Agenda packet, first session — La Verne City Council, September 19, 2022 (part 1 of 3)

September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting Materials
City Council Meeting Agenda
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA 2022-09-19 18-30 (2).PDF
City Council Meeting Agenda Packet - Sept 19
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA PACKET 2022-09-19 18-30.PDF
Wilderness Area Management PowerPoint Presentation
WILDERNESS AREA MANAGEMENT PPT.PDF

1. 6:30 P.M.

Documents:

2. 6:30 P.M.

Documents:

2.I.

Documents:

CITY OF LA VERNE

CITY COUNCIL AGENDA

Monday, September 19, 2022 - 6:30 p.m.

La Verne City Hall - Council Chambers,
3660 D Street, La Verne, CA 91750

In compliance with the American Disabilities Act, any person with a disability who requires a modification or accommodation in order to participate in a meeting should contact the City Clerk’s Office at (909) 596-8726 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. Regular Meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month.

1) View the meeting through the City’s website at www.cityoflaverne.org and click on the green “Council Meeting Live Stream” button.
2) Individuals can email their comments to the Assistant City Clerk at [email protected] up to noon on the day of the meeting. Those comments will be shared with City Council in advance of the City Council meeting and included as part of the permanent record. Please be advised that public comments submitted by emails or any other format to the City are public records that will be made available for public viewing. 3) Individuals who wish to share their comments directly during the meeting may do so by emailing the Assistant City Clerk at cityclerk@cityof laverne.org with their phone number and the item(s) they wish to speak on. Requests will be accepted before and throughout the meeting and staff will call you back at the appropriate time. Once items are considered by the City Council, no further public comment on that matter will be accepted. A time limit of 3- minutes is set for all public comments.
4) If you wish to participate via Zoom, you will need to register at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rXF1y6QUSJeb9eesW-yYnQ before 5:00 p.m. on Monday, September 19, 2022, and please be aware that space is limited. You will have the ability to watch the meeting in real time and raise your hand to request to comment a s appropriate on the current agenda item(s). Once it is your turn to speak, you will be brought into the meeting and have the ability to turn your video on when called upon.

Tim Hepburn, Mayor
Rick Crosby, Mayor Pro Tem
Wendy Lau, Council Member
Steve Johnson, Council Member
Meshal “Kash” Kashifalghita, Council Member

www.cityoflaverne.org
(909) 596-8726 - Phone
(909) 596-8740 - Fax
City Hall Council Chamber
3660 D Street
La Verne, CA 91750

AGENDA, La Verne City Council Meeting, Monday, September 19, 2022, Page 2

1. CALL TO ORDER

2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

3. ROLL CALL: Council Member Lau, Council Member Johnson, Council Member Kashifalghita,
Mayor Pro Tem Crosby and Mayor Hepburn.

4. ANNOUNCEMENTS OF UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS (Any person who wishes to make a brief announcement of a future community event that is open to the general public may do so at this time.)

5. Presentations

Introduction of Newly Hired Firefighters/Paramedics:

Tristan Janeway
Alexander Arnold

Introduction of Newly Hired Firefighters:

Sean Wilkins
Peter Houle
Bryce Coatney
Kenny Villasenor

a. City Council Minutes
of September 6, 2022, to be received and filed.
b. Register of Audited Demands in the amount of $2,347,164.46, dated September 1, 2022, and in the amount $246,411.38 dated September 8, 2022; approval recommended by Interim Finance Director Yelton.
c. Staff recommends approval and passage of the following Resolutions:

1. Resolution No. 22 -65, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

LA VERNE, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING

THE EXECUTION OF AN ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF HAWAIIAN

GARDENS FOR THE EXCHANGE OF PROPOSITION A FUNDS FOR GENERAL FUND REVENUES - In August, the City was approached by the City of Hawaiian Gardens saying that they were interested in exchanging uncommitted Proposition A transportation funds for General Fund monies. The City of Hawaiian Gardens said that they would give us the rate of $0.75 per dollar in general fund monies per $1.00 in Prop A Funds.

Community Services Manager Duran recommends that the City Council approve Resolution No. 22 -65 authorizing an exchange of $300,000 in Proposition A transportation funds for $225,000 of General F unds with the City of Hawaiian Gardens; and authorize the City Manager to execute said Agreement.

AGENDA, La Verne City Council Meeting, Monday, September 19, 2022, Page 3

3. Resolution No. 22 -67 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

LA VERNE, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALI FORNIA, AUTHORIZING THE

EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE HOMECOMING EVENT. - The University of La Verne (ULV) is having a multiday Homecoming event that s pans over three days, October 14 th through the 16th. The City Council is requested to consider a street closure for October 14-15. The University of La Verne has requested to have the portion of Third Street, between B Street and C Street and the connecting portion of C Street and Second Street, west of D Street to be closed. (Council Member Lau will declare a Conflict of Interest on this item because she is a Board Member of the University of La Verne.)
Community Development Director Scherer recommends that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 22 -67 authorizing the Interim City Manager to execute the agreement with the University of La Verne permitting the closure of the s pecified streets from October 14th through the 16th.

4. Resolution No. 22 -68 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY O F

LA VERNE, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA, APPROVING THE FINAL MAP FOR TRACT 83064, A REQUEST BY KB HOME GREATER LOS ANGELES INC., TO SUBDIVIDE ONE PARCEL WITH AREA OF 5.57 ACRES AT 2820 AMHERST STREET INTO A 42 UNIT, SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED SU BDIVISION - On April 19, 2021 the City Council approved Tentative Tract Map No. 83064 for 42 detached single- family homes located on a parcel formerly owned by the City of La Verne. The Final Tract Map has been submitted for approval, allowing for the subdivision of a signal parcel with an approximate area of 5.57 acres.

City Engineer Howing recommends that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 22 -68, approving the Final Tract Map No. 83064 for 42 unit detached single family homes and direct staff to sign the map as to its conformance with the Subdivision Map Act, Specific Plan (109-20SP) and General Plan Amendment (19-20GPA).

5. Resolution No. 22 -69
- A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

LA VERNE, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA, A UTHORIZING EXECUTION OF A PUBLIC WORKS CONTRACT WITH GENTRY BROTHERS INC. FOR THE “E” STREET AND 2 ND STREET IMPROVEMENT PROJECT. - The Public Works Department recently solicited bids for street improvement project along portions of E Street and 2 nd Street. The planned improvements include demolition, new sidewalk, intersection bulb -outs, landscaping, lighting enhancements, water quality BMP installation, asphalt pavement, and decorative concrete crosswalks. The project was advertised on August 5th and Augu st 12th, 2022 with bid proposals received and opened via electronic platform “Planet Bids” on September 7, 2022.

City Engineer Howing recommends that the City Council approve Resolution No. 22 - 69, which awards a public works contract to Gentry Brothers, I nc., the lowest, most responsible bidder, in the amount of $1,624,894.20 including additive bid items A -1 through A -3, and authorize staff to issue change orders not exceeding 10% of the construction budget. This project is categorically exempt from the Ca lifornia Environmental Quality Act, Section 15301 – Existing Facilities, and City of La Verne environmental guidelines.

AGENDA, La Verne City Council Meeting, Monday, September 19, 2022, Page 4

7. PUBLIC HEARINGS

Wilderness Plan - In 2006, the City acquired 208 acres in north La Verne through State grant funds obtained in cooperation with the County of Los Angeles, the Trust for Public Land, and the La Verne Land Conservancy. This land was combined with 150 acres already owned by the City to create an open space preserve of 358 acres, collectively referred to as the Wilderness Area.

The Wilderness Area Management and Public Access Plan includes selective habitat enhancement actions, the resolution of public safety hazards, and opportunities for limited controlled public access as part of the City’s stewardship responsibilities for the Wilderness Area.

The Management Plan includes goals for specific physical improvements or management policies that would implement the vision for the Wilderness Area. Staff and the Planning Commission recommend City Council adopt Resolution Number 22- 72, approving the Wilderness Area Management and Public Access Plan and certifying the Final Environmental Impact Report.

Staff and the Planning Commission recommend City Council adopt Resolution Number 22- 72, approving the Wilderness Area Management and P ublic Access Plan and certifying the Final Environmental Impact Report.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION: The City Council should adopt Resolution Number 22-72, approving the Wilderness Area Management
and Public Access Plan and certifying the Final
Environmental Impact Report.

Resolution No. 22 -72
- A RESOLUTION OF THE

CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE,

COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF

CALIFORNIA APPROVING THE LA VERNE

WILDERNESS AREA MANAGEMENT AND PUBLIC

ACCESS PLAN WITH A PHASING PLAN AND

CERTIFYING THE ENVIR ONMENTAL IMPACT
REPORT.

8. OTHER MATTERS

a. Affirming Christy Lopez as Director of Finance for a Term of No Less than Two Years and Reinstating Previous Benefits - Resolution 22 -70 - The City of La Verne’s Finance Department has experienced significant insta bility in the past several years creating organizational challenges. The City Council has unanimously provided their endorsement for Interim City Manager Duff to offer former key Finance Department employee Christy Lopez the permanent Director of Finance position. Resolution 22- 70 affirms the action, commits the City to Ms. Lopez for at least two years of employment, and authorizes the reinstatement of benefits for Ms. Lopez.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:: The City Council should approve Resolution No. 22- 70, affirming Christy Lopez as the Director of Finance
for a term of no less than two years and reinstating
her previous benefits.

Resolution No. 22 -70 - A RESOLUTION OF THE

CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE,

COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF

CALIFORNIA, AFFIRMING CHIRSTY LOPEZ AS

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE FOR A TERM OF NO

LESS THAN TWO YEARS AND AUTHORIZING THE
REINSTATEMENT OF PREVIOUS BENEFITS.

AGENDA, La Verne City Council Meeting, Monday, September 19, 2022, Page 5

b. Agreement for Temporary Employment (Anthony Ciotti) – Resolution No 22-71 - Former Director of Public Works Shawn Igoe h as recently separated employment from the City of La Verne. The City is interested in entering into an agreement with retired Deputy Director of Public Works Anthony Ciotti to fil l the City’s current gap as an I nterim Director while a recruitment process for a permanent replacement is completed. In order to be compliant with California Law and the 2013 Pension Reform Act, it is necessary for the City Council to take an action affirming the execution of such employment arrangements. The attached resolution and agreement satisfy those requirements.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION: The City Council should approve the Resolution No. 22-71, authorizing the Interim City Manager to
execute an agreement with Anthony Ciotti to provide
temporary, part-time employment.

Resolution No. 22 -71 - A RESOLUTION OF THE

CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE,

COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF

CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING AN AGREEMENT
WITH “RETIRED ANNUITANT” ANTHONY CIOTTI

FOR INTERIM DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS

AND AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM CITY
MANAGER TO EXECUTE SAME.

9. PUBLIC COMMENTS/ORAL COMMUNICATIONS - This is the time set aside for anyone wishing to address the City Council on items not listed in any other place on the agenda. Under the provisions of the Brown Act, the legislative body is prohibited from talking or engaging in discussion on any item not appearing on the posted agenda. However, your concerns may be referred to staff or set for discussion at a later date. Please email your public comment to the Assistant City Clerk at [email protected]. Your public comment will be shared with the City Council and included as part of the permanent record. If you wish to speak, email your phone number and staff will call you back. There is a 3-minute time limit on public comments.

10. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND CONFERENCE/MEETING REPORTS - Each Council Member may address the Council and public on matters of general information and/or concern. Thi s is also the time for Council Members to report on conferences and/or meetings they have attended.

AGENDA, La Verne City Council Meeting, Monday, September 19, 2022, Page 6

11. CLOSED SESSON

Conference with Labor Negotiator (Government Code Section 54957.6).

Negotiators: Interim City Manager, Assistant City Manager, and City Attorney.

Employee Organization(s): La Verne City Employees Association (CEA) and La Verne Firefighters’ Association,

12. ADJOURNMENT in Memory of retired Water Superintendent Charlie Farrell. Charlie was employed with the City of La Verne for 35 years. Charlie was born and raised in Brookl yn, New York and joined the United States Air Force stationed in Boise, Idaho. After his service, he moved to La Verne and started his career with the City of La Verne in the Parks Department and later transferred to the Wat er Department and became Water/Sewer Superintendent. His commitment to the La Verne community persisted through his retirement as he volunteered for the La Verne Fire Department, Fourth of July parade, and Christmas Candy Giveaways for years. Additionally, Charlie fostered youth development with the local Boy Scouts and Booster Club groups. Charlie was honored with the Pride of La Verne Award in 2006 in recognition of his dedication and passion for the La Verne community. He is survived by 3 children, 2 stepchildren and he was Papa to 12 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren; and

13. Adjournment to Tuesday, September 27, 2022 at 5:30 p.m. for City Council to meet in a Closed Session to review applications submitted for City Manager.

THENEXT REGULAR MEETING of the La Verne City Council
is scheduled Monday, October 3, 2022, at 6:30 p.m.

ADVISORY STAFF

____ Jesse Duff, Interim City Manager
____ JR Ranells, Assistant City Manager
____ Robert Kress, City Attorney
____ Lupe Gaeta Estrella, Assistant City Clerk
____ Shawn Igoe, Public Works Director
____ Eric Scherer, Director of Community Development
____ Mike Yelton, Interim Finance Director
____ Colleen Flores, Police Chief
____ Christopher Nigg, Fire Chief
____ Yvonne Duran, Community Services Manager
____ Cody Howing, City Engineer

Posting Statement: On September 13, 2022, a true and correct copy of this Agenda was posted on the bulletin board at La Verne City Hall, 3660 D Street, La Verne, and on the City’s website at www.cityoflaverne.org.

Table of Contents
Agenda 2
Agenda Items
6a. City Council Minutes 8
6b. Register of Audited Demands 12
6c1. Reso.22-65,. Prop A Exchange, Hawaiian
Gardens 20
6c2. Reso.22-67, ULV Homecoming Str. Closure 28
6c3. Reso.22-68, Amherst Final. Map 44
6c4. Reso.22-69, E & 2nd Strs Award of Project 72

7. Wilderness Plan 78
8a. Affirming C.Lopez as Finance Director 448
8b. Ciotti Employment Agreement 452
1 City Council Agenda Packet, Monday, September 19, 2022

CITY OF LA VERNE

CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
Monday, September 19, 2022 - 6:30 p.m.

La Verne City Hall - Council Chambers,
3660 D Street, La Verne, CA 91750
In compliance with the American Disabilities Act, any person with a disability who requires a modification or accommodation in order to participate in a meeting should contact the City Clerk’s Office at (909) 596-8726 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. Regular Meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month.

To f
acilitate public participation for those who do not wish to attend in person, the meeting will still be made available virtually to residents. Below are the following opportunities on how to participate:
1) Vi
ew the meeting through the City’s website at www.cityoflaverne.org and click on the green “Council Meeting Live Stream” button.
2) Individuals can email their comments to the Assistant City Clerk at [email protected] up to noon on the day of the meeting. Those comments will be shared with City Council in advance of the City Council meeting and included as part of the permanent record. Please be advised that public comments submitted by emails or any other format to the City are public records that will be made available for public viewing. 3) Individuals who wish to share their comments directly during the meeting may do so by emailing the Assistant City Clerk at [email protected] with their phone number and the item(s) they wish to speak on. Requests will be accepted before and throughout the meeting and staff will call you back at the appropriate time. Once items are considered by the City Council, no further public comment on that matter will be accepted. A time limit of 3- minutes is set for all public comments.
4) If you wish to participate via Zoom, you will need to register at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rXF1y6QUSJeb9eesW-yYnQ before 5:00 p.m. on Monday, September 19, 2022, and please be aware that space is limited. You will have the ability to watch the meeting in real time and raise your hand to request to comment a s appropriate on the current agenda item(s). Once it is your turn to speak, you will be brought into the meeting and have the ability to turn your video on when called upon.

Tim Hepburn, Mayor
Rick Crosby, Mayor Pro Tem
Wendy Lau, Council Member
Steve Johnson, Council Member
Meshal “Kash” Kashifalghita, Council Member
www.cityoflaverne.org
(909) 596-8726 - Phone
(909) 596-8740 - Fax
City Hall Council Chamber
3660 D Street
La Verne, CA 91750
2 AGENDA, La Verne City Council Meeting, Monday, September 19, 2022, Page 2

1. CALL TO ORDER

2. PLED

GE OF ALLEGIANCE

3. RO
LL CALL: Council Member Lau, Council Member Johnson, Council Member Kashifalghita, Mayor Pro Tem Crosby and Mayor Hepburn.

4. AN
NOUNCEMENTS OF UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS (Any person who wishes to make a brief announcement of a future community event that is open to the general public may do so at this time. )

5. Pr
esentations
Introduction of Newly Hired Firefighters/Paramedics:

Tr
istan Janeway
Alexander Arnold
Introduction of Newly Hired Firefighters:

Sea
n Wilkins
Peter Houle
Bryce Coatney
Kenny Villasenor

6. CONS
ENT CALENDAR (All items on the Consent Calendar are considered to be routine and will be enacted by one motion unless a member of the City Council or member of the audience requests separate discussion.)
a. Ci
ty Council Minutes of September 6, 2022, to be received and filed. b. Register of Audited Demands in the amount of $2,347,164.46, dated September 1, 2022, and in the amount $246,411.38 dated September 8, 2022; approval recommended by Interim Finance Director Yelton.
c. Staff recommends approval and passage of the following Resolutions:

1. Resolution No. 22 -65, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

LA VERNE, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING

THE EXECUTION OF AN ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF HAWAIIAN

GARDENS FOR THE EXCHANGE OF PROPOSITION A FUNDS FOR GENERAL FUND REVENUES - In August of 2022, the City was approached by the City of Hawaiian Gardens informing us that they were interested in exchanging uncommitted Proposition A transportation funds for General Fund monies. The City of Hawaiian Gardens said that they would give us the rate of $0.75 per dollar in general fund monies per $1.00 in Prop A Funds.

Community Services Manager Duran recommends that the City Council approve Resolution No. 22 -65 authorizing an exchange of $300,000 in Proposition A transportation funds for $225,000 of General Funds with the City of Hawaiian Gardens; and authorize the Mayor to execute said Agreement. 3 AGENDA, La Verne City Council Meeting, Monday, September 19, 2022, Page 3

3. Re
solution No. 22 -67 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

LA VERNE, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING THE

EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE HOMECOMING EVENT. - The University of La Verne (ULV) is having a multiday Homecoming event that s pans over three days, October 14 th thr
ough the 16 th. The City Council is requested to consider a street closure for October 14-15. The University of La Verne has requested to have the portion of Third Street, between B Street and C Street and the connecting portion of C Street and Second Street, west of D Street to be closed. (Council Member Lau will declare a Conflict of Interest on this item because she is a Board Member of the University of La Verne.)
Community Development Director Scherer recommends that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 22-67 authorizing the Interim City Manager to execute the agreement with the University of La Verne permitting the closure of the s pecified streets from October 14
th through the 16th.

4. Resolution No. 22 -68 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

LA VERNE, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA, APPROVING THE FINAL MAP FOR TRACT 83064, A REQUEST BY KB HOME GREATER LOS ANGELES INC., TO SUBDIVIDE ONE PARCEL WITH AREA OF 5.57 ACRES AT 2820 AMHERST STREET INTO A 42 UNIT, SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED SUBDIVISION - On April 19, 2021 the City Council approved Tentative Tract Map No. 83064 for 42 detached single- family homes located on a parcel formerly owned by the City of La Verne. The Final Tract Map has been submitted for approval, allowing for the subdivision of a signal parcel with an approximate area of 5.57 acres.

Ci
ty Engineer Howing recommends that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 22 -68, approving the Final Tract Map No. 83064 for 42 unit detached single family homes and direct staff to sign the map as to its conformance with the Subdivision Map Act, Specific Plan (109-20SP) and General Plan Amendment (19-20GPA).

5. Re
solution No. 22 -69 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

LA VERNE, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFO RNIA, AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF A PUBLIC WORKS CONTRACT WITH GENTRY BROTHERS INC. FOR THE “E” STREET AND 2 ND STREET IMPROVEMENT PROJECT. - The Public Works Department recently solicited bids for street improvement project along portions of E Street and 2 nd Street. The planned improvements include demolition, new sidewalk, intersection bulb- outs, landscaping, lighting enhancements, water quality BMP installation, asphalt pavement, and decorative concrete crosswalks. The project was advertised on August 5th and August 12th, 2022 with bid proposals received and opened via electronic platform “Planet Bids” on September 7, 2022.

Ci
ty Engineer Howing recommends that the City Council approve Resolution No. 22 - 69, which awards a public works contract to Gentry Brothers, Inc., the lowest, most responsible bidder, in the amount of $1,624,894.20 including additive bid items A -1 through A -3, and authorize staff to issue change orders not exceeding 10% of the construction budget. T his project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act, Section 15301 – Existing Facilities, and City of La Verne environmental guidelines.
4 AGENDA, La Verne City Council Meeting, Monday, September 19, 2022, Page 4

7. PUBL

IC HEARINGS
Wi
lderness Plan - In 2006, the City acquired 208 acres in north La Verne through State grant funds obtained in cooperation with the County of Los Angeles, the Trust for Public Land, and the La Verne Land Conservancy. This land was combined with 150 acres already owned by the City to create an open space preserve of 358 acres, collectively referred to as the Wilderness Area.

Staff and the Planning Commission recommend City Council adopt Resolution Number 22- 72, approving the Wilderness Area Management and Public Access Plan and certifying the Final Environmental Impact Report.

ST
AFF RECOMMENDATION: The City Council should adopt Resolution Number 22-72, approving the Wilderness Area Management
and Public Access Plan and certifying the Final
Environmental Impact Report.

Re
solution No. 22 -72 - A RESOLUTION OF THE

CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE,

COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF

CALIFORNIA APPROVING THE LA VERNE

WILDERNESS AREA MANAGEMENT AND PUBLIC

ACCESS PLAN WITH A PHASING PLAN AND

CERTIFYING THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
REPORT.

8. OT

HER MATTERS
a. Affirming Christy Lopez as Director of Finance for a Term of No Less than Two Years and Reinstating Previous Benefits - Resolution 22 -70 - The City of La Verne’s Finance Department has experienced significant instability in the past several years creating organizational challenges. The City Council has unanimously provided their endorsement for Interim City Manager Duff to offer former key Finance Department employee Christy Lopez the permanent Director of F inance position. Resolution 22- 70 affirms the action, commits the City to Ms. Lopez for at least two years of employment, and authorizes the reinstatement of benefits for Ms. Lopez.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:: The C ity Council should approve Resolution No. 22- 70, affirming Christy Lopez as the Director of Finance
for a term of no less than two years and reinstating
her previous benefits.

Resolution No. 22 -70 - A RESOLUTION OF THE

CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE,

COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF

CALIFORNIA, AFFIRMING CHIRSTY LOPEZ AS

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE FOR A TERM OF NO

LESS THAN TWO YEARS AND AUTHORIZING THE
REINSTATEMENT OF PREVIOUS BENEFITS.
5 AGENDA, La Verne City Council Meeting, Monday, September 19, 2022, Page 5 b. Ag
reement for Temporary Employment (Anthony Ciotti) – Resolution No 22-71 - Former Director of Public Works Shawn Igoe has recently separated employment from the City of La Verne. The City is interested in entering into an agreement with retired Deputy Director of Public Works Anthony Ciotti to fill the City’s current gap as an I nterim Director while a recruitment process for a permanent replacement is completed. In order to be compliant with California Law and the 2013 Pension Reform Act, it is necessary for the City Council to take an action affirming the execution of such employment arrangements. The attached resolution and agreement satisfy those requirements.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION: The C ity Council should approve the Resolution No. 22-71, authorizing the Interim City Manager to
execute an agreement with Anthony Ciotti to provide
temporary, part-time employment.

Resolution No. 22 -71 - A RESOLUTION OF THE

CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE,

COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF

CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING AN AGREEMENT
WITH “RETIRED ANNUITANT” ANTHONY CIOTTI

FOR INTERIM DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS

AND AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM CITY
MANAGER TO EXECUTE SAME.

9. PUBL
IC COMMENTS/ORAL COMMUNICATIONS - This is the time set aside for anyone wishing to address the City Council on items not listed in any other place on the agenda. Under the provisions of the Brown Act, the legislative body is prohibited from talking or engaging in discussion on any item not appearing on the posted agenda. However, your concerns may be referred to staff or set for discussion at a later date. Please email your public comment to the Assistant City Clerk at [email protected]
. Your public comment will be shared with the
City Council and included as part of the permanent record. If you wish to speak, email your phone number and staff will call you back. There is a 3-minute time limit on public comments.

10. COUNCI
L COMMENTS AND CONFERENCE/MEETING REPORTS - Each Council Member may address the Council and public on matters of general information and/or concern. Thi s is also the time for Council Members to report on conferences and/or meetings they have attended. 6 AGENDA, La Verne City Council Meeting, Monday, September 19, 2022, Page 6

11. CL

OSED SESSON
Conference with Labor Negotiator (Government Code Section 54957.6).

Negotiators: Interim City Manager, Assistant City Manager, and City Attorney.

Employee Organization(s): La Verne City Employees Association (CEA) and La Verne Firefighters’ Association,

12. AD
JOURNMENT i n Memory of retired Water Superintendent Charlie Farrell. Charlie was employed with the City of La Verne for 35 years. Charlie was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and joined the United States Air Force stationed in Boise, Idaho. After his service, he moved to La Verne and started his career with the City of La Verne in the Parks Department and later transferred to the Water Department and became Water/Sewer Superintendent. His commitment to the La Verne community persisted through his retirement as he volunteered for the La Verne Fire Department, Fourth of July parade, and Christmas Candy Giveaways for years. Additionally, Charlie fostered youth development with the local Boy Scouts and Booster Club groups. Charlie was honored with the Pride of La Verne Award in 2006 in recognition of his dedication and passion for the La Verne community. He is survived by 3 children, 2 stepchildren and he was Papa to 12 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren; and

13. Ad
journment to Tuesday, September 27, 2022 at 5:30 p.m. for City Council to meet in a Closed Session to review applications submitted for City Manager.

THENEXT REGULAR MEETING of the La Verne City Council
is scheduled Monday, October 3, 2022, at 6:30 p.m.

ADV

ISORY STAFF
____ Jesse Duff, Interim City Manager
____ JR Ranells, Assistant City Manager
____ Robert Kress, City Attorney
____ Lupe Gaeta Estrella, Assistant City Clerk
____ Shawn Igoe, Public Works Director
____ Eric Scherer, Director of Community Development
____ Mike Yelton, Interim Finance Director
____ Colleen Flores, Police Chief
____ Christopher Nigg, Fire Chief
____ Yvonne Duran, Community Services Manager
____ Cody Howing, City Engineer
Posting Statement: On September 13, 2022, a true and correct copy of this Agenda was posted on the bulletin board at La Verne City Hall, 3660 D Street, La Verne, and on the City’s website at www.cityoflaverne.org.
7 MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING

OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

LA VERNE
Tuesday, September 6, 2022
________________________________________________

1. A regular meeting of the La Verne City Council was called to order by Mayor Pro Tem Crosby at 6:30 p.m.

2. Council Members present: Mayor Pro Tem Rick Crosby
Council Member Wendy Lau
Council Member Steven Frank Johnson

Absent: Mayor Tim Hepburn and Council Member Meshal “Kash” Kashifalghita Advisory personnel present: Interim City Manager Jess Duff Assistant City Manager JR Ranells
City Attorney Robert L. Kress
Assistant City Clerk Lupe Gaeta Estrella
Police Chief Colleen Flores
Community Development Director Eric Scherer
Community Services Manager Yvonne Duran

3. Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mayor Pro Tem Crosby.

4. Announcements of Upcoming
Community Events
Interim City Manager Duff announced that the cooling center at the Community Building behind City Hall will be open September 6-9 from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

George May, La Verne Library Manager reported on the Library’s upcoming events and programs in September.

Yvonne Gallegos, Vice Chair of the Cultural Awareness and Social Inclusion (CASI) Committee announced that their next meeting is on September 7, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. at La Verne City Hall Chambers. In addition, she announced that CASI and the La Verne Historical Society would be holding a presentation on the “Dia de los Muertos” in October.

Danita Beauchamp announced that there will be a meeting of the Los Angeles County Probation Oversight Commission on Thursday, September 8, 2022, and urged residents to be vigilant because the topic of the Afflerbaugh and Paige’s Camp may return.

Li Huang, La Verne resident. encouraged residents to attend the meetings of the Bonita Unified School District to stay inform. She also announced that there would be Candidates’ Forum for the Bonita Unified School District Candidates by zoon on September 8, 2022.

5. Consent Calendar It was moved by Lau, seconded by Johnson, carried by a vote of 3-0 (Hepburn and Kashifalghita Absent) to accept, approve, or act on the Consent Calendar items, except for Item No. D, Appointment to the Youth and Family Action Executive Board was pulled.

City Council Minutes City Council Minutes of regular August 15, 2022, were received and filed. 8 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
City Council Minutes, Tuesday, September 6, 2022, Page 2.

Fiscal Year 2021-22
In the amount of $580,808.15 dated August 11, 2022
In the amount of $57,017.91 dated August 18, 2022

Fiscal Year 2022-23
In the amount of $3,089,876.19 dated August 11, 2022
In the amount of $1,618,296.29 dated August 18, 2022
In the amount of $806,520.02 dated August 25, 2022

Interim Finance Director Yelton recommended approval of the Register of Demands. Approved as recommended.

Senior Advisory Committee
Board Appointment
Senior Advisory Committee Board Appointment - The Senior Advisory Committee recently received two applications for vacancies on their Board. At their August 17, 2022 committee meeting, the Board unanimously voted to appoint Edward Padgett to the vacant board position and Rafaela Giles to their vacant alternate position.

Community Services Manager Duran recommended that the City Council accept the Senior Advisory Committee’s recommendation to appoint Edward Padgett and Rafaela Giles to serve a two-year term (July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2024). Approved as recommended.

Pulled by La Verne Resident/
Youth and Family Action
Committee Executive Board
Appointment
Kathy Newlon, La Verne resident, pulled the appointment to the Youth and Family Action Committee to the Executive for further discussion. She felt it should be continued to the next meeting.

Mayor Pro Tem Crosby called for public comment on this matter.

Robin Carder, La Verne resident and Executive Board Member of the La Verne Youth and Family Action Committee stated that the Executive Board has already approved the appointment of Don Kendrick and they were only requesting that the City Council ratify the appointment.

Interim City Manager Duff responded that only one application was received for the position and the Executive Board has already approved the appointment, and there was no reason to continue the matter.

Youth and Family Action Committee Executive Board Appointment - The City Clerk’s Office received only one application for the Youth and Family Action Committee (YFAC) for the recent vacancy on the YFAC Executive Board. YFAC has a five member executive governing board who is appointed by the City Council. Members of the committee are recommending the City Council appoint Don Kendrick who has previously been filling a term vacated by another member

It was moved by Lau, seconded by Crosby and carried by a vote of 2-0 (Johnson Abstained) to appoint resident Don Kendrick to the Youth and Family Action Committee Executive Board as recommended by the Youth and Family Action Committee Executive Board.

9 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
City Council Minutes, Tuesday, September 6, 2022, Page 3.

Declaration of Surplus Fire
Equipment
Declaration of Surplus Fire Equipment - The fire equipment listed in the staff report is obsolete and no longer needed. Each item has been replaced by newer, relevant technology. As such, each item is now surplus to the City and fire department’s operational needs. Staff is seeking to dispose of the equipment in accordance with Administrative Regulation 606, thereby allowing the fire department to recoup proceeds for the fire equipment replacement fund

Fire Chief Nigg recommended that City Council declare the listed equipment as surplus to the City’s needs and further direct staff to sell in a fair and equitable manner via the open market or other similar method. Approved as recommended.

6. Public Comment This was the time set aside for anyone wishing to address the City Council on items not listed in any other place on the agenda.

Mayor Pro Tem Crosby called for public comment.

There were public comments at the meeting. (To hear what was said during public comment, please visit the City’s website to view the archived Council meeting.)

Interim Jess Duff responded to the questions asked during public comment.

7. Council Comments Please Note: Only partial Council comments are noted below. To hear the rest of their comments, please visit the City’s website to view the archived Council meeting.

Council Member Lau stated that she too was concerned about the proposed Fairplex master plan since she lives close to the Fairplex. She spoke about the services provided by Tri-City Mental Health Services and that September is Hispanic Month. She thanked the La Verne Police and Fire for the great job they did when they responded to storage fire on Arrow Highway.

Council Member Crosby stated the City’s cooling center is open for residents and thanked Community Services Manager Duran and staff for setting up and staffing the cooling center.

8. Adjournment at 7:34 p.m., in memory of La Verne Police RSVP Ann Anderegg. Ann was born on November 26, 1928. She became an RSVP in 2003, and she volunteered almost for every assignment. She always had a smile on her face and loved every aspect of her duties as RSVP. Ann’s favorite assignment was patrolling and she earned the nickname of “lead foot”. She loved helping with the Baker to Vegas Race and driving in the Los Angeles County Fair parade. Ann contributed over 3,700 hours in the 19 years that she served the La Verne Police Department. One of her favorite hobbies was bowling. She will be missed for her humor and beautiful smile and;

Adjournment In memory of Ontario Fire Engineer Curtis Trevor Gold - On the morning of August 27, 2022, Fire Engineer Gold passed away during an off-duty accident. Curtis was raised in La Verne and graduated from Bonita High School in 2006. He attended the University of Redlands to pursue his bachelor’s in business where he was also the wide receiver for the football team. Later in his professional career, he joined the City of Ontario as a Fire Fighter in 2016 and was promoted to Fire Engineer in 2019. He was an active member of the Urban Search & Rescue team and was also a training instructor. Curtis was a passionate member of the community participating in many charitable projects. Some of the things he loved doing included spending time with his family and friends at the river, playing softball, mountain biking, making people laugh, and creating new memories with his wife Taylor; and

10 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
City Council Minutes, Tuesday, September 6, 2022, Page 4.

Adjournment to Monday, September 19, 2022 at 6:00 p.m., for La Verne Little League Presentations.

Respectfully submitted,

Lupe Gaeta Estrella, CMC
Assistant City Clerk

11 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
CITY OF I..A, VERNE

REGISTER OF AIJDITED DEMANDS
9nt2022
DEMANDS PRESEN'IED HAVE BEEN APPROVED CONSISTENT WITH TI{E CITYS PURCHASING/FI.JNDING POLICY AND HAVE BEEN REVIEWED BY THE INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR FOR ACCURACY AND PROPER APPROVAL.

SI.'MMARY OF DEMANDS
LARGEST IO CITY DEMAND PAYMENTS OTHER TI{AN PAYROLL AND RELATED BENEFMS,

AMOUNT ISSUED TO DESCRIPTION
r. $

2.$3.$4.$5.$6.$

7.$

8.S

9.$

10. s
486,969.34
126,089.6t
75,s43.99
s8,940.00
s8,s29.89
34,s09.42
31,794.92
16,9s1.08
1s,601.50
13,083.37
18s,564.63

WASTEMANAGEMENT
L.N. CURTIS AND SONS

STRATEGIC CONTRACTING SERVICES

PRECISION CONCRETE CUTTING
MOI,JNTAIN VIEW CHEVROLET, INC.

METRO NISSAN OF MONTCLAIR
U.S. BANK CREDIT CARD
OOVCONNECTION, INC.

RKA CONSULTING GROUP

ALL STAR FIRE EQUIPMENT

OTHERDEMANDS
REFUSE SERVICES. JUNE & JULY 2022

SCBAS EQUIPMENT FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT
LA HIDTA PAYROLL SERVICES . AUGUST 2022

REMOVAL OF SIDEWALK FOR TRIP HAZARDS
2023 CHEVY TAHOE FOR FLEET
2022 MSSAN ALTIMA FOR POLICE DEPARTMENT
CMYWIDE CREDIT CARD - JI.JLY 2022
LA HIDTA COMPUTER SI.'PPLIES/SOFTWARE

CITYWIDE ENGINEERING SERVICES
FIREFIG}ITER BOOTS
$ 1,103,577.75
DEMANDS OF $20,754.48 WERE PAID FOR PAYROLL AND EMPLOYEE BENEFIT RELATED ITEMS.

DEMANDS OF $1,222,832.23 WEREPAID ONBETIALF OF LAIMPACT FORLAW ENFORCEMENT TASK FORCE OPERATIONS.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 37202, I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRI.JE AND ACCI.]RATE REGISTER OF AIJDITED DEMANDS.

YELTON

INTERIM FINANCE
Page I of4
12 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting

CITY OF LA VERNE

REGISTER OF AUDITED DEMANDS - EXHIBIT A
CHECKNO. AMOUNT ISSUED TO
9/112022
160863
160864
160865
160866
r60867
160868
1 60869
160870
160871
160872
160873
160874
160875
t60876
160877
160878
160879
160880
160881
r60882
160883
160884
I 6088s
160887
1 60888
l 60889
160890
160891
160892
160893
160894
160895
160896
160897
160898
160899
160900
160901
160902
160903
160904
r60905
160906
t60907
160908
r60909
160910
16091 I
160912
160913
160914
160915
160916
160917
160918
650.00
2,500.00

21.83 19s.00
500.00
934.60
1,439.43
809.25
377.s6
185.00
1,826.70
10,000.00
773.00
162.7t

97.02 2,000.00

93.02 1,260.00
437.96
9,442.76
10,000.00
1,784.95
383.02
5,769.05

65.00 108.76
2,969.11
10,000.00
10,000.00
10,000.00
381.21
1,290.30
3,742.89
64s.00
864.48
34,509.42
448.66
58,529.89

20.00 61.s9
58,940.00

55.00 10,000.00
157.64
3,138.21
486,969.34
2,297.88
10,000.00
526.69
20r.38
900.00
2,104.71
159.s5
r46.93
10,895.26
$ A & J RICH'S CLEAN SERVICE CORP,

AGINGNEXT
ALCOTARGETCO.

AMERICAN TANK TESTING

ANGELA TARANGO

BEDAZZLEMY EVENTS

BONITA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
CALIFORNIA PEST MANAGEMENT, INC.

CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS
CPRS

DANIELS TIRE SERVICE

DELIA'S BARBER & BEAUTY

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
EMBLEM ENTERPRISES, INC.

FACTORY MOTOR PARTS

FLYINGDEUCES

FRONTIER COMMUNICATIONS

GOLD COAST TOURS

GONZALEZ, SAM

GRUBER POWER SERVICES

HANAWALTDENTAL CORP

HDL COREN & CONE
HOLLIDAY ROCK CO.

HOME DEPOT CREDIT SERVICES

HUIZHAO
INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY DEPT.

INTELLI.TECH

JEFFREYNASMYTH

KCNAILS

LANAILS

LANS COMPRESSORS,INC
LESLIE'S POOLMART, INC.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS
MCLAY SERVICES,INC.

MECOM EQUIPMENTLLC

METRO NISSAN OF MONTCLAIR
MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS, INC.

MOLINTAIN VIEW CHEVROLET, INC.

OVIS ELECTRIC,INC.

PARADISE EMRBOIDERY & SCREEN PAINT
PRECISION CONCRETE CUT"IING
SGVCMA C/O: CITY OF ALHAMBRA

THIRD STREET WINE SHOP

TRILOGY MEDWASTE WEST, LLC

VERIZONWIRELESS

WASTEMANAGEMENT

WELLS FARGO VENDORFIN SERV

WF CONSTRUCTION
WHITE CAP, L.P.

XEROX CORPORATION

XIOMARA MENDIZABAL

ZOLL MEDICAL CORPORATION

B&H PHOTO VIDEO

B&H PHOTO VIDEO
BOTACH INC.

Page2of 4
13 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting

CITY OF LA VERNE

REGISTER OF AUDITED DEMANDS - EXHIBIT A
CHECKNO. AMOLINT ISSUEDTO
9lt/2022
160919
160920
160921
160922
160923
160924
160925
160926
160942

BANKDRAFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
I,103,577.75
1,222,932.23
20,754.48
TotalDemandt@-
Payroll and Employee Benefit Payments:

CELL BUSINESS EQUIPMENT

CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS
COLORCOM, tNC.

DUO SECURITY,INC.

FEDERAL EXPRESS CORPORATION
GOVCONNECTION, INC.

VERIZON WIRELESS

WLLIS TOWERS WATSON SOUTHEAST,INC

MORTAZAVI, DAVID
U.S. BANKCREDITCARD

ALL STARFIREEQUIPMENT
AMAZON CAPITAL SERVICES, INC.

ARAGON,RICHARD
BABCOCK LABORATORIES, INC.

BRENNTAG PACIFIC,INC.

CALIFORNIA LANDSCAPE & DESIGN
COURIER PRINTING,INC.

ENVIRONMENT CONTROL PUENTE HILLS

GRAINGER
FTAAKEREQUIPMENT CO.

HARRINGTON INDUSTRIAL PLASTICS, LLC

HASA,INC,
HI-WAY SAFETY INC.

INTERSTATE BATTERY INLAND VALLEY
L.N. CURTIS AND SONS

LAW ENFORCEMENT MEDICAL SERVICES
MARTIN SCHERER ELECTRIC, INC.

RKA CONSULTING GROUP
RPW SERVICES,INC.

SKYLINE SAFETY AND SUPPLY

SOUTH COAST EMERGENCY VEHICLE SVCS
SL]N BADGE CO.

TERRY'S TESTING,INC.

WEST COAST ARBORISTS, INC.

WESTERN WATER WORKS

STRATEGIC CONTRACTING SERVICES
Total Payroll and Employee Benefit Payments
Total LAIMPACT Demands
2,208.08
349.99
988.94
1,440.00

7.54 16,951.08
1,629.58
6,247.50
5,656.46
31,794.92
13,083.37
448.78
1,000.00
3,634.10
5,004.30
7,787.00
I 1.03
4,984.00
298.46
557.66
561.94
1,603.42
204.94
71r.33
126,089.61
575.00
425.00
15,601.50
1,350.00
r 68.65
374.72
1,761.72
395.00
1,149.45
1,206.93
75,543.99
160930
16093 l
160932
160933
160934
160935
160936
160937
1 6093 8
160939
160940
t60941
1,676.45
3,001.04
12,508.13
470.00
300.00
6,682.42
154,419.72
89,312.43
1,s34.62
816.00
146.29

19.00 AFLAC

DELTA DENTAL INSURANCE COMPANY
DELTA DENTAL (0020785555)

CITY OF LA VERNE EMPLOYEE FUND
FIDELITY INVESTMENTS #P0754

THE HARTFORD-PRIORITY ACCOUNTS

HEALTHNET

KAISER FOUNDATION HEALTH PLAN

METLIFE - GROTIP BENEFITS
NEWMANCO.,A.C.

REYES, HEATHER

UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN

Page 3 of 4 ends

14 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting

CITY OF LA VERNE

PAYROLL

BANKDRAFT

BANK DRAFT

BANKDRAFT

BANKDRAFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
Total
562,420.31
121,888.29
41,002.36
1,579.76
I 55,1 I 8.75
48,191.28
4,884.04
7,1 89.95
4,024.41
100.00
3,157.50
2,389.59
$ 1,222,832.23

UNITED STATES TREASURY

STATE OF CALIFORNIA
STATE DISBURSEMENT BDOOO5689

STATE OF CALIFORNIA

MASSACHUSETTS MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE

MASSACHUSETTS MUTUAL LIFE INS ROTH

MASSACHUSETTS MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE

CHARLES SCHWAB BANK
WAGEWORKS INC.

LA VERNE FIRE ASSOCIATION
LA VERNE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOC.

Break down of standard providers and the benefits they provide Provider Benefits Description
A.C. Newman Co.

Delta Dental
The Hartford
Health Net
Kaiser
Wage Works
US Treasurey
State of California
Mass Mutual A
Mass Mutual B
Mass Mutual Roth
Lincoln National
Fire/?olice/La Verne
LAIMPACT Law Enforcement Task Force Demands
Accidental Death Life Insurance
Employee dental insurance coverage
Life Insurance Policy
Employee health insurance
Employee health insurance
Flexible Savings Account (FSA) deductions
Employee federal tax withholdings
Employee state income tax, unemployment insurance and child support/garnishments 40lA plan
4578 plan
Roth plan
Replacement Social Security plan
Employee Group Dues
160927
r60928
160929

MULTIPLE
Total
12,500.00
8,089.48
165.00

APPLIES INFORMATION SCIENCES CORP

BANKOFAMERICA

FOOTHILL COMMUNICATIONS, INC

LAI ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS
s 2oJs4A8
LAIMPACT demands are paid from federal asset forfeiture dollars allocated to LAIMPACT crime prevention activities. These funds are not City funds and are not available for City use outside of LAIMPACT activities.

Page 4 of 4 ends

15 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
CITY OF I.A, VERNE

DEMANDS PRESENTED HAVE BEEN APPROVED CONSISTENT WITH THE CITYS PURCHASING/FUNDING POLICY AND HAVE BEEN REVIEWED BY THE INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR FOR ACCURACY AND PROPER APPROVAL.

SUMMARY OF DEMANDS
LARGEST IO CITY DEMAND PAYMENTS OTHER TTIAN PAYROLL AND RELATED BENEFITS.

AMOUNT DESCRIPTIONISSUED TO
l.

2. 3.

4. 5.

6. 7.

8. 9.

10. CITYWIDE SIDEWALK
$ 243,961.38
DEMANDS OF $2,450.00 WERE PAID ON BEHALF OF T.A,IMPACT FOR IAW ENFORCEMENT TASK FORCE OPERATIONS.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 37202, I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND ACCURATE REGISTER OF AUDITED MIKE

INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR
99,633.00
32,000.00
14,96r.s8
l1,4t2.ss
8,600.00
8,32s.9t
5,625.49
5,199.62
4,600.00
4,400.00

49.203.21
GENTRY BROTHERS, INC.

UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE

STRATEGIC CONTRACTING SERVICES

LAYNE CHRISTENSEN COMPANY

JONES & MAYER
L.N. CURTIS AND SONS
LIFE.ASSIST
SALT WORKS, INC.

VERITONE, INC.

PRECISION TRAINING GROUP

OTHER DEMANDS
ULV COMMI.JNICATIONS DEPARTMENT AGREEMENT-SEPTEMBER 22.AUGUST'23 LA HIDTA PAYROLL SERVICES - AUGUST 2022
REPAIRS AND INSTALLATION SERVICES - WHEELER BOOSTER #I
MONTHLY RETAINER. SEPTEMBER 2022

SCBAS EQUIPMENT FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT

MEDICAL SUPPLIES FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT

SUPPLIES FOR WATER DEPARTMENT
CONTACT APPLICATION - ruLY 2022-JI]NE2O23

FIREFIGHTER TRAINING & CERTIFICATION SERVICES
Page I of3
16 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting

CITY OF LA VERNE

REGISTER OF AUDITED DEMANDS - EXHIBIT A
CHECKNO. AMOUNT ISSUED TO
9/8/2022
t60943 $
t60944
t60945
160946
r60947
r60948
160949
160950
I 6095 I
160952
160953
t60954
160955
I 60956
t60957
l 60958
I 60959
160960
160961
160962
160963
t60964
l 60965
r60966
160967
r60968
I 60970
160971
r60972
t60973
160974
160975
t60976
r60977
r60978
t60979
l 60980
I 6098 l
r60982
r60983
160984
l 60985
l 60986
l 60987
I 60988
160989
160990
r60991
t60992
r 60993
160994
l 60995
160996
160997
160998
160999
141.70
l,4l 1.86
289.6s
2,280.10
239.96
380.38
1,764.00

98.25 554.00
1,200.00
155.00

58.02 52.14
278.81
t3.70
389.93
126.00
99,633.00
300.00

84.00 88.20
8,600.00
r7.63
155.00
1,235.81
5,625.49

73.00 5s0.00
2,816.25
1,010.00
100.00
4,400.00
380.00
350.00
348.78
3,257.88
2,098.38
398.28
1,000.00
400.00
1,578.06
375.99
32,000.00
4,600.00
2,555.87

61.58 33.61
3,673.01
2s0.00
1,260.00
386.45

70.06 16.90

00.00 ACTION AWARDS,INC.

AIR EXCHANGE, INC.

B&E ALIGNMENT, BRAKE, TIRE & WHEEL
CDCE

CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS

THE COLORFUL SONGS OF BROADWAY

DANIELS TIRE SERVICE

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
DOUGLAS ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP, INC.

ERIKA GREAUX

EVERSOFT

EWING IRRIGATION PRODUCTS

FACTORY MOTOR PARTS

FIREMANS GRAPHICS
FRONTIER COMMI.JNICATIONS

GALYEZ,VICTORIA
GENTRY BROTHERS, INC.

HINDERLITER DE LLAMAS & ASSOCIATES

HEBA BAROUDI

HI STANDARD AUTOMOTIVE, LLC

JONES & MAYER

KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

LAUREL GOODREAU
LESLIE'S POOLMART, INC.

LIFE-ASSIST

MAGDOLNA SEMPSON
MCLAY SERVICES,INC.

MIWALL CORPORATION

MONTAGHAMI, ROBERT

NYCOLE BACA

PRECISION TRATNING GROUP

PRO SOURCE WINDOW CLEANING
SCPLRC
SMART & FINAL IRIS CO.

SPRAGUES" INC.

STATE TNDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS

T-MOBILE

THE COUNSELING TEAM INTERNATIONAL

THOMAS VUKOJEVIC
U.S. POSTMASTER
UNITED SITE SERVICES OF CA,INC.

UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE
VERITONE,INC.

VERIZON CONNECT NWF, INC.

VERIZONWIRELESS
WALTERS WHOLESALE ELECTRIC CO.

WAXIE SANITARY SUPPLY

WHITE BEAR, DUSTIN

YOUNG REMBRANDTS

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS LLC
FEDEX
FEDEX

FILE KEEPERS, LLC
KP RESEARCH SERVICES, INC.

KP RESEARCH SERVICES, INC.
,900.00
,900.00
Page2of 3
17 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting

CITY OF LA VERNE

REGISTER OF AUDITED DEMANDS - EXHIBIT A
CHECKNO. AMOUNT ISSUED TO
91812022
161000
r6l00l
161002
r61003
161004
161005
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
EFT
I,904.06
333.72

7.00 57.00

50.00 350.85
672.53
721.00
728.00
964.09
2,197.29
337.05
8,325.91
174.55
11,412.55
994.75
5,199.62

90.00 363. r 0
14,961.58
243,961.38
2,450.00 Total LAIMPACT Demands
KP RESEARCH SERVICES, INC.

ODP BUSINESS SOLUTIONS, LLC

PANDIT, RAINA

VALLE, JAMES
ALL STAR FIRE EQUIPMENT INC.

ENVIRONMENT CONTROL PUENTE HILLS

GIRON,ANTHONY
HAAKER EQUIPMENT CO.

HARRINGTON INDUSTRIAL PLASTICS, LLC
INTELESYSONE, INC.

L.N. CURTIS AND SONS
LA VERNE POWER EQUIPMENT, INC.

LAYNE CHRISTENSEN COMPANY

RKA CONSULTING GROUP
SALT WORKS, INC.

SHADES TINTING

SOUTH COAST EMERGENCY VEHICLE SVCS

STRATEGIC CONTRACTING SERVICES
Total Demandr $ 246,411.38
LAIMPACT Law Enforcement Task Force Demands
161006
161007

MULTIPLE
Total
2,350.00
r 00.00
$ 2,450.00
CODE 5 GROUP, LLC.

T.MOBILE USA,INC.

LAI ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS
LAIMPACT demands are paid from federal asset forfeiture dollars allocated to LAIMPACT crime prevention activities. These funds are not City funds and are not available for City use outside of LAIMPACT activities.

Page 3 of 3 ends

18 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
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This page left intentionally blank
19 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
Agenda Report

CITY OF LA VERNE
Community Services
DAT
E: September 19, 2022
TO: H
onorable Mayor and City Council
FR
OM: Yvonne Duran, Community Services Manager
SUBJ
ECT: Resolution 22-65 Exchange of Proposition A Funds
______________________________________________________________________ AGENDA SUMMARY:

In
August, the City was approached by the City of Hawaiian Gardens informing us that they were interested in exchanging uncommitted Proposition A transportation funds for General Fund monies. The City of Hawaiian Gardens said that they would give us the rate of $0.75 per dollar in general fund monies per $1.00 in Prop A Funds.

RECOMMENDATION:

It
is recommended that the City Council:

1. Adop
t Resolution No. 22-65 authorizing an exchange of $300,000 in Proposition A transportation funds for $225,000 of General Funds with the City of Hawaiian Gardens.

2. Aut
horize the Mayor to execute said Agreement.

BACKGROUND:

Th
e Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) permits cities to exchange their Proposition A funds between cities in Los Angeles County, provided that the City identifies a need for the exchange. The attached Resolution was developed by the LACMTA to accommodate such exchanges.

Th
e proposed exchange of funds with the City of Hawaiian Gardens would provide additional funds for the City of La Verne's general operations and projects. The City of Hawaiian Gardens will use the Prop A funds to assist in Prop A approved projects.

Th
e proposed exchange is for $300,000 of La Verne's uncommitted Proposition A Transportation funds in return for $225,000 in general fund monies. The proposed rate of exchange is $0.75 for $1.00 in Proposition A Transportation funds. Approval for the exchange has been granted by LACMTA.

Res
pectfully Submitted By:
______
_________________
Chad Peterson, Community Services Supervisor
20 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
RESOLUTION NO. 22-65

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA VERN E, COUNTY OF LOS

ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF AN

ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF HAWAIIAN GARDENS FOR THE

EXCHANGE OF PROPOSITION A FUNDS FOR GENERAL FUND REVENUES BE
IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of La Verne as follows:

Section 1. That the Mayor and Assistant City Clerk of the City of La Verne be are hereby authorized to execute an Assignment Agreement with the City of Hawaiian Gardens for the exchange of Proposition A funds for general fund revenues, said Agreement being in the form attached hereto and made a part hereof by reference as though the same were set forth in full herein.

Sect
ion 2. The Mayor shall sign and the Assistant City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this Resolution and thereupon the same shall take effect and be in force.

PA
SSED AND ADOPTED this 19th day of September, 2022.
___________________________________

Mayor Tim Hepburn
ATTEST:
_____________________________________
Lupe
Gaeta Estrella, Assistant City Clerk

CERTIFICATION

STATE OF CALIFORNIA )

COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES) SS

CITY OF LA VERNE )
I,
Lupe Gaeta Estrella, Assistant City Clerk of the City of La Verne, DO HEREBY CERTIFY that Resolution No. 22-65, was duly passed and adopted by the said City Council at a regular meeting of the said Council held on the 19th day of September, 2022, and passed and adopted by the following vote:

AYES:

NO
ES:

ABSENT:

ABSTAINED:
____________________________________

Lupe Gaeta Estrella, Assistant City Clerk
21 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting

PROPOSITION A ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT
Thi
s Proposition A Assignment Agreement ("Agreement") is made and entered into this 19 day of September 2022 (“Effective Date”), by and between the City of La Verne, a California municipal corporation (“La Verne”), and the City of Hawaiian Gardens , a California municipal corporation (“ Hawaiian”). La Verne and Hawaiian Gardens are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Parties” and individually as “Party”.

