UC Merced shrinks development

Saturday, Nov. 08, 2008

The massive footprint left by UC Merced just got a little smaller.

The University of California at Merced still has big plans for its plot of land north of town: housing for more than 12,000 students, a sports complex and a research and development park.

But after a series of environmental concerns, the university has decreased the size of its campus and accompanying student neighborhoods to 2,766 acres from 3,025.

Two university documents -- a long-range development plan and a draft environmental impact report -- include extensive renderings of the entire campus, giving surrounding communities their clearest insight to the plans so far.

Buildings also have been relocated farther south and east to create the "environmentally least-damaging alternative," according to paperwork filed with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The federal agency has been closely involved with the university's plans to build and expand, because by law it oversees the nation's waterways.

That includes wetlands near UC Merced.

More than 76 acres of water bodies -- including Cottonwood Creek, Le Grand Canal, Fairfield Canal, and unnamed wetlands, ponds and creeks -- will be eliminated by development, according to a Corps of Engineers document.

That document -- a permit to build on federally protected wetlands -- also notes that six federally listed threatened or endangered species live on the land of the project area.

In addition, 13 other threatened or endangered species may be present.

The university will take steps to offset those effects. For example, it will create new wetland habitats, according to a news release.

The campus also has set aside 26,000 acres of grasslands next to the campus for conservation.

Also, as a result of the smaller footprint, the university has preserved lands once proposed to be held for future development. Instead, it will focus on increases in development density.

UC Merced also has included environmental stewardship in its plans.

A new "triple-net zero" goal means the university will consume no off-site or unrenewable energy, produce no net carbon emissions and produce no landfill waste by 2020.

Cars will have limited access on campus, and more environmentally friendly forms of transportation will be encouraged, according to the long-range development plan.

The academic core of the campus will be about a 10-minute walk from each of the six planned student neighborhoods. About 2,000 to 3,000 students will live in each neighborhood.

Buildings will be mixed-use, with stores at street level and apartment or dorm housing above.

Because the new plans shift the campus and community neighborhood plots, an amendment to the Merced County General Plan is required for the plans to move forward, said Bob Smith, director of special programs for the Merced County Public Works Department.

That amendment is expected to go before the county Board of Supervisors in March.