 0226-421-06). 5. Project Sponsor's Name and Address: Highland H & S Plaza, LLC, 300 East Bonita Avenue, San Dimas, California 91773 (626) 290-1935 6. General Plan Designation: R-PC, Residential Planned Community, (3.0 - 6.4 du/ac) 7. Zoning: Hunter’s Ridge Specific Plan, Residential "R-1 7,200" and Public Utility Corridors, "P-UC" 8. Description of Project: The applicant is requesting that the Planning Commission review and approve Tentative Tract Map No. 20078, located in the Hunter’s Ridge Specific Plan and issue Design Review approval. This is the last remaining area to be subdivided in the Hunter’s Ridge Specific Plan. The project site is zoned Single-Family Residential (R-1-7,200), which requires a minimum lot size, including the buildable area, of 7,200 square feet. The proposed tentative tract map (Tentative Tract Map No. 20078) is a request to subdivide one (1) parcels of land, approximately 9.5 gross acres, into 20 lots for the development of single-family homes and five (5) letter lots (Lot “A,” Lot “B,” Lot “C,” Lot “D,” and Lot “E”). The project is located within the State Cal-Fire Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. The single-family lots range in size from approximately 7,866 square feet to approximately 15,107 square feet, over approximately 5.8 adjusted gross acres. The project site is vacant and is adjacent to existing single-family homes on two (2) sides (Tract No. 14573). The proposed lots meet the minimum building pad square footage of the specific plan requirements. Letter Lot “A” is an equestrian trail of approximately 0.4 adjusted gross acres (17,451 square feet). The trail is 15-foot wide by 1,163-foot along the west and north boundaries of the project site. The equestrian trail will be a continuation of the existing trail to the south of the project site. Letter Lot “B” is an infiltration basin of approximately 0.18 adjusted gross acres (7,844 square feet). The basin is approximately 125-foot wide by 63-foot and will not exceed 3-foot. The basin will be secure with a minimum of a six (6) foot decorative block wall on three (3) sides and a 6-foot tubular steel fence and gate at the street frontage. Letter Lot “C” is an emergency vehicle access easement of approximately 0.04 adjusted gross acres (1,882 square feet). This access easement is approximately 20-foot wide by 95-foot. The access easement will provide an access point for emergence vehicle between Lot No.14 and Lot No. 15, to access the area north of the project site. This easement shall be constructed to support an 80,000lb fire apparatus, or conform to applicable San Bernardino County Fire District (SBCFD) requirements. Letter Lot “E” is identified as an open space area of approximately 2.1 adjusted gross acres (91,476 square feet). This open space area is 15-foot wide by approximately 818-foot. This open space area with remain mostly natural with some wide abatement twice a year. As shown on the Tentative Tract Map the applicant is proposing some flag lots. The Hunter’s Ridge Specific Plan permits flag lots provided the staff portion is not less than 20-foot wide and not more than 150-foot in length. These regulations have been met. The dashed lines represent the required pad area (buildable area). The homes will require review under a separate application. Two (2) additional drainage easements are required within the tract boundaries: 1. The first drainage easement is approximately 15-foot wide by 192-foot, located on Lot No. 8. This drainage easement will control and direct the nuisance water flows of the water run-off from the Fuel Modification Area and open space area into an 18-inch storm drain system that flows into the on-site infiltration basin. 2. The second drainage easement is approximately 10-foot wide by 440-foot. This drainage easement will control and direct the nuisance water flows of the water run-off from Lot No. 1 through Lot No. 5 into a 12-inch Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 2 March 2020 storm drain system that flows into the on-site infiltration basin. This drainage easement shall be maintained by the individual property owners. The development, also, includes two (2) new streets totaling approximately 675 linear feet by 56-foot wide (44,430 square feet). The streets meet the minimum requirement of the Local/Road Typical street section identified within the Hunter’s Ridge Specific Plan. 9, Surrounding Land Uses and Setting: (Briefly describe the project's surroundings.) The project site is located adjacent to existing single family residential to the east and south, by the San Sevaine Drainage Channel to the west, and by the Southern California Edison power transmission line utility corridor to the north. The site currently is vacant and supports native vegetation that consists primarily of Riversidean Sage Scrub. This vegetation provides critical habitat for a number of threatened or endangered plant and animal species. The project site is located within the City of Fontana's North Fontana Conservation Plan. 10. Other public agencies whose approval is required (e.g., permits, financing approval, or participation agreement): US Fish and Wildlife Service (Gnatcatcher Protocol Survey). 11. Have California Native American tribes traditionally and culturally affiliated with the project area requested consultation pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21080.3.1? If so, is there a plan for consultation that includes, for example, the determination of significance of impacts to tribal cultural resources, procedures regarding confidentiality, etc.? The City initiated the consultation process with all Native American Indian Tribes recommended by the NAHC on February 27,2017. This included certified letters to the Gabrieleno Band of Mission Indians-Kizh Nation, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians, and Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians. On March 14, 2017, the Gabrieleno Band of Mission Indians-Kizh Nation responded with a request for consultation. On August 1, 2019, the City had the consultation with this Tribe. They requested geotechnical information and wanted to see how deep the bedrock is and indicated they may not request mitigation for this Project. On August 6, 2019, the City sent this Tribe the geotechnical report that was provided by the applicant. On August 21, 2019, City staff inquired about the status to see if they were going to request mitigation for this project. No response has been forthcoming. On April 28, 2017, Ms. Ann Briety from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians responded with proposed mitigation measures. These mitigation measures have been incorporated into this Initial Study and in the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for this Project. No responses were received from the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians or the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians. ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS POTENTIALLY AFFECTED: The environmental factors checked below would be potentially affected by this project, involving at least one impact that is a "Potentially Significant Impact" as indicated by the checklist on the following pages. I. Aesthetics II. Agriculture and Forestry III. Air Quality IV. Biological Resources V. Cultural Resources VI. Energy VII. Geology/Soils VIII. Greenhouse Gas Emissions IX. Hazards and Hazardous Materials X. Hydrology/Water Quality XI. Land Use/Planning XII. Mineral Resources XIII. Population/Housing XIV. Public Services XV. Noise XVI. Recreation XVII. Transportation XVIII. Utilities/Service Systems XIX. Wildfire XX. Mandatory Findings of Significance Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 4 March 2020 EVALUATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS: 1) A brief explanation is required for all answers except "No Impact" answers that are adequately supported by the information sources a lead agency cites in the parentheses following each question. A "No Impact" answer is adequately supported if the referenced information sources show that the impact simply does not apply to projects like the one involved (e.g. the project falls outside a fault rupture zone). A "No Impact" answer should be explained where it is based on project-specific factors as well as general standards (e.g. the project will not expose sensitive receptors to pollutants, based on a project-specific screening analysis). 2) All answers must take account of the whole action involved, including off-site as well as on-site, cumulative as well as project-level, indirect as well as direct, and construction as well as operational impacts. 3) Once the lead agency has determined that a particular physical impact may occur, then the checklist answers must indicate whether the impact is potentially significant, less than significant with mitigation, or less than significant. "Potentially Significant Impact" is appropriate if there is substantial evidence that an effect is significant. If there are one or more "Potentially Significant Impact" entries when the determination is made, an EIR is required. 4) "Negative Declaration: Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated" applies where the incorporation of mitigation measures has reduced an effect from "Potentially Significant Impact" to a "Less than Significant Impact." The lead agency must describe the mitigation measures, and briefly explain how they reduce the effect to a less than significant level (mitigation measures from Section XVII, "Earlier Analyses," may be cross- referenced). 5) Earlier analyses may be used where, pursuant to the tiering, program EIR, or other CEQA process, an effect has been adequately analyzed in an earlier EIR or negative declaration. Section 15063(c)(3)(D). In this case, a brief discussion should identify the following: a) Earlier Analyses Used. Identify and state where they are available for review. b) Impacts Adequately Addressed. Identify which effects from the above checklist were within the scope of and adequately analyzed in an earlier document pursuant to applicable legal standards, and state whether such effects were addressed by mitigation measures based on the earlier analysis. c) Mitigation Measures. For effects that are "Less than Significant with Mitigation Measures Incorporated," describe the mitigation measures which were incorporated or refined from the earlier document and the extent to which they address site-specific conditions for the project. 6) Lead agencies are encouraged to incorporate into the checklist references to information sources for potential impacts (e.g. general plans, zoning ordinances). Reference to a previously prepared or outside document should, where appropriate, include a reference to the page or pages where the statement is substantiated. 7) Supporting Information Sources. A source list should be attached, and other sources used or individuals contacted should be cited in the discussion. 8) This is only a suggested form, and lead agencies are free to use different formats; however, lead agencies should normally address the questions from this checklist that are relevant to a project's environmental effects in whatever format is selected. 9) The explanation of each issue should identify: a) the significance criteria or threshold, if any, used to evaluate each question; and b) the mitigation measure identified, if any, to reduce the impact to less than significance. Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 5 March 2020 INTRODUCTION This project site, Tentative Tract 20078 is located with the Hunter’s Ridge Specific Plan (HRSP) but was not located within the boundaries of the HRSP when the Specific Plan was originally adopted in February 1989. The Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prepared for the original HRSP did not include the project site or address project specific focused environmental issues now required by the California Environmental Quality Act, or by local, regional and state resource agencies. In August 1998, the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) received a property owner initiated proposal and request for annexation into the City of Fontana for three (3) parcels of land totaling 30 acres located adjacent to the west side of the HRSP, and located within the City of Fontana’s Sphere of Influence. The applicant requested as a part of the proposed annexation for the property to be included within the Hunter’s Ridge Specific Plan. Upon completion of the LAFCO annexation process, the Fontana City Council approved a resolution approving the annexation. In late 1998, the applicant submitted an application to the City of Fontana for a General Plan Amendment (GPA #98-07), a Specific Plan Amendment (SPA #98-05 – HRSP Amendment #7) and a Zone Change (ZC #98). In March 1999, the Fontana Planning Commission recommended the City Council approve the requested discretionary permits that included a General Plan land use designation of Residential Planned Community “R-PC” and Public -Utility Corridor “P-UC”, a Specific Plan Amendment that designated approximately 10 acres as Single Family Residential ‘R-1”,and approximately 20 acres as Public – Utility Corridor “P-UC”, and a Zoning Designation of Hunter’s Ridge Specific Plan #10. In May 1999, the Fontana City Council approved GPA #98-07, SPA #98-5 and ZC #98-07. The City Council also adopted a Negative Declaration and State of California Department of Fish and Game de minimis impact findings for the previous discretionary permits and directed staff to prepare and file a Notice of Determination with the County Clerk of the Board. The following Initial Study tiers off of the Negative Declaration prepared in 1999 for the project’s General Plan Amendment, Specific Plan Amendment and Zone change where applicable. Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 6 March 2020 TTM 20078 SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL PROJECT Exhibit 1 REGIONAL LOCATION PROJECT SITE Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 7 March 2020 TTM 20078 SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL PROJECT Source: Google Earth - August 2018 Exhibit 2 LOCAL VICINITY MAP NORTH PROJECT SITE Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 8 March 2020 TTM 20078 SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL PROJECT Source: Google Earth, August 2018 Exhibit 3 PROJECT SITE AERIAL PHOTO NORTH Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 9 March 2020 TTM 20078 SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL PROJECT Exhibit 4 NORTH PROJECT SITE PLAN Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 10 March 2020 I. AESTHETICS. Would the project: a) Have a substantial adverse effect on a scenic vista? No Impact. The project's proposed improvements meet the Hunter Ridge Specific Plan regulations and design guidelines for walls, fencing and landscaping. The City does not consider streets within this area of the Hunter Ridge Specific Plan scenic corridors or scenic vistas. The project does not affect any scenic vista, as designated by the City of Fontana General Plan or Caltrans. The 1999 Negative Declaration for this project states that future development will not result in obstruction of scenic vistas. Based on this documentation, the Lead Agency finds project impacts to a scenic vista are not considered substantially adverse. Reference: Negative Declaration for GPA #98-07, SPA #98-05 and ZC #98-07, May 1999; Fontana General Plan Update; Hunter Ridge Specific Plan Regulations and Design Guidelines. b) Substantially damage scenic resources, including, but not limited to, tress, rock outcroppings, and historic buildings within a state scenic highway? No Impact The project site does not contain any protected trees, rock outcroppings or significant historic buildings. The project site is not located within or near a state scenic highway. Based on this documentation the Lead Agency finds the project will not damage any scenic resources visible from a local or state scenic highway. Reference: Project Site Plan; Fontana General Plan Update; Hunter Ridge Specific Plan Regulations and Design Guidelines. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 11 March 2020 c) Substantially degrade the existing visual character or quality of the site and its surroundings? No Impact See response to I. a), above. The project's proposed improvements meet the Hunter’s Ridge Specific Plan regulations and design guidelines for walls, fencing and landscaping. This type of single-family residential development is consistent with surrounding residential development in type, size and mass, and does not substantially degrade or affect the visual character or quality of the site and its surroundings. The 1999 Negative Declaration for this project states that future development will comply with the setbacks, landscaping, etc., requirements of the Specific Plan and will not have a significant adverse impact on aesthetics. Accordingly, the Lead Agency finds the Project will not substantially degrade the existing visual character or quality of the site and its surroundings. Reference: Negative Declaration for GPA #98-07, SPA #98-05 and ZC #98-07, May 1999; Fontana DAB review process requirements; Project Site Plan and Landscape Plan; Hunter’s Ridge Specific Plan Regulations and Guidelines. d) Create a new source of substantial light or glare which would adversely affect day or nighttime views in the area? No Impact The proposed 20-unit single family residential project proposes required streetlights to meet City code requirements. Each light standard will be approximately 22 feet tall. This required street lighting is downward directed and shielded from adjacent residential uses. Accordingly, the design of the residential site improvements does not create new sources of substantial nighttime light or daytime glare. The 1999 Negative Declaration for this project states that future development will be mitigated during the staff development review process. The project has undergone staff level design review to ensure compliance. These reviews include building, landscape, hardscape and lighting. This standard development review process requires the applicant to agree to project modifications that mitigate potential visual impacts on the surrounding area, avoiding conditions that could substantially degrade the current visual character or quality of the site's surroundings during construction and during ongoing residential use. Accordingly, the Lead Agency finds the project will not create a new source of substantial light or glare which would adversely affect day or nighttime views in the area. Reference: Negative Declaration for GPA #98-07, SPA #98-05 and ZC #98-07, May 1999; Fontana Planning Commission review and approval; Project Site Plan, Elevations and Landscape Plan; Hunter Ridge Specific Plan Regulations and Guidelines. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 12 March 2020 II. AGRICULTURE RESOURCES. In determining whether impacts to agricultural resources are significant environmental effects, lead agencies may refer to the California Agricultural Land Evaluation and Site Assessment Model (1997) prepared by the California Dept. of Conservation as an optional model to use in assessing impacts on agriculture and farmland. In determining whether impacts to forest resources, including timberland, are significant environmental effects, lead agencies may refer to information compiled by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection regarding the state’s inventory of forest land, including the Forest and Range Assessment Project and the Forest Legacy Assessment project; and forest carbon measurement methodology provided in Forest Protocols adopted by the California Air Resources Board. Would the project: 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 nonagricultural use? No Impact The California Department of Conservation, Division of Land Resource Protection, Farmland Mapping & Monitoring Program and the Fontana General Plan Update demonstrate that the project site and surrounding area do not contain any Prime Farmland, Unique Farmland or Farmland of Statewide Importance. The proposed Project does not convert any type of farmland to a non-agricultural use. Based on this documentation, the project will not create an impact related to the conversion of Prime or Unique Farmland to a non-agricultural use. Reference: California Department of Conservation, Division of Land Resource Protection, Farmland Mapping & Monitoring Program, County of San Bernardino Important Farmland 2012 Map, Sheet 2 of 2 (South), Map Published Feb. 6, 2015; Fontana General Plan Update; Hunter Ridge Specific Plan Regulations and Guidelines. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 13 March 2020 b) Conflict with existing zoning for agricultural use, or a Williamson Act contract? No Impact The project site is currently zoned for residential use and does not conflict with any existing City, County or state zoning for agricultural uses, or an existing or proposed Williamson Act contract. Based on this documentation, the project will not create an impact to agricultural zoned lands or to a Williamson Act contract. Reference: California Resources Agency Farmland Mapping & Monitoring Program; Fontana General Plan Update and Zoning Code; San Bernardino County General Plan and Municipal Code; Hunter Ridge Specific Plan Regulations and Guidelines. c) Conflict with existing zoning for, or cause rezoning of, forest land (as defined in Public Resources Code section 12220(g)), timberland (as defined by Public Resources Code section 4526), or timberland zoned Timberland Production (as defined by Government Code section 51104 (g))? No Impact See responses II. a) & II. b) above. The project site does not contain any forest land, timberland or timberland zoned Timberland Production as defined by the Public Resources Code or the Government Code. Based on this documentation, the proposed project creates no zoning conflicts related to forest lands defined by the Public Resource Code and the Government Code. Reference: California Resources Agency Timberland Production Mapping & Monitoring Program; Fontana General Plan Update; Hunter Ridge Specific Plan Regulations and Guidelines. d) Result in the loss of forest land or conversion of forest land to non-forest use? No Impact See responses II. a), II. b) & II. c) above. The proposed project does not result in the loss of forest land or conversion of forest land to a non-forest use. Based on this documentation, the Lead Agency finds the project creates no impact related to the loss or conversion of forest land to a non-forest use. Reference: California Resources Agency Timberland Production Mapping & Monitoring Program; Fontana General Plan; Open Space & Conservation Element; Hunter Ridge Specific Plan Regulations and Guidelines. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 14 March 2020 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? No Impact See responses II. a) through II. d) above. The proposed project site does not contain any farmland and is zoned for residential use. Therefore, this project will not involve other changes in the existing environment, which, due to their location or nature, could result in the conversion of farmland, to non-agricultural use. Reference: California Resources Agency Farmland and Timberland Production Mapping & Monitoring Program; Fontana General Plan; Open Space & Conservation Element; Hunter Ridge Specific Plan Regulations and Guidelines. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 15 March 2020 III. AIR QUALITY. The analysis contained in Section III is from the "Focused Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emission Analysis" for Tract 20078, City of Fontana, prepared by Greve & Associates in October 2017. This technical study is included as Appendix A of this Initial Study and incorporated by reference. Regional Air Quality Thresholds: In their "1993 CEQA Air Quality Handbook”, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) has established significance thresholds to assess the impact of project related air pollutant emissions. Table 1 presents these significance thresholds. There are separate thresholds for short-term construction and long-term operational emissions. Projects with daily emission rates below these thresholds are considered to have a less than significant effect on air quality. It should be noted the thresholds recommended by the SCAQMD are very low and subject to controversy. It is up to the individual lead agencies to determine if the SCAQMD thresholds are appropriate for their projects. Table 1 SCAQMD Regional Pollution Emission Thresholds of Significance Pollutant Emissions (lbs/day) CO ROG NOx PM10 PM2.5 SOx Construction 550 75 100 150 55 150 Operation 550 55 55 150 55 150 Source: SCAQMD Localized Significance Thresholds: As part of the SCAQMD’s environmental justice program, attention was focused on localized effects of air quality. In accordance with Governing Board direction, SCAQMD staff developed localized significance threshold (LST) methodology and mass rate look-up tables by Source Receptor Area (SRA) that can be used to determine whether or not a project may generate significant adverse localized air quality impacts. LSTs represent the maximum emissions from a project that will not cause or contribute to an exceedance of the most stringent applicable federal or state ambient air quality standard and are developed based on the ambient concentrations of that pollutant for each source receptor area. The LST methodology is described in “Final Localized Significance Threshold Methodology” updated in 2009 by the SCAQMD and is available at the SCAQMD website (http://aqmd.gov/ceqa/handbook/LST/LST.html). The LST mass rate look-up tables provided by the SCAQMD allow one to determine if the daily emissions for proposed construction or operational activities could result in significant localized air quality impacts. If the calculated on-site emissions for the proposed construction or operational activities are below the LST emission levels found on the LST mass rate look-up tables and no potentially significant impacts are found to be associated with other environmental issues, then the proposed construction or operation activity is not significant for local air quality. The LST mass rate look-up tables are applicable to the following pollutants only: oxides of nitrogen (NOX), carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter less than 10 microns in aerodynamic diameter (PM10), and particulate matter less than 2.5 microns (PM2.5). LSTs are derived based on the location of the activity (i.e., the source/receptor area); the emission rates of NOX, CO, PM2.5 and PM10; and the distance to the nearest exposed individual. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 16 March 2020 Where available, the significance criteria established by the applicable air quality management or air pollution control district may be relied upon to make the following determinations. Would the project: a) Conflict with or obstruct implementation of the applicable air quality plan? Less Than Significant Impact Construction Source Emissions Temporary impacts can result from project construction activities. Air pollutants are emitted by construction equipment and fugitive dust is generated during grading and construction. Emissions during the phases of construction were calculated using the California Emissions Estimator Model (CalEEMod version 2016.3.1). CalEEMod is a computer program developed by the SCAQMD in conjunction with the California Air Resources Board (CARB). The model calculates emissions for construction and operation of various projects. For on-road vehicular emissions, the CalEEMod model utilizes the EMFAC2017 emission rates that have also been developed by CARB. The LST methodology presents mass emission rates for each SRA, project sizes of 1, 2, and 5 acres, and nearest receptor distances of 25, 50, 100, 200, and 500 meters. For project sizes between the values given, or with receptors at distances between the given receptors, the methodology uses linear interpolation to determine the thresholds. If receptors are within 25 meters of the site, the methodology document says that the threshold for the 25-meter distance should be used. The project is located in Source Receptor Area (SRA) 34. The nearest existing sensitive land use are the residences south of the project site, and are about 118 feet from any significant construction area. Table 2 summarizes the LSTs for construction and operation. The thresholds listed in Table 2 are based on a 5-acre site and a 118 feet distance. A project with daily emission rates below the thresholds during construction and operation is considered to have a less than significant effect on local air quality. Table 2 Localized Significance Thresholds at the Nearest Receptors Description Localized Significance Threshold (lbs/day) NOx CO PM10 PM2.5 Construction 270 1746 14 8 Operation 270 1746 4 2 Source: Greve & Associates Regional Peak Construction Emissions: CalEEMod considers the following phases in its calculation of construction emissions; demolition, site preparation, grading, building construction, paving, and painting. The activities for this project associated with demolition and painting will be minimal. The appropriate number of acres, duration of each construction phase, and other key elements of the project were input into the CalEEMod to generate the estimate of emissions. It was assumed that the overlap between construction phases would be minimal. No mitigation is assumed for this analysis. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 17 March 2020 Table 3 presents the results of the total emissions calculations for the construction activities discussed above. The highest construction emissions are presented below and represent a worst-case scenario. No mitigation is included in the emissions presented below. Table 3 Peak Construction Emissions BY Construction Activity Activity Pollutant Emissions (lbs/day) ROG NOx CO SOx PM10 PM2.5 Demolition 3.8 38.4 23.0 0.0 2.1 1.9 Site Preparation 4.7 48.3 23.3 0.0 20.8 12.4 Grading 2.9 30.7 17.3 0.0 8.3 4.8 Building Const. 2.7 23.7 18.0 0.0 1.6 1.4 Paving 1.5 15.3 15.3 0.0 1.0 0.8 Arch. Coating 12.1 1.8 1.9 0.0 0.2 0.1 SCAQMD Threshold 75 100 550 150 150 55 Exceeds Threshold No No No No No No Source: Greve & Associates The projected construction emissions are all well below the significance thresholds established by the SCAQMD. Therefore, there will be no significant regional air quality impacts due to peak construction. No mitigation is required. Based upon this analysis, the project will not exceed peak construction emission thresholds set forth by the SCAQMD for the six criteria pollutants set identified above. Reference: Focused Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emission Analysis for the Tract 20078, City of Fontana, Greve & Associates, October 2017. Local Air Quality Impacts Due to Construction - Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated The on-site construction emissions were calculated utilizing the CalEEMod. The emissions presented in Table 4 are those that would be emitted from activity within the project site. The total on-site construction emissions are compared to the Localized Significance Thresholds (LSTs) previously described. Table 4 On-Site Emissions by Construction Activity Daily Emissions(lbs/day) Activity NOx CO PM10 PM2.5 Peak Daily Total - No Watering 48.2 22.5 20.6 12.3 Peak Daily Total - With Watering 48.2 22.5 9.6 6.2 LST Thresholds 270 1,746 14 8 Exceeds Threshold - No Mitigation? No No Yes Yes Exceeds Threshold - With Mitigation? No No No No Source: Greve & Associates Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 18 March 2020 Without watering the emissions will exceed the LST significance thresholds for PM10 and PM2.5 during site preparation and grading activities. Watering the site three times per day reduces the dust emissions (i.e., PM2.5 and PM10) substantially. With watering the particulate emissions are reduced to a level where the LST significance thresholds will not be exceeded. A mitigation measure is proposed that brings the emissions below the thresholds. Therefore, the nearby residences will not be adversely affected during construction. Local air quality impacts during construction will be less than significant with the proposed mitigation measure. Construction Mitigation MM-AQ-1: Water site three times per day during the site preparation phase is required. The SCAQMD threshold for on-site emissions by construction activity for PM10 is 14 pounds per day, and for PM2.5 it is 8 pounds per day. Without required watering, the project would generate approximately 20.6 pounds per day for PM10, and 12.3 pounds per day for PM2.5, which exceeds the SCAQMD thresholds. With watering three times a day the project would generate approximately 9.6 pounds per day for PM10, and 6.2 pounds per day for PM2.5, which is less than the SCAQMD thresholds. Therefore, during grading and site preparation, the work area is required to be watered three times per day. This mitigation measure will bring the short-term emissions to a level considered less than insignificant. Construction Mitigation Required by General Plan: The following measures are included as recommendations in the recently approved 2018 General Plan Update and are relevant and applicable to the construction this project. MM-AQ-8: In the event that any off-site utility and/or infrastructure improvements are required as a direct result of future projects, construction of such off-site utility and infrastructure improvements shall not occur concurrently with the demolition, site preparation, and grading phases of project construction. This requirement shall be clearly noted on all applicable grading and/or building plans. MM-AQ-9: All construction equipment shall be maintained in good operation condition so as to reduce emissions. The construction contractor shall ensure that all construction equipment is being properly serviced and maintained as per the manufacturer’s specification. Maintenance records shall be available at the construction site for City of Fontana verification. The following additional measures, as determined applicable by the City Engineer, shall be included as conditions of the Grading Permit issuance: • Provide temporary traffic controls such as a flag person, during all phases of construction to maintain smooth traffic flow. • Provide dedicated turn lanes for movement of construction trucks and equipment on and off-site. • Reroute construction trucks away from congested streets or sensitive receptor areas. • Appoint a construction relations officer to act as a community liaison concerning onsite construction activity including resolution of issues related to PM10 generation. • Improve traffic flow by signal synchronization and ensure that all vehicles and equipment will be properly tuned and maintained according to manufacturers’ specifications. • Require the use of 2010 and newer diesel haul trucks (e.g., material delivery trucks and soil import/export). If the lead agency determines that 2010 model year or newer diesel trucks cannot be obtained the lead agency shall use trucks that meet EPA 2007 model year NOx and PM emissions requirements. • During project construction, all internal combustion engines/construction equipment operating on the project site shall meet EPA-Certified Tier 3 emissions standards, or higher according to the following: o January I, 2012, to December 31, 2014: All off-road diesel-powered construction equipment greater than 50 hp shall meet Tier 3 off-road emissions standards. In addition, all construction equipment shall be outfitted with BACT devices certified by CARB. Any emissions control device used by the contractor shall achieve emissions reductions that are no less than what could be achieved by a Level 3 diesel emissions control strategy for a similarly sized engine as defined by CARB regulations. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 19 March 2020 o Post-January 1, 2015: All off-road diesel-powered construction equipment greater than 50 hp shall meet the Tie. 4 emission standards, where available. In addition, all construction equipment shall be outfitted with BACT devices certified by CARB. Any emissions control device used by the contractor shall achieve emissions reductions that are no less than what could be achieved. by a Level 3 diesel emissions control strategy for similarly sized engine as defined by CARB regulations. o A copy of each unit’s certified tier specification, BACT documentation, and CARB or SCAQMD operating permit shall be provided at the time of mobilization of each applicable unit of equipment. MM-AQ-10: Prior to the issuance of any grading permits, all Applicants shall submit construction plans to the City of Fontana denoting the proposed schedule and projected equipment use. Construction contractors shall provide evidence that low emission mobile construction equipment will be utilized, or that their use was investigated and found to be infeasible for the project. Contractors shall also conform to any construction measures imposed by the SCAQMD as well as City Planning Staff. MM-AQ-11: All paints and coatings shall meet or exceed performance standards noted in SCAQMD Rule 1113. Specifically, the following measures shall be implemented, as feasible: • Use coatings and solvents with a VOC content lower than that required under AQMD Rule 1113: • Construct or build with materials that do not require painting. • Require the-use of pre-painted construction materials. MM-AQ-12: Projects that result in the construction of more than 19 single-family residential units, 40 multifamily residential units, or 45,000 square feet of retail/commercial/industrial space shall be required to apply paints either by hand or high volume, low pressure (HVLP) spay. These measures may reduce volatile organic compounds (VOC) associated with the application of paints and coatings by an estimated 60 to 75 percent. Alternatively, the contractor may specify the use of low volatility paints and coatings. Several of currently available primers have VOC contents of less than 0.85 pounds per gallon (e.g., Dulux professional exterior primer 100 percent acrylic). Top coats can be less than 0.07 pounds per gallon (8 grams per liter)(e.g., Lifemaster 2000-series). This latter measure would reduce these VOC emissions by more than 70 percent. Larger projects should incorporate both the use of HVLP or hand application and the requirement for low volatility coatings. MM-AQ-13: All asphalt shall meet or exceed performance standards noted in SCAQMD Rule 1108. MM-AQ-14: Prior to the issuance of grading permits or approval of grading plans for future development projects within the project area, future developments shall include a dust control plan as part of the construction contract standard specifications. The dust control plan shall include measures to meet the requirements of SCAQMD Rules 402 and 403. Such measures may include, but are not limited to, the following: • Phase and schedule activities to avoid high-ozone days and first-stage smog alerts. • Discontinue operation during second-stage smog alerts. • All haul trucks shall be covered prior to leaving the site to prevent dust from impacting the surrounding areas. • Comply with AQMD Rule 403, particularly to minimize fugitive dust and noise to surrounding areas. • Moisten soil each day prior to commencing grading to depth of soil cut. • Water exposed surfaces at least twice a day under calm conditions, and as often as needed on windy days or during very dry weather in order to maintain a surface crust and minimize the release of visible emissions from the construction site. • Treat any area that will be exposed for extended periods with a soil conditioner to stabilize soil or temporarily plant with vegetation. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 20 March 2020 • Wash mud-covered tires and under carriages of trucks leaving construction sites. • Provide for street sweeping, as needed, on adjacent roadways to remove dirt dropped by construction vehicles or mud, which would otherwise be carried off by trucks departing project sites. • Securely cover all loads of fill coming to the site with a tight-fitting tarp. • Cease grading during periods when winds exceed 25 miles per hour. • Provide for permanent sealing of all graded areas, as applicable, at the earliest practicable time after soil disturbance. • Use low-sulfur diesel fuel in all equipment. • Use electric equipment whenever practicable. • Shut off engines when not in use. Based upon this analysis, with mitigation, project construction will not adversely affect nearby sensitive uses, and will not conflict with regional or federal air quality standards for local peak construction emissions with required mitigation incorporated. Further, with mitigation, the project will not exceed peak construction emission thresholds set forth by the SCAQMD for on-site construction activity. Reference: Focused Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emission Analysis for the Tract 20078, City of Fontana, Greve & Associates, October 2017. Diesel Particulate Matter Emissions During Construction Less Than Significant Impact In 1998, the California Air Resources Board (ARB) identified particulate matter from diesel fueled engines (Diesel Particulate Matter or DPM) as a Toxic Air Contaminant (TAC). It is assumed that the majority of the heavy construction equipment utilized during construction would be diesel fueled and emit DPM. Impacts from toxic substances are related to cumulative exposure and are assessed over a 70-year period. Cancer risk is expressed as the maximum number of new cases of cancer projected to occur in a population of one million people due to exposure to the cancer causing substance over a 70-year lifetime (California Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, Guide to Health Risk Assessment, 2015). Grading for the project, when the peak diesel exhaust emissions would occur, is expected to take less than 3 months with all construction expected to be completed in less than 2 years. Because of the relatively short duration of construction compared to a 70-year lifespan, diesel emissions resulting from the construction of the project, including truck traffic associated with the project, are not expected to result in a significant impact. Based upon this analysis, the project will not result in significant diesel particulate matter emissions adversely affecting nearby sensitive uses, and will not conflict with regional or federal air quality standards for diesel construction emissions. Reference: Focused Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emission Analysis for Tract 20078, City of Fontana, Greve & Associates, October 2017. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 21 March 2020 Operational Source Emissions: Regional Operational Impacts: Less Than Significant Impact Air pollutant emissions due to the project were calculated using the CalEEMod program. The program calculated operational emissions for the proposed project. The primary source of emissions generated by the proposed project will be from motor vehicles. Natural gas combustion and re-current painting of the facilities will also contribute to the emissions. CalEEMod calculates maximum daily emissions for the summertime and wintertime periods. The results presented below are from the summer or winter emissions, whichever are the higher emissions. Output files from the Table 5 below presents the results of the CalEEMod model showing the maximum daily air pollutant emissions projected for buildout year. Table 5 Regional Operational Pollution Emission Pollutant Emissions (lbs/day) CO ROG NOx PM10 PM2.5 SOx Total Project Emissions 7.3 1.3 2.7 1.6 0.5 0.0 SCAQMD Thresholds 550 55 55 150 55 150 Exceeds Threshold? No No No No No No Source: SCAQMD; Greve & Associates Table 5 shows that the total project emissions are below the SCAQMD thresholds for all criterion pollutants. Therefore, the project will not result in a significant regional air impact and mitigation is not necessary to reduce operational emissions. Based upon this analysis, the project will not result in significant regional operational pollution emissions. Reference: Focused Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emission Analysis for Tract 20078, City of Fontana, Greve & Associates, October 2017 Regional Operational Pollution Emissions Less Than Significant Impact Table 6 compares the net change in emissions due to the project to the projected basinwide emissions from the 2016 AQMP. Table 6 Comparison of Project Emissions with SCAB Emission Pollutant Emissions (tons/day) CO ROG NOx PM10 PM2.5 SOx Project Emissions 0.0002 0.0007 0.0014 0.0008 0.0002 0.0000 2030 South Coast Air Basin 1,118 345 214 N/A 65 18 Project as Percentage of Basin 0.0003% 0.0002% 0.0006% N/A 0.00004% 0.00006% Source: Table 3-4E Final 2016 AQMP; Greve & Associates Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 22 March 2020 This comparison shows that the project would result in a net increase in emissions that is insignificant in comparison to basinwide South Coast Air Basin (SCAB) emissions. Based upon this comparison, the project will not result in significant regional operational pollution emissions when compared to basinwide emissions. Reference: Focused Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emission Analysis for Tract 20078, City of Fontana, Greve & Associates, October 2017. Local Air Quality Impacts Due to Operations: Less Than Significant Impact The on-site operational emissions were calculated utilizing CalEEMod. The emissions presented in Table 7 are those that would be emitted from activity within the project site. The total on-site operational emissions are compared to the Localized Significance Thresholds (LSTs) previously described. Table 7 On-Site Emissions by Operations Daily Emissions(lbs/day) Activity NOx CO PM10 PM2.5 On-site Emissions 2.7 7.3 1.6 0.5 LST Threshold 270 1,746 4 2 Exceeds Threshold? No No No No Source: Greve & Associates None of the emissions will exceed the LST significance thresholds. Therefore, the nearby residences will not be adversely affected during operations. Local air quality impacts during operation will be less than significant, and mitigation measures are not required. Based upon this analysis, the project operations will not exceed localized thresholds of significance for the four criteria pollutants listed above. Reference: Focused Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emission Analysis for Tract 20078, City of Fontana, Greve & Associates, October 2017. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 23 March 2020 b) Violate any air quality standard or contribute substantially to an existing or projected air quality violation? Less Than Significant With Mitigation Incorporated See response to III. a) above. The analysis contained in the Focused Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emission Analysis for Tract 20078 prepared by Greve and Associates in October 2017 documents that the project's short-term construction impacts does exceed one SCAQMD significance thresholds for PM10 and PM2.5 during site preparation. However, mitigation has been incorporated that reduces PM10 and PM2.5 impacts to levels below SCAQMD's threshold of significance (See Mitigation Measure AQ-1). Therefore, with incorporation of Mitigation Measure AQ-1, no long-term operational emission impacts will exceed SCAQMD's threshold of significance. Based on this documentation, the proposed project will not violate any air quality standard or contribute substantially to an existing or projected air quality violation with mitigation incorporated, as set forth in Mitigation Measure AQ-1 (see Page 13). In addition, in an abundance of caution, the project is incorporating standard SCAQMD conditions and rules to further mitigate potential air quality impacts in compliance with new General Plan Update recommended standard conditions of approval that reduce emissions that affect air quality and greenhouse gas emissions and conserve energy. Reference: Focused Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emission Analysis for Tract 20078, City of Fontana, Greve & Associates, October 2017. