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SAN LEANDRO SHORELINE DEVELOPMENT DRAFT EIR <br />CITY OF SAN LEANDRO <br />BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES <br />The potential impacts of the Project on biological resources tend to be site-specific, and the overall <br />cumulative effect would be dependent on the degree to which significant vegetation and wildlife <br />resources are protected on a particular site. This includes preservation of well-developed native <br />vegetation (e.g., marshlands, native grasslands, oak woodlands, riparian scrub and woodland, etc.), <br />populations of special -status plant or animal species, and wetland features (including seasonal wetlands <br />and drainages). Environmental review of specific development proposals in the vicinity of a development <br />site should serve to ensure that important biological resources are identified, protected, and properly <br />managed, and to prevent any significant adverse development -related impacts, including development for <br />the remaining undeveloped lands in the surrounding incorporated and unincorporated lands. Adherence <br />to relevant policies and actions from the City of San Leandro General Plan call for identification and <br />protection of sensitive biological resources, and adequate mitigation and resource agency authorization <br />where potential impacts exist for a project. In general, anticipated development in the Project site vicinity <br />would be located in areas that have already been heavily modified by past development, and do not <br />contain sensitive biological resources. <br />To some degree, cumulative development contributes to an incremental reduction in the amount of <br />existing wildlife habitat, particularly for birds and larger mammals. Habitat for species intolerant of human <br />disturbance can be lost as development encroaches into previously undeveloped areas, disrupting or <br />eliminating movement corridors and fragmenting the remaining suitable habitat retained within parks, <br />private open space, or undeveloped properties. New development in the west Alameda County area <br />encompassing San Leandro would result in further conversion of existing natural habitats to urban and <br />suburban conditions, limiting the existing habitat values of the surrounding area. This could include <br />further loss of wetlands and sensitive natural communities, reduction in essential habitat for special - <br />status species, removal of mature native trees and other important wildlife habitat features, including <br />obstruction of important wildlife movement corridors. Additional development may contribute to <br />degradation of the remaining aquatic habitat in the creeks and other open waters of the San Francisco Bay <br />if adequate protective measures are not implemented. Grading associated with construction activities <br />generally increases erosion and sedimentation, and urban pollutants from new development would <br />reduce water quality. However, other development would similarly be subject to regulatory controls on <br />erosion and sedimentation after grading, and compliance with numerous water quality regulations. <br />Compliance with this comprehensive regulatory scheme would minimize the potential for water quality <br />degradation for cumulative development to a less -than -significant level. <br />However, with regard to future development and its relationship to surrounding habitat, most of the <br />Project site vicinity is already extensively disturbed by urban and suburban uses. Wildlife in the area has <br />already become acclimated to human activity, and proposed development is not expected to disrupt <br />important movement corridors or access to surrounding habitat. Monarch butterflies are experiencing <br />significant declines throughout their range in North America, but the monarch butterfly colony on the <br />Project site would be avoided by proposed construction with the appropriate controls recommended to <br />preserve buffer trees, and the Project would have no contribution to cumulative impacts on this species. <br />The shoreline habitat of the marina and bay would be enhanced as part of the Project, with appropriate <br />controls during construction and operation to avoid and minimize any potential adverse contribution to <br />decline in water quality and aquatic habitat of the San Francisco Bay. Therefore, the Project's contribution <br />to cumulative impacts on biological resources would be significant and the mitigations recommended <br />throughout this chapter would serve to address significant Project -specific impacts and their contribution <br />to cumulative impacts. <br />PLACEWORKS 4.3-23 <br />