Key Dates
Stakeholder Working Group Meeting: Working Draft - Technical Components of the Conservation Strategy
The County invited interested members of the community to attend and listen in at our Stakeholder Working Group Meeting, which was held on Wednesday, July 10, 2024 from 10:00am – 12:00pm. At this meeting staff provided an overview of the approach taken to develop the Working Draft of the North County Plan: Technical Components of the Conservation Strategy and discussed the feedback received from the public and stakeholders. This document was available for public review for 45 days from April 22, 2024 – June 6, 2024.
There was an opportunity at the start of the meeting for members of the public to provide a 2-minute public comment to address County staff or the Stakeholder Working Group on aspects of the North County Plan.
Presentation Slides (English and Espanol)
Stakeholder Working Group Meeting Recording (English and Espanol)
Public Review Period: Working Draft - Technical Components of the Conservation Strategy
The Working Draft of the North County Plan: Technical Components of the Conservation Strategy were available for public review from April 22, 2024 – June 6, 2024.
The County of San Diego was requesting feedback on several technical components of the Conservation Strategy for the Working Draft North County Multiple Species Conservation Plan (North County Plan). These components include the biological goals, objectives, and conservation actions at the landscape, natural community, and species level as well as project guiding conservation standards and avoidance and minimization measures.
We appreciate you taking the time to provide your input as we continue to develop the North County Plan in preparation for a full public draft to be released in 2025. To view the document, please click the “Working Draft of the Plan” tool at the bottom of the page.
To view the comments letters that were received, please use the "Comment Letters" widget on the right-hand side of this page.
Public Workshops: Conservation Strategy Overview
The County invited interested members of the community to attend and listen in at our Stakeholder Working Group Meeting, which was held on Wednesday, November 15, 2023 from 2:00pm – 3:00pm. There was an opportunity at the start of the meeting for members of the public to provide a 2-minute public comment to address County staff or the Stakeholder Working Group on aspects of the North County Plan.
Presentation Slides (English and Espanol)
November 15, 2023: Stakeholder Working Group Meeting Recording (English)
The County held online North County Plan Virtual Public Workshops on Thursday November 16 from 6:00pm – 7:00pm to provide an update on the Conservation Strategy, which outlines how projects and the future preserve system will meet the goals and objectives of the North County Plan to protect the Covered Species, as well as provide an opportunity for you to ask questions and provide your thoughts on this topic.
Public Workshops: Effects Analysis
The County invited interested members of the community to attend and listen in at our Stakeholder Working Group Meeting, which was held on Friday, October 20, 2023 from 1:00pm – 3:00pm. There was an opportunity at the start of the meeting for members of the public to provide a 2-minute public comment to address County staff or the Stakeholder Working Group on aspects of the North County Plan.
Presentation Slides (English and Espanol)
October 20, 2023: Stakeholder Working Group Meeting Recording (English)
The County held online North County Plan Virtual Public Workshops on Tuesday, October 24 and Wednesday, November 1 from 6:00pm – 7:30pm to provide an overview of the Effects Analysis, which determines the amount of impact and mitigation that is forecasted to occur from the Covered Activities, as well as to provide an opportunity for you to ask questions and provide your thoughts on those topics.
Public Workshops: Revised Covered Species List and Covered Activities
The County invited interested members of the community to attend and listen in at our Stakeholder Working Group Meeting, which was held on Friday, April 14, 2023 from 3:30pm – 5:00pm. There was an opportunity at the start of the meeting for members of the public to provide a 2-minute public comment to address County staff or the Stakeholder Working Group on aspects of the North County Plan.
April 14, 2023: Stakeholder Working Group Meeting Recording (English), Meeting Presentation
The County held online North County Plan Virtual Public Workshops on Tuesday, April 18 and Wednesday, April 28 from 6:00pm – 7:30pm to provide an overview of the revisions to the draft Covered Species list to include indicator species and anticipated Covered Activities.
Presentation Slides (English and Español)
April 18, 2023: Public Workshop Recording (English and Español)
April 26, 2023: Public Workshop Recording (English)
Public Workshops: Plan Area, Preserve Design, Covered Species
On October 28, 2020 (6), the Board of Supervisors directed staff to continue development of the North County Plan as a joint Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Community Conservation Plan (HCP/NCCP) to achieve many of the same environmental and economic benefits realized through the adopted County Subarea Plan (South County Plan).
The County invited interested members of the community to attend and listen in at our Stakeholder Working Group Meeting held on Monday, October 25 from 1:00pm – 3:00pm. There was an opportunity at the start of the meeting for members of the public to provide a 2-minute public comment to address County staff or the Stakeholder Working Group on aspects of the North County Plan.
October 25, 2021: Stakeholder Working Group Meeting Recording (English), Meeting Presentation
The County held online North County Plan Virtual Public Workshops on Monday, November 30 and Tuesday, December 6 from 6:00pm – 8:00pm to provide an overview of the draft Plan Area boundary, preserve design, and Covered Species list based on the Board direction received.
November 30, 2021: Public Workshop Recording (English)
Board of Supervisors Hearing
The County has been developing the North County Multiple Species Conservation Plan (North County Plan), an independent HCP/NCCP, to bring the same environmental and economic benefits to the unincorporated north county area as have been realized through the South County Plan. Preparation of the North County Plan will also fulfill goals and policies of the County General Plan and mitigation requirements identified in the County General Plan Update Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Implementation of the North County Plan will result in other benefits related to preservation of open space, protection of water resources, creation of recreational opportunities, promotion of agricultural operations, and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. In return, development permit streamlining can occur through permits to allow the incidental take of threatened and endangered species that are covered by the North County Plan.
In 2019, the County selected ICF Consulting, a national leader in regional conservation planning that has successfully prepared HCP/NCCPs throughout California, to: review the 2017 Preliminary Draft North County Plan in relation to current HCP/NCCP practices and regulatory requirements; confirm that the desired economic and biological benefits of the North County Plan can still be realized; consider additional options available to the County to address ESA and CESA compliance; and, develop planning options for discussion and input from the North County Plan Steering Committee and members of the public. ICF Consulting summarized their findings in the North County Multiple Species Conservation Plan Status Review and Options Assessment (Assessment).
This was a request for the Board to receive and provide direction on the options identified in the Assessment. Estimated one-time program development costs range from $300,000 to $3.5 million in Fiscal Year 2020-21, depending on the option directed by the Board.
Report: Status Review and Option Assessment
The County selected ICF, a statewide leader in regional conservation planning, to review the draft North County Plan in relation to current practices and regulatory requirements and to develop planning options for public discussion and input. Their review is summarized in a report entitled the North County Multiple Species Conservation Plan Status Review and Options Assessment.
A public outreach period was held for the Options Assessment from March 4 to May 14, 2020 to collect feedback for discussions with the Board of Supervisors in fall 2020. The County held several meetings with public agencies, business organizations, environmental groups, community groups, and other interested members of the public. This included Steering Committee meetings held on March 6, 2020 and on May 1, 2020 (virtual) and a public Q&A session held virtually on April 30, 2020.