University Community Plan — City Council/Public Finance and Economic Development Authority/Parking Authority, June 3, 2024

Contents
1 MERCED COUNTY
University
Community
Plan

MERCED COUNTY UC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE
Robert E. Smith
Merced County UC Planning Director

EIP ASSOCIATES
Economic and Planning Systems
Fehr and Peers Associates
Nolte Associates
ADOPTED ON DECEMBER 21, 2004
RESOLUTION NO. 2004 2004-239

Merced County
iii

MERCED COUNTY
 Merced County Board of Supervisors
Gloria Cortez Keene—District 1
Kathleen Crookham—District 2
Mike Nelson—District 3
Deidre Kelsey—District 4
Jerry O’Banion—District 5
 Merced County Planning Commission
Steve Sloan—Chairman
Larry Whitney
Kimberly Clauss
Lynn Tanner
David Wager
 Merced County UC Development Ofﬁce
Robert E. Smith—Planning Director
Karen Curci—Management Analyst
Kathy Warnke—Executive Secretary
 Other County Staff
William Nicholson, AICP—Merced County, Planning Director Paul Fillebrown—Merced County Public Works, Director
Steven E. Rough, P .E.—Merced County Public Works, Project Engineer George Rodrigues—Merced County Public Works, Deputy Director, Parks and Recreation Community Advisory Committee
iv

COMMUNITY PLAN ADVISORY

COMMITTEE
Christopher Adams—UC Merced Planning
Supervisor Kathleen Crookham—Merced County Board of Supervisors Sybil Crookham—Virginia Smith Trust
Sharon Dicker—Landowner
Dan Doody—Virginia Smith Trust
Mike Fuller—Community Alliance of Family Farmers
Jerry Furtado—Merced-Mariposa Cattlemen’s Association
Urla Garland—Sierra Club
Bettylou George—Vice Chair, Virginia Smith Trustees
Cliff Graves—Vice Chancellor of Physical Planning for UC Merced John Headding—Merced County Economic Development Corporation George Hinds—Merced City Council
Jim Hunt—Landowner
Jake Kirihira—Community Alliance of Family Farmers
Garith Krause—Merced Irrigation District
Pamela Lee—Landowner
Jack Lesch—City Planner, City of Merced
Linda Macedo—California Women for Agriculture
Charlie Magneson—Community Alliance of Family Farmers
Guy Maxwell—Building Industry Association
Don Ohlinger—University Committee of Merced
Marsh Pittman—Sierra Club
Frank Quintero—Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Supervisor Joe Rivero—Merced County Board of Supervisors Micki Rucker—Chamber of Commerce
Nancy Slater—Merced County Farm Bureau
Steve Sloan—Merced County Planning Commission
Mary Souza—Snelling Municipal Advisory Council
August Strotz—Cyril Smith Trust
Lynn Tanner—Merced County Planning Commission
Hub Walsh—Merced City Council
Acknowledgements
v

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Numerous individuals and organizations have been involved in bringing the tenth campus of the University of California to Merced. Their Passion and persistence have been instrumental in providing the opportunity to create a special place that will enhance the livability and economic vitality of the region, while sustaining its critical agricultural and natural resources. On publication of the Draft University Community Plan, we want to acknowledge the efforts of some of the many who have contributed to this effort.
 CPAC
Merced County Board of Supervisors
Merced County Planning Commission
UC Merced Planning
Virgina Smith Trust
Cyril Smith Trust
City of Merced
Merced City Council
Merced Irrigation District
Building Industry Association
California Women for Agriculture
Chamber of Commerce
Community Alliance of Family Farmers
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Landowners
Merced County Economic Development
Corporation
Merced County Farm Bureau
Merced-Mariposa Cattlemen’s Association
Sierra Club
Snelling Municipal Advisory Council
University Committee of Merced
 UC Representatives
Carol T omlinson-Keasey—UC Merced Chancellor
Cliff Graves—Vice Chancellor for Physical Planning
Christopher Adams—Campus Planner
 Special Thanks
We also extend our sincere appreciation to a number
of individuals engaged in the campus and community
planning process from its inception:

Trudis Heinecke
Roger Samuelsen
Sarah Hanks—In memoriam
Jane Murphy—In memoriam
 UC Merced Committee
T ony Allegretti
Barry Broulette
Jesse Brown
Judy Campbell
Bob Carpenter
Kathleen Crookham
Jim Cunningham
Ben Duran
Jim Edmondson
John Fowler
Dennis Hanks
Rod La Salle
Jim Lindsey
Ralph Ochoa
Don Ohlinger
Tim O’Neill
Cathy Paskin
Jerri Randrup
Joe Rivero Jr.

Ken Robbins
Grey Roberts
Bob Rucker
Larry Salinas
Bob Smith
Craig Smith
Liz Wallace
Hub Walsh
Roger Wood
 Core Group
University of California
Merced County
Merced County Board of Supervisors
Virginia Smith Trust
Cyril Smith Trust
City of Merced
Merced Irrigation District
Consultant T eam
vi

CONSULTANT TEAM
 EIP Associates
Brian D. Boxer, AICP—Principal in Charge; Program
Manager
Elwood C. T escher, AICP—Project Manager
Rhett Beavers
Brewster Birdsall
Robert Chihade, AICP
Kristin Cripe
Christina Davis
Emma Gill
Jennifer Hageman
Joyce Hunting
Matthew Huisman
Christine Kronenberg, AICP
Kirsten Lawrence
Julie Lassa
Suzanne Ness
Mark Nordberg
Conni Pallini, AICP
Ellen Piazza
Anna Price
James Songco
Barbara Stabell
Mary T omananga
Ron Walker
Joel Miller
Jessica Crete
 Nolte and Associates, Inc.

Rob Aragon, P .E.

Barbara Bradley, P .E.

Dave Richard, P .E.

Blake Tresan, P .E.

Fred MacGregor, P .E.

Christina Brown, P .E.
 Fehr & Peers Associates, Inc.

Jerry Walters, P .E.

Julie Morgan, AICP
 Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.

Walter Keiser
Jason Moody
Eve Stewart
 Kleinfelder
Bruce Hilton, R.G., C.E.G.

Richard Fink
 Arthur Golding and Associates
Arthur Golding, AIA
Contents
vii

CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................................................v INTRODUCTION �.� 1
UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT NEEDS FORECASTS ...........................................9 VISION FOR THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY .............................................................................11 GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES ............................................................................................15 Community Development ................................................................................................................... 17 Land Use—Creating a New Community ......................................................................................................................19 Housing—Providing Shelter for Community Residents ............................................................................................48 Economic Development—Creating a Vital and Successful Community .................................................................57 Community Infrastructure and Services ............................................................................................67 Transportation—Assuring Access and Mobility for the Community’s Residents ................................................69 Water-Related Infrastructure—An Integrated and Sustainable System .................................................................83 Energy Infrastructure—Sustainable Electricity and Natural Gas .............................................................................95 T elecommunications Infrastructure—Connecting in the Digital World ................................................................99 Solid Waste—Source Reduction and Recycling ........................................................................................................101 Public Services �.�.�.�.� 103
Schools—Educating Community Residents .............................................................................................................. 106 Libraries and Cultural Facilities �.�.�.�.� 110
Police and Fire—Assuring the Safety of the Community’s Residents .................................................................112 Health Care and Social Programs � 114
Y outh and Seniors �.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.� 115 Parks and Recreation �.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.� 116 Environmental Resources .................................................................................................................. 121 Plant and Animal Resources �.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.� 123
Agriculture �.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�125 Cultural Resources �.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.� 128 T opography �.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�129 Viewsheds �.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�130 Air Quality �.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�131 Surface Water and Groundwater Quality ..................................................................................................................134 Public Safety �.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.� 135
Public Safety �.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�137 Noise �.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�140 Aviation Safety �.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�144 AREA PLAN �.�.�.�.�.�.�.� 145
Agriculture—Sustaining the Region’s Paramount Resource ..................................................................................145 Lake Y osemite Regional Park—Sustaining Merced’s Most Important Recreational Asset ..............................146 Relationship to the City of Merced .............................................................................................................................148 Relationship to Adjacent Uses �.�.�.�.�.�.� 150
Area Plan—Relationship to UC Merced Campus Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) ...........................151 Contents
viii
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN ...............................................................................................................153 I.0 Master Development Process ...............................................................................................................................154

2.0 Development management System .....................................................................................................................154

