About Brelje & Race

Brelje & Race Consulting Engineers is a multi-disciplined firm offering a broad range of civil engineering planning and design, construction management, environmental permitting and surveying services. Since our founding in Santa Rosa in 1954, we’ve earned a reputation as the leading Civil Engineering firm in the North Bay through our high-quality technical work and outstanding client service. Our team of over 20 professional engineers and land surveyors tackles some of the toughest civil engineering projects in the North Coast region, developing effective and innovative solutions.

Our History: Proudly serving the North Bay for 70 years

1950's
1954
Frank Sarles resigns as City Engineer for City of Santa Rosa and opens his own engineering firm, Frank B. Sarles, Consulting Engineer
Walter Brelje joins firm
1955
1956
William B. "Ben" Race joins firm
1960's
1960
Firm is incorporated as Sarles, Brelje
& Race; Office moves to South E
Street in Santa Rosa
Windsor County Water District is formed. Brelje & Race provides engineering and construction management services for new wastewater collection and treatment facilities.
1960
1963
Engineering services begin for The Sea Ranch, a 5,200-acre master planned community with 10 miles of Pacific Ocean frontage in northern Sonoma County

Engineering services begin for Oakmont, a 2,500-unit active adult community between Santa Rosa and Sonoma Valley
1963
1970's
1970
Cloverdale Treatment Plant and Christian Life Center, now the Luther Burbank Center
1980's
1980
Airport Business Center and Expansion of Airport Treatment Plant and Disposal Field
1990's
1992
Town of Windsor is incorporated. Award-winning Advanced Waste Treatment (AWT) facilities and reclaimed water distribution systems completed for the Town.
1994
Santa Rosa Junior College Petaluma Campus opens. Brelje & Race provided complete planning, design and construction management services for the site.
1996
Maria Carrillo High School opens in Santa Rosa.

2000's
Windsor High School opens to students.
2000
2002
Voters approve Measure A, the $251M bond to fund Sonoma County Junior College District’s capital projects, commencing Brelje & Race’s participation in numerous projects including the Public Safety Training Facility in Windsor and the Doyle Library, Zumwalt Parking Pavilion, Bertolini Student Center, and Burdo Culinary Arts Center on the Santa Rosa campus.
Mayacama development opens. Brelje & Race provided infrastructure planning, design engineering and construction management for the development. The site includes a private Jack Nicklaus-design golf course, 30 luxury home sites and 50 guest casitas.
2002
2002
Award-winning ultraviolet disinfection facilities completed for Town of Windsor.
Brelje & Race designs tertiary wastewater treatment upgrades for the Airport-Larkfield-Wikiup Sanitation Zone Treatment Plant. The innovative design was awarded the 2004 CELSOC Engineering Excellence Merit Award.
2003
2004
Firm retained to provide surveying services for the earthquake retrofit of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. Project wins CELSOC Engineering Excellence Awards Project of the Year in 2007.
Varenna at Fountaingrove opens in Santa Rosa, the first continuing care retirement community in the region.
2008
2010's
2012
Green Music Center opens at Sonoma State University. Brelje & Race provided civil site design for this $145 million performing arts venue.
Fountaingrove Lodge opens in Santa Rosa, the nation's first LGBT luxury assisted living facility.
2013
2014
New Sutter Medical Center opens in Santa Rosa. Brelje & Race designed on-site water treatment systems and wastewater storage and pumping facilities for the hospital.
2016
American AgCredit opens its 120,000-square-foot national headquarters near the Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport.
Bell Village retail and office project opens in downtown Windsor.
2016
2017
Brelje & Race leads multiple projects to restore critical infrastructure following catastrophic wildfires in Sonoma, Lake, and Mendocino Counties.
Callayomi County Water District opens its new headquarters and water treatment plant, replacing facilities lost in the 2015 Valley Fire.
2019
2020's
2024
The Lindley Center for STEM Education opens to students at Santa Rosa Junior College. Brelje & Race provided civil site design for the new academic building.