Planning, Permitting, Construction Monitoring, and Biological Mitigation Services for Warehouse Project in Desert Hot Springs

FCS prepared an Addendum to the Desert Hot Springs General Plan EIR and supporting technical studies for a warehouse project in the City of Desert Hot Springs, California. The project involved the construction of an approximately 653,442-square-foot e-commerce warehouse and distribution center for consumer products on approximately 94.62 acres of undeveloped land. Biological studies included a general biological survey and habitat assessment, rare plant surveys, a jurisdictional delineation, and surveys for a variety of special-status wildlife species, including Desert Tortoise, Burrowing Owl, and Desert Kit Fox. Documentation prepared in support of the project included a Biological Resources Assessment, a Coachella Valley Multiple Species Conservation Plan (MSHCP) Consistency Analysis report, and special-status species survey reports, which formed the basis for analyses of potential project impacts during California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review by the City of Desert Hot Springs.

Following approval of the Addendum and the project by the City, FCS, at the project applicant's request, implemented pre-construction and construction-phase measures outlined in the Mitigation, Monitoring, and Reporting Program (MMRP) for the project. This included pre-construction surveys for rare plants—such as Coachella Valley milk-vetch (Astragalus lentiginosus var. coachellae), Little San Bernardino Mountains linanthus (Linanthus maculatus ssp. maculatus), and Desert Sand Verbena (Abronia villosa var. aurita)—as well as surveys for Mojave Desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii), Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia), and nesting birds. The team also developed and implemented mitigation measures to minimize potential impacts on these species during construction. Key activities included pre-construction surveys, continuous biological monitoring, regular Worker Environmental Awareness Program (WEAP) training for construction crews, and documentation and reporting throughout the construction phase.

Due to the presence of nesting burrowing owls on-site in 2023, FCS, on behalf of the project applicant, prepared and submitted a Burrowing Owl Mitigation Plan to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for their review and approval. Following approval of the plan by CDFW and USFWS, FCS biologists implemented the measures contained in the plan, including conducting pre-construction surveys, establishing Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) and visual screens around nesting and satellite burrows for three pairs of burrowing owls that occupied the site in 2024, monitoring the owl pairs using binoculars and trail cameras, providing direction to the project applicant and their general contractor regarding on-site activities throughout the breeding season, and reporting to the City of Desert Hot Springs, CDFW, and USFWS on the status of nesting activities and the owls’ responses to project activities. Following the conclusion of nesting and the successful fledging and dispersal of the chicks, FCS biologists performed passive eviction of any remaining owls and excavated and closed the burrows.

The project team from FCS was led by Senior Project Manager Angela Wolfe and Principal Biologist Dr. Michael W. Tuma, with significant contributions from Associate Biologists Jeremy Reinhard, Jade Valenciano, Kelly Evans, Kyle Killian, Sebastian Macias, and Hannah Carney. Their efforts ensured that all mitigation measures and best management practices were effectively implemented, thoroughly documented, and reported to regulatory agencies. This comprehensive approach demonstrated the Biological Resources Management team’s expertise in conducting special-status species surveys, developing effective mitigation strategies, and performing successful consultations with resource agencies, ensuring the successful completion of the project while protecting local wildlife.

Deliverables: 

• Biological Resources Management 
• Special-status Species Surveys 
• Special-status Species Management Plans 
• Regulatory Reporting 
• Construction Monitoring