Talega Master Planned Community

San Clemente, California

For more than 25 years, Michael Baker has provided a full range of services to developers of the Talega master-planned community in Southern California. The 3,510-acre Talega community includes more than 4,000 residential units, an 18-hole golf course, industrial and commercial business parks and significant open space.

To prepare the land and preserve the habitat, Michael Baker undertook one of the largest grading projects in the firm’s history – overseeing $70 million of land restoration and repurposing. Due to the site’s adverse geology, rough grading for the hillside development was especially unique – requiring the removal and replacement of significant portions of soil and extensive reshaping of the land.

The team prepared plans and specifications for roadway improvements, resulting in a circulation system running from major arterials to local streets, totaling 25 miles. Our experts also facilitated the preliminary and final design phases for three bridges, ranging in length from 405 feet to 586 feet, over the Segunda Deschecha Canada wetlands.

Managing the water resources for this new community came with the challenge of designing and implementing a water quality management system that allowed for the cleanup of low-flow runoff from developed areas. The solution involved the design of several innovative erosion control and channel stabilization measures, including the installation of a 10-foot diameter HDPE pipe, within a one-mile channel to stabilize the vulnerable hillside.

As part of the comprehensive sewerage plan that Michael Baker developed, the team designed a unique sewage lift station and pressure force main system to hydraulically deliver wastewater to the treatment facilities generating reclaimed water for golf course irrigation.