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Santa Rosa board approves Kelly Farm mitigation bank, says credits could save ratepayers millions
Summary
The board unanimously adopted a mitigated negative declaration and approved a 99‑acre mitigation bank at Kelly Farm to create tiger salamander breeding pools, restore wetlands and generate mitigation credits staff say are worth an estimated $35.8 million on the open market; staff presented mitigation, endowment and monitoring plans and addressed neighbor concerns.
The Santa Rosa Board of Public Utilities voted unanimously to adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration and approve the Kelly Farm Mitigation Bank project, a roughly 99‑acre effort to restore wetlands and establish California tiger salamander breeding and upland habitat credits.
“By enhancing this property we will be successful in helping to aid in the recovery of the species,” said Shawn McNeel, deputy director of environmental services, summarizing the biological rationale for the bank and staff’s outreach with resource agencies.
Staff described the project as a mixture of wetland restoration and targeted construction of three deeper breeding pools for California tiger salamanders, upland habitat enhancements, invasive species removal and managed cattle grazing. The bank area would cease routine irrigation on the bank acreage while a recycled water line would continue to traverse the parcel to serve a separate vineyard. Staff said they will drill an…
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