3.0 Governance �.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�161

4.0 Public Improvement Plan �.�.�.�.�.�.�.� 165

5.0 Public Services Plan �.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.� 172

6.0 Financing Strategy �.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.� 173

FIGURES
Figure 1 Regional Map �.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.� 7
Figure 2 University Community Planning Area ...............................................................................................8 Figure 3 Land Use Designations ......................................................................................................................21 Figure 4 Conceptual Land Use Diagram ........................................................................................................23 Figure 5 Illustrative Land Use Diagram ..........................................................................................................24 Figure 6 Planning Sub-Areas Diagram .............................................................................................................26 Figure 7 T own Center Illustrative Concept ..................................................................................................32 Figure 8 Illustrative Building Massing and Urban Design ............................................................................33 Figure 9 T own Center �.�.�.�.�.�.�.�.� 34
Figure 10 T own Square, Shopping, and Entertainment ..................................................................................35 Figure 11 T own Center Housing and Hotel .................................................................................................. 36 Figure 12 Illustrative Residential Diagram .......................................................................................................42 Figure 13 Illustrative Open Space Concept .....................................................................................................45 Figure 14 Existing Transportation Network ....................................................................................................70 Figure 15 Planned Improvements .......................................................................................................................72 Figure 16 Major Circulation System ..................................................................................................................74 Figure 17 Street Classiﬁcation Typical Cross-Sections ..................................................................................76 Figure 18 Street Classiﬁcation Typical Cross-Sections ..................................................................................77 Figure 19 Preferred vs. Discouraged Street Systems .....................................................................................79 Figure 20 Typical Channel/Creek Cross-Section ............................................................................................88 Figure 21 Typical Multiple-Use Basin .................................................................................................................89 Figure 22 Noise Contours ...............................................................................................................................142 TABLES
Table 1 University Community at Buildout ...................................................................................................9 Table 2 Land Use Capacity ..............................................................................................................................28 Table 3 Classiﬁcation System for Principal Roadways in University Community Plan Area .............75 Table 4 Integrated Water Infrastructure Master Plan .............................................................................167 Introduction
1 STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
he Draft UCP has been prepared in accordance
with the requirements of the California
Government Code Section 65300 et seq. The
State of California General Plan Guidelines, published by the Governor’s Ofﬁ ce of Planning and Research (OPR),
state that:

Area and community plans are part of the general
plan. ‘Area plan’ and ‘community plan’ are terms for
plans that focus on a particular region or community
within the overall general plan area. An area or
community plan is adopted as an amendment to
the general plan in the manner set forth in §65350
et seq. It reﬁ nes the policies of the general plan
as they apply to a smaller geographic area and is
implemented by ordinances and other discretionary
actions, such as zoning. An area or community
plan must be internally consistent with the general
plan of which it is part...Each area or community
plan need not address all of the issues required by
§65302 when the overall general plan satisﬁ es these
requirements...while an area or community plan
may provide greater detail to policies within its
boundaries...

ROLE AND PURPOSE OF THE

COMMUNITY PLAN
n conformance with the State of California
General Plan Guidelines, the role and
purpose of the University Community Plan
is to provide more deﬁ nitive guidance than the County General Plan for how lands are developed and natural
resources conserved in anticipation of the population,
employment, and supporting uses induced by the proposed development of the University of California Merced.

The Plan incorporates policies that reﬂ ect and respond to the unique issues and conditions, and opportunities
associated with the integration of the community and
campus, as well as the speciﬁ c characteristics of the University Community site and its environs.

The UCP deﬁ nes a long-term strategy in recognition of the anticipated rate and timing of campus development,
extending 40 years or more. This is considerably
longer than the 20-year time frame normally addressed
by municipalities in comprehensive General Plans.

History teaches that over such an extended time frame
considerable economic and social changes will occur that preclude the ability to precisely forecast the uses and building product that will be economically supported
in the University Community. T o this end, the UCP
has been written to enable it to adapt to changing
conditions, while maintaining the essential objectives
and principles of development and environmental
conservation. The UCP is structured as a “framework”
document that deﬁ nes overarching planning objectives,

INTRODUCTION
he University Community Plan (UCP) guides the development of lands, infrastructure, and services and the sustenance of agricultural and environmental resources to support the growth induced by the proposed development of the 10th campus of the University of California in the County of Merced. The Plan establishes policy to manage an increment of growth that is not forecast to occur without the University’s presence. It deﬁ nes the framework to structure and guide development in a comprehensive manner that will result in a cohesive and integrated community, in lieu of the disconnected housing tracts and commercial centers that often result from independent project approvals. In recognition of this inextricable relationship, the adoption of the UCP by the County Board of Supervisors on December 21, 2004, is directly related to the approval of the UC Merced Long Range Development Plan and plans for the ﬁ rst phase of campus development by the University of California Board of Regents.

The UCP deﬁ nes comprehensive policies and programs for properties within the University Community planning area, designated by the General Plan as “Speciﬁ c Urban Development Area,” and addresses all issues and topics required by state Planning Law. At the same time, the UCP deﬁ nes strategies that can be implemented by the County to address the appropriate relationship of the Community’s development on lands, infrastructure, and services outside of the planning area and in the greater Merced area (referred to as the “Area Plan” chapter of the UCP).

The UCP is an integral component of and fully consistent with the County of Merced General Plan . As such, it maintains the goals, objectives, and policies contained in the adopted General Plan and supplements these with detailed policies and programs that uniquely pertain to the development of the University Community.

T
T I
Introduction
2 principles, and policies, while actual development will be deﬁned by and guided by detailed Speciﬁc Plans to
be subsequently prepared in accordance with Section
65450 et seq. of the Government Code and adopted by
the Board of Supervisors. Development entitlements
and commitments for infrastructure and services shall be made at the time of the approval of these plans and are not conveyed by the UCP .

The UCP has been developed in consideration of and
complements the adopted UC Merced 2001 Long Range
Development Plan (LRDP). Cumulatively, these Plans
provide a coordinated approach for the interface of land uses, circulation, and infrastructure, as well as common strategies for the management of the area’s signiﬁcant
natural resources.

While the UCP centers on development, infrastructure,
and resource management within the designated
planning area, the Area Plan chapter deﬁnes policies
to address several unique issues in areas abutting the
Community Plan area that are anticipated to result
from the community’s and campus’ development. In
particular, these address the relationship of the University Community to the City of Merced, impacts on adjoining
agricultural and open space lands, and enhancement of
Lake Yosemite Regional Park.

USE OF THE UCP FOR FUTURE

DEVELOPMENT
he UCP consists of a land use diagram,
development capacity table, and policies that
are designed to guide future development and
resource conservation within the University Community
Planning Area. The site is assigned a “Multiple Use
Urban Development” land use designation, which will
accommodate a diversity of uses including housing, retail commercial, ofﬁce, industrial/research, schools, parks, open spaces, and complementary uses. The Plan provides
for an efﬁcient pattern of urban uses and infrastructure that achieves a critical mass of development enhancing
the Community’s vitality and livability and, at the same time, protects the site’s natural resources and agriculture.

The “Multiple Use Urban Development” designation
does not convey entitlements for development of urban
uses for any property within the Community. Urban land
uses and their precise layout will be entitled through
the subsequent preparation and adoption of Speciﬁc
Plans for Community sub-areas deﬁned by the UCP to
be approved by the County Board of Supervisors, with
public input.

The University Community is divided into planning
sub-areas that correspond with a system of cohesive
and complete mixed-use districts and residential
neighborhoods. Generalized boundaries of a T own
Center and four Residential Villages are designated. For each generalized planning sub-area, the UCP speciﬁes
the mix and maximum amount of land uses that may
be accommodated and entitled through the Speciﬁc
Plan process. The precise planning area boundaries,
development mix and density, and number of Residential
Villages may be modiﬁed to reﬂect site characteristics
and market conditions at the time of the Speciﬁc Plan’s preparation provided that the cumulative development
permitted in the Community is not exceeded and the
overall principles for land uses organization are achieved, in accordance with policies deﬁned in the Land Use
section of this Plan.

The UCP also contains schematic diagrams that illustrate intended principles for land use organization and
relationships and one of several possible scenarios for how land uses may be distributed if the entirety of the planning area were to be developed consistent with these principles and development and design policies. These
visually convey overarching principles for the intersection and sharing of uses at the core of the Community and
campus, concentration of uses and densities at key activity centers, intermixing of uses and densities within centers and neighborhoods, use of open space and parklands
as determinants of urban form, interconnection of
neighborhoods and centers, and transitioning of use and densities at the Community’s edges. Final development
plans may look different, but shall maintain the
fundamental principles that are stipulated by this Plan.

RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER

DOCUMENTS
s indicated, the UCP shall be incorporated
within the County of Merced General Plan. As
such, all of the goals, objectives, policies, and
programs contained in that document that are relevant
to the Community shall be applied.