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 24 March 2020 c) Result in a cumulatively considerable net increase of any criteria pollutant for which the project region is nonattainment under an applicable federal or state ambient air quality standard (including releasing emissions which exceed quantitative thresholds for ozone precursors)? Less Than Significant With Mitigation Incorporated Cumulative projects include local development as well as general growth within the project area. However, as with most development, the greatest source of emissions is from mobile sources, which travel well out of the local area. Therefore, from an air quality standpoint, the cumulative analysis would extend beyond any local projects and when wind patterns are considered would cover an even larger area. Accordingly, the cumulative analysis for the project’s air quality must be generic by nature. The project area is out of attainment for both ozone and PM10 particulate matter. Construction and operation of cumulative projects will further degrade the local air quality, as well as the air quality of the South Coast Air Basin. The greatest cumulative impact on the quality of regional air cell will be the incremental addition of pollutants mainly from increased traffic from residential, commercial, and industrial development and the use of heavy equipment and trucks associated with the construction of these projects. Air quality will be temporarily degraded during construction activities that occur separately or simultaneously. However, in accordance with the SCAQMD methodology, projects that do not exceed the SCAQMD criteria or can be mitigated to less than criteria levels are not significant and do not add to the overall cumulative impact. With respect to long-term emissions, this project would create no significant cumulative impact because the project does not exceed SCAQMD significance thresholds with mitigation incorporated into the project for both short- term construction and long-term operational emission impacts. Based on this documentation, the proposed project will not result in a cumulatively considerable net increase of any criteria pollutant for which the project region is considered nonattainment, under the applicable federal or state ambient air quality standard. Reference: Focused Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emission Analysis for Tract 20078, City of Fontana, Greve & Associates, October 2017. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 25 March 2020 d) Expose sensitive receptors to substantial pollutant concentrations? Less Than Significant Impact The closest sensitive uses are single family residential homes located adjacent to the project site to the east and south. The greatest potential for toxic air contaminant emissions would be related to diesel particulate emissions associated with heavy equipment operations during construction of the proposed project. According to SCAQMD methodology, health effects from carcinogenic air toxics are usually described in terms of “Individual Cancer Risk”. “Individual Cancer Risk” is the likelihood that a person exposed to concentrations of toxic air contaminants over a 70-year lifetime will contract cancer, based on the use of standard risk- assessment methodology. Given the relatively limited number of heavy-duty construction equipment and the relatively short-term nature of the proposed 20-unit residential grading portion of the construction project (less than six months), the proposed project would not result in a long-term substantial source of toxic air contaminant emissions and corresponding individual cancer risk when amortized over 70 years. Based upon this documentation, the project will not expose sensitive receptors to substantial pollutant concentrations. Reference: Focused Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emission Analysis for Tract 20078, City of Fontana, Greve & Associates, October 2017. e) Create objectionable odors affecting a substantial number of people? Less Than Significant Impact Potential sources that may emit odors during construction activities include the application of materials such as asphalt pavement. The objectionable odors that may be produced during the construction process are short- term in nature and the odor emissions are expected to cease upon the drying or hardening of the odor producing materials. Due to the short-term nature (less than six months) and limited amounts of odor producing materials being utilized, no significant impact related to odors would occur during construction of the proposed project. No long-term operational odor impacts are anticipated by the proposed 20-unit residential development. Based on this information, the proposed project will not create objectionable odors affecting a substantial number of people. Reference: Focused Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emission Analysis for Tract 20078, City of Fontana, Greve & Associates, October 2017. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 26 March 2020 IV. BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES. Would the project: a) Have a substantial adverse effect, either directly or through habitat modifications, on any species identified as a candidate, sensitive, or special status species in local or regional plans, policies, or regulations, or by the California Department of Fish and Game or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service? Less than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated The documentation contained in this analysis of biological resources are from the following sources: "Biological Resources Assessment for Proposed Subdivision, Tentative Tract Map 20078, Fontana, San Bernardino County, California", H. Lee Jones, Ph.D., November 2017. "Results of breeding season California gnatcatcher presence/absence surveys on Tentative Tract Map 20078, Fontana, San Bernardino County, California (Permit No. TE-829204)", H. Lee Jones, Ph.D., June 2018. "Results of a 2017 field habitat assessment to determine the potential presence of the federally endangered San Bernardino kangaroo rat (SBKR) on the approximately 7-acre Tentative Tract 20078, located in the San Sevaine Area of Rancho Cucamonga, California", SJM Biological Consultants, December 2017. These three technical studies are included as Appendices B, C and D of this Initial Study and are herein incorporated by reference. INTRODUCTION The project addressed by this habitat assessment is Tentative Tract Map (TTM) 20078, a proposed 20-unit single family residential project within the Hunter Ridge Specific Plan in northwestern Fontana, San Bernardino County, California. The site comprises approximately 9.5 gross acres, which includes an undeveloped area of approximately 3.4 acres and five letter lots (Lot “A, Lot “B,” Lot “C,” Lot “D,” and Lot “E”). Letter Lot “A” is an equestrian trail of approximately 0.4 adjusted gross acres (17,451 square feet). The trail is 15-foot wide by 1,163-foot along the west and north boundaries of the project site. The equestrian trail will be a continuation of the existing trail to the south of the project site. Letter Lot “B” is an infiltration basin of approximately 0.18 adjusted gross acres (7,844 square feet). The basin is approximately 125-foot wide by 63-foot and will not exceed 3-foot. The basin will be secure with a minimum of a six (6) foot decorative block wall on three (3) sides and a 6-foot tubular steel fence and gate at the street frontage. Letter Lot “C” is an emergency vehicle access easement of approximately 0.04 adjusted gross acres (1,882 square feet). This access easement is approximately 20-foot wide by 95-foot. The access easement will provide an access point for emergence vehicle between Lot No.14 and Lot No. 15, to access the area north of the project site. This easement shall be constructed to support an 80,000lb fire apparatus, or conform to applicable San Bernardino County Fire District (SBCFD) requirements. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 27 March 2020 Letter Lot “D” is a fuel modification area and access easement for emergency vehicle access easement of approximately 1.2 adjusted gross acres (53,253 square feet) for emergency crews to access the area north of the proposed tract within the fuel modification area. The fuel modification area is 100-foot wide by approximately 539-foot. The fuel modification area is a non-irrigated thinning zone, beginning at the 6 ft concrete masonry units (CMU) fire barrier and continuing north 100-foot north of the proposed tract. The thinning zone is utilized to reduce the fuel load of a wildland area adjacent to urban projects thereby reducing the radiant and convective heat of wildland fires. The thinning zone is approximately 74-foot wide within the fuel modification area. Moreover, is the fire access easement, within the fuel modification area, is 26-foot wide by approximately 520-foot including a hammerhead turnaround at the west end. This easement shall be constructed to support an 80,000lb fire apparatus, or conform to applicable SBCFD requirements. The access easement will provide a staging area for emergence vehicle to for the open space area (through the Southern California Edson easements) during emergencies. In addition, a drainage easement of approximately 0.19 adjusted gross acres (8,276 square feet). This drainage easement is approximately 15-foot wide by 559-foot and located between the single-family residential lots and Fuel Modification easement. This drainage easement will control and direct the nuisance water flows of the water run-off from the Southern California Edison easement. Letter Lot “E” is identified as an open space area of approximately 2.1 adjusted gross acres (91,476 square feet). This open space area is 15-foot wide by approximately 818-foot. This open space area with remain mostly natural with some wide abatement twice a year. The site is three miles southwest of Lytle Creek Wash in a broad alluvium on the southern flank of the San Gabriel Mountains and is within the U. S. Geological Survey 7.5-minute Cucamonga Peak quadrangle, with its center point 34° 10’ 02” N; 117° 29’ 05” W. It is bounded by existing residential adjacent to the east and south, and SCE electrical power transmission line easement to the north, and the San Sevaine Drainage Channel to the west. The project site has a 12 percent slope from north to south, with a maximum elevation of 1850 feet above sea level at the northern boundary and a minimum elevation of 1765 feet above sea level along the southernmost boundary. No significant drainages, canyons, or hillside slopes are found on the site. The predominant soil type is Soboba stony loamy sand. BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES The assessment of the site’s biological resources was conducted by H. Lee Jones, Ph.D. on 8 August and 27 October 2017. The results of this field reconnaissance are presented below and included in the floral and faunal species lists provided in the technical report appendix. Vegetation The great majority of the project site supports mature Riversidian sage scrub. The central portion is a latticework of previously cleared north-south and east-west strips comprised of regenerating Riversidian sage scrub with a weedy component. The extreme northern edge and southeastern border are dominated by roadside ruderal (weedy) vegetation. A few cultivars from the adjacent residential community also occur along the northern border. Riversidian Alluvial Fan Sage Scrub: Riversidian alluvial fan sage scrub dominates the site and is the only plant community present aside from narrow strips of roadside ruderal vegetation at the edges of the property. Coastal sagebrush (Artemisia californica) dominates the site, with white sage (Salvia apiana) and coastal California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum var. fasciculatum) subdominant. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 28 March 2020 Other prominent shrubs in this plant association are skunk bush (Rhus aromatica), blue elderberry (Sambucus nigra subsp. caerulea), and Southern California black walnut (Juglans californica), the latter primarily in the southern central portion. Less common shrubs and subshrubs encountered include chaparral whitethorn (Ceanothus leucodermis), California croton (Croton californicus), deerweed (Acmispon glaber var. glaber), and western poison-oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum). Frequently encountered annuals and short-lived perennials were primarily telegraph weed (Heterotheca grandiflora), common sunflower (Helianthus annuus), short-podded mustard (Hirschfeldia incana)—a non-native species, and twiggy wreathplant (Stephanomeria virgata). Although the latter group were all encountered occasionally well within the sage scrub community, they were more plentiful near the perimeter and none were dominant. Grasses were sparse, consisting of scattered small patches of wild oat (Avena sp.), ripgut grass (Bromus diandrus), foxtail chess (Bromus madritensis subsp. rubens), and rattail fescue (Festuca myuros). Ruderal: The northern and southeastern borders of the site were dominated with weedy vegetation typical of the roadside ruderal (i.e., weedy) plant association. Other than the occasional regenerating sage scrub species listed above, typical plants of this association were tecalote (Centauria melitensis), jimson weed (Datura wrightii), red-stemmed filaree (Erodium cicutarium), and many-rayed desert-marigold (Baileya multiradiata), the latter a local cultivar of a plant native to the California desert. In all, 27 species of plants were identified on the site, 20 native and 7 non-native (four of which were grasses). A list of all plant species identified on the site during the August reconnaissance is provided in the appendix of the technical study. Terrestrial Vertebrates Animals found on the site are typical of those associated with Riversidian sage scrub communities. The 21 species of birds detected on, flying over, or adjacent to the site during the early August visit are listed in the technical appendix and recorded in eBird, a global database of birds encountered by bird observers afield. Most common onsite at the time of the visit were house finch (Haemorhous mexicanus), lesser goldfinch (Spinus psaltria), and California towhee (Melozone crissalis). The only other terrestrial vertebrates observed on the site were California ground squirrel (Spermophilus beecheyi) and side-blotched lizard (Uta stansburiana). One or more other species of mammals and reptiles undoubtedly occur, as well as a host of other bird species that likely visit the site on occasion or at other seasons. A list of terrestrial vertebrates encountered on the site during the site survey is provided in the appendix of the technical study. Special Status Species Special Status Designations: A federally endangered species is a species of invertebrate, plant, or wildlife formally listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) as facing extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its geographic range. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 29 March 2020 A federally threatened species is one formally listed by the USFWS as likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range. "Take" of a federally endangered or threatened species or its habitat is prohibited by federal law without a special permit. The term "take", under ESA, means to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in such conduct. Harm is defined by the USFWS as encompassing "an act which actually kills or injures wildlife. Such an act may include significant habitat modification or degradation where it actually kills or injures wildlife by significantly impairing essential behavioral patterns, including breeding, feeding or sheltering" (50 CFR § 17.3). A proposed threatened or endangered species is one officially proposed by the USFWS for addition to the federal threatened or endangered species lists. The State of California considers an endangered species one whose prospects of survival and reproduction are in immediate jeopardy. A threatened species is one present in such small numbers throughout its range that it is considered likely to become an endangered species in the near future in the absence of special protection or management, and a rare species is one present in such small numbers throughout its range that it may become endangered if its present environment worsens. The designation "rare species" applies only to California native plants. State threatened and endangered species include both plants and wildlife -- but do not include invertebrates -- and are legally protected against "take", as this term is defined in the California Endangered Species Act (California Fish & Game Code Section 2050 et seq.). Species of special concern is an informal designation used by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) for some declining wildlife species that are not officially listed as endangered, threatened, or rare. This designation does not provide legal protection, but signifies that these species are recognized as vulnerable by CDFW. Species that are California fully protected include those protected by special legislation for various reasons, such as the mountain lion (Felis concolor) and white-tailed kite (Elanus leucurus). The California Native Plant Society (CNPS) is a statewide resource conservation organization that has developed an inventory of California's special status plant species (visit http://www.cnps.org/cnps/rareplants/inventory/ for the latest CNPS list and rankings). This inventory is a summary of information on the distribution, rarity, and endangerment of California's vascular plants. This rare plant inventory consists of four lists. CNPS presumes that List 1A plant species are extinct in California because they have not been seen in the wild for many years. CNPS considers List 1B plants as rare, threatened, or endangered throughout their range. List 2 plant species are considered rare, threatened, or endangered in California, but more common in other states. Plant species on lists 1A, 1B, and 2 meet CDFW criteria for endangered, threatened, or rare listing. Plant species for which CNPS requires additional information in order to properly evaluate their status are included in List 3. List 4 plant species are those of limited distribution in California whose susceptibility to threat is considered low at the time of listing. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 30 March 2020 Special Status Resources Potentially Occurring on the Project Site Plant Communities: No official designation as threatened or endangered exists for plant communities; however, coastal sage scrub within the United States range of the federally threatened coastal California gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica californica) occupied or potentially occupied by that species has been designated as “critical habitat” by the USFWS (2000, 2007). Riversidian sage scrub is an inland sub- classification of coastal sage scrub. A small part of southwestern San Bernardino County, where the California gnatcatcher may still occur or potentially occur, including the 9.5-acre project site, was designated as critical habitat in 2000 (USFWS 2000); however, this designation was dropped for the southwestern San Bernardino component when California gnatcatcher critical habitat parameters were revised seven years later (USFWS 2007). California walnut woodland is a special-status plant community that occurs sporadically in southern California from the coastal foothills to the desert edge. Although a true walnut woodland community arguably does not occur on the project site, several small clusters of California walnut arborescent shrubs and small trees are located in the south-central portion of the site (Photos 7, 8, and 9). Plants: No special-status plant species were found on the site, but at least four have the potential to occur. Three of these, Parry’s spineflower (Corizanthe parryi var. parryi), mesa horkelia (Horkelia cuneata var. puberula), and Plummer’s mariposa-lily (Calochortus plummerae) are annuals (spineflower) or perennial herbs that would not have been present in August. The fourth, short-joint beavertail cactus (Opuntia basilaris var. brachyclada), is a small, low-growing perennial that would not be in bloom in August and could have been easily overlooked. It also prefers sparsely vegetated areas with a sandy-gravelly substrate that would be present, if at all, in only a few places near the perimeter of the site. All but the mariposa-lily are ranked by the CNPS as 1B—rare, threatened, or endangered in California and elsewhere; the mariposa-lily has a CNPS rank of 4.2 (limited distribution but not considered rare, threatened, or endangered). A spring survey would be necessary to ascertain presence or absence of these four species. Animals: No special-status animal species were found on the site during the August 2017 survey, although one or more may occur. The coastal California gnatcatcher, a species that is federally threatened, has been found in the vicinity and may occur on or adjacent to the site. It has been found at the North Etiwanda Reserve in Rancho Cucamonga, 2.2 miles west of the project site on multiple occasions between March 2010 and March 2017 (eBird database). Also of note, the author observed one at the Devil’s Canyon Percolation Basins nine miles east of the site on 29 March 2013 (recorded in eBird); however, the bird was not relocated during multiple subsequent visits to the site that spring and was presumed to be a stray. In addition to these two records, the CNDDB lists five records from 1999 and one from 1998 from southwestern San Bernardino County, all within a few miles of the project site, but these cannot be confirmed without additional information, most importantly the names and qualifications of the observers. One of these was reported from only 1.6 miles west of the project site and another was observed at the same location as the birds recorded in eBird 2.2 miles west of the site. The other four reports were of birds between 3.2 and 4.4 miles from the project site. The federally Endangered San Bernardino kangaroo rat (Dipidomys merriami parvus) was listed as a federally endangered species in 1998 because approximately 95 percent of its preferred alluvial scrub habitat had been converted to agriculture, urban, and industrial development, including ongoing sand-and-gravel mining operations, flood control projects, and off-highway vehicle use (USFWS 1998). This endangered subspecies of the widespread Merriam’s kangaroo rat typically occupies gravelly soils and sandy washes with a cover of alluvial fan sage scrub, coastal sage scrub, or less frequently, chaparral on the Pacific slope of Southern California from Devore south to Ontario and east and southeast to Redlands and Hemet. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 31 March 2020 The San Bernardino kangaroo rat reaches its peak abundance in alluvial fan sage scrub associated with sandy alluvial deposits left following fluvial scouring and sand deposition on relatively sterile, fast-draining substrates characterized by low-growing shrubs. TTM 20078 lies within the historical range of this species; however, it has not been found in the vicinity of the site since 2002 when it was reported approximately 0.9 miles west of the project site (CNDDB). It formerly occurred, and may still occur, on or in the general vicinity of the project site; however, suitable habitat on and near the site may now be too densely vegetated for this species. Although the San Bernardino kangaroo rat tolerates vegetation associations with a wide range of shrub and annual plant cover, it is most abundant in areas with less than 40 percent shrub cover and less than 70 percent cover of annual plants. The vast majority of the project site has close to 100 percent cover of perennial and annual plants typically associated with Riversidian sage scrub, with few sparsely vegetated interstices. California Species of Special Concern that may occur on or near the project site are southern California legless lizard (Anniella stebbinsi), coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma blainvillii), coastal whiptail (Apidoscelis tigris stejnegeri), California glossy snake (Arizona elegans occidentalis), coast patch-nosed snake (Salvadora hexalepis virgultea), two-striped garter snake (Thamnophis hammondii), western yellow bat (Lasiurus xanthimus), western mastiff bat (Eumops perotis californicus), San Diego black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus bennettii), northwestern San Diego pocket mouse (Chaetodipus fallax), Los Angeles Pocket mouse (Perognathus longimembris brevinasus) and San Diego desert woodrat (Neotoma lepida intermedia). Diurnal raptors (hawks and falcons) are expected to use the site occasionally for foraging, but not for nesting, as there are no trees or other suitable nest sites on the property. The two most common raptors in the vicinity of the site, and therefore most likely to forage on the site, are the red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) and American kestrel (Falco sparverius), neither of which is a species of special concern. No raptors were observed during the 8 August 2017 site reconnaissance. Wetland Resources No wetlands or drainages that would be considered Waters of the United States are found on the site. BIOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES Based on the results of the site reconnaissance, it has been determined that the proposed subdivision of the site may result in one or more adverse impacts on biological resources anticipated to occur or potentially occur on the site. These impacts, and their significance, are discussed in the following sections. Thresholds of Significance Appendix G of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines (as amended through 2009) is used by public agencies in determining whether a project may have a significant impact on biological resources. Under Appendix G, a project may have a significant impact on biological resources if it would: 1. Have a substantial adverse effect, either directly or through habitat modification, on any species identified as a candidate, sensitive, or special status species in local or regional plans, policies, or regulations by the CDFW or USFWS. 2. Have a substantial adverse effect on any riparian habitat or other sensitive natural community identified in the City or regional plans, policies, or regulations by the CDFW or USFWS. 3. Have a substantial adverse effect on federally protected wetlands as defined by Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (including, but not limited to, marsh, vernal pool, coastal, etc.) through direct removal, filling, hydrological interruption, or other means. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 32 March 2020 4. Interfere substantially with the movement of any native resident or migratory fish or wildlife species or with established native resident or migratory wildlife corridors, or impede the use of native wildlife nursery sites. 5. Conflict with any local policies or ordinances protecting biological resources, such as a tree preservation policy or ordinance (e.g., oak trees or California walnut woodlands). 6. Conflict with the provisions of an adopted Habitat Conservation Plan, Natural Community Conservation Plan, or other approved local, regional, or state habitat conservation plan. In addition, Section 15065(a) of the CEQA Guidelines establishes that a significant impact may occur if "[t]he project has the potential to substantially degrade the quality of the environment, substantially reduce the habitat of a fish and wildlife species, cause a fish or wildlife population to drop below self-sustaining levels, threaten to eliminate a plant or animal community, [or] reduce the number or restrict the range of an endangered, rare or threatened species." For purposes of this assessment, the project was evaluated on the basis of the above criteria in determining whether or not it will cause a significant impact. An evaluation of whether an impact on biological resources would be significant must consider the resource and how that resource fits into a regional or ecological context. The definition of “significant” depends on the resource in question. Significant impacts are those that would diminish or result in the loss of an important biological resource, or those that would obviously conflict with local, state, or federal resource conservation plans, goals, or regulations. Impacts are sometimes locally important but not significant because, although they would result in an adverse alteration of existing local conditions, they would not substantially diminish, or result in the permanent loss of, an important resource on a population-wide or region-wide basis. SITE DEVELOPMENT Based on a preliminary analysis of the development plan, implementation of the proposed project will entail the subdivision of approximately 5.8 of 9.5 gross acres into 20 lots for the development of single-family homes, five letter lots(see previous description), two drainage easements, and the required fuel modification north of the development. The remaining 2.5 acres will remain in open space. Accordingly, approximately 7.4- acres of Riversidian sage scrub would be impacted, with 3.4 acres of Riversidian sage scrub preserved. IMPACTS ON TERRESTRIAL VERTEBRATES AND THEIR HABITAT Approximately 7.4-acres of mature Riversidian sage scrub will be cleared during the grading phase. As this vegetation association has the potential to support one or more pairs of the federally threatened California Gnatcatcher and may also support a small population of the federally endangered San Bernardino kangaroo rat, its removal would represent a significant adverse impact, even if these two species are not found on the site during surveys conducted prior to project approval. Additionally, all migratory birds are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (MBTA), a law implemented as a result of treaties with Britain (on behalf of Canada), Mexico, the U.S.S.R. (now Russia), and Japan that makes it unlawful, except as formally permitted, to take (pursue, hunt, capture, or kill) migratory birds except under permits for special situations such as imminent threat to human safety or scientific research. The law currently applies to more than 1,000 species including most native birds and covers the destruction or removal of active nests of those species. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 33 March 2020 To assure the protection of resident birds and their offspring during the nesting season, it is recommended that between three (3) and seven (7) days prior to commencement of vegetation clearance, the site and a buffer zone of 100 feet around the site be surveyed by a qualified biologist for nests containing viable eggs or nestlings. Such surveys are only necessary if vegetation clearance is to take place during the breeding season, which is typically defined as 1 March to 1 September for most species. If any active nests or dependent fledglings are found, construction-related activities shall be postponed until all young have fledged and are no longer dependent on the adults. Based on the findings and conclusions of the initial Biological Resources Assessment prepared in November 2017, and coordination/consultation with the USFWS, the Applicant authorized the preparation of the protocol surveys for both the federally threatened California gnatcatcher, and the federally endangered San Bernardino kangaroo rat. A summary of the findings for both protocol surveys is summarized in the following Sections. Reference: Biological Resources Assessment for Proposed Subdivision, Tentative Tract Map 20078, Fontana, San Bernardino County, California, H. Lee Jones, Ph.D., November 2017 CALIFORNIA GNATCATCHER PROTOCOL SURVEY Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated The following documentation is referenced from "California Gnatcatcher Protocol Survey for Proposed Subdivision, Tentative Tract Map 20078, Fontana, San Bernardino County, California", H. Lee Jones, Ph.D., June 2018. In October 2017, H. Lee Jones, PhD. was retained by The Planning Consortium to conduct non-breeding season Coastal California Gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica californica) surveys on a 9.5-acre property known as Tentative Tract Map (TTM) 20078 for the City of Fontana, San Bernardino County, California. At the request of the project proponent, these surveys were suspended in mid-December after four of nine surveys had been completed. In May 2018, the project proponent asked that the surveys be continued. Because several months had passed in the interim, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) determined that a full set of six breeding season surveys would be required. These have now been completed. TTM 20078 is included within the North Fontana Conservation Plan. The site is three miles southwest of Lytle Creek Wash in a broad alluvium on the southern flank of the San Gabriel Mountains and is within the U. S. Geological Survey 7.5-minute Cucamonga Peak quadrangle, with Its center point at 34° 10’ 02” N; 117° 29’ 05” W. The tract is bounded by housing developments on the east and south, and a flood-control levee and channel to the west and open space to the north. The site has a 12 percent slope from north to south, with a maximum elevation of 1853 feet above sea level at the northern boundary and a minimum elevation of 1765 feet above sea level along the southernmost boundary. No significant drainages, canyons, or hillside slopes are found on the site. The predominant soil type is Soboba stony loamy sand. Methodology: The standard USFWS breeding season protocol (USFWS 1997) for entities not enrolled in the state Natural Communities Conservation Planning program requires a minimum of six visits, each spaced at least one week apart, during the breeding season which extends from 15 March through 30 June. Dr. Jones conducted the required six breeding season surveys between 18 May and 22 June (Permit No. TE 829204-6). All surveys were conducted between sunrise and 9:30 a.m. The total amount of suitable California gnatcatcher habitat within the project site was well within the maximum single-day coverage area of 80 acres, thus each survey required only one day to complete. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 34 March 2020 Surveys consisted of walking meandering transects in and adjacent to all coastal sage scrub vegetation within the confines of the site and out approximately 200 yards from the development footprint wherever suitable coastal sage scrub habitat was present. California Gnatcatcher vocalizations on the Sibley Birdsc app for iPhone were played periodically within suitable habitat, the objective being to elicit a response from silent individuals that might not otherwise be detected. Had a gnatcatcher responded in any way, playing of the tape would have ceased in order to avoid further harassment. Existing Conditions: Weather conditions were appropriate for maximizing the likelihood of gnatcatcher detection. Temperatures ranged from a low of 53° to a high of 84° Fahrenheit. Visibility was good to excellent on all six occasions with skies ranging from clear to overcast and no precipitation. Classic mature coastal sage scrub vegetation, considered prime California gnatcatcher habitat, dominates the project site. The dominant plant species on the site were, in approximate order of abundance, coastal sagebrush (Artemisia californica), white sage (Salvia apiana), coastal California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum var. fasciculatum), annual sunflower (Helianthus annuus), pine-bush (Ericameria pinifolia), and Southern California black walnut (Juglans californica), with lesser amounts of other species typically found in coastal sage scrub. Results and Discussion: The results of each of the six surveys have been uploaded to eBird1 and are summarized within Appendix A of the Biological Assessment for the proposed TTM20078, attached as Appendix B of this Initial Study. No coastal California gnatcatchers were detected on or in the vicinity of the project site on any of the six breeding season surveys, nor were any detected on any of the four non-breeding season surveys conducted in late 2017. While these negative results strongly suggest the species is absent from the site and its near vicinity, one to two California gnatcatchers have been reported occasionally in the past in the general vicinity. It has been found at the North Etiwanda Reserve in Rancho Cucamonga, 2.2 miles west of the project site on multiple occasions between March 2010 and March 2017 (eBird database). Also of note, Dr. Jones observed one at the Devil’s Canyon Percolation Basins nine miles east of the site on 29 March 2013 (also recorded in the eBird database); however, the bird was not relocated during multiple subsequent visits to the site that spring and was presumed to be a stray. In addition to these records, the California Natural Diversity Data Base (CNDDB) lists one record in 1998 and five in 1999 from southwestern San Bernardino County, all within a few miles of the project site. However, these reports have not been vetted and cannot be confirmed without additional information. One of these was reported 1.6 miles west of the project site and another 2.2 miles west of the site in the North Etiwanda Reserve, the same location as the birds recorded in eBird. The other four reports in the CNDDB were of birds between 3.2 and 4.4 miles from the project site. 1 1 Ebird is a global online database of bird sightings that can be accessed at ebird.org. Each checklist submitted to eBird is assigned a unique checklist number and includes the location where the birds were recorded (in the present case San Sevaine Canyon), the date, observer(s), time spent, distance traveled, and other parameters. The main body of the checklist is the list of species detected, along with the number of individuals of each species, and optional species-specific comments such as written documentation to support the occurrence of unexpected species. Photographs, video, and voice recordings can also be uploaded to the list at the observer’s discretion. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 35 March 2020 The coastal California gnatcatcher is at the extreme eastern edge of both its historic and present range in southwestern San Bernardino County where it may be range-restricted by factors other than suitable habitat, such as occasional sub-freezing winter temperatures, a different rainfall profile—for example, more rain in summer and less rain in winter, and possibly greater interspecific competition for food resources, especially from wrens, that share its insectivorous, foliage-gleaning guild. Reference: "Results of breeding season California gnatcatcher presence/absence surveys on Tentative Tract Map 20078, Fontana, San Bernardino County, California (Permit No. TE-829204)". SAN BERNARDINO KANGAROO RAT SURVEY Less Than Significant Impact The following documentation is referenced from "Results of a 2017 field habitat assessment to determine the potential presence of the federally endangered San Bernardino kangaroo rat (SBKR) on the approximately .9.5 acre Tentative Tract 20078, located in the San Sevaine Area of Rancho Cucamonga, California", SJM Biological Consultants, December 2017, and from consultation with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) INTRODUCTION AND SITE DESCRIPTION SBKR Background: The SBKR, a member of the rodent Family Heteromyidae, is endemic to southwestern California. It is one of 19 subspecies of the Merriam’s kangaroo rat (Dipodomys merriami), which is widely distributed throughout the western United States and northwestern Mexico. Populations of SBKR historically ranged throughout alluvial floodplains and adjacent upland habitats, from the San Bernardino Valley in San Bernardino County to Menifee Valley in Riverside County. Twenty-five separate locations were identified by McKernan (1997) in San Bernardino and Riverside counties, four of which (City Creek, Etiwanda, Reche Canyon and South Bloomington) supported only small remnant populations. The Santa Ana River, Lytle and Cajon washes, and the San Jacinto River support the largest extant concentrations of SBKR and suitable habitat for this species (approximately 13,697 acres of potentially suitable habitat); however, all but 3,215 occupied acres are currently more mature than the open, early successional habitat type preferred by the SBKR (USFWS 1998a; USFWS 5-year review 2009). In response to habitat losses resulting from sand and gravel mining operations, flood control and water conservation projects, and urban and agricultural development, an emergency rule listing the SBKR as endangered was issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on January 27, 1998, pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (USFWS 1998a). This emergency rule provided federal protection for this species for a limited time (expiring on September 24, 1998). The SBKR subsequently was listed as endangered on 24 September 1998 (USFWS 1998b). Much of the following summary of the status, distribution and various natural features of this species derive from the emergency and final rules. General natural history features and habitat requirements of the SBKR are relatively well known. The species is found primarily on sandy and sandy loam substrates, where they can readily excavate simple, shallow burrows. Within the range of SBKR, this type of substrate is typically associated with alluvial fan sage scrub vegetation (AFSS), now termed scalebroom scrub, a relatively uncommon vegetation type in southern California that develops on alluvial fans and floodplains periodically subjected to scouring and deposition during periodic flood events. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 36 March 2020 The SBKR prefers open habitat characterized by a low stature, relatively open shrub canopy cover (<22 percent cover). Habitats occupied by SBKR also typically exhibit a reduced herbaceous cover with low abundances of European grasses (primarily brome grasses). This type of habitat is typical of early-phase and intermediate-phase alluvial scrub communities, which are subjected to relatively frequent flooding/scouring. The open vegetation structure of these communities supports the highest densities of SBKR. Mature-phase alluvial scrub communities, which typically are located on higher terraces above the more active river channels, are rarely affected by flooding events and subsequently develop a higher density of shrub and non- native grass cover, as well as occasional trees. The SBKR rarely occurs in the mature phase of this vegetation type. However, some confusion has arisen regarding the definition of “mature phase” alluvial scrub; thus, it is necessary to clearly define the conditions prevailing in any alluvial scrub community under study, before its suitability for SBKR can be ascertained. The SBKR is granivorous and known to store quantities of seeds in surface caches similar to other kangaroo rats. Other important food sources include insects and green vegetation. Home ranges confirmed for the nominate subspecies of the Merriam’s kangaroo rat (D. m. merriami) range from approximately 0.8 acres for males to 0.3 acres for females, and it is assumed that the home ranges of the endangered SBKR are similar (USFWS 1998a; McKernan 1997). The SBKR breeding season may extend from January through late November, with peak reproduction occurring in the spring and early summer months. During years of typical rainfall, it is likely that only one litter is produced per year, with an average of only two to three young per litter. Multiple litters undoubtedly are produced during years of higher rainfall, which produce higher vegetative (seed) productivity. The various types of disturbance described above have reduced the historic range of SBKR by 96 percent. In most or all river wash systems presently harboring SBKR these disturbances have negatively affected the species by directly removing habitat and/or by fragmenting remaining occupied habitat patches. In addition, factors that promote higher vegetation cover in alluvial fan scrub communities apparently reduce habitat suitability for the SBKR. Such factors primarily include the construction of levees and dams for flood control or water percolation purposes, which precludes or greatly reduces the frequency of scouring and sand deposition events in vegetation communities away from the primary active river channels. Site Description: TT20078 occurs in the southwestern corner of Section 14, Township 1 North, Range 6 West on the Devore USGS 7.5’ quadrangle map. The approximate center of the site occurs at NAD 83 UTM coordinates 11S 455218E/3780626N. A residential development of 20 homes is proposed for the project site, and a contiguous fuel modification area occurs along the northern edge of the proposed subdivision. The property is bordered to the south and east by dense residential housing. To the west is a large dike system topped by a road, which separates the property from the San Sevaine Creek drainage, which is administered by the San Bernardino County Flood Control Department. The top of the dike and road occur many feet above the creek bed to the west, and the dike top road is separated from the creek by a slope comprised of large boulders (rip rap). The project site occurs on moderately sloping terrain immediately southward of the eastern end of the San Gabriel Mountains. Soils on site are classified as Soboba stony loamy sands (Woodruff 1980). More generally, extant soils are sandy but compacted, and deeper deposits of sand typical of those occupied by SBKR are absent. Also, cobble and larger rocks are common components of the soils on site. The property exhibits two large dikes constructed of boulders that are situated in a north-south orientation. Openings, including a few narrow trails, are uncommon on the property. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 37 March 2020 The property exhibits moderately dense alluvial sage scrub (scalebroom scrub) vegetation dominated by the following shrub species: white sage (Salvia apiana), California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum), scalebroom (Lepidospartum squamatum), California sagebrush (Artemisia californica), poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum), and scattered individuals of holly leaf cherry (Prunus ilicifolia). Common herbaceous species include red brome (Bromus madritensis rubens), rip gut brome (B. diandrus), Mediterranean grass (Schismus barbatus), ragweed (Ambrosia sp.), croton (Croton californica), deerweed (Acmispon sp.) The site occurs on the Etiwanda (Alluvial) Fan, which exhibits an extensive stand of alluvial fan sage scrub (scalebroom scrub) and Riversidian sage scrub vegetation, both of which are considered sensitive habitat types in the Southern California region. The 1203-acre North Etiwanda Preserve (NEP), located nearby to the northwest of the Project Site, has been set aside to preserve a noteworthy stand of these habitat types. SBKR are very unlikely in this Preserve, due to the dense scrub cover and rocky substrates, while Los Angeles pocket mice are generally common. Known Occurrences of SBKR Near TT20078: Records of SBKR captures are very rare in the project area, the nearest records for this species being old and located approximately two miles to the west (McKernan 1997, 1999) and one mile to the south (CNDDB records). However, these localities either are presently developed (southern record) or recent trapping records have not found the species (western record). SBKR records are not known for the immediately adjacent San Sevaine Flood Control wash, and a field visit to portions of this area in 2016-2017 suggested that the species would be an unlikely resident. Habitat conditions observed during this field visit included generally soft sandy-loam soils covered by dense stands of grass, generally rocky soils with very few deeper sandy deposits in the scattered drainage swales in this area, and extremely few locations with the open sandy terraces that are preferred by SBKR. Root (USFWS 2010) found SBKR to be positively correlated with scale-broom presence, and negatively correlated with % cover of annual grass and boulder + cobble. The results of this study tend to support the absence of SBKR in the San Sevaine Wash. In addition, the absence of any SBKR records in or the immediate vicinity of the San Sevaine Wash also provide further suggestion of the species absence. And if SBKR are absent in the San Sevaine Wash, the potential for their occurrence at TT20078 is even lower. TT20078 occurs approximately two miles eastward of an area historically known to have supported low numbers of SBKR (McKernan 1999; USFWS 2017). In addition, the Project Site occurs immediately east and outside of designated Critical Habitat for the SBKR. More specifically, the USFWS designated critical habitat for the SBKR in 2002, and in so doing divided the lands designated as critical habitat into four (4) units. This designation included the Project Site and a larger area surrounding the Project Site as Critical Habitat Unit 4. In 2008, the USFWS revised the critical habitat for this species and removed all the lands within the former Unit 4 from the designation, including the Project Site. A federal court subsequently found that the USFWS had erred in revising the overall critical habitat designation in 2008, and remanded the proposed revisions to the FWS for further action consistent with the court’s opinion. In so doing, the original 2002 critical habitat designation for this species has been effectively reinstated, pending any further revisions of critical habitat for this species by USFWS. SBKR ANALYSIS METHODS The Project Site was visited on 11 November 2017 by Stephen J. Montgomery, who is permitted to trap and handle SBKR under authority of a federal (USFWS) permit (TE745541-11) and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). During this visit, the Project Site was inspected for habitat conditions typical of those preferred by SBKR, as described above. