Tentative Tract Map 60148

The Pacific Mesquite residential housing project, identified as Tract 60148, involves the development of 31 acres of land in Palmdale, California, to create 127 single-family units and one detention basin. Because the project will result in the incidental take of 436 western Joshua trees, which are protected under the California Endangered Species Act and the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife issued Incidental Take Permit No. 1927-ITP-2024-019-05 to Pacific Communities Builder, Inc. This permit is effective through November 30, 2030, and requires the permittee to pay a mitigation fee of 210,080.00 dollars into the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Fund. To comply with the permit, the developer must implement several environmental safeguards, including the relocation of 34 western Joshua trees and the appointment of a qualified Designated Biologist to monitor project activities. Key requirements include conducting a mandatory education program for all personnel, delineating site boundaries with fencing or stakes, and maintaining detailed daily observation records. The permittee is obligated to submit a Project Completion Report within one month of the project's end, as well as annual relocation maintenance reports for two years and a final completion report after a three-year maintenance period. All communications and reports must be submitted to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the permittee is prohibited from entering into any confidentiality agreements that would impede open communication with the agency regarding the take of protected trees or permit violations.