Santee MSCP Draft Subarea Plan and Draft Program Environmental Impact Report

For Santee, California

The proposed Santee Multiple Species Conservation Plan (MSCP) Draft Subarea Plan (Subarea Plan or Plan) implements the MSCP Subregional Plan for the City of Santee. The intent of the Plan is to balance urban growth in certain undeveloped areas of the City with the preservation of wildlife habitat supporting sensitive plant and animal species. The Plan would allow for future private and public development to occur within these undeveloped areas by requiring land to be set aside and managed for permanent open space at levels acceptable to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), collectively referred to as the “Wildlife Agencies”. The Plan comprehensively addresses how the City will conserve species pursuant to the California Natural Community Conservation Planning (NCCP) Act of 1991, the California Endangered Species Act (CESA) and the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA).

The future adoption of the Plan would allow the transfer of take permitting authority to the City by which landowners obtain federal and State authorizations for the take of certain listed rare, threatened, or endangered species, while at the same time permanently protecting and managing sufficient land to preserve these species within the subregion. The Plan analyzes 20 sensitive species that would be “covered” under the Plan and defines “Covered Activities” as planned and future development projects, operation and maintenance of City infrastructure and facilities, and preserve management and monitoring activities. The Plan identifies portions of the City where future conservation and habitat enhancement will be directed to a Managed Preserve. The Plan envisions a 2,263-acre Managed Preserve. 

After many years of collaboration with the Wildlife Agencies, the City finalized the draft Subarea Plan and draft Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) prepared in conformance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The draft PEIR is currently out for a 45-day public review period, starting August 4th, 2025 and ending on September 17, 2025. A draft Environmental Assessment (EA) has also been prepared and submitted to the USFWS for federal processing. 

Of note, the Subarea Plan does not specifically authorize or approve the Covered Activities. Covered Activities will be required to undergo separate City environmental review independent of the Subarea Plan, relying on the Subarea Plan to ensure compliance with the ESA and CESA.

In order to receive take authorizations that can be conveyed to third parties under the City’s control, the City will certify the PEIR, adopt the Subarea Plan and Implementing Agreement between the City and Wildlife Agencies (IA) that will memorialize the terms of the Subarea Plan,  promulgate a Habitat Loss and Incidental Take (HLIT) Ordinance that will define a permitting structure as to how to address biological impacts, and process a General Plan Amendment (GPA) that will incorporate the approved Subarea Plan by reference. 

Notice of Availability
Environmental Impact Report
Subarea Plan
Subarea Plan Appendices