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 City of Solana Beach
Section 3
Shoreline and Coastal Bluff Management Strategies Draft MEIR
Environmental Impact Analyses
3.3 Biological Resources
3.3.1 Environmental Setting
This section describes existing biological resources in the study area. The study area for the
purposes of this evaluation is the 1.7-mile Solana Beach coastline extending from the top of the
coastal bluffs to the intertidal and nearshore subtidal zone. Focused biological resources field
surveys were not conducted for either the marine or terrestrial components of the study area.
The biological resources existing conditions rely primarily on a review of existing literature and
data, including the recent biological data for the SANDAG Regional Beach Sand Project
(SANDAG, 2000). Surveys of the beach, intertidal, and subtidal habitats were conducted in
1999 and 2000 for the SANDAG project, which included Solana Beach and the adjacent areas
of Cardiff and Del Mar. A site visit was conducted for this project in October 2001 to collect
general biological resources information of the project area.
Terrestrial Vegetation Communities
The terrestrial portion of the study area includes the immediate coastal bluff tops, the cliff faces,
and the beach zone to the mean high tide line. The Solana Beach coastal bluff tops have been
converted primarily to residential land uses. The backyards of these oceanfront homes, in most
cases, abut the cliff face. Landscape plantings and backyard lawns dominate these areas. The
dominant species on the cliff faces immediately seaward of the residential developments in
Solana Beach are iceplant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum), hottentot and sea figs
(Carpobrotus edulis and C. chiensis ), and sea lavender (Limonium perezii). These species are
well adapted to coastal conditions and are common along the entire coastline. Because of the
steepness of the slope in many areas, 50 to 70 percent bare sandstone occurs in many areas.
Remnant coastal bluff scrub and coastal dune species are uncommon along the immediate cliff
edge and on the cliff face. Around Tide Park in northern Solana Beach, sea lavender, hottentot
fig, and sea fig dominate. Various succulent species plantings and tea tree (Melaleuca sp.)
have also become established. This species assemblage is characteristic of the majority of the
1.7-mile study area. At the Del Mar Shores access point in southern Solana Beach, the slope is
less steep and the vegetative cover is greater than in most other cliff sections of Solana Beach.
Tea tree, acacia (Acacia sp.), and sea fig dominate. Sea rocket (cakile maritima), quail bush
(Atriplex lentiformis), and coast goldenbush (Isocoma menziesii) are occasional in this area.
The beach area along the Solana Beach coastline is a relatively narrow stretch of sand with
cobble bands. In general, a lower density of cobbles and higher proportion of sand characterize
the southern section of the Solana Beach study area. The northern segment of the project area
has a higher density of cobble. No terrestrial vegetation is associated with the beach and
intertidal zone.
Marine Vegetation Communities
The subtidal zone along Solana Beach is characterized by a soft-bottom (sand) substrate with
several rocky intertidal and low relief reef areas (hard-bottom). The hard-bottom rocky intertidal
Project No. 323530000
Page 3-41
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