RECI
TALS
WHE
REAS, Proposition A Local Return monies (“Prop A Funds”) require funds to used exclusively to benefit public transit. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (“Metro”) allows for the exchange of unobligated Prop A Funds for general or other funds; and
WHE
REAS, the City of Hawaiian Gardens operates a municipal transit system and has need for additional Proposition A Local Return funds to assist in the financing of it s transit operations and to provide funds for acquisition of new transit related equipment, and
WHE
REAS, La Verne has uncommitted Proposition A Local Return funds which could be made available to the City of Hawaiian Gardens to assist in providing the project described in Paragraph A of this Agreement. In exchange for the assignment by the City of Hawaiian Gardens of the amount of its general funds indicated in Section 1 below, the City of La Verne is willing to assign uncommitted Proposition A Local Return funds to the City of Hawaiian Gardens for the purpose identified in Paragraph A.

Now
, therefore, in consideration of the mutual benefits to be derived by the Parties and of the promises herein contained, the Parties mutually agree as follows:

1. Exchange. La Verne agrees to assign $300,000.00 of its Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Proposition A Funds to Hawaiian Gardens. In return, Hawaiian Gardens agrees to assign $2 25,000.00 in general funds to the La Verne for an average rate of $0.75 in Hawaiian Gardens General Funds for each $1.00 of La Verne Prop A Funds.

2. Consideration. La Verne shall assign the $300,000 of Prop A Funds to the City of Hawaiian Gardens in one lump sum payment. Hawaiian Gardens shall pay to La Verne the sum of $2 25,000 in one lump sum payment.

3. Term. This Agreement shall commence on the Effective Date and shall remain and con tinue in effect until the payments set forth herein are completed, unless sooner terminated pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement.

4. Termination. Termination of this Agreement may be made by either Party, prior to the first payment being made by either Party. Said notice of termination shall be made in writing.
22 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting

5. Notices. Notices shall be given pursuant to this Agreement by personal service on the Party to be notified, or by written notice upon such Party deposited in the custody of the United States Postal Service addressed as follows:
a. City
Clerk
City of La Verne
3660 “D” Street
La Verne, CA 91750
b. City
Clerk
City of Hawaiian Gardens
21815 Pioneer Boulevard
Hawaiian Gardens, CA 90716

6. ASSURANCES
a. Haw
aiian Gardens shall use the assigned Prop A Funds only for the purpose of providing the transit programs indicated above. b. Th
e City of La Verne is providing Proposition A Local Return funding only and does not assume any responsibility or obligation for the project described above or any other project undertaken by the City of Hawaiian Gardens.

7. ASSIGNMENT
The
rights and obligations of the Parties under this Agreement may not be assigned or transferred without the prior written consent of the other party or Parties, which consent may be withheld in such party’s reasonable discretion due to the unique, personal rights and obligations under this Agreement.

8. GOVERNING LAW/ATTORNEYS’ FEES
The Parties understand and agree that the laws of the State of California shall govern the rights, obligations, duties, and liabilities of the parties to this Agreement and also govern the interpretation of this Agreement. Any litigation concerning this Agreement shall take place in the municipal, superior, or federal district court in Los Angeles County, California. If any action at law or suit in equity is brought to enforce or interpret the provisions of this Agreement, or arising out of this Agreement, the prevailing party shall be entitled to reasonable attorneys' fees and all related costs, including costs of expert witnesses and consultants, as well as costs on appeal, in addition to any other relief to which it may be entitled.
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9. ENTIRE AGREEMENT
This Agreement contains the entire understanding between the Parties relating to the obligations of the Parties described in this Agreement. All prior or contemporaneous agreements, understandings, representations, and statements, oral or written and pertaining to the subject of this Agreement or with respect to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, are merged into this Agreement and shall be of no further force or effect.

Each Party is entering into this Agreement based solely upon the representations set forth herein and upon each party's own independent investigation of any and all facts such party deems material.

10. SEVERABILITY
If any term or provision of this Agreement or the application thereof to any person or circumstance shall, to any extent, be invalid or unenforceable, then such term or provision shall be amended to, and solely to, the extent necessary to cure such invalidity or unenforceability, and in its amended form shall be enforceable. In such event, the remainder of this Agreement, or the application of such term or provision to persons or circumstances other than those as to which it is held invalid or unenforceable, shall not be affected thereby, and each term and provision of this Agreement shall be valid and be enforced to the fullest extent permitted by law.

11. COUNTERPARTS
This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

12. CAPTIONS
The captions appearing at the commencement of the sections hereof, and in any paragraph thereof, are descrip tive only and shall have no significance in the interpretation of this Agreement.

13. WAIVER
The waiver by La Verne or Industry of any breach of any term, covenant or condition herein contained shall not be deemed to be a waiver of such term, covenant or condition or of any subsequent breach of the same or any other term, covenant or condition herein contained. No term, covenant or condition of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been waived by La Verne or Industry unless in writing.

14. REMEDIES
Each right, power and remedy provided for herein or now or hereafter existing at law, in equity, by statute, or otherwise shall be cumulative and shall be in addition to every other right, power, or remedy provided for herein or now or hereafter existing at 24 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
law, in equity, by statute, or otherwise. The exercise, the commencement of the exercise, or the forbearance of the exercise by any party of any one or more of such rights, powers or remedies shall not preclude the simultaneous or later exercise by such party of any of all of such other rights, powers or remedies.

15. AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE THIS AGREEMENT
The person or persons executing this Agreement represent and warrant that he/she has the authority to execute this Agreement on behalf of his/her respective party and has the authority to bind his/her respective party to the performance of its obligations hereunder.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the Parties hereto have caused this Assignment Agreement to be executed by their respective officers, duly authorized, as of the Effective Date.

CITY OF HAWAIIAN GARDENS CITY OF LA VERNE
By:___
_____________________________ By:____________________________ Luis Roa, Mayor Tim Hepburn, Mayor
Atte
st: Attest:
________
_______________________________ ______________________________ Pablo Rubio, City Clerk Lupe Estrella, Assistant City Clerk Appr
oved as to Form: Approved as to Form:
________
__________________________ _______________________________ Best, Best, and Krieger LLP , City Attorney Robert Kress, City Attorney 25 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
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Agenda Report

CITY OF LA VERNE
Community Development Department

DATE: September 19, 2022

TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council

FROM: Eric Scherer, AICP, Community Development Director

SUBJECT: Street Closure for a S pecial Event University of La Verne Homecoming - October 14th through October 16th on Third Street, Case No. 94-22SEP

AGENDA SUMMARY

The University of La Verne (ULV) is having a multiday Homecoming event that spans over three days, October 14th-16th. The City Council is requested to consider a street closure for October 14th and 15th. ULV has submitted a request to have the portion of Third Street, between B Street and C Street and the connecting portion of C Street and Second Street, west of D Street to be closed.

RECOMMENDATION

Staff recommends that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 22-67 authorizing the Interim City Manager to execute the agreement with the University of La Verne permitting the closure of the specified streets from October 14th-15th.

DISCUSSION

The request specifically involves the closure of several different streets within the University of La Verne Campus. The request is a portion of Third Street between B Street and C Street along with the portion of C Street, south of Third Street and meets with Second Street, and the portion of Second Street that is west of D Street and meets C S treet. The street closure w ill begin on Friday October 14th at 8:00 PM between B St reet and C St reet with the streets reopening at 10:00 PM on Saturday and their cleanup on Sunday between 8:00 AM-1:00 PM.

The Homecoming event spans three days and is expected to draw between 600- 1000 participants and attendees daily throughout October 14-16. The event will begin on Friday with an Alumni and Faculty dinner of about 250 from 5:00 PM-8:00 PM. Friday at 8:00 AM will begin their street closure on the portion of Third Street, between B Street and C Street and ULV requests that the connecting portion of C Street and Second Street west of D Street (Refer to Attachments C and E for Traffic Control Plans and ULV Site Maps).

Saturday’s events start with the 5K Run at Sneaky Park at 8:00 AM and will end at 9:30 AM (Attachment D). The run itself will be on the sidewalks . From 11:00 AM-2:00 PM, there will be a street fair, which is not setup on the street , but in the University Mall. From 1:30 PM -2:00 PM, the Parade will take place on Third Street, followed by a tailgate in the parking lot north of the football field. Saturday will end with a football game at 5:00 PM. The University of La Verne wi ll then reopen the road at 10:00 PM on Saturday night.

28 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
94-22SEP
September 19, 2022

Page 2 ends

Sunday is the last day of their event, and it will be an Alumni Brunch at 9:30 AM- 10:30 AM. The Streets will not be closed this day at all.

The Public Works, Fir e, Police and Community Development are in the process of reviewing and approving the Traffic Control Plan. Any conditions will be applied to the special event permit approval.

Respectfully submitted by: Nicholas Conti, Planning Intern

Attachments: A. Resolution No. 22-67
B. Agreement with ULV for their Homecoming Event
C. Traffic Control Plans of ULV Homecoming Event
D. 5K Run Event
E. Site Maps of Events

29 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
RESOLUTION NO. 22-67

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE,

COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING THE

EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE FOR THE LA VERNE HOMECOMING EVENT.

BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of La Verne as follows:

Section 1. That the Interim City Manager of the City of La Verne be hereby authorized to execute an Agreement with The University of La Verne, said Agreement being in the form attached hereto and made a part hereof by reference as through the same were set forth in full herein.

Section 2. That the Mayor shall sign and the City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this Resolution and thereupon the same shall take effect and be in force.

PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 19
th day of September,
2022.

___________________________________
Tim Hepburn, Mayor

ATTEST:

_________________________________
Lupe Gaeta Estrella, Assistant City Clerk

I hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution No. 22-67 was duly and regularly adopted by the City Council of the City of La Verne at a meeting thereof held on the 19
th day of September 2022, by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ABSTAIN:

_______________________________
__
Lupe Gaeta Estrella, Assistant City Clerk

30 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting

AGREEMENT TO PERMIT THE UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE HOMECOMING EVENT

THIS AGREEMENT is entered into this 19th day of September 2022, by and between the CITY OF LA VERNE, a municipal corporation (hereinafter “City”) and UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE, (hereinafter “ULV”.) The parties hereto agree as follows:

1. Project. ULV has requested use of certain public streets as a route for the 2022 La Verne Homecoming event on Friday and Saturday, October 14th and 15th, 2022.

2. Liaison/Representatives. The authorize d representative for the City shall be the City Manager or his designee. The City Manager’s designee for this event is Nicholas Conti, Planning Intern. All changes to the schedule or the authorized activities per this Agreement shall be subject to the prior approval of the City Manager’s designee, Nicholas Conti. The authorized representative for ULV is Kimberly Grant, 610-348-5065. The City Manager’s designee for the day of the event shall be the on duty watch commander of the La Verne Police Department, 909- 596-1913.

3. Location. The Homecoming events will be conducted on campus grounds with portions of Third Street, Second Street and C Street being used for their Parade event held on Saturday.

4. Schedule. The ULV Homecoming event will be conducted on October 14 th-16th,
2022 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m on Friday, Saturday 8:00 a.m to 8:00 p.m, with Sunday having (Street closure set up 8:00 a.m. on Friday, with the Street being reopened after ULV Football which starts at 5:00 p.m.). Any deviation from this schedule is subject to the advance approval of the City Manager or his designee.

31 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
2 5. Fees. The following estimated fees shall be deposited by ULV with the City prior to the commencement of event. At the conclusion of the event, an accounting shall be provided to ULV detailing the City’s expenditures for staff time and injury to public property (if any).

Application/Permit Issuance fee: $ 25.00 Police Officer (2/$75 an hour Requested 4 hours) $ 600.00 Police Lieutenant (1/$130 an hour Requested 4 hours) $ 520.00

Total fees/deposit $ 1145.00

6. Street Closures. The Parade route will require traffic control on portions of Third Street, C Street and Second Street. Eastbound Second and Third Street will be closed to traffic along with Southbound C Street. All closures/detours will occur October 14th-15th, 2022 between 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ULV shall also submit a traffic control plan to the City’s Public Works Department for approval. Said approval shall be obtained prior to the event. ULV shall be responsible for all costs associated with field review of the traffic control (as estimated in Section 5) by the La Verne Police Department. ULV shall secure any required permits from other affected agencies, i.e. Los Angeles County, City of Pomona and City of San Dimas.

7. Notification to Residents/Business. ULV shall provide written notices to residents and institutions along the event route and adjacent streets impacted by their Homecoming event.

The notice shall be provided at least five (5) days in advance of the event and shall include the date, time and anticipated traffic measures. The notice shall also include the name of a contact person at the site, who is available by cellular phone
at all times during the event. ULV shall submit the text of the notices to the City Manager’s designee for approval prior to mailing. The City Manager’s designee shall have the authority to extend the notice perimeter if such action is reasonably necessary.

8. Cleanup/Damage to Public Property. The event route and all public property utilized shall be cleaned and restored at the conclusion of the event to its original condition. All 32 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
3 trash, debris, markers, signs, etc., shall be removed by ULV within 24 hours after the cessation of the event. ULV shall be responsible for any damage to public property on route, which occurs during the Parade as the result of the Homecoming event.

9. Insurance. ULV shall provide the City with a certificate of insurance evidencing liability coverage, in an amount of at least $1,000,000, naming the City of La Verne, its elected and appointed officials, employees and/or agents as additional insured. ULV shall also provide evidence of Worker’s Compensation coverage. Evidence of insurance coverage shall be submitted prior to the La Verne Homecoming event.

10. Indemnification. ULV shall indemnify and save harmless City, its officers and employees, from and against any and all damages to property or injuries to or death of any person or persons, including property and employees or agents of City, and shall defend, indemnify and save harmless City, its officers, employees and agents, from and against any and all claims, demands, suits, actions or proceedings of any kind or nature, including, but not by way of limitation, Worker’s Compensation claims, resulting from or arising out of the conduct of the event.

11. Notices. Notices and correspondence shall be delivered in person or sent by certified mail to the following addresses:

CITY: UNIVERSTIY OF LA VERNE:

City of La Verne University of La Verne
Attention: City Manager c/o Kimberly Grant
3660 “D” Street 1950 Third Street
La Verne, CA 91750-3599 La Verne, CA 91750
909-596-8726 909-448-4683

33 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
4 12. Attorney’s Fees. In the event that any legal action is commenced to enforce or interpret the terms or conditions of this Agreement, the prevailing party shall, in addition to any other relief and costs, be entitled to reasonable outside attorney’s fees.

13. Termination of Agreement. This Agreement may be terminated with cause by either party hereto. Unless earlier terminated for cause, this Agreement shall be effective on the date signed by both parties and shall terminate on October 15th, 2022. The indemnification provision in paragraph 10 shall survive the termination of the Agreement and remain in full force and effect for all applicable instances resulting from the event.

14. Entire Agreement. This Agreement represents the entire agreement between the parties hereto as to the matters contained herein.

15. Amendment. This Agreement may be amended upon the written mutual agreement of the parties through their designated representatives.

IN WITNESS of the foregoing, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on the date first written above.

CITY OF LA VERNE

By:_____________________________________
Jesse Duff, Interim City Manager

UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE

By:____________________________________
Kimberly Grant, University of La Verne

ATTEST:

____________________________________
Lupe Gaeta Estrella, CMC
Assistant City Clerk
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Agenda Report

CITY OF LA VERNE
City Engineer

DATE: September 19, 2022

TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council

FROM: Cody A. Howing, City Engineer

SUBJECT: Final Tract Map Approval; Tentative Tract No. 83064 (2820 Amherst St.) ______________________________________________________________________

AGENDA SUMMARY:

On April 19 , 2021 the City Council approved T entative Tract Map No. 83064 for 42 detached single- family homes located on a parcel formerly owned by the City of La Verne. The Final Tract M ap has been submitted for approval , allowing for the subdivision of a signal parcel with an approximate area of 5.57 acres.

RECOMMENDATION:

Staff recommends that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 22-68, approving the Final Tract Map No. 83064 for 42 unit detached single family homes and direct staff to sign the map as to its conformance with the Subdivision Map Act, Specific Plan (109-20SP) and General Plan Amendment (19-20GPA).

BACKGROUND:

This 5.57 acre site at 2820 Amherst Street is located south west of the intersection at Amherst St . and Williams Ave . The site is currently vacant and was formerly a commercial nursery operated on City owned property through a lease agreement .

Adjacent land uses to the site include single family residential development to the north and east, and the Twin Oaks Mobile Home P ark to the south and west of the site. The City of La Verne Amherst Groundwater Treatment Plant also shares a boundary with the site to the north east.

On March 17th, 2021 the Planning Commission recommended that the Council deny the project as proposed but also indicated support for a lower density proposal. On April 19, 2021 City Council approved the project for the 42 unit detached single- family development including the Tentative Tract Map (18- 20TTM), Specific Plan (109 -20SP) and General Plan Amendment (19-20GPA) associated with the project. At the time of the April 19, 2021 City Council meeting the project applicant was MJW Investments LLC. , ownership of the property and project has been transferred to KB Home Greater Los Angeles Inc.
44 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
Agenda Report- Final Tract Map Approval; Tentative Tract No. 83064 (2820 Amherst Street)

Page 2 ends

The project includes circular interior private streets with 42 two-story signal family homes.

All of the homes will have private outdoor spaces, two car garages, driveways, on street parking and open space. The project also includes a park which is to be maintained by the Homeowners Association.

Pursuant to California Government Code §66459, the legislative body is required to approve the map if it conforms to all the requirements of the Subdivision Map Act, applicable conditions of approval and ordinances in effect at the time of approval or conditional approval of the tentative map and any rulings made thereunder. If the map does not conform, the legislative body shall disapprove the map.

Issuance of permits for grading and the first phase of construction for a residential development cannot begin unless the subdivision map has recorded along with the posting of improvement bonds pursuant to City policy.

Attachments: City Council Resolution No. 22-68
Subdivision Agreement
Survey Monument Agreement
Performance Bond
Labor and Materials Bond
Survey Monument Bond
Tract Map

45 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
RESOLUTION 22-68

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE, COUNTY OF

LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALI FORNIA, APPROVING THE FINAL MAP FOR TRACT 83064, A REQUEST BY KB HOME GREATER LOS ANGELES INC. , TO SUBDIVIDE ONE PARCEL WITH AREA OF 5.57 ACRES AT 2820 AMHERST STREET INTO A 42 UNIT, SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED SUBDIVISION

WHEREAS, Tentative Tract Map 83064 was approved by the Planning Commission with t he adoption of Resolution No. 21-17 on September April 19, 2022; and

WHEREAS, the Final Map has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Subdivision Map Act and the La Verne Subdivision Ordinance; and

WHEREAS, conditions to be fulfilled prior to map recordation are being met and will be completed prior to recordation and the City Engineer has checked the final map for conformance with the approved Tentative Tract Map, and the City Surveyor checked the final map to confirm that it is technically correct;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of La Verne as follows:

Section 1. In connection with Final Tract Map No. 83064, the City Council of the City of La Verne, in accordance with Government Code Sections 66473.5 and 66474, HEREBY FINDS AND DETERMINES that Final Tract Map 83064 is con sistent with Tentative Map 83064, which is consiste nt with the requirements of the La Verne Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances and as follows:

1. That the proposed map is consistent with the General Plan Amendment ( 19- 20GPA) and Specific Plan Case No. 109-20SPA.

2. That the design or improvement of the subdivision is consistent with the Gener al Plan of the City of La Verne and Specific Plan Case No. 109-20SPA.

3. That the final map meets the requirements of the zoning ordinance.

4. That the site is physically suitable for development.

5. That the design of the subdivision and the proposed improvements are not likely to cause substantial environmental damage or substantially and avoidably injure fish or wildlife or their habitat.

6. That the design of the subdivision or type of improvements is not likely to cause serious public health problems.

46 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
2 Resolution No. 22-68

7. That the design of the subdivision or type of improvements will not conflict with easements acquired by public at large, for access through or use of, property within the proposed subdivision.

8. Discharge of wastes from the subdivision will not result in the violation of existing requirements as prescribed by California Regional Water Quality Control Board.

9. The subject property is not land subject to contract pursuant to the California Land Conservation Act.

10. That the final map will be recorded after the City Attorney, City Engineer, and Community Development Director reviews and approves the Covenants, Codes, and Restrictions for the project.

Section 2. That the City of La Verne HEREBY APPROVES t he Final Map for Tract 83064 subject to the posting of all standard bonds and/or cash deposits and inspection fees in amounts stipulated.

Section 3. That the City Council accepts easements for public utility purposes as shown on Final Tract Map No. 83064.

Section 4. That the Mayor shall sign and the Assistant City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this Resolution and thereupon the same shall take effect and be in force.

APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 19TH day of September, 2022.

Tim Hepburn, Mayor
ATTEST:

__________________________________
Lupe Gaeta Estrella, Assistant City Clerk
47 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
3 Resolution No. 22-68

CERTIFICATION

I, Lupe Gaeta Estrella, Assistant City Clerk of the City of La Verne, DO HEREBY CERTIFY that Resolution No. 22 -68 was duly passed and adopted by the said City Council at a regular meeting of the said Council held on the 19th day of September, 2022 by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ABSTAIN:

Lupe Gaeta Estrella, Assistant City Clerk

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OWNER'S STATEMENT:

BASIS OF BEARINGS:

CITY CLERK'S CERTIFICATE:

SURVEYOR'S STATEMENT
CITY ENGINEER'S STATEMENT:

IN THE CITY OF LA VERNE, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA TRACT MAP NO. 83064
SHEET 1 OF 6 SHEETS 42 LOTS
(5.57 ACRES)

NOTARY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
CITY TREASURER'S CERTIFICATE:

MIKE LOPEZ, L.S. 8995 VERTEX SURVEYING, INC DATE OF SURVEY: MARCH 2022 LOS ANGELES COUNTY TAX CERTIFICATES:

CITY SURVEYOR STATEMENT:
242,461 S.F.

NOTARY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
7 LETTERED LOTS
65 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting

WILLIAMS AVENUE

AMHERST STREET

PEPPERDINE
COURT
SAPPHIRE ROAD (PVT.)
WILDFLOWER WAY (PVT.)
VESPER WAY (PVT.)
MELODY STREET (PVT.)
CRIMSON STREET (PVT.)
TR 36852

SMITH STREET
(DARTMOUTH STREET)
SEE DETAIL "B"

FOOTHILLBLVD

BRADFORD STREET

POLARIS
WAY
GEMCIR
LIVE OAK WASH (L.A.C.F.C.D.)

STONE CIRCLE
(FORMERLY FERNIE STREET)
PARCEL MAP NO. 3408
BOOK 43, PAGE 86
PARCEL MAP NO. 6504
BOOK 72, PAGE 66
SEE DETAIL "A"

BOWDEN STREET

COLLEGE WAY

LINE TABLE
LEGEND:

BRADFORD STREET
LIVE OAK WASH (L.A.C.F.C.D.)
DETAIL "A"

NOT TO SCALE

CURVE TABLE
DETAIL "B"

NOT TO SCALE

IN THE CITY OF LA VERNE, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA TRACT MAP NO. 83064
SHEET OF 6 SHEETS2
66 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting

AMHERST STREET
CRIMSON STREET (PVT.)
1 4,407 S.F.
2 3,851 S.F.
3 3,513 S.F.
4 3,465 S.F.
5 3,465 S.F.
28 3,842 S.F.
29 3,465 S.F.
30 3,461 S.F.
3 970 S.F.

LOT A
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LOT B
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IN THE CITY OF LA VERNE, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA TRACT MAP NO. 83064
SHEET OF 6 SHEETS SCALE: 1" = 20'3
SEE SHEET 4
SEE SHEET 4
SEE SHEET 5
67 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
MELODY STREET (PVT.)
VESPER WAY (PVT.)
SAPPHIRE ROAD (PVT.)
5 3,465 S.F.
6 3,465 S.F.
7 3,465 S.F.
8 3,465 S.F.
9 3,465 S.F.
10 3,465 S.F.
11 3,474 S.F.
12 3,908 S.F.
13 3,908 S.F.
14 3,742 S.F.15
3,679 S.F.
37 3,465 S.F.
38 3,405 S.F.
39 3,405 S.F.
40 3,465 S.F.
31 3,405 S.F.
32 3,465 S.F.
4 225 S.F.

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SHEET OF 6 SHEETS SCALE: 1" = 20'4
SEE SHEET 3
SEE SHEET 5
68 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
WILDFLOWER WAY (PVT.)
16 3,679 S.F.
17 3,679 S.F.
18 3,783 S.F.19
3,679 S.F.
20 3,962 S.F.
21 3,681 S.F.
22 3,579 S.F.
23 3,573 S.F.
24 3,566 S.F.
25 3,559 S.F.
26 3,552 S.F.
27 3,606 S.F.
35 3,405 S.F.
36 3,465 S.F. 3,465 S.F.
3,465 S.F.
41 3,465 S.F.
42 3,405 S.F.
33 3,465 S.F.
34 3,727 S.F.
5 225 S.F.
6 124 S.F.

CL
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IN THE CITY OF LA VERNE, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA TRACT MAP NO. 83064
SHEET OF 6 SHEETS SCALE: 1" = 20'5
SEE SHEET 4
SEE SHEET 2
69 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
MELODY
STREET
(PVT.)
LOT A
DETAIL "B"
LOT B
1 AMHERST STREET
LOT G

IN THE CITY OF LA VERNE, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA TRACT MAP NO. 83064
SHEET OF 6 SHEETS6
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71 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
Agenda Report

CITY OF LA VERNE
Public Works Department

DATE: September 19, 2022

TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council

FROM: Cody A. Howing, City Engineer

SUBJECT: Award of Contract for the “E” Street and 2
nd Street Improvement
Project

________________________________________________________________

AGENDA SUMMARY:

The Public W orks D epartment recently solicited bids for street improvement project along portions of E Street and 2
nd Street. The planned improvements
include demolition, new sidewalk, intersection bulb- outs, landscaping, lighting enhancements, water quality BMP installation, asphalt pavement, and decorative concrete crosswalks. The project was advertised on August 5th and August 12th, 2022 with bid proposals received and opened via electronic platform “Planet Bids” on September 7, 2022.

RECOMMENDATION:

Staff recommends that the City Council approve Resolution No. 22-69, which awards a public works contract to Gentry Brothers , Inc., the lowest, most responsible bidder, in the amount of $1,6 24,894.20 including additive bid items A-1 through A -3, and authorize staff to issue change orders not exceeding 10% of the construction budget.

This project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act, Section 15301 – Existing F acilities, and City of La Verne environmental guidelines.

BACKGROUND:

On September 7, 2022 five sealed bids were opened for the E Street and 2 nd Street Improvement Project . The work consists of furnishing all necessary materials, labor, tools, equipment and services to improve the Old Town La Verne streetscape at the intersection of E Street and 2 nd Street.

72 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
Agenda Report
Award of Bid – E Street and 2nd Street Improvement Project September 19, 2022

Following is a summary of the bid results:

BIDDER TOTAL
Gentry Brothers, Inc. $1,624,894.20
CT&T Concrete Paving Inc. $1,959,409.00
AID Builders, Inc. $2,017,788.75
Environmental Construction, Inc. $2,311,965.00
All American Asphalt $2,562,677.00

The engineer’s estimate for the project was $1,950,000 .00. As noted above, the bids ranged from $1,624,894.20 to $2,562,677.00. Staff has evaluated the bid of the apparent low bidder and found Gentry Brothers, Inc. to be the lowest, most responsible and responsive bid of the five received. The firm has recently completed projects in Glendora, Montclair, Ontario, Covina, Arcadia as well as past performance of similar work for the City of La Verne.

This p roject includes improvements to “E” Street from Arrow Highway to 2 nd
Street and on 2 nd Street from “E” to “D” Street. T he proposed improvements include widening the existing sidewalk to utilize t he full existing Right -of-Way, removing the existing trees along the corridor, replacing existing trees and new landscape ground cover with drought tolerant species, new irrigation, installation of new lighting improvements, accessibility improvements including new curb ramps, intersection bulb- outs at the intersection of “E” Street and 2 nd Street and
water quality enhancing tree well units. The project also includes installation of “Sharrow” pavement markings to designate the project area as a Class III B ike way facility. Shar row pavement markings are also proposed to extend along “E” Street north to Bonita Avenue to improve connectivity to the Class II Bike Lane facilities located on Bonita Avenue.

The proposed improvements are intended to enhance usability for both pedestrians and bicycle users in the area as this will be a primary corridor for connecting Old Town La Verne and the University of La Vern to the future Foothill Gold Line Station.

FISCAL

This project is funded by the City’s Enhanced Infrastructure Finance District (EIFD) and will be the first project to utilize the EIFD as a funding source. The EIFD was establish to support funding infrastructure projects near the Foothill Gold Line Station and other identified sub areas included in the District . The approved 2022-2023 capital improvement program has $1,300,000 budgeted for this project.
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Award of Bid – E Street and 2nd Street Improvement Project September 19, 2022

Due to continued increase to construction costs caused by inflation, materials costs and labor shortages the budget for this project has grown beyond the amount budgeted in the 2022- 2023 CIP budget. To balance the project budget, an appropriation of an additional $487,383.62 to cover additional costs and a construction contingency of 10%.

The City has entered into a lease agreement to finance work to be completed .

This agreement has been established to be reimbursed by revenue from the EIFD. On June 6, 2022, City Council and the Joint Powers Financing Authority approved a site lease agreement which has yielded a principal amount of $3,500,000 for this project and others identified as priorities for the EIFD .

Adequate funds are available to balance the full cost of this project.

COMPLETE STREETS POLICY COMPLIANCE

The City Council adopted a Complete Streets policy that seeks to develop a transportation system that serves all users in a safe and efficient manner regardless of their mode of travel (Resolution No. 17- 71). Implementation of the policy for street maintenance activities requires the public works department plan, design, construct, operate and maintain appropriate facilities for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, motorists, children, the elderly and people of all abilities in all new construction, reconstruction and repaving improvements.

This project is compliant with the Complete Streets Policy.

74 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
RESOLUTION NO. 22-69

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE, COUNTY OF LOS

ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF A PUBLIC WORKS CONTRACT WITH GENTRY BROTHERS INC. FOR THE “E” STREET AND 2 ND STREET IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.

WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of La Verne, County of Los Angeles, State of California, has heretofore advertised for bids for the construction of a public works project; and,

WHEREAS, said bids have been opened at the time designated and considered by the City Engineer of the City of La Verne; and,

WHEREAS, said City Engineer has recommended to said City Council that the bid of Gentry Brothers, Inc. in the amount of $1,64,894.20 is in accordance with plans, specifications and other data incidental to the obtaining of bids for such improvements, is the lowest and best responsible bid and should be accepted by the City Council; and,

WHEREAS, said bid has now been considered by the City Council;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of La Verne as follows:

Section 1. That said City Council does hereby find and determine that the bid of said Contractor is the lowest and best responsible bid for the construction of said project.

Section 2. That the contract for the construction of said project, as set forth, is in accordance with the plans, specifications and other data, and the same is hereby awarded to said Contractor subject to the following conditions:

a. That said Contractor execute and deliver an appropriate contract covering said work;
b. That the form of said contract shall be approved by the City Attorney for the City of La Verne;
c. That said Contractor post with the City of La Verne appropriate bonds covering Faithful Performance, and Labor and Materials, both in the amount of the contract, as required by said specifications; and,
d. That said Contractor provide the City of La Verne with certificates of insurance naming the City and the Engineer as additional insured in accordance with the contract documents.

Section 3. That the Mayor and City Clerk are hereby authorized on behalf of the City of La Verne to enter into a contract with said Contractor, for the construction of said project as set forth and in accordance with plans, specifications and other data therein referred to. 75 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
2 Resolution No. 22-69

Section 4. That said City Council does hereby find and determine that this project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act, Section 15301 – Existing Facilities, and the City of La Verne environmental guidelines and affirms the State’s determination of a Categorical Exclusion under NEPA, 23 CFR 771.117(c): activity (c)(4)

Section 5. That the Mayor shall sign and the City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this Resolution and thereupon the same shall take effect and be in force.

PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 19th day of September, 2022.

Mayor Tim Hepburn
ATTEST:

Lupe Gaeta Estrella, Assistant City Clerk

CERTIFICATION

I, Lupe Gaeta Estrella, Assistant City Clerk of the City of La Verne, Do HEREBY CERTIFY that Resolution No. 22-69 was duly passed and adopted by the said City Council at a meeting of the said Council held on the 19th day of September, 2022 and passed and adopted by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ABSTAIN:
__________________________________
Lupe Gaeta Estrella, Assistant City Clerk

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CITY OF LA VERNE
Community Services Department

DATE: September 19, 2022

TO: Mayor and City Council

FROM: Candice Bowcock, Principal Planner

SUBJECT: La Verne Wilderness Plan and Environmental Impact Report ____________________________________________________________________ __

Agenda Summary

In 2006, the City acquired 208 acres in north La Verne through State grant funds obtained in cooperation with the County of Los Angeles, the Trust for Public Land, and the La Verne Land Conservancy. This land was combined with 150 acres already owned by the City to create an open space preserve of 358 acres, collectively referred to as the Wilderness Area. The Wilderness Area Management and Public Access Plan includes selective habitat enhancement actions, the resolution of public safety hazards, and opportunities for limited controlled public access as part of the City’s stewardship responsibilities for the Wilderness Area. The Management Plan includes goals for specific physical improvements or management policies that would implement the vision for the Wilderness Area.

Recommendation

Staff and the Planning Commission recommend City Council adopt Resolution Number 22- 72, approving t he Wilderness Area Management and Public Access Plan and certifying the Final Environmental Impact Report.

Background

The grant funds used to acquire the Wilderness Area were dedicated to the “ acquisition, development, improvement, rehabilitation, or restoration of real property for parks and park safety, senior recreation facilities, gang prevention, beaches, recreation, com munity, or cultural facilities, trails, wildlife habitat or natural land in order to establish open space areas ”. At the time the funds were allocated for purchasing the lands, the City agreed to maintain and operate the property.

Conditions in the grant f unding include specific stipulations requiring reasonable public access, except where such access would interfere with resource protection , and prohibiting flood control projects within the grant lands. In order to fulfill the requirements of the land acquisition grant, the La Verne Wilderness Area Management and Public Access Plan was prepared to address the resolution of wildlife conservation, public access, and habitat management issues.

In 2007 and 2008, the City began the planning process to develop a Draft Management Plan for the Wilderness Area. This planning was structured around three facilitated public workshops. An average of approximately 45 individuals, many of them neighbors to the Wilderness Area, attended each workshop. The workshops were conducted to solicit community perspectives about a "Vision" for the Wilderness Area and identify resource management and/or passive outdoor recreation and education activities to be evaluated for inclusion in the plan, to discuss management opportunities and constraints, present a framework for management alternatives, solicit individual views about 78 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
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management alternatives, to review the preferred Draft Management Plan recommendations and solicit individual views about those recommendations.

In addition to the public workshops, the City conducted individual and small group interviews with government agencies, special interest groups, and immediate neighbors to the Wilderness Area to specifically discuss public access. The public access discussi ons took into account the legal requirements associated with the acquisition grant, management responsibilities, and alternative management methods and facilities that would be helpful in controlling public access.

In October, 2008 a Draft M anagement Plan was produced for the City’s consideration that out lined recommendations for habitat resource enhancement, public safety actions, and controlled public access along with selected management alternatives. At that time, due to a lack of funds t o complete an Environmental Impact Report, the City elected to postpone any action in advancing the review and refinement of the Draft Management Plan.

In 2015, at a City Council Workshop, staff presented Council with an overview of the open space project, the management plan findings, the cost of improvements, and recommended next steps.

The City Council asked staff to prepare a Request for Proposal for the Open Space Project outlining an update of the Management Plan and the Environmental Impact Report. Staff reviewed the proposals received from consultants and recommended Rincon Consultants, Inc. to update the Management Plan and the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report. Also, two of the consultants who worked on the original management plan had been hired by Rincon to work on the update which provided good continuity between the original public process/document and the current effort.

In 2016, the City re- initiated review of the management options presented in the 2008 Draft Management Plan and determined to prepare an Environmental Impact Report for the management program consistent with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines.

On September 20, 2016, a public scoping workshop was conducted to review the resources and public access management concepts being considered and to solicit direction from the community for how to best steward the Wilderness Area resources while also providing low- impact outdoor recreation and educational experiences. There were 26 people in attendance, primarily the neighbors immediately south of the Wilderness Area. A summary of each meeting can be reviewed in the attached La Verne Wilderness Area Management and Public Access Plan, Appendix B.

Since the City Attorney recused himself becaus e of a conflict of intere st, the City retained Barbara Leibold, from the law firm of Leibold, McClendon and Mann, to represent the City on this matter.

The Planning Commission conducted a meeting on October 10, 2018, where staff presented the Commission with the draft Wilderness Area Management and Public Access Plan and the Environmental Impact Report. The nearby residents attended the meeting and the vast majority voiced their concerns and objections to the proposed loop trail and increased public access into the existing open space area. After listening to the residents’ concerns, the Planning Commission voted to continue the item so that staff could further research what level of “public access” was appropriate.

The item returned to the Planning Commission on January 9, 2019, where staff provided an update related to the meaning of “public access” from Mr. Wicker, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation, and the revised resolution proposing a two phased plan. Mr.

Wicker stated, “The current level of public access to the Wilderness Area is sufficient to meet the 79 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
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reasonable public access requirements.” Many people attending that meeting, including a number of cyclists, voiced their concerns and the desire to have a trail connecting to the “Sunset Motor Ridge Trail”, along with other general improvements to access the area. Also speaking at that meeting were the La Verne residents that live adjacent to the area on Monterey Street and Golden Hills Road. These residents continued to speak in opposition to Phase 2 of the plan (the loop trail) and to the increase of public access.

The Planning Commission had a split vote of 2- 2 to recommend City Council adoption of the Plan and approval of the EIR. After the Planning Commission meeting, staff, along with the La Verne Land Conservancy, met with Adrienne Dunfee, Deputy Monument Manager with the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. According to Ms. Dunfee’s letter, (Attachment H) portions of the La Verne Wilderness Area fall within a special portion of the Angeles National Forest known as the San Dimas Experimental Forest. The “Sunset Motor Ridge Trail” is identified by the Forest Service as an administrative road used for management of the Experimental Forest area and to provide access to communication sites located within the forest area. Public access to this trail is not consistent with the current management of the Experimental Forest. The letter also states that the Forest Service does not have jurisdiction over private land within the Experimental Forest area and would not support new trails that connect to, or encourage, access to the Experimental Forest area. Therefore, the connection to the “Sunset Motor Ridge Trail” would not be supported.

Staff also met with the La Verne Land Conservancy again to discuss their ongoing concerns related to building more trails and opening the area up to more public access from La Verne. The Conservancy requested that an objective to the Resolution be added to ensure that the process continues into the near future. Objective 1.0 states:

“The City will support and engage with the La Verne Land Conservancy to further evaluate and explore feasibility for possible trail and accessibility options within the limits of the existing Environmental Impact Report. It is intended that this effort would take place within the next 24 months.”

There are two phases proposed within Resolution Number 22-72. Phase 1 consists of maintenance, security, fuel modification, planting, and protecting the wilderness area. Phase 2 includes the development of the loop trails and the increase of public access to the area. Conditions were also added that if there is ever a desire for Phase 2 to move forward, an update to the Environmental Impact Report (as necessary), a public workshop, and City Council approval would be required prior to implementation. This will ensure that Phase 2 will only move forward with proper notification to the residents and ultimately a vote of the City Council.

The letter from the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation also stated that, “If the proposed improvements detailed in the scope of the Development Project are infeasible, then the City may need to request termination of the grant and relinquish its claim to the $650,000 for the project. The City also has the option to request to amend the project scope.” Staff believes this money will be spent on Phase 1 of the project, but may have to revise the scope of the project to be sure the grant money can be used properly.

Staff and special legal counsel felt that in light of some new information, requested changes to the resolution by the La Verne Land Conservancy, and the Forest Service’s further explanations, that the item should return back to the Planning Commission for a new vote. The project went back to the Planning Commission a third time on April 10, 2019. At this meeting, Ms. Dunfee, with the Forest Service, addressed the Planning Commission. At this meeting the Planning Commission voted to recommend approval to the City Council.
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There has been a gap of time since the Planning Commission recommended approval of the Plan to the City Council in April of 2019 due to various obstacles. There are also new City Council members that may not have been aware of the proposed plan and the work that has been completed over the years, therefore staff felt that it was necessary to conduct a study session to present the project in its entirety before going to a public hearing. On August 1, 2022, the City Council held a study session and staff presented the project in its’ entirety.

ANALYSIS:

The Wilderness Area is located north of Golden Hills Road, east of Mountain Springs Ranch Road, and west of Stephens Ranch Road. The Wilderness Area is located partially within, and surrounded to the west/northwest, north, and east by the Angeles National Forest and the recently -designated San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. Residential developments are adjacent to the Wilderness Area along Divot Drive to the southwest and along Monterey Street, Calle Aragon, and Brydon Road to the south. The majority of the Wilderness Area consists of open space and mostly undeveloped land. The southwestern corner of the Wilderness Area, along Monterey Street, has been disturbed by mowing activities and a fire road (Sunset Peak Mountainway). The remainder of the Wilderness Area is relatively undisturbed and covered in dense vegetation, with the exception of a few disturbed areas along the southern edge of the Wilderness Area and along the fire road.

The Wilderness Area Management and Public Access Plan includes an 8 foot wide 0.6 mile loop trail located south of the open space area just north west of Monterey Street (previously referred to in this report as the Phase 2 component). There will be an access point, pedestrian access with day use only, trail related pedestrian activities only, and a phased public access program based on available staff resources and funding. Parking is encouraged to occur on the south side of Golden Hills Road with the pedestrian access easement from Golden Hills Road just south/ west of loop trail.

The Wilderness Area is a place where natural resources are managed for diversity. Through controlled public access, it offers a sense of tranquility where individuals and small groups can safely visit to experience, enjoy, and learn. The Wilderness Area is a benefit to its immediate neighbors and the city as a whole. The Wildlife Conservation Board’s grant terms requires the Wilderness Area to be managed “for the purposes of wildlife habitat preservation, restoration and management, wildlife-oriented education, habitat preservation, and protection of sensitive biological resources.” Therefore, the Wilderness Area Management and Public Access Plan includes selective habitat enhancement actions, the resolution of public safety hazards and opportunities for lim ited controlled public access as part of the City’s stewardship responsibilities for the Wilderness Area.

Goals:

The following goals are specific physical improvements or m anagement policies that would implement the vision for the Wilderness Area. To the extent practicable and allowable by physical, biological, and social constraints, the City is committed to specific associated obj ectives for the Wilderness Area including:

Wildlife Habitat Conservation: addressing habitat enhancement and stewardship activities

Public Safety: addressing potential hazards including flooding and wildfire

Public Access: addressing provision of low-impact trail-related recreation and interpretive education 81 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
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General Management Goals: addressing ongoing oversight, operation, and maintenance of the Wilderness Area

Flood/Runoff Hazard:

The Wilderness Area consists of vacant, natural open space encompassing several steep, relatively small canyons that drain into a single unimproved watercourse and end at an outlet located at Golden Hills Road. As a consequence, the Wilderness Area and land downstream have been subject to flooding during heavy rain events. Local hydrology studies sugges t that prior to any development in the canyon, a system of debris basins be constructed to protect existing and future development downstream. However, pursuant to conditions contained in the gr ant funding agreement, no flood control improvements are allowed in the 208- acre portion of the Wilderness Area purchased using grant funds.

Locating a hiking trail in the floodplain of an intermittent drainage and then crossing the drainage is challenging relative to the ongoing maintenance of the trail. Careful design and choice of materials can be used to minimize any undercutting of the trail and avoid ongoing rehabilitation costs. A cautious approach in trail siting, design, and development will be used to start a trail route composed of natural materials involving minimal grading. After a sufficient annual monitoring period of runoff patterns, the trail location may be modified as appropriate.

The goal that addresses existing flood problems is based on considerations of issues primarily raised by immediate neighbors to the Wilderness Area. The City has explored the const ruction of a flood control debris basin in the Wilderness Area, as part of a management approach to alleviate the flood hazard onsite and downstream. However, the ability to respond to this issue is constrained by (1) the stipulations of the State grant that do not allow such improvements within the 208-acre portion of the Wilderness Area and, (2) the 150-acre portion of the Wilderness Area that has no such grant restrictions contains topography that makes locating such a debris basin structure infeasible. These improvements also have significant construction and on-going maintenance costs.

The City is may explore the possibility of installing and maintaining woody debris racks across three tributary drainages for purposes of reducing the amount of woody de bris that could be carried downstream during heavy rainfall which can be seen in Objective 2.1 and Figure 6/7 of the Management Plan.

Fire Hazard:

The City of La Verne is one of 1,289 communities in California identified as a “community at risk” by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE). The City is also designated a Hazard Level Code of “3,” which indicates the highest fire threat level.

To address the potential for increased fire hazard associated with public use, the City is committed to programming and implementing necessary fuel modification activit ies whenever possible to protect nearby neighborhoods from wildfires which can be seen in more detail in Goal 3 of the plan.

The City will also provide rules for use of the Wilderness Area that close the area during periods of potential flood risk and high and extreme fire danger, prohibit fires of any kind, and limit the number of access points for the public to enter.

In cooperation with the La Verne Fire Department and other fire authorities (CAL FIRE, Los Angeles County, U.S. Forest Service), a local Brush and Fuel Load Management Plan will be prepared. 82 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
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The EIR was prepared in 2018, and since then there were two additional sections that were added within the CEQA Guidelines, Energy and Wildfire. Energy addresses wasteful energy associated with a project. This project will be responsible for no wasted energy, driving to the site is minimal and construction/maintenance related activities will be temporary. The added section of Wildfire was already addressed in the EIR in the Hazard Section in 2018 and addresses the intent on the checklist items, therefore no further study is required.

Public Access

Public use and enjoyment of the Wilderness Area's natural setting is understood to be a communitywide benefit, however some immediate neighbors have expressed concerns about the increased potential for wildfires and the interruption of their own quiet enjoyment of their backyard environments.

Considerations for public access and use include a wide range of opt ions. These vary from no new public access to open access with hour restrictions. Expressed issues generally fell into the following areas: public safety, increased fire hazard, access options, parking at access points, the expansion of trail network and connectivity to adjacent Angeles National Forest lands versus no or limited new trails, the provision of restroom and water facilities, and security and maintenance costs.

In order to address these various perspectives, a number of goals and objectives are incorporated into the Management Plan. Overall, the goals and objectives, when taken as a whole, are aimed at providing an enjoyable outdoor recreation experience directed toward access to the adjacent Angeles National Forest with no or minimal impact to the environment and nearby neighborhoods.

Cost

Projected capital improvement costs to provide flood protection, enhance natural habitat values, and offer new and enhanced visitor experiences consistent with the goals and objectives of the Management Plan is detailed in Appendix C of the Management Plan. Projected costs are not absolute and should be reassessed as needed.

The estimated cost for the improvements for the first 1- 2 years for the Wilderness Area total $849,990. The next 3- 5 years of improvements total $246,629 and 5 years and beyond total $108,900. The City has obtained two (2) County of Los Angeles grants, one totaling $150,000 and the other totaling $500,000 for the Open Space improvements.

Environmental Impact Report

The primary objectives of the EIR process under the California Environmental Q uality Act (CEQA) are to inform decision-makers and the public about a project’s potentially significant environmental effects, identify feasible ways to minimize significant effects, and consider a reasonable range of alternatives to the project. This Final EIR has been prepared by the environmental consultant; Rincon Consultants, Inc. and has been reviewed by City staff for completeness and adequacy in accordance with Public Resources Code (PRC) Sections 21000– 21177 and the State CEQA Guidelines. All impacts were defined as less than significant or less than significant with mitigation incorporated. A table of all mitigation measures can be seen in the attached Draft Environmental Impact Report, page 4.

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The attached Final Environmental Impact Report contains individual responses to each comment received during the public review period for the Draft Environmental Impact Report. As prescribed by the State CEQA Guidelines Sections 15088 and 15132, the lead agency, the City of La Verne is required to evaluate comments on significant envi ronmental issues received during the public comment period from persons who have reviewed the Draft EIR and to prepare written responses to those comments. The attached Final Environmental Impact Report, together with the Draf t Environmental Impact Report will co mprise the Environmental Impact Report for this project.

Pursuant to the requirements of CEQA, the City of La Verne must certify the EIR as complete and adequate prior to approval of the project or a project alternative.

One of the Land Use and Planning impacts identified is the amendment to the General Plan land use designation. The mitigation measure requires the City to re- designate the land use designation for the entirety of the Wilderness area from Hillside residential to open space within the next 5 years. This will be updated through the development of the City’s current effort in updating the General Plan. The other mitigation measure states that the City shall revise the allowable land uses for the P -R zoning to allow for open space, this will be done through an update of the Municipal Code.

In conjunction with the adoption of the plan, staff will also amend the Municipal Code section

6.16.080 to allow for dogs in the wilderness area. City Council will review this request at that time.

Notice of Public Hearing

A notice of a public hearing before the City Council was published in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin on August 25, 2022 and notices were mailed on August 29, 2022 to property owners within at least 300 feet of the site.

