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D R A F T 2 0 1 8 L O N G R A N G E D E V E L O P M E N T P L A N ■ 3

C H A P T E R O N E

INTRODUCTION

The University of California, Davis, is a leading public research university and one of the ten campuses within the University of California – one of the most renowned public university systems in the world (Figure 1.1). The physical campus constantly evolves as existing facilities are upgraded, new buildings are developed, and new spaces are created to fully support the University’s research and academic mission. UC Davis has great aspirations for the coming decade, envisioning significant increases in research programs and the campus population. To support this growth, and to ensure the campus has the necessary facilities and amenities to remain competitive, the University initiated a planning process to fully understand the campus of tomorrow.

4 ■ U N I V E R S I T Y O F C A L I F O R N I A , D A V I S

CHAPTER 1 : INTRODUCTION

THE CAMPUS OF TOMORROWFor UC Davis, the campus of tomorrow is a place where students, faculty, and staff live, learn and work in an environment that is beautiful and accessible, functional and flexible, and sustainable and resilient. It is a place that fosters research and innovation; it is a place that grows the most fertile minds for the next generation of engaged leaders; and it is a place that examines challenging societal issues. The UC Davis 2018 Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) is the culmination of a multi-year effort to understand these needs, identify strategic improvements and projects, and enable the campus of tomorrow.

LRDP DEFINEDThe LRDP is a comprehensive land use plan guided by principles and objectives that support the University’s mission while conserving resources and guiding the campus towards a more sustainable future. On the one hand, the LRDP is a planning tool that establishes a land use framework for future campus growth to accommodate changes in enrollment, employment, physical infrastructure or facilities. On the other hand, the LRDP is a planning guide that strives for the highest levels of stewardship for existing resources and for new investments in growth.

FIGURE 1.1 The University of California includes ten main campuses. While UC Davis offers a diversity of programs across the state, the 2018 LRDP focuses on the programs in and near Davis.



The LRDP is specific to the main Davis campus and does not include the UC Davis Health campus, Lake Tahoe Environmental Research Center, the Bodega Marine Research Lab or other satellite programs affiliated with UC Davis (Figure 1.1). The areas included in the LRDP are shown in blue on Figure 1.2.

The potential environmental impacts associated with implementation of the LRDP were analyzed according to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The University prepared a programmatic Environmental Impact Report (LRDP EIR) that serves as the comprehensive environmental analysis from which all anticipated projects included in the LRDP could be tiered. While the LRDP EIR serves as the overarching environmental analysis for the LRDP, the environmental impacts associated with future individual projects will be assessed on a project-by-project basis.

FIGURE 1.2 The 2018 LRDP includes the main campus in Davis and Russell Ranch to the west



LRDP CATALYST With the potential expansion of research programs and initiatives, and potential growth in enrollment and employment, the office of Campus Planning and Environmental Stewardship began a multi-year planning process to initiate a new LRDP in the summer of 2015. This process included both an evaluation of the key factors associated with any campus growth, and a robust and inclusive community engagement process.

ENROLLMENT PROJECTION: 39,000 STUDENTS

The LRDP enrollment forecast is 39,000 students, an increase of approximately 5,000 (Figure 1.3). LRDP enrollment figures include undergraduate and graduate students as one category of growth in order to retain flexibility and quickly respond to a great variety of internal and external factors. Due to the very important role graduate students serve as teaching assistants for undergraduate classes, graduate admissions would most likely increase with the rising tide of undergraduate admissions.

EMPLOYMENT PROJECTION: 14,500 FACULTY AND STAFF

The LRDP employment projection is 14,500 employees, an increase of approximately 2,000. Three factors may lead to potential growth in employment: (1) increased enrollment would require additional faculty; (2) increased research initiatives would require additional faculty as well as professional researchers; and (3) growth in the campus population would increase the number of support staff affiliated with academic and student life programs, as well as the stewardship of campus infrastructure and management of campus resources.