There are a number of other important policy and
analytical documents that are integral to and support the UCP and AP . These include:

1. University Community Plan T echnical Background
Report (TBR) . This document presents data and
research pertaining to the site’s existing conditions,
trends/projections, and issues. It is published as a
separate document in recognition of the changing
conditions and trends that will occur during the
lifetime of the UCP . As a separate document, the
T
A
Introduction
3 background data can be periodically updated to reﬂect changing physical, economic, and socio-demographic
conditions without necessitating formal amendments
of the UCP that require approval by the Board of
Supervisors. This separation is encouraged by OPR’s
General Plan Guidelines. The TBR also serves as a
reference document for the “Existing Setting” section
of the UCP Environmental Impact Report (EIR). It
is available at the UC Development Ofﬁce (address
and telephone previously cited), County of Merced
Planning Department, and local libraries.

2. University Community Plan Environmental Impact
Report. A Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR)
has been prepared for the UCP in accordance with
the procedural and substantive requirements of the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and
is available for public review. It deﬁnes the existing
environmental setting, impacts attributable to the
implementation of the UCP , mitigation measures,
adverse impacts that cannot be effectively mitigated,
alternatives to the proposed project and their
impacts, and the preferred environmental alternative.

Additionally, public comments received on the Draft
EIR and responses to these are incorporated into the
document.

Other documents of relevance to the University
Community include the:

1. University of California Merced 2001 Long Range
Development Plan

2. University of California Merced 2001 Long Range
Development Plan Environmental Impact Report
(EIR)

3. Campus Parkway Environmental Impact Report/
Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS)—in
progress

4. Merced Water Supply Plan

OVERVIEW OF THE PLANNING

PROCESS
n 1988, the Regents of the University of
California (UC) projected the need for three
new campuses to accommodate growth in the
early twenty-ﬁrst century. It was concluded that the ﬁrst of these three campuses would be located in the “Central Region” of California, where no UC campus currently
exists. From a list of 85 potential sites, a site in eastern Merced County was selected, after analyses of economic, environmental, and social characteristics of each site were conducted. The site was located north and east of Lake
Yosemite, outside of the City of Merced. In May 1995,
the Lake Yosemite site was approved by the UC Regents
for development of “UC San Joaquin,” the tenth UC
campus. In October 1996, the Merced County Board
of Supervisors amended the County General Plan to
acknowledge the site for the future campus and to identify a Speciﬁc Urban Development Plan (SUDP) boundary
for the University Community as the planning area for
development adjacent to the campus. The lands within
this boundary are designated “University Community
Urban Reserve.” In December 1997, the campus was
designated as the University of California, Merced.

In April 1997, the City of Merced completed a
comprehensive update of its General Plan, including
the University Community SUDP within its Sphere of
Inﬂuence. The City agreed to cooperate with Merced
County in planning the University Community. The
Merced County Board of Supervisors approved a Guidance
Package for University Community Planning in February
1998 to clarify the roles and relationships of various
planning participants and to outline steps for planning the University Community. The ﬁrst step, a Concept
Planning phase aimed at providing an overall vision and framework for planning the University Community,
resulted in publication of the University Community
Concept Report, published in May 1999.

Throughout the campus site selection and the UCP
process, the County and the University have undertaken
various studies to evaluate the environmental impacts,
economic costs and beneﬁts and other planning
considerations associated with the development of a
new university and its surrounding community. The
County and University have prepared extensive wetland
delineations and endangered species surveys as part of
planning and in anticipation of the federal permitting
process, and, through this ongoing process, the County
has come to recognize the necessity of considering the
University Community in a regional context, rather
than focusing solely on the Lake Yosemite site selected in 1995. In the year 2000, it was determined that the area to the southwest of the original site was a more appropriate location for the UC Merced campus and University
Community. A Draft Comprehensive Alternatives Analysis, published in March 2001, concurred with this assessment, and planning for the UC Merced Campus and University
Community was initiated.

I
Introduction
4 As a result of the Comprehensive Alternatives Analysis , the University and County jointly endorsed a shift of
the location of the UC Merced campus to the southwest
corner of the Virginia Smith T rust lands, on and around the Merced Hills Golf Course. Community development
was shifted to lands to the south on properties owned
by the Flying “M” Ranch and Hunt Farms. This area
was established as the “University Community Planning
Area” and subject to the formulation of this Community
Plan.

Formulation of the UCP involved the following general
tasks:

1. Identiﬁcation of the Planning Area’s resources,
conditions, and characteristics. Information was
developed for land use (agriculture), ownership,
plant and animal habitats, soils and geology,
drainage/ﬂooding, viewshed, topography, air
quality, circulation and utility infrastructure, public services, and noise are addressed. Comprehensive
evaluation and documentation of the site’s wetlands
and biological resources were completed through
scientiﬁc ﬁeld surveys conducted in accordance with
agency-approved protocols. Pertinent constraints
and opportunities affecting the planning of the site
were identiﬁed. This information is compiled in the
University Community Plan T echnical Background
Report.

2. Derivation of a vision and principles for the planning of the University Community in consideration of
the previously developed Concept Report and public
input (see below).

3. Formulation of alternative land use concepts for
which infrastructure (water, wastewater, and storm
drainage) and circulation improvements were
identiﬁed and costs estimated. These were evaluated
for their ﬁnancial feasibility and environmental
impacts (integrated with the Comprehensive
Alternatives Analysis) . Based on the review of the
options, a preferred concept was selected.

4. Deﬁnition of policy options for each UCP topic.

These were presented for public review (in the form
of Policy Discussion Papers) and preferred policies
selected based on the input received.

5. Publication of the Draft UCP and associated
Draft EIR and conduct of public hearings by the
Merced County Planning Commission and Board of
Supervisors.

6. Publication of the revised UCP incorporating
recommended changes based on input received
from the public and deliberations of the Planning
Commission and Board of Supervisors.

Throughout the planning process, extensive meetings
were conducted with UC Merced and its team of
planners, designers, engineers, and environmental
consultants to ensure consistency among the UCP ,
campus LRDP , Environmental Impact Reports, and
other planning and environmental documents. Affected
County departments and agencies, the City of Merced,
Merced Irrigation District, Merced County Association
of Governments, Merced School District, California
Department of Fish and Game, Governor’s Ofﬁce of
Planning and Research, the United States Army Corps of
Engineers, Environmental Protection Agency, and Fish
and Wildlife Service, other state and federal agencies are representative of the numerous entities consulted and
involved at various stages of the planning process.

COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN THE

UCP PREPARATION
n extensive program of public involvement
contributed to the preparation of the University
Community Plan. Three overarching purposes
guided the public process: (a) education about the
intent, process, and substance of the planning program; (b) opportunity to provide input to the Plan’s policies; and (c) consensus-building for the Plan’s recommendations.

The public involvement program spun off of the processes initiated during the formulation of the University
Community Concept Report , which involved four
community workshops, or “Planning Fairs,” publication
of three newsletters, an interactive Website. Components of the UCP public involvement program included:

1. Maintenance of an interactive Website on which
information about the planning program was posted
and opportunities provided for questions and input.

Each of the draft policy discussion papers was posted
to enable the public to review and/or download the
information. There were over 16,000 “hits” on the
site prior to the publication of the Draft UCP and an
additional 7,000 “hits” during the Concept Planning
Process.

A
Introduction
5 2. Conduct of regular meetings of a committee of
individuals representing a broad cross section of
local interests appointed by the County of Merced.

The twenty-six-member Community Plan Advisory
Committee (CPAC) was composed of representatives
from the property owners (Virginia Smith and Cyril
Smith T rusts, the Hunt family, and John Myers),
interest groups (Sierra Club, Building Industry
Association, Farm Bureau, etc.), the County Board
of Supervisors, City of Merced, Merced Irrigation
District, and UC Merced. All CPAC meetings
were open to the public and interested parties
were encouraged to provide input at each meeting.

During the planning process, 28 CPAC meetings
were conducted.

3. Conduct of four community workshops, “Planning
Fairs,” providing the opportunity for a broad
representation of the public to provide input. The
ﬁrst introduced participants to the planning process
and provided opportunities to conﬁrm basic visions,
planning principles, and land use and open space
concepts developed during the Concept Planning
Process. It was conducted during June 2000 at
ﬁve locations to broaden interest and participation
including the City of Merced, Delhi, Los Banos,
Madera, and Modesto. The second, conducted on
March 24, 2001, presented information and addressed
issues regarding the relocation of the community site
south of the Merced Hills Golf Course and group
discussion sessions in which participants provided
input for a number of key policy areas including
preliminary concepts for the development of the
new site. On June 9, 2001, the third Planning Fair
presented the recommended University Community
land use, transportation, and phasing concept and
small group sessions assessing concurrence with land
use, agricultural preservation, economic development,
circulation, and infrastructure policies. Opportunities were also provided for the participants’ input for the
planning of the UC Merced campus. The fourth
Planning Fair, conducted on August 18, 2001,
provided opportunities for the public to learn about
the Draft UCP and AP policy recommendations and
ﬁndings of the EIR.

