Most outdoor projects in OC start with a contractor, not a licensed professional. That’s why most of them fail to hold up, fail to get HOA approval, or fail to meet California’s water requirements.
Stout Design Build has a licensed landscape architect on staff. Gabrielle Harris holds a California landscape architect license issued by LATC (the Landscape Architects Technical Committee). She draws every site plan, grading document, and planting plan. Tom Stout builds them. Same team, start to finish, from Huntington Beach to Dana Point.
Note: If you’re a homeowner looking for residential planting design, yard planning, or drought-tolerant garden installations, see our Landscape Design in Orange County page. This page covers licensed architectural services: stamped plans, WELO documentation, grading permits, and commercial projects that require a licensed architect’s seal.
Licensed landscape architect on staff — Gabrielle Harris, verified with LATC.
Family-owned — Tom Stout is based at 5611 Heil Ave, Huntington Beach. His name is on every project.
We handle HOA submissions, WELO documentation, and city permit packages in-house.
Design and build under one contract — no handoff between architect and contractor.
Turf replacement rebates filed on your behalf through MWDOC and Metropolitan Water District.
Our Services
Every service below involves Gabrielle’s stamped plans and Tom’s construction team. One contract. Full accountability.
Residential Site Plans and Master Plans
Full landscape design plans, plant palettes, 3D renderings, and material boards for homes across Orange County. Every plan meets your city's building code and HOA requirements before installation begins.
WELO Compliance Documentation
California's Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance requires a water budget, a WUCOLS-compliant plant list, and an irrigation efficiency plan for most new landscape projects over 500 square feet. Gabrielle produces and stamps WELO packages for cities across OC — Irvine, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, and beyond.
Grading and Drainage Plans
Slope work in Laguna Beach, Aliso Viejo, and San Clemente requires an engineered grading plan submitted to the city building department. Gabrielle produces these plans and coordinates with civil engineers when structural loads are involved. Most other firms refer you to a separate engineer. We handle it in-house.
HOA Architectural Review Packages
HOA communities in Coto de Caza, Rancho Santa Margarita, Mission Viejo, and Aliso Viejo require architectural drawings and material samples before any exterior work begins. Gabrielle prepares the full submission package. We have an above-average first-round approval rate because we research HOA requirements before drawing anything.
California Native and Ecological Planting Plans
Native plant design reduces water use by 40% to 60% compared to traditional landscaping. Gabrielle's planting plans specify plants by botanical name, water need, and placement relative to your property's sun exposure and soil type. Clients near Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve and San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary regularly request pollinator-focused native designs. For residential planting design without a stamped plan requirement, see our Landscape Design page.
Commercial and Multi-Family Landscape Architecture
HOA common areas, retail entry landscapes, and multi-family outdoor environments. MWDOC-compliant water budgets and WELO-stamped plans for commercial OC projects. We have produced plans for properties in Irvine's commercial corridors near Von Karman Avenue and in South County near Pacific Coast Highway.
Three Projects We Completed Across OC
Waterfront Estate: WELO Compliance and HOA Approval in 14 Days
A homeowner on Harbor Island Drive had a dying traditional lawn. Newport Beach water restrictions had put the property in the top billing tier. The HOA had issued two notices. Gabrielle produced a full WELO-compliant planting plan with a water budget 62% below the previous lawn. She prepared the HOA architectural review package with botanical plant names, material samples, and irrigation specifications. First-round HOA approval: 14 days. City of Newport Beach accepted the WELO documentation without revision. Installation: 8 days. Metropolitan Water District rebate filed and received: $3,400. Water billing dropped from Tier 3 to Tier 1 within two months.
Hillside Grading Plan for a Slope That Was Failing
A property off Temple Hills Drive had a 35-foot slope with active erosion. Ice plant that had covered the slope for 20 years was failing at the base. The Laguna Beach Building Department required a grading plan with a licensed architect's stamp before any permit could be issued. She produced the grading and drainage plan. She specified a native plant palette — toyon, sugar bush, lemonade berry, and buckwheat — chosen for root depth and slope-holding performance. The engineering package was submitted to the Laguna Beach Building Department and approved in three weeks. Tom's crew installed the slope planting and a temporary drip system for establishment. Three years later: zero erosion, zero irrigation costs, and a fire insurance premium reduction because the flammable ice plant was removed.
HOA Master Plan for a Common Area Renovation
An HOA board in Woodbridge, Irvine, needed to renovate 8,000 square feet of common area. The project required WELO compliance, a water budget submission to the Irvine Ranch Water District, and architectural plan approval through the HOA's own design committee. She produced the full WELO package, the master landscape plan, and the HOA design committee submittal in one coordinated package. IRWD accepted the water budget. HOA design committee approved on first submission. Tom's team completed installation in four weeks, 3 days ahead of the contracted timeline. Total water use in the common area dropped 54%. The HOA board used the documented water savings to negotiate a reduced rate tier with IRWD for the following billing year.
How We Work
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a landscape architect and a landscape designer in California?
Does my OC project require a WELO plan?
Can a landscape architect approve my HOA submission?
Do I need a grading permit for my Orange County yard?
How do I verify a landscape architect's license in California?
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