Crsn,stnl San Lnis Resource Conservation District.545 Main Sfreet Suite B-1 Morro

"?;Oa,O 93442 (805)'172-4391 {fax) 772-4398

Upper Sttlinss-Las Tablas Re,source Conserv{rtion District65 South Main Street, Suite 107. Templeton, CA t)3165 i805) 434-0396, exr4 (fax) 431-{)284

Resolution of the Coastal San Luis Resource and the Upper Salinas-Las Tablas

Resource Conservation Districts approving the

Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Plan

for the Partners in Restoration, Permit

Coordination Program for the County of San Luis Obispo

WFIEREAS, the Coastal San Luis Resource Conservation District, hereinafter refered to as theCSL RCD and the Upper Salinas-Las Tablas Resource Conservation District hereinafter refenedto as the US-LT RCD are separate and independent special statutory districts of the State ofCalifornia, collectively referred to hereinafter as "the Districts," "the Parties" and/or the "Co-lrad Agencies" for the Mitigated Negative Declaration prepared for the Partners in Restoration(PR) Permit Coordination Program for the County of San Luis Obispo; and

WIIEREAS, the Districts are governmental organizations and were formed under the statutes ofDivision 9 of the California Public Resources Code laws of the State of California; and

WFIEREAS, the Districts are the co-lead agencies under the California Environmental QualityAct ("CEQA") for the PIR Permit Coordination Program ("Project"); and

WIDREAS, the Project provides for the implementation of eighteen practices intended for theimprovement and restoration of resources in San Luis Obispo County; and

WFIEREAS, the District's partners, Sustainable Conservation and the USDA Natural ResourcesConservation Service (NRCS), assisted in the preparation of the PIR Program and the MitigatedNegative Declaration; and

WFffiREAS, the Districts, NRCS and Sustainable Conservation requested and receivedassistance and input in the development of the PIR Program from the Central Coast RegionalWater Quality Control Board, California Department of Fish and Game, County of San LuisObispo, US Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, US ArmyCorps of Engineers, and California Coastal Commission, and

WFIEREAS, the initial study and draft mitigated negative declaration have determined that theimplementation of the Practices identified in the PIR Program would not have a significant effecton the environment as the Practices have self-mitigating characteristics and because mitigationmeasures identified in the Mitigated Negative Declaration assuring compliance with theCalifornia Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) have been incorporated into the Project; and

Page 1 of 3

WFDREAS, a publicly noticed meeting was held on March 2,2009 to receive input andfeedback on the Program and the Preliminary Draft Mitigated Negative Declaration in whichpublic agencies, groups and individuals participated; and

WIffiREAS, in accordance with CEQA Section 15072, a notice was published in the TribuneNewspaper including but not limited to the following information:

a. The intent of the Districts to adopt the Mitigated Negative Declarationb. The starting and ending dates for the 30-day public review periodc. A brief description of the proposed projectd. The project locatione. The location that copies of the Draft Mitigated Negative Declaration could be obtained

WF{EREAS, the PIR Program description, initial study and draft Mitigated Negative Declarationwere prepared, noticed and circulated by the Districts to the State Clearinghouse and allResponsible Agencies for a 30-day review period in accordance with CEQA; and

WFIEREAS, during the 30-day review period, the Districts received comments on the PIRProgram and Mitigated Negative Declaration; and

WF{EREAS, the Districts have determined that the corrections and changes identified in theattachments to the Mitigated Negative Declaration do not constitute "substantial revisions" asdefined under Title 14, California Code of Regulations, Chapter 3, Guidelines for theImplementation of the California Environmental Quality Act, Section 15073.5; and

WHEREAS, the District Board of Directors have reviewed and considered the initial study anddraft Mitigated Negative Declaration and its supporting sources, and comments received byaffected governmental agencies and other interested persons; and

WIIEREAS, the Districts have responded to the comments and incorporated the responses to thecomments into the addendum materials to form the Final Mitigated Negative Declarationprepared for board consideration pursuant to this resolution; and

WIIEREAS, the Districts have determined that the Final Mitigated Negative Declaration and themitigation monitoring and reporting program incorporated therein are adequate, complete, andhave been prepared in accordance with CEQA.

NOW, TIIEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED by the Upper Salinas-Las Tablas andCoastal San Luis Board of Directors approve and adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration,including attachments (State Clearinghouse No.2009031101) for the Partners in RestorationPermit Coordination Program. The Districts find the following:

1. The Mitigated Negative Declaration has been prepared and distributed as required by law.

2. There is no substantial evidence in the record as a whole that the project as proposed andmitigated may have a significant effect on the environment.

Pagc 2 of 3

The Mitigated Negative Declaration as adopted for the project reflects the independentjudgment and analysis of the Districts, which have exercised direction of its preparation.

The Project will be de minimus in its effect on wildlife, pursuant to Fish and Game CodeSection 1I1.2.

The mitigations and protection measures identified in the Mitigated Negative Declarationand attachment will be required as conditions of the PIR Program.

The mitigation monitoring and reporling plan prepared for the project is approved andadopted.

