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_ Vegetation Construction will eliminate some annual grasslands and oak woodlands. No wetlands will be affected because the project proponent has agreed to avoid construction in all wetlands and to avoid a buffer area, as recommended by the DFG. No special-status plant species were found during the surveys. Impacts on potential special-status plants will be avoided by project design measures adopted to avoid and protect wetland habitats. Wildlife Some habitat for common wildlife species will be lost in annual grasslands and oak woodlands from construction and increased levels of human disturbance. Impacts on wildlife -- species associated with wetlands will be minimal because wetlands will avoided. Ten special-status wildlife species have been observed on or near the project site. Many of these species occur in wetland habitats and will be protected by mitigation measures for wetlands. These species include the bald eagle, peregrine falcon, osprey, yellow-breasted chat, yellow warbler, Cooper's hawk, Swainson's hawk, ringtail, California tiger salamander, and fairy shrimp. Elderberry shrubs will be avoided during construction, which will protect habitat for the valley elderberry longhorn beetle. Several impacts were identified as potentially significant, including impacts from the cumulative losses of Swainson's hawks foraging habitat in annual grasslands and irrigated pastures caused by land use changes or further subdivision. Habitat loss would not be a significant impact on the burrowing owl because the species was not observed and only a small amount of suitable habitat would be lost. If burrowing owls colonize the site in the future, construction in annual grasslands could cause mortality. Extensive grading within 0.5 mile of potential breeding sites could cause mortality and eliminate habitat for the California tiger salamander. These impacts will be reduced to less-than-significant levels by implementing the recommended mitigation measures. Mitigation Measures _ Vegetation No mitigation is required for the loss of a small acreage of annual grasslands. An oak protection plan will be prepared and submitted to the county before homesite approval. The plan will include the oak revegetation mitigation measures and monitoring plan described in this report. Impacts on wetlands will be mitigated by avoidance and establishment of 100-foot buffers from riparian woodlands and vernal pools and 50-foot buffers around freshwater 2 F _