West Village Neighborhood



CAMPUS HOUSING PROJECTION: 20,000 RESIDENTS

The LRDP campus housing projection is about 20,000 people living on campus, an increase of about 10,000 (Figure 1.3). Most of the potential growth in campus housing is oriented towards students – about 8,500 additional students living on campus. Most of the potential growth in student housing is oriented towards upper division undergraduates and graduates (non-freshman). The remaining potential growth in campus housing is oriented towards family housing for faculty, staff and students.

ACADEMIC SPACE PROJECTION: 11,500,000 SQUARE FEET

The LRDP projection for academic building space is about 11,500,000 square feet, an increase of approximately 2,000,000. Potential growth in enrollment and employment requires investment in physical infrastructure, such as new classrooms and study spaces, offices and research facilities, and roadways and open spaces. Academic space does not include the building area associated with other land use designations such as student housing.

FIGURE 1.3 2018 LRDP enrollment and campus housing projections



LRDP PLANNING PRINCIPLES The planning principles guide the LRDP to shape a healthy and productive campus environment (Figure 1.4). The first principle aims to support the academic enterprise and the broad mission of a land grant university. The second principle aims to enrich community life and the diverse collection of campus programs and services that support health and wellbeing in the broadest sense. The third principle aims to create a more sustainable future through active and engaged stewardship of resources and infrastructure. These principles are mutually dependent and interconnected. Each principle is supported by more specific planning objectives, as presented on the following pages.

FIGURE 1.4 Planning Principles for the Long Range Development Plan

PRINCIPLE 1: SUPPORT THE ACADEMIC

ENTERPRISE

PRINCIPLE 2: ENRICH COMMUNITY LIFE

PRINCIPLE 3: CREATE A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE



PRINCIPLE 1: SUPPORT THE ACADEMIC ENTERPRISE

The LRDP structures the physical environment to support the academic enterprise of UC Davis, a land-grant institution. The fundamental aspects of any land-grant university pertain to education, research and public service, all of which are oriented towards the betterment of the individual, the immediate community and society in general.

ACADEMIC ENTERPRISE PLANNING OBJECTIVES

■ CE LEBR ATE THE ACADEMIC MISSION

UC Davis is a public, land-grant university with an academic mission focused on education, research and public service. The LRDP and the entirety of the campus environs are intended to support the academic mission and create a campus that welcomes and engages a broad public audience.

■ INSPIRE SCHOL ARSHIP IN PL ACE

The LRDP aims to support teaching and learning throughout the entirety of the campus environs. While much of the scholarship occurs within the classrooms and study spaces throughout campus, the formal landscapes and community spaces of the campus are fundamental to learning as well. Strong connections between the inside and the outside of buildings may bring scholarship into public space. The LRDP identifies a great diversity of outdoor spaces that reinforce the campus as a learning environment and offer

spaces for students and the greater campus community to interact and advance scholastic pursuits.

■ ENCOUR AGE INTERDISCIPLINARY

RESEARCH IN PL ACE

UC Davis is noted for its wealth of interdisciplinary research, and the ease with which students and faculty collaborate across academic boundaries. The campus environment should foster interactions among the campus community by providing spaces for researchers to come together and engage in creative and expansive dialogue. The campus includes a rich collection of research facilities that should be coordinated with public space to create environments that encourage interaction across disciplinary boundaries.

■ HONOR PUBLIC SERVICE

Through scholarship and innovative research UC Davis strives to educate the next generation of leaders and contribute to solutions for pressing societal challenges. The campus should foster a welcoming physical environment that connects the public to the work of UC Davis and actively engage a wide public audience. Academic conferences, cultural performances, curated exhibits and public gardens create forums for UC Davis to share its story and engage the greater public.

■ PL AN FOR LONGEVIT Y

UC Davis should plan for the long term, respecting the past and anticipating the future, when shaping the campus environment. The preservation of significant historical resources and the investment in new campus infrastructure should consider longevity when weighing the alternatives. Planning considerations should incorporate a multi-generational perspective when evaluating scenarios.



