Frequently Asked Questions

This is our favorite question, because we have a lot to offer! Upfront, we bring over 30 years of experience working in many cities and counties throughout Northern California.

• We are Client-Oriented. As a dedicated provider in a professional service industry, we recognize that the success of our business revolves around accessibility to our clients and understanding and responding to their needs.
• We have integrity and serve our clients with honest assessments, reliability in our interactions and responsible representation.
• We treat our clients, staff, agencies and community with respect in all aspects of our endeavor.
• We have a quality work product and will provide competent professional guidance, clear communication, efficient product delivery and follow-through to completion.

We work with government agencies and those who work with them. This includes cities, counties and state agencies like the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), Land Developers, Architects, other Engineers and individual property owners.

Adobe Associates, Inc. personnel has extensive experience in working with public agencies. Much of our present work is with private developers and land owners in preparing designs that meet county, city and state requirements for permitting.

Adobe Associates, Inc. has three departments that work together to maximize the potential of your land development projects: Civil Engineering, Land Surveying and Wastewater Management. However, depending on the location, size, and complexity of the project, other professional consultants may provide valuable input to provide a successful outcome to your project. The consultants most commonly used on development projects include:

• Architectural Consultant – Determines building uses, functional space requirements, building materials, textures, colors, code requirements, energy needs, lighting needs, building locations, fire safety, plumbing and aesthetics.
• Geotechnical Consultant (Soils engineer and/or geologist) – Determines soil types and characteristics including strength, stability, corrosivity, erodibility, compaction and special design considerations. Prepares geotechnical reports required for grading and structural projects.
• Structural Consultant: Provides engineering for safe and sound designs of project structural elements including buildings, bridges, retaining walls, tanks, tank pads, parking structures and miscellaneous structures. In California, seismic (earthquake) loading is a required structural consideration for all structures.
• Environmental Consultant: Provides assistance with environmental permitting issues including CEQA, NEPA, negative declarations, special environmental permits, challenges or considerations.
• Biological Consultant: Determines project impacts on State and Federal protected plants and animals species and provides guidance for mitigation of impacts. Also provides assistance with environmental permitting issues.
• Acoustical Consultant – Determines noise levels on projects or generated by projects and makes recommendations on mitigating noise impacts.
• Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing (MEP) Consultant – Provides designs for mechanical, electrical and plumbing for projects and structures.
• Landscape Consultant – Provides project landscape and irrigation designs. Designs specify plant types, plant functions, locations, irrigation needs and aesthetics.