Tentative Tract Map 60148

The project involves the development of 31 acres of undeveloped land in Lancaster, California, into a residential housing community featuring 127 single-family units and one detention basin, with incidental take of 436 western Joshua trees authorized under the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act and the California Endangered Species Act. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife issued an incidental take permit, numbered 1927-ITP-2024-019-05, which mandates the relocation of 34 western Joshua trees, payment of a $210,080 mitigation fee to the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Fund, and strict adherence to environmental protection protocols, including the establishment of 50-foot buffers around preserved trees, prohibition of herbicide and pesticide use without approval, and mandatory fencing and signage to delineate work zones. The permittee, Pacific Communities Builder, Inc., is responsible for daily on-site monitoring by a designated biologist, implementation of a worker education program, and submission of detailed reports including a relocation plan, post-relocation observations, annual maintenance updates, and a final project completion report, all to be submitted electronically to CDFW. The permit expires on November 30, 2030, and allows for amendments to address new tree discoveries, requiring additional fees and revised documentation. Compliance is enforced through unannounced inspections by CDFW, which retain full access rights to the site for up to five years after project completion, and the permittee must immediately halt work upon any violation. All activities are governed by CDFW-approved protocols, superseding any conflicting CEQA measures, and no federal acquisition regulations apply as this is a state-level environmental permit, not a federal contract. The City of Palmdale serves as the lead agency, while CDFW maintains regulatory oversight, with key contacts including Sarah Rains of CDFW and Sarah Stachnik of the City of Palmdale responsible for coordination and compliance verification.