Over the past several years we have completed a number of biotic assessments in the Napa and Sonoma region to assist vineyards in expanding, enhancing, or otherwise altering their vineyard operations. One such project, Amichi Cellars, which is located just outside of downtown Calistoga, required a biotic assessment to assess the environmental conditions on their property to gain approval for a modernization and modification project.
Zentner conducted surveys of the project site and identified the site’s special biotic resources which included an ephemeral drainage, a pond that supported the special status western pond turtle, and oak woodland habitat that contained a variety of native plant species. We provided a thorough biotic assessment of the project site with a discussion of the proposed project’s potential impacts on these resources. We then worked with the client to identify sensible avoidance and minimization measures to reduce and prevent potential project impacts to resources and we included these measures in the biotic assessment.
Our biotic assessment allowed our client to complete the biological component of their permit process and provided them with a clear path forward for their project. The completed biotic assessment also provided the client with a better understanding of their property’s biological constraints and so that they can plan for future projects.
