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Council reconfirms annual fee increase for regional habitat‑mitigation program
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Summary
The council adopted a resolution reconfirming the automatic consumer‑price‑index adjustment to the Western Riverside County Multi‑Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP) development mitigation fee effective July 1, 2025.
Temecula’s City Council on June 10 adopted a resolution reconfirming the automatic annual adjustment to the Western Riverside County Multi‑Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP) local development mitigation fee, an amount the staff said is set by the implementing agreement and adjusts by the consumer price index. The council approved the resolution unanimously.
Staff explained the city is a member of the Western Riverside Regional Conservation Authority (RCA). The MSHCP, adopted by Riverside County and 18 cities in 2003, preserves plants, animals and habitat across roughly 500,000 acres and funds land acquisition, management, biological monitoring and administration through a local development mitigation fee (LDMF). The LDMF adjusts automatically each year by the change in the consumer price index; staff reported the fee will increase by 2.9363% effective July 1, 2025. The adjustment applies to residential (sliding scale by density) and to commercial/industrial projects (per‑acre charges).
Staff also told the council the fee is a pass‑through: cities collect the fee at building permit issuance and forward the money to the RCA. The staff confirmed that the LDMF is not subject to CEQA and that a 2020 nexus study provides the legal justification for the fee. With no public comment on the item, council adopted the resolution reconfirming the automatic annual fee adjustment.
Key facts - Fee adjustment rate: +2.9363% (effective 07/01/2025). - Jurisdiction: Western Riverside County MSHCP administered by the RCA; Temecula collects fees at building permit issuance and remits to RCA.
Speakers - Mr. Peters, City staff presenter (planning/finance staff)
Action - Adopt resolution reconfirming automatic annual MSHCP local development mitigation fee adjustment: approved 5-0.
Why it matters: The adjustment maintains the regional habitat mitigation funding stream that underwrites land acquisition and management for species and habitat protection across multiple jurisdictions.
