SITE DEVELOPMENT

Successful site development projects are often measured by how much they are taken for granted. Our communities expect safe and comfortable roads, clean water from the tap and conveniently disappearing wastewater and storm water. At Brelje & Race, we know that successful site development doesn't just "happen". It is the result of skilled, experienced engineers evaluating an undeveloped parcel of land, and developing a plan that allows for the best and highest use of that land. Successful site development also demands an ability to maintain up to the minute familiarity with changing regulations that affect the development industry - from emergency listing of endangered species, to evolving regulations relating to the collection, storage, and treatment of storm water runoff. Brelje & Race has demonstrated an ability to meet all the challenges of site development in today's demanding political and regulatory climate.

Residential
Few people will admit to favoring more residential development, yet there remains a critical need for more housing at all price levels if our children are to be able to stay in our communities. At Brelje & Race, we are proud of our long history of land planning and engineering of livable, well-engineered, low maintenance communities throughout Sonoma County. Whether the project involves high density apartments on infill urban sites, or rural large lot residential development away from the urban core, we have the experience and skill to plan and engineer a successful development that takes full advantage of the myriad of rules and regulations that restrict land use in today's environment, while creating attractive, livable communities.

Commercial
Commercial projects involve the same environmental and entitlement obstacles as residential projects, but are often more complicated to design because of the larger footprints of the buildings, and the higher percentage of impervious surfaces created around a typical commercial building. Especially in Sonoma County where the wine industry is so dominant, we have seen a trend towards larger and larger building footprints to accommodate the aging, storage, and distribution needs of the wine industry. Meeting these user needs requires special engineering responses to site planning and utility issues, challenges that we have successfully met on many occasions.

Schools
Brelje & Race has established itself as the number one school civil design firm in the County, for both new campuses and for modernization of existing campuses, working cooperatively with several local Architects. Modernizations, in particular, present significant challenges related to providing accommodations for the physically challenged as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act on campuses that were constructed well before these regulations were adopted. While school projects are free from most local regulatory oversight, projects are carefully reviewed at the state level, and projects must often be carefully engineered to take full advantage of complicated state imposed school funding regulations.