PRINCIPLE 2: ENRICH COMMUNITY LIFE

The LRDP structures the physical environment to enrich community life on campus. UC Davis promotes a diverse collection of campus programs and services that augment the academic mission and contribute to a strong sense of community. The gracious formal and informal landscapes of campus provide a rich and diverse environment for communities of people to gather and engage with one another.

COMMUNIT Y LIFE PLANNING OBJECTIVES

■ FOSTER MEANINGFUL AND

DIVERSE CONNECTIONS

The public spaces between, around and within campus buildings provide important places for people to gather and discuss ideas, to rest and restore oneself, to advocate and agitate for recognition and change, and to engage with others in public space. These spaces help to enliven the campus and create the “marketplace of ideas” that is so much a part of the college tradition. Such spaces also promote casual exposure and interaction between groups of individuals. In so doing, they help to span the divides of culture, class, politics and religion, and build relationships among people who might not otherwise meet. The quality and character of these connections are fundamental components in fostering campus community. Campus Gateways serve as the largest and grandest connections where the regional community comes together for various cultural events.

■ FOSTER A SAFE AND WE LCOMING PL ACE

The degree to which students, staff and faculty members feel safe and welcome on campus reinforces their involvement in campus activities, both curricular and co-curricular. The extent to which the campus is perceived as accessible and inclusive contributes to the recruitment and retention of community members. A campus environment that supports the welfare of its members promotes an atmosphere of respect, productivity and personal growth. The UC Davis Principles of Community serve as a guide for all planning considerations.

■ CUR ATE AN ENVIRONMENT WORTHY

OF OUR AFFECTION

The generous landscape and rich collection of heritage oak trees are central features of the of UC Davis campus. This landscape forms a unique campus identity that expresses a commitment to the environment and makes visible the land-grant and agricultural traditions of UC Davis. The beauty of campus is a great inheritance. The stewardship of that inheritance and the continued dedication to a beautiful environment worthy of affection remains at the forefront of all planning considerations.

■ CREATE A HEALTHY CAMPUS

A healthy campus involves the interconnection between individual health, environmental health and institutional health. A great variety of open space is a healthy community, key for active recreation as well as contemplation and relaxation. The campus open spaces, the agricultural lands, naturalized areas and formal landscapes within the core campus, should be linked together as an open space network that serves all members of the community. These linkages should also provide appropriate transition areas that buffer and respond to context of each place and the associated character. The development of campus housing should foster healthy communities with access to food and walkable neighborhoods with direct access to urban amenities.



PRINCIPLE 3: CREATE A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

The LRDP structures the physical environment to create a more sustainable campus and conserve natural and cultural resources for future generations. As a land grant institution UC Davis is committed to the stewardship of natural and cultural resources as well as scholarship and research on sustainability. Several UC policies, the Carbon Neutrality Initiative and the UC Sustainable Practices Policy prioritize investments in more sustainable infrastructure and guide the physical development of campus.

STEWARDSHIP AND SUSTAINABILIT Y PLANNING OBJECTIVES

■ CONSERVE NATUR AL RESOURCES

Universities are typically institutions with great longevity, proud traditions and the responsibility to work towards the betterment of society. UC Davis recognizes that the environment is an inheritance from past generations and that there is an obligation to preserve and enhance it for future generations. Stewardship of campus resources should guide management decisions and direct planning outcomes. The LRDP strives to preserve natural resources and the vitality of ecosystems.

■ PROMOTE ACTIVE STEWARDSHIP

Engage the campus community in planning for the future and in direct and active stewardship of campus resources. UC Davis has an authentic legacy where by students actively participate in many aspects of campus life, from healthy food systems to bicycle and bus transportation to shaping the campus environment. The collective stewardship of our community is vital to the preservation of the environment and to maintaining strong connections between people and the natural systems that support them.

■ MANAGE FOR FLEXIBILIT Y AND RESILIENCY

Dynamically manage the preservation and stewardship of natural resources and campus infrastructure. While climate change is certain, the predictability of that change and the associated implications and significance are more difficult to forecast. The management of campus resources and infrastructure must adapt to the dynamic, shifting nature of climate change. Provide a framework that is flexible enough to accommodate the certainty of change and resilient enough to persist through the uncertainty of more extreme climate events and paradigm shifts in our social fabric.



