Custom Home, Temecula Hills
Site planning and water design for a large custom home on a rural hillside parcel — navigating slope constraints, erosion control requirements, and fire water analysis for a remote site in Riverside County.
The project
This project involved a large custom home on a rural hillside parcel in the Temecula foothills. The owner-builder had a clear vision for the home but needed a civil engineering partner to work through the site constraints and get the project permitted through Riverside County.
The parcel presented a straightforward grading challenge — a generous flat pad could be achieved, but the surrounding slopes required careful drainage design and erosion control planning to meet county requirements and protect the site during construction.
What we delivered
WCC prepared the full site planning package for permit submittal, including grading and drainage plans, a water quality management plan, and erosion and sediment control details. The fire water analysis was a critical component — the site's rural location and distance from municipal water infrastructure required a dedicated on-site fire water system to satisfy Riverside County Fire Department requirements.
"The fire water analysis was the piece that could have delayed this project significantly. Getting ahead of it early kept the permit process on track."
Erosion control on a hillside site
With grading complete and construction underway, the erosion control plan became critical. The wattle barriers visible around the site perimeter are a direct product of WCC's erosion and sediment control plan — designed to intercept runoff from the graded slopes and prevent sediment from reaching the drainage course below the parcel.
On hillside sites in Southern California, this isn't just a permit requirement — it's active site protection during the construction window before landscaping is established.
Services delivered
Site planning and grading design
Drainage and stormwater management
Erosion and sediment control plans
Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP)
Fire water analysis and system design
Riverside County permit support
The result
The project moved through Riverside County plan check without major revisions and construction is currently underway. The graded pad, framing, and erosion control infrastructure are all in place — the site is tracking toward completion on schedule.
For owner-builders taking on a project of this scale, having a civil engineer engaged early — before any ground is broken — is what keeps the permit process from becoming the bottleneck on an otherwise well-planned project.