A. DRAFT CC Resolution No. 22-72
B. Draft Environmental Impact Report
C. Final Environmental Impact Report
D. Draft Wilderness Area Management and Public Access Plan E. Planning Commission Resolution Number 1232
F. Letter from Matthew Bokach, Forest Service 05-01-17
G. Letter to LA County Parks and Recreation 10-18-18
H. Letter from LA County Parks and Recreation 11-26-18
I. Planning Commission Public Comments 08-16-18
J. Letter from Adrienne Dunfee, Forest Service 03-22-19

84 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
Resolution No. 22-72 Page 1
RESOLUTION NO. 22-72 1
2 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE, COUNTY OF LOS 3 ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA APPROVING THE LA VERNE WILDERNESS AREA 4 MANAGEMENT AND PUBLIC ACCESS PLAN WITH A PHASING PLAN AND CERTI FYING 5 OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT 6
7 WHEREAS, Sections 2.48.020 through 2.48.165 of the La Verne Municipal Code empowers 8 the Planning Commission to recommend appropriate legislation to the City Council regarding 9 the orderly growth, development, and environmental character of the community; and 10 11 WHEREAS, Sections 65453 et seq. of the California Government Code authorize the 12 Planning Commission to consider and recommend action to the City Council concerning plans; 13 and 14
15 WHEREAS, on April 10, 2019, the Planning Commission conducted a public hearing in 16 which it recommended City Council adoption of the La Verne Wilderness Area Management and 17 Public Access Plan, finding the plan to be in co nformance with the goals and objec tives on the 18 La Verne General Plan; and 19
20 WHEREAS, a notice of public hearing was published in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin and 21 mailed to all owners of properties within at least 300 feet of the property; and 22 23 WHEREAS, the proposed plan has less than significant impacts or less than si gnificant 24 impacts on the environment after mitigation measures are in place and adopts the prepared 25 Environmental Impact Report; and 26
27 WHEREAS, the City Council conducted a duly noticed public hearing on September 19, 28 2022 and considered public testimony in accordance with City and State requirements. 29 30 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of La Verne as 31 follows: 32
33 Section 1 . Environmental Determination. The City Council HEREBY FINDS and 34 DETERMINES that (i) the plan has less than s ignificant impacts or less than significant impacts 35 on the environment after mitigation measures are in place ; (ii) the Environmental Impact Report 36 (“EIR”) reflects the City’s, as the lead agency, independent review and analysis of the EIR; and 37 (iii) the EIR, as presented, has been prepared in accordance with the CEQA. 38 39 Section 2. Findings. In approving the proposed plan, the City Council HEREBY FINDS 40 AND DETERMINES: 41
42 1. The proposed plan, with the mitigation measures is in conformance with the goals a nd 43 objectives of the General Plan. 44
45 2. Public necessity, general welfare, and effective city planning practice r equire and 46 support the new plan. 47
48 3. The character, style, and uses contemplated in the new plan are harmonious with the 49 natural setting. 50
51 Draft
85 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
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4. The proposed plan would better se rve the area considering the nature, use, and 1 proposed uses of the adjacent properties. 2
3 5. Adoption of the plan would not negatively affect adjacent properties. 4 5 Section 3. Approval. Based upon the above findings, the City Council HEREBY 6 APPROVES the p roposed plan and accompanying environmental documents for the La 7 Verne Wilderness Area Management and Public Access Plan subject to the accompanied 8 phasing plan for the project as set forth below: 9
10 Phase 1: Staff shall explore the option to request to amend the project scope for use of the 11 $650,000 grant obtained in 2016 from RPOSD to fund Phase 1 . Phase 1 will begin when 12 funding is obtained. 13
14 The following Actions will be included in Phase 1 of the Implementation Plan: 15 16 Objective 1.0: 17
18 The City will support and engage with the La Verne Land Conservancy to further evaluate 19 and explore feasibility for possib le trail and accessibility options within the limits of the 20 existing Environmental Impact Report. It is intended that this effort would take place within 21 the next 24 months. 22
23 Objective 1.1: Enhance and Protect All Habitat Areas: 24 25 Action 1.1.1: Remove any abandoned facilities 26
Action 1.1.2: Remove non-native tree species 27
Action 1.1.6: Avoid vegetation removal and management activities withi n th e Co ast 28 Prickly Pear Scrub sensitive vegetation community (see Figure 2) and in 29 areas that provide habitat to sensitive plant and wildlife species 30 Action 1.1.7: Should vegetation removal in sensitive areas be determined to be 31 necessary and appropriate, special status species surveys will be 32 conducted prior to any work commencing 33
Action 1.1.8: Avoid management activities that would prohibit wildlife movement 34 through the Wilderness Area 35
Action 1.1.9: Coordinate with appropriate federal, state, or local agencies, such as the 36 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, California Department of Fish and 37 Wildlife, and/or the Los Angeles Reg ional Water Quality Control Board, 38 prior to conducting management activities in riparian areas 39 Action 1.1.10: Coordinate with the US For est Service to ensure that management 40 activities are consistent with the Forest Plan, San Gabriel National 41 Monument Plan, and San Dimas Experimental Forest 42
Objective 1.2: Restore the Southern Wash Corridor as Riverside an Alluvial Fan Sage Scrub 43 with a Surrounding Modified Coast Live Oak Woodland/Grassland Habitat: 44 45 Action 1.2.1: Remove non-native shrubs and trees 46
Action 1.2.2: Revegetate with appropriate native species 47 Draft
86 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
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Action 1.2.3: Weed abatement shall occur in coast live oak woodland/grassland areas 1 annually. Disking shall be prohibited. 2
Objective 1.3: Preserve Existing, and Where Appropriate, Enhance Northern Mixed 3 Chaparral/Coast Live Oak Woodland 4
5 Action 1.3.1: Remove non-native shrubs and trees 6
Action 1.3.2: Revegetate with appropriate native species 7 Objective 1.4: Revegetate disturbed areas 8
9 Action 1.4.1: Rip and grade abandoned roads and social trails where appropriate 10 Action 1.4.2: Hydroseed with native erosion control mix 11 Action 1.4.3: Limit public access during establishment period 12 Objective 1.5: Preserve Significant and Heritage Trees 13 14 Action 1.5.1: Avoid trimming and removal of significant and heritage trees 15 Action 1.5.2: Tree replacement will be included in restoration activities as appropriate 16 Action 1.5.3: Tree trimming or removal will take place outside of nesting bird season 17 Objective 2.1: Manage Stormwater, Sediment, and Woody Debris 18 19 Action 2.1.1: Delineate and field stake the 100 -year floodplain of the wash and a 20 riparian buffer within the southern limits of the Wilderness Area. Manage 21 as a Coast Live Oak Woodland habitat corridor to provide both habitat 22 diversity and facilitate the transport of floodwaters (See also Goal #1) 23 Action 2.1.2: Coordinate with appropriate federal, state, or local agencies, such as the 24 U.S. Army Corps of Engin eers, Ca lifornia Department of Fish and 25 Wildlife, and/or the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, 26 prior to conducting management activities in riparian areas 27 Objective 3.1: Clear Brush and Modify Fuel Load 28
29 Action 3.1.1: Weed abatement shall o ccur in low-lying areas of the wash in the 30 southern portion of the Wilderness Area annually (See also Goals #1 31 and #2). Disking shall be prohibited. 32
Action 3.1.2: In cooperation with Los Angeles County, prepare a local Brush and Fuel 33 Load Vegetation Manage ment Plan in one year of the Wilderness Area 34 opening to the public, and review the plan every five years 35 Objective 3.2: Prohibit Fires 36
37 Action 3.2.1: Prohibit any fires for recreation or maintenance in the Wilderness Area 38 Action 3.2.2: Prohibit smoking in the Wilderness Area 39 Draft
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Objective 3.3: Provide for Public Safety 1
2 Action 3.3.3: In cooperation with other agencies, design, locate, and develop 3 strategies for acquiring and improving emergency access to the 4 Wilderness Area and facilitating evacuation in the event of a wildfire 5 Action 3.3.4: Notify the responsible agency of any identified fire road maintenance 6 needs 7
Objective 6.1: Coordinate with other agencies / interest groups / volunteers / neighbors to 8 complement City staff in implementing resource manageme nt a ctivities and capital 9 improvements 10
11 Action 6.1.1: Coordinate with appropriate federal, state, or local agencies, such as the 12 Forest Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, California Department of 13 Fish and Wildlife, and/or the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control 14 Board, prior to conducting management activities in riparian areas 15 Action 6.1.2: Coordinate with the U S Forest Service to ensure that management 16 activities are consistent with the Forest Plan, San Gabriel Mountains 17 National Monument Plan, and San Dimas Experimental Forest 18 Action 6.1.3: Where feasible, enter into inter-jurisdictional cooperative agreement with 19 allied agencies such the Angeles National Forest, the San Gabriel 20 Mountains National Monument, Los Angeles County Department of 21 Parks and Recreation, the cities of Claremont and San Dimas, and non -22 governmental organizations, to implement resource manag ement 23 programs 24
Action 6.1.4: Consider entering an agreement with local non-profit organizations, such 25 as the La Verne Land Conservancy, to assist in resource management 26 activities 27
Objective 8.1: Assure the Management Plan remains current as conditions change. 28 29 Action 8.1.1: Review the Management Plan as needed and update as necessary 30 Objective 9.1: Secure funds for resource management 31
32 Action 9.1.1: Subsequent to any Management Plan actions, consider resource 33 management enhancement actions for potential f unding through City 34 project mitigation requirements, or mitigation by others 35 Action 9.1.2: Apply for funding from watershed management a nd w ildlife 36 enhancement grant programs 37
Objective 9.2: Secure funds for capital improvements 38 39 Action 9.2.1: Apply for fu nding from watershed, watchable wildlife, and park/open 40 space grant programs 41
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Phase 2 : At which time staff is directed by the City Council to move forward with the 1 implementation of Phase 2 of the La Verne Wilderness Area Management and Public 2 Access Plan , an update to the Environ mental Impact Report (as necessary) , a public 3 workshop, and City Council approval is required prior to implementation. 4 5 The following Actions will be included in Phase 2 of the Implementation Plan: 6 Objective 1.1: Enhance and Protect All Habitat Areas 7
8 Action 1.1.3: Install public access control signing along selected locations of the trail 9 (See Figures 8 and 9) and along Sunrise Ridge Road stating “Habitat 10 Management Area - No Public Access” 11
Action 1.1.4: Based on results of annual monitoring (see also Obje ctive 7.1), install 12 public access control railings as necessary to inhibit off -trail use and 13 creation of volunteer trails 14
Action 1.1.5: Based on results of annual monitoring (see also Objective 7.1), 15 decommission, restore to a natural gradient, and/or stab ilize any 16 volunteer trails that have been created 17
Objective 2.1: Manage Stormwater, Sediment, and Woody Debris 18 19 Action 2.1.3: Explore the possi bility of installing and maintaining up to three woody 20 debris racks to discourage debris from moving downstream 21 Objective 2.2: Provide for Public Safety 22
23 Action 2.2.1: Close area to public access during potential rain, flood periods, and 24 when the southern drainage crossing is wet 25
Objective 3.3: Provide for Public Safety 26
27 Action 3.3.1: Close area to public access dur ing periods of extreme fire danger, as 28 defined as Fire Weather Warning, announced by the United States 29 National Weather Service 30
Action 3.3.2: No road or trail maintenance or fuel management activities shall occur 31 during periods of extreme fire danger (Fire Weather Warning or Fire 32 Weather Watch days, as posted by the United States National Weather 33 Service) 34
Objective 4.1: Secure Access 35
36 Action 4.1.1: Employ a dedicated easement for public access from Golden Hills Road 37 to the downstream end of the wash within the southern limits of the 38 Wilderness Area 39
40 Draft
89 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
Resolution No. 22-72 Page 6
Objective 4.2: Develop Limited Use Facilities 1
2 Action 4.2.1: Identify space for and crea te parking s paces, one of which would be an 3 accessible parking space, through striping and/or signage along Golden Hills Road for 4 use to access the Wilderness Area 5
6 Action 4.2.2: Develop a foot trail to avoid and/or minimize resource im pacts and 7 related mitigation to include: 8
▪ An accessible trail/maintenance route from Golden Hills Road into 9 the Wilderness Area 10
▪ An approximate ly 0.6 -mile, 8 -foot wide accessible trail/ 11 maintenance route from Golden Hills Road leading into the 12 Wilderness Are a an d forming a loop (conceptual trail shown in 13 Figures 8 and 9), and composed of natural materials with a firm 14 and stable surface 15
Action 4.2.3: Provide benches at key location(s) where there is shade or opportunities 16 to plant trees for future shade 17
Action 4.2.4: Provide interpretive signs at key locations addressing wildlife habitat and 18 use, and respect for privacy for adjacent neighbors 19
Action 4.2.5: Provide management and safety signs at the Golden Hills Road entrance 20 to include information about general use regulations, a trail map, an d 21 universal access conditions. The following information would be 22 conveyed to the trail user: 23
▪ Use restrictions 24
▪ Permit requirements 25
▪ Universal access information, including: 26
 Degree of difficulty rating 27
 Length of trail segment 28
 Surface type 29
 Typical and minimum tread width 30
 Typical and maximum running slope 31
 Typical and maximum cross slope 32
 Change in elevation over the total trail length and maximum 33 elevation obtained 34
▪ Presence and danger of mountain lions, bears, and rattlesnakes 35 Objective 5.1: Provide for Public Safety 36
37 Action 5.1.1: Prohibit bicycles and equestrians 38
Action 5.1.2: Require all dogs to be on leashes pur suant to La Verne Municipal Code 39 Section 6.16.070 Leash Law 40
Objective 5.2: Provide a Single Access Point from the City 41 42 Action 5.2.1: Develop access entrance on Golden Hills Road 43 Draft
90 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
Resolution No. 22-72 Page 7
Action 5.2.2: Identify space for parking spaces along Golden Hills Road and p ost 1 information regarding appropriate alternative overflow parking locations 2 Action 5.2.3: Install an open / lock gate at Golden Hills Road 3 Objective 5.3: Designate Wilderness Area as Pedestrian Access / Day Use Only (No 4 Overnight Use) 5
6 Action 5.3.1: Install lockable gates and associated fencing at Golden Hills Road 7 Action 5.3.2: Install use and regulatory signs at Go lden Hills Road (see also Action 8

4.2.4 and 4.2.5) 9
Action 5.3.3: Limit Wilderness Area use from one hour after sunrise to one hour 10 before sunset 11
Objective 5.4: Limit Use to Trail-Related Pedestrian Activities 12 13 Action 5.4.1: Provide no picnic or restroom facilities 14 Action 5.4.2: Require groups of 10 or more individuals to obtain a special use permit 15 Action 5.4.3: Clearly inform the public / post all prohibited uses (see also Action 4.2.4 16 and 4.2.5) 17
Objective 5.5: Provide Phased Public Access Program Based on Available Staff Resources 18 and Funding 19
20 Action 5.5.1: Phase 1: Allow initial access only to small groups (from 5 up to 20 21 individuals) through a special use permit system identifying one 22 designated responsible individual (reviewed annually to determine Phase 23 2) 24
Phase 2: Based on results o f annual use monitoring, issue special use 25 group permits and individual access permits (once implemented, 26 reviewed annually to determine Phase 3) 27
Phase 3: Based on results of annual use, allow individual access for 28 general use without permits (once implemented, reviewed annually) 29 Action 5.5.2 Consider engaging and coordinating with local non -profit organizations, 30 such as the La Verne Land Conservancy, to assist with staffing and 31 patrolling the Wilderness Area 32
Objective 5.6: Protect Adjacent Private Property 33
34 Action 5.6.1: Maintain approximately 50 feet between the public access trail and 35 existing backyard property lines along Monterey Street 36 Action 5.6.2: Install secure property line fencing parallel to Monterey Street where not 37 already existing 38
Action 5.6.3: Install signs along boundary lines designating the “Wilderness Area 39 Boundary” 40
Draft
91 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
Resolution No. 22-72 Page 8
Action 5.6.4: Public access to the Wilderness Area through private properties 1 (including from Calle Aragon and Brydon Road) shall be prohibited 2 Action 5.6.5: Consult with imm ediate adjacent neighbors to detail the location and 3 design of boundary line / public access control fencing parallel to 4 Monterey Street and the Wilderness Area entrance 5
Objective 6.2: Community Involvement 6
7 Action 6.2.1: Consult with immediate adjacent n eighbors to detail the location and 8 design of boundary line / public access control fencing parallel to 9 Monterey Street and the Wilderness Area entrance 10
Action 6.2.2: Consult with the community, including non -governmental organizations, 11 such as the La Verne Land Conservancy, to develop the final trail design 12 Objective 7.1: Coordinate with other agencies / trail groups / volunteers / neighbors to 13 complement City staff presence 14
15 Action 7.1.1: Monitor public access conditions at the beginning, middle, and end of the 16 primary recreation season and after major storm events 17 Action 7.1.2: Provide onsite management presence on weekends and holidays during 18 the prime use season once the Wilderness Area is open for general use 19 (see Objective 5.5 Phase 3) with City staff as funding allows, or through 20 management agreements, others (see also Objective 6.1) 21 Action 7.1.3: Establish a Wilderness Area Watch hot line 22 Objective 8.1: Assure the Management Plan remains current as conditions change. 23 24 Action 8.1.1: Review the Manage ment Plan as needed and update as necessary 25 (Continued from Phase 1) 26
Objective 9.1: Secure funds for resource management 27
28 Action 9.1.1: Subsequent to any Management Plan actions, consider resource 29 management enhancement act ions for potential funding throug h City 30 project mitigation requirements, or mitigation by others (Continued from 31 Phase 1) 32
Action 9.1.2: Apply for funding from watershed management and wildlife 33 enhancement grant programs (Continued from Phase 1) 34
Objective 9.2: Secure funds for capital improvements 35 36 Action 9.2.1: Apply for funding from watershed, watchable wildlife, and park/open 37 space grant programs (Continued from Phase 1) 38
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Resolution No. 22-72 Page 9
Objective 9.3: Secure funds for public access management 1 2 Action 9.3.1: Prior to op ening the Wilderness Area to gene ral use without permits 3 (reference Objective 5.5 Phase 3), fund a position to monitor and 4 manage the Wildern ess Area and coordinate habitat management 5 programs in the Wilderness Area 6
7 Section 3. Approval. Based upon the ab ove findings, the City Council HEREBY 8 APPROVES and ADOPTS the La Verne Wilderness Area Management Plan and accompanying 9 environmental documents. 10
11 Section 4. The Mayor shall sign and the Assistant City Clerk shall attest to the passage 12 and adoption of this Resolution. 13
14 PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 19th day of September 2022 by the following vote: 15 16 AYES: 17
NOES: 18
ABSENT: 19
ABSTAIN: 20
21 22
___________________________________ 23
Mayor, City of La Verne 24
25 ATTEST: 26
27 28
29 30
_______________________________ 31
Lupe Estrella, Assistant City Clerk 32
33 34
Draft
93 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting

La Verne Wilderness Area Management
and Public Access Plan

Draft Environmental Impact Report
SCH#2016091030
prepared by
City of La Verne
Community Development Department
3660 D Street
La Verne, California 91750
Contact: Bill Aguirre, Director of Community Services
prepared with the assistance of
Rincon Consultants, Inc.
180 North Ashwood Avenue
Ventura, California 93001

April 2018
94 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting

La Verne Wilderness Area Management
and Public Access Plan

April 2018

95 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting

This report prepared on 50% recycled paper with 50% post-consumer content.

96 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
Table of Contents

Draft Environmental Impact Report i
Table of Contents
Acronyms and Abbreviations................................................................................................................... v Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................ 1 Project Synopsis .............................................................................................................................. 1 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 13

1.1 Environmental Impact Report Background....................................................................... 13

1.2 Purpose and Legal Authority ............................................................................................. 19

1.3 Scope and Content ............................................................................................................ 19

1.4 Type of Environmental Impact Report .............................................................................. 22

1.5 Lead, Responsible, and Trustee Agencies ......................................................................... 22

1.6 Environmental Review Process ......................................................................................... 23 2 Project Description ....................................................................................................................... 27

2.1 Project Proponent ............................................................................................................. 27

2.2 Project Location ................................................................................................................ 27

2.3 Project Background ........................................................................................................... 28

2.4 Existing Site Characteristics .............................................................................................. 30

2.4.1 Wildlife Habitat Conditions ............................................................................... 30

2.4.2 Wildfire Conditions ........................................................................................... 30

2.4.3 Watershed Conditions ...................................................................................... 30

2.4.4 Public Access ..................................................................................................... 31

2.5 Project Goals and Objectives ............................................................................................ 31

2.6 Required Approvals ........................................................................................................... 34 3 Environmental Setting .................................................................................................................. 35

3.1 Regional Setting ................................................................................................................ 35

3.2 Wilderness Area Setting .................................................................................................... 36

3.3 Cumulative Development ................................................................................................. 36 4 Environmental Impact Analysis .................................................................................................... 39

4.1 Biological Resources .......................................................................................................... 39

4.1.1 Setting ............................................................................................................... 39

4.1.2 Regul
atory Setting ............................................................................................ 60

4.1.3 Impact Analysis ................................................................................................. 65

4.1.4 Cumulative Impacts .......................................................................................... 74

4.2 Cultural Resources ............................................................................................................ 75

4.2.1 Setting ............................................................................................................... 75

4.2.2 Regulatory Setting ............................................................................................ 78

4.2.3 Impact Analysis ................................................................................................. 83

4.2.4 Cumulative Impacts .......................................................................................... 87

4.3 Hazards and Hazardous Materials .................................................................................... 89

4.3.1 Setting ............................................................................................................... 89

4.3.2 Regulatory Setting ............................................................................................ 91 97 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
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La Verne Wilderness Area Management and Public Access Plan

4.3.3 Impact Analysis ................................................................................................. 98

4.3.4 Cumulative Impacts ........................................................................................ 101

4.4 Hydrology and Water Quality ......................................................................................... 103

4.4.1 Setting ............................................................................................................. 103

4.4.2 Regulatory Setting .......................................................................................... 112

4.4.3 Impact Analysis ............................................................................................... 114

4.4.4 Cumulative Impacts ........................................................................................ 120

4.5 Land Use and Planning .................................................................................................... 123

4.5.1 Environmental Setting .................................................................................... 123

4.5.2 Regulatory Setting .......................................................................................... 123

4.5.3 Impact Analysis ............................................................................................... 128

4.5.4 Cumulative Impacts ........................................................................................ 136

4.6 Public Services ................................................................................................................. 139

4.6.1 Setting ............................................................................................................. 139

4.6.2 Regulatory Setting .......................................................................................... 140

4.6.3 Impact Analysis ............................................................................................... 141

4.6.4 Cumulative Impacts ........................................................................................ 144

4.7 Recreation ....................................................................................................................... 145

4.7.1 Setting ............................................................................................................. 145

4.7.2 Regulatory Setting .......................................................................................... 145

4.7.3 Impact Analysis ............................................................................................... 149

4.7.4 Cumulative Impacts ........................................................................................ 150

4.8 Transportation and Traffic .............................................................................................. 151

4.8.1 Setting ............................................................................................................. 151

4.8.2 Impact Analysis ............................................................................................... 156

4.8.3 Cumulative Impacts ........................................................................................ 161

4.9 Tribal Cultural Resources ................................................................................................ 163

4.9.1 Setting ............................................................................................................. 163

4.9.2 Regul
atory Setting .......................................................................................... 163

4.9.3 Impact Analysis ............................................................................................... 164

4.9.4 Cumulative Impacts ........................................................................................ 166 5 Effects Found Not to Be Significant ............................................................................................ 167

5.1 Aesthetics ........................................................................................................................ 167

5.2 Agriculture and Forestry Resources ................................................................................ 169

5.3 Air Quality ....................................................................................................................... 170

5.4 Geology and Soils ............................................................................................................ 172

5.5 Greenhouse Gas Emissions ............................................................................................. 174

5.6 Mineral Resources .......................................................................................................... 176

5.7 Noise ............................................................................................................................... 176

5.8 Population and Housing .................................................................................................. 177

5.9 Utilities and Service Systems .......................................................................................... 178 6 Other CEQA Required Discussions .............................................................................................. 181

6.1 Growth Inducing Effects .................................................................................................. 181

6.1.1 Economic and Population Growth .................................................................. 181

6.1.2 Removal of Obstacles to Growth .................................................................... 181

6.2 Irreversible Environmental Effects .................................................................................. 182

6.3 Energy ............................................................................................................................. 182 98 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
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Draft Environmental Impact Report iii
7 Alternatives ................................................................................................................................. 183

7.1 Alternative 1: No Project................................................................................................. 184

7.1.1 Description ...................................................................................................... 184

7.1.2 Impact Analysis ............................................................................................... 184

7.2 Alternative 2: No Dogs Permitted ................................................................................... 187

7.2.1 Description ...................................................................................................... 187

7.2.2 Impact Analysis ............................................................................................... 187

7.3 Alternative 3: Trail to Lookout Point ............................................................................... 189

7.3.1 Description ...................................................................................................... 189

7.3.2 Impact Analysis ............................................................................................... 189

7.4 Alternative Sites .............................................................................................................. 191

7.5 Alternatives Considered but Rejected ............................................................................ 192

7.5.1 USFS Management of Wilderness Area Alternative ....................................... 192

7.5.2 Habitat Management Only Alternative .......................................................... 192

7.5.3 Equestrian and Bicycle Use Alternative .......................................................... 193

7.6 Environmentally Superior Alternative ............................................................................ 193 8 References .................................................................................................................................. 195

8.1 Bibliography .................................................................................................................... 195

8.2 List of Preparers .............................................................................................................. 201 Tables
Table 1 Summary of Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures ......................................... 4 Table 2 Notice of Preparation Comments and EIR Response ........................................................ 14 Table 3 Public Scoping Meeting Comments .................................................................................. 18 Table 4 Management Plan Goals and Objectives .......................................................................... 32 Table 5 Cumulative Projects List .................................................................................................... 37 Table 6 Vegetation Communities .................................................................................................. 41 Table 7 Special-Status Plant Species in the Vicinity of the Wilderness Area ................................. 45 Table 8 Special-Status Wildlife Species Known to Occur in the Vicinity of the Wilderness Area ................................................................................................................................... 52 Table 9 Tree Rep
lacement Requirements ..................................................................................... 64 Table 10 General Plan Policies to Protect Biological Resources ...................................................... 64 Table 11 General Plan Policies to Protect Cultural Resources ......................................................... 81 Table 12 Archaeological Sites in La Verne ....................................................................................... 83 Table 13 General Plan Policies to Protect Public Safety .................................................................. 96 Table 14 Basin Plan Beneficial Uses ............................................................................................... 109 Table 15 City of La Verne General Plan Policy Consistencies ........................................................ 130 Table 18 General Plan Policies to Manage Recreational Resources .............................................. 146 Table 19 Existing Park Classifications ............................................................................................ 148 Table 20 Level of Service Criteria for Intersections ....................................................................... 155 Table 21 Trip Generation/Existing Land Use Compared to General Plan ...................................... 156 Table 20 Impact Comparison of Alternatives ................................................................................ 194 99 September 19, 2022 City Council Meeting
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La Verne Wilderness Area Management and Public Access Plan

iv
Figures
Figure 1 Environmental Review Process ......................................................................................... 25 Figure 2 Project Location ................................................................................................................ 29 Figure 3 Conceptual Public Access Trail .......................................................................................... 33 Figure 4 Wilderness Area Vegetation ............................................................................................. 50 Figure 5 Wetlands ........................................................................................................................... 59 Figure 6 Major Drainages .............................................................................................................. 105 Figure 7 Flood Zones ..................................................................................................................... 106 Figure 8 Groundwater Basins ........................................................................................................ 108 Appendices
Appendix A La Verne Management and Public Access Plan
Appendix B NOP
Appendix C Biological Resources Assessment
Appendix D Fire Hazards Study Report
Appendix E Flood Hazards

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Acronyms and Abbreviations

Draft Environmental Impact Report v
Acronyms and Abbreviations
ALS Advanced Life Support
AQMD Air Quality Management Plan
BAT Best Available Technology
BCT Best Conventional Technology
BMP Best Management Practices
BRA Biological Resources Assessment
BUSD Bonita Unified School District
Cal Fire California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection CAL OES California Emergency Management Agency
CAR Communities At Risk
CCR California Code of Regulations
CDFW California Department of Fish & Wildlife
CEQA California Environmental Quality Act
CESA California Endangered Species Act
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
CGS California Geological Survey
CNDDB California Natural Diversity Database
CNPS California Native Plant Society
CRHR California Register of Historical Resources
CRPR California Rare Plant Rank
CUPA Certified Unified Program Agency
CWA Clean Water Act
CWPP Community Wildfire Protection Plan
DOC California Department of Conservation
DTSC Department of Toxic Substances Control
DWR Department of Water Resources
ECOS Environmental Conservation Online System
EIR Environmental Impact Report
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La Verne Wilderness Area Management and Public Access Plan

vi
FC Federal Candidate
FD Federally Delisted
FE Federally Endangered
FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency
FESA Federally Endangered Species Act
FIFRA Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act FMMP Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program
FP Fully Protected
FT Federally Threatened
GHG Greenhouse Gas
HFC Hydrofluorocarbons
HMBP Hazardous Materials Business Plan
HR Hydrologic Region
HSA Hydrologic Subarea
HSC Health and Safety Code
HU Hydrologic Unit
LARWQCB Los Angeles Region Water Quality Control Board
LOS Level of Service
LRA Local Responsibility Area
LVFD La Verne Fire Department
MBTA Migratory Bird Treaty Act
MCL Maximum Contaminant Level
MLD Most Likely Descendant
MRZ Mineral Resource Zone
NAHC Native American Heritage Commission
NEPA National Environmental Policy Act
NHPA National Historic Preservation Act
NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOP Notice of Preparation
NPDES National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
NPPA Native Plant Protection Act
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Acronyms and Abbreviations

Draft Environmental Impact Report vii
NPS National Park Service
NRHP National Register of Historic Places
NRPS National Recreation and Parks Association
OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration
PFC Perfluorocarbons
PRC Public Resources Code
RWQCB Regional Water Quality Control Board
SCAG Southern California Association of Governments
SCAQMD South Coast Air Quality Management District
SD State Delisted
SE State Endangered
SEA Significant Ecological Area
SR State Rare
SRP Spill response Plan
SSC Species of Special Concern
ST State Threatened
SWPPP Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan
SWRCB State Water Resources Control Board
TMDL Total Maximum Daily Loads
USACE United States Army Corps of Engineers
USC United States Code
U.S. EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency
USFWS U nited States Fish and Wildlife Service
USGS United States Geologic Service
UST Underground Storage Tank
VHFHSZ Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone
WDR Waste Discharge Requirements
WUI Wildland-Urban Interface
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La Verne Wilderness Area Management and Public Access Plan

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Executive Summary

Draft Environmental Impact Report 1
Executive Summary
This section summarizes the characteristics of the La Verne Management and Public Access Plan (Management Plan) (Appendix A). It provides a discussion of the project alternatives assessed in this environmental impact report (EIR), and the environmental impacts, mitigation measures, and cumulative impacts associated with implementation of the proposed Management Plan combined with other development in adjacent areas.

Project Synopsis
Project Applicant
City of La Verne
Community Development Department
Bill Aguirre, Director of Community Services
3660 D Street
La Verne, California 91750
Project Location
The Wilderness Area is located north of Golden Hills Road, east of Mountain Springs Ranch Road, and west and northwest of Monterey Street, Calle Aragon, and Brydon Road in the City of La Verne (City). Elevation on-site ranges from 1,435 feet in the southwest corner to 3,165 feet in the northeast corner. The Wilderness Area is located within, and surrounded to the west/northwest, north, and east by the area of the Angeles National Forest designated in 2014 as the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. Figure 2 depicts the location of the Wilderness Area boundaries in relation to the City. The Wilderness Area is made up of 10 City-owned parcels:
 8678022900
 8678022901
 8678022902
 8678015900
 8678015901
 8678015902
 8678015903
 8678015904
 8678015905
 8678015906
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La Verne Wilderness Area Management and Public Access Plan

2 Project Description
In 2006, the City acquired 208 acres in north La Verne through State grant funds obtained in cooperation with the County of Los Angeles, the Trust for Public Land, and the La Verne Land Conservancy. This land was combined with 150 acres already owned by the City to create an open space preserve of 358 acres, collectively referred to as the Wilderness Area.

Project Goals and Objectives
The Management Plan includes goals for specific physical improvements or management policies that would implement the vision for the Wilderness Area. Objectives are subcomponents of the goals that translate the intended improvements into actions to be taken. To the extent practicable and allowable by physical, biological, and social constraints, the City is committed to the realization of nine overall management goals with specific associated objectives for the Wilderness Area, including:
 Preserve and enhance wildlife habitat corridors and diversity  Provide flood hazard management
 Provide wildfire hazard management
 Provide a tranquil and safe visitor experience
 Provide controlled public access
 Cooperate with others in management of the Wilderness Area  Provide sufficient on-site presence to manage the Wilderness Area  Reflect changes in surrounding use and ownership conditions  Obtain sufficient funds to assure full implementation of the Management Plan Required Discretionary Approvals
Implementation of the Master Plan and any associated development would require the following discretionary approvals from the City of La Verne:
 Approval of the Management Plan
 Amendment of the underlying land use and zoning designations  Amendment of La Verne Municipal Code Section 6.16.080 Animals in parks to include the Wilderness Area
 Removal of significant and/or protected heritage trees will require approval of a permit from the Director of Community Development
 A permit for any temporary construction trailers or other temporary construction- related uses, as applicable
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Draft Environmental Impact Report 3
 Ministerial and ancillary permits required to carry out individual projects under the Management Plan, such as demolition permits
 Lot mergers and/or lot line adjustments, as necessary Alternatives
This EIR includes a discussion of three alternatives to the proposed Management Plan. They are as follows:
 Alternative 1: No Project
 Alternative 2: No Dogs Permitted
 Alternative 3: Trail to Lookout Point
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires that an environmentally superior alternative be identified among those analyzed. It further states that if the No Project Alternative is identified as environmentally superior, the next most environmentally superior alternative must also be identified. For this project, Alternative 1, No Project, is considered environmentally superior because it would have the fewest impacts compared to the three possible alternatives. The next most environmentally superior alternative is Alternative 2, followed by the proposed Management Plan and Alternative 3.

Summary of Impacts and Mitigation Measures
Table 1 lists the environmental impacts of the proposed Management Plan, the proposed mitigation measures, and residual impacts or significance after mitigation. Impacts are categorized by class: Class I impacts are defined as significant, unavoidable adverse impacts that require a statement of overriding consideration, pursuant to Section 15093 of the CEQA Guidelines if the proposed Management Plan is approved; Class II impacts are significant, adverse impacts that can be feasibly mitigated to less than significant levels and that require findings to be made under Section 15091 of the CEQA Guidelines; Class III impacts are adverse, but less than those allowed by adopted significance thresholds; and Class IV impacts are those where there is no impact or the effect would be beneficial. 107
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La Verne Wilderness Area Management and Public Access Plan

4 Table 1 Summary of Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures Impact Mitigation Measures
Significance
After
Mitigation
Biological Resources
Impact BIO-1: Implementation of the
proposed Management Plan and
associated minor site improvements,
such as the proposed foot trail, could
cause an adverse effect through habitat
modifications in the Wilderness Area,
which contains special-status plant,
special-status wildlife species, and a
sensitive natural community. Impacts
would be Class III, less than significant
due to the limited size and accessibility
of the proposed foot trail.

None Required Less than
significant
without
mitigation Impact BIO-2: The Management Plan
would not facilitate development that
would directly impact riparian and
wetland habitats. However, there would
be potential for adverse indirect impacts
from such development on wetlands and
areas under the jurisdiction of the CDFW
and USACE. The Management Plan
identifies Action 1.1.9 which requires
facilitators of the Management Plan to
coordinate with appropriate federal,
state, or local agencies, prior to
conducting management activities in
riparian areas to ensure wetlands are not
impacted as a result of minor
improvements in the Wilderness Area.

Therefore, impacts would be Class III,
less than significant.

None Required Less than
significant
without
mitigation
Impact BIO-3: Implementation of the
proposed Management Plan would not
include intrusive management activities.

However, there would be potential for
adverse indirect impacts to wildlife
movement corridors in the Wilderness
Area. Objectives and actions including in
the Management Plan would ensure that
impacts to all wildlife movement (short-
range and potential long-range
movement) are reduced to less than
significant levels. Therefore, impacts
would be Class III, less than significant.

None Required Less than
significant
without
mitigation
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Draft Environmental Impact Report 5
Impact Mitigation Measures
Significance
After
Mitigation
Impact BIO-4: Implementation of the
proposed Management Plan would
potentially cause indirect impacts to
biological resources within the
Wilderness Area during construction of
minor site improvements (i.e., foot trail,
sitting benches, signage). However, goals
and actions of the proposed
Management Plan in combination with
existing City policies would reduce
potential impacts to protected biological
resources to less than significant level.

Therefore, impacts would be Class III,
less than significant.

None Required Less than
significant
without
mitigation
Impact BIO-5: The Wilderness Area
largely consists of undeveloped land and
serves as a habitat for many special-
status plant, special-status wildlife
species, and sensitive natural
communities within the San Gabriel
Mountains National Monument and San
Dimas Experimental Forest. Goals and
actions of the proposed Management
Plan, in combination with existing City
policies, would reduce potential impacts
from management activities to less than
significant. Therefore, impacts would be
Class III, less than significant.

None Required Less than
significant
without
mitigation
Cultural and Tribal Resources
Impact CR-1: Implementation of minor
site improvements associated with the
proposed Management Plan (i.e., foot
trail, sitting benches, signage) would not
involve demolition, excavation, or
grading activities as proposed. However,
future improvements within the
Wilderness Area may cause an adverse
change in the significance of a known
cultural resource or result in
unanticipated discoveries of cultural
resources. Impacts would be Class II, less
than significant with mitigation
incorporated.

Mitigation Measure CR-1: Unanticipated
Discovery of Cultural Resources. If cultural
resources are encountered during ground-
disturbing activities, work in the
immediate area should be halted and an
archaeologist meeting the Secretary of the
Interior’s Professional Qualification
Standards for archaeology (National Park
Service 1983) should be contacted
immediately to evaluate the find. If
necessary, the evaluation may require
preparation of a treatment plan and
archaeological testing for the California
Register of Historical Resources (CRHR)
eligibility. If the discovery proves to be
significant under CEQA and cannot be
avoided by the project, additional work
Less than
significant
with
mitigation
incorporated
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6 Impact Mitigation Measures
Significance
After
Mitigation
such as data recovery excavation may be
warranted to mitigate any significant
impacts to cultural resources.

Impact CR-2: Implementation of minor
site improvements associated with the
proposed Management Plan (i.e., foot
trail, sitting benches, signage) would not
involve demolition, excavation, or
grading activities that would disturb
human remains. However, future
improvements within the Wilderness
Area may result in unanticipated
disturbance of human remains. Impacts
would be Class II, less than significant
with mitigation incorporated.

Mitigation Measure CR-2: Human
Remains Recovery Procedures. The
discovery of human remains is always a
possibility during ground disturbing
activities. If human remains are found, the
State of California Health and Safety Code
Section 7050.5 states that no further
disturbance shall occur until the Orange
County coroner has made a determination
of origin and disposition pursuant to Public
Resources Code Section 5097.98. In the
event of an unanticipated discovery of
human remains, the county coroner must
be notified immediately. If the human
remains are determined to be prehistoric,
the coroner will notify the Native
American Heritage Commission (NAHC),
which will determine and notify a most
likely descendant (MLD). The MLD shall
complete the inspection of the site within
48 hours of notification and may
recommend scientific removal and
nondestructive analysis of human remains
and items associated with Native
American burials.

Less than
significant
with
mitigation
incorporated
Impact TR-1: Implementation of minor
site improvements associated with the
proposed Management Plan (i.e., foot
trail, sitting benches, signage) would not
involve Demolition, excavation, or
grading activities that would cause an
adverse change in the significance of
tribal cultural resources or result in
unanticipated discoveries of tribal
cultural resources. However, future
improvements within the Wilderness
Area may cause an adverse change in the
significance of tribal cultural resource or
result in unanticipated discoveries of
tribal cultural resources. Impacts would
be Class II, less than significant with
mitigation incorporated.

See Mitigation Measures CR-1 and CR-2
above.

Less than
significant
with
mitigation
incorporated
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Executive Summary

Draft Environmental Impact Report 7
Impact Mitigation Measures
Significance
After
Mitigation
Hazards and Hazardous Materials
Impact HAZ-1: Implementation of minor
site improvements associated with the
proposed Management Plan (e.g. foot
trail, sitting benches, signage) would not
involve transportation or release of
hazardous materials. Therefore, impacts
would be Class III, less than significant.

None Required Less than
significant
without
mitigation
Impact HAZ-2: While implementation of
minor site improvements associated with
the proposed Management Plan (e.g.
foot trail, sitting benches, signage) would
not expose people or structures to
potential wildland fires, wildland fire and
fire exposure risks would continue to
exist, and be of concern to residences in
the vicinity of the Wilderness Area. This
impact is not a result of implementation
of the Management Plan. Therefore,
impacts would be Class III, less than
significant.

None Required Less than
significant
without
mitigation
Hydrology and Water Quality
Impact HWQ-1: Implementation of the
Wilderness Management Plan would
involve soil disturbance that would have
the potential to create polluted runoff
and violate water quality standards.

However, existing regulations would
reduce potential adverse effects and
impacts would be Class II, less than
significant with mitigation incorporated.

Mitigation Measure HWQ-1: Accidental
Spill Control and Environmental Training.

Prior to approval of the Wilderness
Management Plan, the City shall develop a
Spill Response Plan and Spill Prevention,
Control and Countermeasure Plan and
submit to the Planning Commission for
review and approval. The Spill Response
Plan (SRP) shall include procedures for
quick and safe clean-up of accidental spills.

The SRP shall prescribe hazardous
materials handling procedures for
reducing the potential for a spill during
construction, and shall include an
emergency response program to ensure
quick and safe clean-up of accidental spills.

Additionally, an environmental training
program shall be established to
communicate environmental concerns and
appropriate work practices, including spill
prevention and response measures to all
field personnel. A monitoring program
shall be implemented to ensure that the
plans are followed during all construction
Less than
significant
with
mitigation
incorporated
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8 Impact Mitigation Measures
Significance
After
Mitigation
activities.

Mitigation Measure HWQ-2: Maintain
Vehicles and Equipment. All vehicles and
equipment, including all hydraulic hoses,
shall be maintained in good working order
to minimize leaks that could escape the
vehicle or contact the ground. A vehicle
and equipment maintenance log shall be
updated and provided by the construction
contractor to the City on a monthly basis
for the duration of project construction.

Impact HWQ-2: Implementation of the
Wilderness Management Plan would
involve soil disturbance, soil compaction,
and vegetation clearance that would
have the potential to alter drainage
patterns and increase the amount of
runoff, resulting in erosion, flooding, and
the exceedance of stormwater drainage
system capacity. However, existing
regulations would reduce potential
adverse effects and impacts would be
Class III, less than significant.

None Required Less than
significant
without
mitigation
Impact HWQ-3: Implementation of the
Wilderness Management Plan would
increase the number of visitors in the
Wilderness Area, which could expose
people to significant risk of injury or
death from mudflow. However, closure
of the Wilderness Area during potential
rain and flood periods would reduce
potential adverse effects and impacts
would be Class III, less than significant.

None Required Less than
significant
without
mitigation
Land Use and Planning
Impact LU-1: With implementation of
existing regulations and incorporation of
mitigation measures identified
throughout this EIR, the proposed
Management Plan would be consistent
with the City’s adopted General Plan.

However, the southwest portion of the
Wilderness Area is currently designated
for Hillside Residential use. In order to
ensure that no development will occur
within the Wilderness Area the land use
designation must be changed to Open
Mitigation Measure LU-1: Update General
Plan Land Use Designation. The City shall
re-designate the Land Use Designation for
the entirety of the Wilderness Area from
Hillside Residential to Open Space in
conjunction with the next planned update
to the General Plan Land Use Designation
map, or within five (5) years, whichever
occurs first.

Less than
significant
with
mitigation
incorporated
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Draft Environmental Impact Report 9
Impact Mitigation Measures
Significance
After
Mitigation
Space in accordance with the terms of
the grant and the intended use of the
land. Therefore, land use impacts
relating to General Plan consistency
would be Class II, less than significant
with mitigation incorporated.

Impact LU-2: The Wilderness Area is
currently within two zoning districts:

PR1/5D (one dwelling unit per 5 acres,
detached) and MCSP (Marshall Canyon
Estates Specific Plan). Under the existing
PR1/5D zoning designation, the use of
the Wilderness Area as open space is not
explicitly permitted, although it is also
not explicitly prohibited. However,
allowing future development in the
Wilderness Area as permitted in the
PR1/5D zone would conflict with the
objectives and goals of the Management
Plan and the requirements of the open
space grant. The allowable land uses for
the underlying zoning designation of the
Wilderness Area must be revised to
specifically allow for Open Space
Preserves in accordance with the terms
of the grant and the intended use of the
land. Therefore, land use impacts
relating to Zoning Standards consistency
would be Class II, less than significant
with mitigation incorporated.

Mitigation Measure LU-2: Update
Allowable Land Uses within the P-R
Zoning Designation. The City shall revise
the allowable land uses for the P-R Zoning
Designation to explicitly allow for Open
Space Preserves within five (5) years of
approval of the Management Plan, or in
conjunction with the next planned update
to the Zoning Ordinance text, whichever
occurs first.

Less than
significant
with
mitigation
incorporated
Impact LU-3: Implementation of the
Management Plan would require an
amendment to the Animals in Parks
provision of the Municipal Code in order
to allow for leashed dogs in the
Wilderness Area. Therefore, land use
impacts relating to Municipal Code
consistency would be Class II, less than
significant with mitigation incorporated.

Mitigation Measure LU-3: Revise
Municipal Code Section 6.16.080, Animals
in Parks. Prior to approval of the
Management Plan, the City shall revise
Municipal Code Section 6.16.080, Animals
in Parks, to include the Wilderness Area
trails.

Less than
significant
with
mitigation
incorporated
Public Services
Impact PS-1: Implementation of minor
site improvements associated with the
proposed Management Plan (e.g. foot
trail, sitting benches, signage) would not
result in a need for new or altered
facilities or services to maintain
None Required No Impact
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10 Impact Mitigation Measures
Significance
After
Mitigation
acceptable fire and police protection
services. Therefore, there would be a
Class IV, no impact.

Recreation
Impact REC-1: Implementation of minor
site improvements associated with the
proposed Management Plan (e.g. foot
trail, sitting benches, signage) would
increase a recreational resource for
residents of la Verne and would not
result in a physical deterioration or
construction of recreational facilities
beyond the Wilderness Area. Therefore,
there would be a Class IV, no impact.

None Required No impact
Transportation and Traffic
Impact T-1: Implementation of the
proposed Management Plan includes the
provision of parking spaces along Golden
Hills Road, which may affect the safety of
hikers accessing the Wilderness Area.

Impacts would be Class II, less than
significant with mitigation incorporated.

Mitigation Measure T-1: Pedestrian
Safety. Consistent with implementation of
Management Plan Action 4.2.1, the project
applicant shall be responsible for ensuring
the safety of visitors to the Wilderness
Area by:
i. Locating all parking spaces on the north
side of Golden Hills Road to prevent
visitors from crossing an unprotected
street to access the Wilderness Area
and trailhead.
ii. If locating all parking spaces on the
north side of Golden Hills Road is
determined to be infeasible, a
pedestrian crosswalk with visible
signage, striping, and lights adjacent to
designated parking areas and the
proposed trailhead shall be installed
prior to the striping of the parking
spaces, as deemed appropriate by the
City Engineer.

Less than
significant
with
mitigation
incorporated
Impact T-2: Implementation of minor
site improvements associated with the
proposed Management Plan (e.g. foot
trail, sitting benches, signage) would not
result in inadequate emergency access or
interfere with existing emergency
evacuation plans and routes. Therefore,
Impacts would be Class III, less than
significant.

None Required Less than
significant
without
mitigation
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Executive Summary

Draft Environmental Impact Report 11
Impact Mitigation Measures
Significance
After
Mitigation
Impact T-3: Implementation of minor
site improvements associated with the
proposed Management Plan (e.g. foot
trail, sitting benches, signage) would not
conflict with policies, plans, or programs
for public transportation, and would not
affect public transportation facilities.

Therefore, Impacts would be Class IV, no
impact.

None Required

No impact

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La Verne Wilderness Area Management and Public Access Plan

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Introduction
Draft Environmental Impact Report 13
1 Introduction
This document is an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) that evaluates foreseeable physical environmental impacts that would result from adoption of the La Verne Wilderness Area Management and Public Access Plan (Management Plan). The EIR was prepared in accordance with the Guidelines for Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), published by the Resources Agency of the State of California (Title 14, California Code of Regulations 15000 et. seq.) and the City’s procedures for implementing CEQA and established CEQA thresholds of significance. Per Section 21067 of CEQA and Sections 15367 and 15050 through 15053 of the State CEQA Guidelines, the City of La Verne (City) is the lead agency under whose authority this document has been prepared. This EIR is intended for use by City of La Verne decision makers and members of the general public as an informational document in evaluating the potential environmental effects of the Project.

This report was prepared by Rincon Consultants in conjunction with City of La Verne staff.

This section describes (1) the general background of the proposed Management Plan’s EIR process; (2) the purpose and legal authority of the EIR; (3) the scope and content of the EIR; (4) the type of EIR; (5) lead, responsible, and trustee agencies; and (6) the environmental review process required under CEQA.

1.1 Environmental Impact Report Background
The City prepared an EIR Notice of Preparation (NOP) and distributed the NOP for agency and public review for the required 45-day review period between September 12, 2016 and October 11, 2016. During that period, the City received 19 comments from public agencies and other commenters. The NOP is provided in Appendix B along wit h the full text of the comments received.

A public EIR scoping meeting was held on September 2 0, 2016, at the City Council Chambers in La Verne. The intent of the scoping meeting was to provide interested individuals, groups, and public agencies a forum to provide input in an effort to assist in further refining the intended EIR scope and focus. Table 2 summarizes the comments received in response to the NOP and Table 3 summarizes the comments from the public scoping meeting.

Selected comments were combined due to topic similarity. 117
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14 Table 2 N otice of Preparation Comments and EIR Response Commenter Comment/Request Where it was Addressed
Brian Bennett Good-faith effort to engage and inform
the community. Notification targeted
only property owners.

EIR Section 1.6, Environmental Review
Process
Minimal impact development
alternatives were not presented.

EIR Section 7, Alternatives
Proposed trails with no exceptional
natural features and no linkages to
extensive trail network will be
underutilized.

EIR Section 4.7, Recreation
Trespassing incidents will increase as
individuals involved tend to favor areas
without public access.

Addressed in the Management Plan;
refer to Table 4 of the EIR.

Bradley Butcher Allowance for some amount of public
access to the land described.

Addressed in the Management Plan;
refer to Table 4 of the EIR.

Concern about significant traffic
generated
EIR Section 4.8, Transportation and
Traffic
Increased crime in the area and
adjacent neighborhoods.

EIR Section 4.6, Public Services
Addressed in the Management Plan;
refer to Table 4 of the EIR.

Increases fire risk. EIR Section 4.3, Hazards and Hazardous Materials
Mitigation of fuel in the wilderness
area is likely prohibited, further
increasing fire risk.

EIR Section 4.3, Hazards and Hazardous
Materials
Addressed in the Management Plan;
refer to Table 4 of the EIR.

Trails may detract from natural
aesthetics.

Addressed in the Management Plan;
refer to Table 4 of the EIR.

Recommend supervised nature studies
for children, access by other residents
under Docent supervision, minimal
parking especially in front of La Verne
residents, and trails kept in natural
form and follow vegetation and
hillsides where possible.

EIR Section 2.0, Project Description
Addressed in the Management Plan;
refer to Table 4 of the EIR.

County of Los
Angeles
(Kevin T Johnson,
Forestry Division)
No impact on emergency
responsibilities of this Department.

EIR Section 4.6, Public Services
Located outside jurisdictional area of
the County of LA Fire Department. No
comment.

EIR Section 4.6, Public Services

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Draft Environmental Impact Report 15
Commenter Comment/Request Where it was Addressed
Potential impacts to:
 Erosion control
 Watershed management
 Rare and endangered species
 Vegetation fuel modification
 Archeological and cultural
resources
 County Oak Tree Ordinance
EIR Section 4.1, Biological Resources EIR
Section 4.2, Cultural Resources
EIR Section 4.3, Hazards and Hazardous
Materials
EIR Section 4.4, Hydrology and Water
Quality
EIR Section 4.5, Land Use and Planning
Addressed in the Management Plan;
refer to Table 4 of the EIR.

Health Hazardous Material Division has
no comment.

EIR Section 4.3, Hazards and Hazardous
Materials
County of Los
Angeles
Dept. of Parks and
Recreation
(Jui Ing Chien, Park
Planner)
No effect on any Department facilities,
including provision of controlled public
access to the wilderness area,
management of storm water,
sediment, woody debris and wildlife
hazards.

EIR Section 4.1, Biological Resources
EIR Section 4.3, Hazards and Hazardous
Materials
EIR Section 4.4, Hydrology and Water
Quality
Addressed in the Management Plan;
refer to Table 4 of the EIR.

Department of
Transportation
(Diana Watson,
Branch Chief)
Does not expect direct adverse impact
to State transportation facilities. Due
to vicinity of La Verne biking trails,
providing safe and convenient
bicycle/pedestrian public access to site
should be considered.

EIR Section 4.8, Transportation and
Traffic
Caltrans permit required for
transportation of heavy construction
equipment/materials which uses
oversized-transport vehicles.

Addressed in the Management Plan;
refer to Table 4 of the EIR.

Discharge of clean run-off water is not
permitted to be discharged onto State
highway facilities.

EIR Section 4.4, Hydrology and Water
Quality
Eric and Jennifer
Simison
Maintain the understory/ground cover
and tree canopies in such a manner
that they protect not only the urban
areas but also the wild land from
potential fires.

EIR Section 4.1, Biological Resources
EIR Section 4.3, Hazards and Hazardous
Materials
Addressed in the Management Plan;
refer to Table 4 of the EIR.

Specified use does not carry with it the
need or authority to build trail and
alter terrain that would impact habitat
or riparian flora.

EIR Section 2.0, Project Description
EIR Section 4.1, Biological Resources
Addressed in the Management Plan;
refer to Table 4 of the EIR. 119
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16 Commenter Comment/Request Where it was Addressed
Byron and
Roxanne Hampton
Increased fire danger EIR Section 4.3, Hazards and Hazardous Materials
Possible harm to wildlife and habitat EIR Section 4.1, Biological Resources Addressed in the Management Plan;
refer to Table 4 of the EIR.

Increased traffic in surrounding areas
and reduction of property value.

EIR Section 4.8, Transportation and
Traffic
Property values are not a CEQA topic;
Not addressed as part of this EIR.

Accumulation of trash and unsanitary
conditions.

Addressed in the Management Plan;
refer to Table 4 of the EIR.

Already sufficient trail system through
Marshall Canyon without increased
impact on surrounding residential
areas.

EIR Section 4.7, Recreation
Richard and Ruby
Kaye Kelley
Recommendation to not include
structures, such as more new homes.

EIR Section 2.0, Project Description
Addressed in the Management Plan;
refer to Table 4 of the EIR.

Robert Kress Discuss public access, fuel
modification, drainage structure, and
impact on wildlife.

EIR Section 2.0, Project Description
Addressed in the Management Plan;
refer to Table 4 of the EIR.

Discuss impacts on police and fire
services.

EIR Section 4.6, Public Services
Appropriate off-street parking to be
included in proposal, as street parking
will not suffice.

EIR Section 4.8, Transportation and
Traffic
Concern about public lawsuits from
activity in open space area.

Lawsuits resulting from trail use are not
a CEQA topic; Not addressed as part of
this EIR.

Mike Mosakowski Requests more information on the
potential development scenarios as
well as addendum and time extension
for information.

EIR Section 1.6, Environmental Review
Process
Paolo Perrone
(TPL, Land and
Water Project
Manager)
No comment until preparation of EIR. n/a
Gene Quinn Recommendation to preserve open
spaces as natural preserve and habitat
for native wildlife, or equestrian
and/or hiking trails for public use.

EIR Section 4.1, Biological Resources
EIR Section 4.5, Land Use and Planning
Addressed in the Management Plan;
refer to Table 4 of the EIR.

Richard Sheppard Concern about public use and traffic. EIR Section 4.8, Transportation and Traffic
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Commenter Comment/Request Where it was Addressed
Dan and Nancy
Sperling
Concerns about dating on letters, U.S.

EPA standard E.152-13, biophysical
study on impacts, flooding, traffic and
parking, crime, property value, AQDM,
“past ground contaminations”
EIR Section 4.3, Hazards and Hazardous
Materials
EIR Section 4.4, Hydrology and Water
Quality
City should protect its residents as
“priority 1 Environmental Conditions”
n/a
Steve Tiek Concern about drainage and flood
safety.

EIR Section 4.3, Hazards and Hazardous
Materials
EIR Section 4.4, Hydrology and Water
Quality
Concern about storm water run-off
affecting the Pacific Ocean.

EIR Section 4.4, Hydrology and Water
Quality
Discuss how this will affect the quality
and movement of ground water.

EIR Section 4.4, Hydrology and Water
Quality
Additional traffic and the air pollution
that comes with it.

EIR Section 4.8, Transportation and
Traffic
Use of utilities and the effect on
residents.

EIR Section 5.9, Utilities and Service
Systems
Concern about fire, additional lighting,
noise, site access, construction noise,
crime.

EIR Section 4.3, Hazards and Hazardous
Materials
EIR Section 4.6, Public Services
EIR Section 5.1, Aesthetics
EIR Section 5.7, Noise
Concern for local habitat and wildlife. EIR Section 4.1, Biological Resources Concern about diminishing property
value.

Property values are not a CEQA topic;
Not addressed as part of the EIR.

Arthur
Vanderlinden
Discuss increase of traffic and noise.

Argues steepness of hillside is not
suitable for development.

EIR Section 4.8, Transportation and
Traffic
EIR Section 5.7, Noise
Concerns for costs of management,
protection, and loss of privacy.

Addressed in the Management Plan.

See Appendix A.

La Verne Land
Conservancy
(Katherine
Winsor)
Concern for the effect on citizens not
in the direct proximity of the site.

Not addressed as part of this EIR.

Recommends a phased approach to
opening the wilderness area.

EIR Section 2.0, Project Description
Addressed in the Management Plan.

See Appendix A.

Discuss heavy rainfall hazards and
keeping people out of the area during
such an occurrence.

EIR Section 4.3, Hazards and Hazardous
Materials
EIR Section 4.4, Hydrology and Water
Quality
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18 Commenter Comment/Request Where it was Addressed
Recommend area along Golden Hills be
used as main parking to mitigate
increased traffic.

EIR Section 4.8, Transportation and
Traffic
Jeanette
Ziolkowski
Increased traffic would result in
increased fire hazard.

EIR Section 4.3, Hazards and Hazardous
Materials
Harmful to wildlife habitat and wildlife. EIR Section 4.1, Biological Resources Concern about increased traffic and
parking.

EIR Section 4.8, Transportation
Table 3 Public Scoping Meeting Comments
Subject Where it was Addressed
General
Park users would not follow rules for hours of operation Mountain bikers would conflict with hikers
Bow hunters would cross federal and city jurisdictional lines Drones in or near residential areas
Mitigated Negative Declaration would have been sufficient

Wilderness Area hours of operation
and mountain bike accessibility are
addressed in the Management Plan.

See Appendix A.

EIR Section 1.4, Type of Environmental
Impact Report

Aesthetics
Signage

EIR Section 5.1, Aesthetics
Alternatives
USFS Management of Wilderness Area
Focus on proactive wildlife habitat management and
restoration (i.e., guzzlers) rather than public access

EIR Section 7.0, Alternatives
Biological Resources
Interference with wildlife corridors

EIR Section 4.1, Biological Resources
Hazards and Hazardous Materials
Human exposure to wildfire hazards

EIR Section 4.3, Hazards and
Hazardous Materials
Land Use and Planning
Property values adjacent to the Wilderness Area

EIR Section 4.5, Land Use and Planning
Management and City Funding
Resources to enforce the park rules
Unanticipated costs as part of management
Money should be spent on projects with greater community benefit
Volunteers can be used for helping with enforcement and maintenance

Addressed in the Management Plan.

See Appendix A.
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Subject Where it was Addressed
Public Services
Police resources to patrol and enforce park rules
General enforcement of rules regulating activities
Trespassing into private property
Increased crime in neighborhoods
Litter and trash
Restroom facilities

EIR Section 4.6, Public Services
Transportation/Circulation
Increased traffic along San Dimas Canyon Road
The effect of increased parking on neighborhood streets Guest parking permits

EIR Section 4.8, Transportation and
Traffic

1.2 Purpose and Legal Authority
An EIR is an informational document used by a lead agency (in this case, the City of La Verne) when considering approval of a project. This EIR has been prepared in accordance with CEQA and in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15121, and is intended to serve as an informational document that:
“...will inform public agency decision makers and the public generally of the significant environmental effects of a project, identify possible ways to minimize the significant effects, and describe reasonable alternatives to the project.” Therefore, the EIR is an informational document for use by decision makers, public agencies, and the general public. It is not a policy document that establishes City policy about the desirability of the Management Plan or any component within it.