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 38 March 2020 UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE RESPONSE On March 8, 2019, in response to SJM Biological Consultants’ SBKR Study, Dr. Kai Palenscar of the USFWS notified Steve Montgomery “information suggests to a high degree that the site is currently not occupied by San Bernardino kangaroo rat. We appreciate you coordinating with the USFWS in regard to the results of this field survey. A trapping survey will not be necessary to determine presence-absence of San Bernardino kangaroo rat at this project location." “However, due to the presence of a native canopy and the potential for other federally listed species, specifically coastal California gnatcatcher, and State listed and/or Species of Special Concern occupying the site, I recommend additional biological surveys." Reference: "Results of a 2017 field habitat assessment to determine the potential presence of the federally endangered San Bernardino kangaroo rat (SBKR) on the approximately 7-acre Tentative Tract 20078, located in the San Sevaine Area of Rancho Cucamonga, California", SJM Biological Consultants, December 2017. RESULTS OF THE PROJECT SITE BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES ANALYSIS Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Based on the analysis and findings contained in the three (3) biological resources technical studies prepared for the proposed TTM 20078 20-unit residential subdivision, and the project site’s inclusion within the boundary of the “North Fontana Conservation Program", the project is subject to mitigation fees set forth by the Plan and Program, and by the City's Development Fee Schedule; or by an alternative mitigation process. The California gnatcatcher Protocol Survey prepared by H. Lee Jones; Ph.D. found no evidence of the presence of this species in six (6) breeding surveys conducted between May 18, 2018 through June 22, 2018. Based on the results if this analysis, and based on SJM Biological Consultants analysis of potential habitat for the San Bernardino kangaroo rat, it was determined that the TTM 20078 project site is not considered "Occupied Habitat" for either protected species, but is considered "Suitable Habitat" as set forth by the North Fontana Conservation Program. The "North Fontana Conservation Program", and the City's current Development Fee Schedule sets forth a fee of $6,210 per gross acre for projects that impact "Suitable Habitat". City staff has determined that the project will impact approximately 7.4-acres of suitable habitat, resulting in an impact fee of $45,954 that must be paid prior to the issuance of a grading permit, or an alternative process as set forth in Mitigation Measure B-2, below. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 39 March 2020 REQUIRED MITIGATION MM-B-1: Prior to the issuance of a grading permit, the Applicant is required to pay the "North Fontana Conservation Program" a mitigation fee of $45,954 for impacts to 7.4-acres of "Suitable Habitat" contained within the TTM 20078 project site. MM-B-2: Prior to the initiation of any construction activities within the project site and/or off‐site improvement areas that would impact sensitive natural communities, the applicant can dedicate to a certified third‐party land trust a permanent conservation easement for like habitat or purchase mitigation credits in a CDFW‐approved mitigation bank at a ratio of a minimum of 1:1. Proof of mitigation shall be provided to the City of Fontana Planning Director prior to the commencement of any ground disturbance activities. Should the applicant elect to pay applicable NFCP fees (per Mitigation Measure B-1), this measure shall not apply. MM-B-3: To assure the protection of resident birds and their offspring during the nesting season, it is required that that between three (3) and seven (7) days prior to commencement of vegetation clearance, the site and a buffer zone of 100 feet around the site be surveyed by a qualified biologist for nests containing viable eggs or nestlings. Such surveys are only necessary if vegetation clearance is to take place during the breeding season, which is typically defined as 1 March to 1 September for most species. If any active nests or dependent fledglings are found, construction- related activities shall be postponed until all young have fledged and are no longer dependent on the adults. More than a year has passed since the breeding season protocol survey for CAGN on the site. No gnatcatchers were observed or found. In addition, no gnatcatchers were found during an incomplete non-breeding season survey in late 2017. However, the habitat on the site and to the east and west of the site for miles is ideal for CAGN, and CAGN has been reported as close as 2.2 miles from the site in the past. Based on this information there is a reasonable chance that after a year the site could now be occupied; therefore, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is requiring a new survey be conducted. The following mitigation is now required: MM-B-4: Prior to the issuance of a grading permit or removal of any existing Riversidian Sage Scrub (RSS), the Applicant shall conduct a new CAGN protocol survey that meets the requirements of the USFWS. If gnatcatchers are found to occupy existing RSS habitat onsite, additional mitigation would be required that meets USFWS and North Fontana Conservation Program requirements. Based on the above analysis and documentation, and the payment of the required mitigation fee, the Lead Agency finds the proposed project, with mitigation incorporated, will not have a substantial adverse effect, either directly or through habitat modifications, on any species identified as a candidate, sensitive, or special status species in local or regional plans, policies, or regulations, or by the California Department of Fish and Game or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Reference: "Biological Resources Assessment for Proposed Subdivision, Tentative Tract Map 20078, Fontana, San Bernardino County, California", H. Lee Jones, Ph.D., November 2017; "Results of breeding season California gnatcatcher presence/absence surveys on Tentative Tract Map 20078, Fontana, San Bernardino County, California (Permit No. TE-829204)" ; "Results of a 2017 field habitat assessment to determine the potential presence of the federally endangered San Bernardino kangaroo rat (SBKR) on the approximately 7- acre Tentative Tract 20078, located in the San Sevaine Area of Rancho Cucamonga, California", SJM Biological Consultants, December 2017; “North Fontana Conservation Program Action Report”, City of Fontana, June 2017; City of Fontana Development Fee Schedule, July, 2017. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 40 March 2020 b) Have a substantial adverse effect on any riparian habitat or other sensitive natural community identified in local or regional plans, policies, and regulations or by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service? No Impact See response to IV. a) above. There is no riparian habitat or other sensitive natural community identified for this project site in the Fontana General Plan, or in other local or regional plans or policies by the CDFW or the USFWS other that identified above in Section IV.a). The Biological Resources Assessment prepared for the proposed project states that no wetlands or drainages that would be considered Waters of the United States are found on the site. Therefore, the proposed project will not have a substantial adverse effect on any riparian habitat identified in local or regional plans, policies, and regulations or by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Reference: City of Fontana General Plan Update, Potential Habitat for Sensitive Wildlife; Biological Resources Assessment, Proposed Tract 20078, Fontana, San Bernardino County, California, H. Lee Jones, Ph.D.; November 2017. c) Have a substantial adverse effect on federally protected wetlands as defined by Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (including, but not limited to, marsh, vernal pool, coastal, etc.) through direct removal, filling, hydrological interruption, or other means? No Impact No wetlands or drainages that would be considered Waters of the United States are found on the proposed TTM 20078 project site. The San Sevaine Flood Control Channel is located adjacent to the west side of the project site. This project does not affect this channel, and does not affect any marshes, vernal pools or other protected wetland resources. The Biological Resources Assessment prepared for the proposed project states that no wetlands or drainages that would be considered Waters of the United States are found on the site. Therefore, the proposed project will not have a substantial adverse effect on federally protected wetlands as defined by Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Reference: City of Fontana General Plan Update; Biological Resources Assessment, Proposed Tract 20078, Fontana, San Bernardino County, California, H. Lee Jones, Ph.D.; November 2017. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 41 March 2020 d) Interfere substantially with the movement of any native resident or migratory fish or wildlife species or with established native resident or migratory wildlife corridors, or impede the use of native wildlife nursery sites? Less Than Significant Impact See responses to IV. a) above. The proposed project site is located within the Hunter Ridge Specific Plan and is located adjacent to existing single family residential to the east and south, by the San Sevaine Flood Control Channel to the west and by a SCE transmission line easement to the north. The project site does not support migratory wildlife corridors but could support occupied gnatcatcher habitat if required supplemental protocol survey finds that gnatcatchers do currently occupy the site. If this occurs, additional mitigation will be required at meet USFWS and North Fontana Conservation Plan requirements. Based on this documentation, with proposed mitigation incorporated, the proposed project does not interfere substantially with the movement of any native resident or migratory fish or wildlife species or with established native resident or migratory wildlife corridors or impede the use of native wildlife nursery sites. Reference: City of Fontana General Plan Update; "Biological Resources Assessment for Proposed Subdivision, Tentative Tract Map 20078, Fontana, San Bernardino County, California", H. Lee Jones, Ph.D., November 2017; "California Gnatcatcher Protocol Survey for Proposed Subdivision, Tentative Tract Map 20078, Fontana, San Bernardino County, California", H. Lee Jones, Ph.D., June 2018; "Results of a 2017 field habitat assessment to determine the potential presence of the federally endangered San Bernardino kangaroo rat (SBKR) on the approximately 7-acre Tentative Tract 20078, located in the San Sevaine Area of Rancho Cucamonga, California", SJM Biological Consultants, December 2017; "North Fontana Conservation Program Action Report”, City of Fontana, June 2017; City of Fontana Development Fee Schedule, July, 2017. e) Conflict with any local policies or ordinances protecting biological resources, such as a tree preservation policy or ordinance? Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated See responses to IV. a) and IV. d) above, and for the required mitigation. The proposed project site is located within the Hunter Ridge Specific Plan and does not contain any tree resources protected by the City's Tree Preservation Ordinance. The project site is located within the boundary of the "North Fontana Conservation Program", and contains "Suitable Habitat" that includes Riversidian sage scrub and potential habitat for a number of endangered and threatened animal species. Development that impacts these biological resources is required to pay a mitigation fee based on the type of habitat, and the amount of habitat being impacted. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 42 March 2020 The City's current Development Fee Schedule sets forth a fee of $6,210 per gross acre for projects that impact "Suitable Habitat". City staff has determined that the project will impact approximately 7.4-acres of suitable habitat, resulting in an impact fee of $45,754 that must be paid prior to the issuance of a grading permit. The Applicant also has the option to acquire suitable offsite habitat and place it in a permanent conservation easement for like habitat or purchase mitigation credits in a CDFW‐approved mitigation bank at a ratio of a minimum of 1:1. Based on the analysis in IV.a) above, and the payment of the required mitigation fee, the proposed project will not conflict with any local policies or ordinances protecting biological resources, such as a tree preservation policy or ordinance Reference: Fontana Tree Preservation Ordinance; City of Fontana General Plan Update; Biological Resources Assessment for Proposed Subdivision, Tentative Tract Map 20078, Fontana, San Bernardino County, California", H. Lee Jones, Ph.D., November 2017; "California Gnatcatcher Protocol Survey for Proposed Subdivision, Tentative Tract Map 20078, Fontana, San Bernardino Results of a 2017 field habitat assessment to determine the potential presence of the federally endangered San Bernardino kangaroo rat (SBKR) on the approximately 7-acre Tentative Tract 20078, located in the San Sevaine Area of Rancho Cucamonga, California", SJM Biological Consultants, December 2017; County, California", H. Lee Jones, Ph.D., June 2018; "North Fontana Conservation Program Action Report”, City of Fontana, June 2017; City of Fontana Development Fee Schedule, July, 2017. f) Conflict with the provisions of an adopted Habitat Conservation Plan, Natural Community Conservation Plan, or other approved local, regional, or state habitat conservation plan? Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated See responses to IV. a), d) and e) above., and for the required mitigation The proposed project site is located within the Hunter Ridge Specific Plan and is located within the "North Fontana Conservation Program". This project site has been found to contain "Suitable Habitat” and is required to mitigate impacts to specific biological resources by paying a fee to the existing conservation program. The Applicant also has the option to acquire suitable offsite habitat and place it in a permanent conservation easement for like habitat or purchase mitigation credits in a CDFW‐approved mitigation bank at a ratio of a minimum of 1:1. Based on the analysis in IV.a) and e) above, and the payment of the required mitigation fee, the proposed project will not conflict with the provisions of an adopted Habitat Conservation Plan, Natural Community Conservation Plan, or other approved local, regional, or state habitat conservation plan. Reference: City of Fontana General Plan Update; "Biological Resources Assessment for Proposed Subdivision, Tentative Tract Map 20078, Fontana, San Bernardino County, California", H. Lee Jones, Ph.D., November 2017; "California Gnatcatcher Protocol Survey for Proposed Subdivision, Tentative Tract Map 20078, Fontana, San Bernardino Results of a 2017 field habitat assessment to determine the potential presence of the federally endangered San Bernardino kangaroo rat (SBKR) on the approximately 7-acre Tentative Tract 20078, located in the San Sevaine Area of Rancho Cucamonga, California", SJM Biological Consultants, December 2017; County, California", H. Lee Jones, Ph.D., June 2018; "North Fontana Conservation Program Action Report”, City of Fontana, June 2017; City of Fontana Development Fee Schedule, July, 2017. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 43 March 2020 V. CULTURAL RESOURCES. Would the project: a) Cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource as defined in § 15064.5? Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated INTRODUCTION Between August and October 2017, CRM TECH performed a cultural resources survey for a proposed residential development project on the northwestern edge of the City of Fontana, San Bernardino County, California. The "Historical/Archaeological Resources Survey Report" prepared for the Hilton Logistics Center Project by CRM TECH in October 2017 is included as Appendix E to this Initial Study and is herein incorporated by reference. The project area, designated Tentative Tract Map Number 20078, consists of what is currently Assessor’s Parcel Number 0226-421-06, an approximately 9.5-acre parcel of undeveloped land located northwest of the intersection of Labrador Avenue and Montreal Drive. It lies within the southwest quarter of Section 14, T1N R6W, San Bernardino Baseline and Meridian. Exhibit 5 on the following page shows a USGS Vicinity Map location of the Project site The study is part of the environmental review process for the proposed project, which entails the establishment of 20 residential lots, two streets, an equestrian trail, infiltration basin, fire access easement, fuel modification area, natural open space and other associated utilities. The purpose of the study is to provide the City with the necessary information and analysis to determine whether the proposed project would cause substantial adverse changes to any “historical resources,” as defined by CEQA, that may exist in or near the project area. In order to identify such resources, CRM TECH conducted a historical/archaeological resources records search, pursued historical background research, and carried out a systematic field survey of the project area. CURRENT NATURAL SETTING The City of Fontana is located in the central portion of the San Bernardino Valley, a broad inland valley defined by the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountain Ranges on the north and a series of low rocky hills on the south. The natural environment of the region is characterized by its temperate Mediterranean climate, with seasonal average temperatures ranging between 35º and 90º Fahrenheit. Rainfall is typically less than 20 inches annually, most of which occurs between November and March. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 44 March 2020 Exhibit 5 USGS Vicinity Map The project area consists of an irregular-shaped parcel of vacant land bounded by a residential neighborhood on the south and the east and by the San Sevaine Canyon Wash on the west, with undeveloped open fields continuing to the north and the west. The southern base of the San Gabriel Mountains lies approximately a quarter mile north of the project location. Elevations in the project area range approximately from 1,775 to 1,860 feet above mean sea level. A small portion of the property near the northeast corner has been disked in the past, but the area was covered by dense vegetation growth at the time of the survey. The vegetation along the eastern and southern boundaries of the property has been cleared to protect the adjacent residential neighborhoods from brush fires. The terrain of the project area is rough, with an incline toward the north. Two drainages cross the western portion of the project area, and a large earthen levee runs near the center of the property in a roughly north-south direction. The soil appears to be made up of medium- brown coarse alluvial sands with rocks and large boulders. The vegetation observed include buckwheat, datura, white sage, sunflower, foxtails, wild mustard, and other common grasses and shrubs. Exhibit 6 on the following page provides a photograph across the site looking north. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 45 March 2020 Exhibit 6 Current Natural Setting of the Project Area. Source: CRM TECH(Photograph taken on September 1, 2017; view to the north) CULTURAL SETTING Prehistoric Context: The earliest evidence of human occupation in inland southern California was discovered below the surface of an alluvial fan in the northern portion of the Lakeview Mountains, overlooking the San Jacinto Valley, with radiocarbon dates clustering around 9,500 B.P. Another site found near the shoreline of Lake Elsinore, close to the confluence of Temescal Wash and the San Jacinto River, yielded radiocarbon dates between 8,000 and 9,000 B.P. Additional sites with isolated Archaic dart points, bifaces, and other associated lithic artifacts from the same age range have been found in the Cajon Pass area, typically atop knolls with good viewsheds. The cultural prehistory of southern California has been summarized into numerous chronologies. Although the beginning and ending dates of different cultural horizons vary regionally, the general framework can be divided into three primary periods: • Paleoindian Period (ca. 18,000-9,000 B.P.): Native peoples of this period created fluted spearhead bases designed to be hafted to wooden shafts. The distinctive method of thinning bifaces and spearhead preforms by removing long, linear flakes leave diagnostic Paleoindian markers at tool-making sites. Other artifacts associated with the Paleoindian toolkit include choppers, cutting tools, retouched flakes, and perforators. Sites from this period are very sparse across the landscape and most are deeply buried. • Archaic Period (ca. 9,000-1,500 B.P.): Archaic sites are characterized by abundant lithic scatters of considerable size with many biface thinning flakes, bifacial preforms broken during manufacture, and well-made groundstone bowls and basin metates. As a consequence of making dart points, many biface thinning waste flakes were generated at individual production stations, which is a diagnostic feature of Archaic sites. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 46 March 2020 • Late Prehistoric Period (ca. 1,500 B.P.-contact): Sites from this period typically contain small lithic scatters from the manufacture of small arrow points, expedient groundstone tools such as tabular metates and unshaped manos, wooden mortars with stone pestles, acorn or mesquite bean granaries, ceramic vessels, shell beads suggestive of extensive trading networks, and steatite implements such as pipes and arrow shaft straighteners. Ethnohistoric Context: The City of Fontana lies in an area where the traditional territories of the Serrano and the Gabrielino peoples adjoined and overlapped with each other, at least during the Late Prehistoric and Protohistoric Periods. The homeland of the Gabrielino, probably the most influential Native 6 American group in aboriginal southern California, was centered in the Los Angeles Basin, and reached as far east as the San Bernardino-Riverside area. The homeland of the Serrano was primarily the San Bernardino Mountains, including the slopes and lowlands on the north and south flanks. Whatever the linguistic affiliation, Native Americans in and around the Fontana area exhibited similar social organization and resource procurement strategies. Villages were based on clan or lineage groups. Their home/base sites are marked by midden deposits, often occurring with bedrock mortars. During their seasonal rounds to exploit plant resources, small groups would migrate within their traditional territory in search of specific plants and animals. Their gathering strategies often left behind signs of special use sites, usually grinding slicks on bedrock boulders, at the locations of the resources. As early as 1542, the Gabrielino were in contact with the Spanish during the historic expedition of Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, but it was not until 1769 that the Spaniards took steps to colonize Gabrielino territory. Shortly afterwards, most of the Gabrielino people were incorporated into Mission San Gabriel and other missions in southern California. The Serrano were brought into the mission system after 1819, when an asistencia of Mission San Gabriel was established in present-day Loma Linda. Due to introduced diseases, dietary deficiencies, and forceful reduction, Gabrielino and Serrano population dwindled rapidly. By 1900, the Gabrielino had almost ceased to exist as a culturally identifiable group. The Serrano, meanwhile, were mostly settled on the San Manuel and the Morongo Indian Reservations. Historic Context: In 1772, three years after the beginning of Spanish colonization of Alta California, Pedro Fages, comandante of the new province, and a small force of soldiers under his command became the first Europeans to set foot in the San Bernardino Valley. They were followed in the next few years by two other famed early Spanish explorers, Juan Bautista de Anza and Francisco Garcés, who traveled through the valley in the mid-1770s. Despite these early visits, for the next 40 years the inland valley received little impact from the Spanish colonization activities in Alta California, which were concentrated predominantly in the coastal regions. For the bulk of the Spanish Mexican period, the San Bernardino Valley was considered a part of the land holdings of Mission San Gabriel. The name “San Bernardino” was bestowed on the region at least by 1819, when a mission asistencia and an associated rancho were officially established under that name in the eastern end of the valley. After gaining independence from Spain in 1821, the Mexican government began in 1834 the process of secularizing the mission system in Alta California, which in practice meant the confiscation of the Franciscan missions’ vast land holdings, to be distributed later among prominent citizens of the province. During the 1830s and the 1840s, several large land grants were created in the vicinity of present-day Fontana, but the project area was not involved in any of these, and thus remained public land when California became a part of the United States in 1848. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 47 March 2020 Used primarily as cattle ranches, the ranchos around Fontana saw little development until the mid-19th century, when a group of Mormon settlers from Salt Lake City founded the town of San Bernardino in 1851. After the completion of the Southern Pacific Railroad in the mid-1870s, and especially after the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway introduced a competing line in the 1880s, a phenomenal land boom swept through much of southern California, ushering in a number of new settlements in the San Bernardino Valley. In 1887, the Semi-Tropic Land and Water Company purchased a large tract of land near the mouth of Lytle Creek, together with the necessary water rights to the creek, and laid out the townsites of Rialto, Bloomington, and Rosena. While Rialto and Bloomington were soon settled and began to grow, little development took place at Rosena before the collapse of the 1880s land boom and the ensuing financial destruction of the Semi-Tropic Land and Water Company. In 1905, Azariel Blanchard “A. B.” Miller (1878-1941), widely considered the founder of present-day Fontana, arrived in Rosena from the Imperial Valley and, along with his associates, soon established Fontana Farms on a tract of land that eventually reached 20,000 acres. Within the first 10 years of the 20th century, an irrigation system was constructed and much of the land was planted in grain and citrus crops. Miller’s Fontana Farms endeavors became synonymous to the location, which lead to Rosena’s renaming as Fontana in 1913. Up to Miller’s death in 1941, Fontana remained primarily an agricultural settlement where poultry, hog, and rabbit raising played a particularly important role in the local economy. During World War II, however, the establishment of the Kaiser Steel Mill dramatically altered the agrarian setting of the Fontana area. With other industrial enterprises moving into the area after Kaiser, Fontana became known as a center of heavy industry, a characterization that lasted until recent years. Since the closure of the Kaiser Steel Mill in 1983, and in response to demand for affordable housing, Fontana, like many other cities in the San Bernardino Valley, has increasingly taken on the characteristics of a “bedroom community.” RESEARCH METHODS Records Search: On August 22, 2017, CRM TECH archaeologist conducted the records search at the South- Central Coastal Information Center (SCCIC), which is the State of California’s official cultural resource records repository for the County of San Bernardino. During the records search, CRM TECH examined maps and records on file at the SCCIC for a complete inventory of previously identified historical/archaeological resources and existing cultural resources studies within a one-mile radius of the project area. Previously identified cultural resources include properties designated as California Historical Landmarks, Points of Historical Interest, or San Bernardino County Landmarks, as well as those listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the California Register of Historical Resources, or the California Historical Resources Inventory. Historical Research: Historical background research for this study was conducted by CRM TECH archaeologist. Sources consulted during the research included primarily published literature in local and regional history, U.S. General Land Office (GLO) land survey plat maps dated 1875, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) topographic maps dated 1901-1996, and aerial photographs taken in 1938-2016. The historic maps are collected at the Science Library of the University of California, Riverside, and the California Desert District of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, located in Moreno Valley. The aerial photographs are available at the NETR Online website and through the Google Earth software. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 48 March 2020 Field Survey: On September 1, 2017, CRM TECH's archaeologist carried out a pedestrian field survey of the project area. Where possible, CRM TECH walked a series of parallel transects spaced 15 meters (approximately 50 feet) apart. Due to the presence of dense vegetation, however, regular transects were impracticable on portions of the property. In those areas, CRM TECH followed any accessible route available and examined as much exposed ground surface as possible. Ground visibility was generally poor (0-25 percent) because of the vegetation growth. RESULTS AND FINDINGS Records Search: According to records on file at the SCCIC, the project area was included in several large- scale cultural resource studies completed between 1984 and 1992, but no cultural resources were previously recorded within or adjacent to the project boundaries. Because all of these past studies are now more than 20 years old, they are considered to be outdated for statutory compliance purposes in connection to the current project. Exhibit 7 on the following page shows previous cultural resources studies in the vicinity of the project area, listed by SCCIC file number. Within a one-mile radius of the project location, SCCIC records show at least 16 other previous studies on various tracts of land and linear features. Together, the previous studies in the vicinity covered more than 90 percent of the land within the scope of the records search and resulted in the recordation of 27 historical/archaeological sites into the California Historical Resources Inventory. All but one of these sites dated exclusively to the historic period. The lone exception, Site 36-006816, consisted of a prehistoric—i.e., Native American—lithic scatter as well as a historic-period wagon road, refuse scatter, a well, a levee, and a retaining wall. It was recorded in 1991 about 0.13 mile to the northwest of the project area. The 26 historic-period sites included buildings, irrigation features, structural remains, rock alignments, cairns, power transmission lines, and a limestone quarry. Four of these sites were considered eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (36-006807, 36-006808, 36-006812, and 36-006815). None of these sites, however, was found within or adjacent to the project boundaries, and thus none of them requires further consideration. Historical Research: Historical sources consulted for this study demonstrate ample evidence of settlement activities in the surrounding area as early as the 1870s but no indication of such activities within the project boundaries throughout the historic period. In 1873-1875, several settlers’ houses, roads, and agricultural fields were noted in the general vicinity of the project location. By 1938, however, no man-made features of any kind were known to be present within or adjacent to the project area. Between 1938 and 1955, portions of the project area were impacted by flood-control work implemented along the San Sevaine Canyon Wash to the west, including the forerunner of the earthen levee across the property today. The adjacent residential neighborhood to the south and the east was developed in the 1990s, but the project area itself has evidently remained vacant and undeveloped to the present time. Field Survey: No buildings, structures, objects, sites, features, or artifacts dating to the prehistoric or historic period (i.e., 50 years or older) were encountered within or adjacent to the project boundaries during the field survey. As mentioned above, portions of the project area have been disturbed by past flood-control work, including the construction of the earthen levee across the center of the property and a second levee along the western project boundary. Meanwhile, the areas along the eastern and southern boundaries have been impacted by construction activities on the adjacent properties. Evidence of past disking was observed in the northeastern portion of the project area, and some grubbing has occurred along the southern and eastern property boundaries, but much of the ground surface remained covered by dense vegetation growth and could not be inspected adequately. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 49 March 2020 Exhibit 7 Previous Cultural Resources Studies in the Vicinity of the Project Area .Source: CRM TECH Locations of historical/archaeological sites are not shown as a protective measure. DISCUSSION OF PROJECT SITE HISTORIC RESOURCES The purpose of this study is to identify any cultural resources within the project area and to assist the City of Fontana in determining whether such resources meet the official definition of “historical resources,” as provided in the California Public Resources Code, in particular CEQA. According to PRC §5020.1(j), “‘historical resource’ includes, but is not limited to, any object, building, site, area, place, record, or manuscript which is historically or archaeologically significant, or is significant in the architectural, engineering, scientific, economic, agricultural, educational, social, political, military, or cultural annals of California.” Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 50 March 2020 More specifically, CEQA guidelines state that the term “historical resources” applies to any such resources listed in or determined to be eligible for listing in the California Register of Historical Resources, included in a local register of historical resources, or determined to be historically significant by the lead agency. Regarding the proper criteria for the evaluation of historical significance, CEQA guidelines mandate that “generally a resource shall be considered by the lead agency to be ‘historically significant’ if the resource meets the criteria for listing on the California Register of Historical Resources”. A resource may be listed in the California Register if it meets any of the following criteria: 1. Is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of California’s history and cultural heritage. 2. Is associated with the lives of persons important in our past. 3. Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, region, or method of construction, or represents the work of an important creative individual, or possesses high artistic values. 4. Has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history. As discussed above, no potential “historical resources” were previously recorded within or adjacent to the project area, and none were encountered during the present survey. AB52 CONSULTATION PROCESS Public Resources Code (PRC), Division 5, Parks and Monuments, Chapter 1, State Parks and Monuments, Section 5024.1.(a) states "A California Register of Historical Resources is hereby established. The California Register is an authoritative guide in California to be used by state and local agencies, private groups, and citizens to identify the state’s historical resources and to indicate what properties are to be protected, to the extent prudent and feasible, from substantial adverse change. The commission shall oversee the administration of the California Register." In compliance with the requirements of PRC 5021.4, and with Assembly Bill 52, and Section 21080.3.2.of the PRC, the City of Fontana, Lead Agency, has conducted government to government consultations with four Native American Indian Tribes that have interests in Fontana where ancestral lands are claimed. On February 27, 2017, certified letters were sent to four tribes: Gabrieleno Band of Mission Indians-Kizh Nation, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians, and Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians. Based on this documentation, the General Plan Cultural Mitigation Measures contained in Section V.a) and recommended Mitigation Measures incorporated into the proposed Project, the proposed project would not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a tribal cultural resource, defined in Public Resources Code section 21074 as either a site, feature, place, cultural landscape that is geographically defined in terms of the size and scope of the landscape, sacred place, or object with cultural value to a California Native American tribe, and is not a resource determined by the lead agency, in its discretion and supported by substantial evidence, to be significant pursuant to criteria set forth in subdivision (c) of Public Resources Code Section 5024.1. References: Historical/Archaeological Resources Survey Report, Hilton Logistics Center Project. APN 1110- 151-34, City of Fontana, San Bernardino County, California, CRM TECH, October 2017; Fontana General Plan Update 2015 -2013, November 2018.; City of Fontana Native American Indian Tribe Consultation Process, February 2017 through August 2019. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 51 March 2020 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS CEQA establishes that a project that may cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a “historical resource” or a “tribal cultural resource” is a project that may have a significant effect on the environment. “Substantial adverse change means demolition, destruction, relocation, or alteration such that the significance of a historical resource would be impaired. In summary of the research results presented above, no “historical resources,” as defined by CEQA, were encountered throughout the course of the study. No “historical resources” are known to exist within or adjacent to the project area, and thus the proposed project will not cause a substantial adverse change to any known “historical resources MITIGATION MEASURES Ground visibility was poor at the time of the archaeological field survey because of the dense vegetation growth. Therefore, portions of the project area could not be examined effectively. In order to establish positively the presence or absence of surface archaeological remains, especially those of prehistoric origin, the project area will need to be inspected again once the vegetation is removed. Based on these considerations and the AB 52 consultation process with affected area Native American Indian Tribes, the following mitigation measures recommended for consideration in the General Plan Update EIR are recommended for the proposed project: MM-CUL-1 A qualified archaeologist shall perform the following tasks, prior to construction activities within project boundaries: • Subsequent to a preliminary City review, if evidence suggests the potential for historic resources, a field survey for historical resources within portions of the project site not previously surveyed for cultural resources shall be conducted. Subsequent to a preliminary City review, if evidence suggests the potential for historic resources, the San Bernardino County Archives shall be contacted for information on historical property records. • Subsequent to a preliminary City review, if evidence suggests the potential for sacred land resources, the Native American Heritage Commission shall be contacted for information regarding sacred lands. • All historical resources within the project site, including archaeological and historic resources older than 50 years, shall be inventoried using appropriate State record forms and guidelines followed according to the California Office of Historic Preservation’s handbook “Instructions for Recording Historical Resources.” The archaeologist shall then submit two (2) copies of the completed forms to the San Bernardino County Archaeological Information Center for the assignment of trinomials. • The significance and integrity of all historical resources within the project site shall be evaluated, using criteria established in the CEQA Guidelines for important archaeological resources and/or 36 CFR 60.4 for eligibility for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. • Mitigation measures shall be proposed and conditions of approval (if a local government action) recommended to eliminate adverse project effects on significant, important, and unique historical resources, following appropriate CEQA and/or National Historic Preservation Act's Section 106 guidelines. • A technical resources management report shall be prepared, documenting the inventory, evaluation, and proposed mitigation of resources within the project site, following guidelines for Archaeological Resource Management Reports prepared by the California Office of Historic Preservation, Preservation Planning Bulletin 4(a), December 1989. One copy of the completed report, with original illustrations, shall be submitted to the San Bernardino County Archaeological Information Center for permanent archiving. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 52 March 2020 • If human remains are encountered on the project site, the San Bernardino County Coroner’s Office shall be contacted within 24 hours of the find, and all work shall be halted until a clearance is given by that office and any other involved agencies. All resources and data collected within the project site shall be permanently curated at an appropriate repository within the County. MM-CUL-2: If any prehistoric archaeological resources are encountered before or during grading, the developer shall retain a qualified archaeologist to monitor construction activities and to take appropriate measures to protect or preserve them for study. With the assistance of the archaeologist, the City of Fontana shall: • Enact interim measures to protect undesignated sites from demolition or significant modification without an opportunity for the City to establish its archaeological value. • Consider establishing provisions to require incorporation of archaeological sites within new developments, using their special qualities at a theme or focal point. • Pursue educating the public about the area's archaeological heritage. • Proposal mitigation measures and recommend conditions of approval (if a local government action) to eliminate adverse project effects on significant, important, and unique prehistoric resources, following appropriate CEQA guidelines. Prepare a technical resources management report, documenting the inventory, evaluation, and proposed mitigation of resources within the project area. Submit one copy of the completed report, with original illustrations, to the San Bernardino County Archaeological Information Center for permanent archiving. MM-CUL-3: Where consistent with applicable local, State and federal law and deemed appropriate by the City, future site-specific development projects shall consider the following: In the event Native American cultural resources are discovered during construction for future development, all work in the immediate vicinity of the find shall cease and a qualified archaeologist meeting Secretary of Interior standards shall be hired to assess the find. Work on the overall project may continue during this period; • Initiate consultation between the appropriate Native American tribal entity (as determined by a qualified archaeologist meeting Secretary of Interior standards) and the City/project applicant; Transfer cultural resources investigations to the appropriate Native American entity (as determined by a qualified archaeologist meeting Secretary of Interior standards) as soon as possible; • Utilize a Native American Monitor from the appropriate Native American entity (as determined by a qualified archaeologist meeting Secretary of Interior standards) where deemed appropriate or required by the City, during initial ground disturbing activities, cultural resource surveys. and/or cultural resource excavations. The consultation process with the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians (SMBMI), resulted in additional Mitigation Measures suggested for the proposed project. The City has similar standard conditions of approval that are listed below and have been added as mitigation measures incorporated into the proposed project in compliance with state law. MM-CUL-4: Archaeological Monitoring: A qualified archaeological monitor that has at least 3 years of regional experience and a Tribal monitor representing tribes that participated in consultation with the Lead Agency (Participating Tribes) with cultural and historic ties to the Project area, shall be present for all ground- disturbing activities that occur within the proposed project Area of Potential Effect (APE) (which includes ground disturbing activities such as tree/shrub removal and planting, clearing/grubbing, grading, excavation, trenching, compaction, fence/gate removal, drainage and irrigation removal, hardscape removal (benches, signage, boulders, walls, seat walls, fountains, etc.), and archaeological surveys, testing, and data recovery. