Planning Department
Accessibility Tools
- Check if your spelling is correct, or try removing filters.
- Remove quotes around phrases to match each word individually: "blue drop" will match less than blue drop.
- You can require or exclude terms using + and -: big +blue drop will require a match on blue while big blue -drop will exclude results that contain drop.
Multiple Species Conservation Program
The Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP) was developed to preserve a network of habitat and open space, protecting bio-diversity and enhancing the region's quality of life. The City of San Diego is one of several jurisdictions participating in the MSCP. The MSCP covers 85 species and the core biological resource areas are identified within the City's Multi-Habitat Planning Areas.
The City has completed the planning effort to identify core biological resource areas targeted for conservation and has entered into an Implementing Agreement with federal and state wildlife agencies to ensure implementation of the resource conservation plan and habitat preserve. Current efforts of City MSCP staff largely focus on project review, preserve assembly and biological monitoring. For more information on the program, see the MSCP Summary.
For answers to frequently asked questions about the MSCP, see our 
Questions and Answers document.
MSCP Plan
Visit the MSCP Plan page and review the MSCP Final Plan, City of San Diego MSCP Subarea Plan, Annual Reports, MSCP Framework Management Plan and more.
Vernal Pool Conservation Plan
The Vernal Pool Habitat Conservation Plan is intended to provide an effective framework to protect, enhance and restore vernal pool resources within the City of San Diego, while improving and streamlining the environmental permitting process for impacts to threatened and endangered species associated with vernal pools.
Contacts and References
Visit the Contacts and References page to obtain more information related to the MSCP.
Development Regulations
This section is intended to provide a helpful link to the most commonly referenced MSCP implementing regulations and development guidelines to ensure conformance with the MSCP.
Biological Monitoring
The City performs a variety of biological monitoring activities in conformance with the Biological Monitoring Plan for the Multiple Species Conservation Program.
Maps
SanGIS' Interactive Map allows you to generate site-specific maps with the Multi-Habitat Planning Area (MHPA) overlay to determine if your property is within or adjacent to the MHPA. From the map, enter your address or APN number and then turn on the MHPA layer under 'Ecology'. For more information about MHPA land use adjacency guidelines turn to page 48 in the MSCP subarea plan.