The joint custodians of records for the project, including the Mitigated NegativeDeclaration and all supporting materials, are the Upper Salinas-Las Tablas ResourceConservation District, 65 South Main Street, Suite 107, Templeton, CA 93465 and theCoastal San Luis Resource Conservation District 454 Main Street, Suite B-1, Morro Bayc1'93442.

On Behalf of Coastal San Luis Resource Conservation District

On Behalf of Upper Salinas-Las Tablas Resource Conservation District

{{/rr, ,/, iif,rl,r,.t */

The above recitals are true and correct.l?,J ,{ u rt 4 n t t't {a(is faTe a4 bof l, 6o.r r'tk &lt 'i:t / 4 ,{ C4

/i l*s , 2ctt? , )"-t-/ fl-,"7r-"-' u/ /

IN WITNESS WIIEREOF, the Parties hereto have caused this agreement to be duly executed onthe respective dates set forth opposite their signatures.

aJ.

4.

5.

6.

1.

U*t /4^r{LNeil Havlik, Board President

Chuck Pritchard, Board President

Page 3 of'3

Coastcrl Scut Lui,v Resource Conservation District545 Main Srreer Suite Il-1 Morro

"?/;oa,U 93442 tB05)772-4391 (fax) 772-4398

{-lpper Salinas-Las Tal}las Re source Conservation District65 South Main Street, Suite 107, Templeton, CA 93465 (805),X34-0396, ext 4 {fax) 431-{.1284

Resolution of the Coastal San Luis Resource and the Upper Salinas-Las Tablas

Resource Conservation Districts approving the

Partners in Restoration, Permit Coordination Program

for the County of San Luis Obispo

WI{EREAS, the Coastal San Luis Resource Conservation District, hereinafter referred to as theCSL RCD and the Upper Salinas-Las Tablas Resource Conservation District hereinafter referredto as the US-LT RCD, separate and independent special statutory districts of the State ofCalifornia, have partnered with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) andSustainable Conservation, a nonprofit organization, to prepare the Partners in Restoration (PIR)Permit Coordination Program for the County of San Luis Obispo; and

WHEREAS, the Districts are govemmental organizations and were formed under the statutes ofDivision 9 of the California Public Resources Code laws of the State of California: and

WHEREAS, the Districts are the co-lead agencies under the California Environmental QualityAct ("CEQA") for the PIR Permit Coordination Program ("Project"); and

WHEREAS, existing permit processes frequently frustrate landowners, organizatrons and publicagencies attempts to restore and improve the natural resources because permitting is oftencomplicated, time-consuming and costly; and

WHEREAS, the PIR permit coordination program facilitates voluntary conservation on privateand public lands thus building on and achieving the resource conservation objectives of theRegional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB), Department of Fish and Game (CDFG),County of San Luis Obispo, Army Corps, US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), NOAANational Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), NRCS, and the RCDs; and

WffiREAS, the PIR Program establishes eighteen (18) separate environmentally beneficialPractices that will improve and restore the natural resources, soil, water, vegetation, and wildlifein San Luis Obispo County; and

WFIEREAS, the Districts, NRCS and Sustainable Conservation partnered in the development ofthe PIR Program; and

WF{EREAS, staff of the Central Coast RWQCB, CDFG, County of San Luis Obispo, USFWS,NOAA NMFS, US Army Corps of Engineers, and California Coastal Commission providedinput in the development of the PIR Program, and

Page 1 of 3

WIffiREAS, a Mitigated Negative Declaration was approved assuring compliance with theCalifornia Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); and

WFIEREAS, projects that have significant impacts on the environment will not be permitted toparticipate in the PIR Program.

NOW, TI{EREFORE, BE IT I{EREBY RESOLVED that the Upper Salinas-Las Tablas andCoastal San Luis Board of Directors approve the Partners in Restoration Permit CoordinationProgram. The Districts find the following:

1. The approved Mitigated Negative Declaration establishes the limitations and conditionsthat will apply to all projects that are implemented pursuant to the PIR Program.

2. The mitigations and provisions identified in the Mitigated Negative Declaration andattachment will be required as conditions of the PIR Program.

3. The mitigation monitoring and reporting plan prepared for the project will beimplemented by the Districts and NRCS.

4. The PIR Program provides incentives for restoration on private and public land and willserve to implement practices that will result in one or more of the following benefits:

a. Improve degraded water qualityb. Reduce soil erosionc. Enhance habitat for fish and wildlife

5. The Districts and NRCS partners will implement the PIR Permit Coordination Programdescribed in the Mitigated Negative Declaration. The partners will work closely withregulatory agencies to assure that the program objectives described above are achieved.

6. Separate agreements and/or memorandums of understanding will be established betweenthe Districts and each regulatory agency establishing the procedures that will be utilizedto implement the PIR Program Practices.

The above recitals are true and correct.

tT L(4atti*ou, ,/afr ,{ /:rd EnonQ,v7^., )ao2

l't ofr,'iu:

Page 2 of 3

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have caused this aqreement to be dulv executed onthe respective dates set forth opposite their signatures.

On Behalf of Coastal San Luis Resource Conservation District

On Behalf of Upper Salinas-Las Tablas Resource Conservation District

c/r*L€,fu^lChuck Pritchard, Board President

Havlik, Board President

Page 3 of 3