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Covered Activities
The Habitat Plan describes the activities and projects within the permit area that will be covered by the final permits and for which the Plan will provide avoidance, minimization, and compensation (i.e., conservation) for impacts to covered
species and natural communities. “Activities” are actions that occur repeatedly in one location or throughout the permit area. “Projects” are well-defined actions that occur once in a discrete location. Together, these activities and projects are the covered activities for which incidental take authorization from the Wildlife Agencies will be obtained. These covered activities fall into the seven general categories listed below.
species and natural communities. “Activities” are actions that occur repeatedly in one location or throughout the permit area. “Projects” are well-defined actions that occur once in a discrete location. Together, these activities and projects are the covered activities for which incidental take authorization from the Wildlife Agencies will be obtained. These covered activities fall into the seven general categories listed below.
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
This category includes both public and private projects and activities that occur inside the Cities’ planning limits of urban growth but outside in-stream areas. This category is intended to accommodate urban growth and all ground-disturbing activities within designated urban areas. Covered projects and activities include the construction, maintenance, and use of urban facilities including residential, commercial, and industrial developments; transportation facilities such as roads and bike paths; public service and cultural facilities such as fire stations and museums; recreational facilities such as parks and campgrounds; utility facilities such as gas and telecommunications lines; public water storage and transmission facilities; waste and stormwater facilities; and funeral/internment facilities such as mortuaries. Also covered are urban activities associated with vegetation management and hazardous material remediation for abandoned landfills.
IN-STREAM CAPITAL PROJECTS
This category includes public infrastructure projects and activities that occur in the stream channel, along the stream bank, and/or within the riparian corridor and that can result in impacts on a stream or canal. These covered projects and activities can occur in rural or urban areas, and they include those described under Urban Development that overlap streams; construction or reconstruction of flood protection projects and maintenance of associated access roads; reconstruction of levees; the Three Creeks Habitat Conservation Plan geomorphic rehabilitation and gravel program; reconstruction, realignment, and decommissioning of SCVWD canals; dam-related capital projects; in-channel groundwater recharge facilities; bridge construction, replacement, and major repair; bridge construction in County parks; culvert installation and maintenance; creekside trail projects and associated bridges; SCVWD’s Dam Instrumentation Project; and fish passage barrier removals.
IN-STREAM OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
This category includes operations and maintenance activities or projects that occur in the stream channel, along the stream bank, and/or within the riparian corridor and that can result in impacts on a stream or canal. These covered projects and activities can occur in rural or urban areas, and they include facility and stream maintenance, sediment removal and mercury remediation, and non-routine stream maintenance (such as one-time vegetation removal or repairs to bank stabilization). Various projects and activities associated with the SCVWD and the Three Creeks HCP Conservation Program are also included in this category.
RURAL CAPITAL PROJECTS
This category includes public infrastructure projects outside the Cities’ planning limits of urban growth. Examples include landfill development, transportation projects such as bicycle and pedestrian improvements, road and trail closures, development of parks, implementation of the South County Airport Plan, and water and stormwater projects.
RURAL OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
This category includes operations and maintenance activities that occur outside the Cities’ planning limits of urban growth. Examples include utility line operations and maintenance as well as trail, vegetation, and pond maintenance outside the Reserve System. Several projects and activities associated with SCVWD, the County of Santa Clara, and the Open Space Authority are also included in this category.
RURAL DEVELOPMENT
This category includes private development that will occur in accordance with existing general plans at the time of permit issuance. This includes projects and activities that are subject to ministerial or discretionary approval by Santa Clara County or the Cities. Most of this development is expected to be residential and outside the planning limits of urban growth. Rural development is also anticipated in agriculture land use areas as is currently allowed and identified in local general plans. Specific projects covered under this category are expansion of the Pacheco Pass Landfill, the Z Best composting site south of Gilroy, and the Freeman Quarry.