4. Conduct of public hearings by the Planning
Commission and Board of Supervisors on the Draft
UCP and Draft UCP EIR (September 12, 13, and
19; October 30; and November 6 and 20, 2001). At
the conclusion of these public hearings, the Board of
Supervisors provided initial policy direction to staff
concerning development phasing in the University
Community, mitigation for the loss of agricultural
resources, infrastructure, and schools.

5. Conduct of study sessions and public hearings by the Planning Commission on the Proposed Revisions
to the Draft University Community Plan and
Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SEIR)
on October 27, November 10, and December 1,
2004. Final recommendations to the Board of
Supervisors were made at the December 1 meeting.

6. Conduct of study sessions and public hearings by the Planning Commission on the Proposed Revisions
to the Draft University Community Plan and
Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SEIR)
and Planning Commission recommendations on
December 7, 14, and 21, 2004. The ﬁnal UCP was
approved and SEIR certiﬁed by the Board at the
December 21 meeting.

Introduction
6 SITE LOCATION
he University Community planning area is
located northeast of the City of Merced in an
unincorporated area of Merced County, in
California’s Central Valley (See Figure 1). The City of Merced is the Merced County seat of government, as well as a major regional commercial and service center. The
City of Merced and Merced County are also important
agricultural centers for the state of California.

The University Community planning area is located
near the intersection of several state highways, including Highway 59, Highway 99, and Highway 140. Merced is
a primary access point to Yosemite National Park, located approximately 80 miles southeast of the University
Community planning area. The western slopes of the
Sierra Nevada visually frame the eastern edge of the
University Community planning area.

The University Community planning area consists of
approximately 2,133 acres of land bounded generally by
Lake Road on the west, an extension of Bellevue Road
to the north, Yosemite Avenue on the south, and by the
Fairﬁeld and Le Grand Canals to the east. The University Community planning area also includes approximately
50 acres north of the Bellevue Road boundary in the
Merced Hills Golf Course and approximately 60 acres
east of the Le Grand Canal in the northeast corner of the site (see Figure 2).

The site is used primarily for agricultural purposes,
except for the northernmost portion, which is within
the existing Merced Hills Golf Course. The northern
portion is generally used for grazing pastureland, while the southern part of the site is cultivated cropland.

T opography on the University Community planning area
ranges from gently rolling to the north and northeast to relatively ﬂat toward the south.

Access to the University Community planning area from
the west is provided by Yosemite Avenue and Bellevue
Road, both two-lane roads. Lake Road, which is adjacent to the western edge of the area, also provides access to Lake Yosemite.

T
Introduction
7 FIGURE 1 REGIONAL MAP

Introduction
8 FIGURE 2 UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY PLANNING AREA

University Community Development Needs Forecasts
9 UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY

DEVELOPMENT NEEDS

FORECASTS
he anticipated development of the University Community at build-out is correlated with the planned enrollment and stafﬁng of UC Merced and is indicated in Table 1 below. As shown, the University Community will occupy approximately 2,133 acres of land and contain 11,616 residential units, 716,000 square feet of retail, 1.3 million square feet of ofﬁce/research and development space, and seven public schools.

The amount and type of land use planned for the University Community is based on an analysis of the socio-economic impact of the UC Merced campus. Speciﬁcally, UC Merced through its population of students, faculty, staff, and their families, as well as their expenditures and the expenditures of the University itself, will create a demand for housing, retail, and other locally produced goods and services. The corresponding amount of residential, commercial, and industrial real estate demand generated by UC Merced has provided a point of reference for determining the development potential of the University Community.

The Community Plan assumes a 1:1 ratio between the off-campus population generated by UC Merced and the size of the surrounding community at build-out. Not all students or staff will choose to live in the University Community nor will all of the businesses that serve this population. Some may choose to locate in the nearby communities of Merced and Atwater, for example. At the same time, it can be reasonably expected that, as experienced at other UC campuses, persons who may be employed in Merced, Atwater, or other locations in the County will choose to live in the University Community due to its unique qualities, culture, and environment. Thus, for the purposes of the Community Plan, it is assumed that for every student or faculty member who chooses to live outside of the University Community another person that is not related to UC Merced will choose to live in the Community.

T
TABLE 1 UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY AT BUILDOUT
Category Buildout Amount
UC Merced Campus Generated Population
Students 25,000
Faculty 1,420
Staff 4,828
Direct Campus Population 31,248
University Community Residential Development
Single-Family 6,968 Units
Multi-Family 4,648 Units
T otal 11,616 Units
University Community Commercial Development
Retail 716,000 Square Feet
Ofﬁce/Research and Development (R&D) 1,307,000 Square Feet T otal 2,023,000 Square Feet
Public Schools (Estimated) 7
T otal Acres 2,133

Vision for the University Community
11 CONTEXT
he University Community is a new community
that results from, supports, and nurtures
the development of the tenth campus of the
University of California. While it represents a new group of users and cultures, it builds upon and sustains the
rich history, qualities, and environments that distinguish Merced and the San Joaquin Valley. The Community
enhances the vitality of the region’s economy, supports the social well-being of its residents, and is environmentally sustainable.

The University Community and UC Merced are
inextricably linked, breaking down the barriers that often separate town and gown. A common and connected
framework of streets and blocks establishes a uniform
urban form in which uses that serve both campus and
Community are interspersed. The activity cores of
the Community and campus adjoin and reinforce one
another, enhancing and sustaining livability and vitality for Community residents and the campus population.

COMMUNITY
he University Community is a residential
community that contains the full range of
uses and services that cumulatively create
“neighborhood.” It supports and contributes to the well- being of populations who decide to live in proximity to the campus—students, faculty, staff, and others attracted by the intellectual, social, and cultural qualities of a university environment. It is a place where one can live, shop, work, socialize, be entertained, educated, and
culturally enriched, recreate, enjoy and respect nature, engage in philosophical and religious pursuits, and
experience a high quality of life. It is a community of choices, in recognition the resident population will be diverse in demographics, culture, education, income,
needs, and life experiences.

VISION FOR THE UNIVERSITY

COMMUNITY
he advent of UC Merced offers a rare opportunity to deﬁne a new community in Merced County. This opportunity is supported by a legacy of tried-and-true principles of urban planning and lessons learned from thirty years of an unprecedented pattern of growth. The successes and mistakes of past development populate the land, manifesting a variety of views, rules, economic conditions, and natural constraints. Upon this legacy is overlain a reﬁned knowledge of the present relationship between humans, the natural environment, and economic realities.

The choices, opportunities, and quality of life for future residents hinge upon the current ability to synthesize this vast knowledge and the clarity to deﬁne policies that balance the needs of society, the environment, and the economy. This Community Plan rises to that challenge with the explicit purpose of creating a vibrant community where multiple generations are supported by an urban setting whose fundamental characteristics are capable of sustaining a high quality of life, vital economy, and critical environmental resources. One might ask, “What is this University Community?” T T
T
Vision for the University Community
12 contain housing that faces the public space, the front yard, and the street, and, at the same time, offer opportunities for privacy. Each neighborhood centers on a school, park, multi-purpose facility, local services, and similar facilities that serve as the common center of identity and activity.

The University Community complements the City of
Merced and region. Its uses are additive to and enhance the mix and quality of existing business centers in downtown Merced, at Castle Airport, and other communities
throughout the County.

The Community accommodates an increment of
population and employment growth and provides new
opportunities that would not have existed without UC
Merced.

LIVABILITY
he University Community promotes the value
of livability. It offers the opportunity for people
to know and engage with their neighbors,
where they live, shop, work, play, and are entertained. Its built environment contains places that promote activity and social interaction, where public plazas, sidewalks, and the street are the “public living room” for the community.

A network of inter-connected pedestrian paths and
bikeways facilitates accessibility among the Community’s neighborhoods and districts. The T own Center and
Residential Village Centers are places where people can walk, dine, shop, participate in events, and observe the casual comings and goings of other. The neighborhoods
T
Vision for the University Community
13 ECONOMY
he presence of UC Merced provides a unique
opportunity to stimulate the development
of new industries that capitalize upon its
intellectual capital and research and expand Merced’s
economy. The University Community is the incubator
for these new ventures and economic activity that
diversify and improve the ﬁscal vitality of the region.

These businesses produce new jobs for Merced’s
residents, which coupled with training to advance their skills, enhance the incomes and well-being of residents.

A diverse population also broadens the mix of retail and ofﬁces that can be supported in the marketplace (food
stores, restaurants, book stores, clothing, sporting goods, etc.), contributing new revenue to Merced.

