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Vernal Pool Habitat Conservation Plan

MSCP is in the process of creating a Vernal Pool Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). The plan is envisioned as a comprehensive planning approach to preserve vernal pool species and their habitat within the City’s jurisdiction. The HCP will create a new preserve boundary and updated conditions of coverage for San Diego and Riverside fairy shrimp, San Diego button celery, spreading navarretia, California orcutt grass, San Diego mesa mint and Otay mesa mint.

Preliminary Draft Vernal Pool HCP

Notice of 30 day Review and Comment Period
Preliminary Draft Vernal Pool Habitat Conservation Plan (VPHCP)

The City of San Diego Vernal Pool Habitat Conservation Plan (VPHCP) is intended to provide an effective framework to protect, enhance, and restore vernal pool resources within the City of San Diego, while improving and streamlining the environmental permitting process for impacts to threatened and endangered species associated with vernal pools. The VPHCP covered species includes the following seven threaten and endangered species:

  • Otay Mesa mint (Pogogyne nudiuscula, PONU)
  • San Diego Mesa mint (Pogogyne abramsii, POAB)
  • Spreading navarretia (Navarretia fossalis, NAFO)
  • San Diego button-celery (Eryngium aristulatum var. parishii, ERAR)
  • California Orcutt grass (Orcuttia californica, ORCA)
  • Riverside fairy shrimp (Streptocephalus woottoni, RFS)
  • San Diego fairy shrimp (Branchinecta sandiegonensis, SDFS)

The City has coordinated closely with the Wildlife Agencies and consultants on the preparation of the VPHCP as well as taking into consideration input provided by the public. A preliminary draft VPHCP is now complete (see link below). Prior to the completion of the final draft VPHCP, the City would like to provide the public an opportunity to review and provide comments. It is anticipated that the Draft VPHCP and associated environmental document will go out for public review in late fall 2015. Adoption of the VPHCP would require approval by the City and the Wildlife Agencies. It is anticipated that the hearing process and agency permit process would occur in early 2016.

There is a 30-day review and comment period beginning on March 10, 2015 and ending April 10, 2015.   If you are interested in commenting on the draft please e-mail your comments to jkrosch@sandiego.gov and type Vernal Pool Habitat Conservation Plan in the subject line. 

Preliminary Draft Vernal Pool HCP Document

Vernal Pool Interactive Mapping

The draft VPHCP interactive map was prepared to provide interested parties the ability to obtain detailed information about vernal pools and the preservation areas through the use of a GIS web map. The map does not contain any information or data that does not exist in the Preliminary Draft VPHCP document. Refer to the draft document as an alternative format.

To navigate the map, use the search box to enter an address or zoom and pan the map with a mouse or by using the +/- controls on the map.

To bring up more detailed information about the map features, use a left mouse click on the feature(s) of choice. If multiple features exist at the same location, use the Left (<) and Right (>) arrows located at the top of the information window to toggle through the details of each feature.

Refer to the Vernal Pool Species Data Glossary for descriptions of the vernal pool species abbreviations and attribute values used in the map data.

All of the features on the map are preliminary draft and subject to revision.

Access the Vernal Pool Interactive Map here.

Vernal Pool HCP Public Workshop

The Vernal Pool HCP Public Workshop is an opportunity for the public to inform the HCP planning process as well as provide important input on locations and quality of vernal pool resources.

Vernal Pool Preserve Workshop 8/30/2012

Vernal Pool Preserve Workshop 3/15/2012

Vernal Pools Meeting 12/12/2011

Vernal Pool Preserve Workshop 1/14/2011

To provide comments for consideration on any of the draft documents please e-mail jkrosch@sandiego.gov