Marblehead Coastal

San Clemente, California

Marblehead Coastal was one of the last and most important oceanfront developments in Orange County, California. Located on a coastal plateau with expansive ocean views, the 248-acre site has been planned and engineered by Michael Baker as a sustainable community for 313 residences, a 52-acre commercial center and more than 125 acres of open space, including five public parks and more than four miles of public nature trails over the development’s coastal terrain and hills that take residents and visitors down to the ocean.

We provided land development services, including entitlement, site planning, environmental and engineering for the project, which also incorporates sustainable design components – including resource conservation, recycling, waste minimization and the utilization of energy efficient and ecologically responsible materials and techniques. The design preserves the landform and canyons while integrating habitat protection and restoration with recreational uses. The regional landscape character is reflected throughout the community by using California coastal sage scrub and native grassland plants.

Marblehead Coastal includes a state-of-the-art water quality system that exceeds the Coastal Commission’s capture and treatment standards, the strictest in the state. Our team prepared the water quality and habitat management plans, and secured resource agency permits. More than 30 sustainable and environmental components were developed for the community, including rainwater capture systems, restoration of wetlands and wildlife habitat, efficient and “as necessary” cutoff lighting systems, interpretive and educational signage, an all-abilities ADA-compliant park, vegetated bioswales, wet extended detention ponds and drain inlet filters to protect the Pacific Ocean from pollutants.

We also were responsible for the design and construction of arterial roadways and two bridges within the community, most notably the Avenida Vista Hermosa bridge, which provides a vital connection to Interstate 5.