Adoption and implementation of the Management Plan requires discretionary approvals from the City of La Verne (described in Section 2.6, Required Discretionary Approvals) and is therefore subject to the requirements of CEQA (Public Resources Code, Section 21000, et. seq.).

1.3 Scope and Content
CEQA Guidelines Section 15151 provides the standard of adequacy on which this document is based, stating:
“An EIR should be prepared with a sufficient degree of analysis to provide decision- makers with information which enables them to make a decision which intelligently takes account of environmental consequences. An evaluation of the environmental effects of the proposed project need not be exhaustive, but the sufficiency of an EIR is to be reviewed in light of what is reasonably feasible. Disagreement among experts does not make an EIR inadequate, but the EIR should summarize the main points of 123
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20 disagreement among the experts. The courts have looked not for perfection, but for adequacy, completeness, and a good faith effort at full disclosure.” This EIR addresses the potential significant environmental impacts of the Management Plan in managing the Wilderness Area as determined by the City, expert consultation, and responses to the NOP. The issues addressed in the EIR include the following:
 Biological Resources
 Cultural Resources
 Hazards and Hazardous Materials
 Hydrology and Water Quality
 Land Use and Planning
 Public Services and Recreation
 Transportation and Traffic
 Tribal Cultural Resources
Potential environmental impacts determined not to be significant are discussed in Section 5, Effects Found Not to Be Significant and include the following:
 Aesthetics
 Agricultural Resources
 Air Quality
 Geology and Soils
 Greenhouse Gas Emissions/
Climate Change
 Mineral Resources
 Noise
 Population and Housing
 Utilities and Service Systems
This EIR addresses the issue areas referenced above and identifies the potentially significant environmental impacts, including site-specific and cumulative effects, of the proposed Management Plan. The EIR recommends feasible mitigation measures that would eliminate or reduce adverse environmental effects. The EIR contains the following sections:

Executive Summary
This section summarizes the environmental consequences that would result from the Project, provides a summary table that lists the Project’s anticipated significant environmental impacts, describes recommended mitigation measures, and indicates the level of significance of impacts after implementation of recommended mitigation measures.

Section 1: Introduction
This section provides an introduction and overview of the Project and describes the purpose of the EIR and the CEQA process.

Section 2: Project Description
This section details the Project components, including the Project’s purpose and objectives, Project features, anticipated program development and necessary discretionary permits required for implementation of the Project.
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Section 3: Environmental Setting
This section describes the existing Wilderness Area conditions and land uses, City La Verne General Plan, City of La Verne Municipal Code, Marshall Canyon Specific Plan, and City of La Verne Parks and Community Services Master Plan.

Section 4: Environmental Impacts
This section describes the existing conditions for each of the environmental topics, states the environmental issues identified for the Project by the City, and evaluates the potential significant environmental impacts of the Project and recommended mitigation measures to avoid or reduce the significance of potential impacts.

Section 5: Effects Found Not to Be Significant
This section analyzes potential environmental effects identified by the City that, after detailed analysis, were determined to have no impacts or not to be significant.

Section 6: Other CEQA Required Discussions
This section provides an analysis on growth inducing impacts of the Project, such as the ways in which the Project could foster economic or population growth, either directly or indirectly, in the surrounding area. This section also identifies the changes in the local environment that would result from implementation of the Project, and analyzes potential environmental effects identified by the City that, after detailed analysis, were determined unavoidable if the Project is implemented.

Section 7: Alternatives to the Project
This section considers alternatives to the Project that could reduce one or more of the significant environmental impacts identified in Section 4, and has been prepared in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15126.6. The Alternatives discussion evaluates the CEQA-required “no project” alternative and two other alternative development scenarios for the Plan Area. It also identifies the environmentally superior alternative among the alternatives assessed.

Section 8: References
This section provides a list of the sources referenced in the EIR, as well as a listing of persons and organizations that participated in the preparation of the EIR.

Appendices
The Management Plan, the NOP/scoping comment letters and technical studies that were prepared for the Project are provided in the Appendices for public review. 125
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22 1.4 Type of Environmental Impact Report
This EIR has been prepared as a Program EIR, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15168, which states the following:
“A program EIR is an EIR which may be prepared on a series of actions that can be characterized as one large project and are related either:
 Geographically,
 As logical parts in the chain on contemplated actions,  In connection with issuance of rules, regulations, plans, or other general criteria to govern the conduct of a continuing program, or
 As individual activities carried out under the same authorizing statutory or regulatory authority and having generally similar environmental effects which can be mitigated in similar ways.”
Due to the scope and the long-term nature of implementing the proposed La Verne Wilderness Area Management and Public Access Plan, this EIR does not preclude the requirement for individual improvements within the Wilderness Area to undergo further environmental review.

1.5 Lead, Responsible, and Trustee Agencies
The City of La Verne is considered the lead agency in preparing this EIR and will be responsible for the discretionary approvals that would allow subsequent development.

CEQA Guidelines Section 15367 defines a “lead agency” as:
“…the public agency which has the principal responsibility for carrying out or approving a project. The Lead Agency will decide whether an EIR or Negative Declaration will be required for the project and will cause the document to be prepared.” This EIR provides environmental information to County and California State agencies which may be involved in serving the Wilderness Area, or may otherwise have an interest in the Management Plan’s potential environmental impacts. There are no responsible agencies for the proposed Management Plan. CEQA Guidelines Section 15381 defines a “responsible agency” as:
“…a public agency which proposes to carry out or approve a project, for which a Lead Agency is preparing or has prepared an EIR or Negative Declaration. For the purposes of CEQA, the term “Responsible Agency” includes all public agencies other than the Lead Agency which have discretionary approval power over the project.” Other neighboring jurisdictions, such as the cities of Glendora, San Dimas, Claremont, Upland, and Rancho Cucamonga and the counties of Los Angeles and San Bernardino, may have an interest in potential impacts within their jurisdictions. Other regional agencies such 126
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Draft Environmental Impact Report 23
as the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) and Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board may have an interest in the proposed Management Plan. The City of La Verne has solicited the input of these agencies in the EIR process, starting with the circulation of the NOP.

Trustee agencies have jurisdiction over certain resources held in trust for the people of California, but do not have a legal authority over approving or carrying out the proposed Management Plan. CEQA Guidelines Section 15386 designates four agencies as trustee agencies: the California Department of Fish and Wildlife with regards to fish and wildlife, native plants designated as rare or endangered, game refuges, and ecological reserves; the State Lands Commission, with regard to state-owned “sovereign” lands, such as the beds of navigable waters and state school lands; the California Department of Parks and Recreation, with regard to units of the state park system; and the University of California, with regard to sites within the Natural Land and Water Reserves System. In addition, due to the Wilderness Area’s adjacency to the Angeles National Forest and vicinity to the San Bernardino National Forest, the U.S. Forest Service may also have an interest in the proposed Management Plan.

1.6 Environmental Review Process
The environmental impact review process required under CEQA is summarized below and illustrated in Figure 1. The steps appear in sequential order. 1 Notice of Preparation Distributed. Immediately after deciding that an EIR is required, the lead agency must file a Notice of Preparation soliciting input on the EIR scope to "responsible," "trustee," and involved federal agencies; to the State Clearinghouse, if one or more state agencies is a responsible or trustee agency; and to parties previously requesting notice in writing. The Notice of Preparation must be posted in the County Clerk's office for 30 days. A scoping meeting to solicit public input on the issues to be assessed in the EIR is not required, but may be conducted by the lead agency. The City of La Verne prepared a Notice of Preparation for an EIR and distributed the Notice of Preparation for agency and public review for the required 30-day review period from September 11, 2016 to October 20, 2016. A public scoping meeting was held on September 20, 2016, at the City Council Chambers in La Verne. 2 Draft EIR Prepared. The Draft EIR must contain: a) table of contents or index; b) summary; c) project description; d) environmental setting; e) significant impacts (direct, indirect, cumulative, growth-inducing, irreversible, and unavoidable impacts); f) alternatives; g) mitigation measures; h) effects not found to be significant; and i) a list of organizations and persons consulted.
3 Public Notice and Review. A lead agency must prepare a Public Notice of Availability of an EIR. The Notice must be placed in the County Clerk's office for 30 days (Public Resources Code Section 21092) and sent to anyone requesting it. Additionally, public notice of Draft EIR availability must be given through at least one of the following procedures: a) publication in a newspaper of general circulation; b) posting on and off 127
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24 the project site; and c) direct mailing to owners and occupants of contiguous properties.

The lead agency must consult with and request comments on the Draft EIR from responsible and trustee agencies, and adjacent cities and counties. The minimum public review period for a Draft EIR is 30 days. When a Draft EIR is sent to the State Clearinghouse for review, the public review period must be 45 days, unless a shorter period is approved by the Clearinghouse (Public Resources Code 21091). Distribution of the Draft EIR may be required through the State Clearinghouse. 4 Notice of Completion. A lead agency must file a Notice of Completion with the State Clearinghouse as soon as it completes a Draft EIR.
5 Final EIR. A Final EIR must include: a) the Draft EIR; b) copies of comments received during public review; c) list of persons and entities commenting; d) responses to comments; and e) any additional information added by the lead agency. 6 Certification of Final EIR. The lead agency shall certify: a) the Final EIR has been completed in compliance with CEQA; b) the Final EIR was presented to the decision- making body of the lead agency; and c) the decision-making body reviewed and considered the information in the Final EIR prior to approving a project. 7 Lead Agency Project Decision. A lead agency may: a) disapprove a project because of its significant environmental effects; b) require changes to a project to reduce or avoid significant environmental effects; or c) approve a project despite its significant environmental effects, if the proper findings and statement of overriding considerations are adopted.
8 Findings/Statement of Overriding Considerations. For each significant impact of the project identified in the EIR, the lead or responsible agency must find, based on substantial evidence, that either: a) the project has been changed to avoid or substantially reduce the magnitude of the impact; b) changes to the project are within another agency's jurisdiction and such changes have or should be adopted; or c) specific economic, social, or other considerations make the mitigation measures or project alternatives infeasible. If an agency approves a project with unavoidable significant environmental effects, it must prepare a written Statement of Overriding Considerations that set forth the specific social, economic or other reasons supporting the agency's decision.
9 Mitigation Monitoring/Reporting Program. When an agency makes findings on significant effects identified in the EIR, it must adopt a reporting or monitoring program for mitigation measures that were adopted or made conditions of project approval to mitigate significant effects.
10 Notice of Determination. An agency must file a Notice of Determination after deciding to approve a project for which an EIR is prepared. A local agency must file the Notice with the County Clerk. The Notice must be posted for 30 days and sent to anyone previously requesting notice. Posting of the Notice starts a 30-day statute of limitations on CEQA challenges.
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Figure 1 Environmental Review Process

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26 This page left intentionally blank.
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2 Project Description
In 2006, the City of La Verne (City), acquired 208 acres in north La Verne through State grant funds obtained in cooperation with the County of Los Angeles, the Trust for Public Land, and the La Verne Land Conservancy. This land was combined with 150 acres already owned by the City to create an open space preserve of 358 acres, collectively referred to as the “Wilderness Area”. The Wilderness Area Management and Public Access Plan includes selective habitat enhancement actions, the resolution of public safety hazards, and opportunities for limited controlled public access as part of the City’s stewardship responsibilities for the Wilderness Area.

2.1 Project Proponent
City of La Verne
Community Development Department
Bill Aguirre, Director of Community Services
3660 D Street
La Verne, California 91750

2.2 Project Location
The Wilderness Area is located north of Golden Hills Road, east of Mountain Springs Ranch Road, and west and northwest of Monterey Street, Calle Aragon, and Brydon Road.

Elevation in the Wilderness Area ranges from 1,435 feet in the southwest corner to 3,165 feet in the northeast corner. The Wilderness Area is located within, and surrounded to the west/northwest, north, and east by the area of the Angeles National Forest designated as the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument in 2014. Residential developments are adjacent to the Wilderness Area along Monterey Street, Calle Aragon, and Brydon Road to the southeast. Figure 2 dep
icts the location of the Wilderness Area boundaries in relation to the City. The Wilderness Area is made up of 10 City-owned parcels:
 8678022900
 8678022901
 8678022902
 86780159
00  8678015901
 8678015902
 8678015903
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28  8678015904
 8678015905
 8678015906

2.3 Project Background
The grant funds used to acquire the Wilderness Area were dedicated to the “acquisition, development, improvement, rehabilitation or restoration of real property for parks and park safety, senior recreation facilities, gang prevention, beaches, recreation, community or cultural facilities, trails, wildlife habitat or natural land in order to establish open space areas” (County of Los Angeles 1996, 2005). At the time the funds were allocated for purchasing the lands, the City agreed to maintain and operate the property in perpetuity.

Conditions in the grant funding include specific stipulations requiring reasonable public access, except where such access would interfere with resource protection (Sections 10c and 13), and prohibiting flood control projects within the grant lands (Section 17d). In order to fulfill the requirements of the land acquisition grant, the La Verne Wilderness Area Management and Public Access Plan ("Management Plan") was prepared to address the resolution of wildlife conservation, public access, and habitat management issues in an integrated program.

In late 2007 and early 2008, the City began to develop a Draft Management Plan for the Wilderness Area. This planning was structured around three facilitated public workshops. In addition to the public workshops, the City conducted individual and small group interviews with government agencies, special interest groups, and immediate neighbors to the Wilderness Area to specifically discuss public access.

The public access discussions took into account the legal requirements associated with the acquisition grant, management responsibilities, and alternative management methods and facilities that would be helpful in controlling public access. In October, 2008 a Draft Management Plan was produced for the City’s consideration that outlined recommendations for habitat resource enhancement, public safety actions, and controlled public access along with selected management alternatives. At that time, the City elected to postpone any action in advancing the review and refinement of the Draft Management Plan.

In 2016, the City re-initiated review of the management options presented in the 2008 Draft Management Plan. On September 20, 2016, a public scoping workshop was conducted to review the resource and public access management concepts being considered and to solicit direction from the community for how to best steward the Wilderness Area resources while also providing low-impact outdoor recreation and educational experiences.

The Management Plan was completed in March 2017 and this EIR was prepared to review the potential environmental impacts associated with implementation of the Management Plan in the Wilderness Area.
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Figure 2 Project Location

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30 2.4 Existing Site Characteristics
The majority of the Wilderness Area consists of open space and mostly undeveloped land.

The southwestern corner of the Wilderness Area, along Monterey Street, has been disturbed by mowing activities and a fire road (Sunset Peak Mountainway) traverses the western and northern portions of the Wilderness Area. The remainder of the Wilderness Area is relatively undisturbed and covered in dense vegetation.

2.4.1 Wildlife Habitat Conditions
The Wilderness Area consists of relatively undisturbed dense native vegetation with the exception of a few disturbed areas along the southern edge of the Wilderness Area and along the fire road. The biota of the Wilderness Area is characterized by of large expanses of chaparral, scrub and woodland habitats which provide suitable habitat for several general and special status wildlife species. Native trees (i.e., coast live oak, laurel sumac, California sycamore) and shrubs (i.e., chamise, California sagebrush) within the Wilderness Area and the immediate vicinity could provide suitable nesting habitat for several common avian species. The vegetation and wildlife species that potentially inhabit the Wilderness Area are further discussed in Section 4.1 Biological Resources.

2.4.2 Wildfire Conditions
The City of La Verne is one of 1,289 communities in California identified as a “community at risk” by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). The City is also designated a Hazard Level Code of “3,” which indicates the highest fire threat level. Cal Fire used three main factors to determine which communities were at risk and their level of fire threat. These factors were: 1) high fuel hazard, 2) probability of a fire, and 3) proximity of intermingled wildland fuels with urban environments. The greatest wildfire threat to the City comes from fires spreading from the Angeles National Forest or from undeveloped Los Angeles County lands east of the City, especially during the seasonal surge of Santa Ana winds. While the strong downslope Santa Ana winds present the clearest wildfire hazard to the City, vegetation conditions across the southern front of the San Gabriel Mountains place the community at risk even under typical on-shore wind conditions. The risk from wildfires in the Wilderness Area is further addressed in Section 4.3 Hazards and Hazardous Materials.

2.4.3 Watershed Conditions
This City of La Verne, including the Wilderness Area, lies in the San Gabriel River Watershed.

The Wilderness Area consists of vacant, natural open space encompassing several steep, relatively small canyons that drain into a single unimproved watercourse and end at an outlet located at Golden Hills Road. Several riverine and freshwater forested/shrub wetlands are mapped throughout the Wilderness Area as well. The majority of the mapped features are located in dry upland areas of the watershed and do not contain evidence of 134
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flows or riparian vegetation. These areas likely convey runoff during heavy storm events from the upper portions of the watershed to the drainage feature that runs northeast/ southwest along the southern portion of the Wilderness Area. As a consequence, the Wilderness Area and land downstream have been subject to flooding during heavy rain events. However, pursuant to conditions contained in the grant funding agreement, no flood control improvements are allowed in the 208-acre portion of the Wilderness Area purchased using grant funds. That is to say, the City would be liable to refund the State monies if it were to use any portion of the 208-acre portion for flood control facilities.

Hydrologic impacts are further discussed in Section 4.4, Hydrology and Water Quality.

2.4.4 Public Access
Access to the Wilderness Area plateau is currently available from the west via an unimproved parking area off of San Dimas Road and a foot trail that connects with Sunset Ridge Road. From the northeast, Sunset Ridge Road travels down from Sunset Peak within the Angeles National Forest and along the border of the San Dimas Experimental Forest to the Wilderness Area. Access from the south to and through the lower portions of the Wilderness Area is closed to public use. An extension of Mountain Springs Ranch Road accesses a City water tank and then tracks uphill and connects with Sunset Ridge Road.

From Golden Hills Road, the City has vehicular access to the lower wash area of the Wilderness Area from Via Vista Court, which is gated and closed to public use. There is also a gate at the Wilderness Area boundary where Mountain Springs Ranch Road transitions to a dirt access route leading to a water tank. There is open access to the lower wash area of the Wilderness Area through private property, both at the downstream and upstream ends of the lower wash. There are no City-maintained trails from the wash area connecting uphill with Sunset Ridge Road. Public access controls and impacts are discussed throughout this EIR.

2.5 Project Goals and Objectives
The Management Plan includes goals for specific physical improvements or management policies that would implement the vision for the Wilderness Area. Objectives are subcomponents of the goals that translate the intended improvements into actions to be taken. To the extent practicable and allowable by physical, biological, and social constraints, the City is committed to the realization of nine overall management goals with specific associated objectives for the Wilderness Area.

Goals, and associated objectives, are organized into four c ategories: Wildlife Habitat
Conservation, Public Safety, Public Access, and General Management. These are detailed in Table 4 below.
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32 Table 4 Management Plan Goals and Objectives
Goal Objective
Wildlife Habitat Conservation
Goal #1: Preserve and Enhance Wildlife
Habitat Corridors and Diversity
 Enhance and protect all habitat areas
 Restore the southern wash corridor as riversidean
and alluvial fan sage scrub with a surrounding
modified coast live oak woodland/grassland habitat
 Preserve existing, and where appropriate, enhance
northern mixed chaparral/coast live oak woodland
 Revegetate disturbed areas
 Preserve significant and heritage trees
Public Safety
Goal #2: Provide Flood Hazard Management  Manage stormwater, sediment, and woody debris  Provide for public safety
Goal #3: Provide Wildfire Hazard
Management
 Clear brush and modify fuel load
 Prohibit fires
 Provide for public safety
Public Access
Goal #4: Provide a Tranquil and Safe Visitor
Experience
 Secure access
 Develop limited use facilities
Goal #5: Provide Controlled Public Access  Provide for public safety  Provide a single access point from the City
 Designate Wilderness Area as pedestrian access/day
use only (no overnight use)
 Limit use to trail-related pedestrian activities
 Provide phased public access program based on
available staff resources and funding
 Protect adjacent private property
General Management
Goal #6: Cooperate with Others in
Management of the Wilderness Area
 Coordinate with other agencies/interest
groups/volunteers/neighbors to complement City
staff in implementing resource management
activities and capital improvements
 Community involvement
Goal #7: Provide Sufficient On-site Presence
to Manage the Wilderness Area
 Coordinate with other agencies/trail
groups/volunteers/neighbors to complement City
staff presence
Goal #8: Reflect Changes in Surrounding Use
and Ownership Conditions
 Assure the Management Plan remains current as
conditions change
Goal #9: Obtain Sufficient Funds to Assure
Full Implementation of the Management
Plan
 Secure funds for resource management
 Secure funds for capital improvements
 Secure funds for public access management

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Figure 3 Conceptual Public Access Trail

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34 2.6 Required Approvals
Implementation of the Master Plan and any associated improvements would require the following discretionary approvals from the City of La Verne:
 Approval of the Management Plan
 Amendment of the underlying land use and zoning designations  Amendment of La Verne Municipal Code Section 6.16.080 Animals in parks to include the Wilderness Area
 Removal of significant and/or protected heritage trees will require approval of a permit from the Director of Community Development
 A permit for any temporary construction trailers or other temporary construction- related uses, as applicable
 Ministerial and ancillary permits required to carry out individual projects under the Management Plan, such as demolition permits
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3 Environmental Setting
This section provides a general overview of the environmental setting of the Wilderness Area. More detailed descriptions of the environmental setting relevant to each environmental issue area can be found in Section 4, Environmental Impact Analysis.

3.1 Regional Setting
The City of La Verne is located in the foothills of the San Gabriel - Pomona Valleys in the eastern portion of Los Angeles County. The entire incorporated area measures approximately 9.09 square miles. La Verne is bordered by unincorporated portions of Los Angeles County to the north, the city of Claremont to the east, the city of Pomona to the south, and the city of San Dimas to the west. La Verne is located on a broad alluvial fan at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains. The mountain range serves as a striking backdrop to the City on its northern edge. A variety of land holdings in the northern portions of La Verne are preserved as open space, and areas north of these areas are encompassed in the Angeles National Forest and the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument.

La Verne has mild winters and hot summers. As in most of southern California, most rainfall occurs from late fall to early spring. Winter days are moderately warm with an average high temperature in December and January of 68 degrees Fahrenheit (°F), and an average December low temperature of 41°F. Summer weather in La Verne is hot, with an average high temperature in July and August of 89 degrees Fahrenheit, and an average low temperature in July and August of 59°F. During the hottest months, daytime temperatures in La Verne can exceed 100°F (intellicast.com 2017).

Major vehicle circulation routes in the City include the Interstate 210 (Foothill Freeway) and east-west arterial roadways such as Baseline Road, Foothill Boulevard, Bonita Avenue, Puddingstone Drive, and Arrow Highway. Major north-south roadways include Wheeler Avenue, White Avenue, B Street, D Street, and Esperanza Drive. Other transportation modes serving La Verne include rail, air, bus, bicycle, and pedestrian accommodations. The closest Metrolink train station is on Garey Avenue in Pomona, California, approximately three and a half miles southeast of the Wilderness Area. The future La Verne Metro Gold Line station will be located north of Arrow Highway and east of E Street, just south of the southeastern boundary of the University of La Verne. La Verne is also near several airports, including Cable Airport, Brackett Field (within the City limits), and Ontario International Airport. Foothill Transit provides local bus service to the City, connecting La Verne to the rest of the Pomona and San Gabriel valleys, as well as to downtown Los Angeles. La Verne also contains an extensive network of bike lanes, sidewalks, and trails serving bicyclists and pedestrians.
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36 3.2 Wilderness Area Setting
The Wilderness Area is located north of Golden Hills Road, east of Mountain Springs Ranch Road, and west and northwest of Monterey Street, Calle Aragon, and Brydon Road.

Elevation on-site ranges from 1,435 feet in the southwest corner to 3,165 feet in the northeast corner. The Wilderness Area is located within, and surrounded to the west/northwest, north, and east by the area of the Angeles National Forest designated as the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument in 2014. Residential developments are adjacent to the Wilderness Area along Monterey Street, Calle Aragon, and Brydon Road to the southeast.

The Wilderness Area is also located in the San Dimas Experimental Forest, which is administered under the jurisdiction of the Pacific Southwest Research Station. The San Dimas Experimental Forest is managed as a field laboratory for ecosystem, watershed, and natural resource science research in chaparral and related Mediterranean-climate ecosystems and is an internationally recognized wildland-urban interface research facility.

The entire Experimental Forest is closed to the public and entry requires the issue of a use permit for research or educational purposes (USFS 2017).

The majority of the Wilderness Area consists of open space and mostly undeveloped land.

3.3 Cumulative Development
CEQA defines “cumulative impacts” as two or more individual events that, when considered together, are considerable or will compound other environmental impacts. Cumulative impacts are the changes in the environment that result from the incremental impact of implementation of the Management Plan in conjunction with development of other nearby projects. For example, traffic impacts of two nearby projects may be insignificant when analyzed separately, but could have a significant impact when analyzed together.

Cumulative impact analysis in the EIR provides a reasonable forecast of future environmental conditions so it can precisely gauge the effects of a series of projects.

There are no other public parks or open space projects in development within the City of La Verne or in nearby communities. However, residential development in the area could contribute to the overall use of the Wilderness Area and may consequently result in cumulative impacts. Cumulative residential development would result in the future development of 55 units, which would conservatively add approximately 150 new residents to the City of La Verne. Table 5 lists the cumulative projects considered for this analysis. 140
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Table 5 Cumulative Projects List
Project Name Project Location Description
Sage Canyon Residential Project North of Golden Hills Road at Divot Drive in the northwest portion of the
City of La Verne.
14 single family homes
Creekside Development San Dimas Canyon and Golden Hills Road
22 single family homes
Emerald Collection Emerald and Baseline Road 19 single family homes

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4 Environmental Impact Analysis

4.1 Biological Resources
This section addresses the existing biological conditions and resources in and adjacent to the Wilderness Area, identifies current applicable regulations, and evaluates potential biological resource impacts associated with implementation of the proposed Management Plan. Biological resources examined in this section include vegetation communities, sensitive plant and animal species, and wildlife habitats under the jurisdiction of state and federal resource protection agencies.

A general Biological Resources Assessment (BRA) was completed for the proposed Management Plan on February 10, 2017 (Rincon Consultants, Inc. 2017b). The BRA documents existing conditions and determines potential impacts to special-status biological resources based upon anticipated plans for the Wilderness Area. The BRA includes a summary of the literature review, maps of present vegetation communities and habitats in the Wilderness Area, databases containing locality information for sensitive biological resources, aerial photographs, and a discussion of biologically significant resources associated with the Wilderness Area. The BRA is included in Appendix C and is summarized in this section.

4.1.1 Setting
Regional Setting
The majority of the Wilderness Area is located in the Angeles National Forest and San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. The Wilderness Area is surrounded by the Angeles National Forest/San Gabriel Mountains National Monument to the west/northwest, north, and east and adjacent to residential development along Divot Drive to the southwest and along Monterey Street, Calle Aragon, Brydon Road and to the south. The climate in the region is characterized by warm and dry summers and relatively wet, mild winters, with average annual rainfall at 25.10 inches (WRCC 2016).

Regional Wildlife Corridor
Wildlife linkages and corridors function to increase the habitat value of blocks of habitat or to mitigate the effects of habitat fragmentation. Ecosystem and habitat linkages are generally considered to be any connective land between large blocks of habitat that promote movement of a variety of species and/or ecosystem processes. Such connections can facilitate the movement of larger animals and can serve as “live-in” habitat for smaller species, both of which improve genetic diversity among populations. 143
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40 The Angeles National Forest, the first national Forest in California and a State historical landmark, contains the largest area of dedicated open space in Los Angeles County with over 650,000 acres of contiguous undeveloped public lands which serve as a wildlife corridor (Los Angeles County 2015a). Approximately two thirds of the Angeles National Forest contains slopes steeper than 60 percent, with elevations ranging from 1,200 to 10,000 feet above sea level. The San Gabriel Mountain Range, within the Angeles National Forest, occupies just over 1,000 square miles (or 25 percent of the land area within Los Angeles County). The Wilderness Area itself contains 358 acres of continuous blocks of chaparral and woodland habitats that overlap with the Angeles National Forest. As such, it is likely that the Wilderness Area facilitates short-range wildlife movement across the site from adjoining portions of the Angeles National Forest.

Significant Ecological Areas (SEA)
The Los Angeles County General Plan identifies land that contains valuable biological resources “considered to be rare or unique; are critical to the maintenance of wildlife; represent relatively undisturbed areas of County habitat types; or serve as linkages” and provides the Significant Ecological Areas (SEA) designation (Los Angeles County 2015a). The objective of the SEA Program is to conserve genetic and physical diversity by designating biological resources areas that are appropriately sized to support sustainable populations of component species in identified habitats.

The northern and eastern boundaries of the Wilderness Area itself are adjacent to the San Dimas Canyon / San Antonio Wash Significant Ecological Area (SEA), as designated and delineated by Los Angeles County and located along the foothills of the eastern San Gabriel Mountains (Los Angeles County 2015a). The San Dimas Canyon/San Antonio SEA is composed of two components: San Dimas Canyon with approximately 5,500 acres including portions of Live Oak, Marshall, and San Dimas canyons; and San Antonio Canyon with approximately 1,200 acres; for a total encompassment of 6,727 acres. Much like the majority of the San Gabriel Mountain range, the SEA contains rugged topography with steep-walled canyons and narrow ridgelines ranging from 451 feet above mean sea level in the San Antonio Wash to approximately 3,000 feet above mean sea level along San Dimas Canyon. A portion of the SEA extends into canyon forests and chaparral slopes within the Wilderness Area, and is under public and private ownership (Los Angeles County 2015b).

Site Specific Setting
The Wilderness Area is located in the City of La Verne, north of Golden Hills Road, east of Mountain Springs Ranch Road, and west of Stephens Ranch Road. As discussed in Section 2, Project Description, the Wilderness Area consists of 208 acres of land in North La Verne acquired through State grant funds (from the Wildlife Conservation Board) adjacent to 150 acres already owned by the City. The boundaries of the Wilderness area and location relative to the City are shown in Figure 2.

The Wilderness Area itself consists of open space and mostly undeveloped land, the majority of which is located within the Angeles National Forest in the San Gabriel Mountains. A fire road (Sunset Peak Mountainway) runs along the western and northern 144
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Draft Environmental Impact Report 41
portions of the Wilderness Area, and there are signs of recent disturbance from maintenance-related activities in the southwestern corner of the Wilderness Area along Monterey Street. The remainder of the Wilderness Area is relatively undisturbed and covered in dense vegetation. Based on a review of historic aerial photographs, the Wilderness Area has been in roughly the same condition as described above since at least 1994.

Residential development borders the Wilderness Area to the southwest along Divot Drive, and to the south along Monterey Street, Calle Aragon, and Brydon Road. Interstate 210 (I- 210) is the closest major thoroughfare, which is approximately two miles south of the southern edge of the Wilderness Area.

Vegetation Communities and Cover Types
The Wilderness Area consists of relatively undisturbed dense vegetation with the exception of a few disturbed areas along the southern edge of the Wilderness Area and along the fire road that traverses the area. Nearly 90 percent of the Wilderness Area is comprised of chamise-laurel sumac scrub and coast live oak woodland vegetation communities. The communities are described below and acreages for each of the eight vegetation community types in the Wilderness Area are shown in Table 6.

Table 6 Vegetation Communities
Vegetation Community Acreage
Annual Brome Grassland 7.8
California Sagebrush-Black Sage Scrub 7.6
Chamise-Black Sage Chaparral 7.3
Chamise-Laurel Sumac Scrub 251.1
Coast Live Oak Woodland 69.6
Coast Live Oak Woodland/Grass 4.1
Coast Prickly Pear Scrub* 2.9
Developed/Disturbed 12.7
Total 363.11
*sensitive plant community
1 Acreage counts are approximate as the vegetation communities do not stop and start at the exact boundary lines of the Wilderness Area
Chamise-Laurel Sumac Scrub
This vegetation community is dominated by chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum) in the shrub canopy with laurel sumac dominant in the tree canopy. Other species observed in this community include toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia), scrub oak (Quercus berberidifolia), black sage (Salvia mellifera), coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), and sawtooth goldenbush (Hazardia squarrosa). Chamise-laurel sumac scrub covers the majority of the Wilderness 145
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42 Area (251.1 acres) dominating the vegetation communities in the northern two-thirds of the Wilderness Area.

Chamise-Black Sage Chaparral
This vegetation community is co-dominated by chamise and black sage in the shrub canopy.

Other species observed in this community include California sagebrush (Artemisia californica), sticky monkey flower (Mimulus auranticus), sawtooth goldenbush, and poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum). Chamise-black sage chaparral comprises approximately

7.3 acres in the southwestern corner of the Wilderness Area in the vicinity of the water tower and fire road located just west of the Wilderness Area boundary.

California Sagebrush-Black Sage Scrub
This vegetation community is codominated by California sagebrush and black sage in the shrub canopy. Other species observed in this community include poison oak, sticky monkey flower, California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum), chaparral yucca (Hesperoyucca whipplei), scalebroom (Lepidospartum squamatum), hollyleaf redberry (Rhamnus illicifolia), manroot (Marah fabacea), and amsinkia (Amsinckia sp.). California sagebrush-black sage scrub comprises approximately 7.6 acres in the southwestern portion of the Wilderness Area, generally located in close proximity to the fire road traversing the Wilderness Area.

Coast Live Oak Woodland
This vegetation community is dominated by coast live oak in the tree canopy. Other trees found scattered throughout this vegetation community include toyon, California sycamore (Platanus racemosa), blue elderberry (Sambucus nigra), and laurel sumac. The shrub layer is extremely sparse but dominated by poison oak and prickly pear cactus (Optunia sp.) where present. Coast live oak woodland is the second-most abundant vegetation community within the Wilderness Area (69.6 acres) and is concentrated in the canyons between ridgelines.

Coast Live Oak Woodland/Grass
This vegetation community is dominated by coast live oak in the tree canopy. Other trees found scattered throughout this vegetation community include toyon, California sycamore, laurel sumac, and tree tobacco (Nicotiana glauca). The shrub layer is non-existent and the herbaceous layer is dominated by grasses including ripgut brome and red brome (Bromus diandrus, B. madtritensis ssp. rubens, respectively) and wild oats (Avena fatua, A. barbata).

Coast live oak woodland/grass is limited to the southwestern tip of the Wilderness Area (4.1 acres) and is surrounded by developed/disturbed areas consisting of mowed grasses and non-native herbaceous species.

Annual Brome Grassland
This vegetation community is codominated by red brome and ripgut brome. Other species observed in this community include wild oats, tocalote (Centaurea melitensis), castor bean (Ricinus communis), wild mustard (Hirshfeldia incana), Russian thistle (Salsola tragus), 146
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poison oak, bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare), and croton (Croton setiger). Annual brome grassland comprises approximately 7.8 acres of the Wilderness Area and is located adjacent to disturbed areas along the fire road that traverses the Wilderness Area. The annual brome grassland communities are dominated by non-native species and provide minimal habitat value to native plants and wildlife species. Therefore, these areas present an opportunity for habitat restoration under the proposed Management Plan.

Coast Prickly Pear Scrub
This vegetation community is dominated by prickly pear cactus (Opuntia sp.) in the shrub canopy. Other species observed in this community include chaparral yucca, black sage, California sagebrush, laurel sumac, and coast live oak. Coast prickly pear scrub comprises approximately 2.9 acres of the Wilderness Area and is limited to a single location in the southwestern portion of the Wilderness Area just south of a developed/disturbed area extending south from Sunset Peak Mountainway.

Developed/Disturbed
This vegetation community consists of areas of bare ground (unvegetated and mostly compacted dirt) and urban/developed lands that have been constructed upon or otherwise physically altered to an extent that native vegetation is no longer supported. Species observed in this community are primarily non-native, and include pigweed (Amaranthus albus), Russian thistle, tree tobacco, castorbean, puncturevine (Tribulus terrestris), Washington fan palm (Washingtonia robusta), and several ornamental shrubs. Native jimsonweed (Datura wrightii) and blackberry (Rubus ursinus) were also observed in this community. Developed/disturbed areas comprise 12.7 acres in the southern portion of the Wilderness Area in the vicinity of residential communities as well as along the fire road that traverses the site. The areas mapped as developed/disturbed are dominated by non-native species and provide minimal habitat value to native plants and wildlife species. Therefore, these areas present an opportunity for habitat restoration under the proposed Management Plan.

Common Wildlife
The Wilderness Area and immediate vicinity remain relatively undisturbed with little development other than residential homes along a limited portion of the southern boundary of the Area. As such, the Wilderness Area provides habitat for wildlife species that commonly occur in the San Gabriel Mountains. Complete lists of species detected on- site can be found in the BRA (see Appendix C).

Special Status Species
Special-status species include plants and animals that federal, state, or other agencies consider rare or vulnerable to habitat loss or population decline. Some of these species receive specific protections as defined by federal or state endangered species legislation.

Others are designated as “sensitive” based on adopted policies, expertise, and guidance provided to and adopted by local governmental agencies such as counties, cities, and 147
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44 special districts to meet local conservation objectives. Adherence to existing conservation policies and objectives is tantamount for maintenance and minor site improvements in the Wilderness Area due to its current primary role as a wildlife habitat conservation area.

A query of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Environmental Conservation Online System (ECOS), the California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB), and the CNPS Online Inventory of Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Plants of California were conducted to obtain background information regarding state and federally listed species, sensitive communities, and federally designated critical habitat known, or with potential, to occur within the vicinity of the Wilderness Area. The database query yielded 19 sensitive plant species, five sensitive plant communities, and 25 sensitive wildlife species within five miles of the Wilderness Area, which is reduced to 17 sensitive plant species, one sensitive plant community, and 17 sensitive wildlife species within the Wilderness Area itself.

The degree to which a special-status species has the potential to occur in the Wilderness Area was evaluated according to the following criteria:
 No Potential. Habitat on and adjacent to the site is clearly unsuitable for the species requirements (foraging, breeding, cover, substrate, elevation, hydrology, plant community, site history, disturbance regime).
 Low Potential. Few of the habitat components meeting the species requirements are present, and/or the majority of habitat on and adjacent to the site is unsuitable or of very poor quality. The species is not likely to be found on the site.  Moderate Potential. Some of the habitat components meeting the species requirements are present, and/or only some of the habitat on or adjacent to the site is unsuitable. The species has a moderate probability of being found on the site.  High Potential. All of the habitat components meeting the species requirements are present and/or most of the habitat on or adjacent to the site is highly suitable. The species has a high probability of being found on the site.  Present. Species is observed on the site or has been recorded (e.g., CNDDB, other reports) on the site recently (within the last 5 years).

The Wilderness Area primarily consists of large expanses of relatively undisturbed chaparral, scrub and woodland habitats which provide suitable habitat for several sensitive plant species. Table 7 outlines the special-status plant species that occur in the vicinity of the Wilderness Area.

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Table 7 Special-Status Plant Species in the Vicinity of the Wilderness Area Scientific Name /
Common Name
Status Fed /
State ESA
CRPR G-Rank /
S-Rank Habitat Preference / Requirements
Potential for Occurrence /
Basis for Determination
Arctostaphylos glandulosa ssp.
gabrielensis
San Gabriel manzanita
-/-
G5T2/S2
1B.2
Occurs in chaparral (rocky)
Elevations: 1,952-4,922 feet
Bloom period: Mar
Moderate. Rocky substrate and
chaparral present on-site. However,
majority of the site is dominated by
scrub communities and coast live oak
woodland.

Berberis nevinii
Nevin’s barberry
FE/SE
G1/S1
1B.1
Occurs in sandy or gravelly riparian chaparral,
foothill woodland, and coastal sage scrub.

Elevations: 229-2,707 feet
Bloom period: Feb-June
Low. Chaparral, woodland, and
coastal sage scrub habitat present.

However, no riparian present on-site.

Brodiaea filifolia
Thread-leaved brodiaea
FT/SE
G2/S2
1B.1
Occurs in chaparral (openings), cismontane
woodland, coastal scrub, playas, valley and
foothill grassland, and vernal pools; often clay.

Elevation: 82-3,675 feet
Bloom period: Mar-June
Low. Suitable chaparral, woodland,
scrub, and grassland communities
present on-site. However, clay soils
absent.

California macrophylla
Round-leaved filaree
-/-
G3?/S3?
1B.2
Occurs in clay cismontane woodland and valley
and foothill grasslands.

Elevations: 49-3,937 feet
Bloom period: Mar-May
Low. Suitable woodland and grassland
habitats present on-site. However,
clay soils absent.

Calochortus clavatus var. gracilis
Slender mariposa-lily
-/-
G4T2T3/S2S3
1B.2
Occurs in chaparral, coastal scrub and valley and
foothill grasslands.

Elevations: 1,049-3,281 feet
Bloom period: Mar-Nov
High. Suitable habitat present
throughout project site. 149
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46 Scientific Name /
Common Name
Status Fed /
State ESA
CRPR G-Rank /
S-Rank Habitat Preference / Requirements
Potential for Occurrence /
Basis for Determination
Calochortus plummerae
Plummer’s mariposa-lily
-/-
G4/S4

4.2 Occurs in granitic and rocky chaparral,
cismontane woodland, coastal scrub, lower
montane coniferous forest, and valley and foothill
grasslands.

Elevations: 328-5,578 feet
Bloom period: May-July
Present. Suitable habitat present
throughout site. CNDDB occurrence
located in northwestern corner of
project site.

Chorizanthe parryi var. parryi
Parry’s spineflower
-/-
G3T3/S3
1B.1
Occurs in sandy or rocky openings in chaparral,
cismontane woodland, coastal scrub, and valley
and foothill grassland.

Elevations: 902-4,003 feet
Bloom period: Apr-June
High. Suitable habitat present
throughout project site.

Dudleya multicaulis
Many-stemmed dudleya
-/-
G2/S2
1B.2
Occurs in chaparral, coastal scrub, and valley and
foothill grasslands, often in clay.

Elevation: 49-2,592 feet
Bloom period: Apr-July
Moderate. Suitable chaparral, scrub,
and grassland communities present
on-site. However, clay soils absent.

CNDDB occurrence located <1 mile
north of project site.

Horkelia cuneatea var. puberula
Mesa horkelia
-/-
G4T1/S1
1B.1
Occurs in sandy or gravelly chaparral (maritime),
cismontane woodland, and coastal scrub.

Elevation: 229-2,658 feet
Bloom period: Feb-Sept
High. Suitable woodland and coastal
scrub habitat present throughout
project site.

Imperata brevifolia
California satintail
-/-
G3/S3
2B.1
Occurs in mesic chaparral, coastal scrub,
Mojavean desert scrub, meadows and seeps
(often alkali), and riparian scrub.

Elevation: 0-3,987 feet
Bloom period: Sept-May
Low. Suitable chaparral and scrub
communities present on-site.

However, riparian areas, moisture,
and alkali soils absent.
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Scientific Name /
Common Name
Status Fed /
State ESA
CRPR G-Rank /
S-Rank Habitat Preference / Requirements
Potential for Occurrence /
Basis for Determination
Lepidium virginicum var.
robinsonii
Robinson’s pepper-grass
-/-
G5T3/S3

4.3 Occurs in chaparral and coastal scrub.

Elevation: 3-2,904 feet
Bloom period: Jan-July
High. Suitable habitat present
throughout project site.

Monardella macrantha ssp. hallii
Hall’s monardella
-/-
G5T3/S3
1B.3
Occurs in broadleaf upland forest, chaparral,
cismontane woodland, lower montane coniferous
forest, and valley and foothill grasslands.

Elevation: 2,395-7,202 feet
Bloom period: June-Oct
Moderate. Suitable chaparral,
woodland, and grassland habitat
present on-site. However, majority of
site is below species’ elevation range.

Orobanche valida ssp. valida
Rock Creek broomrape
-/-
G4T2/S2
1B.2
Occurs in granitic chaparral and pinyon and
juniper woodland.

Elevation: 4,101-6,562 feet
Bloom period: May-Sept
None. Project site is below species’
elevation range. Pinyon and juniper
woodland absent.

Pseudognaphalium
leucocephalum
White rabbit-tobacco
-/-
G4/S2
2B.2
Occurs in sandy or gravelly chaparral, cismontane
woodland, coastal scrub, and riparian woodland.

Elevation: 0-6,890 feet
Bloom period: July-Dec
High. Suitable habitat present
throughout project site.

Senecio aphanactis
Chaparral ragwort
-/-
G3/S2
2B.2
Occurs in chaparral, cismontane woodland, and
coastal scrub; sometimes alkaline.

Elevation: 49-2,625 feet
Bloom period: Jan-May
Moderate. Suitable chaparral,
woodland, and scrub communities
present on-site. However, alkali soils
absent.

Sidalcea neomexicana
Salt spring checkerbloom
-/-
G4/S2
2B.2
Occurs in alkaline and mesic areas within
chaparral, coastal scrub, lower montane
coniferous forest, Mojavean desert scrub, and
playas.

Elevation: 49-5,020 feet
Bloom period: Mar-June
Low. Suitable chaparral and scrub
communities present on-site.

However, mesic and alkaline soils
absent.
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48 Scientific Name /
Common Name
Status Fed /
State ESA
CRPR G-Rank /
S-Rank Habitat Preference / Requirements
Potential for Occurrence /
Basis for Determination
Symphyotrichum defoliatum
San Bernardino aster
-/-
G2/S2
1B.2
Occurs near ditches, streams, and springs within
cismontane woodland, coastal scrub, lower
montane coniferous forest, meadows and seeps,
marshes and swamps, and valley and foothill
grasslands (vernally mesic).

Elevation: 6-6,693 feet
Bloom period: July-Nov
Low. Suitable woodland, scrub, and
grassland habitats present on-site.

Water sources sparse. Streams,
springs, meadows, seeps, marshes,
and swamps absent.

Symphyotrichum greatae
Greata’s aster
-/-
G2/S2
1B.3
Occurs in mesic broadleaf upland forest,
chaparral, cismontane woodland, lower montane
coniferous forest, and riparian woodland.

Elevation: 984-6,595 feet
Bloom period: June-Oct
Moderate. Suitable chaparral and
woodland habitat present on site.

However, mesic areas absent. CNDDB
occurrence documented immediately
adjacent to project site in vicinity of
San Dimas Reservoir.

Thysanocarpus rigidus
Rigid fringepod
-/-
G1G2/S1
1B.2
Occurs on dry rocky slopes in pinyon and juniper
woodlands.

Elevation: 1,968-7,218 feet
Bloom period: Feb-May
None. Suitable habitat absent.

Source: CNDDB, 2016; CNPS, 2016
Regional Vicinity refers to within a 5 mile radius of site.

FE = Federally Endangered FT = Federally Threatened SE = State Endangered ST = State Threatened SR = State Rare G-Rank/S-Rank = Global Rank and State Rank as per NatureServe and CDFW’s CNDDB RareFind3.

CRPR (CNPS California Rare Plant Rank):
1A = Presumed Extinct in California
1B = Rare, Threatened, or Endangered in California and elsewhere 2A = Plants presumed extirpated in California, but more common elsewhere 2B = Plants Rare, Threatened, or Endangered in California, but more common elsewhere 3 = Need more information (a Review List)
4 = Plants of Limited Distribution (a Watch List)
CRPR Threat Code Extension:
.1 = Seriously endangered in California (over 80% of occurrences threatened / high degree and immediacy of threat)
.2 = Fairly endangered in California (20-80% occurrences threatened) .3 = Not very endangered in California (<20% of occurrences threatened)
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In summary, there is high potential for six sensitive plant species in the Wilderness Area due to the presence of suitable habitat characteristics throughout the majority of the Wilderness Area: mariposa-lily (Calochortus clavatus var. gracilis), Plummer’s mariposa lily (Calochortus plummerae), Parry’s spineflower (Chorizanthe parryi var. parryi), mesa horkelia (Horkelia cuneatea var. puberula), Robinson’s pepper-grass (Lepidium virginicum var. robinsonii), and white rabbit tobacco (Pseudognaphalium leucocephalum). Plummer’s mariposa lily has been documented in the northwest corner of the Wilderness Area (CNDDB 2016).

Moderate potential exists for five sensitive plant species on-site due to the presence of some suitable habitat characteristics present in the Wilderness Area: San Gabriel manzanita (Arctostaphylos glandulosa ssp. glandulosa), many-stemmed dudleya (Dudleya multicaulis), Hall’s monardella (Monardella macrantha ssp. hallii), chaparral ragwort (Senecio aphanactis), and Greata’s aster (Symphyotrichum greatae). Greata’s aster has been documented immediately adjacent to the Wilderness Area in the vicinity of San Dimas Reservoir (CNDDB 2016). A non-specific CNDDB occurrence for many-stemmed dudleya overlaps with the southeastern corner of the Wilderness Area. Many-stemmed dudleya has also been documented by the CNDDB less than one mile north of the Wilderness Area.

Low potential exists for six sensitive plant species due to the presence of some suitable habitat characteristics present in portions of the site: Nevin’s barberry (Berberis nevinii), thread-leaved brodiaea (Brodiaea filifolia), round-leaved filaree (California macrophylla), California satintail (Imperata brevifolia), salt spring checkerbloom (Sidalcea neomexicana), and San Bernardino aster (Symphyotrichum defoliatum). A non-specific CNDDB occurrence for round-leaved filaree overlaps with the southwestern corner of the Wilderness Area.

Sensitive Plant Communities
Among the plant communities mapped in the Wilderness Area, coast prickly pear scrub is considered a sensitive plant community. In addition, the CNDDB mapped five sensitive natural communities within a five-mile radius of the Wilderness Area: Canyon Live Oak Ravine Forest, Riversidean Alluvial Fan Sage Scrub, Southern California Arroyo Chub/Santa Ana Sucker Stream, Southern Coast Live Oak Riparian Forest, and Southern Sycamore and Alder Riparian Woodland (Figure 4).

Of these sensitive natural communities, Southern Coast Live Oak Riparian Forest is mapped within the Wilderness Area following a ravine that traverses through the northeastern side of the Wilderness Area. However, based on the field survey, the area identified by the CNDDB as Southern Coast Live Oak Riparian Forest has been classified as coast live oak woodland, consistent with updated vegetation mapping standards outlined in the second edition of A Manual of California Vegetation (Sawyer et al. 2010). The coast live oak woodland did not appear to contain vegetation characteristics or species that would result in a characterization different than the other coast live oak woodland communities mapped on-site. In addition, coast live oak woodland is not considered a sensitive plant community.

However, oak trees with a caliper of eight inches or more are protected under the City of La 153
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50 Figure 4 Wilderness Area Vegetation

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Verne Municipal Code Chapter 18.78 Preservation , Protection and Removal of Trees (refer to Protected Trees discussion below).

Special-status Wildlife Species
The Wilderness Area provides suitable habitat for several special status wildlife species.

Table 8 outlines the special-status wildlife species known to occur in the vicinity of the Wilderness Area.

High potential for five sensitive wildlife species occurs in the Wilderness Area. These species include coastal California gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica californica), northwestern San Diego pocket mouse (Chaetodipus fallax fallax), San Diego desert woodrat (Neotoma lepida intermedia), crotch bumble bee (Bombus crotchii), and San Gabriel Mountains elfin butterfly (Callophrys mossii hidakupa). The coastal California gnatcatcher is a federally listed threatened species. The coastal California gnatcatcher, northwestern San Diego pocket mouse, and San Diego desert woodrat are California species of special concern (SSC).

Moderate potential for four sensitive wildlife species occurs in the Wilderness Area. These species include coastal whiptail (Aspidoscelis tigris steinegeri), coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma blainvillii), hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus), and western yellow bat (Lasiurrus xanthinus).

Low potential for eight sensitive wildlife species occurs in the Wilderness Area. These species include silvery legless lizard (Aniella pulchra pulchra), two-striped gartersnake (Thamnophis hammondii), large-blotched salamander (Ensatina klauberi), Coast Range newt (Taricha torosa), black swift (Cypseloides niger), western mastiff bat (Eumops perotis californicus), Yuma myotis (Myotis yumanensis), and big free-tailed bat (Nyctinomops macrotis).
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52 Table 8 Special-Status Wildlife Species Known to Occur in the Vicinity of the Wilderness Area Scientific Name /
Common Name
Status Fed /
State ESA
CDFW G-Rank /
S-Rank Habitat Requirements
Potential for Occurrence /
Basis for Determination
Invertebrates
Bombus crotchii
Crotch bumble bee
-/-
G3G4/S1S2
_
Inhabits open grassland and scrub habitats. Nesting occurs underground. Food plants include Asclepias, Chaenactis, Lupinus, Medicago, Phacelia, and Salvia.

High. Suitable grassland and scrub
habitat present on-site. Salvia
mellifera species present on-site.

CNDDB includes records of five
occurrences of crotch bumble bee
within five miles of Wilderness
Area, including three occurrences
located adjacent to Wilderness
Area in San Gabriel Mountains.

Callophrys mossii hidakupa
San Gabriel Mountains elfin
butterfly
-/-
G4T1T2/S1S2
_
Found in the San Gabriel Mountains. Larval host plant is broadleaf stonecrop (Sedum spathulifolium).

High. Site is located within San
Gabriel Mountains with suitable
habitat for Sedum spathulifolium
on-site.

Diplectrona californica
California diplectronan
caddisfly
-/-
G1G2/S1S2
_
Found in benthic habitats, creeks, springs, brooks, shallow water and herbaceous wetlands. No information has been
published on the larva of this species, but other larvae in the genus live in fast-flowing, cool streams.

None. Suitable habitat absent.

Fish
Catostomus santaanae
Santa Ana sucker
FT/-
G1/S1
_
Habitat includes clear, cool rocky pools and runs of creeks and small to medium rivers. Usually found in shallow
streams less than 7 meters wide, with high water quality and water temperatures less than 22°C, in unpolluted water; streams flood periodically and have high turbidity at times.

Generally it is associated with coarse substrates of boulder, rubble, and gravel, but sometimes it occurs on sand/mud bottoms. Generally it does not inhabit reservoirs. Often is None. Suitable habitat absent.
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Scientific Name /
Common Name
Status Fed /
State ESA
CDFW G-Rank /
S-Rank Habitat Requirements
Potential for Occurrence /
Basis for Determination
associated with algae but not with macrophytes. It prefers permanent streams with pools and riparian vegetation that provide cover and refuge from floods.

Gilia orcuttii
Arroyo chub
-/-
G2/S2
SSC
Habitat includes headwaters, creeks, and small to medium rivers, often intermittent streams; permanent, small to moderate-sized, moderate to high gradient streams with
more than 50% of the habitat as runs and pools.

None. Suitable habitat absent.

Rhinichthys osculus ssp. 3
Santa Ana speckled dace
-/-
G5T1/S1
SSC
Occurs in many kinds of habitats: riffles, runs, and pools of cool flowing headwaters, creeks, and small to medium rivers with mostly rocky substrates; large and small lakes (rarely); warm, permanent and intermittent streams; and outflows of desert springs; usually found in shallow water (averaging about 0.5 m deep or less); in streams, often congregates below riffles and eddies. Young tend to occupy edges of streams in slower, shallow water. Larger adults generally are in relatively quiet water where cover (e.g., overhanging trees, deadfalls, boulders) is available.

None. Suitable habitat absent.

