The project addresses impacts related to grading at the El Estero Drain, which included unpermitted work within a small area of emergent wetland and the Southwestern Pond Turtle (now referred to as the Pacific Pond Turtle) habitat. The CDP specifically includes restoring a minimum of 0.06 acres (approximately 2,600 square feet) of emergent wetland habitat, which was a requirement of the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE) due to the previously unpermitted grading at the site.
The Project involves the creation of additional wetland area to provide a total of 4,160 square feet of wetland habitat within streambed, and planting of wetland vegetation on the two 10-foot wide banks to create an additional 10,400 square feet of wetland area. The remainder of the 1.19 acre parcel will become a buffer to the created wetland areas and be planted with riparian and upland vegetation. The Project includes improved turtle access via a ramp from the new culvert to Laguna Channel, one to two feet of channel excavation to impound shallow water and create better quality turtle habitat, realignment and channel widening to facilitate the increase of the total wetland area.
Steven Greer
Project Planner
City of Santa Barbara, Community Development
(805) 564-5470 x 4558
sgreer@SantaBarbaraCA.gov
City of Santa Barbara Planning Division
PO Box 1990
Santa Barbara, CA 93192-1990