About Us
Peter Carlson
President
Years of Experience:
- 33 years
Education
- B.A. Environmental Studies, with an emphasis in Urban Planning and History: University of California, Santa Barbara, 1987
Professional Affiliations
- Association of Environmental Planners
- American Planning Association
As President of Carlson Strategic Land Soltuions, Peter Carlson’s expertise includes project management/project entitlement, CEQA/NEPA compliance, and biology/regulatory permitting. He has prepared numerous environmental documents for a wide variety of public and private projects including regional mitigation sites, residential and commercial development, parks and lighted ball fields, schools, churches, roadways, commercial airports, and storm drain facilities. His strong planning background and ability to review and understand technical documents (including traffic, hydrology, biology, and geology) enables him to prepare environmental documents with a clear understanding of the project objectives and technical details. Carlson has taken an active role with regulatory staff in negotiating regulatory permits, preparing and negotiating Section 7 consultations and Habitat Conservation Plans, preparing restoration plans, and monitoring field conditions. In 1999, Carlson joined Vandermost Consulting Services, Inc. (VCS) where he served as Vice President until 2016. At VCS, he managed a team of environmental planners, regulatory specialists and biologists, and served as Principal-in-Charge on many of the firm’s more complicated and high profile projects. Carlson formed Carlson Strategic Land Solutions, Inc. in 2016 to continue providing an array of strategic consulting services to his clients.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
- 2016 – Present | Carlson Strategic Land Solutions | President
- 1999 – 2016 | VCS Environmental | Vice President
- 1990 – 1998 | City of Laguna Niguel | Planner
- 1987 – 1990 | City of Newport Beach | Planner
Brianna Bernard
Project Manager, Biologist
Years of Experience:
- 8 years
Education
B.S. Biological Science/Environmental Science, California Baptist University, Riverside, CA 2012
Professional Affiliations
- Planning Commissioner in Wildomar
- Inland Empire Women’s Transportation Seminar Board of Directors
Certifications/Training
- 24 Hour HAZWOPER Certification
- Wetland Training Institute Certified, February 2015
Brianna is a Project Manager and Biologist at Carlson Strategic Land Solutions (CSLS). Her educational background at California Baptist University has given her the foundation for working with other biologists and ecologists. Her expertise is in biological services, such as surveys and monitoring, and the overall organizations and completeness of a project and her ability to follow and see a project to completion, along with assisting in the preparation of US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Section 404 Permits, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Section 1602 Streambed Alteration Agreements and Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) Section 401 Water Quality Certifications. Prior to joining CSLS, Brianna worked as Biologist and Project Manager at VCS Environmental, where her duties included assisting in the preparation of regulatory permits, biological surveys and monitoring, preparation of biological reports, project entitlements, and CEQA compliance. Brianna utilizes her knowledge from prior experience to find the best solutions with her specialized skills. Currently, Brianna is a Planning Commissioner in Wildomar.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
- 2016 – Present | Carlson Strategic Land Solutions | Project Manager/Biologist
- 2019 – Present |Wildomar Planning Commissioner
- 2013 – 2016 | VCS Environmental | Project Manager/ Biologist
- 2012 – 2013 | Wilson & Company, Inc. Engineering & Architects | Drafter/Marketing
Technical Team
In addition to the services CSLS directly provides, we have formed strategic partnerships with other technical consultants that we can rely upon, on an as-needed basis, to address specific issues or conduct studies as necessary. Instead of growing the firm with a large technical staff, CSLS has intentionally kept the company small so Peter Carlson can directly manage and work on projects, instead of managing staff. This model provides the client with consistency of a project manager for the life of the project and allows the flexibility to grow almost instantly in order to best serve our client’s needs.
Our Perspective
We believe it is essential each environmental document provide a balanced analysis of the facts for the decision-makers to consider. Environmental documents need to be not only defensible, but readable for all audiences, not just a regurgitation of a technical report. We believe the best consulting is about the people working on the project daily; not the name over the door. CSLS brings together a team of environmental professionals who have been preparing environmental documents for 30 years. We can compete with the biggest of firms and write just as technically and legally sound an EIR as the next firm. What distinguishes us from those other firms is our people, our perspective, and our attitude.
Our Attitude
Two words, strategic and responsive. We believe our role as an effective environmental consultant requires understanding the big picture as well as details at the same time. While this may sound simple, it is too often overlooked, resulting in adverse effects on the project and/or process. Some people get lost in the details and miss the big picture, while others “fly too high” and miss the details. The expertise and experience of the CSLS team allows us to keep equal attention to the details and the big picture goals, and allows us to strategically think and interact with all affected parties to avoid or effectively address challenges.
Our Mission
With a mission to understand, innovate, partner and deliver, CSLS provides environmental and urban planning services that specialize in project management/project entitlement, CEQA/NEPA project management, preparation of environmental documents, biology, regulatory permitting and compliance, and mitigation oversight. CSLS is dedicated to balancing the built and natural environment by providing these services and distinguishes itself from others through extensive experience and ability to understand the client’s short and long term goals, while working with technical details to create strategic and viable solutions to meet those goals.