Amphibians
Ensatina klauberi
Large-blotched salamander
-/-
G2G3/S3
WL
Inhabits moist shaded evergreen and deciduous forests and oak woodlands. Found under rocks, logs, other debris,
especially bark that has peeled off and fallen beside logs and trees. Most common where there is a lot of coarse woody debris on the forest floor. In dry or very cold weather, stays inside moist logs, animal burrows, under roots, woodrat nests, under rocks.

Low. Suitable woodland habitat
present on-site. Moisture absence
throughout most of the year.

Rana muscosa
Southern mountain yellow-
legged frog
FE/SE
G1/S1
WL
Inhabits lakes, ponds, meadow streams, isolated pools, and sunny riverbanks in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Open stream and lake edges with a gentle slope up to a
depth of 5-8 cm. seem to be preferred.

None. Suitable habitat absent.
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54 Scientific Name /
Common Name
Status Fed /
State ESA
CDFW G-Rank /
S-Rank Habitat Requirements
Potential for Occurrence /
Basis for Determination
Waters that do not freeze to the bottom and which do not dry up are required.

Taricha torosa
Coast Range newt
-/-
G4/S4
SSC
Found in wet forests, oak forests, chaparral, and rolling grasslands. In southern California, drier chaparral, oak woodland, and grasslands are used.

Low. Suitable chaparral, oak
woodland, and grassland habitat
present on-site. Moisture absent
throughout most of the year.

Reptiles
Anniella pulchra pulchra
Silvery legless lizard
-/-
G3G4T3T4Q/S3
SSC
Occurs in moist warm loose soil with plant cover. Moisture is essential. Occurs in sparsely vegetated areas of beach dunes, chaparral, pine-oak woodlands, desert scrub, sandy washes, and stream terraces with sycamores, cottonwoods, or oaks. Leaf litter under trees and bushes in sunny areas and dunes stabilized with bush lupine and mock heather
often indicate suitable habitat. Often can be found under surface objects such as rocks, boards, driftwood, and logs.

Can also be found by gently raking leaf litter under bushes and trees. Sometimes found in suburban gardens in
Southern California.

Low. Moisture absent from
Wilderness Area through the
majority of the year.

Aspidoscelis tigris steinegeri
Coastal whiptail
-/-
G5T5/S3
SSC
Found in a variety of ecosystems, primarily hot and dry open areas with sparse foliage - chaparral, woodland, and riparian areas.

Moderate. Chaparral and
woodland habitat present on-site.

Foliage is relatively dense in
majority of project site.

Phrynosoma blainvillii
Coast horned lizard
-/-
G3G4/S3S4
SSC
Frequents a wide variety of habitats, most common in
lowlands along sandy washes with scattered low bushes.

Open areas for sunning, bushes for cover, patches of loose soil for burial, abundant supply of ants & other insects.

Moderate. Suitable habitat present
in southern edge of project site.
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Scientific Name /
Common Name
Status Fed /
State ESA
CDFW G-Rank /
S-Rank Habitat Requirements
Potential for Occurrence /
Basis for Determination
Thamnophis hammondii
Two-striped gartersnake
-/-
G4/S3S4
SSC
Generally found around pools, creeks, cattle tanks, and other water sources, often in rocky areas, in oak woodland, chaparral, brushland, and coniferous forest.

Low. Suitable chaparral and
brushland habitat present on-site.

Water sources absence throughout
the majority of the year.

Birds
Cypseloides niger
Black swift
-/-
G4/S2
SSC
Open sky over mountains, coastal cliffs. Forages widely over any kind of terrain but is still very local in its occurrence, probably limited to regions with suitable nesting sites. Nests on ledges or in crevices in steep cliffs, either along coast or near streams or waterfalls in mountains.

Low. Suitable nesting habitat
absent on-site, but likely present in
nearby mountains. Foraging
habitat present on-site.

Polioptila californica
californica
California coastal
gnatcatcher
FT/-
G4G5T2Q/S2
SSC
Obligate, permanent resident of coastal sage scrub below 2500 feet in Southern California. Low, coastal sage scrub in arid washes, on mesas & slopes.

High. Suitable habitat present on-
site.

Mammals
Antrozous pallidus
Pallid bat
-/-
G5/S3
SSC
Dense grasslands on rolling hills, lowland plains, in valleys & on hillsides on lower mountain slopes. Favors native
grasslands with a mix of grasses, forbs & scattered shrubs.

Loosely colonial when nesting.

None. Suitable habitat absent.

Chaetodipus fallax fallax
Northwestern San Diego
pocket mouse
-/-
G5T3T4/S3S4
SSC
Occupies shrublands that vary from sparse desert
shrublands to dense coastal scrub. It tends to be more
abundant where rocks or shrubs provide cover. The species lives in a variety of habitats: desert slopes, agave, rocky areas, coastal sage scrub, etc.

High. Suitable habitat present on-
site.

Eumops perotis californicus
Western mastiff bat
-/-
G5T4/S3S4
SSC
Occurs in a wide variety of habitats, including chaparral, coastal and desert scrub, coniferous and deciduous forest and woodland, in areas associated with roosting sites. Day roosts are established in crevices in rocky canyons and cliffs Low. Suitable roosting habitat
absent (no rocky canyons or cliffs).

Trees on-site unsuitable for
roosting habitat due to lack of
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56 Scientific Name /
Common Name
Status Fed /
State ESA
CDFW G-Rank /
S-Rank Habitat Requirements
Potential for Occurrence /
Basis for Determination
where the canyon or cliff is vertical or nearly vertical, as well as in trees and tunnels. Most roost sites are high above the ground (e.g., on cliff faces) with unobstructed approaches. vertical launching area and nearby
approach obstructions. Low
potential for foraging on-site.

Lasiurus cinereus
Hoary bat
-/-
G5/S4
_
Roosts solitarily in dense vegetation. Prefers to roost in trees at the edges of clearings, about three to five meters above the ground, but will also use tree cavities, rock crevices and squirrel nests. Can be found in a wide variety of habitat types, from deserts to tropical forests. Generally hunts around tree tops, along streams and lakes, and in densely vegetated urban area.

Moderate. Suitable roosting
habitat present in trees on-site
surrounded by dense vegetation.

Low potential for foraging on-site.

CNDDB includes record of five
occurrences of hoary bat within
five miles of Wilderness Area,
including one occurrence
immediately adjacent to southwest
and another occurrence of
unspecified location which
overlaps western portion of the
Wilderness Area.

Lasiurus xanthinus
Western yellow bat
-/-
G5/S3
SSC
Occupies a range of habitats of extremely arid areas to dry areas. It inhabits savannas, secluded woodlands, regions dominated by pasture or croplands, and even tolerates
residential areas. It often roosts in trees, where it generally hangs from the midrib of a leaf using its hind claws and possibly its thumbs.

Moderate. Suitable woodland
habitat present with trees for
roosting on-site. Located in close
proximity to residential areas.

Myotis yumanensis
Yuma myotis
-/-
G5/S4
_
Found in a variety of habitats, ranging from juniper and riparian woodlands to desert regions near open water.

Usually found near rivers, streams, ponds, lakes, etc. When not near water over which to forage, these animals can be found roosting in caves, attics, buildings, mines, underneath bridges, and other similar structures.

Low. Project does not contain
water source throughout majority
of the year, though water sources
are present at nearby reservoirs.

Suitable roosting habitat is absent
but present in close proximity. Low
potential for foraging on-site.
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Scientific Name /
Common Name
Status Fed /
State ESA
CDFW G-Rank /
S-Rank Habitat Requirements
Potential for Occurrence /
Basis for Determination
Neotoma lepida intermedia
San Diego desert woodrat
-/-
G5T3T4/S3S4
SSC
Occurs in desert scrublands and coastal sage scrub habitats.

Requires succulent vegetation, especially Opuntia and
Yucca, as a source of water. Nests in these plants or in crevices of nearby rock outcroppings.

High. Suitable habitat present
throughout project site. Woodrat
nests observed on-site.

Nyctinomops macrotis
Big free-tailed bat
-/-
G5/S3
SSC
Found in urban areas, dry forests and pine forests from sea level up to 8,531 feet.

Low. Suitable habitat absent on-
site. Low potential for foraging on-
site due to proximity of urban
areas.

Ovis Canadensis nelsoni
Desert bighorn sheep
-/-
G4T4/S3
FP
Found in desert, grasses and shrub mosaic, and shrublands.

Important habitat requirements are topography (escape
terrain), visibility, water, and forage quality and quantity.

Terrain is typically rough, rocky and broken by canyons and washes. Depends on steep slopes for lambing and to escape predators. Uses cliff overhangs to rest from the hot desert sun and dry environment. Avoid low visibility areas with dense vegetation.

None. Suitable cliff habitat and
water sources absent. Site is
dominated by dense vegetation
with low visibility.

Taxidea taxus
American badger
-/-
G5/S3
SSC
Prefers open areas and may also frequent brushlands with little ground cover. When inactive, occupies underground burrow. Occurs from below sea level to 11,812 feet, usually in relatively dry grasslands and open forests.

None. Suitable habitat absent. Site
is dominated by dense vegetation
and ground cover.

Regional Vicinity refers to within a 5 mile radius of site.

FT = Federally Threatened SE = State Endangered
FC = Federal Candidate Species ST = State Threatened
FE = Federally Endangered SR = State Rare
FS=Federally Sensitive SS=State Sensitive
G-Rank/S-Rank = Global Rank and State Rank as per NatureServe and CDFW’s CNDDB RareFind3.

SC = CDFW Species of Special Concern FP = Fully Protected Source: CNDDB, 2016; Audubon Guide to North American Birds, 2016; California Herps, 2016; IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 2016; U.S. Department of the Interior, 2012; NatureServe, 2016, CDFW 2016c

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58 Sensitive Habitats
Jurisdictional Waters and Wetlands
The Wilderness Area is located in the northern portion of the San Gabriel River Watershed, southeast of the San Gabriel River in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. Elevation on-site ranges from 1,435 feet in the southwest corner to 3,165 feet in the northeast corner. The Wilderness Area encompasses several ridges and steep canyons that drain into a single unimproved watercourse along the southern edge of the site. According to the National Wetlands Inventory (USFWS 2016c), several riverine and freshwater forested/shrub wetlands are mapped throughout the Wilderness Area (Figure 5). Based on field observations, it appears that the majority of the mapped features are located in dry upland areas of the watershed and do not contain evidence of flows or riparian vegetation.

These areas likely convey runoff during heavy storm events from the upper portions of the watershed to the drainage feature that runs northeast/southwest along the southern portion of the Wilderness Area. The drainage feature along the southern portion of the Wilderness Area contains evidence of flows and scattered riparian vegetation (California sycamore, blue elderberry, mulefat) and connects to the City storm drain system after it leaves the Wilderness Area near Divot Drive and Melinda Lane. A formal jurisdictional delineation of waters and wetlands would be required to determine if the riverine and freshwater forested/shrub wetlands mapped by the National Wetlands Inventory are in United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and/or the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) jurisdiction.

Nesting Birds
Native trees (i.e., coast live oak, laurel sumac, toyon, California sycamore, blue elderberry) and shrubs (i.e., chamise, black sage, California sagebrush) that could provide suitable nesting habitat for several common avian species occur within the BSA and the immediate vicinity. Nesting birds are protected by California Fish and Game Code 3503 and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Wildlife Movement
The Wilderness Area is located in a natural landscape block and essential habitat connectivity area that extends between the San Gabriel Mountains to the west and San Bernardino Mountains to the east (CDFW BIOS, 2016b). The Wilderness Area is heavily vegetated, contains several drainages, and is surrounded by the Angeles National Forest to the west, north, and east. As such, it is likely that the Wilderness Area facilitates short- range movement from adjoining portions of the Angeles National Forest. 162
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Figure 5 Wetlands

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60 4.1.2 Regulatory Setting
The following is a summary of the regulatory context under which biological resources are managed at the federal, state, and local level.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) implements the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (16 United States Code [USC] Section 668) and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act ([MBTA] 16 USC Section 703-711) and. USFWS and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (also called NOAA Fisheries) share responsibility for implementing the Federal Endangered Species Act (FESA; 16 USC § 153 et seq). USFWS generally implements the FESA for land and freshwater species, while NOAA Fisheries implements the FESA for marine and anadromous species. Projects that would result in take of any federally listed threatened or endangered species are required to obtain permits from the USFWS or NOAA Fisheries through either Section 7 (interagency consultation with a federal nexus) or Section 10 (Habitat Conservation Plan) of FESA, depending on the involvement by the federal government in permitting or funding the project. The permitting process is used to determine if a project would jeopardize the continued existence of a listed species and what mitigation measures would be required to avoid jeopardizing the species.

Take under federal definition means to harass, harm (which includes habitat modification), pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct. Proposed or candidate species do not have the full protection of FESA; however, the USFWS and NOAA Fisheries advise project applicants that they could be elevated to listed status at any time.

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (MBTA), as amended in 1972, protects nesting migratory birds by making it unlawful to “take” (kill, harm, harass, etc.) any migratory bird listed in 50 CFR 10, including their nests, eggs, or products. Migratory birds include geese, ducks, shorebirds, raptors, songbirds, and many other species. It is possible that other state or federal sensitive or special-status avian species may also be adversely affected by new development in the City.

The FESA, which is administered and enforced by the USFWS and the National Marine Fisheries Service, would also prohibit any activity that kills or injures fish or wildlife, and emphasizes that such activities may include significant habitat modification or degradation that significantly impairs essential behavioral patterns of fish or wildlife.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act, the USACE has authority to regulate activity that could discharge fill or dredge material or otherwise adversely modify wetlands or other waters of the United States. Perennial and intermittent creeks and adjacent wetlands are considered waters of the United States and are within the regulatory jurisdiction of the USACE. The USACE implements the federal policy embodied in Executive Order 11990, which, when implemented, is intended to result 164
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in no net loss of wetland values or acres. In achieving the goals of the Clean Water Act, the USACE seeks to avoid adverse impacts and to offset unavoidable adverse impacts on existing aquatic resources. Any fill or adverse modification of waters of the United States or wetlands would require a permit from the USACE prior to the start of work. Typically, permits issued by the USACE are a condition of a project as mitigation to offset unavoidable impacts on wetlands and other waters of the United States in a manner that achieves the goal of no net loss of wetland acres or values.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) derives its authority from the Fish and Game Code of California Species listed under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA; Fish and Game Code Section 2050 et seq,), which prohibits take of listed threatened or endangered species. Take under CESA is restricted to direct killing of a listed species and does not prohibit indirect harm by way of habitat modification.

Fish and Game Code Sections 3503, 3503.5, and 3511 describe unlawful take, possession, or needless destruction of birds, nests, and eggs. Fully protected birds (Section 3511) may not be taken or possessed except under specific permit. Section 3503.5 of the Code protects all birds-of-prey and their eggs and nests against take, possession, or destruction of nests or eggs.

Species of Special Concern (SSC) is a category used by CDFW for those species considered to be indicators of regional habitat changes or considered to be potential future protected species. Species of Special Concern do not have any special legal status except that afforded by the Fish and Game Code. The SSC category is intended by the CDFW for use as a management tool to include these species into special consideration when decisions are made concerning the development of natural lands.

CDFW also has authority to administer the Native Plant Protection Act ([NPPA] Fish and Game Code Section 1900 et seq). The NPPA requires CDFW to establish criteria for determining if a species, subspecies, or variety of native plant is endangered or rare. Under Section 1913(c) of the NPPA, the owner of land where a rare or endangered native plant is growing is required to notify the department at least 10 days in advance of changing the land use to allow for salvage of the plant.

Perennial and intermittent streams also fall under the jurisdiction of CDFW. Sections 1600 et. seq. of the Fish and Game Code (Streambed Alteration Agreements) gives CDFW regulatory authority over work within the stream zone (which could extend to the 100-year flood plain) consisting of, but not limited to, the diversion or obstruction of the natural flow or changes in the channel, bed, or bank of any river, stream or lake.

Regional Water Quality Control Board
The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), and each of the nine local Regional Water Quality Control Boards (RWQCB), have jurisdiction over “waters of the State” pursuant to the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act. The SWRCB has issued general Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs) regarding discharges to “isolated” waters of the 165
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62 State (Water Quality Order No. 2004-0004-DWQ, Statewide General Waste Discharge Requirements for Dredged or Fill Discharges to Waters Deemed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to be Outside of Federal Jurisdiction). The local RWQCB, in this case the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, enforces actions under this general order for isolated waters not subject to Federal jurisdiction. Additionally, the RWQCB is responsible for the issuance of water quality certifications pursuant to Section 401 of the Clean Water Act for waters subject to federal jurisdiction.

Angeles National Forest Management Plan (Forest Plan)
The Forest Plan was adopted in 2006 (amended in 2014) and is based upon the principles of adaptive management. The current plan has three parts: the Vision, the Strategy, and the Design Criteria, which together provide management direction to integrate multiple uses (recreation, conservation education, special uses, etc.) with protection and enhancement of natural resources (air and water quality, wildlife, soils, fuel reduction, native vegetation, etc.).

The Wilderness Area is located in the area of the Angeles National Forest designated as the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. The Forest Service is proposing to amend the 2006 Angeles National Forest Land Management Plan (Forest Plan) with a management plan to provide for the protection of the objects of interest identified in the Presidential Proclamation establishing the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. The purpose of the Monument Plan is to amend the existing Forest Plan (as amended, 2014) to administer the Monument in a manner that is protective of the objects of interest identified therein.

Changes to the existing Forest Plan, as reflected in the Presidential Proclamation establishing the Monument, include direction for the protection of identified Monument objects, public access when consistent with natural resource protection, public engagement, a transportation plan, and withdrawal of lands from uses associated with mining laws, subject to valid existing uses.

San Dimas Experimental Forest
The Wilderness Area is also located in the San Dimas Experimental Forest, which is administered under the jurisdiction of the Pacific Southwest Research Station. The San Dimas Experimental Forest is managed as a field laboratory for ecosystem, watershed, and natural resource science research in chaparral and related Mediterranean-climate ecosystems and is an internationally recognized wildland-urban interface research facility.

The entire Experimental Forest is closed to the public and entry requires the issue of a use permit for research or educational purposes (USFS 2017).

City of La Verne
City of La Verne Municipal Code Title 6 – Animals
Municipal Code Chapter 6.16.070 Leash Law requires all dogs under care or ownership of a person to be on a leash at all times when in public places, and states that any person violating the provisions of the Leash Law is guilty of a misdemeanor. 166
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City of La Verne Municipal Code Title 18 - Zoning

PROTECTED TREES
Municipal Code Chapter 18.78 Preservation , Protection and Removal of Trees requires permits for the removal and pruning of significant and heritage trees except in emergencies and requires replacement planting when significant and heritage trees are removed. “Heritage tree ” means any tree or group of trees identified as such by city council resolution upon the city council finding that the tree or group of trees:
1 Is of historical value because of its association with a place, building, natural feature, or event of local, regional, or national historic significance; or 2 Is it identified on any historic or cultural resources survey as a significant feature of landmark, historic site or historic district; or
3 Is representative of a significant period of the city’s growth or development; or 4 Is designated for protection or conservation in a specific plan, conditional use permit, precise plan of design or similar development approval; or 5 Is of significant size, age or rareness to warrant protection. “Significant tree” means any tree that is identified or protected in a specific plan or is protected as a condition of approval of a precise plan, subdivision map, conditional use permit or variance; and any tree located on a parcel of private or public property that has a caliper of eight inches or more and is of the following species:
 Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara)
 Camphor Tree (Cinnamomum camphor)
 California Sycamore (Platanus racemosa)
 Southern California Black Walnut (Juglans californica)  Oak Trees (Quercus sp.)
Section 18.78.190 lists exceptions to the permit requirements. One such exception is that permits are not required for City trees. Trees are present throughout the Wilderness Area and include species of oaks as well as California sycamore. Some oak and sycamore trees present on-site may have a caliper of eight inches or greater. A formal tree inventory was not conducted as part of this analysis and would be required to determine if significant trees are present on-site.

Unless it is determined that replacement is inappropriate, significant and heritage trees proposed to be removed must be replaced. Table 9 details tree replacement requirements. 167
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64 Table 9 Tree Replacement Requirements
Caliper Width of Tree Number Removed Replace With Minimum Size 10” and under 1 4 24” box
10-14” 1 4 36” box
15-29” 1 4 48” box
30” + 1 4 60” box
Where a significant or heritage tree is to be relocated on-site, a licensed professional describing the relocation method to be used for all trees slated for relocation, and must provide the City with a five-year survival guarantee. Should the tree(s) not survive the five- year period, replacement occurs in accordance with the table above.

City of La Verne General Plan (1998)

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ELEMENT
Table 10 lists applicable General Plan policies and implementation measures designed to protect biological resources in the City:

Table 10 General Plan Policies to Protect Biological Resources General Plan Policy – Resource Management
Policy 2.3. Establish contiguous
wildlife corridors.
a. Pursue opportunities with other organizations, such as the Wildlife Corridor Conservancy Authority.
b. Remove existing physical barriers, where feasible, that restrict wildlife access to water and native habitat.

Policy 4.1. Preserve mature trees
whenever possible.
a. Prohibit removal of significant or heritage trees without permit.
b. Require mature trees to be replaced at the four-to-one ratio.

Policy 4.2. Protect and preserve our
native plant communities and
habitats.
a. Determine resource management policy based upon the
areas identified on MAP RM-6.
b. Include native plants in fuel modification zones when possible.
c. Preserve the wide variety of plant communities in the hillside areas.
d. Examine the greater effect of habitat loss on native wildlife species.
e. Restrict habitat upset to non-nesting months in accordance with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
f. Require replacement planting of native vegetation lost on cut and fill slopes during project grading.
g. Consult an independent qualified biologist before
constructing new trails.
h. Preserve the original nature and form of streambeds and 168
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General Plan Policy – Resource Management
drainage courses.
i. Install bridges and culverts to permit wildlife movement and direct storm runoff.
j. Fence, sandbag, and monitor adjacent construction
Wilderness Areas.

Policy 4.3. Protect and preserve our
Southern Mixed Chaparral and
Coastal Sage Scrub communities.
a. Require biological surveys for the California gnatcatcher and sensitive native plants before grading in these communities. b. Consult with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service if a gnatcatcher is found in a project area.

Policy 4.4. Protect and preserve our
Southern Oak Riparian Woodlands.
a. Require biological surveys for identified plants and animals before oak tree removal or grading in these woodlands.
b. Require biological surveys for identified plants and animals before approval of any change to streambeds, such as those of Marshall Canyon.
c. Obtain the required permits for any activities that may alter streams of these woodlands.

Policy 4.5. Protect and preserve our
other Riparian Habitats.
a. Require biological surveys for identified plants and animals before grading in these habitats.
b. Obtain the required permits for any activities that may alter the streams of these habitats.

Policy 4.6. Protect and restore our
Ruderal-Disturbed habitats.
a. Replace Eucalyptus trees with native trees if removal is necessary.
b. Limit Eucalyptus tree trimming to non-nesting months in accordance with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
c. Consult an ornithologist to evaluate the need for burrowing owl surveys before any modification to open grassy habitats, such as those of Brackett Field and Live Oak Reservoir. d. Obtain the required permits for any activities that may alter open water habitats such as Live Oak Reservoir and
Puddingstone Dam.

4.1.3 Impact Analysis
Methodology and Significance Thresholds
The proposed Management Plan does not involve demolition of structures, grading, or construction of new facilities at this time. The proposed alterations associated with the Management Plan are limited to minor site improvements, including foot trails, benches, and signage, which would not utilize heavy construction equipment. All future minor site improvements proposed through implementation of the Management Plan shall be reviewed through the City’s development review process and CEQA process when warranted, and appropriate mitigation measures would be identified at that time. 169
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66 Evaluation Criteria
The following thresholds are based on Appendix G of the State CEQA Guidelines. Impacts would be significant if implementation of the Management Plan would result in any of the following:
1 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;
2 Have a substantial adverse effect on any riparian habitat or other sensitive natural community identified in local or regional plans, policies, regulations or by the California Department of Fish and Game or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 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; 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; or
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.

Thresholds 1 through 6 are addressed below.

Project Impacts
Threshold 1
Have a substantial adverse effect (i.e. significantly reduce species population, reduce species habitat, restrict reproductive capacity), either directly or through habitat modifications, on any species identified as a candidate, sensitive, or special-status species in local or regional plans, policies, regulations, or by CDFW or USFWS?
Threshold 2
Have a substantial adverse effect (i.e. direct/indirect reduction) on any riparian habitat or other sensitive natural community identified in local or regional plans, policies regulations, or by the CDFW or USFWS?
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IMPACT BIO-1: I MPLEMENTATION OF THE PROPOSED MANAGEMENT PLAN AND ASSOCIATED

IMPROVEMENTS, SUCH AS THE PROPOSED FOOT TRAIL, COULD CAUSE AN ADVERSE EFFECT THROUGH

HABITAT MODIFICATIONS IN THE WILDERNESS AREA, WHICH CONTAINS SPECIAL-STATUS PLANT, SPECIAL- STATUS WILDLIFE SPECIES, AND A SENSITIVE NATURAL COMMUNITY. HOWEVER, IMPACTS WOULD BE

CLASS III, LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT, DUE TO THE LIMITED SIZE AND ACCESSIBILITY OF THE PROPOSED FOOT TRAIL.

The Wilderness Area contains suitable habitat for 17 sensitive plant species and 17 sensitive wildlife species. The Wilderness Area also contains one sensitive natural community, potentially jurisdictional aquatic resources and trees protected under the La Verne Municipal Code. The proposed alterations associated with the Management Plan are limited to minor site improvements, including a 0.6-mile-long, 8-foot-wide foot trail loop, benches, and signage, which would not utilize heavy construction equipment. Although the intensity of construction equipment utilized for the proposed alterations would likely be limited to hand tools, and potentially loading trucks and an occasional backhoe for large tree removal, temporary construction activities and permanent management activities associated with implementation of the Management Plan would still have the potential to interfere with existing plant and wildlife species, sensitive natural communities, aquatic resources, and protected trees.

As described in Section 4.1.2, Municipal Code Chapter 18.78 Preservation, Protection and Removal of Trees, requires replacement planting when significant and heritage trees are removed. Also listed in Section 4.1.2, the La Verne General Plan contains policies and implementation measures to preserve mature trees, protect and preserve native plant communities (including Southern Mixed Chaparral and Coastal Sage Scrub) and habitats, establish contiguous wildlife corridors, and protect and restore ruderal-disturbed habitats.

The Management Plan would permit recreational visitors to bring dogs onto the trails. The potential for dogs to become loose, go off trail, and go into sensitive habitats or chase after wildlife exists. Therefore, all dogs visiting the Wilderness Area would be required to be on leash, per Municipal Code Chapter 6.16.070 Leash Law.

Objective 1.1: Enhance and Protect all Habitat Areas
Action 1.1.1: Remove all abandoned facilities
Action 1.1.2: Remove non-native tree species
Action 1.1.3: Install public access control signing along selected locations of the trail and along Sunrise Ridge Road stating “Habitat Management Area - No Public Access”
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68 Action 1.1.4: Based on results of annual monitoring (see also Objective 7.1), install public access control railings as necessary to inhibit off-trail use and creation of volunteer trails
Action 1.1.5: Based on results of annual monitoring (see also Objective 7.1), decommission, restore to a natural gradient, and/or stabilize any volunteer trails that have been created
Action 1.1.6: Avoid vegetation removal and management activities within the Coast Prickly Pear Scrub sensitive vegetation community and within areas that provide habitat to sensitive plant and wildlife species Action 1.1.7: Should vegetation removal in sensitive areas is determined to be necessary and appropriate, special status species surveys will be conducted prior to any work commencing
Action 1.1.8: Avoid management activities that would prohibit wildlife movement through the Wilderness Area
Action 1.1.9: Coordinate with appropriate federal, state, or local agencies, such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and/or the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, prior to conducting management activities in riparian areas
Action 1.1.10: Coordinate with the US Forest Service to ensure that management activities are consistent with the Forest Plan, San Gabriel National Monument Plan, and San Dimas Experimental Forest
Objective 1.2: Restore the Southern Wash Corridor as Riverside and Alluvial Fan Sage Scrub with a Surrounding Modified Coast Live Oak
Woodland/Grassland Habitat
Action 1.2.1: Remove non-native shrubs and trees
Action 1.2.2: Revegetate with appropriate native species Action 1.2.3: Weed abatement shall occur in coast live oak woodland/grassland areas annually. Disking shall be prohibited.

Objective 1.3: Preserve Existing, and Where Appropriate, Enhance Northern Mixed Chaparral/Coast Live Oak Woodland
Action 1.3.1: Remove non-native shrubs and trees
Action 1.3.2: Revegetate with appropriate native species Objective 1.4: Revegetate Disturbed Areas
Action 1.4.1: Rip and grade abandoned roads and social trails where appropriate Action 1.4.2: Hydroseed with native erosion control mix Action 1.4.3: Limit public access during establishment period 172
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Objective 1.5: Preserve Significant and Heritage Trees
Action 1.5.1: Avoid trimming and removal of significant and heritage trees Action 1.5.2: Tree replacement will be included in restoration activities as appropriate Action 1.5.3: Tree trimming or removal will take place outside of nesting bird season Objective 4.1: Secure Access
Action 4.1.1: Employ a dedicated easement for public access from Golden Hills Road to the downstream end of the wash within the southern limits of the Wilderness Area
Objective 5.1: Provide for Public Safety
Action 5.1.2: Require all dogs to be on leashes pursuant to La Verne Municipal Code Section 6.16.070 Leash Law
In addition to current City standards in the Municipal Code and General Plan in place to protect and preserve biological resources, implementation of these objectives and actions in the Management Plan and the limited size and accessibility of the proposed foot trail, would further ensure that impacts to special-status plants, special-status wildlife species, sensitive natural communities, riparian habitats, and protected trees throughout the Plan Area would be less than significant.

Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.

Significance After Mitigation
Impacts would be less than significant without mitigation.

Threshold 3
Have a substantial adverse effect (i.e. direct/indirect reduction) 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, or hydrological interruption, or other means?
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70 IMPACT BIO-2: T HE MANAGEMENT PLAN WOULD NOT FACILITATE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WOULD DIRECTLY IMPACT RIPARIAN AND WETLAND HABITATS. HOWEVER, THERE WOULD BE POTENTIAL FOR

ADVERSE INDIRECT IMPACTS FROM SUCH IMPROVEMENTS ON WETLANDS AND AREAS UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE CDFW AND USACE. THE MANAGEMENT PLAN IDENTIFIES ACTION 1.1.9, WHICH

REQUIRES FACILITATORS OF THE MANAGEMENT PLAN TO COORDINATE WITH APPROPRIATE FEDERAL,

STATE, OR LOCAL AGENCIES, PRIOR TO CONDUCTING MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES IN RIPARIAN AREAS TO

ENSURE WETLANDS ARE NOT IMPACTED AS A RESULT OF MINOR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE WILDERNESS AREA. THEREFORE, IMPACTS WOULD BE CLASS III, LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT.

Plan Area drainage features fall under the jurisdiction of the USACE, Los Angeles RWQCB, and CDFW. These features are found in the bottom of Marshall Canyon and along most of the tributary drainages. Protection of the watershed, wildlife, and general biological diversity in the Wilderness Area was a reason for the acquisition grant and community input.

No new structures beyond the benches, signage, and property-line fencing would be installed under the Wilderness Management Plan. The 2016 La Verne Wilderness Area Management Plan Flood Hazards report prepared for the project by Rivertech, Inc. (Appendix E) recommends the installation of woody debris basins at three locations to reduce the amount of woody debris that would be carried downstream during a storm event and potentially obstruct stream channels and result in flooding. However, construction of these basins is prohibited by stipulations in the State grant agreement that governs acquisition of the Wilderness Area. Therefore, implementation of the Wilderness Plan would not involve intrusive ground-disturbing activities. If an agreement to install woody debris basins is reached at a later date, installation of those basins would be addressed under a separate CEQA analysis.

The Management Plan identifies several objectives for the goal of preserving and enhancing wildlife habitat, corridors, and diversity including Action 1.1.9 which requires facilitators of the Management Plan to “Coordinate with appropriate federal, state, or local agencies, such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and/or the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, prior to conducting management activities in riparian areas.”
Therefore, the goals and actions of the proposed Management Plan in combination with existing federal and state regulations would reduce potential impacts to riparian areas as a result of minor improvements in the Wilderness Area remain less than significant levels.

Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.

Significance After Mitigation
Impacts would be less than significant without mitigation. 174
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Threshold 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?
IMPACT BIO-3: I MPROVEMENTS CARRIED OUT UNDER THE PROPOSED MANAGEMENT PLAN WOULD NOT INCLUDE INTRUSIVE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES. HOWEVER, THERE WOULD BE POTENTIAL FOR ADVERSE INDIRECT IMPACTS TO WILDLIFE MOVEMENT CORRIDORS IN THE WILDERNESS AREA. OBJECTIVES AND

ACTIONS INCLUDED IN THE MANAGEMENT PLAN WOULD ENSURE THAT IMPACTS TO ALL WILDLIFE

MOVEMENT (SHORT-RANGE AND POTENTIAL LONG-RANGE MOVEMENT) ARE REDUCED TO A LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT LEVEL. THEREFORE, IMPACTS WOULD BE CLASS III, LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT.

As discussed in Section 4.1.1., the Wilderness Area is located in a natural landscape block and essential habitat connectivity area that extends between the San Gabriel Mountains to the west and San Bernardino Mountains to the east. The Wilderness Area is heavily vegetated, contains several drainages, and is surrounded by the Angeles National Forest to the west, north, and east. As such, it is highly likely that the Wilderness Area facilitates short-range movement across the site from adjoining portions of the Angeles National Forest, but is less important for longer-distance movements due to its position at the extreme edge of the forest adjacent to residential development in La Verne.

The Management Plan identifies several objectives for the goal of preserving and enhancing wildlife habitat, corridors, and diversity including Action 1.1.8 which requires facilitators of the Management Plan to “Avoid management activities that would prohibit wildlife movement through the Wilderness Area.” In addition, Objective 1.2 of the Management Plan contains actions for restoring the Southern Wash Corridor with a surrounding modified Coast Live Oak Woodland/Grassland habitat, including removal of non-native shrubs and trees, revegetation of appropriate native species, and annual weed abatement activities.

The Management Plan would also allow recreational visitors to bring dogs on the trails to be implemented in the Wilderness Area. Dogs would be required to be on a leash at all times while on the trails, per the City’s Leash Law. Action 5.1.2 of the Management Plan states the leash requirement, in order to maintain public safety and prevent dogs from potentially running into off-trail habitat areas or pursue wildlife.

These objectives and actions would ensure that impacts to wildlife movement (short-range and potential long-range movement) through the Plan Area are reduced to less than significant levels.

Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.

Significance After Mitigation
Impacts would be less than significant without mitigation. 175
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72 Threshold 5
Conflict with any local policies or ordinances protecting biological resources, such as a tree preservation policy or ordinance?
IMPACT BIO-4: I MPLEMENTATION OF THE PROPOSED MANAGEMENT PLAN WOULD POTENTIALLY

CAUSE INDIRECT IMPACTS TO BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES IN THE WILDERNESS AREA DURING CONSTRUCTION OF MINOR SITE IMPROVEMENTS (I.E., FOOT TRAIL, SITTING BENCHES, SIGNAGE).

HOWEVER, GOALS AND ACTIONS OF THE PROPOSED MANAGEMENT PLAN IN COMBINATION WITH

EXISTING CITY POLICIES WOULD REDUCE POTENTIAL IMPACTS TO PROTECTED BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES TO A CLASS III, LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT LEVEL.

As described in Section 4.1.2, Municipal Code Chapter 18.78 Preservation, Protection and Removal of Trees, requires permits for the removal and pruning of significant and heritage trees except in emergencies and requires replacement planting when significant and heritage trees are removed. Also listed in Section 4.1.2., the General Plan contains policies and implementation measures to preserve mature trees, protect and preserve native plant communities (including Southern Mixed Chaparral and Coastal Sage Scrub) and habitats, establish contiguous wildlife corridors, and protect and restore ruderal-disturbed habitats.

As previously discussed, Objectives 1.1 to 1.4 of the Management Plan identifies several actions intended to preserve and enhance wildlife habitat, corridors, and diversity throughout implementation of the Management Plan. In addition, no new structures beyond the benches, signage, and property-line fencing would be installed under the Wilderness Management Plan. Although these are minor site improvements, the following objectives and actions of the Management Plan would further ensure that facilities within the Plan Area are limited to those that would avoid resource impacts.

Objective 4.2: Develop Limited Use Facilities
Action 4.2.2: Develop a foot trail to avoid and/or minimize resource impacts and related mitigation to include:
 An accessible trail / maintenance route from Golden Hills Road into the Wilderness Area
 An approximately 0.6-mile, 8-foot-wide accessible trail/ maintenance route from Golden Hills Road leading into the Wilderness Area and forming a loop. The trail loop would be composed of natural materials with a firm and stable surface.

Objective 5.4: Limit Use to Trail-Related Pedestrian Activities Action 5.4.1: Provide no picnic or restroom facilities
Therefore, the goals and actions of the proposed Management Plan in combination with existing City policies would reduce potential impacts to protected biological resources to a less than significant level.
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Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.

Significance After Mitigation
Impacts would be less than significant without mitigation.

Threshold 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? IMPACT BIO-5: T HE WILDERNESS AREA LARGELY CONSISTS OF UNDEVELOPED LAND AND SERVES AS

A HABITAT FOR A NUMBER OF SPECIAL-STATUS PLANT, SPECIAL-STATUS WILDLIFE SPECIES, AND SENSITIVE

NATURAL COMMUNITIES IN THE SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS NATIONAL MONUMENT AND SAN DIMAS EXPERIMENTAL FOREST. GOALS AND ACTIONS OF THE PROPOSED MANAGEMENT PLAN, IN

COMBINATION WITH EXISTING CITY POLICIES, WOULD REDUCE POTENTIAL IMPACTS FROM MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES TO LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT. THEREFORE, IMPACTS WOULD BE CLASS III, LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT.

As discussed in Section 4.1.3, the Wilderness Area is located within the area of the Angeles National Forest designated as the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. The Wilderness Area is also located in the San Dimas Experimental Forest, which is administered under the jurisdiction of the Pacific Southwest Research Station.

Proposed management activities would involve a critical balance between preserving, enhancing, and protecting wildlife habitat and diversity while providing the general public with low-impact recreational uses and educational opportunities. Nonetheless, the goals and actions of the proposed Management Plan in combination with existing City policies would reduce potential impacts from management activities associated with the Plan. In particular, Action 1.1.10 would require facilitators of the Management Plan to “Coordinate with the US Forest Service to ensure that management activities are consistent with the Forest Plan, San Gabriel National Monument Plan, and San Dimas Experimental Forest Plan.” Coordination with the jurisdictional agency would ensure that overall management activities governing the Wilderness Area are in compliance with the applicable habitat conservation plans for the greater San Gabriel National Monument and San Dimas Experimental Forest areas. Impacts would be less than significant.

Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.

Significance After Mitigation
Impacts would be less than significant without mitigation. 177
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74 4.1.4 Cumulative Impacts
There are no other public parks or open space projects in development within the City of La Verne or in nearby communities. As described in Section 3.3, cumulative planned residential development would result in 55 units split between three project sites, which would conservatively add approximately 150 new residents to the City of La Verne. The increase in population could incrementally contribute to public demand for open space recreational areas. Implementation of the proposed Management Plan would help meet the open space recreational use demands of the added population and would result in expanded public use of the Wilderness Area in the North La Verne Hillsides.

The proposed Management Plan contains policies to ensure habitat and wildlife protection, and the preservation and enhancement of wildlife corridors in the Wilderness Area due to its proximity to the San Gabriel Mountains and San Bernardino Mountains. The cumulative planned residential development projects would undergo individual environmental review to implement project-specific mitigation measures to address any biological resource impacts as needed. Implementation of the proposed Management Plan is intended to enhance biological resources in the Wilderness Area. There would be no cumulative significant impacts to biological resources with the implementation of the Management Plan and the development of the planned residential project. 178
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4.2 Cultural Resources
The analysis in this section has been prepared in accordance with Section 15064.5 of the CEQA Guidelines, which considers potential impacts to archaeological, historic, and paleontological resources. This section includes a brief summary of cultural resources background information review of known archaeological, paleontological and built environment resources; and the Management Plan’s potential impacts on these resources.

4.2.1 Setting
Regional Prehistory
The Wilderness Area is located in the traditional territory of the Native American group known as the Gabrielino. The name Gabrielino was applied by the Spanish to those natives that were attached to Mission San Gabriel (Bean and Smith 1978:538). Today, most contemporary Gabrielino prefer to identify themselves as Tongva, a term that will be used throughout the remainder of this section (King 1994:12).

Tongva territory included the Los Angeles basin and southern Channel Islands as well as the coast from Aliso Creek in the south to Topanga Creek in the north. Their territory encompassed several biotic zones, including Coastal Marsh, Coastal Strand, Prairie, Chaparral, Oak Woodland, and Pine Forest (Bean and Smith 1978).

The Tongva language belongs to the Takic branch of the Uto-Aztecan language family, which can be traced to the Great Basin region (Mithun 2004). This language family includes dialects spoken by the nearby Juaneño and Luiseño, but is considerably different from those of the Chumash people living to the north and the Diegueño (including Ipai, Tipai, and Kumeyaay) people living to the south.

Tongva society was organized along patrilineal non-localized clans, a common Takic pattern.

Each clan had a ceremonial leader and contained several lineages. The Tongva established large permanent villages and smaller satellite camps throughout their territory. Recent ethnohistoric work (O’Neil 2002) suggests a total tribal population of nearly 10,000, considerably more than earlier estimates of around 5,000 people (Bean and Smith 1978:540).

Tongva subsistence was oriented around acorns supplemented by the roots, leaves, seeds, and fruits of a wide variety of plants. Protein sources included large and small mammals, freshwater and saltwater fish, shellfish, birds, reptiles, and insects. (Bean and Smith 1978; Kroeber 1925; Langenwalter et al. 2001; McCawley 1996). The Tongva employed a wide variety of tools and implements to gather and hunt food. The digging stick, used to extract roots and tubers, was frequently noted by early European explorers. Other tools included the bow and arrow, traps, nets, blinds, throwing sticks and slings, spears, harpoons, and hooks. Like the Chumash, the Tongva made oceangoing plank canoes (known as a ti’at) capable of holding six to 14 people and used for fishing, travel, and trade between the 179
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76 mainland and the Channel Islands. Tule reed canoes were employed for near-shore fishing (Blackburn 1963; McCawley 1996:117-127).

Chinigchinich, the last in a series of heroic mythological figures, was central to Tongva religious life at the time of Spanish contact (Kroeber 1925:637–638). The belief in Chinigchinich was spreading south among other Takic-speaking groups at the same time the Spanish were establishing Christian missions. Elements of Chinigchinich beliefs suggest it was a syncretic mixture of Christianity and native religious practices (McCawley 1996:143- 144).

Prior to European contact, deceased Tongva were either buried or cremated, with burial more common on the Channel Islands and the adjacent mainland coast and cremation on the remainder of the coast and in the interior (Harrington 1942; McCawley 1996:157). After pressure from Spanish missionaries, cremation essentially ceased during the post-contact period (McCawley 1996:157).

Regional History
Spanish exploration of California began when Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo led the first European expedition into the region in 1542. For more than 200 years after his initial expedition, Spanish, Portuguese, British, and Russian explorers sailed the California coast and made limited inland expeditions, but they did not establish permanent settlements (Bean 1968; Rolle 2003). By the 18th century, Spain developed a three-pronged approach of establishing a chain of presidios (military garrisons), missions and towns throughout what was then known as Alta (upper) California. In 1769 Gaspar de Portolá and Father Junipero Serra established the first Spanish settlement in Alta California at Mission San Diego de Alcalá. In 1771 Mission San Gabriel was founded as the fourth in the chain of 21 missions built between 1769 and 1823. However, in 1775, the mission was moved approximately three miles to its present location, which is approximately 20 miles west of the Wilderness Area.

Mission San Gabriel became one of the most productive and affluent missions in Alta California, providing support for surrounding missions (California Missions Foundation, n.d.). At its peak, the mission population reached 1,701 people in 1817 (Bodkin 1910:10).

The Mexican Period for the region commenced when news of the success of the Mexican War of Independence (1810-1821) against the Spanish crown reached California in 1822. A secularization act was passed in 1833 which federalized the mission lands and converted the missions into parish churches. This enabled Mexican governors in California to distribute former mission lands to individuals in the form of land grants. Successive Mexican governors made approximately 700 land grants between 1833 and 1846, putting most of the state’s lands into private ownership for the first time (Shumway 2007). The majority of land grants went to retired presidio soldiers or to well-connected families. During this time a class of wealthy landowners known as rancheros or Californios worked large ranches based on cattle hide and tallow production. Sixty land grants were made in what is today Los Angeles County (Beck and Haase 1974).

The City of La Verne was once part of the Rancho San José, which was originally granted to Ygnacio Palomares and Ricardo Vejar in 1837 by the Mexican governor Juan Alvarado. 180
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Palomares and Vejar teamed with Luis Arenas, Palomares’ brother-in-law, and they successfully petitioned for additional grazing land which was added to the rancho in 1840.

Arenas sold his share to Henry Dalton in 1846 (Brackett 1920).

The Mexican Period for the Los Angeles County region ended in early January 1847.

Mexican forces fought and lost to combined U.S. Army and Navy forces in the Battle of the San Gabriel River on January 8 and in the Battle of La Mesa on January 9 (Nevin 1978). On January 10, leaders of the pueblo of Los Angeles surrendered peacefully after Mexican General Jose Maria Flores withdrew his forces. Shortly thereafter, newly appointed Mexican Military Commander of California Andrés Pico surrendered all of Alta California to U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel John C. Fremont in the Treaty of Cahuenga (Nevin 1978).

The American Period officially began with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, in which the United States agreed to pay Mexico $15 million for conquered territory including California, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Wyoming. Settlement of the Los Angeles region increased dramatically in the early American Period.

The discovery of gold in northern California in 1848 led to the California Gold Rush, despite the first California gold being previously discovered in Placerita Canyon in 1842 (Guinn 1977; Workman 1935). By 1853, the population of California exceeded 300,000. Thousands of settlers and immigrants continued to immigrate to the state, particularly after the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad in 1869.

A severe drought during 1863-1864 had damaging consequences to ranchers’ cattle herds and source of income, including Rancho San José. Ygnacio Palomares died in 1864 and his widow began selling ranch land the following year. In 1864 Ricardo Vejar lost his share of the rancho through foreclosure to two Los Angeles merchants, Louis Schlesinger and Heiman Tischler. Shortly afterwards, Schlesinger died and Tischler sold the rancho to Louis Phillips. The City of La Verne developed on the formerly Palomares-owned (northern) portion of Rancho San Jose (Hoover et al. 2002; Brackett 1920).

By the 1880s, the railroads had established networks from Los Angeles’ port at San Pedro and throughout the county of Los Angeles, resulting in fast and affordable shipment of goods, as well as a means to transport new residents to the booming region (Dumke 1944).

New residents included many health-seekers drawn to the area by the fabled southern California climate in the 1870s–1880s.

The town of Lordsburg was founded as a speculative railroad town in 1887 by Isaac Wilson Lord in what is now the southern portion of La Verne. Having persuaded the Santa Fe Railroad to run its line through the area where he owned a considerable amount of property, Lord had the land subdivided and held a large sale of lots. Lord also built a sizeable hotel in the new town of Lordsburg. The Lordsburg town site was laid out as a grid system of blocks parallel to the tracks of the Santa Fe Railroad. Streets running north and south were given alphabetical designations starting with A Street at the western edge of the City. The streets running east to west were numbered from one to eight. The railroad track 181
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78 ran down the center of Palomares Avenue, along the north side of what is now Arrow Highway (City of La Verne 2013, Old Town La Verne Specific Plan).

The land boom in the southern California region ended and the town of Lordsburg acquired very few permanent residents. The hotel sat vacant until 1891. That year, members of the German Baptist Brethren (later called Church of the Brethren) opened Lordsburg College in the former hotel building, which they had offered to purchase in 1889. A campaign to bring members of the German Baptist Brethren to Lordsburg spurred the town’s growth. Many Brethren families relocated to the town where their children could attend the Christian college. The foothill area to the north, where ranchers had established homes and citrus orchards, became known as La Verne, a name reportedly chosen by Mrs. Bixby of the L.H.

Bixby family (La Verne Historical Society, n.d.; Church of the Brethren 2016). La Verne incorporated as a city in 1906 (California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions 2011).

The two communities eventually united and in 1917, after the death of I.W. Lord, the town of Lordsburg and college took the name La Verne. The citrus industry, which was started in the area in the 1890s, flourished after the turn of the century. The growing, picking, packing and shipping of oranges, grapefruit and lemons engaged nearly all of the people in the community. By 1919 more than 1,000 carloads of fruit were being shipped by rail annually and output continued to increase. Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Filipino and Mexican immigrants provided labor for picking the citrus crop; Mexican laborers also worked in the packing houses (La Verne Historical Society, n.d.).

However, during the 1940s a disease affected citrus trees and the crop declined. As the area’s population grew, land was sold for development and many of the orchards were uprooted (Brackett 1920; La Verne Historical Society, n.d.). Following World War II and the completion of Interstate 10, residential development increased in the area. The construction of Interstate 210 also benefitted the City’s commercial and retail industries (CRM Tech 2008). The City has reached a population of over 31,000 people (United States Census Bureau 2010).

4.2.2 Regulatory Setting
Cultural resources, including built environment and archaeological resources, may be designated as historic by National, State or local authorities. In order for a resource to qualify for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), the California Register of Historical Resources (CRHR) or as a locally significant resource in the City of La Verne, it must meet one or more identified criteria of significance. The resource must also retain sufficient historic integrity, defined in National Register Bulletin 15 as the “ability of a property to convey its significance” (National Park Service [NPS] 1990). An explanation of these designations follows.

Cultural resources are considered during federal undertakings chiefly under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) through one of its implementing regulations, 36 Code of Federal Regulations 800 (Protection of Historic Properties), as well as the 182
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National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Properties of traditional religious and cultural importance to Native Americans are considered under Section 101(d)(6)(A) of the NHPA.

Other relevant federal laws include the Archaeological Data Preservation Act of 1974, American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978, Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979, and Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1989.

National Register of Historic Places
The NRHP was established by the National Historic Preservation Act NHPA of 1966 as “an authoritative guide to be used by Federal, State, and local governments, private groups and citizens to identify the Nation’s cultural resources and to indicate what properties should be considered for protection from destruction or impairment" (CFR 36 CFR 60.2). The NRHP recognizes properties that are significant at the national, state, and local levels. To be eligible for listing in the NRHP, a resource must be significant in American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or culture. Districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects of potential significance must also possess integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association. A property is eligible for the NRHP if it is significant under one or more of the following criteria:

Criterion A: It is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history;
Criterion B: It is associated with the lives of persons who are significant in our past; Criterion C: It embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; and/or
Criterion D: It has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.

California Register of Historic Resources
CEQA (Section 21084.1) requires that a lead agency determine whether a project could have a significant effect on historical resources. A historical resource is one listed in or determined to be eligible for listing in the CRHR (Section 21084.1), a resource included in a local register of historical resources (Section 15064.5[a][2]), or any object, building, structure, site, area, place, record, or manuscript that a lead agency determines to be historically significant (Section 15064.5[a][3]).

A historical resource is a resource listed in or determined to be eligible for listing in the CRHR (Section 21084.1), a resource included in a local register of historical resources (Section 15064.5[a][2]), or any object, building, structure, site, area, place, record, or manuscript that a lead agency determines to be historically significant (Section 15064.5[a][3]).

Public Resources Code (PRC) Section 5024.1, Section 15064.5 of the CEQA Guidelines, and PRC Sections 21083.2 and 21084.1 were used as the basic guidelines for the cultural 183
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80 resources analysis. PRC Section 5024.1 requires an evaluation of historical resources to determine their eligibility for listing in the CRHR. The purpose of the register is to maintain listings of the state’s historical resources and to indicate which properties are to be protected from substantial adverse change. The criteria for listing resources in the CRHR were expressly developed to be in accordance with previously established criteria developed for listing in the NRHP, enumerated below.

According to PRC Section 5024.1(c)(1–4), a resource is considered historically significant if it:
1 Retains substantial integrity, and
2 Meets at least one of the following California Register criteria:
a. It is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of California’s history and cultural heritage. b. It is associated with the lives of persons important in our past. c. It embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, region or method of installation, or represents the work of an important creative individual, or possesses high artistic values.
d. It has yielded or may be likely to yield information important in prehistory or history.

Impacts to significant cultural resources that affect the characteristics of any resource that qualify it for the NRHP or adversely alter the significance of a resource listed in or eligible for listing in the CRHR are considered a significant impact. These impacts could result from physical demolition, destruction, relocation, or alteration of the resource or its immediate surroundings such that the significance of an historical resource would be materially impaired (CEQA Guidelines, Section 15064.5 [b][1]). Material impairment is defined as demolition or alteration in an adverse manner [of] those characteristics of an historical resource that convey its historical significance and that justify its inclusion in, or eligibility for inclusion in, the California Register (CEQA Guidelines, Section 15064.5[b][2][A]).

Codes Governing Human Remains
Section 15064.5 of the CEQA Guidelines also assigns special importance to human remains and specifies procedures to be used when Native American remains are discovered. The disposition of human remains is governed by Health and Safety Code Section 7050.5 and PRC Sections 5097.94 and 5097.98, and falls within the jurisdiction of the NAHC. If human remains are discovered, the County Coroner must be notified within 48 hours and there should be no further disturbance to the site where the remains were found. If the remains are determined by the coroner to be Native American, the coroner is responsible for contacting the NAHC within 24 hours. The NAHC, pursuant to PRC Section 5097.98, will immediately notify those persons it believes to be most likely descended from the deceased Native Americans so they can inspect the burial site and make recommendations for treatment or disposal.
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City of La Verne
City of La Verne Municipal Code Title 16 - Subdivisions The City of La Verne does not have a historic preservation ordinance; however Section

16.34.050 of the City’s Municipal Code provides guidance and procedures for the protection of identified historic resources throughout the City. Individual properties can be designated as local landmarks by council resolution, with landmark nominations initiated by either property owner or the City. City-initiated nominations are limited to commercial buildings and owner consent is required.

City of La Verne General Plan (1998)

CULTURAL RESOURCES ELEMENT
Table 11 contains the General Plan policies and implementation measures designed to manage and protect cultural resources within the City:

Table 11 General Plan Policies to Protect Cultural Resources General Plan Policy – Cultural Resources
Policy 2.5. Pursue preservation
of archeological resources.
a. Oversee continued discovery of Gabrielino Indian artifacts such as those recently unearthed on a north La Verne site. e. Require the following measures if an archaeological site is discovered during excavation or construction phases of
development.
 An excavation plan shall be prepared according to CEQA – Appendix K.
 If it is impossible to avoid disturbing the site through revisions in project design, require salvage efforts
according to the parameters outlined in Appendix K,
Section VII of the CEQA Law and Guidelines.
 In the event of the discovery of human remains, follow procedures outlined in Section VIII of Appendix K
contained in the CEQA Law and Guidelines.