PROCESS OVERVIEWIn addition to the principles and planning objectives, a robust, award-winning community engagement process also helped informed the LRDP. From the initial workshops held during the summer of 2015, the LRDP engaged a wide and diverse audience to gather feedback from the greater community over a two year span (Figure 1.5). The following is a summary of the major stages of the community engagement process.

FALL OF 2015 INITIAL PLANNING CONCEPTS

In the fall of 2015, campus initiated a broad community engagement effort to characterize potential growth, share initial planning concepts and gather feedback from the community. Nelson Hall was created as an exhibition space for large open houses for the public as well as multiple focus groups and workshops with the community. UC Davis also hosted an open house with the City of Davis at the Davis Senior Center in the fall of 2015.

The initial concepts asked the public about various planning scenarios, one of which considered the redevelopment of Toomey Field as new mixed-use residential space. The community voiced concern about the loss of Toomey Field and opposed the idea of redevelopment.

■ Community Open Houses

■ Community Open House Hosted with City of Davis at the Davis Senior Center

The Fall 2015 engagement process won the Award of Merit in Public Outreach by APA California, Sacramento Valley Section

SUMMER OF 2015 INITIAL WORKSHOPS

The initial summer workshops of 2015 focused on two major themes to which the LRDP would respond – housing and transportation. These two themes resonated with the community throughout the planning process. In addition to the broad participation from UC Davis staff, representatives from the City of Davis, Sacramento Area Council of Governments and Yolo County also participated in the workshops. The campus community voiced concerns about academic and administrative space when considering significant growth in the campus population.

■ Mobility Workshop

■ Housing Workshop

Nelson Gallery Open House



WINTER OF 2016 STUDENT LIFE WORKSHOPS

In the winter of 2016, students participated in a series of interactive workshops oriented towards student life. These students were also joined by several staff affiliated with the diverse programs associated with community life and, for the most part, managed by Student Affairs.

■ Student Life Workshop Series Introduction

■ Campus Housing Workshop

■ Campus Transportation Workshop

■ Campus Daily Life Workshop

■ Student Life Workshop Series Summary

SPRING OF 2016 PRELIMINARY PLANNING SCENARIO

In the spring of 2016, campus issued a Preliminary Planning Scenario which quantified the LRDP projection for growth in campus housing as well as academic space. While the Preliminary Planning Scenario removed Toomey Field as a possible redevelopment site, Russell Field and Howard Field remained as possible sites for new campus housing.

Campus met with student government body and local community groups to discuss student housing. Campus planning staff attended multiple community events to share information and gather feedback. The community voiced concern about housing on existing recreational fields and strongly opposed the idea of housing in this area.

■ Open House hosted on campus at the Coffeehouse

■ Open Table hosted at Thank Goodness for Staff

■ Open Table hosted at Davis Farmers’ Market

■ Open Table hosted at Celebrate Davis

Student Life Workshop Preliminary Planning Scenario



FALL OF 2016 DRAFT PLANNING SCENARIO

In the fall of 2016, campus issued a revised plan, the Draft Planning Scenario, which removed housing from Howard Field and retained housing on Russell Field. The community voiced concern about housing on existing Russell Field and strongly opposed the idea of housing in this area. In response, campus issued a revised Draft Planning Scenario that entirely removed housing from Russell Field.

■ Open House hosted on campus at the Coffeehouse

■ Open Table hosted at Davis Farmers’ Market

■ Open House hosted with City of Davis at the Davis Senior Center

■ Presentation to ASUCD Senate

WINTER OF 2017 NOTICE OF PREPARATION

Prior to the issuance of the Draft Environmental Impact Report, UC Davis issued a Notice of Preparation (NOP) and conducted a public and agency scoping process to consider input on the range of impacts and approach to the environmental analysis process. The NOP review period began on January 4, 2017 and ended on February 17, 2017. The due date for public comments was extended beyond the required 30-day period which would have ended on February 3, 2017.

