HELIX Environmental Planning, Inc.

HELIX staff braved the rain to attend the exciting unveiling of the first sculpture for the City of Folsom’s Johnny Cash Trail Art Experience! The project involves the installation of art sculptures at multiple distinct locations along the City’s existing Class I Johnny Cash Trail. HELIX prepared CEQA/NEPA compliance documentation and technical studies for the project, and we are thrilled to see the first piece by artist Adan Romo shared with the public.

We are excited to announce the promotion of Lauren Singleton to Biology Group Manager! In this expanded role, Lauren joins the Southern California Biology Division leadership overseeing a diverse team of biologists who work on a wide variety of biological surveys, environmental compliance monitoring, restoration planning and monitoring, and regulatory permitting for private and public projects. 

Last week, HELIX staff attended the ribbon cutting for Vista Azul, an affordable housing project for 70 families in Carlsbad. HELIX provided biological monitoring and restoration installation, maintenance, and monitoring for the project. Most impactful during the event, the team enjoyed hearing from one of the new residents and their personal story.

We celebrated employee ownership month last week across our office locations. For 20 years, HELIX has been an employee-owned firm providing employees with a vested interest in the firm’s success through our Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).

HELIX attended the ribbon cutting for UC San Diego’s Pepper Canyon West Living and Learning Neighborhood, a 580,000-square-foot student residential complex consisting of two buildings accommodating 1,300 beds. HELIX provided environmental CEQA compliance, pre-construction biological monitoring, construction monitoring for biological and cultural resources, and arborist surveys for the project. The event was attended by Chancellor of UC San Diego Pradeep Khosla, Assemblymember Tasha Boerner, Senator Catherine Blakespear, and others.

HELIX led a panel discussion on the topic of analyzing and mitigating Vehicle Miles Traveled and Greenhouse Gas emissions under CEQA at the Northern California Association of Environmental Professionals (AEP) Conference in Anderson, California.

We had an exciting Wednesday night at the San Diego Association of Environmental Professionals (AEP) Awards and Scholarship Banquet. HELIX’s contributions were recognized through two awards – Outstanding CEQA Streamlining (for the County of San Diego Market Street Affordable Housing Categorical Exemption project) and Outstanding Technical Report (for the Tijuana River Valley Invasive Species Removal and Restoration Biological Technical Report). HELIX also served as a sponsor for the event to support the AEP Diversity in the Environmental Profession Student Scholarship.

HELIX staff had a great time at the scholarship golf tournament presented by the City of San Diego Engineering & Capital Projects Department and the San Diego Chapter of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC). The event raises funds for scholarships to benefit local San Diego engineering students at the high school and college levels.

One of HELIX’s very own won the longest drive contest for women at the 27th Annual City of Folsom Mayor’s Cup Golf Tournament benefiting Folsom’s CAVE Teen Centers. The CAVE program provides a safe, structured, and positive environment for middle school students to receive supervised after-school care.

HELIX’s restoration ecologists have been busy hosting a 2-day seminar with the Wetland Training Institute on the basics of habitat restoration for wetland and riparian areas. Attendees have been learning the fundamental elements of site selection, planning, and installation techniques essential to successful restoration planning.