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 53 March 2020 The Project developer/applicant shall provide hourly compensation for the archaeological and Tribal monitors and the services these individuals provide as part of the monitoring effort for the Project. Prior to the issuance of any ground disturbance-related permits (such as grading permits), the Lead Agency shall contact and coordinate with Participating Tribes as reasonably determined by the Lead Agency to facilitate communications with the Project developer/applicant so that all Parties can develop a mutually- acceptable Archaeological and Tribal Monitoring and Treatment Plan which includes the scope of monitoring, and scheduling and rotation of monitors from individual Participating Tribes. This Plan shall be approved and adopted by the Lead Agency prior to the of any ground disturbance related permits. The Plan’s implementation in the field shall be enforced by the Lead Agency for the life of the Project. MM-CUL-5: Discovery Protocol and Treatment: If an archaeological deposit or tribal cultural resource is discovered within the Project area, ground disturbing activities shall be suspended 100 feet around the resource(s) and, if necessary, an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) physical demarcation/barrier constructed. Representatives from the Participating Tribes, the Archaeological Monitor, the Project applicant/developer, and the Lead Agency shall confer regarding significance and treatment of the discovered resource(s), utilizing the Treatment Plan adopted by the City prior to project implementation. Should additional archaeological fieldwork be needed to properly assess the resource for significant under CEQA and following the securing of the discovery site from further disturbance, the archaeological consultant will prepare, in consultation with the Participating Tribes, an Archaeological Testing Plan that will present the process needed to assess the potential significance of a discovered cultural resources and submit this to the City for approval. This evaluation process may include, but is not limited to, archaeological excavations or test trenches, laboratory analysis of artifacts, and Native American participation in the site assessment. The archaeological consultant shall then prepare a report outlining the process and results of archaeological testing, to the City, as well as a formal evaluation of significance of the discovered resource, as determined through consultation with Participating Tribes. If that evaluation process concludes that the discovered resource(s) is CEQA significant, then the resource will be subject to treatment guidelines outlined in the Tribal Monitoring and Treatment Plan. Any action that results in the removal of cultural resources (artifacts, ecofacts, features, etc.) from their original provenience shall also include a comprehensive discussion of resource processing, analysis, curation, and reporting protocols and obligations. All final reports regarding the resource recovery fieldwork are to be submitted to the local CHRIS Information Center, the Lead Agency, and Participating Tribes. MM-CUL-6: Treatment and Disposition of Artifacts, Ecofacts, Cultural Deposits: Culturally-appropriate and professionally proper procedures shall be followed with respect to all artifacts affiliated with Native peoples— whether prehistoric, protohistoric, or historic. a. All significant findings are subject to avoidance. Should avoidance not be feasible, findings will be collected and temporarily curated, and then reburied on site or near the site in a location that will be protected from future disturbance. Reburial shall not occur until all ground disturbing activities associated with the Project have been completed, all monitoring has ceased, all cataloging and basic recordation of cultural resources have been completed, and a final monitoring report has been issued to Lead Agency, Participating Tribes, and CHRIS. b. Should it occur that avoidance, preservation in place, or on-site reburial are not feasible options for some artifacts, the landowner shall relinquish all ownership and rights to this material and consult with the Participating Tribes to identify an American Association of Museums (AAM)-accredited facility within San Bernardino County that can accession the materials into their permanent collections and provide for the proper care of these objects in accordance with the 1993 CA Curation Guidelines. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 54 March 2020 c. Where appropriate, the SOI-qualified archaeologist hired by the applicant/developer may conduct analyses of certain artifact classes (including, but not limited to, shell, non-human bone, ceramic, stone) if required by the Lead Agency. Upon completion of authorized and mandatory analyses, the applicant/developer shall provide said artifacts to the Participating Tribes for reburial or to the aforementioned, identified curation facility. MM-CUL-7: Discovery and Treatment of Human Remains: The Lead Agency and the applicant/developer shall immediately contact the San Bernardino County Coroner/Medical Examiner, and Participating Tribes in the event that any human remains are discovered during implementation of the Project. If the Coroner recognizes the human remains to be those of a Native American or has reason to believe that they are those of a Native American, the Coroner shall ensure that notification is provided to the NAHC within twenty-four (24) hours of the determination, as required by California Health and Safety Code § 7050.5 (c). Native American Heritage Commission shall determine which Native American organization shall be designated as the Most Likely Descendent (MLD). The MLD shall be allowed, under California Public Resources Code § 5097.98 (a), to inspect the site of the discovery and (2) make recommendations within forty-eight (48) hours of receiving notification from either the Developer or the NAHC, as required by California Public Resources Code § 5097.98 as to how the human remains and funerary objects shall be treated and disposed of with appropriate dignity. The MLD, applicant/developer/ landowner, and Lead Agency agree to discuss in good faith what constitutes "appropriate dignity" as that term is used in the applicable statutes. Reburial of human remains and/or funerary objects shall be accomplished in compliance with the California Public Resources Code § 5097.98 (a) and (b). All parties are aware that the MLD may wish to rebury the human remains and associated funerary objects, as well as ceremonial and cultural items (artifacts) on or near, the site of their discovery, in an area that shall not be subject to future subsurface disturbances. If feasible, the applicant/developer/landowner should accommodate on-site or near-site reburial in a location mutually agreed upon by the Parties. The term "human remains" encompasses more than human bones because some local Tribes’ traditions periodically necessitated the ceremonial burning of human remains and funerary objects. Funerary objects are those artifacts associated with any human remains or funerary rites. These items, and other funerary remnants and their ashes, are to be treated in the same manner as human bone fragments or bones that remain intact. It is understood by all Parties that unless otherwise required by law, the site of any reburial of Native American human remains or cultural artifacts shall not be disclosed and shall not be governed by public disclosure requirements of the California Public Records Act. The Coroner, parties, and Lead Agencies will be asked to withhold public disclosure information related to such reburial, pursuant to the specific exemption set forth in California Government Code § 6254 (r). Based on this documentation, the Cultural Mitigation Measures contained in this Section, the consultation process with all potentially affected Native American Indian Tribes, and the incorporation of state approved City of Fontana adopted mitigation measures listed above, the proposed project. With mitigation will not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource as defined in § 15064.5 References: Historical/Archaeological Resources Survey Report, Hilton Logistics Center Project. APN 1110- 151-34, City of Fontana, San Bernardino County, California, CRM TECH, October 2017; Fontana General Plan Update 2015 -2013, November 2018.; City of Fontana Native American Indian Tribe Consultation Process, February 2017 through August 2019; City Adopted Tribal Standard Conditions of Approval. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 55 March 2020 b) Cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource as defined in § 15064.5? Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated See response to V.a), above, and the required mitigation measures listed above. Based on the analysis in CRM TECH's Cultural Resources Assessment and the City's AB 52 Native American Consultation process for the TTM 20078 Project, with mitigation, the proposed project will not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource as defined in § 15064.5. Reference: Historical/Archaeological Resources Survey Report, Tentative Tract Map Number 20078, Assessor’s Parcel Number 0226-421-06, City of Fontana, San Bernardino County, California, CRM TECH, October 2017; City of Fontana AB 52 Consultation Process, February 2017 - August 2019; City Adopted Tribal Standard Conditions of Approval. c) Directly or indirectly destroy a unique paleontological resource or site or unique geologic feature? Less Than Significant Impact The project site does not contain any unique geologic features. The Fontana General Plan Update shows there are no areas for high sensitivity for prehistoric paleontological resources in the area of the project site. Based on this documentation, the Lead Agency finds that the proposed project will not directly or indirectly destroy a unique paleontological resource or site or unique geologic feature. Reference: Fontana General Plan Update. Reference: Historical/Archaeological Resources Survey Report, Tentative Tract Map Number 20078, Assessor’s Parcel Number 0226-421-06, City of Fontana, San Bernardino County, California, CRM TECH, October 2017; City of Fontana AB 52 Consultation Process, February 2017 - August 2019. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 56 March 2020 d) Disturb any human remains, including those interred outside of formal cemeteries? Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated See responses to V. a) & V. b) above. The grading and site improvements for the proposed project have the potential for disturbing unknown human remains. Therefore, the Lead Agency considers the potential for disturbing unknown human remains to be low. However, the City does have the following standard condition of approval if human remains are discovered: C-4: If human remains are encountered within the project site the Coroner’s Division of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department must be contacted within 24-hours of the find, and all work shall be halted until a clearance is provided by that office (175 South Lena Road, San Bernardino, CA 92415-0037; 909/387-2989). Should the Coroner determine the human remains to be Native American, the State of California Native American Heritage Commission shall be contacted (1550 Harbor Boulevard, Suite 100, West Sacramento, CA 95691; 916/373-3710). Based on this information and required standard condition of approval, the proposed project will result in a less than significant impact with regard to disturbing human remains, including those interred outside of formal cemeteries. Reference: Grading Permit standard conditions of approval. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 57 March 2020 VI. ENERGY Would the project: a) Result in potentially significant environmental impact due to wasteful, inefficient, or unnecessary consumption of energy resources, during project construction or operation? Less Than Significant With Mitigation Incorporated ENERGY EFFICIENCY BACKGROUND On November 13, 2018, the City of Fontana adopted its most recent General Plan, which can be thought of as the City’s constitution or long-range blueprint for its physical development. The State of California mandates that every city and county adopt a General Plan. The General Plan details the community’s vision by identifying goals and objectives over the next 20 years. One of the primary principles to guide the General Plan and its implementation is to pursue sustainability and resilience by making resource-efficient choices to conserve water, energy, and materials, improve air quality, and adjust to changing conditions. The Infrastructure and Green Systems Chapter of the General Plan Update sets forth the following Goal and Policy: Goal: Fontana is becoming an energy efficient community. Policy: Promote renewable energy and distributed energy systems in new development and retrofits of existing development to work toward becoming a zero net energy city. Renewable energy: The State of California is moving towards a carbon-free electricity system. The Clean Energy and Pollution Reduction Act of 2015 (Chapter 547, Statutes of 2015) establishes targets to increase retail sales of qualified renewable electricity to at least 50 percent by 2030 and double the energy efficiency savings in electricity and natural gas end uses by 2030. Rebate programs and community solar programs are available to Fontana electricity consumers. California’s Long-Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan has set a goal of zero net energy for all new residential development in 2020 and all new commercial development in 2030. Fontana introduced the state’s first zero net energy residential community, consisting of 20 homes, on Earth Day 2015. GENERAL PLAN UPDATE POLICIES AND ACTIONS • Policy: Promote renewable energy and distributed energy systems in new development and retrofits of existing development to work towards the highest levels of low-carbon energy-efficiency. • Actions: A. Promote participation in renewable energy programs. B. Regional and state programs provide a wide range of programs to assist homeowners, other property owners, and businesses access renewable energy. C. Promote state and regional retrofit programs for property owners. At the time of writing, these programs include California Solar Initiative. This program provides rebates for Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 58 March 2020 solar installation to income-eligible owners of single -family homes and also has a program for affordable multifamily housing D. Encourage customer participation in renewable energy programs offered by Southern California Edison. Currently, two programs are available: Green Tariff: Customers can sign up with the utility to receive up to 100% of their energy from renewable sources. Enhanced Community Renewables (ECR): Under this “community solar” program, a developer of a local solar project sells shares in the solar electricity produced to customers, who sign up for at least 25% and as much as 100% of their monthly electricity demand. They pay the producer directly and receive a credit on their utility bill. E. Work with the San Bernardino Regional Energy Partnership (SBREP) to access assistance to city government in energy efficiency. F. Encourage industrial and other suitable non-residential developers to participate in the Enhanced Community Renewables program. • This is a “distributed energy” and “community solar” system whereby the developers sell shares of electricity they do not use for their own activities to purchasers. Warehouse buildings with solar panel roofs may be very suitable for this program. In order to promote energy efficiency design features that reduce wasteful, inefficient, or unnecessary consumption of energy resources, during project construction or operation, all Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Measures set forth in Sections III and Section VIII shall be implemented. In addition, the following potential measures for conserving energy and reducing potential energy demands related to Project construction, operations, transportation and motor vehicles are incorporated into the proposed Project: Energy Efficiency: • Design buildings to be energy efficient and exceed Title 24 requirements by at least 5 percent. • Install efficient lighting, and lighting control systems. Site and design building to take advantage of daylight with skylights and solar panels. • Use trees, landscaping and sunscreens on west and south exterior building walls to reduce energy use. Install light colored “cool” roofs and cool pavements. Provide information on energy management services for large energy users. • Install energy efficient heating and cooling systems, appliances and equipment, and control systems (e.g., minimum of Energy Star rated equipment). • Implement design features to increase the efficiency of the building envelope (i.e., the barrier between conditioned and unconditioned spaces). • Install light emitting diodes (LEDs) for traffic, street and other outdoor lighting. • Limit the hours of operation of outdoor lighting. • Use combined heat and power in appropriate applications. Water Conservation and Efficiency: • Create water-efficient landscapes with a preference for a xeriscape landscape palette. • Install water-efficient irrigation systems and devices, such as soil moisture-based irrigation controls. • Design buildings to be water efficient. Install water-efficient fixtures and appliances (e.g., EPA WaterSense labeled products). Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 59 March 2020 • Restrict watering methods (e.g., prohibit systems that apply water to non-vegetated surfaces) and control runoff. • Restrict the use of water for cleaning outdoor surfaces and vehicles. • Implement low-impact development practices that maintain the existing hydrologic character of the site to manage storm water and protect the environment. (Retaining storm water runoff on-site can drastically reduce the need for energy-intensive imported water at the site). • Devise a comprehensive water conservation strategy appropriate for the project and location. The strategy may include many of the specific items listed above, plus other innovative measures that are appropriate to the specific project. • Provide education about water conservation and available programs and incentives. Daily average electrical energy consumption by the proposed single-family residential project is projected to be approximately 16 to 20 kilowatt hours (kWh) per unit per day, or approximately 360 kWh per day for the 20-unit project. The average natural gas consumption is estimated to be approximately 15 to 18 cubic feet per unit per day, or approximately 336 cubic feet per day for the 20-unit project. Both utility companies have indicated they have capacity within their existing infrastructure to serve the project site. This project is incorporating the following mitigation measures/standard conditions of approval to minimize energy consumption: • On-site stormwater retention that meets Regional Water Quality Control Board standards for low impact development; • Residential building designs that meet or exceed Title 24 requirements; o Dual Pane Window and Sliding Glass Doors; o Energy efficient HVAC Systems and Appliances; o Low Flow Water Fixtures and Drip Irrigation Based upon General Plan Update Goals, Polices, Actions, the standard conditions listed above and based upon other required energy conserving Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emission Mitigation Measures contained in Section III and Section VIII of this document, the project does not result in potentially significant environmental impact due to wasteful, inefficient, or unnecessary consumption of energy resources, during project construction or operation. References: Southern California Edison Web site; Southern California Gas Company Web Site; Focused Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emission Analysis for Tract 20078, City of Fontana, Greve and Associates, October 2017; California Emissions Estimator Model (CalEEMod version 2016.3.2); CEQA Air Quality Handbook”, South Coast Air Quality Management District, 1993; California Air Resources Board (CARB); Fontana General Plan Update 2015 -2013, November 2018. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 60 March 2020 VII. GEOLOGY AND SOILS. Would the project: a) Expose people or structures to potential substantial adverse effects, including the risk of loss, injury or death involving: See following responses. i) Rupture of a known earthquake fault, as delineated on the most recent Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Map issued by the State Geologist for the area or based on other substantial evidence of a known fault? Refer to Division of Mines and Geology Special Publication 42. Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated The Fontana General Plan Update, Chapter 11, Noise and Safety Element, states that earthquakes are a significant concern to the City of Fontana. The area around City of Fontana is seismically active since it is situated on the boundary between two tectonic plates. Earthquakes can cause serious structural damage to buildings, overlying aqueducts, transportation facilities, utilities, and can lead to loss of life. In addition, earthquakes can cause collateral emergencies including dam and levee failures, fires, and landslides. Seismic shaking is by far the single greatest cause of damage from an earthquake in City of Fontana followed by liquefaction. The City of Fontana contains both active and potentially active faults. According to the USGS in 2008, “there is a 99% probability in the next 30 years there will be an earthquake 6.7 or larger in California.” Southern California is a seismically active region and commonly experiences ground shaking from earthquakes along active faults. The State Mining and Geology Board define an active fault as one which has “had surface displacement within Holocene time (about the last 11,000 years)”. The three faults that dominate the seismic hazard for the City of Fontana are the San Andreas, San Jacinto and Cucamonga faults. Protecting Fontana from the threat of geological hazards is achieved through the identification of hazards, mitigation of structures at risk, enforcement of building codes and development standards, and public education and emergency preparedness. The following two goals are set forth within the General Plan Update. Goal 4: The City shall monitor development or redevelopment in areas where faults have been mapped through the city. Actions: A. Maintain and continuously update the City’s geologic and seismic hazards map in concert with updates from the California Geological Survey and local surveys. B. Enforce development requirements, such as seismic study analyses, project siting, and project design features for proposed development near active faults pursuant to the Alquist-Priolo Act. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 61 March 2020 Goal 5: The City shall continue to ensure that current geologic knowledge and peer (third party) review are incorporated into the design, planning, and construction stages of a project and that site-specific data are applied to each project. Actions: A. Require adherence to the latest California Building Code regulations; update codes and ordinances periodically for latest advances. B. The Building Official shall require development proposals to include a geotechnical hazard analysis as applicable. The proposed TTM 20078 project site is located within the Alquist-Priolo designated Cucamonga Fault Zone. The Rialto-Colton Fault (Barrier H) is located approximately one mile southeast of the project site. Another "inferred fault" (Barrier J) is also located approximately one mile southeast of the project site. The Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act was passed into law following the destructive February 9, 1971 Mw 6.6 San Fernando earthquake, which was associated with extensive surface fault ruptures that damaged numerous homes, commercial buildings, and other structures. The Act's main purpose is to prevent the construction of buildings used for human occupancy on the surface trace of active faults. The Act only addresses the hazard of surface fault rupture and is not directed toward other earthquake hazards. All projects in the City must demonstrate compliance with the California Building Code that sets forth structural construction requirements related to potential earthquake risks, prior to the issuance of a building permit. The law required the State Geologist to establish regulatory zones (known as Earthquake Fault Zones) around the known surface traces of active faults and to issue appropriate maps. Local agencies are required to regulate most development projects within the zones. Projects include all land divisions and most structures for human occupancy. Before a project can be permitted, cities and counties must require a geologic investigation to demonstrate that proposed buildings will not be constructed across active faults. An evaluation and written report of a specific site must be prepared by a licensed geologist. If an active fault is found, a structure for human occupancy cannot be placed over the trace of the fault and must be set back from the fault (generally 50 feet). The US Geologic Society (USGS) Devore Quadrangle Earthquake Fault Zone Map shows TTM 20078 is located within the Cucamonga Fault Zone, and shows accurately located, approximately located and inferred trace faults within 200 to 800 feet of the project site. The California Division of Mines and Geology Fault Evaluation Report FER-240 states: "..thrust faulting along the north-dipping Cucamonga Fault Zone has moved at the rate of 5 mm/year for the last 13,000 years, and the rate could be greater." The report concludes that earthquakes with vertical displacements of 2 meters occur on average every 625 years. The Applicant has retained a qualified Geotechnical Engineering Firm, Sampson and Associates, who has undertaken a "Fault Rupture Hazard Investigation, Tentative Tract Map No. 20078, City of Fontana, California". This Technical Report is attached as Appendix F to this Initial Study and is herein incorporated by reference. This report was prepared to meet the criteria set forth in the California Geotechnical Survey Special Publication 42 (CGS, 2007) for human occupancy, and meets the requirements of The Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act and the Fontana General Plan Goals 4 and 5. The scope of this Investigation included the following: • Review of available geologic reports for the general site area and stereo pair aerial photos for the site and surrounding area Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 62 March 2020 • Logging of a fault trench (FT-1), which encompassed approximately 460 linear feet of excavation exposing alluvium to depts. Of up to approximately 17 feet. The trench location and excavation depth were determined based on reviews of available geologic and geotechnical data and conditions exposed during the fault trench excavation. The logging of fault trench FT-1 took place on March 9 and 10, 2019, and was directed by a certified engineering geologist who examined and logged the exposed soil material. The Fault Rupture Hazard Investigation report for TTM 20078 is included as Appendix D of this Initial Study. The conclusions of this Investigation are summarized as follows: • The study area is underlain by a thick sequence of alluvial fan deposits. The identified units in these deposits are laterally continuous across the study area, with a 12 percent grade to the south that parallels the current ground surface. • The continuity of the two alluvial units identified no visible indication of rotated ciasts that indicates there are no active faults underlying the area covered by this investigation. • The fault location map for Tract No. 13750 places the splay of the Cucamonga Fault Zone approximately 300 feet north of the subject site. • Since Pleistocene-aged sediments in the study area are unbroken by faulting, it is our opinion that the potential for future surface fault rupture in the study area is low to none. For this reason, structural setbacks to mitigate the hazard of surface fault rupture are not deemed necessary for the project. The fact that a property is located in an Earthquake Fault Zone must be disclosed to a potential buyer before the sales process is complete. Real estate agents are legally required to present this information to the buyer. When no realtor is involved, the seller must inform the buyer directly. The Natural Hazards Disclosure Act requires that sellers of real property and their agents provide prospective buyers with a "Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement" when the property being sold lies within one or more state-mapped hazard areas, including Earthquake Fault Zones. Therefore, the following mitigation measure is required. MM-GS-1: Prior to entering escrow for selling any lots within TTM 20078, the real estate agent and/or seller must inform the buyer directly that the subject property lies within a State of California Earthquake Fault Zone. Based on this documentation, with required mitigation incorporated, the proposed project will not expose people or structures to potential substantial adverse effects, including the risk of loss, injury or death involving rupture of a known earthquake fault, as delineated on the most recent Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Map issued by the State Geologist for the area or based on other substantial evidence of a known fault References: Fontana General Plan Update, Chapter 11, Noise and Safety; California Division of Mines and Geology, Fault Evaluation Report FER-240. Holocene Faulting on the Cucamonga, San Jacinto and related Faults, San Bernardino County, California, by John L. Burnett and earl w. Hart, November 23, 1994; Alquist- Priolo Earthquake Faulting Zone Act; Fault Rupture Hazard Investigation, Tentative Tract Map No. 20078, City of Fontana, California, Sampson and Associates, April 2019. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 63 March 2020 ii) Strong seismic ground shaking? Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated See responses to VI.a) i) above, and Mitigation Measure GS-1 on the previous page. The entire Southern California region is subject to strong seismic ground shaking. A major earthquake along the Cucamonga Fault Zone, the San Jacinto Fault Zone or the San Andreas Fault Zone will affect the proposed project site, which could expose residents to potential adverse effects. Standard conditions of approval require plan check documentation of a soils and geology report and earthquake related structural construction requirements that meet current California Building Code requirements for this project location prior to the issuance of a building permit. Therefore, although this project will be subject to strong seismic ground shaking over the life of the project, special mitigation measures and standard conditions of approval require all construction meet current uniform building code seismic load requirements for this project location, type, occupancy and soil types. Based on this documentation, with required mitigation incorporated, the proposed project will not expose people or structures to potential substantial adverse effects, including the risk of loss, injury or death involving strong seismic ground shaking. References: Fontana General Plan Update, Chapter 11, Noise and Safety Element; Preliminary Soils Evaluation, Proposed 21 Single-Family Residences, Tentative Tract Map No. 17199, North Fontana, California, Sampson & Associates, Consulting Engineers, October 2016; Fault Rupture Hazard Investigation, Tentative Tract Map No. 20078, City of Fontana, California, Sampson and Associates, April 2019Fontana Building Permit Plan Check Process. iii) Seismic-related ground failure, including liquefaction? Less Than Significant Impact The Projects Preliminary Soils Evaluation shows the project site has "Low Liquefaction Susceptibility" because sediments are younger (less than 10,000 years old), unconsolidated but generally too course to be susceptible to liquefaction. The preliminary soils report prepared for the project site states that "Based on the under-lying dense to hard sandy silt soils and considering the depth to groundwater below grade, the potential for liquefaction is remote." All projects in the City must demonstrate compliance with the California Building Code that sets forth structural construction requirements related to potential liquefaction risks, prior to the issuance of a building permit. Based on this documentation, the proposed project will not expose people or structures to potential substantial adverse effects, including the risk of loss, injury or death involving seismic-related ground failure, including liquefaction. References: Preliminary Soils Evaluation, Proposed 21 Single-Family Residences, Tentative Tract Map No. 17199, North Fontana, California, Sampson & Associates, Consulting Engineers, October 2016; Fontana Building Permit Plan Check Process. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 64 March 2020 iv) Landslides? No Impact There are no natural slopes or hillsides within the project site. The area surrounding the project site is relatively flat and has an average slope of less than twelve percent (12%), northeast to southwest. Based on documented site conditions, there is no potential for a significant landslide to occur within or adjacent to the project site. Reference: Preliminary Soils Evaluation, Proposed 21 Single-Family Residences, Tentative Tract Map No. 17199, North Fontana, California, Sampson & Associates, Consulting Engineers, October 2016; Project Site Topography. b) Result in substantial soil erosion or the loss of topsoil? Less Than Significant With Mitigation Incorporated Project site grading could result in substantial soil erosion and the loss of topsoil during construction. Water Quality Management Plans are now a standard condition of approval on all development projects. The applicant has submitted a detailed Preliminary Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP) that incorporates best management practices (BMPs). These practices set forth specific measures during construction that minimize the potential for substantial erosion or the loss of topsoil. Specific measures include soil binders, The applicant's WQMP also proposes and on-site retention catch basin to meet Low Impact Development (LID) requirements. This Preliminary WQMP is available for review on the City’s Web Site. The following Hydrology/Water Quality mitigation measure is required MM- H/WQ-1: Prior to the issuance of a grading or building permit, whichever comes first, the applicant must obtain approval of a Final Water Quality Management Plan from the City of Fontana Engineering Department. The WQMP must set forth all appropriate best management practices (BMPs) that establish specific measures for minimizing soil erosion and the loss of topsoil during construction, and on-site water retention facilities that meet Regional Water Quality Control Board low impact development (LID) requirements. Given this mitigation measure, the proposed project will not result in substantial soil erosion or the loss of topsoil with approval of the final WQMP, BMPs, and the proposed on-site water retention facilities. Based on this documentation and required mitigation, the proposed project will not result in substantial soil erosion or the loss of topsoil with standard conditions of approval for an approved WQMP prior to the issuance of a grading or building permit, whichever comes first. Reference: City of Fontana Standard Conditions of Approval for Water Quality Management Plans that incorporate required best management practices and low impact development standards for on-site stormwater retention. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 65 March 2020 c) Be located on a geologic unit or soil that is unstable, or that would become unstable as a result of the project, and potentially result in on- or off-site landslide, lateral spreading, subsidence, liquefaction or collapse? Less Than Significant Impact See responses to VI. a) i), VI. a) ii), VI. a) iii) and VI. a) iv) above. The project site and the area surrounding the project site is relatively flat (approximately 3% slope), Therefore, the potential for on- or off-site landslides, lateral spreading, subsidence, liquefaction is considered to be less than significant. The previous documentation shows a low susceptibility for liquefaction. All projects in the City must demonstrate compliance with the California Building Code that sets forth structural construction requirements related to potential lateral spreading, subsidence, liquefaction or collapse risks prior to the issuance of a building permit. Based on the proposed site plan improvements, the project site is not located on a geologic unit or soil that is unstable, or that would become unstable as a result of the project, and potentially result in on- or off-site landslide, lateral spreading, subsidence, liquefaction or collapse. Reference: Preliminary Soils Evaluation, Proposed 20 Single-Family Residences, Tentative Tract Map No. 17199, North Fontana, California, Sampson & Associates, Consulting Engineers, October 2016; Project Site Topography. d) Be located on expansive soil, as defined in Table 18 1 B of the Uniform Building Code (1994), creating substantial risks to life or property? No Impact Soils studies for the project site and on surrounding properties document that the project site and surrounding area are not located on expansive soils as defined by the California Building Code. All projects in the City must demonstrate compliance with the California Building Code that sets forth structural construction requirements related to potential expansive soils risks prior to the issuance of a building permit. Based upon this information, the project is not located on expansive soils creating substantial risk to life and property. Reference: Preliminary Soils Evaluation, Proposed 21 Single-Family Residences, Tentative Tract Map No. 17199, North Fontana, California, Sampson & Associates, Consulting Engineers, October 2016; Surrounding Development Soils Studies; Proposed Site Plan. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 66 March 2020 e) Have soils incapable of adequately supporting the use of septic tanks or alternative wastewater disposal systems where sewers are not available for the disposal of waste water? No Impact The proposed project does not propose the use of septic tanks or alternative wastewater disposal systems. The project proposes to connect to the City's sewer system adjacent to the project site. Based upon this documentation, the proposed project will not rely on the use of septic tanks or alternative wastewater disposal systems. Reference: Applicant Site Plan; City of Fontana Engineering Department. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 67 March 2020 VIII. GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS. Would the project: a) Generate greenhouse gas emissions, either directly or indirectly, that may have a significant impact on the environment? Significance Threshold The Project's "Focused Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions" Technical Study is attached as Appendix A and is herein incorporated by reference into this Initial Study. The Significance Threshold that is used for this project is based on SCAQMD’s suggested tiered approach, which is consistent with CARB’s recommendations. The project is not specifically exempted in SB97 and there are no GHG reduction plans that are consistent with the AB32 GHG reduction goals that with a certified final CEQA document that are applicable to the proposed project. Therefore, the project is not compliant with Tiers 1 or 2. The significance of the project will be determined based on compliance with the Tier 3 and 4 requirements. The project will be considered to have a significant impact if total annual GHG emissions exceed 3,000 MT CO2EQ. If the 3,000 threshold is exceeded then the annual emissions per service population (the number of residents for residential projects and persons employed for commercial projects) should not exceed 4.6 MT CO2EQ/yr/person, or a significant impact will be determined. Note that the methodology recommends that total construction emissions be amortized over a 30-year period or the project’s expected lifetime if it is less than 30 years. Construction and Operational Emissions - Less Than Significant Impact Temporary impacts will result from construction activities. The primary source of GHG emissions generated by construction activities is from the use of diesel-powered construction equipment. Typical emission rates for construction equipment were obtained from CalEEMod (California Emissions Estimator Model). CalEEMod is a computer program that can be used to estimate emissions including operation (vehicle and area) sources, as well as construction projects associated with land development projects in California. Using CalEEMod, the emissions from construction for the proposed project were calculated and are presented in Table 8 below. These emissions represent the total level of emissions based on the construction schedule. According to the SCAQMD’s CEQA Handbook (Greenhouse Gas CEQA Significance Threshold Stakeholder Working Group #5, August 27, 2008), construction emissions are amortized over the life of the project, defined by SCAQMD as 30 years, and are added to the annual operation emissions. Thus, the project’s annualized construction emissions will be added to the operation emissions and compared to the applicable GHG significance threshold. Table 8 Construction GHG Emissions (Metric Tons Per Year) CO2 CH4 N2O CO2EQ Total Construction Emissions (Metric Tons) 397.1 0.1 0.0 399.5 Averaged Over 30 Years (Metric Tons Per Year) 13.2 0.0 0.0 13.3 MTCO2EQ = metric tons equivalent carbon dioxide Source: Greve & Associates Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 68 March 2020 The California Emissions Model (CalEEMod) developed by the SCAQMD in conjunction with the Air Resources Board (ARB) was used to estimate the operational GHG emissions. The results are presented in Table 9 below. Table 9 Annual Project Emissions (Metric Tons) CO2 CH4 N2O CO2EQ Annual Operational Emissions 422.2 0.4 0.0 432.0 Annualized Construction Emissions 13.2 0.0 0.0 13.3 Total Annualized Emissions 435.5 0.4 0.0 445.3 Source: Greve and Associates Table 9 shows that the GHG emissions for the project will be about 445 MTCO2EQ per year. This is lower than the SCAQMD Tier 3 screening threshold of 3,000 MTCO2EQ per year. The project emissions are below the SCAQMD threshold of 3,000 MTCO2EQ per year, and therefore, no significant climate change impacts are anticipated. The Fontana General Plan Update, 2015 to 2035 sets forth specific goals, objectives and recommends, where applicable, the following mitigation measures in compliance with AB 32 and subsequent state legislation and regional requirements that are applicable to the proposed project. MM-GHG-1: Prior to the issuance of building permits, future development projects shall demonstrate the incorporation of project design features that achieve a minimum of 28.5 percent reduction in GHG emissions from non-mobile sources as compared to business as usual conditions. With regard to expansions/modifications of existing facilities, this mitigation measure shall be applied to the resulting incremental net increase in enclosed floor area. Future projects shall include, but not be limited to, the following list of potential design features (which include measures for reducing GHG emissions related to Transportation and Motor Vehicles). Energy Efficiency • Design buildings to be energy efficient and exceed Title 24 requirements by at least 5 percent. • Install efficient lighting and lighting control systems. Site and design building to take advantage of daylight. • Use trees, landscaping and sun screens on west and south exterior building walls to reduce energy use. Install light colored “cool” roofs and cool pavements. • Provide information on energy management services for large energy users. • Install energy efficient heating and cooling systems, appliances and equipment, and control systems (e.g., minimum of Energy Star rated equipment). • Implement design features to increase the efficiency of the building envelope (i.e., the barrier between conditioned and unconditioned spaces). • Install light emitting diodes (LEDs) for traffic, street and other outdoor lighting. • Limit the hours of operation of outdoor lighting. Renewable Energy • Use combined heat and power in appropriate applications. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 69 March 2020 Water Conservation and Efficiency • Create water-efficient landscapes with a preference for a xeriscape landscape palette. • Install water-efficient irrigation systems and devices, such as soil moisture-based irrigation controls. • Design buildings to be water-efficient. Install water-efficient fixtures and appliances (e.g., EPA WaterSense labeled products). • Restrict watering methods (e.g., prohibit systems that apply water to non-vegetated surfaces) and control runoff. • Restrict the use of water for cleaning outdoor surfaces and vehicles. • Implement low-impact development practices that maintain the existing hydrologic character of the site to manage storm water and protect the environment. (Retaining storm water runoff on-site can drastically reduce the need for energy-intensive imported water at the site). • Devise a comprehensive water conservation strategy appropriate for the project and location. The strategy may include many of the specific items listed above, plus other innovative measures that are appropriate to the specific project. • Provide education about water conservation and available programs and incentives. Solid Waste Measures • Reuse and recycle construction and demolition waste (including, but not limited to, soil, vegetation, concrete, lumber, metal, and cardboard). • Provide interior and exterior storage areas for recyclables and green waste and adequate recycling containers located in public areas. • Provide education and publicity about reducing waste and available recycling services. Transportation and Motor Vehicles • Limit idling time for commercial vehicles, including delivery and construction vehicles. • Promote ride sharing programs (e.g., by designating certain percentage of parking spaces for ride sharing vehicles, designating adequate passenger loading and unloading and waiting areas for ride sharing vehicles, and providing a web site or message board for coordinating rides). • Create local “light vehicle” networks, such as neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV) systems. • Provide the necessary facilities and infrastructure to encourage the use of low or zero-emission vehicles (e.g., electric vehicle charging facilities and conveniently located alternative fueling stations). • Promote “least polluting” ways to connect people and goods to their destinations. • Incorporate bicycle lanes and routes into street systems, new subdivisions, and large developments. • Incorporate bicycle-friendly intersections into street design. • Create bicycle lanes and walking paths directed to the location of schools, parks, and other destination points. Base on this documentation and with incorporation of all applicable mitigation measures listed above, the proposed project will not generate greenhouse gas emissions, either directly or indirectly that may have a significant impact on the environment. Reference: Focused Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emission Analysis for TTM 20078, City of Fontana, Greve & Associates, October 2017; Fontana General Plan Update, 2015 to 2035, November 2018. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 70 March 2020 b) Conflict with an applicable plan, policy or regulation adopted for the purpose of reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases? Greenhouse Gas Plan Consistency: Less Than Significant Impact See response to VIII. a), above. As stated previously, the SCAQMD's thresholds used Executive Order S-3-05 goal as the basis for deriving the screening level. The California Governor issued Executive Order S-3- 05, GHG Emission, in June 2005, which established the following reduction targets: ■ 2010: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 2000 levels ■ 2020: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels ■ 2050: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels. In 2006, the California State Legislature adopted AB 32, the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006. AB 32 requires CARB, to adopt rules and regulations that would achieve GHG emissions equivalent to statewide levels in 1990 by 2020 through an enforceable statewide emission cap which will be phased in starting in 2012. Therefore, as the project's emissions meet the threshold for compliance with Executive Order S-3-05, the project's emissions also comply with the goals of AB 32. At a level of 445 MTCO2e per year, the project's GHG emissions fall well below the SCAQMD draft screening threshold of 3,000 metric tons per year of CO2e for all land uses. Furthermore, the project will comply with the City of Fontana's policies and mitigation measures regarding sustainability (as dictated by the City's General Plan Update), and further analysis is not warranted. No mitigation is required. Based on the information in VIII. a), the proposed project will not conflict with SCAQMD's, the City of Fontana's policies and regulations adopted for the purpose of reducing the emissions of greenhouse gasses. Reference: Focused Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emission Analysis for TTM 20078, City of Fontana, Greve & Associates, October 2017; Fontana General Plan Update, 2015 to 2035, November, 2018. