TURLOCK – (October 27, 2008) California State University, Stanislaus is proceeding with an update of its Campus Physical Master Plan and accompanying Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR), the official documents that will steer development of its 228-acre Turlock site in the coming years. Both documents are now available for public review and comment.
A major library expansion project, renovation of the original science building into a classroom facility, addition of a 1,200-seat auditorium in the College of the Arts complex, and another residence hall are high priority proposals on the CSU Stanislaus master plan and capital projects list.
The revised master plan, scheduled to go to California State University Trustees for approval in January, will serve as a blueprint in steering the University through its growth over the next 20 years. It is the first major update for the master plan since 1968, three years after the current campus opened.
Preserving the University’s reputation as one of the most beautiful campuses in the CSU system will receive strong emphasis in the updated plan, notes CSU Stanislaus President Hamid Shirvani. Constructing buildings and parking areas strategically to preserve a green and park-like campus environment with ample open space is a key component of the plan. Future construction will be concentrated around the campus core and on the southeast of the campus to minimize the impact of traffic on Crowell Road.
Projections estimate that the campus will be fully developed and reach its full-time student enrollment capacity of 12,000 students by 2027. Parking structures for about 6,000 vehicles are expected to eventually replace parking lots, and campus housing is likely to expand from the current capacity of 650 to about 3,000 as taller structures are built.
A PEIR has been prepared in accordance with state law and California State University system requirements. Written input and comments regarding the document from the public and community members, including residents, public agencies, and business owners in the surrounding neighborhood, must be submitted to the CSU Stanislaus Facilities Services Department by Friday, November 28. They can be mailed or delivered to Julia Reynoso, Director of Facilities Planning & Finances; One University Circle; Turlock, CA 95382.
The Physical Master Plan EIR documents can be viewed on the CSU Stanislaus Web site at http://www.csustan.edu/fs/ or at the University’s Facilities Services Department. Questions regarding the documents and the public review process can be directed to Robert L. Borchard, EIR consultant, at (209) 667-3623 or (209) 966-3412.