Ventura-based Solimar Research Group has merged its land-use policy consulting practice with Design, Community & Environment, an urban planning and design firm based in Berkeley.
William Fulton, Solimar's founder, will become a principal in DC&E. Solimar's office will serve as the Southern California office of DC&E.

"Joining forces with DC&E vastly increases our ability to provide both public and private clients with a wide range of planning services," said Fulton. "We will continue to provide our clients with our trademark analytical approach to land use issues. But being part of DC&E gives us access to expertise in urban design, landscape architecture,environmental analysis, and many other areas."

"Bill Fulton's stature in State-wide planning, and Solimar's policy and analytical capabilities, will be a great addition to DC&E ," said David Early, DC&E's founding principal. "We believe that Bill will be a great leader to allow us to expand our operations in Southern California."Solimar (www.solimar.org) was founded in 2000 to provide solid research and policyanalysis on land-use planning issues. The firm focuses on assisting developers and governmental agencies with specialized land use issues such as transferable development rights programs and identifying infill development potential.
Solimar just completed a transferable development rights study for Santa Barbara County and is currently working on the growth management aspect of the City of Santa Barbara General Plan. The firm is also designing a regional transfer of development rights program for metropolitan Seattle.

DC&E (www.dceplanning.com) provides a comprehensive range of planning and design services to public, private and institutional clients throughout California. The firm operates on the belief that the best planning is that which reflects the community it serves and which works in concert with the surrounding natural environment. DC&E provides an integrated approach to comprehensive planning projects including General Plans, Specific Plans, regional plans and neighborhood plans, and also provides services in urban design, landscape architecture, environmental review, transportation planning, public participation and graphic design.  DC&E is also the successor firm to Wolfe Mason Associates , and is a nationally recognized leader in creek restoration and ecological design.