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 71 March 2020 IX. HAZARDS AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS. Would the project: a) Create a significant hazard to the public or the environment through the routine transport, use, or disposal of hazardous materials? Less Than Significant Impact The proposed TTM 20078 project involves approximately 7.4-acres and twenty (20) units of single family residential development. This residential project does not involve or require the routine transport, use or disposal of hazardous materials. The project will utilize small amounts of petroleum products during construction and long-term operations. The project has prepared a Preliminary Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP) and is required to obtain approval of a Final Water Quality Management Plan by the City’s Engineering Department prior to the issuance of a grading permit that ensures potential environmental hazards associated with the residential development are minimized and properly treated and cleaned up should an accidental release of a petroleum product or other hazardous waste occur. Based on this information, the project does not create a significant hazard to the public or the environment through the routine transport, use, or disposal of hazardous materials. Reference: Project Description and Preliminary WQMP. b) Create a significant hazard to the public or the environment through reasonably foreseeable upset and accident conditions involving the release of hazardous materials into the environment? Less Than Significant Impact See the response to IX, a), above. The proposed project is a 20-unit residential development. The project is required to obtain approval of a Final Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP) by the City’s Engineering Department prior to the issuance of a grading permit that ensures potential environmental hazards associated with the residential use are minimized and properly treated and cleaned up should an accidental release of a petroleum product occur. Based on this information, the proposed project does not create a significant hazard to the public or the environment through the reasonably foreseeable upset and accident conditions involving the release of hazardous materials into the environment. Reference: Project Description and Preliminary WQMP. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 72 March 2020 c) Emit hazardous emissions or handle hazardous or acutely hazardous materials, substances, or waste within one-quarter mile of an existing or proposed school? Less Than Significant Impact See the response to IX.a) and b) above. The closest school to the project site is the David Long Elementary School located approximately 0.6 miles south of the project site along Bridlepath Drive. There are no other existing or proposed schools within 0.25 miles of the project site. In addition, the proposed project is a residential development that does not emit hazardous emissions or handle acutely hazardous materials, substances or wastes. Based on this documentation, the proposed project does not emit significant hazardous emissions or handle hazardous or acutely hazardous materials, substances, or waste within one-quarter mile of any existing or proposed school. Reference: Fontana General Plan, Fontana Unified School District Facilities Master Plan; Google Earth, August 2018. d) Be located on a site which is included on a list of hazardous materials sites compiled pursuant to Government Code section 65962.5 and, as a result, would it create a significant hazard to the public or the environment? No Impact A Phase 1 Environmental Audit prepared for the project site by Geoscience Analytical, Inc. documents that their analysis of all available lists of hazardous materials sites compiled pursuant to Government Code Section 65962.5 show that the project site is not included on any list of hazardous materials sites. Based on this documentation, the proposed project is not located on a site which is included on a list of hazardous materials sites compiled pursuant to Government Code section 65962.5 and, as a result, would it create a significant hazard to the public or the environment Reference: Phase 1 Environmental Audit (APN No. 0226-421-06) Fontana, CA 92336, Geoscience Analytical, Inc. July 2018. e) For a project located within an airport land use plan or, where such a plan has not been adopted, within two miles of a public airport or public use airport, would the project result in a safety hazard for people residing or working in the project area? No Impact Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 73 March 2020 The closest airport to the project site is the Ontario International Airport, located approximately 9.3 miles southwest of the project site. The Ontario International Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (ALUCP) shows the project site is not within the Airport Influence Area, and within the Noise Impact Zone that is subject to 60 to 65 CNEL noise impacts. The project site is not within Overflight Notification Zone 3, and is not subject to overflights at elevations of 2,500 feet to 3,000 feet. The project site is not located within a restricted Safety Zone. The project site is over nine (9) miles away from the Airport's closest "Safety Zone". Based on this documentation, the proposed project does not result in a significant safety hazard for people constructing, working at or visiting the project site. Reference: Ontario International Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan, Compatibility Policy Maps 2-1 through 2-5; Google Earth, 2018. f) For a project within the vicinity of a private airstrip, would the project result in a safety hazard for people residing or working in the project area? No Impact The closest private airstrip is Cable Airport located in Upland, located approximately 12 miles southwest of the Project site. Norton Air Force Base is located approximately 13.5 miles southeast of the project site, and March Air Force Base is located approximately 18 miles southeast of the project site. There are no private airstrips within close proximity to the project site. Based on this documentation, the proposed project does not result in a significant safety hazard for people constructing, working or visiting the project site. Reference: The Planning Consortium; Google Earth, 2018 g) Impair implementation of or physically interfere with an adopted emergency response plan or emergency evacuation plan? No Impact The project site is located within the Hunter Ridge Specific Plan which permits single family residential development. Access is being extended into the project site via the extension of Moncton Way, a local collector street. The project's tract map shows adequate site distance and access for the proposed residential use which does not interfere with any emergency response plan or emergency evacuation plan for the Hunter’s Ridge Specific Plan Area, Based on this information, this project will not impair implementation of or physically interfere with the City's or County's emergency response plan or emergency evacuation plan. Reference: Fontana General Plan Update, 2015 to 2035, November 2018; Hunter Ridge Specific Plan. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 74 March 2020 h) Expose people or structures to a significant risk of loss, injury or death involving wildland fires, including where wildlands are adjacent to urbanized areas or where residences are intermixed with wildlands? Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated GENERAL DESCRIPTION A Fire Protection Plan (FPP) has been prepared for Hunters Ridge II Project and is included as Appendix J within this Initial Study and hereby incorporated by reference. The purpose of the FPP is to assess the potential impacts resulting from wildland fire hazards and identify the measures necessary to adequately mitigate those impacts. As part of the assessment, the plan has considered the property location, topography, geology, combustible vegetation (fuel types), climatic conditions, and fire history. The plan addresses water supply, access (including secondary/emergency access where applicable), structural ignitability and fire resistive building features, fire protection systems and equipment, impacts to existing emergency services, defensible space, and vegetation management. The plan identifies and prioritizes areas for hazardous fuel reduction treatments and recommends the types and methods of treatment that will protect one or more at-risk communities and essential infrastructures. The plan recommends measures that property owners will take to reduce the probability of ignition of structures throughout the area addressed by the plan. The plan has been submitted to the City and must receive final approval by the City of Fontana and San Bernardino County Fire Department Therefore, the following mitigation measure is required. MM-H/HM-1: Prior to the issuance of a grading permit and building permits for flammable construction, the City of Fontana and San Bernardino County Fire Department must approve the Final Fire Protection Plan for TTM 20078. The Hunters Ridge II Fire Protection Plan includes a General Project Description, a Wildland Fire Hazard Risk Assessment, an Assessment of Structure Ignition in the Wildland/Urban Interface, Fire Department Response Times, Vegetation Management Zone Descriptions and Required Treatments, Water and Roadway Infrastructure Requirements, the required Community Facilities District for ongoing Maintenance, Homeowner Education, a Fire Protection Plant Exhibit for undesirable plant and tree species, and other Appendices. Appendix C with the Plan includes 20 specific Ignition Resistant Construction Requirements as further mitigation measures. Please refer the Section XX, Wildfire, Subsections a), b) c) and d) for additional information, and Technical Appendix J for a complete copy of the Hunters Ridge II Fire Protection Plan and its additional mitigation measures which are herein incorporated into this Initial Study. Based on the information and mitigation measures contained in the Hunters Ridge II Fire Protection Plan, and based on the requirement that the Applicant, the San Bernardino County Fire Department and the City of Fontana approve the Final Fire Protection Plan, with mitigation incorporated, this project would not expose people or structures to a significant risk of loss, injury or death involving wildland fires, including where wildlands are adjacent to urbanized areas or where residences are intermixed with wildlands. Reference: Fontana General Plan Update; 2015 to 2035, November 2018; Fire Protection Plan, Hunters Ridge II, Tentative Tract 20078, Fontana, California, FIREWISE 2000, Inc, October 2018. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 75 March 2020 X. HYDROLOGY AND WATER QUALITY. Would the project: a) Violate any water quality standards or waste discharge requirements? Less Than Significant With Mitigation Incorporated The applicant has submitted a Preliminary Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP) that proposes required on-site retention of stormwater flows and sets forth best management practices (BMPs) that maintain water quality and wastewater discharge requirements during Project construction and during ongoing operations. The Project's Site Plan proposes a Lot B in the southeast corner of the residential subdivision that would contain a catch basin that would capture stormwater flows to meet Regional Water Quality Control Board low impact development (LID) requirements. The Project's Water Quality Management Plan Technical Study is attached as Appendix I and is incorporated by reference. The following mitigation measure/standard condition of approval is required prior to the issuance of a grading permit. MM-H/WQ-1: Prior to the issuance of a grading or building permit, whichever comes first, the applicant must obtain approval of a Final Water Quality Management Plan by the City’s Engineering Department prior to the issuance a grading permit. The WQMP must set forth all appropriate best management practices (BMPs) that establish specific measures for minimizing soil erosion and the loss of topsoil during construction, and on-site water retention facilities that meet Low Impact Development (LID) requirements. The applicant is also required to obtain approval of sewer plans and a wastewater discharge permit by the City’s Engineering Department and the Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) for sewer service prior to the issuance of a grading permit. The following mitigation measure is required. MM-H/WQ-2: Prior to the issuance of a grading permit, the project shall obtain approval of sewer plans and a wastewater discharge permit from the City’s Engineering Department and the Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) for sewer service. Based on this information and the required mitigations of approval for a final approved WQMP, the project will not violate any water quality or waste discharge requirements. Reference: San Bernardino County Storm Water Program, Water Quality Management Plan, Santa Ana Watershed Region, Tract Map 20078, APN 0026-421-06, Fontana, CA, HP Engineering, Inc. July 2019; City of Fontana Engineering Department standard conditions of approval for an approved Final WQMP and documentation of an IEUA wastewater discharge permit. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 76 March 2020 b) Substantially deplete groundwater supplies or interfere substantially with groundwater recharge such that there would be a net deficit in aquifer volume or a lowering of the local groundwater table level (e.g., the production rate of preexisting nearby wells would drop to a level which would not support existing land uses or planned uses for which permits have been granted)? Less Than Significant With Mitigation Incorporated See responses to X.a) above, and Mitigation Measures H/WQ-1 and H/WQ-2 on the previous page. The project proposes to obtain water service from the Fontana Water Company (FWC). The proposed 20-unit single-family residential project will incrementally increase water use within the FWC. The average water consumption in southern California single family homes is estimated at approximately 85 gallons per person per day. Assuming four persons per household, each home will consume approximately 340 gallons per day. The 20-unit would utilize approximately 6,800 gallons per day (GPD). The FWC’s 2015 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) is based on City of Fontana General Plan growth. The FWC has indicated incremental and ongoing growth anticipated by the City’s General Plan can be served by existing entitlements and no new or expanded entitlements are needed. All plumbing fixtures within the proposed 20-unit residential tract must meet current low flow requirements as standard conditions of approval. The project is also required to minimize landscape irrigation water consumption with drip irrigation and other low flow irrigation devices. The project is also required to pay a water connection fee and ongoing monthly water consumption fees to offset the cost to maintain sufficient water supplies and water delivery infrastructure. The 7.4-acre residential tract map must meet low impact development (LID) requirements set forth by the Regional Water Quality Control Board and the City of Fontana to supplement groundwater recharge. The Project's Site Plan proposes a Lot B in the southeast corner of the residential subdivision that would contain a catch basin that would capture stormwater flows to meet Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) low impact development (LID) requirements. The proposed catch basin has been sized to accommodate the volume of stormwater flow that would occur in a ten-year storm event, as required by the RWQCB. With required City approval of a Final WQMP, the project will not substantially deplete groundwater supplies or interfere substantially with groundwater recharge. Based upon this information the proposed project will not substantially deplete groundwater supplies or interfere substantially with groundwater recharge such that there would be a net deficit in aquifer volume or a lowering of the local groundwater table level. Reference: San Bernardino County Storm Water Program, Water Quality Management Plan, Santa Ana Watershed Region, Tract Map 20078, APN 0026-421-06, Fontana, CA, HP Engineering, Inc. July 2019; City of Fontana Public Works Department. Engineering Division standard conditions of approval. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 77 March 2020 c) Substantially alter the existing drainage pattern of the site or area, including through the alteration of the course of a stream or river, in a manner which would result in substantial erosion or siltation on- or offsite? Less Than Significant Impact There are no rivers or streams within the project site. The site does not contain any natural drainage courses. The proposed project will slightly modify current drainage patterns within the project site. Based upon this information the proposed project will not substantially alter the existing drainage pattern of the site or area, including through the alteration of the course of a stream or river or through the addition of impervious surfaces, in a manner which would result in substantial erosion or siltation on- or off-site. Reference: San Bernardino County Storm Water Program, Water Quality Management Plan, Santa Ana Watershed Region, Tract Map 20078, APN 0026-421-06, Fontana, CA, HP Engineering, Inc. July 2019; City of Fontana Public Works Department, Engineering Division standard conditions of approval. d) Substantially alter the existing drainage pattern of the site or area, including through the alteration of the course of a stream or river, or substantially increase the rate or amount of surface runoff in a manner which would result in flooding on- or off-site? Less Than Significant Impact See responses to X. a) through X. c), above. There are no rivers or streams within the project site. The proposed on-site stormwater catch basin in compliance with Regional Water Quality Control Board requirements and reduces the amount of surface runoff generated from the project site which reduces the potential for flooding on- or off-site to a level considered less than significant. Based upon this documentation, the proposed project will not substantially alter the site’s existing drainage pattern or substantially increase the rate or amount of surface runoff in a manner which would result in flooding on or off the project site. Reference: San Bernardino County Storm Water Program, Water Quality Management Plan, Santa Ana Watershed Region, Tract Map 20078, APN 0026-421-06, Fontana, CA, HP Engineering, Inc. July 2019; Project Site Plan; City of Fontana Public Works Department, Engineering Division standard conditions of approval. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 78 March 2020 e) Create or contribute runoff water which would exceed the capacity of existing or planned stormwater drainage systems or provide substantial additional sources of polluted runoff? Less Than Significant Impact See responses to X. a) through X. d), above. There are storm drains adjacent to the project site within the existing residential development south of the project site that are adequately sized to serve the project site. The 7.4-acre residential tract map must meet low impact development (LID) requirements set forth by the Regional Water Quality Control Board and the City of Fontana to supplement groundwater recharge. The Project's Site Plan proposes a Lot B in the southeast corner of the residential subdivision that would contain a catch basin that would capture stormwater flows to meet Regional Water Quality Control Board low impact development (LID) stormwater flow requirements. The Project's Final Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP) is also required to incorporate best management practices (BMPs) that address potential polluted runoff during project construction and during ongoing occupancy of the proposed single-family residential subdivision. The City’s Engineering Department is required to approve the Final WQMP prior to the issuance of a grading permit. Based upon this documentation, the proposed project will not Create or contribute runoff water which would exceed the capacity of existing or planned stormwater drainage systems or provide substantial additional sources of polluted runoff. Reference: San Bernardino County Storm Water Program, Water Quality Management Plan, Santa Ana Watershed Region, Tract Map 20078, APN 0026-421-06, Fontana, CA, HP Engineering, Inc. July 2019; Project Site Plan and Preliminary WQMP, City of Fontana Public Works Department, Engineering Division standard conditions of approval. f) Otherwise substantially degrade water quality? Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated See responses to X. a) through X e), above, and Mitigation Measures H/WQ-1 and H/WQ-2 in Section X.a). As a standard condition of approval, and prior to the issuance of a grading permit or building permit, whichever comes first, the City shall review and approve a Preliminary and Final Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP) for the proposed project. The plan and programs shall address maintaining water quality and meeting waste discharge requirements. It shall set forth best management practices (BMPs) that mitigate erosion and minimize storm water discharges from the project site during project construction and ongoing occupancy of the proposed residential development. The City’s Engineering Department is required to approve the Final WQMP prior to the issuance of a grading permit. Based upon this documentation and standard conditions of approval, the Lead Agency finds the proposed project will not Otherwise substantially degrade water quality. Reference: San Bernardino County Storm Water Program, Water Quality Management Plan, Santa Ana Watershed Region, Tract Map 20078, APN 0026-421-06, Fontana, CA, HP Engineering, Inc. July 2019; City of Fontana Public Works Department, Engineering Division. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 79 March 2020 g) Place housing within a 100-year flood hazard area as mapped on a federal Flood Hazard Boundary or Flood Insurance Rate Map or other flood hazard delineation map? No Impact According to the National Flood Insurance Program, Flood Insurance Rate Map No. 06071C7915H, last revised August 28, 2008, this map is noted "Other Flood Areas." The project site is in "Zone X", which is "areas of 0.2% annual chance flood; areas of 1% annual chance flood with average depth of less than 1 foot or within drainage areas less than 1 square mile; and areas protected by levees from 1% annual chance flood." This map shows the project site is not located within a 100-year flood hazard area. The Project site is also protected by a levee/floodwall along the western edge of site along San Sevaine Creek. Therefore, this project would not place housing within a 100-year flood hazard area as mapped on a federal Flood Hazard Boundary or Flood Insurance Rate Map or other flood hazard delineation map. Reference: National Flood Insurance Program, Flood Insurance Rate Map No. 06071C7915H, last revised August 28, 2008. h) Place within a 100-year flood hazard area structures which would impede or redirect flood flows? No Impact See response to X.g), above. The project site is not located within a 100-year flood hazard zone and does not involve placing structures which would impede flows. Therefore, this project does not place within a 100-year flood hazard area structures which would impede or redirect flood flows. Reference: National Flood Insurance Program, Flood Insurance Rate Map No. 06071C7915H, last revised August 28, 2008. i) Expose people or structures to a significant risk of loss, injury or death involving flooding, including flooding as a result of the failure of a levee or dam? No Impact See responses to X. a) through X. h), above. The Project site is protected by a levee/floodwall along the western edge of site along San Sevaine Creek. This levee/floodwall has been constructed to withstand flood waters greater than a 100-year flood. The project site is not located within a 100-year flood hazard zone. Therefore, this project does not expose people or structures to a significant risk of loss, injury or death involving flooding, including flooding as a result of the failure of a levee or dam. Reference: County of San Bernardino County Flood Control Department; City of Fontana Public Works Department. Engineering Division. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 80 March 2020 j) Inundation by seiche, tsunami, or mudflow? No Impact See response to X.i), above. The Project site is located approximately 45 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean and is not subject to a tsunami. The proposed project site is not located below or near any body of water that could create a seiche or tsunami. There are no naturally steep slopes adjacent or within the project site that could create a significant mudflow. Therefore, this project does not expose people or structures to inundation by seiche, tsunami or mudflow. Reference: City of Fontana Public Works Department. Engineering Division; Project Site Topography Map; Google Earth, August 2018. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 81 March 2020 XI. LAND USE AND PLANNING. Would the project: a) Physically divide an established community? No Impact The proposed project will not significantly alter access or circulation patterns around the project site. TTM 20078 is a 20-unit residential subdivision within the 1,900 residential Hunter Ridge Specific Plan development that allows for the proposed 20 single-family infill project. The Hunter Ridge Specific Plan allows for the current additional subdivision within the overall Specific Plan allowed density. Project access will be from fully improved Moncton Way via Labrador Avenue, Montreal Drive and Bridlepath Drive. The proposed residential development use and access road at this location is an infill project with fully improved roads adjacent to the project site. Access and circulation is adequate for the proposed project is adequate for emergency Fire Department trucks and equipment and will not physically divide this area of north Fontana within the Hunter Ridge Specific Plan. Based upon this information, this project would not physically divide an established community. Reference: Fontana General Plan Update, Circulation Element; Hunter Ridge Specific Plan; Proposed Project TTM 20078 Site Plan. b) Conflict with any applicable land use plan, policy, or regulation of an agency with jurisdiction over the project (including, but not limited to the general plan, specific plan, local coastal program, or zoning ordinance) adopted for the purpose of avoiding or mitigating an environmental effect? Less Than Significant Impact The Fontana General Plan designates the project site as "Residential - Planned Community (R-PC, 3.0 to 6.4 du/ac), and Public Facilities (P-PF). The project is located within Specific Plan No. 13, the Hunter Ridge Specific Plan and is a permitted use pursuant to the discretionary site plan approval of the proposed 20-unit residential tract map. The City's Zoning District is Single Family Residential (R-1, 7,200). The project site is located within the State Cal-Fire Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. The proposed 20-unit tentative tract map with the 300 foot wide Southern California Edison Easement and the 100 foot wide fuel modification fire protection area along the northern edge of the residential development are consistent with the Fontana General Plan, the Zoning District Map and the Amended Hunter Ridge Specific Plan land use designations. Therefore, the proposed project does not conflict with any applicable land use plan, policy or regulation of an agency with jurisdiction over the project adopted for the purpose of avoiding or mitigating an environmental effect. Reference: Fontana General Plan Update, Land Use Element and Land Use Map; Fontana Municipal Code and Zoning District Map; Hunter Ridge Specific Plan Development Regulations. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 82 March 2020 c) Conflict with any applicable habitat conservation plan or natural community conservation plan? Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated The North Fontana Conservation Program, in cooperation with the Inland Empire Resources Conservation District (IERCD) and other state and federal resource agencies, requires habitat mitigation fees if certain types of habitats are impacted. The project does have "Suitable Habitat" and is required to pay an impact fee. See Section IV. a) Biological Resources for specific documentation, and required Mitigation Measure B-1, B-2 and B-3. Based on this documentation, with habitat mitigation applied required by the North Fontana Conservation Plan, the project will not conflict with the provisions of an adopted Habitat Conservation Plan, Natural Community Conservation Plan, or other approved local, regional, or state habitat conservation plan. Reference: Fontana General Plan, Open Space and Conservation Element; Hunter Ridge Specific Plan; North Fontana Conservation Program, June 13, 2017. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 83 March 2020 XII. MINERAL RESOURCES. Would the project: a) Result in the loss of availability of a known mineral resource that would be of value to the region and the residents of the state? No Impact: The project site is located in the Hunter Ridge Specific Plan, and has a General Plan designation for "Residential - Planned Community" land use. The Fontana General Plan does not designate this site or the area surrounding the project site as a known mineral resource. The site is not located in a County Mineral Resource Zone (MRZ -1 & MRZ-2). Based on this documentation, the proposed project does not result in the loss of a known mineral resource that would be of value to the surrounding region. Reference: Fontana General Plan, Open Space and Conservation Element, San Bernardino County General Plan, Conservation Element; Hunter Ridge Specific Plan. b) Result in the loss of availability of a locally important mineral resource recovery site delineated on a local general plan, specific plan or other land use plan? No Impact: The project site is located in the Hunter Ridge Specific Plan and has a General Plan designation for Residential - Planned Community" land use. The Fontana General Plan and the County of San Bernardino General Plan do not designate this site or the area surrounding the project site as a known mineral resource. The site is not located in a County Mineral Resource Zone (MRZ-1 & MRZ-2). Based on this documentation, the proposed project does not result in the loss of availability of a locally important mineral resource recovery site delineated within the Fontana General Plan, Open Space and Conservation Element, or the San Bernardino County General Plan, Conservation Element. Reference: Fontana General Plan, Open Space and Conservation Element, San Bernardino County General Plan, Conservation Element, Hunter Ridge Specific Plan. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 84 March 2020 XIII. NOISE. Would the project result in: a) Exposure of persons to or generation of noise levels in excess of standards established in the local general plan or noise ordinance, or applicable standards of other agencies? Short-term Construction Noise: Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated The construction activities for the proposed project site and access roadway are anticipated to include site clearance/grubbing, grading, utility and access roadway improvements, and the construction of 20 single family residential dwelling units. Construction equipment would include trucks, graders, bulldozers, cranes, and concrete mixers. Construction is tentatively scheduled to last approximately one year and estimated to start in late 2020 or early2021. Construction noise is considered a short‐term impact and would be considered significant if construction activities exceed the allowable hours of operation as permitted by the City and/or the permissible limit. The City has a standard condition of approval that requires all noise generating construction activities be restricted to the hours between 7:00 AM. and 6:00 PM, Monday through Friday and 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM on Saturdays, and at no time on Sundays and holidays. The project site is located in the northern portion of the Hunter Ridge Specific Plan, including a SCE easement on the northern third of the subject property. The closest sensitive uses to the project are single-family residential located adjacent to the east and south side of the project site. The homes adjacent to the site are located approximately 15 to 40 feet away from project construction activity. Based on the Mitigation Measures recommended in the General Plan Update, and the proximity of the project site to sensitive uses (single family residential to the east and south), the following construction-related noise mitigation measures are required: MM-NOI-1: To reduce impacts related to heavy construction equipment moving and operating on site during project construction, grading, demolition, and paving, and prior to issuance of grading permits, the applicant shall ensure that the following procedures are followed: • Construction equipment, fixed or mobile, shall be properly outfitted and maintained with feasible noise- reduction devices to minimize construction generated noise. • Laydown and construction vehicle staging areas shall be located away from noise sensitive land uses if feasible. • Stationary noise sources such as generators shall be located away from noise sensitive land uses, if feasible. • Construction hours, allowable workdays, and the phone number of the job superintendent shall be clearly posted at all construction entrances to allow surrounding property owners to contact the job superintendent 24 hours a day to report noise and other nuisance-related issues, if necessary. The point of contact shall be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and have authority to commit additional assets to control dust after hours, on weekends, and on holidays. In the event that the City of Fontana receives a pattern of noise complaints, appropriate corrective actions shall be implemented, such as on site noise monitoring during construction activities, and a report of the action shall be provided to the reporting party. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 85 March 2020 In addition, the Noise Ordinance restricts construction activities to the hours between 7:00 AM. and 6:00 PM, Monday through Friday and 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM on Saturdays, and at no time on Sundays and holidays. With implementation of these noise mitigation measures, short-term construction activity noise during the year long construction period will not expose persons to or generation of noise levels in excess of standards established in the Fontana General Plan Update, or in Fontana's Noise Ordinance. Based upon this information, the proposed project will not expose persons to or generate noise levels in excess of Fontana Noise Ordinance standards with above mitigation applied during the construction process. Reference: City of Fontana General Plan Update, Noise and Safety Element; City of Fontana Noise Ordinance; Project Construction Schedule Long-term Operational Noise: Less Than Significant Impact The proposed 20-unit residential tract map on a 7.4-acre portion of the 9.5 acre project site does not result in significant additional traffic above existing levels. The occupation of the proposed new 20-unit single family homes will generate similar noise levels that are currently generated in the adjacent existing single-family homes and will not result in significant new on-site stationary source noise or off-site mobile source noise that is above current ambient levels. Project operational noise is limited to occasional yard maintenance, vehicles accessing the subject property and trash service once a week. Based upon this analysis, the long-term operation of the residential development project will not expose persons to or generate noise levels in excess of Fontana Noise Ordinance standards. Reference: City of Fontana General Plan Update, Chapter11, Noise and Safety Element; City of Fontana Noise Ordinance; Project Operational Characteristics. b) Exposure of persons to or generation of excessive groundborne vibration or groundborne noise levels? Less Than Significant Impact See response to XIII. a) above for groundborne noise levels analysis. The project is located adjacent to existing single family residential to the east and south, within the Hunter Ridge Specific Plan. Construction Vibration: Construction activity can result in varying degrees of ground vibration, depending on the equipment used on the site. Operation of construction equipment causes ground vibrations that spread through the ground and diminish in strength with distance. Buildings respond to these vibrations with varying results ranging from no perceptible effects at the low levels to slight damage at the highest levels. The nearest existing structures to the project site are single family residences located approximately 50 feet east and south of the project site. The threshold at which there may be a risk of architectural damage to a building with plastered walls and ceilings is a peak particle velocity of 0.20 PPV in/second. Primary sources of vibration during construction would be vibratory rollers or bulldozers. A vibratory roller could produce 0.21 PPV at 25 feet or large bulldozer could produce up to 0.089 PPV at 25 feet. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 86 March 2020 At a distance of 50 feet (distance from project site property line to the closest residential units) a large bulldozer would yield a worst‐case 0.005 PPV (in/sec), which is below the threshold of perception. Based on this analysis, no significant short-term construction vibration or long-term operational vibration impacts will significantly affect adjacent or surrounding industrial properties. Reference: Promenade Noise & Vibration Assessment, Mestre Greve & Associates, October 2006. c) A substantial permanent increase in ambient noise levels in the project vicinity above levels existing without the project? Less Than Significant With Mitigation Incorporated See response to XIII. a. above. Based upon in documentation contained in response VII. a) above, and Mitigation Measure MM NOI-2, the Lead Agency finds that TTM 20078 will not create a substantial permanent increase in short-term construction related ambient noise levels in the project vicinity above levels existing without the project, with required mitigation incorporated. No significant audible increase in long-term operational ambient noise levels will occur in the project vicinity above levels existing without the project. Reference: City of Fontana General Plan Update, Chapter 11, Noise and Safety Element; City of Fontana Noise Ordinance; Project Operational Characteristics. d) A substantial temporary or periodic increase in ambient noise levels in the project vicinity above levels existing without the project? Less Than Significant With Mitigation Incorporated See response to XIII. a) above, and Mitigation Measure MM NOI-2, short term increases in ambient noise levels associated with the site improvement construction activities are expected to occur. Specific standard conditions of approval limit construction hours and days that minimize these temporary or periodic impacts to levels considered less than significant. Additional construction-related noise mitigation measures are included to further reduce potential temporary increases in ambient noise levels. Based on this information and incorporation of construction related noise measures that limit hours and days that construction activities can occur, the proposed project will not create a substantial temporary or periodic increase in ambient noise levels in the project vicinity above levels existing without the project. Reference: City of Fontana General Plan Update, Chapter 11, Noise and Safety Element; City of Fontana Noise Ordinance, Standard Conditions of Approval and General Plan and Noise Ordinance Mitigation Measures. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 87 March 2020 e) For a project located within an airport land use plan or, where such a plan has not been adopted, within two miles of a public airport or public use airport, would the project expose people residing or working in the project area to excessive noise levels? Less Than Significant Impact The closest airport to the project site is the Ontario International Airport, located approximately 9.3 miles southwest of the project site. The Ontario International Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (ALUCP) shows the project site is not within the Airport Influence Area, and within the Noise Impact Zone that is subject to 60 to 65 CNEL noise impacts. The project site is not within any Overflight Notification Zone, and is not subject to overflights at elevations of 2,500 feet to 3,000 feet. The project site is not located within a restricted Safety Zone. Based on this documentation, the proposed project will not expose people residing or working in the project area to excessive noise levels from overflights from Ontario International Airport. Reference: The City of Fontana Land Use Compatibility Matrix; Los Angeles/Ontario International Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan, Compatibility Policy Maps 2-1 through 2-5; Google Earth, 2018. f) For a project within the vicinity of a private airstrip, would the project expose people residing or working in the project area to excessive noise levels? No Impact The closest private airstrip is Cable Airport located in Upland, located approximately 12 miles southwest of the Project site. Norton Air Force Base is located approximately 13.5 miles southeast of the project site, and March Air Force Base is located approximately 18 miles southeast of the project site. There are no private airstrips within close proximity to the project site. Based on this documentation, the proposed project does not result in a significant safety hazard for people constructing, working or visiting the project site. Reference: The Planning Consortium; Google Earth, 2018. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 88 March 2020 XIV. POPULATION AND HOUSING. Would the project: a) Induce substantial population growth in an area, either directly (for example, by proposing new homes and businesses) or indirectly (for example, through extension of road or other infrastructure)? Less Than Significant Impact The Proposed project is consistent with the General Plan Update land use designation for Residential - Planned Community and the Hunter Ridge Specific Plan land use designation of Single-Family Residential (R-1 7,200). This residential development proposes to add twenty (20) single family residential units to a Specific Plan area that currently has approximately 1,900 homes, a number of churches, a school and commercial uses. The proposed residential development currently has fully improved roads to the project site. Sewer, water, storm drains, electrical, natural gas and communications infrastructure are in place adjacent to or near the project site. No new roads or other infrastructure is proposed for the project other than the road that serves the proposed 20-unit subdivision. This Project's additional 20-units are within the number of units allowed within the overall Hunter Ridge Specific Plan and would induce substantial additional population growth beyond what is currently allowed. Therefore, the proposed project will not Induce substantial population growth in an area, either directly (for example, by proposing new homes and businesses) or indirectly (for example, through extension of road or other infrastructure)? Reference: Fontana General Plan Update, Land Use Element; Fontana Municipal Code, Zoning Map, Hunter Ridge Specific Plan, as Amended. b) Displace substantial numbers of existing housing, necessitating the construction of replacement housing elsewhere? No Impact The Proposed project is consistent with the General Plan Update land use designation for Residential - Planned Community and the Hunter Ridge Specific Plan land use designation of Single-Family Residential (R-1 7,200). No housing is being displaced by the proposed project. Therefore, this project does not displace substantial numbers of existing housing, necessitating the construction of replacement housing elsewhere. Reference: Current Site Photos, Project TTM 20078 Site Plan. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 89 March 2020 c) Displace substantial numbers of people, necessitating the construction of replacement housing elsewhere? No Impact See response to XIV b), above. The Project site is vacant. No people will be displaced by the proposed 20- unit residential subdivision. Therefore, this project does not displace substantial numbers of people, necessitating the construction of replacement housing elsewhere. Reference: Current Site Photos, TTM 20078 Project Site Plan. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 90 March 2020 XV. PUBLIC SERVICES. Would the project: a) Result in substantial adverse physical impacts associated with the provision of new or physically altered governmental facilities, need for new or physically altered governmental facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts, in order to maintain acceptable service ratios, response times or other performance objectives for any of the public services: Fire protection? Less Than Significant Impact The closest fire station to the project site is Fire Station No. 79, located at 5075 Coyote Canyon Road. This Fire Station is located approximately 1.25 miles east of the project site, and has a staff of 5 fire fighters and paramedics with 2 fire trucks. The response time to the project site is approximately 3 minutes. The Fontana Fire Protection District has indicated Fire Station 79 is adequate to serve the project and that this 20-unit residential development does not result in substantial adverse physical impacts associated with the provision of new or physically altered fire protection facilities, need for new or physically altered fire protection facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts, in order to maintain acceptable service ratios, response times or other performance objectives for the Fontana Fire Department. New single family residential is required to pay a Fire Facility Impact Fee. The impact fee for single family residential development is currently $164 per unit. This fee will offset the project's incremental non-physical impact on the Fire Protection Districts' staffing and ongoing equipment and training requirements. Based on this information, the project will not result in substantial adverse physical impacts associated with the provision of new or physically altered fire protection facilities, the need for new or physically altered fire protection facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts, in order to maintain acceptable service ratios, response times or other performance objectives for the Fontana Fire Protection District. Reference: City of Fontana Fire Protection District Web Site; City of Fontana Development Fee Schedule 07/01/17. Police Protection? Less Than Significant Impact The Fontana Police headquarters is located at 17005 Upland Avenue in the Civic Center Area. Fontana Police Headquarters is located approximately 6 miles southeast of the project site, and currently has a total of 289 officers and other staff. The response time to the project site is approximately 3 minutes because of regular police patrols in northern Fontana. The Fontana Police Department has recently completed a multi-million dollar expansion and has indicated that current Police Department facilities are adequate to serve the project. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 91 March 2020 This 20-unit residential development does not result in substantial adverse physical impacts associated with the provision of new or physically altered police protection facilities, need for new or physically altered police protection facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts, in order to maintain acceptable service ratios, response times or other performance objectives for the Fontana Police Department. New single family residential development is required to pay a Police Facilities Development Fee. The current fee for single family residential development is $526.52 per dwelling unit. This fee will offset the project's incremental non-physical impact on the Police Departments' staffing and ongoing equipment and training requirements. Based on this information, the project will not result in substantial adverse physical impacts associated with the provision of new or physically altered police protection facilities, the need for new or physically altered police protection facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts, in order to maintain acceptable service ratios, response times or other performance objectives for the Fontana Police Department. Reference: City of Fontana Police Department Web Site; City of Fontana Development Fee Schedule 07/01/17. Schools? Less Than Significant Impact The project is located within the Etiwanda School District for Elementary and Intermediate Schools. The David W, Long Elementary School is located approximately 0.6 miles south of the project site. The Summit Intermediate School is located approximately 2.2 miles southwest of the project site. The high school that serves the project site is Etiwanda High School, located within the Chaffey Joint Union High School District. This school is located approximately 2.75 miles southwest of the project site. Both Districts have indicated that current school facilities are adequate to serve the project. This 20-unit residential development does not result in substantial adverse physical impacts associated with the provision of new or physically altered school facilities, need for new or physically altered school facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts, in order to maintain acceptable service ratios, response times or other performance objectives for the affected school districts. New single family residential development is required to pay a school impact fee set by state law. The current fee for single family residential development within the Etiwanda School District is $2.90 per square foot and $3,598.40 per dwelling unit. The Chaffey Joint Union High School District fee is currently $1.17 per square foot. These fees offset the project's incremental non-physical impact on the school district’s facilities, staffing and ongoing equipment and training requirements. Based on this information, the project will not result in substantial adverse physical impacts associated with the provision of new or physically altered school facilities, the need for new or physically altered school facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts, in order to maintain acceptable service ratios or other performance objectives for the Fontana Unified School District. Reference: Etiwanda School District and Chaffey Joint Union High School District Web Sites. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 92 March 2020 Parks? Less Than Significant Impact The closest Fontana parks to the proposed Project site are the Hunter Ridge Neighborhood Park, 0.4 miles south of the project site, San Sevaine Park, located 0.75 miles to the south, and Coyote Canyon Ballfield Park, located 1.2 miles east of the project site. In lieu park development fees are required if actual parks are not included within the proposed project. The Fontana Community Services Department has indicated the Hunter Ridge Specific Plan area parks are all completed, and are adequate to serve the proposed 20-unit project. No new, modified or expanded park facilities are required in this area, or in other areas of the City to serve this project. New single family residential development is required to pay an in-lieu Park Development Fee. The current in-lieu fee for single family residential development is $6,500 per dwelling unit. This fee will offset the project's incremental non-physical impact on the Community Service Departments' staffing and ongoing equipment and services needs, and park maintenance requirements. Based on this information, the proposed project will not result in substantial adverse physical impacts associated with the provision of new or physically altered park facilities. The project will not create the need for new or physically altered park facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts, in order to maintain acceptable service ratios or other performance objectives for the City of Fontana. Reference: City of Fontana Community Services Department Web Site; City of Fontana Development Fee Schedule 07/01/17. Other Public Facilities? Less Than Significant Impact Other public facilities provided by the City of Fontana include libraries, public facilities and other municipal services. This includes City Hall, libraries, community centers, senior centers and other related operational services to Fontana citizens. The City has recently completed a Civic Center Improvement Project that included an expanded City Hall, a new Library and expanded Police Department facilities. The Fontana Community Services and Planning Division have indicated that existing municipal services have all been recently upgraded, and are adequate to serve the proposed 20-unit project. No new, modified or expanded municipal service facilities are required to serve this project. The project is required to pay a number of public facility impact fees prior to the issuance of a building permit. The current Library fee is $533.30 per unit; the current Public Facilities fee is $726.96 per unit; and the current Municipal Services Fee is approximately $2,630 per unit. These fees are required to be paid prior to the Fontana Building Division issuing a building permit for the proposed project. Based on this information, the project will not result in substantial adverse physical impacts associated with the provision of new Library, City Hall, or other municipal facilities, the need for new or physically altered municipal facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts, in order to maintain acceptable municipal service ratios and other performance objectives for the City of Fontana. Reference: City of Fontana Public Works Department, Community Services Division; City of Fontana Development Fee Schedule 07/01/17 Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 93 March 2020 XVI. RECREATION. Would the project: a) Increase the use of existing neighborhood and regional parks or other recreational facilities such that substantial physical deterioration of the facility would occur or be accelerated? Less Than Significant Impact See response to XV.a), - Parks, in the previous section. The closest Fontana parks are the Hunter Ridge Neighborhood Park, San Sevaine Park and Coyote Canyon Ballfield Park. In lieu park development fees are required if actual parks are not included within the proposed project. This project does not include a public park. The Fontana Community Services Department has indicated the Hunter Ridge Specific Plan area parks are all completed, and are adequate to serve the proposed 20-unit project. No new, modified, or expanded park facilities are required in this area, or in other areas of the City to serve this project. New single family residential development is required to pay an in-lieu Park Development Fee. The current in-lieu fee for single family residential development is $6,500 per dwelling unit. This fee will offset the project's incremental non-physical impact on the Community Service Departments' staffing and ongoing equipment and service needs, and park maintenance requirements. Based on this information, the proposed project will not increase the use of existing neighborhood and regional parks or other recreational facilities such that substantial physical deterioration of the facilities would occur or be accelerated. Reference: City of Fontana Public Works Department, Community Services Division; City of Fontana Development Fee Schedule 07/01/17. b) Does the project include recreational facilities or require the construction or expansion of recreational facilities which have an adverse physical effect on the environment? Less Than Significant Impact See response to XV.a), - Parks, in the previous section. The closest Fontana parks are the Hunter Ridge Neighborhood Park, San Sevaine Park and Coyote Canyon Ballfield Park. In lieu park development fees are required if actual parks are not included within the proposed project. This project does not include a public park. The Fontana Community Services Department has indicated the Hunter Ridge Specific Plan area parks are all completed and are adequate to serve the proposed 20-unit project. No new, modified, or expanded park facilities are required in this area, or in other areas of the City to serve this project. Based on this information, the proposed project will not require the construction or expansion of recreational facilities which have an adverse physical effect on the environment. Reference: City of Fontana Community Services Department, Development Impact Fees, Last Revised 07/01/2017. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 94 March 2020 XVII. TRANSPORTATION Would the project: a). Conflict with an applicable plan, ordinance or policy establishing measures of effectiveness for the performance of the circulation system, taking into account all modes of transportation including mass transit and non-motorized travel and relevant components of the circulation system, including, but not limited to intersections, streets, highways and freeways, pedestrian and bicycle paths, and mass transit? Less Than Significant Impact The project site is located within the Hunter Ridge Specific Plan, which designates the site for a single family residential use. According to City Traffic Engineering policy, no further traffic analysis is required when a project contributes less than 50 peak hour trips to the roadway system. Given the nature, size and location of this proposed 20-unit residential development, the project is estimated to generate less than 10 peak hour trips to the surrounding roadways. Therefore, a detailed traffic study is not required by the City. In addition, the proposed residential development currently has fully improved roads up to and adjacent to the project site. The projects' impacts related to traffic and circulation are offset by Planning Circulation fees that total $5,734 per single family dwelling unit. This fee will offset the project's incremental impact on Fontana Traffic Engineering Division ongoing street maintenance and repairs in the vicinity of the proposed project. Based on this information, the Lead Agency finds the proposed project does not conflict with an applicable plan, ordinance or policy establishing measures of effectiveness for the performance of the circulation system, taking into account all modes of transportation including mass transit and non-motorized travel and relevant components of the circulation system, including, but not limited to intersections, streets, highways and freeways, pedestrian and bicycle paths, and mass transit. Reference: City of Fontana Public Works Department, Traffic Engineering Division; Development Impact Fees, Last Revised 07/01/2017. b) Conflict with an applicable congestion management program, including, but not limited to level of service standards and travel demand measures, or other standards established by the county congestion management agency for designated roads or highways? Less Than Significant Impact See response to XVII. a), above. All roadways and intersections located within and adjacent to the Hunter Ridge Specific Plan area are currently operating at acceptable levels of service at AM and PM peak hours (Level of Service C or better). The addition of 20 single family dwelling units will not adversely affect service levels at the local and collector streets that currently serve the project site. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 95 March 2020 Based on this information, the Lead Agency finds the proposed project does not conflict with an applicable congestion management program, including, but not limited to level of service standards and travel demand measures, or other standards established by the county congestion management agency for designated roads or highways Reference: City of Fontana Public Works Department, Traffic Engineering Division. c) Result in a change in air traffic patterns, including either an increase in traffic levels or a change in location that results in substantial safety risks? No Impact The type and scale of the proposed single family residential use will not significantly increase air traffic levels or affect air traffic safety risks at Ontario International Airport or any other airport in the southern California Region. The project site is over nine (9) miles away from the Ontario International Airport, and is not subject to any overflights or noise impact areas. Based on this information, the Lead Agency finds the proposed project will not change air traffic patterns, including either an increase in traffic levels or a change in location that results in substantial safety risks. Reference: Fontana General Plan, Circulation Element; City of Fontana Public Works Department, Traffic Engineering Division. d) Substantially increase hazards due to a design feature (e.g., sharp curves or dangerous intersections) or incompatible uses (e.g., farm equipment)? Less Than Significant Impact The proposed project has fully improved local streets, collectors, arterial roadways and intersections serving the project site. No sharp curves or dangerous intersections are proposed or will result from the 20-unit development. The closest intersections to the project site along Moncton Way are Labrador Avenue. Montreal Drive and Bridlepath Drive. These intersections have proper traffic controls and operate at acceptable levels of service at peak travel periods. There are no sharp curves in the vicinity of the project site. The proposed residential use is consistent with Fontana General Plan and Hunter Ridge Specific Plan land use designations. Based on this information, the Lead Agency finds the proposed project will not substantially increase hazards due to a design feature or incompatible uses. Reference: City of Fontana Public Works Department, Traffic Engineering Division; Project Site Plan. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 96 March 2020 e) Result in inadequate emergency access? Less Than Significant Impact See response to XVII. d), above. The proposed project access road will not alter access to or circulation around the project site, and does not adversely affect emergency access. The project is providing a cul-de-sac that meets emergency access requirements at the end of Moncton Way and Street "A" inside the development. Emergency access is also provided into the Fuel Modification Zone north of the Project site for improved emergency access in case of a wildfire in this area. Based upon this documentation, the Lead Agency finds this project does not result in inadequate emergency access from either police, fire or paramedic emergency responders. Reference: Fontana General Plan, Circulation Element; Fontana Traffic Engineering Department; Project Site Plan. f) Conflict with adopted policies, plans, or programs regarding public transit, bicycle, or pedestrian facilities, or otherwise decrease the performance or safety of such facilities? No Impact Proposed site improvements do not affect the public's ability to access the site for bicyclists or pedestrians. Both Moncton Way and Street "A" have sidewalks that serve all proposed 20 single family units. Base on this information, the Lead Agency finds the proposed project will not conflict with adopted policies, plans, or programs regarding public transit, bicycle, or pedestrian facilities, or otherwise decrease the performance or safety of such facilities. Reference: Project Site Plan; Fontana General Plan, Circulation Element. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 97 March 2020 XVIII Tribal Cultural Resources. Would the project: a) Cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a tribal cultural resource, defined in Public Resources Code section 21074 as either a site, feature, place, cultural landscape that is geographically defined in terms of the size and scope of the landscape, sacred place, or object with cultural value to a California Native American tribe, and that is: i) Listed or eligible for listing in the California Register of Historical Resources, or in a local register of historical resources as defined in Public Resources Code section 5020.1(k), No Impact A detailed Historical/Archaeological Resources Survey Report was prepared for the TTM 20078 Project that consisted of a detailed records search, historical background research and a Project site field survey. The results of that analysis are contained in Appendix E of this Initial Study. This analysis has concluded that the TTM 20078 Project site is not listed or eligible for listing in the California Register of Historical Resources, or in a local register of historical resources as defined in Public Resources Code (PRC) Section 5020.1(k).This PRC section states “Local register of historical resources” means a list of properties officially designated or recognized as historically significant by a local government pursuant to a local ordinance or resolution. Based on this documentation, and on the City of Fontana's consultation process with potentially affected Native American Indian Tribes, the Lead Agency has determined that the proposed project does not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a tribal cultural resource, defined in Public Resources Code Section 21074 as either a site, feature, place, cultural landscape that is geographically defined in terms of the size and scope of the landscape, sacred place, or object with cultural value to a California Native American tribe, and that this site is not listed or eligible for listing in the California Register of Historical Resources, or in a local register of historical resources as defined in Public Resources Code Section 5020.1(k), References: Historical/Archaeological Resources Survey Report, Hilton Logistics Center Project. APN 1110- 151-34, City of Fontana, San Bernardino County, California, CRM TECH, October 2017; Fontana General Plan Update 2015 -2013, November 2018.; City of Fontana Native American Indian Tribe Consultation Process, February 2017 through August 2019. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 98 March 2020 ii) A resource determined by the lead agency, in its discretion and supported by substantial evidence, to be significant pursuant to criteria set forth in subdivision (c) of Public Resources Code Section 5024.1. In applying the criteria set forth in subdivision (c) of Public Resource Code Section 5024.1, the lead agency shall consider the significance of the resource to a California Native American tribe. Less Than Significant With Mitigation Incorporated PRC CODE SECTION 5024.1 CONSULTATION PROCESS Public Resources Code (PRC), Division 5, Parks and Monuments, Chapter 1, State Parks and Monuments, Section 5024.1.(a) states "A California Register of Historical Resources is hereby established. The California Register is an authoritative guide in California to be used by state and local agencies, private groups, and citizens to identify the state’s historical resources and to indicate what properties are to be protected, to the extent prudent and feasible, from substantial adverse change. The commission shall oversee the administration of the California Register." In compliance with the requirements of PRC 5021.4, Assembly Bill 52, and Section 21080.3.2.of the PRC, the City of Fontana, Lead Agency, has conducted government to government consultations with four Native American Indian Tribes that have interests in Fontana where ancestral lands are claimed. On February 27, 2017, certified letters were sent to four tribes: Gabrieleno Band of Mission Indians-Kizh Nation, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians, and Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians. On March 14, 2017, the Gabrieleno Band of Mission Indians-Kizh Nation responded with a request for consultation. On August 1, 2019, the City had the consultation with this tribe. They requested geotechnical information and wanted to see how deep the bedrock is. On August 6, 2019, City staff sent the Tribe the geotechnical report that was provided by the applicant. On August 21, 2019, City staff inquired about the status with this Tribe to see if they were going to add conditions to this project. The Tribe is now not responding. On April 28, 2017, Ms. Ann Briety from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians responded with conditions of approval. The City has similar standard conditions of approval that are listed below and have been added as mitigation measures incorporated into the proposed project in compliance with state law. CITY OF FONTANA TRIBAL CONSULTATION STANDARD CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL Archaeological Monitoring: A qualified archaeological monitor that has at least 3 years of regional experience and a Tribal monitor representing tribes that participated in consultation with the Lead Agency (Participating Tribes) with cultural and historic ties to the Project area, shall be present for all ground- disturbing activities that occur within the proposed project Area of Potential Effect (APE) (which includes ground disturbing activities such as tree/shrub removal and planting, clearing/grubbing, grading, excavation, trenching, compaction, fence/gate removal, drainage and irrigation removal, hardscape removal (benches, signage, boulders, walls, seat walls, fountains, etc.), and archaeological surveys, testing, and data recovery. The Project developer/applicant shall provide hourly compensation for the archaeological and Tribal monitors and the services these individuals provide as part of the monitoring effort for the Project. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 99 March 2020 Prior to the issuance of any ground disturbance-related permits (such as grading permits), the Lead Agency shall contact and coordinate with Participating Tribes as reasonably determined by the Lead Agency to facilitate communications with the Project developer/applicant so that all Parties can develop a mutually- acceptable Archaeological and Tribal Monitoring and Treatment Plan which includes the scope of monitoring, and scheduling and rotation of monitors from individual Participating Tribes. This Plan shall be approved and adopted by the Lead Agency prior to the of any ground disturbance related permits. The Plan’s implementation in the field shall be enforced by the Lead Agency for the life of the Project. Discovery Protocol and Treatment: If an archaeological deposit or tribal cultural resource is discovered within the Project area, ground disturbing activities shall be suspended 100 feet around the resource(s) and, if necessary, an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) physical demarcation/barrier constructed. Representatives from the Participating Tribes, the Archaeological Monitor, the Project applicant/developer, and the Lead Agency shall confer regarding significance and treatment of the discovered resource(s), utilizing the Treatment Plan adopted by the City prior to project implementation. Should additional archaeological fieldwork be needed to properly assess the resource for significant under CEQA and following the securing of the discovery site from further disturbance, the archaeological consultant will prepare, in consultation with the Participating Tribes, an Archaeological Testing Plan that will present the process needed to assess the potential significance of a discovered cultural resources and submit this to the City for approval. This evaluation process may include, but is not limited to, archaeological excavations or test trenches, laboratory analysis of artifacts, and Native American participation in the site assessment. The archaeological consultant shall then prepare a report outlining the process and results of archaeological testing, to the City, as well as a formal evaluation of significance of the discovered resource, as determined through consultation with Participating Tribes. If that evaluation process concludes that the discovered resource(s) is CEQA significant, then the resource will be subject to treatment guidelines outlined in the Tribal Monitoring and Treatment Plan. Any action that results in the removal of cultural resources (artifacts, ecofacts, features, etc.) from their original provenience shall also include a comprehensive discussion of resource processing, analysis, curation, and reporting protocols and obligations. All final reports regarding the resource recovery fieldwork are to be submitted to the local CHRIS Information Center, the Lead Agency, and Participating Tribes. Treatment and Disposition of Artifacts, Ecofacts, Cultural Deposits: Culturally-appropriate and professionally proper procedures shall be followed with respect to all artifacts affiliated with Native peoples—whether prehistoric, protohistoric, or historic. a. All significant findings are subject to avoidance. Should avoidance not be feasible, findings will be collected and temporarily curated, and then reburied on site or near the site in a location that will be protected from future disturbance. Reburial shall not occur until all ground disturbing activities associated with the Project have been completed, all monitoring has ceased, all cataloging and basic recordation of cultural resources have been completed, and a final monitoring report has been issued to Lead Agency, Participating Tribes, and CHRIS. b. Should it occur that avoidance, preservation in place, or on-site reburial are not feasible options for some artifacts, the landowner shall relinquish all ownership and rights to this material and consult with the Participating Tribes to identify an American Association of Museums (AAM)-accredited facility within San Bernardino County that can accession the materials into their permanent collections and provide for the proper care of these objects in accordance with the 1993 CA Curation Guidelines. c. Where appropriate, the SOI-qualified archaeologist hired by the applicant/developer may conduct analyses of certain artifact classes (including, but not limited to, shell, non-human bone, ceramic, stone) if required by the Lead Agency. Upon completion of authorized and mandatory analyses, the applicant/developer shall provide said artifacts to the Participating Tribes for reburial or to the aforementioned, identified curation facility. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 100 March 2020 Discovery and Treatment of Human Remains: The Lead Agency and the applicant/developer shall immediately contact the San Bernardino County Coroner/Medical Examiner, and Participating Tribes in the event that any human remains are discovered during implementation of the Project. If the Coroner recognizes the human remains to be those of a Native American or has reason to believe that they are those of a Native American, the Coroner shall ensure that notification is provided to the NAHC within twenty-four (24) hours of the determination, as required by California Health and Safety Code § 7050.5 (c). Native American Heritage Commission shall determine which Native American organization shall be designated as the Most Likely Descendent (MLD). The MLD shall be allowed, under California Public Resources Code § 5097.98 (a), to inspect the site of the discovery and (2) make recommendations within forty-eight (48) hours of receiving notification from either the Developer or the NAHC, as required by California Public Resources Code § 5097.98 as to how the human remains and funerary objects shall be treated and disposed of with appropriate dignity. The MLD, applicant/developer/ landowner, and Lead Agency agree to discuss in good faith what constitutes "appropriate dignity" as that term is used in the applicable statutes.Reburial of human remains and/or funerary objects shall be accomplished in compliance with the California Public Resources Code § 5097.98 (a) and (b). All parties are aware that the MLD may wish to rebury the human remains and associated funerary objects, as well as ceremonial and cultural items (artifacts) on or near, the site of their discovery, in an area that shall not be subject to future subsurface disturbances. If feasible, the applicant/developer/landowner should accommodate on-site or near-site reburial in a location mutually agreed upon by the Parties. The term "human remains" encompasses more than human bones because some local Tribes’ traditions periodically necessitated the ceremonial burning of human remains and funerary objects. Funerary objects are those artifacts associated with any human remains or funerary rites. These items, and other funerary remnants and their ashes, are to be treated in the same manner as human bone fragments or bones that remain intact. It is understood by all Parties that unless otherwise required by law, the site of any reburial of Native American human remains or cultural artifacts shall not be disclosed and shall not be governed by public disclosure requirements of the California Public Records Act. The Coroner, parties, and Lead Agencies, will be asked to withhold public disclosure information related to such reburial, pursuant to the specific exemption set forth in California Government Code § 6254 (r). The Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians and the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians never responded to the certified letters that were mailed in February 2017. Based on this documentation, the General Plan Cultural Mitigation Measures contained in Section V.a), the consultation process with all potentially affected Native American Indian Tribes, and the incorporation of state approved City of Fontana adopted standard conditions of approval listed above, the Lead Agency has determined that the proposed project does not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a tribal cultural resource, defined in Public Resources Code Section 21074 as either a site, feature, place, cultural landscape that is geographically defined in terms of the size and scope of the landscape, sacred place, or object with cultural value to a California Native American tribe, and that is not a resource determined by the lead agency, in its discretion and supported by substantial evidence, to be significant pursuant to criteria set forth in subdivision (c) of Public Resources Code Section 5024.1. In applying the criteria set forth in subdivision (c) of Public Resource Code Section 5024.1, the Lead Agency has consider the significance of the resource to all affected California Native American Tribes. References: Historical/Archaeological Resources Survey Report, Hilton Logistics Center Project. APN 1110- 151-34, City of Fontana, San Bernardino County, California, CRM TECH, October 2017; Fontana General Plan Update 2015 -2013, November 2018.; City of Fontana Native American Indian Tribe Consultation Process, February 2017 through August 2019; City Adopted Tribal Standard Conditions of Approval.. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 101 March 2020 XIX. UTILITIES AND SERVICE SYSTEMS. Would the project: a) Exceed wastewater treatment requirements of the applicable Regional Water Quality Control Board? Less Than Significant Impact The City of Fontana is responsible for the collection of wastewater within its corporate limits. The City contracts with the Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA), formerly the Chino Basin Municipal Water District, for sewer treatment facilities and processing. The City and the project site are within the service area of the IEUA. IEUA’s Regional Treatment Plant No. 4 (RP-4) is the facility receiving wastewater flows from development in the area. This treatment plant has recently undergone an expansion to 14 million gallons per day (MGD) of treatment capacity. This plant treats the liquid portion of an average influent wastewater flow of approximately 10 MGD. There is currently approximately 4 MGD of available capacity within the IEUA's Regional Treatment Plant No. 4. The City has indicated the existing sewer system that serves the project site is adequate to serve the 20-unit single family development, and the IEUA has indicated there is adequate capacity in their Regional Treatment Plant No. 4 to serve the proposed project, with the payment of required connection fees. The project will generate approximately 360 gallons of effluent per unit per day (GPD), and approximately 7,200 (GPD) for the 20-unit project. Given the IEUA’s availability of approximately 4 MGD, there is adequate existing capacity to serve the project site. The project site is required to obtain sewer service from the City and the IEUA and pay required connection fees. The Sewer Expansion Fee is $6,624 per residential dwelling unit effective 07/01/2018. The Sewer Connection Master Plan Fee is $876.61 per unit, and the Sewer Connect Permit Fee is $25 per unit. These fees effectively mitigate the projects' incremental impacts in the City's sewer system and the IEUA's Regional Treatment Plant No. 4 facilities. Therefore, the project will not significantly increase the generation of wastewater that could exceed sewer or regional treatment plant capacities. Based upon this information and the payment of required connection fees, and on the availability of IEUA treatment plant capacity, the proposed project does not exceed wastewater treatment requirements of the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board, the IEUA or the City of Fontana. Reference: City of Fontana Public Works Department; IEUA Regional Treatment Plant No. 4 documentation. b) Require or result in the construction of new water or wastewater treatment facilities or expansion of existing facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental effects? Less Than Significant Impact See response to XIX. a), above. The City of Fontana and the Fontana Water Company have existing sewer and water infrastructure in Moncton Way and Labrador Avenue, adjacent to the project site. This infrastructure is of sufficient size to accommodate the sewer and water flows required to serve the proposed 20-unit single- family residential development and future planned growth in the surrounding area. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 102 March 2020 Based on this information, the proposed project will not require or result in the construction of new water or wastewater treatment facilities or the expansion of existing facilities. Therefore the project's impact on the need for expanded water and wastewater treatment facilities is considered to be less than significant. Reference: City of Fontana Public Works Department, Community Services Division. c) Require or result in the construction of new storm water drainage facilities or expansion of existing facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental effects? Less Than Significant Impact The City of Fontana and County of San Bernardino have existing storm drain infrastructure in close proximity to the project site, the San Sevaine Drainage Channel. The project's water quality management plan (WQMP) is required to meet low impact development (LID) requirements for stormwater retention. The Project's Site Plan proposes a Lot B in the southeast corner of the residential subdivision that would contain a catch basin that would capture stormwater flows to meet Regional Water Quality Control Board low impact development (LID) requirements. Stormwater flows from the project site will be the same or similar to existing conditions. The existing stormwater infrastructure is of sufficient size to accommodate the stormwater flows required to serve the new proposed use. No new or expanded storm drain facilities are required to support the proposed residential development. Based upon this documentation, the proposed project will not require or result in the construction of new storm water drainage facilities or expansion of existing facilities which would cause significant environmental effects. Reference: City of Fontana Public Works Department, Public Works Department, Engineering Division. d) Have sufficient water supplies available to serve the project from existing entitlements and resources, or are new or expanded entitlements needed? Less Than Significant Impact See responses to X.a) and X.b) in the Hydrology and Water Quality section, and Mitigation Measures H/WQ-1 and H/WQ-2. The project proposes to obtain water service from the Fontana Water Company (FWC). The proposed 20-unit single-family residential project will incrementally increase water use within the FWC. FWC has indicated this incremental increase in water supply can be served by existing entitlements and no new or expanded entitlements are needed because the project is consistent with the land use designation of the Fontana General Plan Update. All plumbing fixtures within the proposed 20-unit residential tract must meet current low flow requirements as standard conditions of approval. The project is also required to minimize landscape irrigation water consumption with drip irrigation and other low flow irrigation devices. The 7.4-acre residential tract map must meet low impact development (LID) requirements set forth by the Regional Water Quality Control Board and the City of Fontana to supplement groundwater recharge. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 103 March 2020 The Project's Site Plan proposes a Lot B in the southeast corner of the residential subdivision that would contain a catch basin that would capture stormwater flows to meet Regional Water Quality Control Board low impact development (LID) requirements. With required City approval of a Final WQMP, the project will not substantially deplete groundwater supplies or interfere substantially with groundwater recharge. The following standard conditions of approval are required of all new residential development within the City. MM- U/SS-1: As a standard condition of approval, all new faucets and toilets installed in TTM 20078 shall utilize low-flow fixtures that would reduce indoor water demand by 20% per CalGreen Standards. MM-U/SS-2: As a standard condition of approval, a water-efficient irrigation system shall be installed for all proposed landscaped areas. Based upon this documentation, and the requirements for onsite water retention that meets Regional Water Quality Control Board low impact development (LID) requirements, the proposed project will have sufficient water supplies available to serve the project from existing Fontana Water Company entitlements and resources, and that new or expanded entitlements are not needed. The project's impact on the need for expanded water supplies is considered to be less than significant. Based upon this information the proposed project will not substantially deplete groundwater supplies or interfere substantially with groundwater recharge such that there would be a net deficit in aquifer volume or a lowering of the local groundwater table level. Reference: Water Quality Management Plan, Santa Ana Watershed Region, Tract Map 20078, APN 0026-421- 06, Fontana, CA, HP Engineering, Inc. July 2019; Fontana Water Company City of Fontana Public Works Department. Engineering Division standard conditions of approval. e) Result in a determination by the wastewater treatment provider which serves or may serve the project that it has adequate capacity to serve the project's projected demand in addition to the provider's existing commitments? Less Than Significant Impact See response to XIX. a) and b), above. Based upon the information provided in these previous sections, the proposed project does not exceed wastewater treatment requirements of the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board, the IEUA or the City of Fontana. Reference: City of Fontana Public Works Department, Engineering Division; IEUA Regional Treatment Plant No. 4 documentation. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 104 March 2020 f) Be served by a landfill with sufficient permitted capacity to accommodate the project's solid waste disposal needs? Less Than Significant Impact The proposed project will generate solid waste during construction, and will continue to generate solid waste during ongoing operations. Clearing and grubbing the 7.4-acre site will take approximately 3 days and will generate about 5 to 6 tons of green waste each day. Grading is balanced on site, so there will be no export of material to landfill. Excess building materials will be recycled in compliance with Chapter 24, Article V, Solid Waste and Recycling Ordinance. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that in 2013, Americans generated about 254 million tons of trash and recycled and composted about 87 million tons of this material, equivalent to a 34.3 percent recycling rate. On average, landfills recycled and composted 1.51 pounds of waste generation, or 4.40 pounds per person per day. In 2017, the US Census estimates there are 3.99 persons per single family dwelling unit in the City of Fontana. Given TTM 20078's 20 proposed single family dwelling units, the project will generate approximately 370 pounds of solid waste per day, of which, approximately 120 pounds will be recycled, Therefore the project will generate approximately 250 pounds per day of solid waste going to a landfill (1/8th of a ton). Mid Valley Landfill is located approximately 4 miles southeast of the project site, and is the closest receiving landfill to the project. Currently, Mid-Valley Landfill, located adjacent to Fontana, in Rialto, is the primary solid waste depository for the area. This landfill is projected to have approximately twenty-five (25) years of capacity left base on current and future projected daily volumes. The total estimated permitted capacity is 62,000,000 cubic yards (CY). The current estimated capacity used is 10,000,000 CY, leaving a remaining estimated capacity of 52,000,000 CY. The daily maximum tonnage allowed is 7,500 tons/day. The average tonnage per day is currently approximately 2,800 tons/day. There is currently approximately 4,700 tons/day of daily capacity available at this facility. The proposed project's 1/8th of a ton per day is approximately 0.000027% of this landfills daily capacity. U/SS-3: As a standard condition of approval, the City and residents within the proposed development are required to implement recycling programs that reduces waste to landfills by a minimum of 50 percent (up to 75% by 2020 per AB 341). Based upon this information, the proposed project will be served by a landfill with sufficient permitted capacity to accommodate the project's solid waste disposal needs for both construction and during ongoing residential use. Reference: City of Fontana Public Works Dept. Community Services Division; County of San Bernardino, Dept. of Public Works, Solid Waste Management Dept.; Fontana Municipal Code, Chapter 24, Article V. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 105 March 2020 g) Comply with federal, state, and local statutes and regulations related to solid waste? Less Than Significant Impact See response to XIX. a) and b), above, and Mitigation Measure U/SS-3. The City requires compliance with Fontana Municipal Code, Chapter 24, Solid Waste and Recycling, Article V, which sets forth the requirements for solid waste disposal and recycling. All materials that can be recycled be must be separated during the construction process and by project residents prior to pick-up by the contracted waste hauler. Based upon this information, the proposed project will comply with federal, state, and local statutes and regulations related to solid waste. Reference: City of Fontana Public Works Dept. Community Services Division; County of San Bernardino, Dept. of Public Works, Solid Waste Management Dept.; Fontana Municipal Code, Chapter 24, Article V.. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 106 March 2020 XX. WILDFIRE If located in or near state responsibility areas or lands classified as very high fire hazard severity zones, would the project: a) Substantially impair an adopted emergency response plan or emergency evacuation plan? Less Than Significant Impact The information contained in Section XX of this Initial Study is from the City's Fontana Forward General Plan Update 2015 - 2035, adopted in November 2018 and from the Applicant's Hunters Ridge II Tentative Tract 20078, Fontana, California, Fire Protection Plan, prepared by a qualified expert firm, Firewise 2000, Inc., completed in July 2019, included as Appendix I of this Initial Study, and incorporated herein by reference. The recent Fontana General Plan Update, Chapter 11, Noise and Safety states "The future impacts of wildfire on the City based on anticipated future development are significant. This is because of the fact that, of the existing land that is yet to be developed within the City, a large portion of it is in the High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ.) This will result in many new residential homes and some commercial buildings being exposed to wildfire hazards. A fire protection plan (FPP), approved by the fire code official, is required for all new development within the high fire severity area. FPPs are required to include mitigation measures consistent with the unique problems resulting from the location, topography, geology, flammable vegetation, and climate of the proposed site. FPPs must address water supply, access, building ignition and fire resistance, fire protection systems and equipment, defensible space, and vegetation management, and must be consistent with the requirements of California Building Code Chapter7A, the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code, and the Fontana Municipal Code. The Project is located in the northern Fontana foothills, close to the San Gabriel Mountains and is located in a City of Fontana "Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone", with native vegetation on the Project site and north of the Project site. Therefore, a detailed Fire Protection Plan has been prepared for the proposed Project. The proposed Project takes access from Moncton Way, a 36 foot wide street with 10-foot wide parkway with sidewalks on both sides, within a 56 foot dedicated right-of-way. The cul-de-sacs at the end of Moncton Way and Street "A" within the Project site have adequate circumferences that meet San Bernardino County Fire Department and Fontana Fire Protection District size requirements. Based on the size of the existing and proposed Project streets, the proposed project does not substantially impair an adopted emergency response plan or emergency evacuation plan. Reference: Fontana Forward General Plan Update, 2015 - 2035, November 2018; Hunters Ridge II Tentative Tract 20078, Fontana, California, Fire Protection Plan, Firewise 2000, Inc. October 2108. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 107 March 2020 b) Due to slope, prevailing winds, and other factors, exacerbate wildfire risks, and thereby expose project occupants to, pollutant concentrations from a wildfire or the uncontrolled spread of a wildfire? Less Than Significant With Mitigation Incorporated See response to XX.a), above. Due to the projects slope (approximately 12%), prevailing winds that include strong Santa Ana Winds, and the Project's proximity to the San Gabriel Mountains and foothills, there is the potential for future residential occupants within this proposed 20-unit tract to be exposed to pollutant concentrations from a wildfire or the uncontrolled spread of a wildfire. As stated above, a Project specific Fire Protection Plan has been prepared by a qualified expert that sets forth the conditions, procedures and mitigation measures that meet the requirements of the San Bernardino County Fire Department and the Fontana Fire Protection District. This technical document is contained in Appendix J of this Initial Study. This Fire Protection Plan follow the provisions of the 2016 California Fire Code Chapter 49; 2016 California Building Code Chapter 7A; 2016 California Residential Code, Section R337and local jurisdiction amendments. The Fire Protection Plan considers location, topography, geology, aspect, combustible vegetation, climatic conditions, and fire history. Additionally, the plan address water supply, access, structural ignitability, structure setback and ignition resistive building features, fire protection systems and equipment, impacts to existing emergency services and vegetation management. The plan also identifies and prioritizes areas for hazardous fuel reduction treatments and recommends the types and methods of treatment that will protect one or more at-risk communities and essential infrastructures. The plan recommends measures that homeowners and communities shall take to reduce the ignitability of structures throughout the area. Project Location: The project site is located approximately 140 feet north of the northeast corner of the intersection of Labrador Avenue and Moncton Avenue (at the existing terminus of Moncton Avenue), which also known as Phase No. “4” of the Hunter’s Ridge Specific Plan (APN: 0226-421-06). Project Description: Tentative Tract Map No. 20078 is located in the Hunter’s Ridge Specific Plan. This is the last remaining area to be subdivided in the Hunter’s Ridge Specific Plan. The project site is zoned Single- Family Residential (R-1-7,200), which requires a minimum lot size, including the buildable area, of 7,200 square feet. The proposed tentative tract map (Tentative Tract Map No. 20078) is a request to subdivide one (1) parcels of land, approximately 9.5 gross acres, into 20 lots for the development of single-family homes. The plan design includes five (5) letter lots; Lot “A” Equestrian Trail, Lot “B” Infiltration Basin, Lot “C” Fire Access Road, Lot “D” Fuel Modification and Lot “E” Open Space. Letter Lot “C” is an emergency vehicle access easement of approximately 0.04 adjusted gross acres (1,882 square feet). This access easement is approximately 20-foot wide by 95-foot. The access easement will provide an access point for emergence vehicle between Lot No.14 and Lot No. 15, to access the area north of the tract site. This easement shall be constructed to support an 80,000lb fire apparatus, or conform to applicable San Bernardino County Fire District (SBCFD) requirements. Letter Lot “D” the Fuel Modification Area is 100-foot wide by approximately 575-foot, area encompasses 1.22 acres. This Fuel Modification area is a non-irrigated thinning zone, beginning at the 6 ft CMU fire barrier and continuing 100-foot north of the proposed tract. The thinning zone is utilized to reduce the fuel load of a wildland area adjacent to urban projects thereby reducing the radiant and convective heat of wildland fires. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 108 March 2020 The thinning zone is approximately 74-foot wide. There is the Fire Access Easement, within the Fuel Modification area, it is 26-foot wide by approximately 520-foot including a hammerhead turnaround at the west end. Lot “E” is identified as an Open Space area. This Open Space area is approximately 224-foot wide by the width of the property with an area of 2.10 acres. This Open Space area will remain mostly natural with some weed abatement twice a year. This Fire Access Easement will provide a staging area for emergence vehicle prior to the Open Space area. This easement shall be constructed to support an 80,000lb fire apparatus, or conform to applicable SBCFD requirements. WILDLAND FIRE HAZARD AND RISK ASSESSMENT In assessing the wildland fire hazard, it is necessary to consider plant succession and the climax plant communities. The vegetation described below is the most likely climax plant community that will exist without human intervention and the one utilized for planning purposes. On Site Vegetation: The entire site is in a Very High Fire Severity Zone. The project’s existing native vegetation will be removed prior to the grading process. The area just off the northern boundary will be modified to 100 feet, this is located on an Edison easement. Extending past the 100 feet the vegetation will remain natural. The remaining fuel on the north end and easement is classified as Riversidian Alluvial Fan Sage Scrub that consists of Chamise, White Sage, Black Sage, and sparse Yucca. Because of the soil type, the fuel generally never reaches full continuity. Normally, without fire intervention, the natural vegetation to the north and east will remain similar in continuity and cover as it looks today. The exception could be an increase in dead fuel load. It is best characterized as SCAL 18, as the majority of the fuel bed is buckwheat, sage, and non-native species. Topography: The proposed Project site is falling gradually from north to south from 88 to 84.2 feet (12%). There are no noted changes in slope or aspect that would increase the risk from a wildland fire adjacent to the site. The DWP easement on the northern boundary of the site, in general has the same topographic changes up to the adjacent development. Letter Lot ‘E” will be dedicated to the City and consists of approximately 2.10 acres that is about 15 feet wide and 818 feet long. It has an access road from Labrador Avenue to the open space, although not on site, it would provide access to the open space in the event of a fire. Additional clearing is routinely completed in the area around each SCE transmission tower. Climate: The climate within the Project area would be characterized as Mediterranean. It is generally mild, with wet (14 -16 inches per year) winters. The bulk of the annual precipitation falls between January and March. Long, hot and very dry summer seasons frequently occur with occasional multi-year droughts. The most critical weather pattern to the project area is a hot, dry offshore wind, typically called a Santa Ana. Such wind conditions are usually associated with strong (>70 MPH), hot, dry winds with very low (<15%) relative humidity. Santa Ana winds originate over the dry desert land and can occur anytime of the year; however, they generally occur in the late fall (September through November). This is also when non-irrigated vegetation is at its lowest moisture content. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 109 March 2020 Predicting Wildland Fire Behavior: The BEHAVE 5.0.5 Fire Behavior Prediction and Fuel Modeling System developed by USDA–Forest Service research scientists Patricia L. Andrews and Collin D. Bevins at the Intermountain Forest Fire Laboratory, Missoula, Montana, is one of the best systematic methods for predicting wildland fire behavior. The BEHAVE fire behavior computer modeling system is utilized by wildland fire experts and managers nationwide. The program projects the expected spotting distance, rate-of-spread and flame lengths with a reasonable degree of certainty for use in Fire Protection Planning purposes. FIREWISE 2000, Inc. used BEHAVE 5.0.5 Fire Behavior Prediction Model Software for the fire behavior assessments discussed below. Wildland Fire Behavior Calculations for the Off-Site Hazardous Vegetative Fuels: Wildland fire behavior calculations have been projected for the hazardous vegetative fuels on the undeveloped areas in proximity to the proposed site. These projections are based on scenarios that are ‘worst case’ San Bernardino County fire weather assumptions in the vicinity of the project area. Historical weather data was obtained from the RAWS (Remote Automatic Weather Station) network stations closest to the project area. The area modeled is north of the project boundary, which runs east to west along the project northern boundary. The worst case scenarios are depicted Table 2.3.1 and Table 2.3.2 in the referenced Technical Appendix J. All tables display the expected Rate of Fire Spread (expressed in feet per minute), Spotting Distance (expressed in miles) and Flame Length (expressed in feet) and include the calculation inputs used in the BEHAVE program which were obtained from project site observations and fuel moisture levels typically observed during the local fire season. The tables also show the change in Rate of Fire Spread, Spotting Distance, and Flame Length following the completion of the required Vegetation Management. ASSESSING STRUCTURE IGNITIONS IN THE WILDLAND/URBAN INTERFACE Structure ignitions from wildland wildfires basically come from three sources of heat: convective firebrands (flying embers), direct flame impingement, and radiant heat. The Behave Plus Fire Behavior Computer Modeling Program does not address windblown embers or firebrands. Ignition resistant exterior building materials will be the principle construction requirement to protect the structure from wind driven embers and radiant heat. Firebrands: Firebrands are pieces of burning materials that detach from a burning fuel due to the strong convection drafts in the flaming zone. Firebrands may also be referred to as embers. Firebrands can be carried a long distance (one mile or more) by fire drafts and strong winds. Severe wildland/urban interface fires can produce heavy showers of firebrands. The chance of these firebrands igniting a structure will depend on the size and number of the firebrands, how long each ember burns after contact, and the type of building materials, building design, and construction features of the structure. Firebrands landing on combustible roofing and decks are common sources for structure ignition. They can also enter a structure through unscreened vents, decks, chimneys, unprotected skylights, and overhangs. Even with non-combustible roofing, firebrands landing on leaves, needles, and other combustibles located on a roof (due to lack of maintenance) can cause structure ignition. Any open windows, doors, or other types of unscreened openings are sources for embers to enter a structure during a wildland fire. If these maintenance issues are addressed on a regular basis, firebrands should not be a concern for future homeowners as the building will be constructed with ignition resistant building materials. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 110 March 2020 Radiant Heat/Direct Flame Impingement: Radiation and convection involve the transfer of heat directly from the flame. Unlike radiation heat transfer, convection requires that the flames or heat column contact the structure. An ignition from radiation (given an exposed flammable surface) heat transfer depends on two aspects of the flame: 1) the radiant heat flux to a combustible surface and, 2) the duration (length of time) of the radiant flux. The radiant heat flux depends on the flame zone size, flame-structure distance, and how much the combustible material of the structure is exposed to the flame. While the flame from a wildfire may approach 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit, it is the duration of heat that is more critical. For an example, a blow torch flame typically approaches 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit yet a person can easily pass his/her hand through the flame. Heat duration only becomes critical to a home with a wood exterior surface if the heat is allowed to remain for 30-90 seconds. The closest fire station to the project site is Fire Station No. 79, located at 5075 Coyote Canyon Road. This Fire Station is located approximately 1.25 miles east of the project site, and has a staff of 5 fire fighters and paramedics with 2 fire trucks. The response time to the project site is approximately 3 minutes. Fire Station No. 78, located at 7110 Citrus Avenue, north of Baseline Avenue, is the next closest, which is located approximately 4.7 miles from the site, with an estimated response time is less than 10 minutes. There is no assurance that the closest fire station, will be in its station when a wildfire threatens Hunters Ridge from an ignition in the adjacent wildland. Engines may respond from other stations located further away or from other incidents. On high/extreme fire danger days there often may be multiple fire starts and engine companies may be already deployed on other incidents. This is why FIREWISE 2000, Inc. planned projects use ‘defensible space’, ignition resistant building features, and key fuel treatment strategies that enable residents to substantially increase their ability to survive a wildfire on their own and without the loss of their structure. The goal of the prepared/approved Fire Prevention Plan, therefore, is to make the Project site and its homeowners as safe as possible and able to survive on their own until such time as firefighting equipment arrives and/or can be safely evacuated. Fire agencies consider vegetation management as a principal approach to wildland fire hazard reduction. Whenever the flame length, can reach close proximity to the structure for 1-2 minutes in duration or more, there is a high probability of structure ignition. Contact with a fire's convection heat column also may cause ignition but the temperature of the column’s gases are generally not hot enough or long enough in duration to sustain the ignition. FIRE PROTECTION PLAN MITIGATION MEASURES AND GUIDELINES Comparing the expected wildland fire behavior projections against the required fuel modification zones outlined below demonstrates substantial reductions in the expected flame length and fireline intensity. By requiring the structures exposed to the threat of wildfire to incorporate the following guidelines, those structures will be provided with the most effective treatment for minimizing losses from flame impingement and associated radiant heat intensities. • Each structure is constructed of ignition resistant building materials. • The area surrounding each structure contains an irrigated zone (defensible space) and a thinning zone (low fuel volume buffer strip) between the irrigated zone and the untreated fuels. The eventual homeowners shall be required to maintain their properties to Zone 1 and Zone 2 Vegetation Management standards and shall keep the roofs and rain gutters free of leaves, needles and other combustible debris. All firewood and other combustible materials must be properly stored away from the structures (minimum of 30’) so that burning embers falling on or near the structures have no suitable host. All future homeowners are responsible for maintaining their homes and for keeping all doors and windows tightly closed whenever a wildland fire is reported in the vicinity. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 111 March 2020 Fire Resistant Plant Palette: Wildland fire research has shown that some types of plants, including many natives, are more fire resistant than others. These low fuel volume, non-oily, non-resinous plants are commonly referred to as ‘fire resistant’. This term comes with the proviso that each year these plants are pruned, all dead wood is removed and all grasses or other plant material are removed from beneath the circumference of the shrub canopies. Some native species are not considered ‘undesirable’ from a wildfire risk management perspective provided they are properly maintained year round (refer to the Appendix in Technical Appendix I for a list of prohibited plant species). Fire Department Response Times San Bernardino County Fire Department (SBCFD) Station No. 79 is the closest Engine Company within the City of Fontana. It is located at 5050 Coyote Canyon Road south of Duncan Canyon Road. The approximate distance is 1.4 miles. Calculated response time at 35mph using NFPA 1142, would be 2.3 minutes. Fire Station No. 78, located at 7110 Citrus Avenue, north of Baseline Avenue, is the next closest, which is located approximately 4.7 miles from the site, with an estimated response time is less than 10 minutes. Vegetation Management Zone Descriptions and Required Treatments Below are the descriptions and required treatments for the Vegetation Management zones. All distances in this report are measured horizontally. These distances are depicted in Section 5.0 of the Fire Protection Plan and its Fire Protection Plan Exhibits. The homeowners shall be responsible for maintaining Vegetation Management Zones within their property boundaries. In the event a lot is repossessed, the unit/agency holding title to the lot will be responsible for the maintenance. Vegetation Management Zone 1 - Homeowner Maintained Defined: Zone 1 is commonly called the defensible space zone and shall be free of all combustible construction and materials. It is an irrigated zone of varying widths. It is measured from the exterior walls of the structure or from the most distal point of a combustible projection and extends outward. It provides the best protection against the high radiant heat produced by a wildfire. It also provides a generally open area in which fire suppression forces can operate during wildfire events. This zone includes a nearly level or level-graded area around the structure. Vegetation Management Zone 2 - Defined: Fuel Modification in this off-site area is the responsibility of the Community Facilities District (CFD). Enforcement will be by the City and Fire Department through their ongoing Fuel Modification/Hazard Abatement Programs. Zone 2 is a transition area between the strict requirements of Zone 1 and the undisturbed native vegetation designed to maintain a reasonably open character in this area. Zone 2 is a non-irrigated thinning zone, beginning at the 6 ft CMU fire barrier and continuing north to 100 feet. 73.5 Feet is subject to Fuel Modification. Of the 100 foot area a 26-foot wide drivable Fire Access Easement is provided, on the west end is a hammerhead turnaround. Access will be from the cul-de-sac on Moncton Way. Along the northern project boundary, the required distance for off-site treatment is 100 feet. The entire 100 feet is on the undeveloped portion of Lot "D". Construction Standards: All structures within the proposed development shall meet all wildland/interface standards to the satisfaction of the City of Fontana and SBCFD and be designed and constructed to current ignition resistant construction standards that are set forth below. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 112 March 2020 All non-habitable accessory structures such as decks, balconies, patios, covers, gazebos and fences shall be built from non-combustible or ignition resistant materials. The homeowners are not restricted from having concrete patios, concrete walkways or swimming pools (concrete or fiberglass) within the Vegetation Management Zones in compliance with other codes. Refer to Appendix ‘D’ in Technical Appendix J for examples and descriptions of non-combustible decks, patio covers, and railings for these non-habitable accessory structures. Other types of non-combustible, non-habitable structures may be permissible with the approval of the Fontana Fire Protection District and the SBCFD. Construction or building permits shall not be issued until the fire code official inspects and approves required fire apparatus access and water supply for the construction site. Prior to the delivery of combustible building construction materials to the project site the following conditions shall be completed to the satisfaction of the jurisdiction having authority. • All wet and dry utilities shall be installed and approved by the appropriate inspecting department or agency. • Clearance of Zone 1 vegetation and approved Zone 2 vegetation management shall be provided prior to combustible material arriving on the site and shall be maintained throughout the duration of construction. Fire code officials may require additional vegetation management and/or defensible space when warranted. Ignition Resistant Construction Requirements: Applicable standards for construction in a Very High Fire Severity Zone are set forth for this Project as defined in Chapter 7A of the 2016 California Building Code (CBC) and the 2016 Edition of the California Residential Code (CRC) section R337 and those amendments by the City of Fontana. This Fire Protection Plan and its requirements are based on current state and local code adoptions, actual construction requirements shall be based on the most current code requirements, with local amendments, at the time of plan check submittal for proposed construction. 1. All structures will be built with a non-combustible Class A Roof Assembly, including a Class A roof covering. Roofs shall have a roofing assembly installed in accordance with its listing and the manufacturer’s installation instructions. 2. Where the roof profile allows a space between the roof covering and roof decking, the roof area will have one layer of minimum 72 pound (32.4 kg) mineral-surfaced, non-perforated cap sheet complying with ASTM D 3909 installed over the combustible decking. Openings on barrel tiles or similar roof coverings shall be constructed to prevent the intrusion of flames and embers, and be fire stopped with approved materials to prevent the accumulation of debris, bird nests, etc. between the tiles and decking material. 3. When provided, exposed valley flashings shall be not less than 0.019-inch (No. 26 galvanized sheet gage) corrosion-resistant metal installed over a minimum 36-inch-wide underlayment consisting of one layer of No. 72 ASTM cap sheet running the full length of the valley. 4. All rain gutters, down spouts and gutter hardware shall be constructed from metal or other non-combustible material to prevent wildfire ignition along eave assemblies. 5. Gutters shall be provided with the means to prevent the accumulation of leaf litter and debris that contribute to roof edge ignition. 6. All chimney, flue or stovepipe openings will have an approved spark arrester. An approved spark arrester is defined as a device constructed of nonflammable materials, 12 gauge minimum thicknesses or other material found satisfactory by the Fire Protection District, having ½-inch perforations for arresting burning carbon or sparks. It shall be installed to be visible for the purposes of inspection and maintenance. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 113 March 2020 7. The exterior walls surface materials shall be non-combustible or ignition resistant. In all construction, exterior walls shall extend from the top of the foundation to the roof and terminate at 2-inch nominal solid blocking between rafters at all roof overhangs, or in the case of enclosed eaves, terminate at the enclosure. Architectural foam may be applied only after the exterior wall surface meets the requirements of CBC Chapter 7A/CRC Section R337. A finish and color coat may than be applied. 8. All eaves, fascias, and soffits will be enclosed (boxed) with non-combustible materials. Eaves of heavy timber construction are permissible. Eaves of heavy timber construction are not required to be enclosed as long as attic venting is not installed in the eaves. This shall apply to the entire perimeter of each structure. For the purposes of this section, heavy timber construction shall consist of a minimum of 4x6 rafter tails and 2x decking. 9. Paper-faced insulation shall be prohibited in attics or ventilated spaces. 10. Automatic interior fire sprinklers shall be installed according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 13D 2013 edition. 11. Ventilation openings for enclosed attics, enclosed eave soffit spaces, enclosed rafter spaces formed where ceilings are applied directly to the underside of roof rafters, and underfloor ventilation openings shall be fully covered with metal wire mesh, vents, other materials or other devices that meet one of the following requirements: • Must comply with ASTM E2886. • Must have passed an Ember Intrusion Test. • Vent mesh material must be non-combustible and be a minimum of 1/16th inch and not exceeding 1/8th inch. • All venting on the underside of eaves and cornices must have passed the Ember and Flame Intrusion Test. • Turbine attic vents shall not be allowed. 12. No attic ventilation openings or ventilation louvers shall be permitted in soffits, in eave overhangs, between rafters at eaves, or in other overhanging areas. 13. All fences and gate assemblies (fences, gate and gate posts) shall be of non-combustible material. 14. All projections (exterior balconies, decks, patio covers, unenclosed roofs and floors, and similar architectural appendages and projections) or structures shall be of non-combustible material, or one-hour fire resistive construction, in accordance with CBC Chapter 7A and CRC section R337. All building material shall be ignition resistant, and may be heavy timber, or approved pressure-treated exterior fire-retardant wood. If such appendages and projections are attached to exterior fire-resistive walls, they shall be constructed to maintain the same fire-resistant standards as the exterior walls of the structure. 15. Attached and detached accessory structures shall be built in accordance with the CBC Chapter 7A and CRC Section R337. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 114 March 2020 16. CBC Chapter 7A and CRC Section R337 Exterior doors. Exterior doors shall comply with one of the following, and must be self-closing, self-latching. 1. The exterior surface or cladding shall be of noncombustible or ignition-resistant material. 2. Shall be constructed of solid core wood that comply with the following requirements: • Stiles and rails shall not be less than 1-3/8 inches thick • Raised panels shall not be less than 1-1/4 inches thick, except for the exterior perimeter of the raised panel that may taper to a tongue not less than 3/8 inch thick. 3. Shall have a fire-resistance rating of not less than 20 minutes when tested according to NFPA 252. 4. Shall be tested to meet the performance requirements of SFM Standard 12-7A-1. 17. Exterior glazed door assemblies shall comply with the following: 1. Be constructed of multi-pane glazing with a minimum of one tempered pane meeting the requirements of Section 2406 Safety Glazing. 2. Have a fire-resistance rating of not less than 20 minutes when tested according to NFPA 257. 3. Be tested to meet the performance requirements of SFM 12-7A-2. 18. All glass or other transparent, translucent or opaque glazing materials including skylights shall be constructed multi-layered glazed panels one layer of which must be tempered glass. 19. Garage doors shall be fitted with a sweep seal and/or weather stripping on all sides suitable for preventing the intrusion of embers, if fitted with windows they shall meet the requirements listed above in 18. Additionally, it is recommended that garage doors be of the type that have a self-closing security feature. 20. Vinyl window assemblies are deemed acceptable if the windows have the following characteristics: • Frame and sash are comprised of vinyl material with welded corners • Metal reinforcements in the interlock area • Glazed with insulating glass, annealed or tempered (one layer of which must be tempered glass). • Frame and sash profiles are certified in AAMA Lineal Certification Program • Certified and labeled to ANSI/AAMA/NWWDA 101/LS2-97 for Structural Requirements Infrastructure Water Supply: The Project will obtain its water supply from the Fontana Water Company. An extension of the public water system with new pipelines and hydrants will be built to serve the area. The system shall be engineered to the requirements of Fontana Water Company, San Bernardino County Fire Department and the City of Fontana. In addition, the required flow and pressure must meet the demands required for residential sprinkler systems. Access Roads/Driveways and Gates: Access to Hunters Ridge II will be from Moncton Avenue approximately 140 feet north of the northeast corner of Labrador Avenue and Montreal Drive. Access to the fuel treatment area north of the project boundary will be from Moncton Avenue at terminus of cul-de-sac. The drivable Fire Access Easement will have a hammerhead turnaround on the west end. Required signage: "San Bernardino County Fire Access Drive - No Parking or Stopping At Any Time". Road design will conform to City of Fontana Street Design Standards and if applicable San Bernardino County Standards. All paved roads will be constructed to support an 80,000 pound fire apparatus, or conform to applicable SBCFD requirements. Public streets shall not be gated. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 115 March 2020 Community Facilities District A Community Facilities District (CFD) is an area where a special property tax is levied on property owners within a community to finance improvements. The proposed Project's on-going fuel treatment and maintenance will be funded by a CFD. The TTM 20078 Maintenance CFD will fund up to five (5) notifications/inspections per year for fuel modification, as determined by the City. The City will inspect private lots and fuel modification areas in this development for reasonable compliance with this plan and the City requirements. The City will also inspect off-site, adjacent properties for reasonable compliance with their requirements as currently enforced by the City. Homeowner Education The homeowner, by reviewing this Fire Protection Plan and the community’s CC&R’s shall be aware of the described fire protection measures; the types of non-combustible construction and the plant materials that are allowed within their lot boundary. Of particular importance are Appendices ‘A’ and ‘D’ contained within the Fire Protection Plan (Appendix J), which provides guidance in the types of plants that are allowed or prohibited in landscaped areas and appropriate construction within Vegetation Management Zones. Plant selection and overall maintenance of individual properties is critical as embers often travel over a mile during Santa Ana wind events. Homeowners are advised to look at Fontana Fire Protection District website and navigate to http://fontana.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/2143. The document provides excellent information on preparations for a wildfire event. Additional resource information can be found on the San Bernardino County Fire web page. Based on the wildland fire goals and objectives within Chapter 11, Noise and Safety of the Fontana General Plan Update, and upon the requirements set forth in the Hunter Ridge II Fire Protection Plan, the proposed project does not exacerbate wildfire risks, and thereby expose project occupants to pollutant concentrations from a wildfire or the uncontrolled spread of a wildfire due to slope, prevailing winds, and other factors. Reference: Fontana Forward General Plan Update, 2015 - 2035, November 2018; Hunters Ridge II Tentative Tract 20078, Fontana, California, Fire Protection Plan, Firewise 2000, Inc. October 2108. c) Require the installation or maintenance of associated infrastructure (such as roads, fuel breaks, emergency water sources, power lines or other utilities) that may exacerbate fire risk or that may result in temporary or ongoing impacts to the environment? Less Than Significant With Mitigation Incorporated See responses to XX.a) and b) above, and the FPP Mitigation Measures and Guidelines listed above . The Project's Final Approved Fire Protection Plan requires the installation and maintenance of associated infrastructure that includes, roads, access easements, vegetation management and fuel modification zones, water sources, construction requirements, a community facilities district and homeowner education that reduces potential wildland fire impacts considered to be less that significant with mitigation set forth in the Project's Fire Protection Plan. All electrical power serving the homes within Tract 20078 is required to be underground. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 116 March 2020 Base on the documentation and mitigation requirements set forth in the Project's Final Approved Fire Protection Plan, and based on the analysis and mitigation measures set forth in Section IV, Biological Resources, and Section V, Cultural Resources ,the Lead Agency finds that although the proposed Project does require the installation and maintenance of certain infrastructure that includes roads, easements, fire breaks and water infrastructure, those infrastructure improvements do not exacerbate fire risks and do not result in temporary or ongoing impacts on the environment. Reference: Hunters Ridge II Tentative Tract 20078, Fontana, California, Fire Protection Plan, Firewise 2000, Inc. October 2108. d) Expose people or structures to significant risks, including downslope or downstream flooding or landslides, as a result of runoff, post-fire slope instability, or drainage changes? Less Than Significant Impact The Project proposes a berm and CMU wall along the northern edge of the tract that serves as protection from both fire and potential downslope flooding that could result from post-fire slope instability. This drainage channel directs downslope runoff from above the development area toward a catch basin located at the southeast corner of the project site (Lot "B"), and then to the approved Water Quality Management Plan drainage system. The maximum slope on and above the project site is approximately 12%, so there is very little or potential for landslides occurring or from runoff should post-fire flooding occur above the Project site. There is an existing rip-rap barrier along the east side of the San Sevaine Flood Control Channel that protects the Project site and many other existing upstream and downstream homes within the Hunter Ridge Specific Plan area from potential flooding. Based on these proposed Project improvements, and on the requirements set forth in the Project's Fire Prevention Plan, the proposed project does not expose people or structures to significant risks, including downslope or downstream flooding or landslides, as a result of runoff, post-fire slope instability, or drainage changes Reference: Hunters Ridge II Tentative Tract 20078, Fontana, California, Fire Protection Plan, Firewise 2000, Inc. October 2108. Issues: Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact Tract 20078 - 20-unit Single-Family Residential Project 117 March 2020 XXI. MANDATORY FINDINGS OF SIGNIFICANCE a) Does the project have the potential to degrade the quality of the environment, substantially reduce the habitat of a fish or wildlife species, cause a fish or wildlife population to drop below self-sustaining levels, threaten to eliminate a plant or animal community, substantially reduce the number or restrict the range of a rare or endangered plant or animal or eliminate important examples of the major periods of California history or prehistory? Less Than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated The Project's impacts to biological resources are mitigated to levels considered less than significant with mitigation incorporated through the payment of the "North Fontana Conservation Program" mitigation fee for impacts to 7.4-acres of "Suitable Habitat" contained within the TTM 20078 Project site. Please refer to Section IV.a) Biological Resources, and Section V.a), Cultural Resources for the responses to this question and specific mitigation measures and alternative measures that address both biological and cultural resources. Based upon the documentation within the Fontana General Plan and in the project's Biological and Cultural Resources Assessments, the Lead Agency finds with required mitigation incorporated, the proposed project does not substantially reduce the habitat of a fish or wildlife species, cause a fish or wildlife population to drop below self-sustaining levels, threaten to eliminate a plant or animal community, substantially reduce the number or restrict the range of a rare or endangered plant or animal or eliminate important examples of the major periods of California history or prehistory. Reference: "Biological Resources Assessment for Proposed Subdivision, Tentative Tract Map 20078, Fontana, San Bernardino County, California", H. Lee Jones, Ph.D., November 2017; "California Gnatcatcher Protocol Survey for Proposed Subdivision, Tentative Tract Map 20078, Fontana, San Bernardino County, California", H. Lee Jones, Ph.D., June 2018; "Results of a 2017 field habitat assessment to determine the potential presence of the federally endangered San Bernardino kangaroo rat (SBKR) on the approximately 7-acre Tentative Tract 20078, located in the San Sevaine Area of Rancho Cucamonga, California", SJM Biological Consultants, December 2017; North Fontana Conservation Program Action Report, City of Fontana, June 2017; City of Fontana Development Fee Schedule, July, 2017; Historical/Archaeological Resources Survey Report, Tentative Tract Map Number 20078, Assessor’s Parcel Number 0226-421-06, City of Fontana, San Bernardino County, California, CRM TECH, October 2017; City of Fontana AB 52 Consultation Process, February - April, 2018. MITIGATION MONITORING AND REPORTING PROGRAM FOR HUNTERS RIDGE II TENTATIVE TRACT MAP NO. No. 20078 MASTER CASE NO. 16-061 TENTATIVE TRACT MAP CASE NO. 16-015 Prepared for: City of Fontana Community Development Department Planning Division 8353 Sierra Avenue Fontana, California 92335 Prepared by: The Planning Consortium 29422 Modjeska Canyon Road Silverado, California 92676 March 2020 Intentionally Blank Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 City of Fontana 1 March 2020 TPC-wdb-020520 INTRODUCTION This Mitigation Monitoring and Report Program (MMRP) for the Hunters Ridge II - Tentative Tract Map No 20078 , 20 Unit Single Family Residential Facility Project located within the City's Hunter Ridge Specific Plan has been prepared pursuant Section 21081.6 of the Public Resources Code and Section 15097 of the CEQA Guidelines. These sections apply when the public agency makes findings required under CEQA [Section 15091(a)] relative to an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) or Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) in conjunction with approving a project. In order to ensure that mitigation measures identified in the proposed project's CEQA Initial Study are implemented, the public agency shall adopt a program for monitoring and/or reporting on the measures it has imposed and the revisions that it has required in the project to mitigate or avoid potential significant environmental effects. A public agency may delegate reporting or monitoring responsibilities to another public agency or to a private entity that accepts the delegation; however, until mitigation measures have been completed, the lead agency remains responsible for ensuring that implementation of the mitigation measures occurs in accordance with the MMRP. The public agency may choose whether its program will monitor mitigation, report on mitigation, or both. "Reporting" generally consists of a written compliance review that is presented to the decision-making body or authorized staff person. A report may be required at various stages during project implementation or upon completion of the mitigation measure. "Monitoring" is generally an ongoing or periodic process of project oversight. There is often no clear distinction between monitoring and reporting and the program best suited to ensuring compliance in any given instance usually involves elements of both. Reporting and monitoring are suited to all but the simplest projects. Monitoring ensures that project compliance is checked on a regular basis during and, if necessary, after implementation. Reporting ensures that the approving agency is informed of compliance with mitigation requirements. Therefore, this program consists of both monitoring and reporting requirements. This MMRP lists all applicable mitigation measures from the Initial Study Checklist. The method of verification, timing of implementation and responsible party are identified to ensure proper enforcement of the mitigation measures from the Initial Study - Environmental Checklist (IS) to reduce project impacts to less than significant levels. This information is set forth within the following matrix pages. Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 2 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility AIR QUALITY Construction Source Emissions AQ-1 Construction Mitigation Water site three times per day during site preparation phase. During grading and site preparation, the work area is required to be watered three times per day. This mitigation measure will bring the short-term particulate matter emissions to a level of insignificance. Review and approval by the City of Fontana Building Plan Check Process, and ongoing City Inspections during construction. Prior to the issuance of any grading permit, and ongoing during construction. General Contractor and/or Grading Contractor(s) for the Applicant. Construction Mitigation Recommended by General Plan: The following measures are included in the recently approved 2018 Fontana Forward General Plan Update 2015 - 2035 and are relevant and applicable to the construction of this project. AQ-8 In the event that any off-site utility and/or infrastructure improvements are required as a direct result of future projects, construction of such off-site utility and infrastructure improvements shall not occur concurrently with the demolition, site preparation, and grading phases of project construction. This requirement shall be clearly noted on all applicable grading and/or building plans. Review and approval by the City of Fontana Building Plan Check Process, and ongoing City Inspections during construction. Prior to the issuance of any grading permit, and ongoing during construction. General Contractor and/or Grading Contractor(s) for the Applicant. AQ-9 All construction equipment shall be maintained in good operation condition so as to reduce emissions. The construction contractor shall ensure that all construction equipment is being properly serviced and maintained as per the manufacturer’s specification. Maintenance records shall be available at the construction site for City of Fontana verification. The following additional measures, as determined applicable by the City Engineer, shall be included as conditions of the Grading Permit issuance: • Provide temporary traffic controls such as a flag person, during all phases of construction to maintain smooth traffic flow. Review and approval by the City of Fontana Building Plan Check Process, and ongoing City Inspections during construction. Prior to the issuance of any grading permit, and ongoing during construction. General Contractor and/or Grading Contractor(s) for the Applicant. Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 3 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility • Provide dedicated turn lanes for movement of construction trucks and equipment on and off-site. • Reroute construction trucks away from congested streets or sensitive receptor areas. • Appoint a construction relations officer to act as a community liaison concerning onsite construction activity including resolution of issues related to PM10 generation. • Improve traffic flow by signal synchronization and ensure that all vehicles and equipment will be properly tuned and maintained according to manufacturers’ specifications. • Require the use of 2010 and newer diesel haul trucks (e.g., material delivery trucks and soil import/export). If the lead agency determines that 2010 model year or newer diesel trucks cannot be obtained the lead agency shall use trucks that meet EPA 2007 model year NOx and PM emissions requirements. • During project construction, all internal combustion engines/construction equipment operating on the project site shall meet EPA-Certified Tier 3 emissions standards, or higher according to the following: o January I, 2012, to December 31, 2014: All off-road diesel-powered construction equipment greater than 50 hp shall meet Tier 3 off-road emissions standards. In addition, all construction equipment shall be outfitted with BACT devices certified by CARB. Any emissions control device used by the contractor shall achieve emissions reductions that are no less than what could be achieved by a Level 3 diesel emissions control strategy for a similarly sized engine as defined by CARB regulations. Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 4 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility o Post-January 1, 2015: All off-road diesel-powered construction equipment greater than 50 hp shall meet the Tie. 4 emission standards, where available. In addition, all construction equipment shall be outfitted with BACT devices certified by CARB. Any emissions control device used by the contractor shall achieve emissions reductions that are no less than what could be achieved. by a Level 3 diesel emissions control strategy for similarly sized engine as defined by CARB regulations. o A copy of each unit’s certified tier specification, BACT documentation, and CARB or SCAQMD operating permit shall be provided at the time of mobilization of each applicable unit of equipment. AQ-10 Prior to the issuance of any grading permits, all Applicants shall submit construction plans to the City of Fontana denoting the proposed schedule and projected equipment use. Construction contractors shall provide evidence that low emission mobile construction equipment will be utilized, or that their use was investigated and found to be infeasible for the project. Contractors shall also conform to any construction measures imposed by the SCAQMD as well as City Planning Staff. Review and approval by the City of Fontana Building Plan Check Process, and ongoing City Inspections during construction. Prior to the issuance of any grading permit, and ongoing during construction. General Contractor and/or Grading Contractor(s) for the Applicant. AQ-11 All paints and coatings shall meet or exceed performance standards noted in SCAQMD Rule 1113. Specifically, the following measures shall be implemented, as feasible: • Use coatings and solvents with a VOC content lower than that required under AQMD Rule 1113: • Construct or build with materials that do not require painting. • Require the-use of pre-painted construction materials Review and approval by the City of Fontana Building Plan Check Process, and ongoing City Inspections during construction. Prior to the issuance of any grading permit, and ongoing during construction. General Contractor and/or Grading Contractor(s) for the Applicant. Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 5 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility AQ-12 Projects that result in the construction of more than 19 single-family residential units, 40 multifamily residential units, or 45,000 square feet of retail/commercial/industrial space shall be required to apply paints either by hand or high volume, low pressure (HVLP) spay. These measures may reduce volatile organic compounds (VOC) associated with the application of paints and coatings by an estimated 60 to 75 percent. Alternatively, the contractor may specify the use of low volatility paints and coatings. Several of currently available primers have VOC contents of less than 0.85 pounds per gallon (e.g., Dulux professional exterior primer 100 percent acrylic). Top coats can be less than 0.07 pounds per gallon (8 grams per liter)(e.g., Lifemaster 2000-series). This latter measure would reduce these VOC emissions by more than 70 percent. Larger projects should incorporate both the use of HVLP or hand application and the requirement for low volatility coatings. Review and approval by the City of Fontana Building Plan Check Process, and ongoing City Inspections during construction. Prior to the issuance of any grading permit, and ongoing during construction. General Contractor and/or Grading Contractor(s) for the Applicant. AQ-13 All asphalt shall meet or exceed performance standards noted in SCAQMD Rule 1108. Review and approval by the City of Fontana Building Plan Check Process, and ongoing City Inspections during construction. Prior to the issuance of any grading permit, and ongoing during construction. General Contractor and/or Grading Contractor(s) for the Applicant. AQ-14 Prior to the issuance of grading permits or approval of grading plans for future development projects within the project area, future developments shall include a dust control plan as part of the construction contract standard specifications. The dust control plan shall include measures to meet the requirements of SCAQMD Rules 402 and 403. Such measures may include, but are not limited to, the following: Review and approval by the City of Fontana Building Plan Check Process, and ongoing City Inspections during construction. Prior to the issuance of any grading permit, and ongoing during construction. General Contractor and/or Grading Contractor(s) for the Applicant. Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 6 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility • Phase and schedule activities to avoid high-ozone days and first-stage smog alerts. • Discontinue operation during second-stage smog alerts. • All haul trucks shall be covered prior to leaving the site to prevent dust from impacting the surrounding areas. • Comply with AQMD Rule 403, particularly to minimize fugitive dust and noise to surrounding areas. • Moisten soil each day prior to commencing grading to depth of soil cut. • Water exposed surfaces at least twice a day under calm conditions, and as often as needed on windy days or during very dry weather in order to maintain a surface crust and minimize the release of visible emissions from the construction site. • Treat any area that will be exposed for extended periods with a soil conditioner to stabilize soil or temporarily plant with vegetation. • Wash mud-covered tires and under carriages of trucks leaving construction sites. • Provide for street sweeping, as needed, on adjacent roadways to remove dirt dropped by construction vehicles or mud, which would otherwise be carried off by trucks departing project sites. • Securely cover all loads of fill coming to the site with a tight-fitting tarp. • Cease grading during periods when winds exceed 25 miles per hour. • Provide for permanent sealing of all graded areas, as applicable, at the earliest practicable time after soil disturbance. • Use low-sulfur diesel fuel in all equipment. • Use electric equipment whenever practicable. Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 7 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility • Shut off engines when not in use. BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES BIO-1: Prior to the issuance of a grading permit, the Applicant is required to pay the "North Fontana Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan" (MSHCP), now designated as the "North Fontana Conservation Program" a mitigation fee of $37,881 for impacts to 6.1 acres of "Suitable Habitat" contained within the TTM 20078 project site Payment of required North Fontana Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan" (MSHCP), mitigation fee. Prior to the issuance of a grading permit and the removal of any native vegetation Applicant BIO-2 Prior to the initiation of any construction activities within the project site and/or off‐site improvement areas that would impact sensitive natural communities, the applicant can dedicate to a certified third‐party land trust a permanent conservation easement for like habitat or purchase mitigation credits in a CDFW‐approved mitigation bank at a ratio of a minimum of 1:1. Proof of mitigation shall be provided to the City of Fontana Planning Director prior to the commencement of any ground disturbance activities. Should the applicant elect to pay applicable NFCP fees (per Mitigation Measure B-1), this measure shall not apply. Dedicate to a certified third‐party land trust a permanent conservation easement for like habitat or purchase mitigation credits in a CDFW‐approved mitigation bank at a ratio of a minimum of 1:1. Proof of mitigation shall be provided to the City of Fontana Planning Director prior to the commencement of any ground disturbance activities. Should the applicant elect to pay applicable NFCP fees (per Mitigation Measure B-1), this measure shall not apply. Prior to the initiation of any construction activities within the project site and/or off‐site improvement areas that would impact sensitive natural communities Applicant BIO-3 To assure the protection of resident birds and their offspring during the nesting season, it is required that that between three (3) and seven (7) days prior to commencement of vegetation clearance, the site and a buffer zone of 100 feet around the site be surveyed by a qualified biologist for nests containing viable eggs or nestlings. Such surveys are only necessary if vegetation clearance is to take place during the breeding season, which is typically defined as 1 March to 1 September for most species. If any active nests or dependent Review and approval of a qualified biologist report that there are no nests containing viable eggs or nestlings within 100 feet of the project site if vegetation clearance occurs between March 1st through September 1st, by the City of Fontana Building Plan Check Process. Prior to the issuance of a grading permit, and prior to any clearing or grubbing of vegetation within the project site. City of Fontana Grading Inspectors and Project's Grading Contractor Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 8 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility fledglings are found, construction-related activities shall be postponed until all young have fledged and are no longer dependent on the adults. BIO-4 Prior to the issuance of a grading permit or removal of any existing Riversidian Sage Scrub (RSS), the Applicant shall conduct a new CAGN protocol survey that meets the requirements of the USFWS. More than a year has passed since the breeding season protocol survey for CAGN on the site. The habitat on the site and to the east and west of the site for miles is ideal for CAGN, and CAGN has been reported as close as 2.2 miles from the site in the past. Based on this information there is a reasonable chance that after a year the site could now be occupied. Therefore, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is requiring a new survey be conducted. Prior to the issuance of a grading permit, and prior to any clearing or grubbing of vegetation within the project site. Qualified Biologist with a CAGN Take Permit approved by the USFWS. CULTURAL RESOURCES The following recommended Fontana Forward General Plan Update 2015 - 2015 mitigation measures are incorporated into the proposed TTM 20078 project: CUL-2 If any prehistoric archaeological resources are encountered before or during grading, the developer shall retain a qualified archaeologist to monitor construction activities and to take appropriate measures to protect or preserve them for study. With the assistance of the archaeologist, the City of Fontana shall: • Enact interim measures to protect undesignated sites from demolition or significant modification without an opportunity for the City to establish its archaeological value. City Grading Inspectors shall ensure if any buried cultural materials are encountered before or during earth- moving operations associated with the project, all work in that area should be halted or diverted until a qualified archaeologist can evaluate the nature and significance of the finds. Ongoing during grading operations City of Fontana Grading Inspectors and Project's Grading Contractor Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 9 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility • Consider establishing provisions to require incorporation of archaeological sites within new developments, using their special qualities at a theme or focal point. • Pursue educating the public about the area's archaeological heritage. • Proposal mitigation measures and recommend conditions of approval (if a local government action) to eliminate adverse project effects on significant, important, and unique prehistoric resources, following appropriate CEQA guidelines. Prepare a technical resources management report, documenting the inventory, evaluation, and proposed mitigation of resources within the project area. Submit one copy of the completed report, with original illustrations, to the San Bernardino County Archaeological Information Center for permanent archiving. CUL-3 Where consistent with applicable local, State and federal law and deemed appropriate by the City, future site-specific development projects shall consider the following: In the event Native American cultural resources are discovered during construction for future development, all work in the immediate vicinity of the find shall cease and a qualified archaeologist meeting Secretary of Interior standards shall be hired to assess the find. Work on the overall project may continue during this period; • Initiate consultation between the appropriate Native American tribal entity (as determined by a qualified archaeologist meeting Secretary of Interior standards) and the City/project applicant; Transfer cultural City Grading Inspectors shall ensure if any buried cultural materials are encountered that could be Native American cultural resources before or during earth-moving operations associated with the project, all work in that area should be halted or diverted until a qualified archaeologist meeting Secretary of Interior standards can evaluate the nature and significance of the find. Ongoing during grading operations City of Fontana Grading Inspectors and Project's Grading Contractor Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 10 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility resources investigations to the appropriate Native American entity (as determined by a qualified archaeologist meeting Secretary of Interior standards) as soon as possible; • Utilize a Native American Monitor from the appropriate Native American entity (as determined by a qualified archaeologist meeting Secretary of Interior standards) where deemed appropriate or required by the City, during initial ground disturbing activities, cultural resource surveys. and/or cultural resource excavations. CUL 4 If human remains are encountered on the project site, the San Bernardino County Coroner’s Office shall be contacted within 24 hours of the find, and all work shall be halted until a clearance is given by that office and any other involved agencies. All resources and data collected within the project site shall be permanently curated at an appropriate repository within the County. The Coroner’s Division of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department must be contacted within 24-hours of the find, and all work shall be halted until a clearance is provided by that office (175 South Lena Road, San Bernardino, CA 92415-0037; 909/387-2543). Should the Coroner determine the human remains to be Native American, the State of California Native American Heritage Commission shall be contacted (1550 Harbor Boulevard, Suite 100, West Sacramento, CA 95691; 916/373-3710). City Grading Inspectors shall ensure if any human remains are encountered, the San Bernardino County Coroner's Office will be contacted immediately. If the remains could be Native American cultural resources, all work in that area should be halted or diverted until a qualified archaeologist meeting Secretary of Interior standards can evaluate the nature and significance of the find and the State of California Native American Heritage Commission shall be contacted (1550 Harbor Boulevard, Suite 100, West Sacramento, CA 95691; 916/373- 3710).. Ongoing during grading operation. Grading Contractor for the Applicant and the San Bernardino County Coroner’s Office. Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 11 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility ENERGY The following Fontana Forward General Plan Update 2015 - 2035 potential measures for conserving energy and reducing potential energy demands related to Project construction, operations, transportation and motor vehicles are incorporated into the proposed Project: E-1 Energy Efficiency: • Design buildings to be energy efficient and exceed Title 24 requirements by at least 5 percent. • Install efficient lighting, and lighting control systems. Site and design building to take advantage of daylight with skylights and solar panels. • Use trees, landscaping and sun screens on west and south exterior building walls to reduce energy use. Install light colored “cool” roofs and cool pavements. Provide information on energy management services for large energy users. • Install energy efficient heating and cooling systems, appliances and equipment, and control systems (e.g., minimum of Energy Star rated equipment). • Implement design features to increase the efficiency of the building envelope (i.e., the barrier between conditioned and unconditioned spaces). • Install light emitting diodes (LEDs) for traffic, street and other outdoor lighting. • Limit the hours of operation of outdoor lighting. • Renewable Energy Install solar panels on carports and over parking areas. Ensure all industrial buildings are designed to have “solar ready” roofs. • Use combined heat and power in appropriate applications. Water Conservation and Efficiency: • Create water-efficient landscapes with a preference for a Review and approval by the City of Fontana Building Plan Check Process, and ongoing City Inspections during construction. Prior to the issuance of any building permit, . General Contractor and/or Building Contractor(s) for the Applicant. Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 12 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility xeriscape landscape palette. • Install water-efficient irrigation systems and devices, such as soil moisture-based irrigation controls. • Design buildings to be water-efficient. Install water- efficient fixtures and appliances (e.g., EPA WaterSense labeled products). • Restrict watering methods (e.g., prohibit systems that apply water to non-vegetated surfaces) and control runoff. • Restrict the use of water for cleaning outdoor surfaces and vehicles. • Implement low-impact development practices that maintain the existing hydrologic character of the site to manage storm water and protect the environment. (Retaining storm water runoff on-site can drastically reduce the need for energy-intensive imported water at the site). • Devise a comprehensive water conservation strategy appropriate for the project and location. The strategy may include many of the specific items listed above, plus other innovative measures that are appropriate to the specific project. • Provide education about water conservation and available programs and incentives. GEOLOGY/SOILS GS-1 Prior to entering escrow for selling any lots within TTM 20078, the real estate agent and/or seller must inform the buyer directly that the subject property lies within a State of California Earthquake Fault Zone. The City shall place a condition of approval on the Project that prior to entering escrow for selling any lots within TTM 20078, the real estate agent and/or seller must inform the buyer directly that the subject Prior to entering escrow for selling any lots within TTM 20078. Any real estate agent and/or seller must inform the buyer directly that the subject Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 13 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility property lies within a State of California Earthquake Fault Zone. property lies within a State of California Earthquake Fault Zone. HAZARDS AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS H/HM-1 Prior to the issuance of a grading permit and building permits for flammable construction, the City of Fontana Fire Protection District and San Bernardino County Fire Department must approve the Final Fire Protection Plan for TTM 20078. Approval of TTM 20078's Final Fire Protection Plan by the City of Fontana Fire Protection District and San Bernardino County Fire Department Prior to the issuance of a grading permit and building permits for flammable construction. City of Fontana Fire Protection District and San Bernardino County Fire Department HYDROLOGY AND WATER QUALITY H/WQ-1 Prior to the issuance of a grading or building permit, whichever come first, the applicant must obtain approval of a Final Water Quality Management Plan. The WQMP must set forth all appropriate best management practices (BMPs) that establish specific measures for minimizing soil erosion and the loss of topsoil during construction, and on-site water retention facilities that meet Low Impact Development (LID) requirements. Review and approval of the final WQMP by the City of Fontana Building Plan Check Process. Prior to the issuance of a grading permit or building permit, whichever comes first. City of Fontana Development Advisory Board and/or Building Plan Check Process. H/WQ-2 Prior to the issuance of a grading permit, the project shall obtain approval of sewer plans and a wastewater discharge permit from the Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) for sewer service. Review and approval of the final sewer plans and a wastewater discharge permit from the Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) for sewer service. Prior to the issuance of a grading permit or building permit, whichever comes first. City of Fontana Development Advisory Board and/or Building Plan Check Process. Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 14 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility NOISE Construction Noise NOI-1 All noise generating construction activities shall be restricted to the hours between 7:00 AM. and 6:00 PM, Monday through Friday and 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM on Saturdays, and at no time on Sundays and holidays. City Building Inspectors shall regularly inspect project grading and construction activities to ensure that all construction activities are limited to approved hours and days of operation. Ongoing during all phased project grading and construction activities. Contractors for all project grading and construction activities, and City Inspectors. NOI-2 To reduce impacts related to heavy construction equipment moving and operating on site during project construction, grading, demolition, and paving prior to issuance of grading permits, the applicant shall ensure that the following procedures are followed: • Construction equipment, fixed or mobile, shall be properly outfitted and maintained with feasible noise- reduction devices to minimize construction generated noise. • Laydown and construction vehicle staging areas shall be located away from noise sensitive land uses if feasible. • Stationary noise sources such as generators shall be located away from noise sensitive land uses, if feasible. • Construction hours, allowable workdays, and the phone number of the job superintendent shall be clearly posted at all construction entrances to allow surrounding property owners to contact the job superintendent 24 hours a day to report noise and other nuisance-related issues, if necessary. The point of contact shall be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and have authority to commit additional assets to control dust after City Building Inspectors shall regularly inspect project grading and construction activities to ensure that all construction activities are limited to approved hours and days of operation. Ongoing during all phased project grading and construction activities. Contractors for all project grading and construction activities, and City Inspectors. Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 15 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility hours, on weekends, and on holidays. In the event that the City of Fontana receives a pattern of noise complaints, appropriate corrective actions shall be implemented, such as on site noise monitoring during construction activities, and a report of the action shall be provided to the reporting party. TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES In compliance with the requirements of Public Resources Code (PRC) 5021.4, Assembly Bill 52, and Section 21080.3.2.of the PRC, the City of Fontana, Lead Agency, has conducted government-to-government consultations with four Native American Indian Tribes that have interests in Fontana where ancestral lands are claimed. The City has adopted standard conditions of approval that are listed below that have been added as standard conditions of approval/mitigation measures incorporated into the proposed project in compliance with state law that responds to all consultations with Native American Indian Tribes. T/CR-1 Archaeological Monitoring: A qualified archaeological monitor that has at least 3 years of regional experience and a Tribal monitor representing tribes that participated in consultation with the Lead Agency (Participating Tribes) with cultural and historic ties to the Project area, shall be present for all ground-disturbing activities that occur within the proposed project Area of Potential Effect (APE) (which includes ground disturbing activities such as tree/shrub removal and planting, clearing/grubbing, grading, excavation, trenching, compaction, fence/gate removal, drainage and irrigation removal, hardscape removal (benches, signage, boulders, walls, seat walls, fountains, etc.), and archaeological surveys, testing, and data recovery. The Project developer/applicant shall provide hourly compensation for the archaeological and Tribal monitors and the services these individuals provide as part of the monitoring effort for the Project. A qualified archaeological monitor that has at least 3 years of regional experience and a Tribal monitor representing tribes that participated in consultation with the Lead Agency (Participating Tribes) with cultural and historic ties to the Project area, shall be present for all ground- disturbing activities that occur within the proposed project Area of Potential Effect (APE) (which includes ground disturbing activities such as tree/shrub removal and planting, clearing/grubbing, grading, excavation, trenching, compaction, fence/gate removal, drainage and irrigation removal, hardscape removal (benches, signage, boulders, walls, Prior to the issuance of any ground disturbance- related permits (such as grading permits), Qualified archaeological monitor. Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 16 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility Prior to the issuance of any ground disturbance-related permits (such as grading permits), the Lead Agency shall contact and coordinate with Participating Tribes as reasonably determined by the Lead Agency to facilitate communications with the Project developer/applicant so that all Parties can develop a mutually-acceptable Archaeological and Tribal Monitoring and Treatment Plan which includes the scope of monitoring, and scheduling and rotation of monitors from individual Participating Tribes. This Plan shall be approved and adopted by the Lead Agency prior to the of any ground disturbance related permits. The Plan’s implementation in the field shall be enforced by the Lead Agency for the life of the Project. seat walls, fountains, etc.), and archaeological surveys, testing, and data recovery. T/CR-2 Discovery Protocol and Treatment: If an archaeological deposit or tribal cultural resource is discovered within the Project area, ground disturbing activities shall be suspended 100 feet around the resource(s) and, if necessary, an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) physical demarcation/barrier constructed. Representatives from the Participating Tribes, the Archaeological Monitor, the Project applicant/developer, and the Lead Agency shall confer regarding significance and treatment of the discovered resource(s), utilizing the Treatment Plan adopted by the City prior to project implementation. Should additional archaeological fieldwork be needed to properly assess the resource for significant under CEQA and following the securing of the discovery site from further disturbance, the archaeological consultant will prepare, in consultation with the Participating Tribes, an Archaeological Testing Plan that will present the process needed to assess the potential significance of a discovered cultural resources and submit this to the City for approval. This evaluation process may Representatives from the Participating Tribes, the Archaeological Monitor, the Project applicant/developer, and the Lead Agency shall confer regarding significance and treatment of the discovered resource(s), utilizing the Treatment Plan adopted by the City prior to project implementation. Ongoing during all ground disturbing activities Participating Tribes, the Archaeological Monitor, the Project applicant/devel oper, and the Lead Agency, City of Fontana Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 17 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility include, but is not limited to, archaeological excavations or test trenches, laboratory analysis of artifacts, and Native American participation in the site assessment. The archaeological consultant shall then prepare a report outlining the process and results of archaeological testing, to the City, as well as a formal evaluation of significance of the discovered resource, as determined through consultation with Participating Tribes. If that evaluation process concludes that the discovered resource(s) is CEQA significant, then the resource will be subject to treatment guidelines outlined in the Tribal Monitoring and Treatment Plan. Any action that results in the removal of cultural resources (artifacts, ecofacts, features, etc.) from their original provenience shall also include a comprehensive discussion of resource processing, analysis, curation, and reporting protocols and obligations. All final reports regarding the resource recovery fieldwork are to be submitted to the local CHRIS Information Center, the Lead Agency, and Participating Tribes. T/CR-3 Treatment and Disposition of Artifacts, Ecofacts, Cultural Deposits: Culturally-appropriate and professionally proper procedures shall be followed with respect to all artifacts affiliated with Native peoples—whether prehistoric, protohistoric, or historic. a. All significant findings are subject to avoidance. Should avoidance not be feasible, findings will be collected and temporarily curated, and then reburied on site or near the site in a location that will be protected from future disturbance. Reburial shall not occur until all ground disturbing activities associated with the Project have been completed, all monitoring has ceased, all cataloging and Representatives from the Participating Tribes, the Archaeological Monitor, the Project applicant/developer, and the Lead Agency shall confer regarding significance and treatment of the discovered resource(s), utilizing the Treatment Plan adopted by the City prior to project implementation. Culturally-appropriate and professionally proper procedures shall be followed with respect to all Ongoing during all ground disturbing activities Participating Tribes, the Archaeological Monitor, the Project applicant/devel oper, and the Lead Agency, City of Fontana Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 18 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility basic recordation of cultural resources have been completed, and a final monitoring report has been issued to Lead Agency, Participating Tribes, and CHRIS. b. Should it occur that avoidance, preservation in place, or on-site reburial are not feasible options for some artifacts, the landowner shall relinquish all ownership and rights to this material and consult with the Participating Tribes to identify an American Association of Museums (AAM)- accredited facility within San Bernardino County that can accession the materials into their permanent collections and provide for the proper care of these objects in accordance with the 1993 CA Curation Guidelines. c. Where appropriate, the SOI-qualified archaeologist hired by the applicant/developer may conduct analyses of certain artifact classes (including, but not limited to, shell, non-human bone, ceramic, stone) if required by the Lead Agency. Upon completion of authorized and mandatory analyses, the applicant/developer shall provide said artifacts to the Participating Tribes for reburial or to the aforementioned, identified curation facility. artifacts affiliated with Native peoples—whether prehistoric, protohistoric, or historic. T/CR-4 Discovery and Treatment of Human Remains: The Lead Agency and the applicant/developer shall immediately contact the San Bernardino County Coroner/Medical Examiner, and Participating Tribes in the event that any human remains are discovered during implementation of the Project. If the Coroner recognizes the human remains to be those of a Native American or has reason to believe that they are those of a Native American, the Coroner shall ensure that notification is provided to the NAHC within twenty-four (24) hours of the determination, as required by California Health and Safety Code § 7050.5 (c). Native American Heritage Commission shall determine which Native American The Lead Agency and the applicant/developer shall immediately contact the San Bernardino County Coroner/Medical Examiner, and Participating Tribes in the event that any human remains are discovered during implementation of the Project. If the Coroner recognizes the human remains to be those of a Native American or has reason to believe that they are those of a Native American, the Coroner shall ensure Ongoing during all ground disturbing activities The Lead Agency (City of Fontana), the applicant - developer, the San Bernardino County Coroner/Medic al Examiner, and Participating Tribes Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 19 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility organization shall be designated as the Most Likely Descendent (MLD). The MLD shall be allowed, under California Public Resources Code § 5097.98 (a), to inspect the site of the discovery and (2) make recommendations within forty-eight (48) hours of receiving notification from either the Developer or the NAHC, as required by California Public Resources Code § 5097.98 as to how the human remains and funerary objects shall be treated and disposed of with appropriate dignity. The MLD, applicant/developer/ landowner, and Lead Agency agree to discuss in good faith what constitutes "appropriate dignity" as that term is used in the applicable statutes. Reburial of human remains and/or funerary objects shall be accomplished in compliance with the California Public Resources Code § 5097.98 (a) and (b). All parties are aware that the MLD may wish to rebury the human remains and associated funerary objects, as well as ceremonial and cultural items (artifacts) on or near, the site of their discovery, in an area that shall not be subject to future subsurface disturbances. If feasible, the applicant/developer/landowner should accommodate on-site or near-site reburial in a location mutually agreed upon by the Parties. The term "human remains" encompasses more than human bones because some local Tribes’ traditions periodically necessitated the ceremonial burning of human remains and funerary objects. Funerary objects are those artifacts associated with any human remains or funerary rites. These items, and other funerary remnants and their ashes, are to be treated in the same manner as human bone fragments or bones that remain intact. that notification is provided to the NAHC within twenty-four (24) hours of the determination, as required by California Health and Safety Code § 7050.5 (c). Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 20 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility It is understood by all Parties that unless otherwise required by law, the site of any reburial of Native American human remains or cultural artifacts shall not be disclosed and shall not be governed by public disclosure requirements of the California Public Records Act. The Coroner, parties, and Lead Agencies, will be asked to withhold public disclosure information related to such reburial, pursuant to the specific exemption set forth in California Government Code § 6254 (r). UTILITIES AND SERVICE SYSTEMS Water Consumption U/SS-1 As a standard condition of approval, all new faucets and toilets installed in the RV storage facility office building shall utilize low-flow fixtures that would reduce indoor water demand by 20% per CalGreen Standards. Review and approval by the City of Fontana Building Plan Check Process. Prior to the issuance of any building permit. Applicant, or Applicant's Architect. U/SS-2 As a standard condition of approval, a water-efficient irrigation system shall be installed for all proposed landscaped areas. Review and approval by the City of Fontana Building Plan Check Process. Prior to the issuance of any building permit. Applicant, or Applicant's Landscape Architect. Solid Waste Disposal U/SS-3 As a standard condition of approval, the project applicant shall be required to implement recycling programs that reduces waste to landfills by a minimum of 50 percent (up to 75% by 2020 per AB 341). Review and approval by the City of Fontana Building Plan Check Process. Prior to the issuance of a use and occupancy permit. Applicant. Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 21 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility WILDFIRE A Project specific Fire Protection Plan (FPP) has been prepared by a qualified expert that sets forth the following conditions, procedures and mitigation measures that meet the requirements of the San Bernardino County Fire Department and the City of Fontana. The 20 proposed residential structures that could be exposed to the threat of wildfire are required to incorporate the following guidelines, which will provide the most effective treatment for minimizing losses from flame impingement and associated radiant heat intensities. W/FPP 1 Each structure shall be constructed of ignition resistant building materials. City Building Plan Check Process Prior to the issuance of a building permit Applicant's Architect W/FPP 2 The area surrounding each structure shall contain an irrigated zone (defensible space) and a thinning zone (low fuel volume buffer strip) between the irrigated zone and the untreated fuels. Ongoing Fire Department Inspections Annually or more often Project Community Facilities District W/FPP 3 The eventual homeowners shall be required to maintain their properties to Zone 1 and Zone 2 Vegetation Management standards and shall keep the roofs and rain gutters free of leaves, needles and other combustible debris. All firewood and other combustible materials must be properly stored away from the structures (minimum of 30’) so that burning embers falling on or near the structures have no suitable host. All future homeowners are responsible for maintaining their homes and for keeping all doors and windows tightly closed whenever a wildland fire is reported in the vicinity. Ongoing Fire Department Inspections Annually or more often Individual Homeowners W/FPP 4 Vegetation Management Zone 1 - Homeowner Maintained Defined: Zone 1 is commonly called the defensible space zone and shall be free of all combustible construction and materials. It is an irrigated zone of varying widths. It is measured from the exterior walls of the structure or from the most distal point of a combustible projection and extends outward. It provides the best protection against the high Enforcement will be by the City and Fire Department through their ongoing Fuel Modification/Hazard Abatement Programs and inspections. Ongoing Homeowner maintained. Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 22 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility radiant heat produced by a wildfire. It also provides a generally open area in which fire suppression forces can operate during wildfire events. This zone includes a nearly level or level-graded area around the structure. W/FPP 5 Vegetation Management Zone 2 - Defined: Fuel Modification in this off-site area is the responsibility of the Community Facilities District (CFD). Zone 2 is a transition area between the strict requirements of Zone 1 and the undisturbed native vegetation designed to maintain a reasonably open character in this area. Zone 2 is a non- irrigated thinning zone, beginning at the 6 ft CMU fire barrier and continuing north to 100 feet. 73.5 Feet is subject to Fuel Modification. Of the 100 foot area a 25 foot wide drivable Fire Access Easement is provided, on the west end is a hammerhead turnaround. Access will be from the cul-de- sac on Moncton Way. Along the northern project boundary, the required distance for off-site treatment is 100 feet. The entire 100 feet is on the remainder portion. Enforcement will be by the City and Fire Department through their ongoing Fuel Modification/Hazard Abatement Programs. Ongoing Project Community Facilities District Construction Standards: All structures within the proposed development shall meet all wildland/interface standards to the satisfaction of the City of Fontana and SBCFD and be designed and constructed to current ignition resistant construction standards that are set forth below. W/FPP 6 All non-habitable accessory structures such as decks, balconies, patios, covers, gazebos and fences shall be built from non-combustible or ignition resistant materials. The homeowners are not restricted from having concrete patios, concrete walkways or swimming pools (concrete or fiberglass) within the Vegetation Management Zones in compliance with other codes. Other types of non- combustible, non-habitable structures may be permissible with the approval of City of Fontana, and SBCFD. City of Fontana Building Department Plan Check Process Prior to the issuance of a building permit Project Architect and individual homeowners Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 23 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility W/FPP 7 Construction or building permits shall not be issued until the fire code official inspects and approves required fire apparatus access and water supply for the construction site. Prior to the delivery of combustible building construction materials to the project site the following conditions shall be completed to the satisfaction of the jurisdiction having authority. • All wet and dry utilities shall be installed and approved by the appropriate inspecting department or agency. • Clearance of Zone 1 vegetation and approved Zone 2 vegetation management shall be provided prior to combustible material arriving on the site and shall be maintained throughout the duration of construction. Fire code officials may require additional vegetation management and/or defensible space when warranted Inspections by City of Fontana Fire Department Fire Code Inspector Prior to the issuance of a building permit for combustible construction. City of Fontana Fire Department Fire Code Inspector Ignition Resistant Construction Requirements: Applicable standards for construction in a Very High Fire Severity Zone are set forth for this Project as defined in Chapter 7A of the 2016 California Building Code (CBC) and the 2016 Edition of the California Residential Code (CRC) section R337 and those amendments by the City of Fontana. This Fire Protection Plan and its requirements are based on current state and local code adoptions, actual construction requirements shall be based on the most current code requirements, with local amendments, at the time of plan check submittal for proposed construction. W/FPP 8 1. All structures will be built with a non-combustible Class A Roof Assembly, including a Class A roof covering. Roofs shall have a roofing assembly installed in accordance with its listing and the manufacturer’s installation instructions. 2. Where the roof profile allows a space between the roof covering and roof decking, the roof area will have one layer of minimum 72-pound (32.4 kg) mineral-surfaced, non- perforated cap sheet complying with ASTM D 3909 installed over the combustible decking. Openings on barrel tiles or City of Fontana Building Department Plan Check Process Prior to the issuance of a building permit Project Architect and individual homeowners Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 24 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility similar roof coverings shall be constructed to prevent the intrusion of flames and embers, and be fire stopped with approved materials to prevent the accumulation of debris, bird nests, etc. between the tiles and decking material. 3. When provided, exposed valley flashings shall be not less than 0.019-inch (No. 26 galvanized sheet gage) corrosion- resistant metal installed over a minimum 36-inch-wide underlayment consisting of one layer of No. 72 ASTM cap sheet running the full length of the valley. 4. All rain gutters, down spouts and gutter hardware shall be constructed from metal or other non-combustible material to prevent wildfire ignition along eave assemblies. 5. Gutters shall be provided with the means to prevent the accumulation of leaf litter and debris that contribute to roof edge ignition. 6. All chimney, flue or stovepipe openings will have an approved spark arrester. An approved spark arrester is defined as a device constructed of nonflammable materials, 12-gauge minimum thicknesses or other material found satisfactory by the Fire Protection District, having ½-inch perforations for arresting burning carbon or sparks. It shall be installed to be visible for the purposes of inspection and maintenance. 7. The exterior walls surface materials shall be non- combustible or ignition resistant. In all construction, exterior walls shall extend from the top of the foundation to the roof and terminate at 2-inch nominal solid blocking between rafters at all roof overhangs, or in the case of enclosed eaves, Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 25 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility terminate at the enclosure. Architectural foam may be applied only after the exterior wall surface meets the requirements of CBC Chapter 7A/CRC section R337. A finish and color coat may than be applied. 8. All eaves, fascias and soffits will be enclosed (boxed) with non-combustible materials. Eaves of heavy timber construction are permissible. Eaves of heavy timber construction are not required to be enclosed as long as attic venting is not installed in the eaves. This shall apply to the entire perimeter of each structure. For the purposes of this section, heavy timber construction shall consist of a minimum of 4x6 rafter tails and 2x decking. 9. Paper-faced insulation shall be prohibited in attics or ventilated spaces. 10. Automatic interior fire sprinklers shall be installed according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 13D 2013 edition - Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One and Two-family Homes and Manufactured Homes. 11. Ventilation openings for enclosed attics, enclosed eave soffit spaces, enclosed rafter spaces formed where ceilings are applied directly to the underside of roof rafters, and underfloor ventilation openings shall be fully covered with metal wire mesh, vents, other materials or other devices that meet one of the following requirements: • Must comply with ASTM E2886. • Must have passed an Ember Intrusion Test. • Vent mesh material must be non-combustible and be a minimum of 1/16th inch and not exceeding 1/8th inch. Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 26 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility • All venting on the underside of eaves and cornices must have passed the Ember and Flame Intrusion Test. • Turbine attic vents shall not be allowed. 12. No attic ventilation openings or ventilation louvers shall be permitted in soffits, in eave overhangs, between rafters at eaves, or in other overhanging areas. 13. All fences and gate assemblies (fences, gate and gate posts) shall be of non-combustible material. 14. All projections (exterior balconies, decks, patio covers, unenclosed roofs and floors, and similar architectural appendages and projections) or structures shall be of non- combustible material, or one-hour fire resistive construction, in accordance with CBC Chapter 7A and CRC section R337.All building material shall be ignition resistant, and may be heavy timber, or approved pressure-treated exterior fire-retardant wood. If such appendages and projections are attached to exterior fire-resistive walls, they shall be constructed to maintain the same fire-resistant standards as the exterior walls of the structure. 15. Attached and detached accessory structures shall be in built accordance with the CBC Chapter 7A and CRC section R337. 16. CBC Chapter 7A and CRC Section R337 Exterior doors. Exterior doors shall comply with one of the following, and must be self-closing, self-latching 1. The exterior surface or cladding shall be of noncombustible or ignition-resistant material. 2. Shall be constructed of solid core wood that comply with Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 27 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility the following requirements: • Stiles and rails shall not be less than 1-3/8 inches thick • Raised panels shall not be less than 1-1/4 inches thick, except for the exterior perimeter of the raised panel that may taper to a tongue not less than 3/8 inch thick. 3. Shall have a fire-resistance rating of not less than 20 minutes when tested according to NFPA 252. 4. Shall be tested to meet the performance requirements of SFM Standard 12-7A-1. 17. Exterior glazed door assemblies shall comply with the following: 1.Be constructed of multi-pane glazing with a minimum of one tempered pane meeting the requirements of Section 2406 Safety Glazing. 2. Have a fire-resistance rating of not less than 20 minutes when tested according to NFPA 257. 3. Be tested to meet the performance requirements of SFM 12-7A-2. 18. All glass or other transparent, translucent or opaque glazing materials including skylights shall be constructed multi-layered glazed panels one layer of which must be tempered glass. 19. Garage doors shall be fitted with a sweep seal and/or weather stripping on all sides suitable for preventing the intrusion of embers, if fitted with windows they shall meet the requirements listed above in 18. Additionally, it is recommended that garage doors be of the type that have a self-closing security feature. 20. Vinyl window assemblies are deemed acceptable if the Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 28 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility windows have the following characteristics: • Frame and sash are comprised of vinyl material with welded corners • Metal reinforcements in the interlock area • Metal reinforcements in the interlock area • Glazed with insulating glass, annealed or tempered (one layer of which must be tempered glass). • Frame and sash profiles are certified in AAMA Lineal Certification Program • Certified and labeled to ANSI/AAMA/NWWDA 101/LS2-97 for Structural Requirements INFRASTRUCTURE W/FPP 9 Water Supply: The Project will obtain its water supply from the Fontana Water Company. An extension of the public water system with new pipelines and hydrants will be built to serve the area. The system shall be engineered to the requirements of Fontana Water Company, San Bernardino County Fire Department and the City of Fontana. In addition, the required flow and pressure must meet the demands required for residential sprinkler systems. The system shall be engineered to the requirements of Fontana Water Company, San Bernardino County Fire Department and the City of Fontana and approved by these three approving agencies.. Prior to the issuance of a building permit for combustible construction Applicant's Engineer and infrastructure Contractor. W/FPP 10 Access Roads/Driveways and Gates: Access to Hunters Ridge II will be from Moncton Way with a cross street of Labrador Ave. Access to the Fuel Treatment area north of the project boundary will be from Moncton Way at terminus of cul-de-sac, the drivable Fire Access Easement will have a hammerhead turnaround on the west end. Required signage; S.B. County Fire Access Drive No Parking or Stopping at any Time. Road design will conform to City of Fontana Street Design Standards and if applicable San Bernardino City of Fontana Engineering Department and Plan Check Process Prior to the issuance of a grading and building permit Applicant's Engineer and infrastructure Contractor. Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 29 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility County Standards. All paved roads will be constructed to support an 80,000lb fire apparatus, or conform to applicable SBCFD requirements. Public streets shall not be gated. COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT W/FPP 11 A Community Facilities District (CFD) is an area where a special property tax is levied on property owners within a community to finance improvements. The proposed Project's on-going fuel treatment and maintenance will be funded by a CFD. The TTM 20078 Maintenance CFD will fund up to five notifications/inspections per year for fuel modification, as determined by the City. The City will inspect private lots in this development for reasonable compliance with this plan and the City requirements. The City will also inspect offsite, adjacent properties for reasonable compliance with their requirements as currently enforced by the City. The City will inspect private lots in this development for reasonable compliance with this plan and the City requirements. The City will also inspect offsite, adjacent properties for reasonable compliance with their requirements as currently enforced by the City. The TTM 20078 Maintenance CFD will fund up to five notifications/insp ections per year for fuel modification, as determined by the City. Project Community Facilities District HOMEOWNER EDUCATION W/FPP 12 The homeowner, by reviewing this Fire Protection Plan and the community’s CC&R’s shall be aware of the described fire protection measures; the types of non-combustible construction and the plant materials that are allowed within their lot boundary. Of particular importance are APPENDICES ‘A’ and ‘D’ of the Appendix J Fire Protection Plan, which provides guidance in the types of plants that are allowed or prohibited in landscaped areas and appropriate construction within Vegetation Management Zones. Plant selection and overall maintenance of your property is critical as embers often travel over a mile during Santa Ana wind events. Homeowners are advised to look at Fontana Fire Protection Community Codes Covenants and Restrictions (CC&Rs) shall be provided to all potential homeowners prior to entering escrow. Ongiong Homeowners Hunters Ridge II Project - TTM 20078 Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix City of Fontana 30 TPC-wdb-020520 Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix MM No. Standard Condition/Mitigation Measure Method of Verification Timing of Implementation Responsibility District website and navigate to http://fontana.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/2143. The document provides excellent information on preparations for a wildfire event. Additional resource information can be found on the San Bernardino County Fire web page.