Policy 2.6. Protect cultural
resources through strategic use
of California Environmental
Quality Act provisions.
a. If a surveyed or unlisted property is 50 years old or older, or appears to meet the criteria for listing on the California Register, the City shall require further investigation by a qualified preservation professional before allowing major alteration or demolition.
b. Mitigate significant effects of projects on cultural resources through:
 Creative programs for replacement;
 Enhancements of related cultural resources programs;
 Contributions that ensure preservation of similar
resources; or
 Avoidance of negative effects altogether by choosing a 185
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82 General Plan Policy – Cultural Resources
feasible alternative that preserves the resource in
question.

Policy 2.9. Abide by adopted
demolition policies to protect
cultural resources from
premature demolition.
a. Demolition or alteration of character-defining features of a structure or site listed on a table or map in this chapter shall not be permitted without review and approval by the City Council. No alternation shall occur in the absence of a valid precise plan, reviewed and approved by the Community
Development Department and affirmed by Council.
b. Require preservation plans for significant properties where demolition of structures including outbuildings, are
proposed.

Policy 2.10. Protect and
preserve cultural landscapes.
a. Follow Department of the Interior guidelines for
preservation of historic landscapes.
b. Assure that settings as well as individual buildings are preserved to the extent possible.
c. Encourage retention of heritage trees on properties less than one acre.

The Cultural Resources Element also identifies structures that are either officially designated as local landmarks or state landmarks, listed on the State of California or County of Los Angeles Registers, listed as Points of Historic Interest, or placed on the National Register of Historic Places (see Map CR-1 in the General Plan). However, there are no designated landmarks or historic places within the Wilderness Area.

In addition, the General Plan also includes a list of documented archaeological sites within the City (see Table CR-1), which are listed below in Table 12 according to their recordation date, general location, artifacts found, and their condition. However, from these documented cases, only the general location of archeological sites and associated artifacts were considered as applicable information for the following impact analysis. 186
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Table 12 Archaeological Sites in La Verne
Date
Recorded General Location Artifacts Status1
1951
1965
1980
Southwest Prehistoric stone tools; historic
debris
80% destroyed
1967 Northern hillsides Large occupation site; stone tools 1967
1988
Northern hillsides Scattered stone tools 80% destroyed
1969
1989
North La Verne Stone tools Relocated in 1989;
badly disturbed
1973 Northern hillsides Stone tools
1973 Northern hillsides Stone tools
1979 Northern hillsides Scattered stone materials Destroyed 1997 Downtown La
Verne
Household, architectural, and school
related items
In process of
excavation

1998 Northern hillsides
tract 50964
Scattered stone material Relocated to
University of La Verne
in 1998
1 The current General Plan was adopted in 1999; therefore, the listed status of these archaeological sites may not be representative of present-day conditions.

Source: City of La Verne General Plan, Cultural Resources Element, Table CR -1, 1999.

4.2.3 Impact Analysis
Methodology and Significance Thresholds
Evaluation Criteria
The following thresholds are based on Appendix G of the State CEQA Guidelines. Impacts would be significant if implementation of the Management Plan would result in any of the following:
1 Cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource as defined in 15064.5 of the CEQA Guidelines;
2 Cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of an archaeological resource pursuant to 15064.5 of the CEQA Guidelines;
3 Directly or indirectly destroy a unique paleontological resource or site or unique geologic feature; or
4 Disturb any human remains, including those interred outside of formal cemeteries. 187
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84 CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.5(a) states that the term “historical resources” shall include the following:
1 A resource listed in, or determined to be eligible by the State Historical Resources Commission, for listing in, the California Register of Historical Resources (PRC Section 5024.1, Title 14 CCR, Section 4850 et. seq.).
2 A resource included in a local register of historical resources, as defined in PRC Section 5020.1(k) or identified as significant in an historical resource survey meeting the requirements of PRC Section 5024.1(g), shall be presumed to be historically or culturally significant. Public agencies must treat any such resource as significant unless the preponderance of evidence demonstrates that it is not historically or culturally significant.
3 Any object, building, structure, site, area, place, record, or manuscript which a lead agency determines to be historically significant or significant in the architectural, engineering, scientific, economic, agricultural, educational, social, political, military, or cultural annals of California, may be considered to be an historical resource, provided the lead agency’s determination is supported by substantial evidence in light of the whole record. Generally, a resource shall be considered by the lead agency to be “historically significant” if the resource meets the criteria for listing in the California Register of Historical Resources (PRC Section 5024.1, Title 14 CCR, Section 4852) as follows:
a. Is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of California’s history and cultural heritage; b. Is associated with the lives of persons important in our past; c. 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; or
d. Has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history. (Guidelines Section 15064.5).

According to CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.5(b)(1), a “substantial adverse change” in the significance of a historical resource is defined as “physical demolition, destruction, relocation, or alteration of the resource or its immediate surroundings such that the significance of an historical resource would be materially impaired.” CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.5(b)(2) also states that the significance of an historical resource is “materially impaired” when a project does any of the following:
a. Demolishes or materially alters in an adverse manner those physical characteristics of an historical resource that convey its historical significance and that justify its inclusion in, or eligibility for inclusion in the California Register of Historical Resources; or,
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b. Demolishes or materially alters in an adverse manner those physical characteristics that account for its inclusion in a local register of historical resources... or its identification in an historical resources survey..., unless the public agency reviewing the effects of the project establishes by a preponderance of evidence that the resource is not historically or culturally significant; or, c. Demolishes or materially alters in an adverse manner those physical characteristics of a historical resource that convey its historical significance and that justify its eligibility for inclusion in the California Register of Historical Resources as determined by a lead agency for purposes of CEQA.

Implementation of the Management Plan would not involve demolition, excavation, or grading activities that would disturb cultural, archaeological, and paleontological resources or human remains. However, all thresholds are addressed below in the event such resources may exist in the Wilderness Area.

Project Impacts
Threshold 1
Cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource as defined in 15064.5 of the CEQA Guidelines
Threshold 2
Cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of an archaeological resource pursuant to 15064.5 of the CEQA Guidelines
Threshold 3
Directly or indirectly destroy a unique paleontological resource or site or unique geologic feature?
IMPACT CR-1: I MPLEMENTATION OF MINOR SITE IMPROVEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROPOSED MANAGEMENT PLAN (I.E., FOOT TRAIL, SITTING BENCHES, SIGNAGE) WOULD NOT INVOLVE DEMOLITION, EXCAVATION, OR GRADING ACTIVITIES. HOWEVER, FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE WILDERNESS AREA

MAY CAUSE AN ADVERSE CHANGE IN THE SIGNIFICANCE OF A KNOWN CULTURAL RESOURCE OR RESULT IN UNANTICIPATED DISCOVERIES OF CULTURAL RESOURCES. THEREFORE, IMPACTS WOULD BE CLASS II, LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT WITH MITIGATION INCORPORATED.

As discussed in Section 4.4.2., there are no designated landmarks or historic places in the Wilderness Area. The nearest listing is the historic Dewenter Ranch located southeast of the Wilderness Area within the northern La Verne hillside residential community. The Dewenter Ranch is listed on the NRHP and is significant for its Mission/Spanish Revival architectural style (American Dreams, Inc. 2017). In addition, the General Plan also includes a list of documented archaeological sites in the City, which are listed in Table 12. As shown in Table 12, the majority of document cases have been discovered in the northern La Verne area, which includes the Wilderness Area. However, the proposed Management Plan would not 189
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86 involve ground-disturbing activities since associated minor site improvements consist of a foot trail, sitting benches, and signage. In addition, the proposed Management Plan does not involve demolition of structures, grading, or construction of new facilities at this time. .

However, subsequent future improvements proposed through implementation of the Management Plan shall be reviewed through the City’s development review process and CEQA process when warranted, and appropriate mitigation measures would be identified at that time. If demolition or grading activities were to occur as part of future improvements, then there is the potential to uncover buried cultural resources during ground-disturbing activities in which case impacts would be potentially significant unless mitigation is incorporated. Mitigation would be required if demolition or grading occurs as a result of future management activities associated with implementation of the Management Plan.

Mitigation Measure
CR-1 Unanticipated Discovery of Cultural Resources
If cultural resources are encountered during ground-disturbing activities, work in the immediate area should be halted and an archaeologist meeting the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards for archaeology (National Park Service 1983) should be contacted immediately to evaluate the find. If necessary, the evaluation may require preparation of a treatment plan and archaeological testing for the California Register of Historical Resources (CRHR) eligibility. If the discovery proves to be significant under CEQA and cannot be avoided, additional work such as data recovery excavation may be warranted to mitigate significant impacts to cultural resources.

Significance After Mitigation
The proposed Management Plan does not involve major construction activities that would disturb known cultural resources. However, if future improvements (as a result of implementation of the Management Plan) involve demolition or excavation, Mitigation Measure CR-1 would reduce potential impacts to a less than significant level in the event of an unanticipated discovery of a cultural resource.

Threshold 4
Disturb any human remains, including those interred outside of formal cemeteries? IMPACT CR-2: I MPLEMENTATION OF MINOR SITE IMPROVEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROPOSED MANAGEMENT PLAN (I.E., FOOT TRAIL, SITTING BENCHES, SIGNAGE) WOULD NOT INVOLVE DEMOLITION, EXCAVATION, OR GRADING ACTIVITIES THAT WOULD DISTURB HUMAN REMAINS. HOWEVER, FUTURE

IMPROVEMENTS IN THE WILDERNESS AREA MAY RESULT IN UNANTICIPATED DISTURBANCE OF HUMAN REMAINS. THEREFORE, IMPACTS WOULD BE CLASS II, LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT WITH MITIGATION INCORPORATED.

The proposed Management Plan would not involve ground-disturbing activities since associated minor site improvements consist of a foot trail, sitting benches, and signage. In addition, the proposed Management Plan does not involve demolition of structures, grading, or construction of new facilities. However, subsequent future improvement 190
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projects proposed through implementation of the Management Plan shall be reviewed through the City’s development review process and CEQA process when warranted, and appropriate mitigation measures would be identified at that time. If demolition or grading activities were to occur as part of future improvements, then there is the potential to uncover buried human remains during ground-disturbing activities in which case impacts would be potentially significant unless mitigation is incorporated. Mitigation would be required if demolition or grading occurs as a result of future management activities associated with implementation of the Management Plan.

Mitigation Measure
CR-2 Human Remains Recovery Procedures
The discovery of human remains is always a possibility during ground disturbing activities. If human remains are found, the State of California Health and Safety Code Section 7050.5 states that no further disturbance shall occur until the Orange County coroner has made a determination of origin and disposition pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 5097.98.

In the event of an unanticipated discovery of human remains, the county coroner must be notified immediately. If the human remains are determined to be prehistoric, the coroner will notify the Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), which will determine and notify a most likely descendant (MLD). The MLD shall complete the inspection of the site within 48 hours of notification and may recommend scientific removal and nondestructive analysis of human remains and items associated with Native American burials.

Significance After Mitigation
The proposed Management Plan does not involve major construction activities that would disturb human remains. However, if future improvements (as a result of implementation of the Management Plan) involve demolition or excavation, Mitigation Measure CR-2 would reduce potential impacts to a less than significant level in the event of an unanticipated discovery of human remains.

4.2.4 Cumulative Impacts
There are no other public parks or open space projects in development within the City of La Verne or in nearby communities. As described in Section 3.3, cumulative planned residential development would result in 55 units split between three project sites, which would conservatively add approximately 150 new residents to the City of La Verne. The increase in population could incrementally contribute to public demand for open space recreational areas. Implementation of the proposed Management Plan would help meet the open space recreational use demands of the added population and would result in expanded public use of the Wilderness Area in the North La Verne Hillsides.

88 beyond those conceptualized in the Management Plan would be reviewed through the City and CEQA process, and appropriate mitigation measures would be identified at that time.

Similarly, individual planned residential development projects would undergo environmental review to implement project-specific mitigation measures to address any cultural resource impacts as needed. There would be no cumulative significant impacts to cultural resources with the implementation of the Management Plan and the development of the planned residential project.
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4.3 Hazards and Hazardous Materials
This section evaluates potential environmental impacts related to hazardous materials, public health, and safety, which could result as a consequence of implementing the proposed Management Plan. This section presents the environmental setting and potential impacts related to hazards and hazardous materials. Historical aerial photographs and topographic maps were reviewed for the Wilderness Area. Additional wildfire hazard information was provided in the 2017 La Verne Wilderness Management Plan Fire Hazards Study Report (Rincon Consultants 2017a; Appendix D). Information related to Flood hazards can be found in Section 4.4 Hydrology and Water Quality.

4.3.1 Setting
The 358-acre Wilderness Area contains two access points that connect to existing fire roads.

Fire access to the southern portion of the Wilderness Area is from a dirt road off of Golden Hills Road, between Melinda Lane and Monterey Street. The northern portion of the Wilderness Area is accessible from Mountain Spring Ranch Road along the northwestern border (Rincon Consultants 2017a). The Williams Fire of 2002 caused the southern access road to be filled by debris and the road was never fully restored. The northern access road is highly eroded and in need of repair. A 50-foot wide fuel break north of the Via Del Sol neighborhood (south of the Wilderness Area) is maintained annually using hand tools for weed abatement (Russell 2016).

The Wilderness Area is largely undisturbed and covered in dense vegetation, with exception to the southwestern corner of the site, north of Monterey Street, which has been disturbed by weed abatement activities. Weed abatement in the southwestern portion of the Wilderness Area occurs annually as directed by the County of Los Angeles Department of Agricultural Commission/Weights and Measures (Commission), which conducts annual inspections and provides weed abatement instructions carried out by the City’s Public Works Department (Rincon Consultants 2017a). Since 2015, the City has utilized an integrated management method that relies on goats for weed abatement rather than disking (Keesey 2016).

There are no built structures in the Wilderness Area. A low-density single-family residential neighborhood exists approximately zero to 1,000 feet from the southern and western boundaries of the Wilderness Area. Single family residences occur along the southern portion of the project boundary on Monterey Street. There is a proposed residential development (Sage Canyon) adjacent to the Wilderness Area along its southwestern boundary (Rincon Consultants 2017a).

The two airports located nearest to the Wilderness Area are Brackett Field Airport (approximately 7.3 miles to the south) and Cable Airport (approximately 10.5 miles southeast). There are no public airports within two miles of the Wilderness Area, and no private airports are located within the vicinity of the project site. 193
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90 Wildland Fire
Wildland fires result from intentional and unintentional human activities, and natural processes. Wildland fire hazard in the Wilderness Area is exacerbated by climatic factors, limited access, topography, and flammable vegetation. Wildland fire hazard is of concern for the Wilderness Area as well as surrounding communities and residences, due to the wildland-urban interface (WUI) between the Wilderness Area and the adjacent residential neighborhoods in the City. WUI areas are defined in the City’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) as areas where humans and development meet or intermix with wildland fuel, as is the case with areas adjacent to the southern and western portions of the Wilderness Area (La Verne 2014).

Fires spreading from the Angeles National Forest or undeveloped County lands east of the City present the greatest wildfire threat, especially during the seasonal surge of Santa Ana winds. While the strong downslope Santa Ana winds present the clearest wildfire hazard to the City, vegetation conditions across the southern front of the San Gabriel Mountains place the community at risk even under typical on-shore wind conditions (La Verne 2017b).

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) developed a list of “communities at risk” (CAR) using three main factors to determine which communities were at risk and their level of fire threat:
1 High fuel hazard;
2 Probability of a fire; and
3 Proximity of intermingled wildland fuels with urban environments (California Fire Alliance 2017).

Cal Fire determined the City of La Verne to be one of 1,329 communities in the State identified as a CAR, and is one of 843 of those communities that are adjacent to federal lands (Cal Fire 2017). The Wilderness Area is identified as a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ) under the City’s Local Responsibility Area (LRA) (Cal Fire 2011). Despite numerous wildfires that occurred in the vicinity of the City and the Wilderness Area since 1992, La Verne has been fortunate to avoid direct impacts to the community from large fires.

The two most recent large fire events near the City were the 2002 Williams and 2003 Padua fires, which burned 38,094 and 10,466 acres, respectively (La Verne 2017b). Both fires started outside the City’s boundary and spread towards La Verne under Santa Ana wind events (La Verne 2014). No damage to structures was reported in La Verne due to these fires. However, the Williams Fire burned a total of 62 homes and 14 outbuildings just outside of City boundaries, and required evacuation of approximately 100 City of La Verne residents (La Verne 2012 and 2014). Likewise, the Padua Fire required evacuation of approximately 400 City residents.
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4.3.2 Regulatory Setting
Hazardous Materials
The management of hazardous materials and hazardous wastes is regulated at federal, state, and local levels. Programs are administered by the U.S. EPA; California Environmental Protection Agency and related agencies, such as the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC); and the Los Angeles County Certified Unified Program Agency Health Hazardous Materials Division.

Federal
FEDERAL INSECTICIDE, FUNGICIDE, AND RODENTICIDE ACT (1910, REVISED 1972 AND 2003) The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) provide the basis for regulation, sale, distribution, and use of pesticides in the U.S. The FIFRA authorizes the U.S.

EPA to review and register pesticides for specified uses, and also confers authority to suspend or cancel the registration of a pesticide if subsequent information shows that continued use would prose unreasonable risks to public health or the environment.

TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT (1976)
The Toxic Substances Control Act empowers the U.S. EPA to require reporting, record- keeping, testing, and place restrictions on the use and handling of chemical substances and mixtures.

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ADMINISTRATION
The Occupational Health and Safety Act was enacted in 1970 to ensure healthy working conditions in the U.S. The Act established the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), to enforce workplace safety standards.

State
CALIFORNIA HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE (HSC), DIVISION 20, CHAPTER 6.11, SECTIONS 25404- 25404.9, UNIFIED HAZARDOUS WASTE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS MANAGEMENT REGULATORY

PROGRAM
Under the California Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Toxic Substances Control and Enforcement and Emergency Response Program administer the technical implementation of California’s Unified Program, which consolidates the administration, permit, inspection, and enforcement activities of several environmental and emergency management programs at the local level. Certified Unified Program Agencies (CUPAs) also implement the hazardous waste and materials management standards set through various state programs at the local level. The CUPA for the City of La Verne is the County of Los Angeles Fire Department, Health Hazardous Materials Division (Los Angeles County Fire Department 2017).
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92 CALIFORNIA HSC DIVISION 20, CHAPTER 6.95, SECTIONS 25500-25520 AND CALIFORNIA CODE OF REGULATIONS (CCR), TITLE 19, CHAPTER 2, SUBCHAPTER 3, SECTIONS 2729-2734 These regulations require the preparation of a Hazardous Material Business Plans (HMBPs) by facility operators. The HMBP identifies the hazards, storage locations, and storage quantities for each hazardous chemical stored on-site. The HMBP is submitted to the CUPA for emergency planning purposes.

CALIFORNIA OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT (1973)
Under the California Occupational Safety and Health Act, the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (CalOSHA) is responsible for ensuring safe working conditions for California workers to protect their health. CalOSHA hazardous substances regulations include requirements for worker safety training, availability of safety equipment, hazardous substance exposure warnings, and emergency action and fire prevention plan preparation.

CalOSHA also enforces hazard communication program regulations, which contain worker training and information requirements, including procedures for identifying and labeling hazardous substances. The hazard communication program also requires that Material Safety Data Sheets be available to employees and that employee information and training programs be documented.

Wildland Fire
Hazardous substances commonly used to manage vegetation include herbicides and petroleum products (such as gasoline, diesel fuel, or motor oil) for machinery used to trim and chip green waste. However, the Wilderness Area Management Plan states appropriate methodologies, such as hand-tool thinning or goats, will be applied to provide adequate protection from wildfire risks without compromising recreational experience or causing environmental impacts.

Wildfire risks are of greater concern to the Wilderness Area and surrounding WUI. There are federal, state, and local policies and regulations relevant to the management of wildfire risks. Due to the regional and local scale and impact of wildfires, Cal Fire plays an active role in assessing fire risks throughout the state and collaborates with municipalities to manage fire hazards in forest and wildlands.

Federal
DISASTER MITIGATION ACT (2000-PRESENT)
Section 104 of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-390) enacted Section 322, Mitigation Planning of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, which created incentives for state and local entities to coordinate hazard mitigation planning and implementation efforts, and is an important source of funding for fuels mitigation efforts through hazard mitigation grants.
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NATIONAL INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
The National Incident Management System provides a systematic, proactive approach to guide government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector to work together to prevent, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of incidents, regardless of cause, size, location, or complexity, in order to reduce the loss of life and property and harm to the environment. National Incident Management System improves a City’s ability to prepare for and respond to potential incidents and hazard scenarios.

NATIONAL FIRE PLAN 2000
Administered by the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service and the Department of the Interior, this plan places a priority on collaborative work within communities to reduce their risk from large-scale wildfires.

State

DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE PROTECTION (CAL FIRE)
The State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection develops policies and programs to prevent and suppress fires. Non-federal, non-incorporated lands within the state covered by timber, brush, undergrowth or grass, and used primarily for range or foraging activities are classified and formally referred to as State Responsibility Areas (SRAs). Cal Fire is responsible for fire prevention and suppression in SRAs, and provides assistance to local jurisdictions in adjacent range, timber, and forestlands during fire events.

CALIFORNIA STRATEGIC FIRE PLAN (UPDATED 2012)
This statewide plan is a strategic document, which guides fire policy for much of California.

The plan is aimed at reducing wildfire risk through pre-fire mitigation efforts tailored to local areas through assessments of fuels, hazards, and risks.

CALIFORNIA STATE MULTI-HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN, DRAFT (UPDATED 2013) The purpose of the State Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan is to significantly reduce deaths, injuries, and other losses attributed to natural and human-caused hazards in California. The
State Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan provides guidance for hazard mitigation activities emphasizing partnerships among local, state, and federal agencies as well as the private sector.

PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE SECTION 4290
Section 4290 of the California Public Resources Code (PRC) established authority for the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection to adopt fire safety standards for structures constructed within SRAs. These regulations specify standards applicable to defensible space; road standards for fire equipment access; standards for signs identifying streets, roads, and buildings; minimum private water supply reserves for emergency fire use; and fuel breaks and greenbelts. These regulations do not supersede local regulations, which are equal to or exceed minimum State regulations.
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94 PRC SECTION 4291
PRC Section 4291 defines defensible space requirements for any building or structure in, upon, or adjoining mountainous areas, forested lands, or otherwise covered by flammable vegetation. PRC Section 4291 requires implementation of the following:
1 Maintenance of defensible space through removal of all flammable vegetation and materials within not less than 100 feet on each side of any structure or to the property line, whichever is closest;
2 Removal of an additional 30 to 100 feet of brush, flammable vegetation, or combustible growth, when determined by a fire expert that extra hazardous conditions exist and fire break of 100 feet would not be sufficient;
3 Removal of any portion of a tree extending within ten feet of the outlet of a chimney or stovepipe;
4 Maintenance of a tree, shrub, or other plant adjacent to or overhanging a building free to dead or dying wood;
5 Maintenance of roofs to be free of leaves, needles, or other vegetative materials; and, 6 Acquisition of a certification from the local building official by the owner or project applicant, prior to construction that the construction or rebuilding of a dwelling or structure complies with all applicable state and local building standards. 2013 CALIFORNIA FIRE CODE
The 2013 California Fire Code established regulations affecting or relating to structures, processes, premises and safeguards regarding residences and historic buildings. The code includes: 1) hazards of fire and explosion arising from the storage, handling or use of structures, materials or devices; 2) conditions hazardous to life, property or public welfare in the occupancy of structures or premises; 3) fire hazards in the structure or on the premises from occupancy or operation; 4) matters related to the construction, extension, repair, alteration or removal of fire suppression or alarm systems; and 5) conditions affecting the safety of fire fighters and emergency responders during emergency operations.

GOVERNMENT CODE 51175: VERY HIGH FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY ZONES This code section defines Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones and designates lands considered by the State to be a very high fire hazard. These designations are adopted by municipalities.

GOVERNMENT CODE 51189: WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE BUILDING STANDARDS This code section directs the Office of the State Fire Marshal to create building standards for wildland fire resistance. The code includes measures that increase the likelihood of a structure withstanding intrusion by fire (such as building design and construction requirements that use fire-resistant building materials) and provides protection of structure 198
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projections (such as porches, decks, balconies and eaves), and structure openings (such as attics, eave vents, and windows).

Local Regulations for Hazardous Materials and Wildland Fires

LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works is a Unified Program Agency and a Participating Agency to the Los Angeles County Certified Unified Program Agency, which is managed by the Los Angeles County Fire Department Health Hazardous Materials Division.

The Los Angeles County CUPA has jurisdiction in the City of La Verne.

The following agencies provide hazardous material services to the City of La Verne:
 The Los Angeles County Fire Department Health Hazardous Materials Division provides underground storage tank (UST), aboveground storage tank, hazardous waste generator, and unauthorized release assessment and reporting services. The Health Hazardous Materials Division also provides emergency response services to the City of La Verne.
 The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health provides groundwater monitoring well permitting services to the City of La Verne.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY ALL-HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN (2014)
The Los Angeles County All-Hazard Mitigation Plan serves as implementation program for hazard and disaster response planning within the County for major hazards such as earthquakes, wildfires, and floods, and minor hazards such as landslides, hazardous materials, and health epidemics.

CITY OF LA VERNE MUNICIPAL CODE TITLE 8 - FIRE DEPARTMENT AND FIRE PREVENTION REGULATIONS This code section discusses non-compliance liability and the accumulation and storage of flammable waste material and storage of combustible materials.

CITY OF LA VERNE MUNICIPAL CODE TITLE 9 - HEALTH AND SAFETY This code section discusses property maintenance such as landscaping and vegetation that are fire hazards, are considered a nuisance, and are declared to be unlawful.

CITY OF LA VERNE MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 15 - BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION This code section provides direction on flammable roofs, fire codes, fire zones, and very high fire hazard severity zone regulations. In addition, it discusses the modifications to the Los Angeles County Building Code and 2013 California Fire Code as adopted by the City of La Verne. These codes are updated on a regular basis as required by State law.

CITY OF LA VERNE MUNICIPAL CODE TITLE 16 - SUBDIVISIONS This code section addresses development capacity as it relates to fuel modification zones or green belts required by City ordnance for fire safety purposes. 199
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This code section provides supplemental standards for hillside development overlay zones around the City that include, but are not limited to, fire hazard standards, access requirements, water supply, perimeter protection, fire-resistant design and material guidelines, and landscaping. Title 18 also includes a section on the preservation, protection, and removal of trees.

CITY OF LA VERNE GENERAL PLAN (1998)
The City’s General Plan governs land use, transportation, resource management, noise, cultural resources, community facilities, housing, public safety, economic development, and community design. Table 13 contains the General Plan policies and implementation measures designed to manage wildfire hazards and risk which apply to the Wilderness Area:

Table 13 General Plan Policies to Protect Public Safety General Plan Policy – Resource Management
Policy 1.1. Provide
adequate fire
protection.
a. Maintain the seven minute response time, or an acceptable response time, as determined by the fire chief.
c. Maintain fire protection buffers between developed areas and natural areas in North La Verne and North La Verne Hillside neighborhoods.

Fire protection buffers shall be maintained at private expense and on private property according to the applicable standards and regulations of the La Verne Fire Department.

Policy 1.2. Minimize
risk of wildfire
spread.
a. Prohibit development or require private reservoirs and water systems beyond the elevation of 1,780 feet. Due to excessive pumping costs, lack of reservoirs and the danger of hydropneumatic pumping stations, the city has not construction water facilities beyond the 1,780 service elevation.
e. Discourage hillside development within the response time if the Fire Department cannot adequately protect it.
f. Require two means of ingress/egress in all hillside developments with at least one means of ingress/egress into a collector street. g. Enforce the zoning standards for fuel modification zones. These standards include identification of acceptable techniques of fuel modification.
h. Adopt, pursuant to the State Health and Safety Code, a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone Ordinance that will regulate hazardous fire conditions in the hillside areas. Incorporate the California Department of the Forestry and Fire Protection requirements.
i. Ensure that all development in areas subject to wildfire will meet Very High Fire Hazard Zone standards as adopted by city ordinance. A California-registered landscape architect or a person with similar qualifications shall develop landscape plans.

Policy 5.5. Minimize
fire threat through
safe development.
a. Circulate all public and private proposed project plans to the fire department as part of the development review procedure. The department shall be consulted on all aspects of the project involving fire safety, including building materials, access, and circulation. This 200
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General Plan Policy – Resource Management
review shall take place as early in the process as possible to permit any necessary changes to project design.
b. Discourage hillside development within the response time if the Fire Department cannot adequately protect it.

Policy 5.6. Provide
adequate emergency
medical care.
a. Maintain adequate paramedic service in La Verne. If deficiency occurs, add personnel and paramedic units as needed.

CITY OF LA VERNE NATURAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN (2012)
The La Verne Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan provides pre-disaster mitigation strategies in order to prevent human and economic loss in the event of a natural disaster such as earthquakes, landslides, or wildfires. The City’s Hazard Mitigation Plan includes resources and information to assist City residents, public and private agencies, and others interested in planning natural disaster mitigation and recovery.

CITY OF LA VERNE COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN (2014) The La Verne Community Wildfire Protection Plan provides guidance for the preparation of site-specific fire hazard mitigation for property and business owners, La Verne Fire Department, City staff, and other interested parties in their efforts to reduce wildfire threats to the City.

LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT
The La Verne Fire Department (LVFD) provides fire protection and all-risk services for the City. The mission of the Fire Department is to preserve life, property, and the environment of the City in a safe, efficient, and cost effective manner (La Verne Fire Department 2017).

The City’s three fire stations are located at:
 Fire Station 1: 2061 Third Street, approximately 3.6 miles south of the Wilderness Area;  Fire Station 2: 4785 Wheeler Avenue, approximately 2 miles south of the Wilderness Area; and,
 Fire Station 3: 5100 Esperanza Drive, approximately 1.2 miles south of the Wilderness Area (La Verne 2014).

The City’s Public Works Department manages vegetation management programs for all City-owned land, including the Wilderness Area, while the City’s CWPP contains fuel modification guidelines for private residential properties surrounding the Wilderness Area.

Fuel modification and vegetation clearance activities implemented by the LVFD and Public Works Department are consistent with the standards and guidelines specified in the CWPP. 201
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Methodology and Thresholds of Significance
Assessment of impacts is based on environmental conditions of the Wilderness Area, as well as other applicable laws and regulations related to hazards and hazardous materials issues.

The following thresholds are based on Appendix G of the State CEQA Guidelines (Section VIII). A significant impact related to hazards and hazardous materials would occur if the project would do any of the following:
1 Create a significant hazard to the public or the environment through the routine transport, use, or disposal of hazardous materials
2 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
3 Emit hazardous emissions or handle hazardous or acutely hazardous materials, substances, or waste within 0.25 mile of an existing or proposed school 4 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, result in a safety hazard for people residing or working in the project area 5 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, create a significant hazard to the public or the environment
6 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 7 Impair implementation of or physically interfere with an adopted emergency response plan or emergency evacuation plan
8 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
Implementation of the Management Plan would not affect schools, airports or airstrips and existing airport land use plans, be located on a hazardous site, or impair the City’s ability to implement existing emergency response or evacuation plans. Therefore, only thresholds 1, 2, and 8 are addressed below.
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Project Impacts
Threshold 1
Create a significant hazard to the public or the environment through the routine transport, use, or disposal of hazardous materials?
Threshold 2
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?
IMPACT HAZ-1 I MPLEMENTATION OF MINOR SITE IMPROVEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROPOSED MANAGEMENT PLAN (E.G. FOOT TRAIL, SITTING BENCHES, SIGNAGE) WOULD NOT INVOLVE TRANSPORTATION OR RELEASE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS. THEREFORE, IMPACTS WOULD BE CLASS III, LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT.

The residential neighborhood along Mountain Springs Ranch Road faces threats from fires originating outside the sphere of influence of the City, along San Dimas Canyon Road. In an effort to reduce fire risk, the Mountain Springs Estates Homeowner’s Association hired a private contractor in 2015 to apply fire retardant along portions of Golden Hills Road and San Dimas Canyon Road that border their community (Russell 2017). The fire retardant applied was Phos-Check LC95W (ammonium polyphosphate solution), a commonly used fire retardant with low human health toxicity and ecotoxicity (US EPA 2016). Targeted applications of fire retardants around the community of Mountains Springs Estates continue as a preventative measure, and remain independent of the Wilderness Area.

Implementation of the Management Plan would not require the routine transport, use, or disposal of hazardous materials. Further, potentially hazardous materials such as fuels, lubricants, and solvents are not anticipated to be used during the creation of the propose foot-trail or in the maintenance of the Wilderness Area. The Management Plan states that appropriate methodologies such as mechanical clearance, hand-tool thinning, and goats will be employed for weed abatement activities rather than relying on the use of hazardous materials such as herbicides. Therefore, implementation of the Management Plan would not create a hazard to the public or the environment through the transportation of hazardous materials, and would not have the potential to release hazardous materials into the environment. Impacts would be Class III, less than significant.

Mitigation Measures
No mitigation would be required.

Significance After Mitigation
Impacts would be less than significant without mitigation. 203
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Threshold 8
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?
IMPACT HAZ-2 W HILE IMPLEMENTATION OF MINOR SITE IMPROVEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROPOSED MANAGEMENT PLAN (E.G. FOOT TRAIL, SITTING BENCHES, SIGNAGE) WOULD NOT EXPOSE

PEOPLE OR STRUCTURES TO POTENTIAL WILDLAND FIRES, WILDLAND FIRE AND FIRE EXPOSURE RISKS WOULD CONTINUE TO EXIST, AND BE OF CONCERN TO RESIDENCES IN THE VICINITY OF THE WILDERNESS AREA.

THIS IMPACT IS NOT A RESULT OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MANAGEMENT PLAN. THEREFORE, IMPACTS WOULD BE CLASS III, LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT.

Implementation of the Wilderness Area Management Plan would not alter the risk of wildland fires in the Wilderness Area, the San Gabriel Mountains, or the adjacent residential neighborhoods. Wildland fire and fire exposure risks would continue to exist, and be of concern to residences in the WUI. However, compliance with existing regulations and the policies in the proposed Management Plan for fuel and vegetation management and limitation of public access during periods of extreme fire danger, as described below, would ensure that potential impacts would be Class III, less than significant.

The uses envisioned under the proposed Management Plan are essentially aimed at conserving the existing conditions of the Wilderness Area with the exception of a 0.6-mile long trail loop for hikers. Much of the Wilderness Area would remain inaccessible for public use and recreation. Existing road networks would continue being utilized by City crews in order to manage fuel loads and vegetation to reduce fire risks, and to perform fire road maintenance activities before and after wildfire events.

Furthermore, implementation and adherence to the following objectives and actions in the proposed Management Plan would ensure that potential impacts from wildland fires and fire exposure for the public would be less than significant:

Objective 3.1: Clear Brush and Modify Fuel Load
Action 3.1.1: Weed abatement shall occur in low-lying areas of the wash in the southern portion of the Wilderness Area annually. Disking shall be prohibited
Action 3.1.2: In cooperation with Los Angeles County, prepare a local Brush and Fuel Load Vegetation Management Plan within one (1) year of the Wilderness Area opening to the public, and review the plan every five (5) years Objective 3.2: Prohibit Fires
Action 3.2.1: Prohibit any fires for recreation or maintenance in the Wilderness Area Action 3.2.2: Prohibit smoking in the Wilderness Area
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Objective 3.3: Provide for Public Safety
Action 3.3.1: Close area to public access during periods of extreme fire danger, as defined as Fire Weather Warning, announced by the United States National Weather Service
Action 3.3.2: No road or trail maintenance or fuel management activities shall occur during periods of extreme fire danger (Fire Weather Warning or Fire Weather Watch days, as posted by the United States National Weather Service)
Action 3.3.3: In cooperation with other agencies, design, locate, and develop strategies for acquiring and improving emergency access to the Wilderness Area and facilitating evacuation in the event of a wildfire Action 3.3.4: Notify the responsible agent of fire road maintenance needs as necessary or after a wildfire event
Mitigation Measures
No mitigation would be required.

Significance After Mitigation
Impacts would be less than significant without mitigation.

4.3.4 Cumulative Impacts
There are no other public parks or open space projects in development within the City of La Verne or in nearby communities. As described in Section 3.3, cumulative planned residential development would result in 55 units split between three project sites, which would conservatively add approximately 150 new residents to the City of La Verne. The increase in population could incrementally contribute to public demand for open space recreational areas. Implementation of the proposed Management Plan would help meet the open space recreational use demands of the added population and would result in expanded public use of the Wilderness Area in the North La Verne Hillsides.

The proposed Management Plan contains policies to prohibit fires and manage fuel load to reduce wildfire risks and exposure to existing residential developments adjacent to the Wilderness Area. Current and future residents in the vicinity of the Wilderness Area would continue clearing vegetation to reduce the spread of wildfire threats, and measures resulting from the Management Plan would aid in reducing such threats as well. The cumulative planned residential development projects would undergo individual environmental review to implement project-specific mitigation measures to address any hazardous impacts as needed. There would be no cumulative significant impacts related to hazards and hazardous materials with the implementation of the Management Plan and the development of the planned residential projects.
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4.4 Hydrology and Water Quality
This section evaluates the potential environmental effects related to hydrology and water quality associated with implementation of the La Verne Wilderness Area Management and Public Access Plan. It discusses the regional and local watershed characteristics, including water quality, drainage and infiltration patterns, and flood hazards. Information for this section was taken from the Water Quality Control Plan for the Los Angeles Region, the National Hydrography Dataset, the Department of Water Resources’ Bulletin 118, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Flood Hazard Layer, the City’s General Plan and Municipal Code, and the 2016 La Verne Wilderness Area Management Plan Flood Hazards report prepared by Rivertech Inc (Appendix E). The analysis includes a review of surface water, groundwater, flooding, stormwater, and water quality. Issues regarding wetlands and waters of the U.S. are discussed in Section 4.1, Biological Resources.

4.4.1 Setting
La Verne is located in the San Gabriel Valley, approximately 28 miles east of Downtown Los Angeles. The City lies almost entirely within the Peninsular Ranges geomorphic province, although the northernmost portion of the City (which includes the Wilderness Area) lies within the Transverse Ranges geomorphic province. The Peninsular Ranges geomorphic province occupies the southwest corner of California and contains the Laguna Mountains, the San Jacinto Mountains, the Santa Ana Mountains, and the Santa Rosa Mountains. The northern portion of the province includes the Los Angeles Basin and is bound on the east by the Colorado Desert and on the north by the transverse ranges, including the San Gabriel Mountains (CGS 2002). The Transverse Ranges trend east to west, in contrast to the northwest trend of the adjacent Coast Ranges and Peninsular Ranges, and include the prominent San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains (CGS 2002).

The topography of the City is characterized primarily by relatively flat alluvial plains in the south and steeper slopes associated with the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in the north. Elevation within the City ranges from approximately 1,000 feet in the south to approximately 3,165 feet in the foothills to the north (USGS 2017a). Due to the relatively flat topography within the southern and middle portions of the City, runoff typically forms as sheet flow that is then intercepted by stormwater conveyance systems. However, stormwater can form concentrated, channelized flows in the foothills to the north. Major drainages in the area, such as the San Gabriel River, flow to the southwest and eventually drain to the Pacific Ocean (USGS 2017b).

The plan area is characterized by a typical Mediterranean climate, generally dry in the summer with mild, wet winters. Average summer temperatures in degrees Fahrenheit are in the 70’s, with highs in the upper 80’s and lows in the upper 50’s (IDcide 2017). Average winter temperatures are in the 50’s, with highs in the upper 60’s and lows in the low to mid 40’s (IDcide 2017). Most rainfall occurs between December and March, with an average annual rainfall of approximately 17 inches. The wettest months of the year are January and February, with an average rainfall of 4.02 and 4.05 inches, respectively (IDcide 2017). 207
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Surface Water
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) divides surface watersheds in California into 10 hydrologic regions. The City of West Covina lies in the South Coast Hydrologic Region (HR), a large coastal watershed in southern California (Cal Fire 2004). The South Coast HR spans approximately seven million acres and is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean, on the north by the Transverse Ranges, on the east by the Colorado River HR, and on the south by the international boundary with Mexico (DWR 2003). The DWR subdivides Hydrologic Regions into Hydrologic Units (HUs), and further into Hydrologic Areas (HAs) and Hydrologic Subareas (HSAs). Within the South Coast HR, La Verne is located in the San Gabriel River HU (Cal Fire 2004). The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (LARWQCB) governs basin planning and water quality within the San Gabriel River HU (LARWQCB 1994). In the San Gabriel River HU, the City is located in the San Gabriel Valley, Spadra, and Upper San Gabriel HAs (Cal Fire 2004). The Wilderness Area is split between the San Gabriel Valley and Spadra HAs. The portion of the Spadra HA in La Verne is divided into the Pomona HSA in the south and the Live Oak HSA in the north (Cal Fire 2004). The Wilderness Area is located in the Live Oak HSA portion of the Spadra HA (Cal Fire 2004).

La Verne includes both undeveloped open space with natural drainage features and urban development with highly altered drainage systems, such as concrete lined washes and underground stormwater systems. The three National Hydrography Dataset named streams that flow within the City’s boundaries include Live Oak Wash, Marshall Creek, and San Dimas Wash (USGS 2017b). Thompson Wash borders the southeast corner of the City. As shown in Figure 6, these streams originate in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and flow across the City towards the southwest. None of the named streams traverse the Wilderness Area. Runoff that occurs as overland flow in the City is intercepted by the stormwater drainage system and is routed via one of the drainages described above towards the San Gabriel Rivers and eventually to the Pacific Ocean. For a description of jurisdictional features, including wetlands, that are located within the City, see Section 4.1, Biological Resources.

Areas subject to flood risk are identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on the National Flood Hazard Layer. As shown in Figure 7, most of the City is classified as Flood Zone X (area of minimal flood hazard). The northern portion of the City in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains (including the Wilderness Area) is mapped as Flood Zone D, which represents areas where there are possible but undetermined flood hazards (FEMA 2017).

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Figure 6 Major Drainages
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Figure 7 Flood Zones

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Groundwater
La Verne is underlain by the San Gabriel Valley Groundwater Basin (DWR 2004). The extent of the underlying groundwater basin within the City is shown in Figure 8. The basin includes water-bearing sediments that underlie most of the San Gabriel Valley and a portion of the upper Santa Ana Valley (DWR 2004). The northern boundary for the basin includes the Raymond fault and the San Gabriel Mountains. The basin is bound on the south and the west by the Repetto, Merced, and Puente Hills (DWR 2004). The Chino and San Jose faults form the eastern boundary of the basin (DWR 2004).

The San Gabriel Valley Groundwater Basin covers a surface area of 255 square miles and has an estimated storage capacity of approximately 10.7 million acre-feet (DWR 2004).

Groundwater levels in the basin have fluctuated historically more than 95 feet in elevation.

In 1999, groundwater levels were within approximately 10 feet of their 200-year mean (DWR 2004). Concerns about the sustainability of groundwater supply in the basin led to the adjudication of water rights and the establishment of a Main San Gabriel Basin Watermaster in 1973. At that time, the Watermaster estimated that the basin contained approximately 7.85 million acre-feet of water in storage (MSGBW 2015). The Watermaster estimated the amount of water in storage in 2015 at 7.45 million acre-feet, and attributed the decline compared to historic levels to the effects of the current drought (MSGBW 2015).

Groundwater contamination is widespread throughout the basin. Volatile organic compounds are the most prevalent form of contamination (EPA 2014).

Water Supply
Approximately 70 percent of La Verne’s potable water is State Water Project water purchased from the Three Valleys Municipal Water District. The remainder of the City’s potable water comes from local groundwater supplies. Groundwater in the area contains elevated levels of nitrate and perchlorate. The groundwater is blended with imported water in order to keep levels below the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) standards. See Section 5.9, Utilities and Service Systems, for additional details about water supply and demand for the City.

Water Quality
Water quality in La Verne is governed by the LARWQCB, which sets water quality standards in the Water Quality Control Plan for the Los Angeles Region (Basin Plan). The Basin Plan identifies beneficial uses for surface water and groundwater and establishes water quality objectives to attain those beneficial uses. The identified beneficial uses and the water quality objectives to maintain or achieve those uses are together known as water quality standards. Within La Verne, the LARWQCB Basin Plan identifies beneficial uses for Live Oak Wash, Marshall Creek, and San Dimas Wash (LARWQCB 1994). Table 14 presents the beneficial uses for surface waters in the City.

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Figure 8 Groundwater Basins
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Table 14 Basin Plan Beneficial Uses
Waterbody Beneficial Uses
Live Oak Wash Municipal and Domestic Supply (MUN)a,
Ground Water Recharge (GWR)c, Freshwater
Replenishment (FRSH)c, Warm Freshwater
Habitat (WARM)c, Wildlife Habitat (WILD)a
Marshall Creek and Wash
(Puddingstone Reservoir to Via Arroyo)
MUNa, GWRc, WARMc, WILDa
Marshall Creek and Wash
(above Via Arroyo)
MUNa, GWRc, FRSHc, WARMc, WILDa, Rare,
Threatened, or Endangered Species (RARE)a,
Wetland Habitat (WET)a
San Dimas Wash (upper; above Ham Canyon) MUNb, GWRa, WARMc, WILDa Source: LARWQCB Basin Plan for the Coastal Watersheds of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, 1994 a Existing beneficial use
b Potential beneficial use
c Intermittent beneficial use
The Clean Water Act (CWA) 303(d) list is a register of impaired and threatened waters which the CWA requires all states to submit for Environmental Protection Agency approval.

The list identifies all waters where the required pollution control measures have so far been unsuccessful in reaching or maintaining the required water quality standards. Waters that are listed are known as “impaired.” CWA Section 303(d) does not list any impaired waterbodies in La Verne (SWRCB 2010). Walnut Creek Wash, which is downstream southwest of the City, is listed as impaired by pathogens and is also listed for failure to achieve water quality standards for pH and benthic-macroinvertebrate community health (SWRCB 2010). A total maximum daily load (TMDL) is required for each of these impairments but none has been prepared. Thompson Wash, also known as San Jose Creek Reach 2, runs north to south along the southeastern corner of the City boundary. This stream is listed as impaired coliform bacteria (SWRCB 2010). A TMDL is required for this impairment but has not yet been prepared.

Stormwater runoff may play a role in the water quality impairments described above.

Runoff that occurs as overland flow across yards, driveways, and public streets is intercepted by the stormwater drainage system and conveyed to local drainages before eventually being routed to the Pacific Ocean via the San Gabriel and Rio Hondo rivers. This stormwater can carry pollutants that can enter the local waterways and result in the types of water quality impairments described above. Common sources of stormwater pollution in the City include litter, trash, pet waste, paint residue, organic material (yard waste), fertilizers, pesticides, sediments, construction debris, metals from automobile brake pad dust, air pollutants that settle on the ground or attach to rainwater, cooking grease, illegally dumped motor oil, and other harmful fluids.
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Flood Hazards
Flood hazards can occur when the amount of rainfall exceeds the infiltration capacity of the surrounding landscape or the conveyance capacity of the stormwater drainage system.

Flood risk is defined as an annual percent-chance of flooding, or the probability that flooding would occur in any given year. Although a 100-year flood will, on average, occur once every 100 years, the probability of a 100-year flood is one percent for any particular year. Two 100-year floods could occur in the same year or even in the same month, but the likelihood that two 100-year flood events would occur consecutively is very small. As shown in Figure 7, most of the City is classified as Flood Zone X (area of minimal flood hazard). The northern portion of the City in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains (including the Wilderness Area) is mapped as Flood Zone D, which represents areas where there are possible but undetermined flood hazards (FEMA 2017). There is no history of significant flooding or damage caused by any of the main creeks in the City of La Verne. Creeks flow through the City in canyons, then into debris basins, which outlet into concrete channels and from there into a reservoir/lake with a controlled outlet structure. A secondary creek in the West Marshall Canyon has experienced some flooding and debris flows. To date, damages have been minor and are generally confined to 2 to 3 rear yards, public street right-of-way, and a private golf course built in the flood plain (City of La Verne 2012).

The City of La Verne could be affected by five dam failures: the Puddingstone Diversion Dam, the San Dimas Dam, the Weymouth Memorial Reservoir, the Live Oak Reservoir, and the Live Oak Dam. As shown on Figure 9, the Wilderness Area would not be affected by inundation following dam failure.

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Figure 9 Dam Inundation
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4.4.2 Regulatory Setting
Federal
Clean Water Act (1972)
Congress enacted the Clean Water Act (CWA), formerly the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972, with the intent of restoring and maintaining the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the waters of the United States. The CWA requires states to set standards to protect, maintain, and restore water quality through the regulation of point source and non-point source discharges to surface water. Those discharges are regulated by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit process (CWA Section 402). NPDES permitting authority is administered by the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) and its’ nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards (RWQCB). The City is within a watershed administered by the LARWQCB.

Individual projects within the City that disturb more than one acre would be required to obtain NPDES coverage under the California General Permit for Storm Water Discharges Associated with Construction and Land Disturbance Activities (Construction General Permit). The Construction General Permit requires the development and implementation of a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) describing Best Management Practices (BMPs) the discharger would use to prevent and retain stormwater runoff. The SWPPP must contain a visual monitoring program; a chemical monitoring program for “non-visible” pollutants to be implemented if there is a failure of BMPs; and a sediment monitoring plan if the site discharges directly to a waterbody listed on the 303(d) list for sediment.

Section 401 of the CWA requires that any activity that would result in a discharge into waters of the U.S. be certified by the RWQCB. This certification ensures that the proposed activity does not violate State and/or federal water quality standards. Section 404 of the CWA authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to regulate the discharge of dredged or fill material to the waters of the U.S. and adjacent wetlands. Discharges to waters of the U.S. must be avoided where possible, and minimized and mitigated where avoidance is not possible. See Section 4.3, Biological Resources, for a description of jurisdictional waters within the City. Section 303(d) of the CWA requires states to establish TMDL programs for streams, lakes and coastal waters that do not meet certain water quality standards.

National Flood Insurance Act/Flood Disaster Protection Act (1968 and 1973) The National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 made flood insurance available for the first time.

The Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 made the purchase of flood insurance mandatory for the protection of property located in Special Flood Hazard Areas. These laws are relevant because they led to mapping of regulatory floodplains and to local management of floodplain areas according to guidelines that include prohibiting or restricting development in flood hazard zones.
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State
California Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act (1967) The Porter Cologne Water Quality Control Act of 1967 requires the SWRCB and the nine RWQCBs to adopt water quality criteria to protect State waters. These criteria include the identification of beneficial uses, narrative and numerical water quality standards, and implementation procedures. The criteria for State waters within the City are contained in the Water Quality Control Plan for the Los Angeles Region (LARWQCB 1994). The Water Quality Control Plan, or Basin Plan, protects designated beneficial uses of State waters through the issuance of Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs) and through the development of TMDLs. Anyone proposing to discharge waste that could affect the quality of the waters of the State must make a report of the waste discharge to the RWQCB or SWRCB as appropriate, in compliance with Porter-Cologne.

California Streambed Alteration Agreement
Sections 1600–1616 of the California Fish and Game Code require that any entity that proposes an activity that would substantially divert or obstruct the natural flow of any river, stream or lake; substantially change or use any material from the bed, channel, or bank of, any river, stream, or lake; or, deposit or dispose of debris, waste, or other material containing crumbled, flaked, or ground pavement where it may pass into any river, stream, or lake, must notify the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). The CDFW would require a Lake or Streambed Alteration Agreement if the Department determines that the alteration may adversely affect fish and wildlife resources. The Agreement includes conditions necessary to protect those resources. The Agreement applies to any stream, including ephemeral streams and desert washes.

Local
The City of La Verne is required to implement procedures to prevent non-storm water discharges into its municipal storm water system. La Verne regulates storm water discharge in accordance with the NPDES permit through Chapter 13.50 of the La Verne Municipal Code, Storm water and Urban Runoff Pollution Control (La Verne 2017a).

Erosion protection measures, as described in Section 13.50.090, Urban Storm Water Runoff Mitigation for Construction Activity, of the La Verne Municipal Code, are required during all construction activities and/or as part of the applicant’s legal requirements to obtain coverage under the applicable NPDES General Construction Activities Storm Water Permit and State Water Board 401 Water Quality Certification. The NPDES permit requires the preparation and implementation of a SWPPP identifying BMPs to control surface runoff, erosion, and sedimentation. Section 13.50.150 requires that all BMPs required as a condition of approval for construction activity shall be maintained in full force and effect during the term of the project, unless otherwise authorized by the authorized enforcement officer, the Community Development Director or Building Official.

BMPs are defined in Chapter 13.60.040 of the La Verne Municipal Code as:
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“…practices or physical devices or systems designed to prevent or reduce pollutant loading from storm water or non-storm water discharges to receiving waters, or designed to reduce the volume of storm water or non-storm water discharged to the receiving water.”
BMPs are also defined in Chapter 13.50.010 of the La Verne Municipal Code as “…storm water and urban runoff pollution control practices designed to reduce the pollutants contained in discharges to receiving waters or subsurface groundwaters.” Section 13.60.110, Maintenance covenant, states that:
“…a maintenance covenant is required for all projects on private property and shall be submitted to the city for review by the city engineer and designee, and if necessary, city attorney. The designers may select any combination of storm water BMPs which meet the performance standards provided in this section and identified in the Los Angeles County Municipal Storm Water Permit No. R4-2012-0175 and any amendment, revision, or reissuance thereof. A formal maintenance plan shall be included in the maintenance covenant.”
Discharge of pollutants from construction sites is restricted by provisions set by the SWRCB and the LARWQCB. All developers are required to ensure that pollutants are not discharged from a site unless the discharge is in compliance with the General Construction Activities Storm water Permit issued to the City of La Verne by the Board in compliance with the requirements of the NPDES program. Developers are also required to obtain State Water Board 401 Water Quality Certification, and comply with all provisions of Chapter 13.50, Storm water and Urban Runoff Pollution Control, of the La Verne Municipal Code.

Under the NPDES permit, developers are required to control pollutant discharge by utilizing BMPs such as the Best Available Technology Economically Achievable (BAT) and the Best Conventional Pollutant Control Technology (BCT) in order to avoid discharging pollutants into waterways. BMPs are required during general operation of projects to avoid the discharge of polluted storm water runoff to the maximum extent practicable.

4.4.3 Impact Analysis
Methodology and Significance Thresholds
This section describes the potential environmental impacts of implementing the Management Plan relevant to hydrology and water quality. The impact analysis is based on an assessment of baseline conditions for the Wilderness Area, including climate, topography, watersheds and surface waters, groundwater, and floodplains, as described in Section 4.8.1, Setting. This analysis identifies potential impacts based on the predicted interaction between the affected environment and construction, operation, and maintenance activities related to the predicted minor site improvements that would occur under the Management Plan. This section describes impacts in terms of location, context, 218
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duration, and intensity, and recommends mitigation measures, when necessary, to avoid or minimize impacts.

The proposed Management Plan does not involve demolition of structures, grading, or construction of new facilities at this time. The proposed alterations associated with the Management Plan are limited to minor site improvements, including foot trails, benches, and signage, which would not utilize heavy construction equipment. All future improvement projects proposed through implementation of the Management Plan shall be reviewed through the City’s development review process and CEQA process when warranted, and appropriate mitigation measures would be identified at that time.