CONSERVATION STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION
This category concerns projects and activities within the lands managed, enhanced, restored, and monitored to conserve the resources targeted by the Plan; most of these activities will take place within the Reserve System. All conservation actions will take place within the permit area and the expanded permit area for western burrowing owl conservation, except for the possibility that land spanning the mapped boundary of the permit area will be acquired. On parcels acquired for the Reserve System that extend beyond the permit area boundary, management, restoration, and monitoring activities are covered on the entire parcel within unmapped portions of the permit area as long as more than half of each parcel is located within the permit area. These covered activities would occur on no more than a total of 250 acres. Covered Activities include habitat restoration, enhancement, and creation, surveys and monitoring, vegetation management, public access facilities, emergency activities, and activities listed under Neighboring Landowner Assurances.
This category includes both public and private projects and activities that occur inside the Cities’ planning limits of urban growth but outside in-stream areas. This category is intended to accommodate urban growth and all ground-disturbing activities within designated urban areas. Covered projects and activities include the construction, maintenance, and use of urban facilities including residential, commercial, and industrial developments; transportation facilities such as roads and bike paths; public service and cultural facilities such as fire stations and museums; recreational facilities such as parks and campgrounds; utility facilities such as gas and telecommunications lines; public water storage and transmission facilities; waste and stormwater facilities; and funeral/internment facilities such as mortuaries. Also covered are urban activities associated with vegetation management and hazardous material remediation for abandoned landfills.
IN-STREAM CAPITAL PROJECTS
This category includes public infrastructure projects and activities that occur in the stream channel, along the stream bank, and/or within the riparian corridor and that can result in impacts on a stream or canal. These covered projects and activities can occur in rural or urban areas, and they include those described under Urban Development that overlap streams; construction or reconstruction of flood protection projects and maintenance of associated access roads; reconstruction of levees; the Three Creeks Habitat Conservation Plan geomorphic rehabilitation and gravel program; reconstruction, realignment, and decommissioning of SCVWD canals; dam-related capital projects; in-channel groundwater recharge facilities; bridge construction, replacement, and major repair; bridge construction in County parks; culvert installation and maintenance; creekside trail projects and associated bridges; SCVWD’s Dam Instrumentation Project; and fish passage barrier removals.
IN-STREAM OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
This category includes operations and maintenance activities or projects that occur in the stream channel, along the stream bank, and/or within the riparian corridor and that can result in impacts on a stream or canal. These covered projects and activities can occur in rural or urban areas, and they include facility and stream maintenance, sediment removal and mercury remediation, and non-routine stream maintenance (such as one-time vegetation removal or repairs to bank stabilization). Various projects and activities associated with the SCVWD and the Three Creeks HCP Conservation Program are also included in this category.
RURAL CAPITAL PROJECTS
This category includes public infrastructure projects outside the Cities’ planning limits of urban growth. Examples include landfill development, transportation projects such as bicycle and pedestrian improvements, road and trail closures, development of parks, implementation of the South County Airport Plan, and water and stormwater projects.
RURAL OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
This category includes operations and maintenance activities that occur outside the Cities’ planning limits of urban growth. Examples include utility line operations and maintenance as well as trail, vegetation, and pond maintenance outside the Reserve System. Several projects and activities associated with SCVWD, the County of Santa Clara, and the Open Space Authority are also included in this category.
RURAL DEVELOPMENT
This category includes private development that will occur in accordance with existing general plans at the time of permit issuance. This includes projects and activities that are subject to ministerial or discretionary approval by Santa Clara County or the Cities. Most of this development is expected to be residential and outside the planning limits of urban growth. Rural development is also anticipated in agriculture land use areas as is currently allowed and identified in local general plans. Specific projects covered under this category are expansion of the Pacheco Pass Landfill, the Z Best composting site south of Gilroy, and the Freeman Quarry.
CONSERVATION STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION
This category concerns projects and activities within the lands managed, enhanced, restored, and monitored to conserve the resources targeted by the Plan; most of these activities will take place within the Reserve System. All conservation actions will take place within the permit area and the expanded permit area for western burrowing owl conservation, except for the possibility that land spanning the mapped boundary of the permit area will be acquired. On parcels acquired for the Reserve System that extend beyond the permit area boundary, management, restoration, and monitoring activities are covered on the entire parcel within unmapped portions of the permit area as long as more than half of each parcel is located within the permit area. These covered activities would occur on no more than a total of 250 acres. Covered Activities include habitat restoration, enhancement, and creation, surveys and monitoring, vegetation management, public access facilities, emergency activities, and activities listed under Neighboring Landowner Assurances.