Anna L. McPherson, AICP

Principal Environmental Consultant

Anna McPherson has over thirty years’ experience in land use policy planning and private development entitlement at the City of San Diego in the Planning and Development Services Departments.  Ms. McPherson has extensive expertise and proficiency in General and Community Planning, Land Development Review, and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) implementation.

Ms. McPherson possesses substantial knowledge and experience in discretionary project entitlement review and the Land Development Code (LDC). She developed proficiency in the essentials of land development and zoning review, the structure of the LDC, and its amendment process through practical application as senior staff and as a member of the Land Development Code staff team. Additionally, as a long-range planner, she drafted plan and plan amendments for neighborhoods throughout San Diego ranging from Rancho Bernardo to San Ysidro, and served on the General Plan 2008 update team.

Since 2009, Ms. McPherson has practiced CEQA, employing a nimble yet thorough approach to environmental review and the preparation of a range of environmental determinations and documents.  She managed and oversaw the environmental review for several major public and quasi-public projects, most notably the: Barrio Logan Community Plan Update, Otay Mesa Cross Border Facility, Plaza de Panama, and the mixed-use communities of 3 Roots, Riverwalk, and the Trails at Carmel Mountain Ranch.  Ms. McPherson developed several presentations for both the American Planning Association and the Association of Environmental Professionals dedicated to CEQA streamlining strategies.

Ms. McPherson holds Bachelor and Master of Arts Degrees from Texas Tech University in History and Historic Preservation. She attended numerous leadership academies at the city and is a member in good standing of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).