The following thresholds of significance are based on Appendix G to the CEQA Statute and Guidelines. For the purposes of this EIR, implementation of the Management Plan may have a significant adverse impact if it would:
1 Violate any water quality standards or waste discharge requirements 2 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 pre-existing nearby wells would drop to a level that would not support existing land uses or planned uses for which permits have been granted)
3 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 that would result in substantial erosion or siltation on- or off-site
4 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 that would result in flooding on- or off-site 5 Create or contribute runoff water that would exceed the capacity of existing or planned stormwater drainage systems or provide substantial additional sources of polluted runoff
6 Otherwise substantially degrade water quality
7 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 8 Place within a 100-year flood hazard area structures which would impede or redirect flood flows
9 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 10 Expose people or structures to significant risk of loss, injury or death involving inundation by seiche, tsunami, or mudflow
Implementation of the Management Plan would not use groundwater supplies or create a substantial amount of new impervious surfaces, would not place housing or structures in a 219
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100-year flood hazard area, and would not be subject to flooding from the failure of a levee or dam. Therefore, only thresholds 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 10 are addressed below.

Project Impacts
Threshold 1
Violate any water quality standards or waste discharge requirements.

Threshold 6
Otherwise substantially degrade water quality.

IMPACT HWQ-1: I MPLEMENTATION OF THE WILDERNESS MANAGEMENT PLAN WOULD INVOLVE

TEMPORARY SOIL DISTURBANCE THAT WOULD HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO CREATE POLLUTED RUNOFF AND VIOLATE WATER QUALITY STANDARDS. HOWEVER, EXISTING REGULATIONS WOULD REDUCE POTENTIAL

ADVERSE EFFECTS AND IMPACTS WOULD BE CLASS II, LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT WITH MITIGATION INCORPORATED.

Implementation of the proposed Wilderness Management Plan would involve soil disturbance associated with creation and/or improvement of a 0.6-mile long trail loop, installation of benches, signage, and property-line fencing as needed, removal of non-native vegetation, and re-vegetation of disturbed or developed areas. The majority of soil disturbance, including construction and maintenance activities, would be accomplished using hand tools. Construction equipment, such as a backhoe and loading truck, may be used for a limited number of project components such as bench or property-line fence installation. Construction facilitated by the Management Plan could potentially result in the accidental release of hazardous materials such as diesel fuel, gasoline, lubricant oils, hydraulic fluid, antifreeze, transmission fluid, cement slurry, and other fluids required for the operation of construction vehicles or equipment. Motorized equipment used in the Wilderness Area during construction could also leak the previously described hazardous fluids due to inadequate or improper maintenance, unnoticed or unrepaired damage, improper refueling, or operator error. These accidentally released or leaked hazardous materials could directly or indirectly impact water quality. Direct contamination of surface water is unlikely because construction activities in riparian areas would be minimal and closely coordinated with the appropriate regulatory agencies. However, accidental spills or releases of hazardous materials could indirectly impact water quality through runoff during a subsequent storm event, when the spilled material could come in contact with or be washed into flowing water. The potential for direct or indirect contamination of surface water by accidentally released or leaked hazardous materials would be minimized through implementation of Mitigation Measures HWQ-1 and HWQ-2, which would require development and implementation of a Spill Response Plan and proper maintenance of construction equipment.

No new structures beyond the benches, signage, and property-line fencing mentioned above would be installed under the Wilderness Management Plan. Although the 2016 La Verne Wilderness Area Management Plan Flood Hazards report prepared by Rivertech Inc. 220
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for this project recommends the installation of woody debris basins at three locations to reduce the amount of woody debris that would be carried downstream during a storm event and potentially obstruct stream channels and result in flooding, construction of those basins is prohibited by stipulations in the State grant agreement that governs acquisition of the Wilderness Area. If an agreement to install woody debris basins is reached at a later date, installation of those basins would be addressed under a separate CEQA analysis.

Soil disturbance associated with implementation of the Wilderness Management Plan would be minor and would not create a substantial source of polluted runoff. Soil that would be disturbed during construction of the 0.6-mile long trail loop would be compacted or otherwise stabilized during construction. Per Action 4.2.2 of the Wilderness Management Plan, the trail would be constructed based on the guidelines contained in the U.S. Forest Service Trail Construction and Maintenance Notebook. Adherence to these guidelines would minimize the amount of loose and unstable soil following construction and would minimize the potential for subsequent erosion and the creation of polluted runoff.

Vegetation clearance would not be mechanized and would not involve clearance of large areas at any one time. Installation of benches, signage, and fencing would not involve substantial amount of soil disturbance. Per Action 2.1.2, the City would coordinate with appropriate federal, state, or local agencies prior to conducting management activities in riparian areas.

Although the City currently has goals and policies in place to protect environmental resources, the Wilderness Management Plan would further minimize the potential for soil disturbance to result in the creation of polluted runoff consistent with the Plan goals to Preserve and Enhance Wildlife Habitat Corridors and Diversity and to Provide Flood Hazard Management, as described in Section 2.5, Project Goals and Objectives. Implementation of these goals would reduce the potential for management activities to result in erosion or otherwise create polluted runoff.

Mitigation Measures
HWQ-1 Accidental Spill Control and Environmental Training Prior to approval of the Wilderness Management Plan, the City shall develop a Spill Response Plan and Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure Plan and submit to the Planning Commission for review and approval. The Spill Response Plan (SRP) shall include procedures for quick and safe clean-up of accidental spills. The SRP shall prescribe hazardous materials handling procedures for reducing the potential for a spill during construction, and shall include an emergency response program to ensure quick and safe clean-up of accidental spills. Additionally, an environmental training program shall be established to communicate environmental concerns and appropriate work practices, including spill prevention and response measures to all field personnel. A monitoring program shall be implemented to ensure that the plans are followed during all construction activities.

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HWQ-2 Maintain Vehicles and Equipment
All vehicles and equipment, including all hydraulic hoses, shall be maintained in good working order to minimize leaks that could escape the vehicle or contact the ground. A vehicle and equipment maintenance log shall be updated and provided by the construction contractor to the City on a monthly basis for the duration of project construction.

Significance After Mitigation
Impacts related to the violation of Water Quality Standards or Waste Discharge Requirements or other degradation of water quality would be less than significant with implementation of Mitigation Measures HWQ-1 and HWQ-2, and adherence to the goals, objectives, and actions of the Wilderness Management Plan.

Threshold 3
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 that would result in substantial erosion or siltation on- or off-site.

Threshold 4
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 that would result in flooding on- or off-site.

Threshold 5
Create or contribute runoff water that would exceed the capacity of existing or planned stormwater drainage systems or provide substantial additional sources of polluted runoff.

IMPACT HWQ-2: I MPLEMENTATION OF THE WILDERNESS MANAGEMENT PLAN WOULD INVOLVE SOIL

DISTURBANCE, SOIL COMPACTION, AND VEGETATION CLEARANCE THAT WOULD HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO

ALTER DRAINAGE PATTERNS AND INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF RUNOFF, RESULTING IN EROSION, FLOODING, AND THE EXCEEDANCE OF STORMWATER DRAINAGE SYSTEM CAPACITY. HOWEVER, EXISTING

REGULATIONS WOULD REDUCE POTENTIAL ADVERSE EFFECTS AND IMPACTS WOULD BE CLASS III, LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT.

As described above under Impact HWQ-1, implementation of the Wilderness Management Plan would involve soil disturbance associated with creation and/or improvement of a 0.6- mile long trail loop, installation of benches, signage, and property-line fencing as needed, removal of non-native vegetation, and re-vegetation of disturbed or developed areas. These activities could alter the existing drainage pattern and increase the rate or amount of surface runoff due to the placement of structures within an existing flowpath and the reduction in surface roughness and infiltration capacity due to soil compaction and vegetation removal. The trails would be constructed by compacting existing soils and would not involve the installation of fully impervious surfaces such as concrete or asphalt.

Although the compaction of existing soils would reduce the infiltration capacity of the area occupied by the hiking trails, this area would remain semi-permeable, and distributed over 222
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0.6 mile loop and 0.4-mile trail extension stretches, and would represent a very small portion of the total drainage area. Per Action 4.2.2 of the Wilderness Management Plan, the trail would be constructed based on the guidelines contained in the U.S. Forest Service Trail Construction and Maintenance Notebook. Adherence to these guidelines would minimize the amount of loose and unstable soil following construction and would minimize the potential for subsequent erosion and the creation of polluted runoff.

Removal of non-native vegetation, if not quickly followed by revegetation, would result in a reduction in surface roughness that could result in decreased infiltration and increased runoff. However, removal of non-native vegetation would occur in small areas at any one time and would not alter the infiltration capacity of the underlying soil. Construction of the

0.6-mile long trail loop and removal of non-native vegetation would result in a minor reduction in infiltration capacity and surface roughness, which could result in minor increases in the rate and amount of surface runoff. However, these alterations would only affect a small portion of the total drainage area (and in the case of non-native vegetation removal would be temporary in nature), and would not substantially increase the rate or amount of surface runoff in a manner that would result in flooding on- or off-site or that would exceed the capacity of existing or planned stormwater drainage systems.

The placement of benches, signage, and property-line fencing could alter the local drainage patterns at and downstream of those structures. However, the proposed structures would have small footprints and would not substantially block or divert surface flows in a manner that would result in substantial erosion or siltation on- or off-site or flooding on- or off-site.

Impacts related to the alteration of drainage patterns and the increase in the rate or amount of surface runoff would be less than significant with adherence to the goals, objectives, and actions of the Wilderness Management Plan, as described below:

Objective 2.1: Manage Stormwater, Sediment, and Woody Debris Action 2.1.1: Delineate and field stake the 100-year floodplain of the wash and a riparian buffer within the southern limits of the Wilderness Area. Manage as a Coast Live Oak Woodland habitat corridor to provide both habitat diversity and facilitate the transport of floodwaters
Action 2.1.2: Coordinate with appropriate federal, state, or local agencies, such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and/or the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, prior to conducting management activities in riparian areas
Action 2.1.3: Explore the possibility of installing and maintaining up to three woody debris racks to discourage debris from moving downstream Objective 2.2: Provide for Public Safety
Action 2.2.1: Close area to public access during potential rain, flood periods, and when the southern drainage crossing is wet.
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Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.

Significance After Mitigation
Impacts would be less than significant without mitigation.

Threshold 10
Expose people or structures to significant risk of loss, injury or death involving inundation by seiche, tsunami, or mudflow.

IMPACT HWQ-3: I MPLEMENTATION OF THE WILDERNESS MANAGEMENT PLAN WOULD INCREASE THE

NUMBER OF VISITORS IN THE WILDERNESS AREA, WHICH COULD EXPOSE PEOPLE TO SIGNIFICANT RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH FROM MUDFLOW. HOWEVER, CLOSURE OF THE WILDERNESS AREA DURING POTENTIAL

RAIN AND FLOOD PERIODS WOULD REDUCE POTENTIAL ADVERSE EFFECTS AND IMPACTS WOULD BE CLASS III, LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT.

Implementation of the Wilderness Management Plan would not result in the construction of housing or habitable structures. The Wilderness Area is located approximately 34 miles from the Pacific Ocean and would not be affected by a tsunami. The nearest enclosed waterbody is Live Oak Reservoir, which is located approximately 0.8 mile to the southeast.

The reservoir is located downstream of the Wilderness Area and a seiche in the reservoir would not expose people in the Wilderness Area to a risk of injury or death. Recreational users of the Wilderness Area could be exposed to a risk of injury or death from mudflow, especially if heavy or prolonged rains were to follow a fire in the surrounding forest. A forest fire would result in a loss of vegetation and soil stability, and subsequent heavy or prolonged rains could trigger a mudflow that could bury or otherwise injure recreational visitors in the Wilderness Area. However, per Action 2.2.1 of the Wilderness Management Plan, the Wilderness Area would be closed to the public during periods of potential rain, flood periods, and when the southern drainage crossing is wet. Implementation of Action

2.2.1 would ensure that potential impacts associated with mudflow would be less than significant.

Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.

Significance After Mitigation
Impacts would be less than significant without mitigation.

4.4.4 Cumulative Impacts
There are no other public parks or open space projects in development within the City of La Verne or in nearby communities. As described in Section 3.3, cumulative planned residential development would result in 55 units split between three project sites, which would conservatively add approximately 150 new residents to the City of La Verne. The increase in 224
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population could incrementally contribute to public demand for open space recreational areas. Implementation of the proposed Management Plan would help meet the open space recreational use demands of the added population and would result in expanded public use of the Wilderness Area in the North La Verne Hillsides.

The proposed Management Plan contains policies to manage stormwater, sediment, and woody debris to ensure drainage patterns in the Wilderness Area remain unaltered. Access to the Wilderness Area would also be closed to the public during potential rain and flood periods to protect public safety. The cumulative planned residential development projects would undergo individual environmental review to implement project-specific mitigation measures to address any hydrology or water quality impacts related to those individual projects as needed. There would be no cumulative significant impacts related to hydrology and water quality with the implementation of the Management Plan and the development of the planned residential projects.

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4.5 Land Use and Planning
This section analyzes potential land use compatibility impacts resulting from implementation of the proposed Management Plan, including its potential consistency with the City of La Verne General Plan land use programs and policies and other applicable Municipal Code provisions, as well as a general land use compatibility discussion.

4.5.1 Environmental Setting
As detailed in Section 2, Project Description, the City of La Verne is located in the San Gabriel Valley, in the eastern portion of Los Angeles County. The entire incorporated area is approximately 9.09 square miles. The City shares its boundaries with the unincorporated portion of Los Angeles County (to the north), the City of Claremont (to the east), the City of Pomona (to the south), and the City of San Dimas (to the west).

The Wilderness Area consists of ten parcels of open space totaling 358 acres located north of Golden Hills Road, east of Mountain Springs Ranch Road, and west and northwest of Monterey Street, Calle Aragon, and Brydon Road. The boundaries of the Wilderness Area and location relative to the City are shown in Figure 2. The entirety of the Wilderness Area is located in the North La Verne Hillsides neighborhood, which consists of 1,043 acres of residential uses and open space. Three separate jurisdictions coexist in this area: Los Angeles County, the Angeles National Forest and the City of La Verne. Development in the North La Verne Hillsides consists mainly of single-family detached homes on lots ranging from 10,000 to 15,000 square feet in size. Land uses surrounding the Wilderness Area broadly include the Angeles National Forest/San Gabriel Mountains National Monument to the west, northwest, north, and east and residential development to the southwest and south.

4.5.2 Regulatory Setting
The City of La Verne regulates land uses within its incorporated boundaries through its General Plan, Municipal Code, and Specific Plans. These regulatory documents establish policies that apply Citywide, or to specific subareas within the City. As described in Section

2.0, Project Description, the proposed Management Plan would require the following entitlements from the City of La Verne:
 Approval of the Management Plan
 Amendment of the underlying land use and zoning designations  Amendment of La Verne Municipal Code Section 6.16.080 Animals in parks to include the Wilderness Area
 Removal of and significant or protected heritage trees will require approval of a permit from the Director of Community Development
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 A permit for any temporary construction trailers or other temporary construction- related uses, as applicable
 Ministerial and ancillary permits required to carry out individual projects under the Management Plan, such as demolition permits
 Lot mergers and/or lot line adjustments, as necessary City of La Verne General Plan (1998)
The General Plan is the fundamental planning policy document of the City, providing a “blueprint” for the identification of the location of land uses, the basic design and function of circulation, open space, economic development and infrastructure policies, and public service needs. The City of La Verne adopted a comprehensive update of its General Plan in December 1998. The document serves to guide decision makers with respect to development, resource management, public safety, community services, and the City’s desired quality of life. The Wilderness Area has two General Plan land use designations:

Hillside Residential (0-2 du/acre) and Open Space.

The General Plan describes the Hillside Residential designation as follows:
“Single-family units may be built up to a density of two dwelling units per acre.

However, due to environmental constraints (steep slopes, significant strands of oak and sycamore trees, fire hazard) some areas in this category may not be developable. All developments in this category must first undergo a detailed constraints analysis prepared by the applicant to determine the extent of development that would be feasible. Population density for this category could range from zero to six per acre, assuming an average household size of 2.85

1.”
The General Plan describes the Open Space designation as follows:
“The Open Space category includes city parks, utilities, easements, flood control channels, and some hillside areas that will remain undeveloped due to environment/safety concerns.”
The La Verne General Plan includes all of the elements mandated by State law and sets forth objectives, goals, policies, and implementation measures that provide guidelines to meet the existing and future needs and desires of the community. Included within the General Plan are numerous policies pertaining to open space preservation and enhancement, natural resource conservation, and land use compatibility that may be applicable to the proposed Management Plan. These guidelines are located within the following Elements of the La Verne General Plan: Land Use; Transportation; Resource Management; Noise; Cultural Resources; Community Facilities; Housing; Public Safety;

1 The City’s current General Plan was adopted in 1998; therefore, it utilizes the average household size of 2.85 according to the 1990 United States Census of the City. The most recent household size, according to the 2010 Census, is 2.70; however, this does not change the General Plan’s determination of a population density of zero to six persons per acre for the Hillside Residential land use designation. Source: http://www.ci.la-verne.ca.us/index.php/about-la- verne/demographics.
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Economic Development; and Community Design. A summary of each General Plan Element’s goals and policies as it relates to the Management Plan is provided below.

Land Use Element
Generally, the goals and policies in this element are meant to ensure that new development in the City of La Verne is designed with a high level of quality and preserves existing neighborhoods and their surrounding environments. This element contains the following land use policy topics specifically applicable to the proposed Management Plan:
 Hillside Development
 Community Character of Neighborhood One – North La Verne Hillside Transportation Element
Generally, the goals and policies in this element are meant to demonstrate the City’s continuing commitment to developing an effective and sustainable circulation system that improves mobility. This element contains the following land use policy topics specifically applicable to the proposed Management Plan:
 Neighborhood Streets
 Safety
 Accommodating Pedestrians, Bicyclists, and Equestrians Resource Management Element
Generally, the goals and policies in this element are meant to demonstrate the City’s continuing commitment to open space preservation and enhancement, and natural resource conservation. This element contains the following land use policy topics specifically applicable to the proposed Management Plan:
 Parks and Recreation
 Open Space
 Scenic Vistas and Routes
 Biological Resources
Noise Element
Generally, the goals and policies in this element are meant to demonstrate the City’s continuing commitment to providing a noise conscious and pleasant community. This element contains the following land use policy topics specifically applicable to the proposed Management Plan:
 Noise Standards
Cultural Resources
Generally, the goals and policies in this element are meant to demonstrate the City’s continuing commitment to preserving the unique heritage of the community. This element 229
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contains the following land use policy topics specifically applicable to the proposed Management Plan:
 Identify, Document, and Preserve Cultural Resources
 Preserve Archeological Resources
Community Facilities
Generally, the goals and policies in this element are meant to demonstrate the City’s continuing commitment to serving the needs of the community through strong buildings and modern infrastructure. This element contains the following land use policy topics specifically applicable to the proposed Management Plan:
 Groundwater Quality
 Storm Drain System
 North La Verne Facilities
Housing
The Housing Element of the General Plan identifies and analyzes the City’s existing and projected housing needs and contains a detailed outline and work program of the City’s goals, policies, quantified objectives, and scheduled programs for the preservation, improvement, and development of housing for a sustainable future. The Housing Element land use policy is not applicable to the proposed Management Plan.

Public Safety
Generally, the goals and policies in this element are meant to demonstrate the City’s continuing commitment to protecting the community from preventable accidents and unpredictable disasters. This element contains the following land use policy topics specifically applicable to the proposed Management Plan:
 Wildfire Prevention
 Geologic Hazards: Hillsides and Earthquakes
 Traffic Accidents
 Public Services: Police, Fire, and Medical
 Emergency Operations: Evacuation & Communications
Economic Development
Generally, the goals and policies in this element are meant to demonstrate the City’s continuing commitment to sustainable economic development. The Economic Development land use policy is not applicable to the proposed Management Plan.

Community Design
Generally, the goals and policies in this element are meant to demonstrate the City’s continuing commitment to protect and promote the La Verne’s unique character. This 230
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element contains the following land use policy topics specifically applicable to the proposed Management Plan:
 “Greening” of La Verne
 Natural Setting
City of La Verne Municipal Code Title 6 – Animals
The City of La Verne Municipal Code codifies regulations implementing the City’s General Plan. Title 6 of the La Verne Municipal Code includes guidelines pertaining to the keeping of animals in the City. Section 6.16.070 establishes the City’s Leash Law, wherein dogs must be kept on leashes 6 feet or shorter in length in public places at all times. Section 6.16.080 Animals in Parks specifies the four City parks where leashed dogs are permitted (Mills, Lowell Brandt, Kuns, and Lincoln parks).

City of La Verne Municipal Code Title 18 - Zoning
Title 18 of the La Verne Municipal Code includes numerous guidelines influencing land use within the City. Title 18 consists of two parts, a map dividing the City into zoning districts and text establishing development standards for each district. The western and southwestern regions of the Wilderness Area are zoned Planned Residential (PR1/5D), which is intended to provide for:
“residential districts with a maximum number of one detached, single-family dwelling unit per five acres.”
The east and northeastern regions of the Wilderness Area are zoned MCSP and are subject to the Marshall Canyon Estates Specific Plan, as described below. The SP specific plan zone is intended to provide for:
“the classification and development of parcels of land as a coordinated, comprehensive project in order to create a superior environment resulting from site specific community planning. The uses, types of development, and development standards in an area zoned specific plan are those permitted by the specific plan for that area.” The Wilderness Area, in its entirety, is also a part of the Hillside Development Overlay Zone (H-D-O-Z). The City of La Verne’s City Council has determined that special hillside provisions are needed for the protection of significant vegetation, riparian areas, wildlife, natural landforms, off-site views and the aesthetically pleasing appearance of the natural and built environment of the hillsides. According to Section 18.68.010 of the Municipal Code, the H- D-O-Z provides:
“supplemental standards for the development of hillside areas of the city, including standards for fire protection, siting, circulation, grading and drainage, architecture, walls, fences, natural land forms, views, native vegetation, wildlife, and landscaping.” 231
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Marshall Canyon Estates Specific Plan
The Marshall Canyon Estates Specific Plan (MCSP) provides a comprehensive set of plans, policies, regulations, and programs for guiding and ensuring the orderly development of Marshall Canyon Estates. The MCSP planning area is bounded on the south by Golden Hills Road, on the west by Brydon Road, on the north by the Angeles National Forest and on the east by Stephens Ranch Road and Marshall Canyon Regional Park. Approximately half of the Wilderness Area is subject to the MCSP as illustrated in Figure 2.

The MCSP includes the following objective relevant to the proposed Wilderness Area. “Preservation of important environmental characteristics, resources, and open space.

The development plan proposes approximately 162.6 acres or 55 percent of the site be maintained as dedicated open space. Additional open space area other than the 162.6 acres, include the 7.7 acres associated with the fire protection perimeters and the 7.9- acre linear neighborhood park. The park not only provide opportunities for local citizens to recreate by serves as a n environmental buffer protecting existing oak tree stands and the natural drainage course.”
The development plan for the MCSP contains the following open space feature:
“Natural Open Space. Approximately 162.6 acres of the site…are proposed to be left in their natural state. Preservation of these lands in the natural conditions will achieve a key objective of this plan which includes the protection of watershed, native vegetation, wildlife habitat and the primary aesthetic features of the property. A fuel modification zone (to be maintained by the Homeowners Association) will be provided between the development and the natural open space area. Natural Open space will be offered for dedication to the Forest Service upon approval of the Specific Plan. If the Forest Service does not accept the property, it shall be deed restricted to prohibit any future development and be designated as permanent open space.” The Open Space designation is meant to provide parks, trails, and open space networks to meet the needs of residents and to preserve important environmental characteristics and resources.

4.5.3 Impact Analysis
Methodology and Significance Thresholds
Land use impacts were assessed based upon the level of physical impact anticipated from the various Management Plan components and their potential to create conflicts between land uses. Impacts are considered significant if implementation of the proposed Management Plan would do any of the following:
1 Physically divide an established community
2 Conflict with any applicable land use plan, policy, or regulation of any agency with jurisdiction over the project adopted for the purpose of avoiding or mitigating an environmental effect
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3 Conflict with any applicable habitat conservation plan or natural community conservation plan
Aspects of the proposed Management Plan that would directly affect land use compatibility include those related to the natural landscaped environment and adjacent built environment, including proposed policies related to wildlife preservation and safe public access to the Wilderness Area. Though the intensity of open space use would increase incrementally, physical improvements and management policies proposed by the Management Plan would be conscious to the sensitivity of the Wilderness Area and responsive to the needs of the surrounding neighborhood. As detailed in Section 2.0, Project Description, the proposed Management Plan does not include specific development plans or building details beyond the creation of the 0.6-mile loop trail. Future improvement projects that are outside the scope of the Management Plan would be reviewed separately through the City’s development review process for consistency with applicable adopted City policies. Such future improvements may also require additional CEQA analysis where warranted.

The proposed Management Plan would have no impact on division of an established community since the Plan Area encompasses 358 acres of vacant, natural open space. In addition, the Management Plan itself includes provisions for the selective habitat enhancement actions as part of the City’s stewardship responsibilities for the Wilderness Area. As such, the plan would not conflict with any applicable habitat conservation plan or natural community conservation plan as discussed in Section 4.1. Therefore, these issues do not warrant further discussion in this EIR. Therefore, the following section focuses on assessing the proposed Management Plan’s consistency with Threshold 2.

Project Impacts
Threshold 2
Conflict with any applicable land use plan, policy, or regulation of any agency with jurisdiction over the project adopted for the purpose of avoiding or mitigating an environmental effect?
IMPACT LU-1: W ITH IMPLEMENTATION OF EXISTING REGULATIONS AND INCORPORATION OF

MITIGATION MEASURES IDENTIFIED THROUGHOUT THIS EIR, THE PROPOSED MANAGEMENT PLAN WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THE CITY’S ADOPTED GENERAL PLAN. HOWEVER, THE SOUTHWEST PORTION OF THE WILDERNESS AREA IS CURRENTLY DESIGNATED FOR HILLSIDE RESIDENTIAL USE. IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT

NO DEVELOPMENT WILL OCCUR WITHIN THE WILDERNESS AREA THE LAND USE DESIGNATION MUST BE

CHANGED TO OPEN SPACE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE GRANT AND THE INTENDED USE OF THE LAND. THEREFORE, LAND USE IMPACTS RELATING TO GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY WOULD BE CLASS II, LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT WITH MITIGATION INCORPORATED.

Consistent with the scope and purpose of this EIR, this discussion primarily focuses on those General Plan goals and policies that relate to avoiding or mitigating environmental impacts, and an assessment of whether any inconsistency with these standards creates a significant physical impact on the environment. The ultimate determination of whether the proposed 233
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Management Plan is consistent with the General Plan lies with the decision-making bodies (Planning Commission and City Council). Table 15 discusses the ways in which the proposed Management Plan would be consistent with the City of La Verne’s applicable General Plan goals and policies. Only policies relevant and applicable to the proposed Management Plan are included. Policies that are redundant between elements have been omitted.

Table 15 City of La Verne General Plan Policy Consistencies General Plan Goal and Policy Discussion
Land Use
Goal 2: Ensure safe and subtle hillside
development.

Policy 2.3. Prohibit grading that damages our
hillsides.

Policy 2.4. Preserve our significant, native,
and heritage trees.

Policy 2.5. Protect our community from
hillside wildfires.

Consistent. The proposed Management Plan
entails maintaining much of the existing
Wilderness Area as it currently appears, with the
exception of the 0.6-mile long trail loop. There
are no grading or development activities that
would result from implementation of the
Management Plan. The Management Plan
outlines goals and actions for wildlife habitat
conservation, including compliance with the City’s
tree ordinance, and wildfire risk management.

Goal 4: Protect hillside development and
nature from each other.

Policy 4.2. Protect and preserve the native
habitat of our primary foothill neighborhood.

Policy 4.3. Preserve the integrity of Marshall
Canyon as an open space resource.

Policy 4.5. Protect our community’s
ridgelines.

Consistent. The proposed Management Plan
outlines goals and actions for wildlife habitat
conservation, public safety and access, and
management to retain the Wilderness Area as an
open space resource to be enjoyed by the
community. There would be no development
under the Management Plan.

Transportation
Goal 4: Improve our off-street parking areas.

Policy 4.2. Relieve parking-impacted
neighborhoods.

Consistent. The proposed Management Plan
contains public access goals and actions for
visitors wanting to use the proposed trail in the
Wilderness Area. A total of 15 parking spaces
along Golden Hills Road would be identified and
marked with appropriate signage for Wilderness
Area visitors.

Goal 5: Develop a safe transportation and
circulation system.

Policy 5.1. Provide optimal street use and
access.

Consistent. Access to the proposed trail in the
Wilderness Area would be from Golden Hills
Road, between Melinda Lane and Monterey
Street. Access to the trailhead would be limited to
pedestrians only and designated parking spaces
for the Wilderness Area would be identified along
Golden Hills Road, in order to reduce traffic that
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General Plan Goal and Policy Discussion
may be generated by park uses and impacts on
existing residents.

Resource Management
Goal 1: An attractive, safe and accessible
parks and recreation system.

Policy 1.1. Provide ample and accessible
parks throughout our community.

Policy 1.2. Develop a connecting trail system.

Consistent. Implementation of the proposed
Management Plan would provide a 0.6-mile long
trail loop limited to pedestrian use, while the
remainder of the Wilderness Area would be
actively managed to preserve wildlife habitat and
reduce wildfire hazards. The provision of the foot
trail would allow visitors to access the Wilderness
Area, and its scenic and natural resources.

Goal 2: Preserve and protect our open space.

Policy 2.2. Develop a natural buffer zone.

Policy 2.3. Establish contiguous wildlife
corridors.

Goal 3: Protect and promote our scenic vistas
and routes.

Policy 3.1. Preserve our scenic vistas.

Policy 3.2. Improve our scenic routes.

Consistent. Implementation of the proposed
Management Plan would preserve and improve
scenic vistas within the Wilderness Area through
the provision of the foot trail and wildlife habitat
preservation actions.

Goal 4: Preserve our diversified plant and
animal life.

Policy 4.1. Preserve mature trees wherever
possible.

Policy 4.2. Protect and preserve our native
plant communities and habitats.

Policy 4.3. Protect and preserve our Southern
Mixed Chaparral and Coastal Sage Scrub
communities.

Policy 4.4. Protect and preserve our Southern
Oak Riparian Woodlands.

Policy 4.5. Protect and preserve our other
Riparian Habitats.

Policy 4.6. Protect and preserve our Ruderal-
Disturbed Habitats.

Consistent. The proposed Management Plan
contains goals and actions to preserve and
enhance wildlife habitat within the Wilderness
Area by maintaining habitat corridors and wildlife
diversity. Management of plants and habitats in
the Wilderness Area would be coordinated with
wildfire hazard management to reduce wildfire
risks while maintaining and preserving habitat
diversity.
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General Plan Goal and Policy Discussion
Noise
Goal 1: Protect our community from
excessive noise.

Policy 1.1. Maintain or reduce noise levels
citywide.

Consistent. The proposed Management Plan
includes actions that ensure the Wilderness Area
is for pedestrian access and day use only via
installation of signs and lockable gates. The trail
would be limited to pedestrian activities only,
with no picnic or restroom facilities. The limited
use would ensure excessive noise levels do not
occur from use of the Wilderness Area.

Cultural Resources
Goal 1: Take inventory of our past.

Policy 1.1. Identify and document our cultural
resources.

Policy 1.2. Maintain and update our record of
local cultural resources.

Consistent. The proposed Management Plan does
not entail ground-disturbing activities. However,
should such activities occur in order to implement
specific actions outlined in the Management Plan,
mitigation measures CR-1 and CR-2, included in
Section 4.2, Cultural Resources, would ensure
proper documentation of cultural resources
discovered in the Wilderness Area such that
impacts would be less than significant.

Goal 2: Act now to preserve and protect our
cultural program.

Policy 2.5. Pursue preservation of
archeological resources.

Policy 2.10. Protect and preserve cultural
landscapes.

Consistent. The proposed Management Plan does
not entail development activities. However,
should such activities occur in order to implement
specific actions outlined in the Management Plan,
mitigation measures CR-1 and CR-2, included in
Section 4.2, Cultural Resources, would ensure
proper documentation of cultural resources
discovered in the Wilderness Area such that
impacts would be less than significant.

Community Facilities
Goal 3: Prevent flooding and water
contamination.

Policy 3.1. Provide an efficient, attractive,
environmentally sound storm drain system.

Consistent. The proposed Management Plan
contains actions to delineate the 100-year
floodplain in the Wilderness Area, to manage the
Coast Live Oak Woodland habitat corridor to
transport floodwaters, and coordinate riparian
management activities with federal, state, and
local agencies.
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General Plan Goal and Policy Discussion
Public Safety
Goal 1: Protect our community from
wildfires.

Policy 1.1. Provide adequate fire protection.

Policy 1.2. Minimize risk of wildfire spread.

Consistent. The proposed Management Plan
contains several actions aimed at maintaining
adequate wildfire management response from
the La Verne Fire Department and other fire
authorities, as well as fuel load management as
preventative measures. Implementation of the
Management Plan would not require additional
water capacity, as the Wilderness Area is already
protected by the La Verne Fire Department and
partner authorities during wildfire events.

Goal 2: Protect our residents from geologic
hazards.

Policy 2.1. Reduce the risk of geologic and
groundwater hazards.

Consistent. Implementation of the proposed
Management Plan does not include construction
of structures or plumbing in the Wilderness Area.

Areas open for recreational activities would be
limited to day use. The proposed Management
Plan contains actions to delineate the 100-year
floodplain in the Wilderness Area, to manage the
Coast Live Oak Woodland habitat corridor to
transport floodwaters, and coordinate riparian
management activities with federal, state, and
local agencies. The Wilderness Area would be
closed to public access during potential rain, flood
periods, and when the southern drainage crossing
is wet.

Goal 5: Protect our community from crime,
fire, and inadequate medical emergency care.

Policy 5.1. Provide adequate police
protection.

Policy 5.4. Provide adequate fire protection.

Policy 5.5. Minimize fire threat through safe
development.

Policy 5.6. Provide adequate emergency
medical care.

Consistent. The proposed Management Plan
contains actions to ensure public access and
safety by limiting recreational activities for day
use, closing access during potential rain or flood
periods, prohibiting fires for recreation or
maintenance, and closing access during periods of
extreme fire danger.

Community Design
Goal 2: Promote the greening of La Verne.

Policy 2.4. Preserve our existing trees.

Consistent. The proposed Management Plan
contains actions to remove non-native shrubs and
tree species, and revegetate the southern wash
corridor, northern mixed chaparral, and coast live
oak woodland habitats with appropriate native
species. Additional actions focus on the
preservation of significant and heritage trees in
the Wilderness Area.
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The continued open space land use would be consistent with the Wilderness Area’s General Plan designations of Hillside Residential and Open Space. The Open Space designation includes City parks, utilities, easements, flood control channels, and some hillside areas that will remain undeveloped due to environment/safety concerns. Portions of the Wilderness Area that are designated for low density Hillside Residential use. However, these areas are constrained due to steep slopes in excess of 25 percent, extreme flood and fire hazards, and the presence of biological resources. Pursuant to General Plan Policy 2.1, Implementation Measure C, development in these portions of the Wilderness Area would likely be prohibited. Despite the substantial constraints due to steep slopes, extreme flood and fire hazards, and the presence of biological resources, residential development would be permitted with the Wilderness Area in theory.

Mitigation Measures
Although the WAMP would be consistent with the General Plan Goals and Policies as described in Table 15, portions of the Wilderness Area are currently designated for low density Hillside Residential use. Therefore, in order to ensure that the use of the Wilderness Area be preserved as open space as intended and required under the terms of the open space grant, the following mitigation measure shall be implemented:

LU-1 Update General Plan Land Use Designation
The City shall re-designate the Land Use Designation for the entirety of the Wilderness Area from Hillside Residential to Open Space in conjunction with the next planned update to the General Plan Land Use Designation map, or within five (5) years, whichever occurs first.

Significance After Mitigation
With implementation of Mitigation Measure LU-1, impacts related to General Plan consistency would be less than significant.

IMPACT LU-2: THE WILDERNESS AREA IS CURRENTLY IN TWO ZONING DISTRICTS: PR1/5D (ONE DWELLING UNIT PER 5 ACRES, DETACHED) AND MCSP (MARSHALL CANYON ESTATES SPECIFIC PLAN).

UNDER THE EXISTING PR1/5D ZONING DESIGNATION, THE USE OF THE WILDERNESS AREA AS OPEN SPACE IS NOT EXPLICITLY PERMITTED, ALTHOUGH IT IS ALSO NOT EXPLICITLY PROHIBITED. HOWEVER, ALLOWING FUTURE DEVELOPMENT IN THE WILDERNESS AREA AS PERMITTED IN THE PR1/5D ZONE WOULD

CONFLICT WITH THE OBJECTIVES AND GOALS OF THE MANAGEMENT PLAN AND THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE OPEN SPACE GRANT. THE ALLOWABLE LAND USES FOR THE UNDERLYING ZONING DESIGNATION OF

THE WILDERNESS AREA MUST BE REVISED TO SPECIFICALLY ALLOW FOR OPEN SPACE PRESERVES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE GRANT AND THE INTENDED USE OF THE LAND. THEREFORE, LAND

USE IMPACTS RELATING TO ZONING STANDARDS CONSISTENCY WOULD BE CLASS II, LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT WITH MITIGATION INCORPORATED.

Implementation of the proposed Management Plan would maintain the Wilderness Area as vacant, open space. The Wilderness Area is zoned PR1/5D (1 Dwelling Unit per 5 Acres, Detached) on its western half and MCSP (Marshall Canyon Estates Specific Plan) on its eastern half. The Wilderness Area, in its entirety, is also a part of the Hillside Development Overlay Zone (H-D-O-Z), which requires that special hillside provisions are met for the 238
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protection of significant vegetation, riparian areas, wildlife, natural landforms, off-site views and the aesthetically pleasing appearance of the natural and built environment of the hillsides. As discussed in the General Plan Consistency discussion above, the areas of the Wilderness Area that are designated for low density Hillside Residential use are significantly constrained and development in these portions of the Wilderness Area would likely be prohibited.

Zoning Ordinance
The P-R zones are intended to provide for residential districts of single-family and multiple- family planned residential developments with various densities and a variety of housing types. The maximum number of dwelling units per acre permitted on parcels of land zoned P-R is indicated by the numerical character following the P-R designation. Parcels zoned P- R-(D) may be developed with detached living units only. Open space preserve land uses are not explicitly listed as a permitted land use pursuant to Table 18.6.020 of the La Verne Municipal Code. However, open space preserve land uses are also not explicitly prohibited within the P-R zones. This results in ambiguity in the La Verne Municipal Code. Therefore, the impacts related to consistency with the underlying Zoning Ordinance land use district could be potentially significant and mitigation is required.

Marshall Canyon Estates Specific Plan
Under the Marshall Canyon Estates Specific Plan, the Wilderness Area is designated as Natural Open Space. Impacts to consistency with the Marshall Canyon Estates Specific Plan would be less than significant; therefore, no mitigation is necessary.

Mitigation Measure
In order to ensure that the use of the Wilderness Area be preserved as open space as intended and required under the terms of the open space grant, the following mitigation measure shall be implemented:

LU-2 Update Allowable Land Uses within the P-R Zoning Designation The City shall revise the allowable land uses for the P-R Zoning Designation to explicitly allow for Open Space Preserves within five (5) years of approval of the Management Plan, or in conjunction with the next planned update to the Zoning Ordinance text, whichever occurs first.

Significance After Mitigation
With implementation of Mitigation Measure LU-2, impacts related to zoning consistency would be less than significant.
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IMPACT LU- 3: IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MANAGEMENT PLAN WOULD REQUIRE AN AMENDMENT

TO THE ANIMALS IN PARKS PROVISION OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE IN ORDER TO ALLOW FOR LEASHED DOGS IN THE WILDERNESS AREA. THEREFORE, LAND USE IMPACTS RELATING TO MUNICIPAL CODE CONSISTENCY WOULD BE CLASS II, LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT WITH MITIGATION INCORPORATED.

Implementation of the proposed Management Plan includes Action 5.1.2, which would require all dogs to be on leashes, pursuant to the City’s Leash Law, while on the Wilderness Area trails. This action would ensure public safety in controlled public access areas (proposed trails) in the Wilderness Area, and minimize potential impacts to loss of wildlife and habitat destruction by reducing the likelihood of dogs going off the trail. However, La Verne Municipal Code Section 6.16.080, Animals in Parks, specifies that leashed dogs are only permitted in four City parks, Mills, Lowell Brandt, Kuns, and Lincoln parks, with the exception of service animals. In order for the Management Plan to be in compliance with City regulations, the Municipal Code will need to be revised to include the Wilderness Area trails in the list of City parks where dogs are permitted on leashes. Therefore, the following mitigation measure is required.

Mitigation Measures
LU-3 Revise Municipal Code Section 6.16.080, Animals in Parks Prior to, or in conjunction with, approval of the Management Plan, the City shall revise Municipal Code Section 6.16.080, Animals in Parks, to include the Wilderness Area trail.

Significance After Mitigation
With implementation of Mitigation Measure LU-3, impacts related to municipal code consistency would be less than significant.

4.5.4 Cumulative Impacts
There are no other public parks or open space projects in development within the City of La Verne or in nearby communities. As described in Section 3.3, cumulative planned residential development would result in 55 units split between three project sites, which would conservatively add approximately 150 new residents to the City of La Verne. The increase in population could incrementally contribute to public demand for open space recreational areas.

Implementation of the proposed Management Plan would help meet the open space recreational use demands of the added population and would result in expanded public use of the Wilderness Area in the North La Verne Hillsides. With the exception of the trail improvements and potential bench placement, no additional development is included in or foreseen by the Management Plan. However, the current residences in the North La Verne Hillsides neighborhood would see a general increase in visitors accessing the Wilderness Area. The Management Plan would be part of a citywide effort to implement measured public access to open space for the benefit of La Verne residents as well as surrounding cities. Increased demand for open space recreational opportunities due to an increase in 240
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population from cumulative residential development would not have a cumulative impact related to land use.

As described above, the implementation of the Management Plan would require a change to the zoning and land use designation within the Wilderness Area boundary. This would not impact property outside the Wilderness Area. The cumulative planned residential development projects would undergo individual environmental review to implement project-specific mitigation measures to address any land use impacts related to those individual projects as needed. There would be no cumulative significant impacts related to land use and planning with the implementation of the Management Plan and the development of the planned residential projects.

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4.6 Public Services
This section assesses impacts related to public services, such as fire and police protection.

Impacts related to water and wastewater infrastructure and solid waste collection and disposal are discussed in Section 5.9, Utilities and Service Systems. Impacts related to recreational facilities are discussed in Section 4.7, Recreation.

4.6.1 Setting
Fire
The City of La Verne receives fire protection and emergency services from the La Verne Fire Department (LVFD). Thirty-three full-time and five part-time personnel are employed by LVFD. They are supported by 24 apprentice firefighters and 30 fire explorers. The LVFD has three fire stations throughout the City:
 Fire Station 1 is located at 2061 Third Street;
 Fire Station 2 is located at 4785 Wheeler Avenue; and  Fire Station 3 is located at 5100 Esperanza Drive
The equipment at Fire Station 1 includes a fire command vehicle, one Type 1 pumper (fire engine), and one Advanced Life Support (ALS) vehicle. The station also has one Type I pumper as a reserve vehicle and several support vehicles. An aerial platform truck is also cross-staffed as needed by the engine company. Fire Station 2 includes one Type I pumper and houses one Type III pumper as a reserve vehicle. It also has one utility vehicle in its fleet. Fire Station 3 includes one ALS Rescue ambulance and houses one reserve ambulance.

The City’s Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan indicates that adequate firefighting infrastructure is supplied by the three fire stations, ample fire hydrants are installed throughout the City, and a sufficient water delivery system is in place to serve emergency needs for La Verne (La Verne 2012). The LVFD receives an average of 3,000 calls each year, the vast majority of which are for emergency medical services rather than firefighting services (La Verne Fire Department 2017). In addition to providing emergency response services and firefighting services, LVFD also is responsible for enforcing fire codes, providing fire inspections, assisting in planning and development standards for High Fire Hazard Areas (and enforcing such standards), community education and outreach, and incident management team support.

The Wilderness Area would be served by Fire Station 3, which is located one mile south.

Police
The Wilderness Area and surrounding uses are served by the La Verne Policy Department (La Verne PD). The La Verne police station is located at 2061 Third Street, in the same building as Fire Station 1. La Verne PD has 42 sworn officers, 18 professional staff members, a reserve force up to 25 officers and a retired, senior volunteer patrol program consisting of 243
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35 members. The police station houses all divisions of the La Verne PD including patrol, traffic, detectives, records, communications, and the jail division. The facility also houses a Type I Jail and state of the art indoor shooting range (La Verne Police Department 2017).

Schools
There are six public schools, and three private schools in the City of La Verne. All public schools are in the Bonita Unified School District (BUSD). Oak Mesa Elementary School is the closest BUSD school to the Wilderness Area, located approximately two miles south.

The Afflerbaugh-Paige Camp School is a Los Angeles County juvenile probation facility for male wards ages 13 to 18. This school is operated by the Los Angeles County Office of Education and is located approximately 0.35 miles east of the Wilderness Area.

Public Libraries
Los Angeles County operates one public library in the City of La Verne. It is located at 3640 D Street, 2.5 miles south of the Wilderness Area. The La Verne Library is a 10,347 square foot facility with a meeting room, children’s area, teen space and study room (Los Angeles County Public Library 2017). The library has over 30,000 titles available, including books, audio books, movies and music. The library is open Monday through Saturday.

4.6.2 Regulatory Setting
City of La Verne Parks & Community Services Master Plan (2006) This Master Plan identifies long range strategies for the development of new parks and recreation facilities in La Verne that guide the orderly development, renovation, and improvement of parks, recreation facilities, programs, and services.

City of La Verne Strategic Plan (2012)
The Strategic Plan presents eight principles that guide the development of the City. These principles are service, small town virtues, quality of life, responsiveness, sound leadership, prudent financial management, teamwork, and pride.

City of La Verne Municipal Code, Chapter 18.78. Preservation, Protection and Removal of Trees
This code section establishes standards and guides for the management of significant and historic trees within the City.

City of La Verne General Plan (1998)
The City’s General Plan governs land use, transportation, resource management, noise, cultural resources, community facilities, housing, public safety, economic development, and community design. The City’s General Plan outlines several policies applicable to public services, which apply to the Wilderness Area.
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4.6.3 Impact Analysis
Methodology and Thresholds of Significance
The following thresholds have been used to determine the impacts of the proposed Management Plan on fire protection services, police protection services, public libraries, and schools. Potential impacts to parks and other recreational facilities are discussed in Section 4.7, Recreation. In accordance with Appendix G of the State CEQA Guidelines (Section XIV), the proposed Management Plan would result in potentially significant impacts relating to public services if it would:
1 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 services ratios, response times or other performance objectives for any of the public services:
a. Fire protection
b. Police protection
c. Schools
d. Parks
e. Other public facilities
Impacts may be significant if implementation of the Management Plan would result in a need for new or physically altered facilities for the public services discussed above, the construction of which might have adverse environmental impacts, or increase the use of existing parks and recreational facilities such that substantial physical deterioration of the facility would occur or be accelerated.

Implementation of the Management Plan would not impact service ratios or performance objectives for schools or other public services and facilities, such as storm drain usage (discussed in Section 4.4, Hydrology and Water Quality), and solid waste disposal or water usage and wastewater disposal (discussed in Section 5.9, Utilities and Service Systems) since implementation of the Management Plan would not result in development that would increase demand to these services. Threshold 1, section d is discussed in Section 4.7, Recreation of this EIR. Therefore, only Threshold 1 sections a and b are addressed below as they relate to public safety of visitors to the Wilderness Area.

Project Impacts
Threshold 1
Would the project 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 would cause significant environmental impacts, in order to maintain acceptable service ratios, response times, or other performance objectives for:
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a. Fire protection
b. Police protection
IMPACT PS-1: I MPLEMENTATION OF MINOR SITE IMPROVEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROPOSED MANAGEMENT PLAN (E.G. FOOT TRAIL, SITTING BENCHES, SIGNAGE) WOULD NOT RESULT IN A NEED FOR

NEW OR ALTERED FACILITIES OR SERVICES TO MAINTAIN ACCEPTABLE FIRE AND POLICE PROTECTION SERVICES. THEREFORE, THERE WOULD BE A CLASS IV, NO IMPACT.

Fire Protection
Implementation of the proposed Wilderness Area Management Plan would not increase demand for fire protection services because the proposed 0.6-mile long trail loop would not facilitate additional growth beyond that anticipated by the City’s General Plan. No residential dwelling units would be constructed as a part of the project. Implementation of the Management Plan would not generate a need for new of physically altered fire facilities in order to maintain acceptable service ratios, response times, or other performance objectives.

The following existing agreements and mechanisms for assistance with fire suppression operations are in place for La Verne:
 Automatic Aid. As a member of the California Office of Emergency Services Region 1, Operational Area B, the City has agreements in place with other local cities and Los Angeles County Fire Department to respond to wildland fires within the corporate boundary. In addition, a local agreement is in place for automatic aid from the U.S.

Forest Service who will respond to any reported vegetation fire north of Baseline Road.

Helicopters, air tankers, and “super scoopers” can be mobilized when available and as needed, and by the U.S. Forest Service and/or Los Angeles County.  Master Mutual Aid. The California Disaster and Civil Defense Master Mutual Aid Agreement between the State of California, each of its counties and incorporated cities, create a formal structure for the provision of mutual aid. Once a local emergency has been declared, additional firefighting resources may be requested through the Operational Area Fire and Rescue Coordinator. If the emergency persists, additional resources may be made available from the regional or state-wide system.  California Fire Assistance Agreement. This agreement between the State of California, California Office of Emergency Services (CAL OES) Management Agency and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and the five federal fire agencies (U.S.

Forest Service, USDI National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Services, and Bureau of Indian Affairs) provides the framework for coordinating the use of and reimbursement for local government fire and rescue resources used at wildfire incidents. Firefighting resources can be mobilized through the California Fire Assistance Agreement; however, reimbursement of the expenses incurred in support of the City may be required (La Verne 2014).
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Furthermore, the proposed Management Plan contains the following objectives and actions to ensure public safety from fire risks:

Objective 3.3: Provide for Public Safety
Action 3.3.1: Close area to public access during periods of extreme fire danger, as defined as Fire Weather Warning, announced by the United States National Weather Service
Action 3.3.2: No road or trail maintenance or fuel management activities shall occur during periods of extreme fire danger (Fire Weather Warning or Fire Weather Watch days, as posted by the United States National Weather Service.)
Action 3.3.3: In cooperation with other agencies, design, locate, and develop strategies for acquiring and improving emergency access to the Wilderness Area and facilitating evacuation in the event of a wildfire Action 3.3.4: Notify the responsible agent of fire road maintenance needs as necessary or after a wildfire event.

Furthermore, implementation of minor site improvements associated with the proposed Management Plan (e.g. foot trail, sitting benches, signage) would not result in a need for new or altered fire facilities or services to maintain acceptable fire protection services.

Therefore, impacts would be Class IV, no impact.

Police Protection
The City has established a desired service goal of 1.25 officers per 1,000 civilians. The City’s population is approximately 33,000 and La Verne PD is sufficiently staffed with a service ratio of 1.27 officers per 1,000 civilians which exceeds the City’s standards. The Department maintains a 3.5-minute emergency response time, which is sufficient to serve the City (Paz 2016).The City of La Verne and City of Claremont are comparable in population size, density, and total area. The Claremont Hills Wilderness Park is a 2,000-acre park owned and managed by the City of Claremont, located to the east of the Wilderness Area. Established in 1996, the Claremont Hills Wilderness Park contains similar topography and vegetation as the Wilderness Area, has a limited number of access points, and is bordered by residential development to the south of the Park boundary (Claremont 2016). Based on Los Angeles County crime data, a total of three incidents were recorded from the vicinity of Claremont Hills Wilderness Park between 2014 and 2016. One of the three reports was made in 2015 for vandalism along Palmer Canyon Road. Two reports were made in 2016: one for non- criminal activities and one domestic welfare check (Los Angeles County 2017; Walls 2017).

These three incidents account for less than 1 percent of the 2,979 crime incidents recorded by the Claremont Police Department between 2014 and 2016 (Claremont Police Department 2016).

The Claremont Hills Wilderness Park is much larger in size than the Wilderness Area, and also contains a five-mile walking loop with smaller trails accessible via hiking, biking, and 247
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horseback riding. As such, the Claremont Hills Wilderness Park may experience greater numbers of visitors than the La Verne Wilderness Area. A review of Los Angeles County crime data between 2014 and 2016 resulted in zero reported incidents in the Wilderness Area (Los Angeles County 2017). There were several recorded incidents of varying events from the Afflerbaugh-Paige Camp School on Stephens Ranch Road, which is 0.35 mile east and outside of the Wilderness Area.

Based on the above, implementation of the Management Plan would not incrementally increase the demand for police protection services compared to existing conditions since comparable uses in the adjacent City of Claremont generate less than one percent of the total incidents recorded by the Claremont Police Department. The Wilderness Area is located in an open space area that is already served by the La Verne PD. Implementation of the Management Plan would not increase demand of police protection services or additional policy staff to a level that would require expansion of existing facilities or construction of new facilities. Therefore, impacts would be Class IV, no impact.

Mitigation Measures
No mitigation would be required.

Significance After Mitigation
There would be no impact without mitigation.

4.6.4 Cumulative Impacts
There are no other public parks or open space projects in development within the City of La Verne or in nearby communities. As described in Section 3.3, cumulative planned residential development would result in 55 units split between three project sites, which would conservatively add approximately 150 new residents to the City of La Verne. The increase in population could incrementally contribute to public demand for open space recreational areas. Implementation of the proposed Management Plan would help meet the open space recreational use demands of the added population and would result in expanded public use of the Wilderness Area in the North La Verne Hillsides.

The proposed Management Plan contains policies to maintain existing fire assistance agreements with local, neighboring, and state agencies. Implementation of the Management Plan would have no impact on other public services such as police protection, schools, and public facilities since no residential development would occur in the Wilderness Area. The cumulative planned residential development projects would undergo individual environmental review to implement project-specific mitigation measures to address any public service impacts as needed. There would be no cumulative significant impacts related to public services with the implementation of the Management Plan and the development of the planned residential projects.
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4.7 Recreation
This section assesses impacts related to recreational facilities, including parks.

4.7.1 Setting
The City of La Verne’s Parks and Community Service Department maintains 19 City-owned parks and recreational facilities totaling 141.5 acres. City residents also have access to several neighboring regional parks, national forests, and recreation facilities. The City has formed joint use agreements with the BUSD, private institutions, and the University of La Verne (La Verne 2006) to provide even more recreational space. Joint-use agreement facilities, combined with neighboring regional parks, comprise a vast network of passive and active recreational opportunities for the residents of La Verne. The closest parks to the Wilderness Area are:

Rustic Canyon Park
Rustic Canyon Park, located at 7311 North Calle Aragon, was developed in 1979 as a 0.5 acre mini-park on the City’s surplus land based on a community survey. Located in the vicinity of single family residential homes, approximately 500 feet east of the Wilderness Area, the park was remodeled in 2005 and 2006 to include a raised-bed rose garden, a picnic table, and security lighting.

