HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/6/2010 - STAFF REPORTS - 5.D.'Fs L /in SA
A.
�� �, City of Palm Springs
V 0
Department of Planning Services
lil .'_UU F. T.tl yw/ ( an�'un \Val " Palm 5) rint;s, C.,t,rni.t )_'_'�>?
\. 'p
T,1- ("( (m j2i-8245 ® Fay: ((,U) i22-Sit)!) W \V l E,almsFirin 5 .t.t i
September 30, 2010
John Kalish, Field Manager
Bureau of Land Management
1201 Bird Center Drive
Palm Springs, CA 92262
Public Comments Reference: CACA-42965-2200 (CA-066.62)
RE: Proposed Land Exchange Between the Bureau of Land Management and
the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.
The City of Palm Springs appreciates the opportunity to provide comment on the
proposed land exchange between the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and
the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians (Tribe). We recognize the exchange
allows for the more efficient management of lands within the Santa Rosa and
San Jacinto Mountains National Monument (SRSJMNM), and consider the
proposal a significant step forward in the continued conservation of open space
lands within and around the City of Palm Springs. The City supports the
proposed exchange and asks that the BLM and Tribe consider the following
comments in finalizing the Memorandum of Understanding on the matter.
Future Development Potential
In a review of the environmental assessment for the proposed land exchange
(EA Number CA-060-0010-0005) the City understands that the proposal would
transfer 5,799 acres from the BLM to the Tribe in exchange for 1,470 acres from
the Tribe to the BLM. However, under separate land use plans adopted by the
BLM and Tribe', the land exchange would reduce the net acreage available for
potential development and disturbance from a total of 279 to 236 acres. The City
applauds this reduction in developable acreage and encourages the BLM and
Tribe to seek any additional opportunities to reduce the impacts of potential
development on these sensitive lands.
Access to Existing Trails
The Environmental Assessment indicates that approximately 11.6 miles of
identified trails are located within the lands subject to the proposed exchange:
The BLM's California Desert Conservation Area Plan Amendment for the Coachella Valley
(CDCA) and the Tribe's Habitat Conservation Plan (THCP)
'���dbf�old
ZTeM S. D,
,OP-W
US Bureau of Land Management September 29, 2010
BLM / ACBCI Land Exchange Page 2 of 2
About 2.3 miles will be transferred to the BLM and about 11.3 miles will be
transferred to the Tribe. The EA also notes that trails transferred to the BLM will
be subject to the California Desert Conservation Area Plan and the Santa Rosa
and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Management Plan. Trails
transferred to the Tribe would be subject to the Indian Canyons Master Plan and
Tribal Land Use Code.
It is the City's hope that the sum total of these plans and policies will result in
continued public access to these trails - access that has historically defined their
use — and that no new limits or other restrictions on access would result from the
exchange. Any efforts which the BLM and Tribe might include in the
Memorandum of Understanding to assure such continued access would be
appreciated.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this proposal. If you have any
questions, feel free to contact me at 760-323-8269 or
craiq.ewina an,palmspringsca,gov.
Sincerely,
Cr i . Ewiii AICP
Director pfnning Services
cc: City Council
City Manager
City Attorney
Margaret Park, AICP; Director of Planning and Natural Resources,
Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians
1 r�y dii •::':it�'•'::��;•::•'; •�• i•' �` � >.AI c �t ,t % i,v: � tiY.�-• - .A �'
� r a VM1)�J\� '�,,•}i'�j�T .ra k1 r `�I�r � � ,:w� � 1. � � 1 �t rl �',� 1j„A•r"; w�H �. 11. >'" ,tC'� m...W„•.
ba Al
. y
`
n , •� rn-' � err' t? Cola r:: [ � �' f °�`' i 1 � :tir
a z
r. 4
IY .. b• i
/S
\R �
3'��:H" �' 4 yr • rf ^V.� y dM � f � w � '4 �`1l1 1
y
.r
,r
Ir
r m
to : F
" 3� ■ , : a it PI r, '
Ta
-
N, tPd „„n r G.,.' •l.t -, ' t� a %:,"i' Pyy „)e� �1,...
32
r.. � �5rys. a ,v \ ..�.�..••.��•;Y:�ti, vti a��o � „. 1 '�• �,� �• r• �g,t�1 '
•tr � ' y
r lS iN aY' ! •.:•4 r � 1 � �ry �„r1�Llr'. � 7�.. A�, N � d rf (� 1 !?%'�M,
' r / ; .: r: a�� t ��r .,....6M" '�di�.,>•r�_,nh� ^ � �F°,. � ''G� w T. � � s
t4 � •' M1 i hCp� S r>C.Cloll mal May Iw Alk .,11
'rhr�ugL Major Alncnllnwnt rd May
ItuitusloTrawferOff-siw,d c r
4 r
Me it 1 nuance Lrcto
p
ti
wr
rll cNo .Y utHal'
. Se Y:n/
yr,
Sys,, r•1 ..L � S .
ti .sue'
i
y
# k • 1r:
f.
Y,
1" Jr
�C i �•
1f \ ,
d
. 4.,
I•
h
151%, Vevdolnlwat Allowance fim
Y A 1d ',, q• Ah\ Nor[Urn Qua.1cr If $ectio M44 1 •�
^` � f - Iw• rn'1 Lis lawatmn �r, .
bZ.
,r7t 7,.
.:.
p' 20 / , / j�1/, f°%; 22 23 ZU
Ci
a r,
r'4 :'' . ! Tribal Land Outside Reservation
BLM Lands for Potential Exchange to Tribe
r
Reservation
_ j•-_.:� _• N MCCA/VFCA Boundary
n r/`�,�y`�ar II ,•:,� �BighornSheepUse,Ar'e,a
100% Conservation
95% Conservation
85% Conservation
i
i
10 /o 0 Impact
P
Mitigation Must Occur On Site
g t + f t Uses Must be Consistent With Indian Canyons Master Plan
® Park -related Uses Only
I:W'u01917\'r5G07 Aog4C41iel4-WWp\THCp\Fig35.p&5 C.—rv.tion.nixd-HV
Peninsular Bighorn Sheep Conservation Requirements
AGUA CALIENTE THCP
9 111 X Figure 34