■ NOP Open House hosted on campus at the Conference Center

■ NOP Open House hosted in partnership with the City of Davis in the Council Chambers Conference Room

FIGURE 1.5 Summary of the LRDP Community Engagement and Plan Development Process

Space Needs Analysis

Growth Assumptions

Initial Mapping

Workshops focused on

Mobility and Transportation

Online Gallery Exhibit and

Nelson Gallery Open Houses

StudentLife

Workshops

WINTER 2016SUMMER THROUGH FALL 2015

Initial Planning Concepts



SPRING OF 2017 TRANSPORTATION WORKSHOPS

In January 2017 UC Davis began a multi-year effort to examine new ways to promote healthier transportation choices through the management of parking and the offering of new transportation programs. In the Spring of 2017, Transportation Services held a series of workshops on mobility and engaged a diverse group of public agency and stakeholder representatives in a collaborative and interactive discussion about potential transportation futures. The initial vision resulting from this engagement centered health: individual health, environmental health and institutional health. In the coming years, UC Davis will engage the campus community to learn more about barriers to and preferences for more sustainable travel choices and collaborate with local and regional partners to offer a collection of programs and services that encourage more sustainable travel choices for the campus community.

SUMMER OF 2017 STUDENT HOUSING REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

In the summer of 2017 UC Davis issued a request for qualifications to eight developers pre-selected by the Office of the President to design, construct, own and manage two rental apartment communities on campus. In the fall of 2017 UC Davis selected a private-sector developer for the expansion of the West Village neighborhood and the redevelopment of Orchard Park Apartments. With almost 5,000 beds, these two projects represent the largest student housing construction campaign in campus history. These two projects are specific projects included within the LRDP and are dependent upon the LRDP EIR for project approval and realization.

Preliminary Planning Scenario

Draft Planning Scenario

Open Houses Initial Environmental Analysis and

Released NOP

Housing Request for Proposals

Transportation Workshops

Draft Environmental Impact Report

Draft Long Range

Development Plan

SPRING THROUGH FALL 2016 WINTER THROUGH SUMMER 2017 SPRING 2018



CHAPTER OVERVIEWThe LRDP is organized into four main chapters focused on campus history and stewardship, neighborhood planning, land use planning and collaborative planning.

CHAPTER 2 CAMPUS HISTORY AND STEWARDSHIP

The stewardship of the UC Davis campus and the rich collection of natural and cultural resources is a fundamental task for the LRDP. This chapter pertains to campus history, the stewardship of ecosystems and the conservation of natural resources, and the management of campus infrastructure and built systems. With this contextual frame, the LRDP establishes important planning objectives for the stewardship of campus history as well as natural and cultural resources.

CHAPTER 3 NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING

The stewardship of the UC Davis campus and the rich collection of neighborhoods and sense of place is a fundamental task for the LRDP. This chapter pertains to Central Campus, South Campus, West Campus, and Russell Ranch and the associated neighborhoods in each area. Most of the academic and co-curricular activities and large cultural events occur within the Central Campus while the great majority of agricultural and environmental field research occur within West Campus, South Campus and Russell Ranch.



CHAPTER 4 LAND USE PLANNING

The designation of land use is a fundamental task for the LRDP. Land use planning for UC Davis is intended to support the academic mission by creating convenient and efficient relationships and to create a healthful and attractive environment. This chapter pertains to twelve individual land use designations, organized into thematic groupings of similar land use designations: Academic, open space, residential and infrastructure. The two most intensive and extensive academic land use designations are Academic and Administrative and Teaching and Research Fields.

CHAPTER 5 COLLABORATIVE PLANNING

Community engagement is a fundamental task for the LRDP. UC Davis seeks to build upon the community engagement associated with the LRDP planning process and foster collaborative partnerships in the months and years ahead. This chapter pertains to collaborative planning and the next steps following the anticipated approval of the LRDP. Moving forward, UC Davis will continue to foster partnerships that work across jurisdictional boundaries and leverage the synergy of shared objectives.

CHAPTER 2: CAMPUS HISTORY AND STEWARDSHIP