SOCIAL WELL-BEING
he University Community provides a diverse
range of education, cultural, recreation, health,
safety, and other services that, coupled with the
job opportunities and livable neighborhoods, contribute to a high level of social well-being for its residents. Schools are located next to parks, which, together, serve as centers for each Residential Village. Libraries, performing arts venues, art galleries, and other cultural facilities are T
T
T
T
located in the T own Center. A continuous network of
parks and open spaces gives form to the Community and
provides a diversity of recreational opportunities for all ages. Health, social, youth, seniors, and other programs are developed in response to Community resident needs.

The provision and maintenance of housing that is
affordable for all residents in the long term heightens the quality of life for Community residents.

INNOVATION
he University Community nurtures the
innovation and experimentation that are
intrinsic to a university-related population.

Opportunities are provided for the research, testing, and use of new building forms and construction techniques
that make housing and other development more
affordable and conserve energy, water, building materials, and other natural resources. The area’s wetlands, vernal pools, and other natural habitats provide opportunities for education and research for methods to protect and restore scarce plant and animal species and habitat. Academic
and private sector research stimulate the incubation of new industries and technologies, as well as the region’s productive agricultural economy. New arts and cultural
activities are available in the Community.

MOBILITY
he University Community fosters mobility
and accessibility for its residents, businesses,
and visitors. A diversity of transportation
alternatives is provided, reducing the need for automobile use. The concentration of housing in proximity to the
T own Center and Village Center (schools and parks),
mixed use development that integrates housing with
commercial uses, extensive streetscape improvements,
shared parking facilities, and network of trails and paths promote pedestrian activity and make it enjoyable.

Vision for the University Community
14 T ransportation corridors are used for multiple
transportation modes, integrating bicycle and public transit use with automobiles. The multi-modal transportation
center in the T own Center provides convenient access
to the campus and Community from surrounding areas
and enables the Community and campus populations to
access downtown Merced and other regional centers.

INFRASTRUCTURE
he University Community is supported by an
innovative and environmentally sustainable
infrastructure system. All water-related
elements are integrated into a single system—potable
water, wastewater, and storm drainage. It extracts water from groundwater sources and rainwater collected on site, collects and treats wastewater, and disperses the recycled treated water for landscape irrigation, building cooling, and other purposes. The use of solar and wind generated energy are used to augment traditional sources. The
Community is interconnected by wiring, ﬁber optics, and other new technologies that facilitate telecommunications and access to government, library, educational, health, entertainment, and other information, as well one
another.

T
T
D
T

NATURAL RESOURCES
he University Community recognizes the
importance of its environmental resources. It
participates in regional programs to conserve
wetlands, habitats, and agricultural uses. Natural
resources on site are preserved in a continuous open
space network that is linked to surrounding open spaces.

Buildings are constructed using recycled materials and
energy conserving ﬁxtures and techniques. They are
located to minimize heat gain and loss and provide shelter from prevailing winds.

NATURAL HAZARDS
evelopment in the University Community is
located and designed to mitigate the potential
impacts of noise, brush ﬁre, earthquakes, ﬂood,
landslides, and other natural hazards. These are coupled with the implementation of police and ﬁre emergency
response programs to ensure the public safety.

ADJACENT COMMUNITIES AND USES
he University Community recognizes the
values and qualities of adjacent land uses and
places. It supports continued agricultural
uses on properties to the east and south, expanded use
and improvement of Lake Yosemite Regional Park,
and a partnership with the City of Merced in assuring
a linked transportation and infrastructure network and
determining the long-term development opportunities
for lands between the Community and City.

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
15 GOALS, OBJECTIVES,

AND POLICIES
oals, objectives, and policies are deﬁned to guide development and resource conservation in the University Community in accordance with the University Community Vision. These expand upon Countywide policies deﬁned in the County of Merced General Plan. Development in the University Community shall adhere to both Countywide and Community policies. Each University Community policy is correlated with a program that deﬁnes the manner in which the policy shall be implemented. Implementation Programs are referenced at the close of each policy indicated by (Imp __) and described in a separate section of this Plan.

Community Development

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
19 OVERVIEW OF LAND USE POLICIES
he underlying theme for the Community is
dictated by its origin as a support community
to UC Merced. The new Community is
induced by, capitalizes upon, and supports the successful development of the UC Campus. It will promote the
vitality of the region’s economy, support the social
well-being of residents, and integrate environmental
sustainability within its construction. The Community
will accommodate a diversity of land uses that reﬂ ect this origin and purpose, complementing uses within the City
of Merced and the region. The Community will nurture
innovation and experimentation—elements intrinsic
to a university-related population—by encouraging
innovation in the creation of new building forms and
construction techniques, innovation in the management
of environmental resources, innovation in the conservation of scarce resources, innovation in stimulating economic development, and innovation in the culture and the arts.

Concentrated land uses will minimize impacts on natural environmental resources, agricultural uses, and the need for supporting infrastructure, simultaneously enhancing pedestrian activity and transit use. Establishing
requirements for the orientation of buildings and public spaces will minimize climatic impacts and promote the
use of sustainable energy systems.

The fundamental organizing principle of the University
Community is the establishment of a high density
mixed-use T own Center abutted by and integrated with
a number of distinct Residential Villages. The T own
Center will serve as the common meeting ground and
activity center for the University and Community
residents. The Residential Villages integrate the diversity of housing, schools, parks, services, and amenities that sustain a residential population. These are interconnected through a continuous system of greenbelts, parklands,
and mobility corridors.

The concentration and intermixing of uses within the
T own Center will promote pedestrian and transit use
and establish it as the heart of the community. Structures that incorporate housing with ground level retail, ofﬁ ce, and similar uses will be integrated with independent
commercial and housing into a cohesive urban pattern
that stimulates pedestrian activity. Opportunities for social interaction and activity will result from the development of public gathering places throughout the Community,
both in the T own Center and Neighborhood Centers
C T

STATUTORY
alifornia Government Code, Planning and
Zoning Law, Section 65302 stipulates that the
General Plan shall contain:

A land use element which designates the proposed
general distribution and general location and
extent of their uses of the land for housing, business, industry, open space, including agriculture, natural
resources, recreation, and enjoyment of scenic beauty,
education, public buildings and grounds, solid and
liquid waste disposal facilities, and other categories
of public and private uses of land. The land use
element shall include a statement of the standards
of population density and building intensity
recommended for the various districts and other
territory covered by the plan. The land use element
shall identify areas covered by the ﬂ ood which are
subject to ﬂ ooding and shall be reviewed annually
with respect to those areas.

This section of the UCP addresses state statutes
pertaining to the development of lands in the University Community. Requirements pertaining to open space,
agriculture, natural resources, recreation, scenic beauty, solid and liquid waste disposal, and ﬂ ooding are addressed in other sections of this Plan.

CONTEXT
he fundamental objective of the UCP is
to accommodate the development of uses
that will be generated by and support the
presence of the University of California Merced campus.

From a simplistic perspective, the absence of urban
development provides a “clean slate” on which the types and densities/intensities of use to be accommodated,
their organization and distribution, and design and
development characteristics can be deﬁ ned. However,
the presence of existing agricultural production activities, isolated wetlands and other natural resources, absence of on-site infrastructure and services, and adjacent existing and planned land uses must be considered in shaping
the types, distribution, and character of uses to be
accommodated.

LAND USE—CREATING A NEW COMMUNITY
T
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
20 within the Residential Villages. The Plan’s policies stress the design of public plazas and the streets to create an outdoor “living room” for community activity.

The Community will be a livable place that offers
opportunities for a diverse population of faculty, students, staff, and others attracted to the unique environment,
culture, and intellectual quality of a university campus.

Policies that deﬁne the neighborhoods will promote
interaction among neighbors and provide a variety of
housing types, convenient businesses for goods and services, job opportunities, schools, parks, and open spaces—all
contributing to the making of complete neighborhoods.

At the same time, it will offer opportunities for individual and family privacy and reﬂection—in its neighborhoods
and by the enjoyment of nature preserved within the
Community area.

Residential Villages will integrate parks, schools, services, and compatible uses, achieving a high level of livability and quality. Single- and multi-family residential units will be distributed among the villages to maintain an adequate density, and offer a variety of housing alternatives.

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES
and use goals, objectives, and policies
are organized according to a number of
fundamental values about the University
Community’s diversity of uses; development phasing;
physical form; component districts and neighborhoods;
architecture, landscape, and streetscapes; and maintenance of natural resources.

A COMMUNITY OF DIVERSE USES
Goal
A new community that contains the mix of uses that
supports the successful development of the University of California Merced, promotes the vitality of the region’s economy, and provides for the needs and social well being of its residents.

Objective

LU 1.0
T o develop the diversity of land uses that support UC
Merced and its induced population and businesses.