Marshall Canyon Regional Park
Marshall Canyon Regional Park, located at 6550 Stephens Ranch Road, is approximately 0.7 mile east of the Wilderness Area. It is a 640-acre regional park located in an unincorporated area of Los Angeles County. The Regional Park contains a 180-acre golf course, three-acre nursery, an equestrian center, nature trails, and picnic areas. The Marshall Canyon Trail connects to trails in the Angeles National Forest and allows hikers to traverse into the City of La Verne.

Golden Hills Wilderness Park
Golden Hills Wilderness Park, located at 2300 Golden Hills Road, was developed in 1999 and contains 20 acres of community park space. The park is located approximately 0.25 mile south of the Wilderness Area. The park is relatively undisturbed and contains a variety of plants and wildlife. Park activities include hiking trails, bird watching, wildlife observation, and picnicking.

4.7.2 Regulatory Setting
California Government Code, Section 66477 (Quimby Act)
The Quimby Act was enacted in 1975 in an effort to promote the availability of park and open space areas in response to the need for such facilities by residential development. The 249
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Quimby Act authorizes cities and counties to enact ordinances requiring the dedication of land and/or the payment of fees for park and/or recreational facilities for projects involving residential subdivisions. The Act states that “the dedication of land or the payment of fees, or both, shall not exceed the proportionate amount necessary to provide three acres of park area per 1,000 persons residing within a subdivision subject to this section, unless the amount of existing neighborhood and community park area, as calculated pursuant to this subdivision, exceeds that limit, in which case the legislative body may adopt the calculated amount as a higher standard not to exceed five acres per 1,000 persons residing in a subdivision subject to this section.” In addition to Quimby fees, facilities can be provided by grants, donations, user fees, community fund raising events, joint ventures, and joint use agreements.

City of La Verne
City of La Verne General Plan (1998)
The General Plan contains the following applicable policies and implementation measures designed to manage recreational resources in the City:

Table 16 General Plan Policies to Manage Recreational Resources General Plan Policy
Land Use
Policy 4.2. Protect and preserve
the native habitat of our primary
foothill neighborhood.
a. Require a minimum open space preservation standard of 6 acres (including public and private recreation and open space areas) per 1,000 population, as recommended by
the 1998 Parks & Recreation Facilities master Plan.

Policy 5.1. Preserve the physical
character of our foothills.
d. Preserve and maintain open space for the enjoyment of our entire community.

Policy 5.2. Protect our natural
open space areas
a. Preserve the following areas as open space: Marshall Canyon – east and west forks; frontal slopes of the San Gabriel Mountains; natural canyons and features.

Resource Management
Policy 1.1. Provide ample and
accessible parks throughout our
community.
b. Discourage commercial development on regional parkland that serves both the city of La Verne and other cities in the surrounding region.
c. Target new park development in neighborhoods that are underserved.
f. Ensure major park developments are reviewed by the
Development Review Committee, the Planning
Commission and/or the City Council for the project’s
impacts on existing parks. The level of review will be
determined by the scope of the project.
i. Develop and maintain parks and recreation facilities at a minimum standard of four (4.0) acres per 1,000 persons. 250
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General Plan Policy
This standard does not include open space areas used for recreational purposes, sensitive habitats, and other
natural resource preserves.
j. Explore innovative ways and means of financing the
maintenance of existing and future parks.

Policy 1.2. Develop a connecting
trail system.
a. Develop trails to connect our parks and open space.
d. Design trails to connect with regional trails.

Policy 1.4. Design safe parks. a. Design with defensible space criteria. b. Provide clear lines of sign into the facility for police and fire personnel.
c. Design facilities to minimize risk or injury.

Policy 2.2. Develop a natural
buffer zone.
a. Maintain the minimum open space requirement as stated in the preservation standard of ten acres per 1,000
population (including public and private recreation and open spaces).

Policy 2.3. Establish contiguous
wildlife corridors.
a. Pursue opportunities with other organizations, such as the Wildlife Corridor Conservancy Authority.

Policy 3.1. Preserve our scenic
vistas.
d. Encourage the preservation of the existing native plant and heritage resources in our city.

Parks & Community Services Master Plan (1998, Second Update 2006) With passage of the Parks and Recreation Facilities Master Plan Development Program, the City adopted a modified version of the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) standards that is better suited for the City of La Verne (La Verne 2006). The NRPA provides a classification system for parks and serves as a planning guide for municipalities. The City modified the size of a park within a particular category (Mini-Park, Neighborhood Park, and Community Park) and established an overall park/open space goal of 4.0 acres of developed parkland for every 1,000 residents based on the NRPA standards.

The most recent population estimate for the City of La Verne is 33,200 residents (Department of Finance 2017). The City currently has 141.5 acres of parkland. Therefore, by current population estimates, the City provides approximately 4.3 acres of developed parkland for every 1,000 residents, thereby exceeding its service standard. Table 19 provides details of existing park classifications.
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Table 17 Existing Park Classifications
Land Category Existing Park
Acres
(acres)
Mini Park
Located in high density neighborhoods in close
proximity to intended uses, specifically small
children and senior citizens.

Size: 0.5 to 1.0 acre
Service Area: <0.25 mile radius
Acres/Population: 0.25 to 0.5 acres/1,000 pop
Lincoln Park 0.6
Lordsburg Park 0.9
Price/Hayes Park 0.5
Park La Verne (private) 0.5
Rustic Canyon Park 0.5
Valley Rancho Park 0.2
Neighborhood Park
Designed for intense recreational activities such as
field games, court games, crafts, playground areas,
and picnicking. These parks should be easily
accessible to the neighboring population and
geographically centered with safe bicycling or
walking access.

Size: 1.0 to 10.0 acre
Service Area: 0.25 to 0.5 mile radius
Acres/Population: 1.0 to 2.0 acres/1,000 pop
Puddingstone Village (private) 1.8
Challenger Park 2.5
Emerald Park 3.0
Heritage Park 4.0
Kuns Park 2.5
La Verne Heights Park (private) 1.2
Los Encinos Park 7.0
Lowell Brandt Park 15.0
Mills Park 7.0
Pelota Park 4.6
Park La Verne (private) 1.0
Wheeler Avenue Park 5.7
Community Park/Passive Open Space
Offers a wide range of recreational amenities and
facilities including athletic complexes, swimming
pools, arenas, sheltered picnic areas, playground
facilities, and/or areas of natural quality or outdoor
recreation. Amenities may vary depending on the
park setting and needs of the surrounding
community.

Size: 10.0 to 25.0 acre
Service Area: 1.0 to 2.0 mile radius
Acres/Population: 5.0 to 8.0 acres/1,000 pop
Golden Hills Wilderness Park 20.0
Las Flores Park 16.0
La Verne Sports Park 21.0
Live Oak Park 13.0
Oak Mesa Park 13.0
Total Park Area (acres) 141.5
Source: La Verne 2006
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4.7.3 Impact Analysis
Methodology and Thresholds of Significance
In accordance with Appendix G of the State CEQA Guidelines (XV), the proposed Master Plan would result in potentially significant impacts relating to recreation if it would do either of the following:
1 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; or
2 Include recreational facilities or require the construction or expansion of recreational facilities which might have an adverse physical effect on the environment Thresholds 1 and 2 are addressed below.

Project Impacts
Threshold 1
Increase the use of existing neighborhood facilities such that substantial physical deterioration of the facility would occur or be accelerated; or, Threshold 2
Include recreational facilities or require the construction or expansion of recreational facilities which might have an adverse physical effect on the environment? IMPACT REC-1: I MPLEMENTATION OF MINOR SITE IMPROVEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROPOSED MANAGEMENT PLAN (E.G. FOOT TRAIL, SITTING BENCHES, SIGNAGE) WOULD INCREASE A

RECREATIONAL RESOURCE FOR RESIDENTS OF LA VERNE, AND WOULD NOT RESULT IN PHYSICAL DETERIORATION OR CONSTRUCTION OF RECREATIONAL FACILITIES BEYOND THE WILDERNESS AREA.

THEREFORE, THERE WOULD BE CLASS IV, NO IMPACT.

Implementation of the Management Plan would add an eight-foot wide, 0.6-mile long trail loop for hiking, which equates to approximately 25,300 square feet or 0.6 acres. The remaining 357.4-acre Wilderness Area would be managed for wildlife conservation, wildfire fuel load and vegetation, and public safety. The provision of project features such as posting of trail rules,parking signage, and controlled public access per the proposed Management Plan, may increase use of the Wilderness Area over time; however, the increase in use is not anticipated to require new park facilities and no such facilities are planned for the Wilderness Area under the proposed Management Plan. Therefore, impacts related to park facilities would be Class IV, no impact.

Inclusion of the Wilderness Area as a City-managed recreational park would increase the parkland to resident ratio by approximately 250 percent, from the current standard of 4.3 acres per 1,000 residents (as discussed in Section 4.7.1) to 15 acres per 1,000 residents.

However, since much of the Wilderness Area would remain undeveloped, as it curently is, 253
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and only the proposed 0.6-mile long trail loop would be available for recreational use, the actual additional recreational acreage increase would be approximately 0.6 acres and the current standard of 4.3 acres per 1,000 residents would remain unchanged. In addition, implementation of minor site improvements associated with the proposed Management Plan (e.g. foot trail, sitting benches, signage) would increase a recreational resource for residents of La Verne, and would not result in physical deterioration or construction of recreational facilities beyond the Wilderness Area. Therefore, there would be Class IV, no impact.

Mitigation Measures
No mitigation would be required.

Significance After Mitigation
There would be no impact without mitigation.

4.7.4 Cumulative Impacts
There are no other public parks or open space projects in development within the City of La Verne or in nearby communities. As described in Section 3.3, cumulative planned residential development would result in 55 units split between three project sites, which would conservatively add approximately 150 new residents to the City of La Verne. The increase in population could incrementally contribute to public demand for open space recreational areas. Implementation of the proposed Management Plan would help meet the open space recreational use demands of the added population and would result in expanded public use of the Wilderness Area in the North La Verne Hillsides.

The proposed Management Plan would include minor trail improvements and potential bench placement. Implementation of the Management Plan would have no impact on recreational resources since no residential development would occur in the Wilderness Area. Rather, the Management Plan would result in the provision of additional recreational opportunities for City residents, who would have controlled access to the Wilderness Area along designated trails. The cumulative planned residential development projects would undergo individual environmental review to implement project-specific mitigation measures to address any recreational resource impacts as needed. There would be no cumulative significant impacts related to recreation with the implementation of the Management Plan and the development of the planned residential projects. 254
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4.8 Transportation and Traffic
This section evaluates the potential impacts on the local and regional circulation system from implementation of the proposed Wilderness Area Management and Public Access Plan.

4.8.1 Setting
Existing Roadway Network
Several regionally and locally significant roadways are in the vicinity of the Wilderness Area.

The key roadways that form the existing roadway network for the Wilderness Area are discussed below.

Freeways
The nearest freeway is State Route 210 (Foothill Freeway), and its centerline is approximately 2 miles south of the Wilderness Area. No direct on/off ramp is provided to the Wilderness Area.

Local Roadways
The following roadways are located throughout the residential communities adjacent to the southern portion of the Wilderness Area, and are shown in Figure 10.

BRYDON ROAD
Brydon Road, located east of the Wilderness Area, is a north-south two-lane undivided residential roadway that turns into an east-west private road north of Vista Del Sol and Martes. Brydon Road has a posted speed limit of 25 miles per hour (mph), and does not provide direct access to the Wilderness Area.

CALLE ARAGON
Calle Aragon is a north-south two-lane undivided residential roadway, located southeast of the Wilderness Area, parallel to the southern portion of Brydon Road. Calle Aragon intersects with Golden Hills Road to the south, terminates at Alta Vista to the north. Calle Aragon has a posted speed limit of 25 mph, and does not provide direct access to the Wilderness Area.

GOLDEN HILLS ROAD
Golden Hills Road is an east-west two-land undivided secondary arterial roadway to the south of the Wilderness Area. Golden Hills Road has a posted speed limit of 40 mph. A small southern part of the Wilderness Area is accessible via a dirt road on the northside of Golden Hills Road, across from Divot Drive. Golden Hill Road terminates at San Dimas Canyon Road to the west, and a roadblock is in place at the intersection to prevent access to San Dimas 255
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Figure 10 Local Roadways near the Wilderness Area

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Canyon Road from Golden Hills Road. Golden Hills Road does not provide direct access to the Wilderness Area.

MONTEREY STREET
Monterey Street is a north-south two-lane undivided residential roadway, located southeast of the Wilderness Area, south of the northern portion of Calle Aragon. Monterey Street intersects with Golden Hills Road to the south, and terminates at Via Dicha to the north. It has a posted speed limit of 25 mph, and does not provide direct access to the Wilderness Area.

MOUNTAIN SPRINGS RANCH ROAD
Mountain Springs Ranch Road is a north-south two-lane divided roadway with a painted median, located south of the Wilderness Area. Mountain Springs Ranch Road is not publicly accessible due to the private residential gate located at the intersection of Wheeler Avenue (which turns into Mountain Springs Ranch Road) on the north side of Golden Hills Road.

Mountain Spring Ranch Road has a posted speed limit of 25 mph, continues into the Wilderness Area as a dirt road, and connects to Sunset Ridge Road (also called Sunset Peak Mountainway).

SAN DIMAS CANYON ROAD
San Dimas Canyon Road is a north-south two-lane divided major arterial roadway with a painted median, located east of the Wilderness Area. The posted speed limit for San Dimas Canyon Road is 35 mph, and does not provide direct access to the Wilderness Area.

VISTA DEL SOL
Vista Del Sol is a private east-west two-lane undivided residential roadway, between Brydon Road to the west to Stephens Ranch Road to the east. It is located southeast of the Wilderness Area and northeast of Brydon Road. Vista Del Sol has a posted speed limit of 25 mph, and does not provide direct access to the Wilderness Area.

Maintenance Access
Access from the south, to and through the lower portions of the Wilderness Area, is closed to the public. The City has vehicular access to the lower wash area of the Wilderness Area from Via Vista Court off of Monterey Street (La Verne 2017b). This City access point is gated and closed to public use. Sunset Ridge Road, which traverses the western and northern portions of the Wilderness Area, serves as the main fire access and maintenance road used by the City.

Pedestrian Access
Access to the Wilderness Area plateau from the west is available via an unimproved parking area off of San Dimas Road and a foot trail that connects with Sunset Ridge Road (sometimes referred to as Sunset Ridge Truck Trail or Sunset Peak Motorway). From the northeast, Sunset Ridge Road travels down from Sunset Peak within the Angeles National 257
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Forest and along the border of the San Dimas Experimental Forest to the Wilderness Area.

Sunset Ridge Road is a 12- to 16-foot-wide dirt fire road. There are no restrictions on recreational use of Sunset Ridge Road. Access from the south to and through the lower portions of the Wilderness Area is currently closed to public use.

Alternative Transportation
Bicycle
The Federal and State transportation system recognizes three primary bikeway facilities:

Bicycle Paths (Class I), Bicycle Lanes (Class II), and Bicycle Routes (Class III). Bicycle Paths (Class I) are exclusive car free facilities that are typically not located within a roadway area.

Bicycle Lanes (Class II) are part of the street design that is dedicated only for bicycles and identified by a striped lane separating vehicle lanes from bicycle lanes. Bicycle Routes (Class III) are preferably located on collector and lower volume arterial streets. There are no existing bicycle facilities in the Wilderness Area vicinity. Based on the City of La Verne General Plan, Golden Hills Road is identified as a proposed bicycle route.

Public Transportation
The City of La Verne is serviced by several public transportation methods including bus service through Foothill Transit and rail service provided by Metrolink. However, service is limited to the downtown area and there are no public transportation services in the vicinity of the Wilderness Area. The nearest transit stop is located two miles southwest of the Wilderness Area at Foothill Boulevard and Damien Avenue, for service along Route 187 by Foothill Transit.

Existing Intersection Levels of Service
The operating conditions of intersections are described with the term level of service (“LOS”), a qualitative description of traffic flow based on such factors as speed, travel time, delay, and freedom to maneuver. The City of La Verne General Plan, Circulation Element (1998) defines six levels of service from LOS A, operating conditions with little to no delay, to LOS F, when traffic volumes exceed the intersection capacity and stop-and-go conditions result. More complete definitions of the individual categories of LOS for signalized and unsignalized intersections are shown in Table 20.
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Table 18 Level of Service Criteria for Intersections
LOS
Signalized
Intersections
(ICU V/C ratio) LOS Description
Unsignalized
Intersections
(HCM Delay Value
sec/veh) LOS Description
A ≤ 0.600 Excellent. No vehicle waits
longer than one red light, and
no approach phase is fully
used.
< 10 Little or no delay
B 0.601 – 0.700 Very Good. An occasional
approach phase is fully utilized;
many drivers begin to feel
somewhat restricted within
groups of vehicles.
> 10 and ≤ 15 Short traffic
delays
C 0.701 – 0.800 Good. Occasionally drivers may
have to wait through more
than one red light; backups
may develop behind turning
vehicles.
> 15 and ≤ 25 Average traffic
delays
D 0.801 – 0.900 Fair. Delays may be substantial
during portions of the rush
hours, but enough lower
volume periods occur to permit
clearing of developing lines,
preventing excessive backups.
> 25 and ≤ 35 Long traffic
delays
E 0.901 – 1.000 Poor. Represents the most
vehicles intersection
approaches can accommodate;
may be long lines of waiting
vehicles through several signal
cycles.
> 35 and ≤ 50 Very long traffic
delays
F > 1.000 Failure. Backups from nearby
locations or on cross streets
may restrict or prevent
movement of vehicles out of
the intersection approaches.

Potentially very long delays
with continuously increasing
queue lengths.
> 50 Severe
congestion
Source: Adapted from La Verne 1998; Linscott, Law & Greenspan Engineers 2016 259
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Trip Generation
The City of La Verne General Plan, Circulation Element defines trip generations based on existing land use. Table 21 provides estimated trip generation summaries for Open Space and Hillside Residential uses.

Table 19 Trip Generation/Existing Land Use Compared to General Plan Land Use1
Existing/General
Plan Land Use Descriptor
Daily Trips
per Descriptor Daily Trips
Hillside Residential 625 acre 0.2 du/acre 10 1,250
Open Space 767 acre N/A
Source: Adapted from La Verne 1998
1City Proper (does not include Sphere of Influence)

4.8.2 Impact Analysis
Methodology and Thresholds of Significance
Consistent with CEQA Guidelines (Section XVI), impacts related to transportation and circulation would be considered potentially significant if implementation of the proposed Wilderness Area Management Plan would:
1 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. 2 Conflict with an applicable congestion management program, including, but not limited to level of services standards and travel demand measures, or other standards established by the county congestion management agency for designated roads or highways.
3 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. 4 Substantially increase traffic-related hazards due to a design feature or incompatible uses.
5 Result in inadequate emergency access.
6 Conflict with adopted policies, plans, or programs supporting alternative transportation.

Implementation of the Management Plan would not contribute traffic to the area that would conflict with the performance of the City’s circulation system or an applicable congestion management plan. The project would not affect air traffic patterns or levels of 260
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air traffic. Finally, the project would not conflict with adopted policies, plans, or programs supporting alternative transportation. Therefore, only thresholds 4, 5, and 6 are addressed below.

Project Impacts
Threshold 4
Substantially increase hazards due to a design feature (e.g., sharp curves or dangerous intersections) or incompatible uses (e.g., farm equipment)? IMPACT T-1: I MPLEMENTATION OF THE PROPOSED MANAGEMENT PLAN INCLUDES THE

PROVISION OF PARKING SPACES ALONG GOLDEN HILLS ROAD, WHICH MAY AFFECT THE SAFETY OF HIKERS ACCESSING THE WILDERNESS AREA. IMPACTS WOULD BE CLASS II, LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT WITH MITIGATION INCORPORATED.

The Management Plan includes public access objectives for recreational day use of a 0.6- mile long trail loop for hikers. The trail would be located completely within the Wilderness Area, and would not include new roadway design features. However, the Management Plan also specifies a segment along the south side (east bound) of Golden Hills Road that may be designated as parking spaces for trail access to the Wilderness Area. The following pertinent public access and safety objectives and actions are included in the proposed Management Plan:

Objective 4.1: Secure Access
Action 4.1.1: Employ a dedicated easement for public access from Golden Hills Road to the downstream end of the wash within the southern limits of the Wilderness Area
Objective 4.2: Develop Limited Use Facilities
Action 4.2.1: Identify space for and create parking spaces, one of which would be an accessible parking space, through striping and/or signage, along Golden Hills Road for use to access the Wilderness Area
Action 4.2.2: Develop a foot trail to avoid and/or minimize resource impacts and related mitigation to include:
 An and accessible trail / maintenance route from Golden Hills Road into the Wilderness Area
 An approximately 0.6-mile, 8-foot-wide accessible trail/ maintenance route from Golden Hills Road leading into the Wilderness Area and forming a loop (conceptual trail shown in Figures 8 and 9). The trail loop would be composed of natural materials with a firm and stable surface
Action 4.2.5: Provide management and safety signs at both the Golden Hills Road entrance and at the two Sunset Ridge Road entrances to include 261
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information about general use regulations, a trail map, and universal access conditions. The following information would be conveyed to the trail user:
 Use restrictions
 Permit requirements
 Universal access information, including:
 Degree of difficulty rating
 Length of trail segment
 Surface type
 Typical and minimum tread width
 Typical and maximum running slope
 Typical and maximum cross slope
 Change in elevation over the total trail length and maximum elevation obtained
 Presence and dangers of mountain lions, bears, and rattlesnakes Objective 5.1: Provide for Public Safety
Action 5.1.1: Prohibit bicycles and equestrians
Objective 5.2: Provide a Single Access Point from the City Action 5.2.1: Develop access entrance on Golden Hills Road Action 5.2.2: Identify space for parking spaces along Golden Hills Road and post information regarding appropriate alternative overflow parking locations Action 5.2.3: Install an open / lock gate at Golden Hills Road Objective 5.3: Designate Wilderness Area as Pedestrian Access / Day Use Only (No Overnight Use)
Action 5.3.1: Install lockable gates and associated fencing at Golden Hills Road Action 5.3.2: Install use and regulatory signs at Golden Hills Road (see also Action 4.2.4 and 4.2.5)
Action 5.3.3: Limit Wilderness Area use from one hour after sunrise to one hour before sunset
Implementation of these actions would mostly ensure placement, design, maintenance, and access to the proposed foot trail for the public and neighboring residences to be less than significant. However, Management Plan Objectives 4.2, 5.1, and 5.2 do not list safety provisions for trail users who may cross Golden Hills Road to reach the trail access point. In addition to adherence to the above stated objectives and actions, implementation of 262
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Mitigation Measure T-1 would ensure impacts related to potentially hazardous design features of parking space placement would be reduced to a less than significant level.

Mitigation Measures
T-1 Pedestrian Safety
Consistent with implementation of Management Plan Action 4.2.1, the City shall be responsible for ensuring the safety of visitors to the Wilderness Area by:
i. Locating all parking spaces on the north side of Golden Hills Road to prevent visitors from crossing an unprotected street to access the Wilderness Area and trailhead. ii. If locating all parking spaces on the north side of Golden Hills Road is determined to be infeasible, a pedestrian crosswalk with visible signage, striping, and lights adjacent to designated parking areas and the proposed trailhead shall be installed prior to the striping of the parking spaces, as deemed appropriate by the City Engineer.

Significance After Mitigation
Potential accidents between drivers and trail users crossing the street may be prevented if designated parking spaces are located on the north side of Golden Hills Road. If designated parking must be placed on the south side of Golden Hills Road, implementation of additional safety features, such as a highly visible crosswalk with signage or lighting, may reduce the likelihood of pedestrian accidents. Therefore, implementation of Mitigation Measure T-1 would further ensure the safety of visitors to the Wilderness Area. With implementation of Mitigation Measure T-1, impacts related to hazardous design features would be reduced to a less than significant level with mitigation.

Threshold 5
Result in inadequate emergency access?
IMPACT T-2: I MPLEMENTATION OF MINOR SITE IMPROVEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROPOSED MANAGEMENT PLAN (E.G. FOOT TRAIL, SITTING BENCHES, SIGNAGE) WOULD NOT RESULT IN

INADEQUATE EMERGENCY ACCESS OR INTERFERE WITH EXISTING EMERGENCY EVACUATION PLANS AND ROUTES. THEREFORE, IMPACTS WOULD BE CLASS III, LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT.

Land uses surrounding the Wilderness Area include undeveloped open space to the west, east, and north, and low-density residential development to the south. As described in Section 2.4.4, Public Access, and shown in Figure 10, Mountain Springs Ranch Road traverses the western portion of the Wilderness Area and provides access from the south.

An extension of Mountain Springs Ranch Road provides access to a City water tank, and then tracks uphill to connect with Sunset Ridge Road, which is used for vegetation management and wildfire management.

The City has several evacuation routes that allow residents to quickly depart the northern portion of the City in the event of wildfires. The La Verne PD implements and is responsible for evacuating residents, and the LVFD works closely with the La Verne PD to ensure that 263
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wildfire evacuations are timely and necessary (La Verne 2012). Evacuation routes identified for residents in the northern portion of the City are southbound on Wheeler Avenue and Esperanza Road, which are both located approximately 0.5 mile south of the Wilderness area on the west and east end of Golden Hills Road, respectively (La Verne 2014). With the exception of Mountain Springs Ranch Road, there are no additional roads that provide direct access from the City to the Wilderness Area. As residential development is located south of the Wilderness Area, Mountain Spring Ranch Road does not interfere with emergency access for the remaining areas of the City.

Implementation of the proposed Management Plan would not involve development of roads or structures that would interfere with emergency access routes. City crews would continue using existing access roads (Sunset Ridge Road and Sunset Peak Mountainway) during routine fuel load modification and vegetation maintenance activities as to not interfere with residents’ or emergency vehicle access to adjacent residential neighborhoods. Therefore, impacts would be Class III, less than significant.

Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.

Significance After Mitigation
Impacts would be less than significant without mitigation.

Threshold 6
Conflict with adopted policies, plans, or programs regarding public transit, bicycle, or pedestrian facilities, or otherwise decrease the performance or safety of such facilities.

IMPACT T-3: I MPLEMENTATION OF MINOR SITE IMPROVEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROPOSED MANAGEMENT PLAN (E.G. FOOT TRAIL, SITTING BENCHES, SIGNAGE) WOULD NOT CONFLICT WITH

POLICIES, PLANS, OR PROGRAMS FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, AND WOULD NOT AFFECT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES. THEREFORE, IMPACTS WOULD BE CLASS IV, NO IMPACT.

As discussed in Section 4.8.1 under Alternative Transportation, there are no bicycle facilities or public transportation routes in the vicinity of the Wilderness Area. Implementation of the proposed Management Plan would create a foot trail for hikers and a designated street parking area along Golden Hills Road for Wilderness Area visitors, and therefore, changes would be limited to site-specific improvements and would not damage the performance or safety of public transit, bikeway, or pedestrian facilities. The foot trail would be limited to hikers and pedestrian access, and the use of bicycles on the trail would be prohibited.

Conversely, implementation of the Management Plan would increase the amount of available recreational pedestrian facilities in the area. The project would have no impact with respect to adopted policies, plans, or programs regarding public transit, bikeways, or pedestrian facilities, and would not otherwise substantially reduce the performance or safety of such facilities. Implementation of minor site improvements associated with the proposed Management Plan (e.g. foot trail, sitting benches, signage) would not conflict with 264
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policies, plans, or programs for public transportation, and would not affect public transportation facilities. Therefore, impacts would be Class IV, no impact.

Mitigation Measures
No mitigation would be required.

Significance after Mitigation
There would be no impact to alternative transportation networks without mitigation.

4.8.3 Cumulative Impacts
There are no other public parks or open space projects in development within the City of La Verne or in nearby communities. As described in Section 3.3, cumulative planned residential development would result in 55 units split between three project sites, which would conservatively add approximately 150 new residents to the City of La Verne. The increase in population could incrementally contribute to public demand for open space recreational areas. Implementation of the proposed Management Plan would help meet the open space recreational use demands of the added population and would result in expanded public use of the Wilderness Area in the North La Verne Hillsides.

The proposed Management Plan would include the designation of parking spaces along Golden Hills Road for visitor use to access the Wilderness Area. Implementation of the Management Plan would have no impact on traffic and transportation since no new roads would be created as a result of the Management Plan. The cumulative planned residential development projects would undergo individual environmental review to implement project-specific mitigation measures to address any traffic and transportation impacts as needed. There would be no cumulative significant impacts related to transportation with the implementation of the Management Plan and the development of the planned residential projects.
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4.9 Tribal Cultural Resources
This section evaluates potential effects on tribal cultural resources related to implementation of the proposed Management Plan.

4.9.1 Setting
The Wilderness Area is located in the traditional territory of the Native American group known as the Gabrielino. Section 4.2, Cultural Resources, of this EIR provides a full description of the prehistoric and historic setting of the City of La Verne.

4.9.2 Regulatory Setting
State
Senate Bill 18
Enacted on March 1, 2005, Senate Bill 18 (SB18) (California Government Code Sections 65352.3 and 65352.4) requires cities and counties to notify and consult with California Native American tribal groups and individuals regarding proposed local land use planning decisions for the purpose of protecting traditional tribal cultural places (sacred sites), prior to adopting or amending a General Plan or designating land as open space. Tribal groups or individuals have 90 days to request consultation following the initial contact.

Assembly Bill 52
California Assembly Bill 52 (AB 52), enacted on July 1, 2015, expands CEQA by establishing a formal consultation process for California tribes within the CEQA process. The bill specifies that any project that may affect or cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a tribal cultural resource would require a lead agency to “begin consultation with a California Native American tribe that is traditionally and culturally affiliated with the geographic area of the proposed project.” According to the legislative intent for AB 52, “tribes may have knowledge about land and cultural resources that should be included in the environmental analysis for projects that may have a significant impact on those resources.” Section 21074 of AB 52 also defines a new category of resources under CEQA called “tribal cultural resources.” Tribal cultural resources are defined as “sites, features, places, cultural landscapes, sacred places, and objects with cultural value to a California Native American tribe” and is either listed on or eligible for the California Register of Historical Resources or a local historic register, or if the lead agency chooses to treat the resource as a tribal cultural resource. See also PRC Section 21074(a)(1)(A)-(B). 267
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City of La Verne
Native American Scoping
As part of the process of identifying tribal cultural resources issues within or near the project site, the City prepared and mailed letters to two tribe contacts on April 5, 2017. As of the date of this EIR, no response had been received from either contact.

4.9.3 Impact Analysis
Methodology and Significance Thresholds
Evaluation Criteria
The following thresholds are based on Appendix G of the State CEQA Guidelines. Impacts would be significant if implementation of the Management Plan would result in any of the following:
1 Cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a tribal cultural resource, defined in PRC 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:
a. 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), or
b. 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 PRC Section 5024.1. In applying the criteria set forth in subdivision (c) of PRC Section 5024.1, the lead agency shall consider the significance of the resource to a California Native American tribe.

Implementation of the Management Plan would not involve demolition, excavation, or grading activities that would disturb tribal cultural resources. However, Threshold 1 is addressed below in the event such resources may exist in the Wilderness Area. 268
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Project Impacts
Threshold 1
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: listed or eligible for listing in the California Register of Historical Resources, or in a local register of historical resources as defined in PRC Section 5020.1(k); or 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 PRC Section 5024.1. In applying the criteria set forth in subdivision (c) of PRC Section 5024.1, the lead agency shall consider the significance of the resource to a California Native American tribe.

IMPACT TR-1: I MPLEMENTATION OF MINOR SITE IMPROVEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROPOSED MANAGEMENT PLAN (I.E., FOOT TRAIL, SITTING BENCHES, SIGNAGE) WOULD NOT INVOLVE

DEMOLITION, EXCAVATION, OR GRADING ACTIVITIES THAT WOULD CAUSE AN ADVERSE CHANGE IN THE

SIGNIFICANCE OF TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES OR RESULT IN UNANTICIPATED DISCOVERIES OF TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES. HOWEVER, FUTURE DEVELOPMENT IN THE WILDERNESS AREA MAY CAUSE AN

ADVERSE CHANGE IN THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES OR RESULT IN UNANTICIPATED DISCOVERIES OF TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES. IMPACTS WOULD BE CLASS II, LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT WITH MITIGATION INCORPORATED.

No tribal cultural resources listed on or eligible for listing on the California Register of Historical Resources (CRHR) or a local register or significant tribal cultural resources were identified within the Wilderness Area as a result of the cultural resources records search, SLF search, Native American scoping, and pedestrian survey. The proposed Management Plan would not involve ground-disturbing activities since associated development consists of a foot trail, sitting benches, and signage. In addition, the proposed Management Plan does not involve demolition of structures, grading, or construction of new facilities at this time. Impacts would be less than significant.

Subsequent future development projects proposed through implementation of the Management Plan shall be reviewed through the City’s development review process and CEQA process when warranted, and appropriate mitigation measures would be identified at that time. If demolition or grading activities were to occur as part of future development, then there is the potential to uncover buried archeological or tribal cultural resources during ground-disturbing activities in which case impacts would be potentially significant unless mitigation is incorporated. Mitigation would be required if demolition or grading occurs as a result of future management activities associated with the Management Plan.

Mitigation Measures
In the event of demolition, excavation, or grading for future development associated with implementation of the proposed Management Plan, Mitigation Measures CR-1, 269
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Unanticipated Discovery of Cultural Resources, and CR-2, Human Remains Recovery Procedures, would reduce potential impacts to a less than significant level.

Significance After Mitigation
The proposed Management Plan does not involve major construction activities that would disturb tribal cultural resources; therefore, impacts would be less than significant. However, if future development (as a result of implementation of the Management Plan) involves demolition or excavation, Mitigation Measures CR-1 and CR-2 would reduce potential impacts to less than significant levels in the event of an unanticipated discovery of tribal cultural resources.

4.9.4 Cumulative Impacts
There are no other public parks or open space projects in development within the City of La Verne or in nearby communities. As described in Section 3.3, cumulative planned residential development would result in 55 units split between three project sites, which would conservatively add approximately 150 new residents to the City of La Verne. The increase in population could incrementally contribute to public demand for open space recreational areas. Implementation of the proposed Management Plan would help meet the open space recreational use demands of the added population and would result in expanded public use of the Wilderness Area in the North La Verne Hillsides.

Although limited in nature, ground-disturbing activities associated with the proposed Management Plan would require mitigation as described above to reduce potential impacts to tribal cultural resources to less than significant levels. Improvements in the Wilderness Area beyond those conceptualized in the Management Plan would be reviewed through the City and CEQA process, and appropriate mitigation measures would be identified at that time. Similarly, individual planned residential development projects would undergo environmental review to implement project-specific mitigation measures to address any cultural resource impacts as needed. There would be no cumulative significant impacts to tribal cultural resources with the implementation of the Management Plan and the development of the planned residential project.

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5 Effects Found Not to Be Significant
Section 15128 of the State CEQA Guidelines requires an EIR to briefly describe any possible significant effects that were determined not to be significant and were therefore not discussed in detail. This section addresses the potential environmental effects of implementing the Management Plan that were determined not to be significant. The topics listed below that were found not to be significantly affected by implementation of the Management Plan are drawn from the environmental checklist form included in Appendix G of the State CEQA Guidelines. Any items not addressed in this section are addressed in Sections 4.1 through 4.9 of this EIR.

5.1 Aesthetics
CEQA Guidelines Appendix G (Section I) states that a significant impact on agricultural or forestry resources may result if the project would:
1 Have a substantial adverse effect on a scenic vista;
2 Substantially damage scenic resources, including, but not limited to, trees, rock outcroppings, and historic buildings within a state scenic highway; 3 Substantially degrade the existing visual character or quality of the site and its surroundings; or
4 Create a new source of substantial light or glare which would adversely affect day or nighttime views in the area.

According to the Resource Management Element of the of the City’s General Plan, La Verne has several streets in the northern part of the City with unobstructed views of scenic vistas, predominately the San Gabriel Mountains and its foothills. Development that is proposed within the scenic vista areas should be designed so views of the mountains or canyons are not compromised (La Verne, General Plan 1998).
1 Would the project have a substantial adverse effect on a scenic vista? The Wilderness Area consists of 358 acres of land in northern La Verne that was undeveloped prior to the City’s acquisition in 2006, and has remained unchanged.

Currently, the majority of the Plan Area consists of open space and relatively undisturbed land covered in dense vegetation. The Management Plan would involve minor site improvements and construction activities associated with striping/signage for off-site parking spaces along Golden Hills Road; a 0.6-mile long trail loop; implementation of sitting benches and lockable gates; and installment of public safety and educational signage.

Installation of these features would involve minor construction equipment such as a backhoe, pickup truck, and hand tools and would cause a temporary effect on the scenic vista of the Wilderness Area as construction activity would likely be visible from the 271
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foothills. However, these minor changes would not interfere with permanent views of the City’s open space and foothills.

The Management Plan would enhance the City’s existing trails system, and provide additional opportunities for visitors to view the scenic resources of the City’s prominent hillsides. No buildings or structures are proposed that would project into the skyline or impede views of the Wilderness Area from the foothills. Therefore, impacts to scenic vistas would be Class IV, no impact.
2 Would the project substantially damage scenic resources, including, but not limited to, trees, rock outcroppings, and historic buildings within a state scenic highway? The nearest state scenic highways to the Wilderness Area State Route-2 (California Scenic Highway Mapping System 2011); however, the Wilderness Area would be located approximately four miles south from the nearest segment of the highway and would not cause damage to scenic resources , including significant trees or rock outcroppings, along a state scenic highway. Therefore, impacts to scenic resources or historic buildings along a state scenic highway would be Class IV, no impact.
3 Would the project substantially degrade the existing visual character or quality of the site and its surroundings?
The purpose of the Management Plan is to preserve, enhance, and protect the wildlife habitat, corridors, and diversity of the Wilderness Area while including provisions for low- impact recreational use (e.g., trails) and wildlife-oriented education. The Management Plan would involve minor site improvements and construction activities associated with striping/signage for off-site parking spaces along Golden Hills Road; a 0.6-mile long trail loop; implementation of sitting benches and lockable gates; and installment of public safety and educational signage. Temporary construction activities of the proposed trail, gates, and signage would cause a temporary effect on the visual character of the Wilderness Area.

Goal 1, Preserve and Enhance Wildlife Habitat Corridors and Diversity, of the Management Plan identifies several objectives for the goal of preserving and enhancing wildlife habitat, corridors, and diversity. Objectives targeted at enhancing valued habitats (and particularly alluvial fan sage scrub, chaparral, and oak woodlands) are focused on restoration of disturbed areas. Trail development would potentially involve minor vegetation removal to clear a path; however, development activities would be complaint with Action 1.1.6 and Action 1.1.7 of Goal 1 of the Management Plan.

Objective 1.1: Enhance and Protect all Habitat Areas
Action 1.1.6: Avoid vegetation removal and management activities within the Coast Prickly Pear Scrub sensitive vegetation community and within areas that provide habitat to sensitive plant and wildlife species.

Action 1.1.7: Should vegetation removal in sensitive areas is determined to be necessary and appropriate, special status species surveys will be conducted prior to any work commencing.
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Overall, proposed improvements would be compatible with the existing sensitive biological community in the Wilderness Area and recreational use of the Wilderness Area would be regulated by the Management Plan. Therefore, impacts would be Class IV, no impact. 4 Would the project create a new source of substantial light or glare which would adversely affect day or nighttime views in the area?
Changes in the Wilderness Area associated with the Management Plan would not include the use of night lighting. No shiny or reflective materials are proposed for the trail corridor.

Therefore, impacts would be Class IV, no impact.

5.2 Agriculture and Forestry Resources
CEQA Guidelines Appendix G (Section II) states that a significant impact on agricultural or forestry resources may result if the project would:
1 Convert Prime Farmland, Unique Farmland, or Farmland of Statewide Importance (Farmland), as shown on the maps prepared pursuant to the Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program of the California Resources Agency, to non-agricultural use; 2 Conflict with existing zoning for agricultural use, or a Williamson Act contract; 3 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));
4 Result in the loss of forest land or conversion of forest land to non-forest use; or, 5 Involve other changes in the existing environment which, due to their location or nature, could result in conversion of Farmland, to non-agricultural use or conversion of forest land to non-forest use.

The Wilderness Area has two General Plan land use designations: Hillside Residential and Open Space. In addition, the Area is zoned PR1/5D (1 Dwelling Unit per 5 Acres, Detached) on its western half and MCSP (Marshall Canyon Estates Specific Plan) on its eastern half.

The Wilderness Area, in its entirety, is also a part of the Hillside Development Overlay Zone (H-D-O-Z), which requires that special hillside provisions are met for the protection of significant vegetation, riparian areas, wildlife, natural landforms, off-site views and the aesthetically pleasing appearance of the natural and built environment of the hillsides. The Management Plan includes goals for specific minor physical improvements and management policies that would implement the vision for the Wilderness Area.

Implementation of the Management Plan would maintain the Wilderness Area as vacant, open space.

The Wilderness Area is not mapped within the survey boundary of the Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program (FMMP) Los Angeles County Important Farmland 2014 map (California Department of Conservation [DOC] 2016), and is not subject to a Williamson Act 273
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Contract (California DOC 2015). The Wilderness Area does not meet the definition of forest land or timberland under PRC Section 12220(g), PRC Section 4526, or Government Code section 51104(g). In addition, implementation of the proposed Management plan would not significantly modify the Wilderness Area. Therefore, the Wilderness Plan would not lead to the loss or conversion of farmland, forest land, or timberland, and would not produce changes in the existing environment which, due to their location or nature, could result in conversion of farmland to non-agricultural use or conversion of forestland to non-forest use. Impacts would be Class IV, no impact.

5.3 Air Quality
CEQA Guidelines Appendix G (Section III) states that a significant impact related to air quality may result if the project would:
1 Conflict with or obstruct implementation of the applicable air quality plan; 2 Violate any air quality standard or contribute substantially to an existing or projected air quality violation;
3 Result in a cumulatively considerable net increase of any criteria pollutant for which the project region is non-attainment under an applicable federal or state ambient air quality standard (including releasing emissions which exceed quantitative thresholds for ozone precursors);
4 Expose sensitive receptors to substantial pollutant concentrations; or 5 Create objectionable odors affecting a substantial number of people.

The Wilderness Area is within the South Coast Air Basin (the Basin), which is under the jurisdiction of the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD). The local air quality management agency is required to monitor air pollutant levels to ensure that applicable air quality standards are met and, if they are not met, to develop strategies to meet the standards.

The Management Plan would not involve emission-producing construction activity or operational activities. Rather, the goal of the Management Plan is to preserve, enhance, and protect the wildlife habitat, corridors, and diversity of the Wilderness Area while including provisions for low-impact recreational use (e.g., trails) and wildlife-oriented education.
1 Would the project conflict with or obstruct implementation of the applicable air quality plan?
2 Would the project violate any air quality standard or contribute substantially to an existing or projected air quality violation?
3 Would the project result in a cumulatively considerable net increase of any criteria pollutant for which the project region is non-attainment under an applicable federal 274
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or state ambient air quality standard (including releasing emissions that exceed quantitative thresholds for ozone precursors)?
According to the SCAQMD Guidelines, to be consistent with the Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP), a project must conform to the local General Plan and must not result in or contribute to an exceedance of the City’s projected population growth forecast.

Implementation of the Management Plan would preserve, restore, and manage the existing wildlife habitat; provide opportunities for wildlife-oriented education and research, and be compatible for low-impact recreational use. The project would not contribute to population growth within the City of La Verne. In addition, the Wilderness Area has two General Plan land use designations: Hillside Residential (0-2 du/acre) and Open Space. However, the project would not involve the construction of dwelling units. Therefore, the proposed use is consistent with the Open Space General Plan land use designation and the goals, objectives and policies of the Open Space and Recreation Element. Therefore, the project would not conflict with the SCAQMD’S AQMP.

Emissions generated during construction are typically associated with the operation of heavy diesel equipment and grading. Construction associated with the project would involve minor changes, including, but not limited to: striping/signage for off-site parking spaces along Golden Hills Road; a 0.6-mile long trail loop; implementation of sitting benches and lockable gates; and installment of public safety and educational signage. Proposed development is anticipated to involve minor construction equipment (i.e. backhoe, pickup truck, hand tools). Potential emissions during construction activity would be minor and temporary.

Operational emissions from energy use (electricity and natural gas) for the project would be negligible, as the project would not include buildings that utilize lighting, HVAC or other appliances that use energy. Emissions from waste generation and water/wastewater would also be negligible as the project would not include restroom facilities or other buildings/structures that would be occupied by people. Operational emissions from vehicle trips would be limited to periodic maintenance activities, such as vegetative clearing.

Emissions associated with these activities would be temporary and infrequent.

Overall, the project would not involve heavy construction activities or the use of construction machinery that would cause emissions. In addition, and emissions associated with operation of the Wilderness Area would be negligible. Impacts would be Class IV, no impact.
4 Would the project expose sensitive receptors to substantial pollutant concentrations? 5 Would the project create objectionable odors affecting a substantial number of people?
Certain population groups, such as children, the elderly, and people with health problems, are particularly sensitive to air pollution and odors. Sensitive receptors are defined as land uses that are more likely to be used by these population groups and include health care facilities, retirement homes, school and playground facilities, and residential areas. The 275
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sensitive receptors nearest to the Wilderness Area include residential development along Monterey Street, Calle Aragon, and Brydon Road to the southeast. However, the project would not involve construction emissions and emissions associated with operation of the Wilderness Area would be negligible. Therefore, impacts would be Class IV, no impact.

5.4 Geology and Soils
CEQA Guidelines Appendix G (Section VI) states that a significant impact related to geology and soils may result if the project would:
1 Expose people or structures to potential substantial adverse effects, including the risk of loss, injury, or death involving:
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;
ii. Strong seismic ground shaking;
iii. Seismic-related ground failure, including liquefaction; iv. Landslides.
2 Result in substantial soil erosion or the loss of topsoil; 3 Be located on a geologic unit or soil that is unstable as a result of the project, and potentially result in on- or off-site landslide, lateral spreading, subsidence, liquefaction, or collapse;
4 Be located on expansive soil, as defined in Table 1-B of the Uniform Building Code, creating substantial risks to life or property; or
5 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.

The Management Plan would not involve ground-disturbing construction or operational activities. Rather, the goal of the Management Plan is to preserve, enhance, and protect the wildlife habitat, corridors, and diversity of the Wilderness Area while including provisions for low-impact recreational use (e.g., trails) and wildlife-oriented education. Minor site improvements include the placement of a 0.6-mile long trail loop. Implementation of the proposed trail and management activities are not expected to result in additional seismic hazards or decrease geologic stability in the Wilderness Area.

1.i 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?
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1.ii Expose people or structures to potential substantial adverse effects, including the risk of loss, injury, or death involving strong seismic ground shaking?

1.iii Expose people or structures to potential substantial adverse effects, including the risk of loss, injury, or death involving seismic-related ground failure, including liquefaction?

1.iv Expose people or structures to potential substantial adverse effects, including the risk of loss, injury, or death involving landslides?
The Wilderness Area is located within, and surrounded to the west/northwest, north, and east by, the area of the Angeles National Forest designated as the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. As part of the San Gabriel Mountain frontal fault system, the Sierra Madre Fault zone has been responsible for uplift of mountains by reverse faulting in response to north-south compression. This fault zone encompasses essentially all major faults within the foothill area (La Verne 2012). The Wilderness Area is located in the seismically active region of Southern California, which produces earthquakes that can be felt throughout the region. As such, a strong seismic event on the Sierra Madre fault zone, as well as any other fault in the Southern California Region, could produce strong seismic ground shaking in the Wilderness Area.

Earthquake damage occurs because structures (e.g., buildings, airports, schools, highways, and utility lines) suffer damage and cannot withstand severe shaking, which can cause death or injury to humans. However, the Wilderness Plan would not involve the construction of dwelling units or other structures or expose people to substantial adverse effects of rupture of a known fault or a strong ground shaking event. Therefore, impacts would be Class IV, no impact.

Liquefaction is a process whereby soil is temporarily transformed to fluid form during intense and prolonged ground shaking or because of a sudden shock or strain. Liquefaction typically occurs in areas where the groundwater is less than 30 feet from the surface and where the soils are composed of poorly consolidated fine to medium sand. The Wilderness Area is not located within an area identified as having historic occurrence of liquefaction or local geological and subsurface water conditions that indicate the potential for liquefaction (CGS 1999). Again, the project would not involve the construction of structures or expose people to the adverse effects of seismic related ground failure, such as liquefaction.

Therefore, impacts would be Class IV, no impact.

In addition, most of the northern half of the Wilderness Area and a few locations in the southern region are identified as being susceptible to seismically induced landslides (CGS 1999). However, the project does not involve the construction of structures or residences within these areas that would expose people to the adverse effects of landslides. Therefore, impacts would be Class IV, no impact.
2 Would the project result in substantial soil erosion or the loss of topsoil? As noted in Section 5.3, Air Quality, construction associated with the project would involve minor changes, including striping/signage for off-site parking; a 0.6-mile long trail loop; 277
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implementation of sitting benches and lockable gates; and installment of public safety and educational signage. Proposed development is anticipated to involve minor construction equipment (i.e. backhoe, pickup truck, hand tools) that would not cause substantial soil erosion or the loss of topsoil. Impacts would be Class IV, no impacts. 3 Would the project be located on a geologic unit or soil that is unstable as a result of the project, and potentially result in on- or off-site landslide, lateral spreading, subsidence, liquefaction, or collapse?
Most of the northern half of the Wilderness Area and a few locations in the southern region are identified as being susceptible to seismically induced landslides (CGS 1999). However, the Management Plan would involve minor changes to the area, including foot trails, benches, and signage. Construction activities associated with these structures would not induce landslides, lateral spreading, subsidence, liquefaction, or collapse. Since the project would not construct bathroom facilities or dwelling units, no major structures would be damaged as a result of unstable soil conditions. Therefore, the Management Plan would not expose people to the adverse effects of unstable soil conditions. Impacts would be Class IV, no impact.
4 Would the project be located on expansive soil, as defined in Table 1-B of the Uniform Building Code, creating substantial risks to life or property? According to Section 15.04.110 of the La Verne Municipal Code, foundation systems in the City of La Verne are considered to be on expansive soil unless otherwise specified by a registered geotechnical engineer. However, the Management Plan would not involve construction of structures within the Wilderness Area that would require protective measures against damage caused by soil movement. Therefore, impacts would be Class IV, no impact.
5 Would the project 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 wastewater?
The Management Plan does not involve the installment of septic tanks or wastewater treatment systems. Therefore, impacts would be Class IV, no impact.

5.5 Greenhouse Gas Emissions
CEQA Guidelines Appendix G (Section VII) states that a significant impact related to greenhouse gas emissions may result if the project would:
1 Generate GHG emissions, either directly or indirectly, that may have a significant impact on the environment; or
2 Conflict with any applicable plan, policy, or regulation adopted for the purpose of reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases.
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Climate change is the observed increase in the average temperature of the earth’s atmosphere and oceans along with other substantial changes in climate (such as wind patterns, precipitation, and storms) over an extended period. Climate change is the result of numerous, cumulative sources of greenhouse gases (GHG), which contribute to the “greenhouse effect,” a natural occurrence that helps regulate the temperature of the planet. The majority of radiation from the sun hits the Earth’s surface and warms it. The surface in turn radiates heat back towards the atmosphere, known as infrared radiation.

Gases and clouds in the atmosphere trap and prevent some of this heat from escaping into space and re-radiate it in all directions. This process is essential to support life on Earth because it warms the planet by approximately 60° Fahrenheit. Emissions from human activities since the beginning of the industrial revolution (approximately 250 years ago) are adding to the natural greenhouse effect by increasing the gases in the atmosphere that trap heat and contribute to an average increase in Earth’s temperature.

GHGs occur naturally and from human activities. Human activities that produce GHGs include fossil fuel burning (coal, oil, and natural gas for heating and electricity, gasoline and diesel for transportation); methane generated by landfill wastes and raising livestock; deforestation activities; and some agricultural practices. GHGs produced by human activities include carbon dioxide (CO
2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O),
hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), perfluorocarbons (PFC), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). Since 1750, estimated concentrations of CO2, CH4, and N2O in the atmosphere have increased over by 36 percent, 148 percent, and 18 percent respectively, primarily due to human activity. Emissions of GHGs affect the atmosphere directly by changing its chemical composition. Changes to the land surface indirectly affect the atmosphere by changing the way the Earth absorbs gases from the atmosphere. Potential impacts in California of global warming may include loss of snow pack, sea level rise, more extreme heat days per year, more high ozone days, more large forest fires, and more drought years (California Energy Commission [CEC] 2009).

The goal of the Management Plan is to preserve, enhance, and protect the wildlife habitat, corridors, and diversity of the Wilderness Area while including provisions for low-impact recreational use (e.g., trails) and wildlife-oriented education. Operational emissions of the Wilderness Area would be negligible, such as those associated with energy use, solid waste generation, or vehicle trips. In addition, operation of the Wilderness Area would not result in an increase in population within the City of La Verne. In addition, construction associated with the Management Plan would include minor changes achievable with a backhoe, pickup truck, and hand tools. Overall, the project would not involve heavy construction activities or the use of construction machinery that would cause emissions. As such, there would be negligible emissions associated with construction of minor site improvements in the Wilderness Area. Therefore, the project would not generate GHG emissions that would have a significant impact on the environment. Impacts would be Class IV, no impact. 279
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5.6 Mineral Resources
CEQA Guidelines Appendix G (Section XI) states that a significant impact on mineral resources may result if the Project would:
1 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; or,
2 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.

The Wilderness Area is designated as Mineral Resource Zone (MRZ) 1 classification area and Urban Area by the Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey (CGS) (California Geological Survey 2007). MRZ-1 areas are defined as areas with no significant mineral deposits or areas considered highly unlikely for mineral deposits to exist. The Wilderness Area is not utilized for mineral extraction, and would not be used for such purposes under the Management Plan. The Wilderness Area is not delineated as a locally important mineral resource site by the CGS, Los Angeles County, or in the Resource Management chapter of the City’s General Plan. Implementation of the project would not result in the loss of known mineral resources or substantially limit the availability of mineral resources over the long term. Therefore, impacts would be Class IV, no impact.

5.7 Noise
CEQA Guidelines Appendix G (Section XII) states that a significant noise impact may result if the Project would:
1 Expose persons to or generate noise levels in excess of standards established in the local general plan or noise ordinance, or applicable standards of other agencies? 2 Expose persons to or generate excessive groundborne vibration or groundborne noise levels?
3 Cause a substantial permanent increase in ambient noise levels in the project vicinity above levels existing without the project?
4 Cause a substantial temporary or periodic increase in ambient noise levels in the project vicinity above levels existing without the project? 5 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?
6 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? Implementation of the project would not alter the existing noise conditions present at the Wilderness Area, nor would it expose people or structures to groundborne vibration or 280
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La Verne City CouncilSeptember 19, 2022

La Verne City Council
September 19, 2022