Currently the university is planning to increase density on the West Village site. On its “Campus Tomorrow” page, UC Davis notes that in 2014-15 West Village accommodated about 2,000 people. They write, “The LRDP Draft Planning Scenario for West Village provides capacity for more residents than previous[ly] planned in the 2003 LRDP while accommodating an additional 1,125 students on a smaller footprint than previously planned.”
The new LRDP plan is providing capacity “for an additional 2,250 students in West Village, when compared to 2014-15 capacity.”
They write, “By agreement with the master-lease holder for West Village student apartments, the number of students living in existing West Village apartments may increase by 624 in 2016-17. This increase is accomplished through a ‘double-up’ where large bedrooms, previously leased as individual rooms, may be leased as shared bedrooms.”
They continue, “In addition to the double-up, the Plan also includes capacity for another 1,626 students.”
The university notes, “The Plan accommodates more students on less land while retaining a gracious greenbelt along Russell Boulevard, an agricultural buffer along the western edge and an 8-acre recreational complex along Hutchison Avenue. The more compact development pattern preserves more than 20 acres of agricultural land, previously included within the plans for West Village and designated for development in the 2003 LRDP.”
Opponents to developing land at the Russell fields note that UCD has some 5300 acres of land and they have suggested West Village as an area that could accommodate additional growth.
However, this may not be true. A reader points out that when UC Davis first began the West Campus discussion, there was major opposition from both the city residents and the campus community.
Those in West Davis were concerned with the increase in traffic and the loss of a vista.
Ultimately, there was an agreement reached in which the university agreed there would be no vehicular access onto Russell Boulevard, which was to help allay concerns about traffic impacts. What is less known, apparently, is that at the time UC Davis agreed not to develop further west.
On the map above, you can see the current plan adds about 20 acres of land that was previously planned for development in the 2003 LRDP, but UC Davis would not be able to develop further west without a new agreement.
In addition to the community concerns, the campus community was concerned greatly with the loss of the experimental fields. Again, as part of the agreement with faculty and research staff, UC Davis agreed to not consume more prime agricultural land for campus housing.
The Vanguard is seeking to locate settlement agreements that spell this out, but, needless to say, if accurate, UC Davis may be much more limited in its ability to accommodate additional housing than currently believed by many.
It would explain the focus on densification of existing sites rather than expansion of its housing footprint.
There are also practical limitations that the Vanguard has previously pointed out. UC Davis had planned to build out West Village much more rapidly. It handed over management of the West Village to a private company, which has failed to build out what they already planned for.
The Vanguard has previously noted that UC Davis has made promises over the last 30 years to increase their share of on-campus housing. They have gone so far as to have a signed MOU. And yet, despite those commitments, they have failed to deliver much more in the way of on-campus housing.
Proponents of UC Davis taking on more of their own share of student growth with housing have argued that pressure is the way to get UC Davis to fulfill its commitments.
But, as we have seen, while UC Davis has modified its plan, it is has not removed Russell Field from the development plan.
Again, we point to the comment by Ralph Hexter from this week. Acting Chancellor Ralph Hexter told the regents that residents pushed back at the development of housing on the athletic fields along Russell Boulevard. When they did so, the plan was revised, reducing the proposed housing Russell Fields.
In light of this view, the reality may be that UC Davis is much more limited in its ability to develop new land than we believe. While this is not the final answer, it certainly bears looking into.
—David M. Greenwald reporting
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