Policies

LU 1.1
Accommodate a mix of land uses to support the UC
Merced campus and its induced population growth
that are economically feasible and supported by the
marketplace, designated as “Multiple Use Urban
Development (MUUD)” (as shown on Figure 3). These
may include housing, retail, ofﬁces, industrial, visitor- serving accommodations, entertainment, cultural,
recreational, public/civic, institutional, education, and related uses. In particular, emphasize the attraction of businesses that uniquely capitalize upon the presence of the University, its education, innovation, and culture, which would not have otherwise been supported by the
marketplace. (Imp 1.4, 2.5, 2.7, 5.11)
LU 1.2
Accommodate the development of a mix of land uses that
sustains and supports the daily needs of residents living in the University Community and contributes to the sense
of complete neighborhoods offering a variety of housing types, supporting convenience goods and services, job
opportunities, schools, parks, and open spaces. (Imp 1.4,

2.5, 2.7, 5.11)
LU 1.3
Accommodate land uses that complement and enhance the
local and regional economic vitality and are coordinated with the City of Merced and other major business centers.

Uses that serve the region and are not uniquely related to the campus environment and economy, such as “big box”
retail, and whose development would adversely impact
the City and other areas shall be discouraged. (Imp 1.4, 2.5,

2.7, 5.11)
LU 1.4
Allow ﬂexibility in uses and densities that may be
accommodated over time to reﬂect the evolving
characteristics, needs, and objectives of the marketplace, provided that the overall objectives for the form, character, relationships, and design quality of the University
Community are maintained. (Imp 2.5, 2.7, 2.9)
LU 1.5
Develop and implement open spaces as essential amenities that distinguish the University Community, provide
recreational opportunities for residents, contribute
economic value, serve as visual relief, and reﬂect the
region’s distinct character. (Imp 2.4, 2.5, 2.7, 4.8)
L
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
21 Goals, Objectives, and Policies
22 LU 1.6
Permit and encourage continued agricultural uses as
interim uses as the University Community lands are
progressively developed. (Imp 2.5, 2.7, 5.11)

A COHESIVE AND INTEGRATED

COMMUNITY COMPOSED OF DISTINCT

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS THAT

ARE INTEGRATED WITH UC MERCED

Goal
A community that is a unique, deﬁnable, and cohesive
new place that reﬂects and capitalizes upon the special role and opportunities afforded by adjacency to the
University campus, linked to and complements the
County’s and City’s existing and planned land uses, and respects the area’s natural resources.

Objective
LU 2.0
T o create a land use pattern that respects the site’s natural resources.

Policies

LU 2.1
Locate and design development to reﬂect the site’s
natural topography and formations (refer to T opography policies). (Imp 2.5, 2.7, 2.9)
LU 2.2
Locate and design development to capitalize upon
viewsheds of UC Merced, Sierra, Lake Yosemite Regional
Park, and adjoining urban and agricultural uses (refer to Viewshed policies). (Imp 2.5, 2.7, 2.9)
LU 2.3
Site and design land uses to reﬂect and incorporate the property’s natural drainage courses, to the extent feasible in consideration of public safety and habitat preservation. (Imp 2.5, 2.7, 2.9)
Objective
LU 3.0
T o create an integrated pattern of commercial and business districts and residential neighborhoods that is integrated with the UC Merced and promotes community livability
and vitality.

Policies
LU 3.1
Concentrate land uses to minimize impacts on natural
environmental resources and agricultural uses, and
maximize the efﬁciency of supporting infrastructure,
community/ pedestrian activity, and transit use. (Imp 2.5) LU 3.2
Establish a land use pattern composed of distinct districts and neighborhoods differentiated by function, use,
density, physical form and character, and design that
are integrated into a cohesive, seamless, and deﬁnable
community. Land use districts shall be organized around a core activity area that is directly linked and blends with the core activities of UC Merced and a continuous
network of parklands, open spaces, and multi-modal
transportation corridors (as conceptually illustrated in Figures 4 and 5). Distinct residential neighborhoods
(“villages”) shall be oriented around the University
Community T own Center that serves as the primary
focal point of Community identity and Community-
campus interaction. Each neighborhood/village shall
contain a mix of housing units/densities that focus
on a school, park, local retail, and other services. A
business center shall be developed adjacent and relate
to the T own Center and UC Merced campus. (Imp 2.5)
Note: Figure 5 is an illustrative depiction of how land uses may be distributed in the University Community Planning area that reﬂects the planning and design policies contained in this Plan. As such, it represents one of a possible number of scenarios that illustrates basic principles for land use organization, such as the relationship of schools to parklands and concentration of development around a community center. The ultimate mix of uses, intensity of development, urban form, and extent of the area to be developed may vary in accordance with this Plan’s policies.

It is not a commitment for the development of the entirety or any portion of the University Community planning area.

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
23 Goals, Objectives, and Policies
24 Goals, Objectives, and Policies
25 LU 3.3
Site and design land uses and buildings to maximize the Community’s quality of life, including the establishment of pedestrian-oriented mixed use districts and residential neighborhoods that reﬂect the traditional qualities of
Merced, while providing opportunities for innovative
and creative forms of development. (Imp 2.5, 2.9)
LU 3.4
Locate the highest development densities within and
adjacent to the T own Center and primary transit
corridors and stations to support community activity and transit use. Encourage the development of housing that is suitable and affordable for UC Merced students, faculty, and staff in proximity and adjacent to the T own Center. (Imp 2.5)
LU 3.5
Integrate the Community’s land use patterns, urban
form, transportation and infrastructure corridors, and
open spaces with those of the UC Merced campus,
promoting a seamless interaction of community and
campus activities. (Imp 2.4, 2.5, 3.3, 4.8)
LU 3.6
Locate and design land uses to promote efﬁciency of
access, reduce costs, and enhance livability by the sharing of recreation, community and public facilities, institutions and cultural attractions, activity areas, and transportation infrastructure. (Imp 2.5)
LU 3.7
Allow for and encourage creativity in the siting and
design of land uses that take advantage of the innovation that can be stimulated in a University environment and
offer choices for the Community’s population, provided
that they complement overall development patterns and
densities and achieve objectives for a cohesive and high quality community. (Imp 2.5, 2.9)
LU 3.8
Establish appropriate land use and open space transitions to reﬂect long-term development, agricultural, and
conservation objectives for properties abutting the
University Community. (Imp 2.5, 4.10)

A COHESIVE AND DISTINCT COMMUNITY

THAT IS INTEGRATED WITH UC MERCED
Goal
A community that is developed in a manner that achieves the integration and cohesion among its distinct districts, neighborhoods, and UC Merced; is integrated with
efﬁcient infrastructure improvements; minimizes the loss of natural resources; and fosters continued agricultural activities.

Objective
LU 4.0
T o establish a development program for the University
Community that creates uniﬁed and cohesive patterns
of urban use and development that capitalize upon the
presence of UC Merced
Policies
LU 4.1
Adoption of the UCP shall be dependent upon the prior
adoption of The Long Range Development Plan (LRDP)
and approval of Phase I for UC Merced by the Regents of the University of California. (Imp 2.1, 2.2)
LU 4.2
Issuance of building and/or grading and excavation permits for development within the University Community
shall be dependent upon prior issuance of applicable
permits under the Clean Water Act and state and federal endangered species acts for resources impacted by that
development in the University Community. (Imp 2.5)
LU 4.3
Development in the University Community shall be
phased to create complete, cohesive, and integrated
districts and neighborhoods. This shall be accomplished through the preparation and adoption of Speciﬁc Plans
for each planning sub-area, as conceptually shown on
Figure 6, which shall provide the opportunity for public review and comment. These boundaries and the number
of Residential Villages may be modiﬁed to reﬂect site
conditions and land use development market projections
at the time of the preparation of the Speciﬁc Plan,
provided that the UCP’s underlying goals, objectives,
and policies for urban form, development character, and community and neighborhood identity are achieved. (Imp

1.2, 2.1, 2.5)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
26 Goals, Objectives, and Policies
27 LU 4.4
The maximum amount of housing units and mixed use,
retail, ofﬁce, and research and development building
square feet to be accommodated in the University
Community shall not exceed the totals shown in Table 2
(right column). The acreage for parklands, open spaces, and schools are generalized estimates based on the
Conceptual and Illustrative Land Use Diagrams (Figures
4 and 5) and may vary to reﬂect subsequent detailed
site planning and actual school facility needs based on projected student generation from development. The
latter shall be subject to negotiation between developers and jurisdictional School Districts. The development
allocations among the T own Center and each Residential Village shown in Table 2 may vary to reﬂect the number of Villages to be developed or otherwise transferred among the ﬁve sub-areas provided that the cumulative amount
of development in the Community is not exceeded,
nor reduced to a level that jeopardizes the ability to
fund Community infrastructure, public services, and
environmental mitigation. The Speciﬁc Plans shall be
found to be consistent with the UCP , in accordance with the requirements of the California Government Code
(Section 65450 et seq.). (Imp 1.2, 2.1, 2.5)
LU 4.5
Speciﬁc Plans prepared for University Community
sub-areas shall meet fundamental objectives for the
establishment of a community that supports the
development of UC Merced. T o this end, the Speciﬁc
Plans and their phasing program shall demonstrate that
they:
 Are fully consistent with applicable policies of the
Merced County General Plan and UCP
 Employ site planning, architectural and landscape
design, and amenities that exhibit the quality and
character that contributes to a distinct, cohesive,
livable, sustainable, and quality place consistent
with the UCP’s objectives and design guidelines,
which, in turn, serves as a model for development
in the San Joaquin Valley
 Structure and organize land uses, building
locations, and open spaces to establish a consistent
and uniﬁed urban pattern and scale of mixed use
districts, residential neighborhoods, and open
spaces throughout the entirety of the University
Community, which is consistent with and
complements development on the UC Merced
campus
 Support the economic vitality and success of the
campus and student supporting uses in the mixed
use T own Center and Research/Business Park
 Locate, design, and size transportation and
utility infrastructure improvements to achieve an
integrated and consistent community-wide system
and services
 Adequately fund the development of supporting
infrastructure and services that are related to their
needs and do not impose an undue ﬁnancial burden
on other properties or uses within the University
Community, other areas served by the University
Community (as deﬁned by the “Integrated Water
Infrastructure” policies), or Merced County
 Provide for development in a manner that supports
the conservation of productive agricultural and
other open space lands consistent with the policies
of the Merced County General Plan and the Local
Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO)
 Provide for the phased and concurrent development
of land uses, infrastructure, and public services
that is orderly, results in cohesive, complete, and
economically viable neighborhoods and districts,
and is liked to and does not adversely impact the
integrity of surrounding land uses, open spaces,
and agricultural lands (Imp 1.2, 2.1, 2.5)
LU 4.6
Require that the distribution and location of land uses within each Community sub-area be deﬁned by Speciﬁc
Plans in accordance with the policies for land use mix and urban form deﬁned in this element. Land use delineations depicted on Figure 4 may be modiﬁed provided that the
principles for land use organization, inter-relationships, and densities are maintained. Speciﬁc Plans for areas
abutting UC Merced shall incorporate land use and open
space plans that reﬂect and are integrated with the pattern of uses developed and open spaces in abutting areas of
UC Merced. (Imp 2.5)
LU 4.7
As part of the approval process for each Speciﬁc Plan,
the County shall consider the timing of the proposed
development in consideration of the extent and timing
of campus development and campus growth projections
in the current LRDP or LRDP EIR for UC Merced.
(Imp 2.5)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
28 TABLE 2 LAND USE CAPACITY
Land Use Town Center
Residential
Village 1
Residential
Village 2
Residential
Village 3
Residential
Village 4 Total
Residential
Single Family
Acres 0 170 238 296 264 968
Units 0 1,225 1,714 2,134 1,895 6,968
Multi Family
Acres 27 18 44 48 27 164
Units 648 430 1,050 1,146 648 3,922
Mixed Use
T otal Acres 20 0 0 0 0 20
Retail (sq. ft.) 305,000 0 0 0 0 305,000
Ofﬁce (sq. ft.) 130,680 0 0 0 0 130,680
Housing Units 726 0 0 0 0 726
Retail
Acres 5 3 2 12 3 25
Square Feet 61,000 50,000 50,000 200,000 50,000 411,000 Ofﬁce
Acres 16 2 2 7 2 29
Square Feet 593,320 20,000 20,000 120,000 20,000 776,320 Research & Development
Acres 22 0 0 0 0 22
Square Feet 400,000 0 0 0 0 400,000
Schools
Acres 0 10 20 50 30 110
Square Feet 0 1 (K–5) 2 (K–5) 1 (High)
1 (K–5)
1 (6–8)
1 (K–5) 7
Parks & Open Space
Acres 0 66 42 74 74 256
T otal Development
Acres 90 269 348 487 400 1,594
Streets
Acres 30 91 118 164 136 539
T otal
Acres 120 360 466 651 536 2,133
Note:The land use capacities may be transferred among planning subareas or otherwise varied to account for the number of Villages to be developed provided that the cumulative amount of residential, mixed use, retail, ofﬁce, research and development uses within the University Community is not exceeded or reduced to impair ﬁnancing of infrastructure, public services, and environmental litigation, and provided that such changes are consistent with other design and development policies contained in this Plan Goals, Objectives, and Policies
29 LU 4.8
Extend infrastructure and related services and utilities to urbanizing areas within the University Community only
following the adoption of an Infrastructure Master Plan and pursuant to its speciﬁcation for such infrastructure and services. Such services and improvements shall be
limited to the planned development area except where
they are necessary to independently or jointly serve the University Community and UC Merced. (Imp 2.4, 3.3, 4.13) LU 4.9
Establish an Urban Limit Line contiguous with the
Community Plan boundary. This Urban Limit Line is
intended to delineate the maximum extension of urban
development and urban services. The Urban Limit Line
may be modiﬁed by the Board of Supervisors through a
revision of the UCP and subject to all applicable goals, objectives, and policies of the County General Plan.
(Imp 2.1)

A COMMUNITY OF VITAL AND LIVABLE
PLACES

THE TOWN CENTER IS THE HEART OF THE

COMMUNITY
Objective

LU 5.0
T o develop the University Community T own Center
as the symbolic and functional center of the University Community that is directly linked and shares uses with
the University campus core and linked to surrounding
Residential Villages.

Policies
USES
LU 5.1
Require that a mix of uses be developed in the University Community T own Center that reinforce its role as the
primary business and shared activity center for the
community and campus. Representative uses may include
community and campus-serving retail commercial,
personal services, ﬁnancial institutions, ofﬁces,
entertainment, hotels/motels, civic, cultural (library, museum, etc.), food service/grocery stores, housing,
and similar uses that are supportable in the marketplace. (Imp 2.5)
LU 5.2
Encourage the development of buildings and sites that
contain a mix of uses, including the vertical integration of housing with retail, ofﬁce, civic, or other uses. (Imp 2.5)

LU 5.3
Integrate public uses (e.g., day and senior care facilities, community meeting rooms, recreation facilities, libraries, police and ﬁre facilities, health facilities, and so on) with other uses in the T own Center. (Imp 2.5, 4.4–4.6, 4.8)

LU 5.4
Collaborate with UC Merced to identify and promote
the development of uses in or immediately adjacent to
the T own Center that support and can be jointly used
by the campus and community (e.g., conference facility, performance arts center, sports stadium, and recreation ﬁelds). (Imp 2.5, 3.3)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
30 LU 5.5
Promote the development of housing units for UC
Merced students, faculty, and staff in the T own Center to facilitate access between the campus and community.
(Imp 1.4, 2.5, 3.3)

LU 5.6
Encourage the development of senior housing within the
T own Center. (Imp 1.4, 2.5)
LU 5.7
Develop a multi-modal transportation center that serves both the community and the campus at the earliest feasible date to lessen automobile dependence. Work with the
UC in the siting and design of this facility to ensure its compatibility with adjoining uses and the transportation network and facilities. (Imp 2.5, 4.1, 6.1–6.4)

DENSITY/INTENSITY
LU 5.8
Develop the T own Center with the highest densities in the University Community to reinforce its role as the “heart” of the community and foster pedestrian and transit use, according to the following standards:
 Retail and ofﬁce uses
(free-standing)

Minimum ﬂoor area ratio
(FAR) of 0.4 and
maximum of 3.0
(one to six stories)
 Mixed use
(housing/retail or ofﬁce)

Minimum FAR of 1.5 and
maximum 3.0, with a
minimum FAR of 0.35 and
maximum of 1.0 for retail
or ofﬁce components
(three to six stories)
 Residential An average range of 8 to 32
units per net acre
(minimum height of two
stories). Individual sites
may be developed at lesser
densities provided that the
average density for the
T own Center planning area
is achieved.

LU 5.9
Increased densities and building heights may be permitted to reﬂect uses of special merit that further functional, economic, and design objectives for the T own Center,
provided that they complement and are consistent with
adjoining uses and the UC Merced campus. In no case
shall densities below the deﬁned minimums be permitted. (Imp 2.5, 2.9)

DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT
LU 5.10
Integrate the T own Center’s land uses into a cohesive
urban pattern that provides the sense of a complete
and identiﬁable place. Establish an urban form that
ties together individual parcels and uses into a cohesive whole, addressing the location and massing of buildings, architecture, landscape, connective pedestrian paths and walkways, streets and transit, use of key landmarks, and similar elements. (Imp 2.5, 2.9)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
31 DENSITY/INTENSITY
LU 5.8
Develop the T own Center with the highest densities in the University Community to reinforce its role as the “heart” of the community and foster pedestrian and transit use, according to the following standards:
 Retail and ofﬁce uses
(free-standing)

Minimum ﬂoor area ratio
(FAR) of 0.4 and
maximum of 3.0
(one to six stories)
 Mixed use
(housing/retail or ofﬁce)

Mixed-Use Center—Grocery store, housing above ground ﬂoor commercial. Narrow street and wide sidewalks

LU 5.11
Allow three development typologies in the T own Center:
(a) mixed use structures that integrate housing with ground level retail, ofﬁce, cultural, or other use; (b) independent commercial, ofﬁce, and other non-residential use; and (c) independent housing. Each development type shall be
integrated into a cohesive urban pattern, in accordance with other policies in this section. T o the extent
practical, these development typologies shall be grouped, emphasizing the concentration of mixed structures along primary pedestrian streets as depicted by the Illustrative T own Center Diagram (Figure 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11). Their precise location shall be established by a Speciﬁc Plan to be adopted by the County. (Imp 2.5, 2.9)
LU 5.12
Work with UC Merced during the preparation of the
T own Center Speciﬁc Plan to ensure the blending and
continuity of uses, the street grid, and open spaces along the T own Center and campus core boundary. (Imp 2.4, 2.5,

3.3)
LU 5.13
Design sites and buildings that are constructed in the
early phases of the T own Center’s development to
facilitate intensiﬁcation and/or adaptive re-use to achieve the intended long-term scale and intensity of building
and activity. For example, parking lots may be developed as interim uses that may be replaced by higher density
buildings coupled with the development of shared use
parking structures. (Imp 2.5, 2.6)
LU 5.14
Require that buildings be located to front onto public
sidewalks and plazas forming a semi-continuous “building wall” (with parking located to the rear or in structures with ground level retail uses), that the ground ﬂoor of buildings be restricted to uses that have a high level of customer activity, and that buildings be designed to open onto the sidewalk/plaza and provoke visual interest (e.g., visual transparency, façade modulation/fenestration,
etc.). (Imp 2.5, 2.9)
Building “wall” along sidewalk, transparent facades, pedestrian- oriented signage, streetscape amenities

LU 5.15
Incorporate a major public plaza/town square to serve
as the centerpiece of community activity that shall be
designed to accommodate events, celebrations, outdoor
performances, community meetings, and similar
functions. (Imp 2.5, 2.7, 2.9)

LU 5.16
Develop and design public streetscapes to enhance
pedestrian activity including the integration of
landscape, street furniture, signage, lighting, public art, distinctive paving materials, and other amenities. Local and/or campus artists should be involved in the design
of streetscapes, in lieu of the exclusive use of traditional “catalogue” elements, to impart a distinctive character and enhance ownership by the community. (Imp 2.5, 2.9,

3.5)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
32 Goals, Objectives, and Policies
33 Goals, Objectives, and Policies
34 Goals, Objectives, and Policies
35 Goals, Objectives, and Policies
36 Goals, Objectives, and Policies
37 Indoor/outdoor uses, streetscape amenities, wide sidewalks, narrow streets

LU 5.17
Accommodate plazas, small parks, and open spaces
that provide viewshed opportunities of the campus and
landmark buildings from the T own Center. (Imp 2.5, 2.9) LU 5.18
Develop shared parking facilities in lieu of separate
parking for each site/use in the T own Center, including possible parking facilities to serve both community and campus uses. (Imp 1.5, 4.1)

LU 5.19
Design internal local streets to emphasize pedestrian activity and slow trafﬁc using such techniques as appropriate
width, angled parking, trafﬁc circles, landscaped “bulb outs,” alleys, and comparable techniques. A standard
of a minimum of 15 feet shall be established as the
minimum width of sidewalks, which may be modiﬁed to
reﬂect speciﬁc planned uses and urban form within the
T own Center, provided that the intention for functional pedestrian sidewalks is achieved. (Imp 2.5, 2.9)
LU 5.20
Promote the use of high quality and distinctive architecture that avoids the use of clichéd styles and idioms, is reﬂective of adjoining campus buildings, and considers the region’s history, landscape, and materials. (Imp 2.5, 2.9)
LU 5.21
Encourage the development of individual buildings that
serve as landmarks for the T own Center that may be
differentiated by their scale, architectural design, or use of special design elements. (Imp 2.5, 2.9)
LU 5.22
Design structures that integrate housing with commercial, ofﬁce, and other uses to protect residents from adverse impacts of the non-residential use such as noise, odors, vibration, and lighting. Parking and access to the different uses should be separated and secured. Housing units
should be designed to maximize their daylighting and air circulation. (Imp 2.5, 2.6, 2.9)

THE BUSINESS CENTER IS THE FOCAL

POINT OF INNOVATION AND ECONOMIC

ACTIVITY

Objective
LU 6.0
T o establish a business center that provides opportunities to attract and incubate new businesses that beneﬁt from the presence of the intellectual capital and research of UC Merced, is integrated with the Community T own Center
and Campus Core, and provides job opportunities for
local residents.

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
38 Policies
USES
LU 6.1
Accommodate the development of a University-related
Business Center that contains research and development, light manufacturing, electronic/digital, and other uses that provide job opportunities that uniquely are induced by the presence of the UC Merced campus. (Imp 2.5)

LU 6.2
Encourage the development of buildings and facilities
that support the formation of business incubators
capitalizing upon the University’s faculty and research. (Imp 1.4, 2.5, 5.11)
LU 6.3
Work with local business to train local residents to take advantage of new job opportunities that may be developed in the University Community (refer to Economic
Development and Public Services—Education sections
of this Plan). (Imp 1.4, 3.5, 5.11)
LU 6.4
Integrate a mix of uses into the Business Center
that support its primary research, industrial, and
manufacturing functions and products, such as limited
retail, ﬁnancial, personal service, dining, entertainment, recreation, and similar uses. (Imp 2.5)
LU 6.5
Allow for the development of new types of industries
as they evolve in the marketplace, provided that they
complement existing uses and the University of California Merced. (Imp 2.5, 2.9)

DENSITY/INTENSITY
LU 6.6
Accommodate the development of Business Center uses
at a minimum FAR of 0.35 and maximum FAR of 2.0
(one to four stories). Higher densities and building heights may be considered as they provide special opportunities to capitalize upon the University’s presence, new job
opportunities for local residents, economic enhancement for the community, and are compatible in scale and
character with adjoining uses and UC Merced. (Imp 2.5)

DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT
LU 6.7
Site and design Business Center development to achieve
a cohesive and integrated district including the use of unifying streetscape and signage, location of buildings in proximity to street frontages, and incorporation of retail shops and restaurants in the ground ﬂoor of buildings,
inclusion of architectural and landscape elements that
unify sites, and comparable techniques. (Imp 2.5, 2.9)
LU 6.8
Develop a network of streets, sidewalks, bicycle trails, infrastructure, and open spaces that connect with and
continue the basic pattern established in abutting
University campus, the T own Center, commercial
districts, and Residential Villages. (Imp 2.4, 2.5, 4.1, 4.8) LU 6.9
Promote the use of high quality and distinctive
architecture that avoids the use of clichéd styles and
idioms, is reﬂective of adjoining University Community
T own Center and campus buildings, and considers the
region’s history, landscape, and materials. (Imp 2.5, 2.9)

THE RESIDENTIAL VILLAGES NURTURE

THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE UNIVERSITY
COMMUNITY’S RESIDENTS

Objective
LU 7.0
T o establish distinct neighborhoods that integrate parks, schools, services, and comparable uses that fully support the needs of a resident and are designed to achieve a high level of livability and quality.

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
39 Policies
USES
LU 7.1
Integrate a mix of housing types within each Residential Village with supporting schools, parks, retail, and other uses that support local needs. (Imp 2.5)
LU 7.2
Accommodate a resident population of a minimum of
5,000 and maximum of 6,750 persons (approximately,
2,000 to 2,500 housing units), or of sufﬁcient size to
support a K–5 school and local services, within each
Residential Village. (Imp 2.5)
Residential
LU 7.3
Distribute the mix of single and multi-family units among the Residential Villages according to Table 2. Allow for modiﬁcation of the mix of units to reﬂect resident needs, market conditions, innovation, and creativity provided
that the character and quality of the village is maintained and basic requirements for the development of a mix of
units to meet the needs of a spectrum of resident income demographics are met. (Imp 2.5, 2.9)
LU 7.4
Encourage the development of various forms and
densities of housing units including single family
detached on “traditional” or “small” lots, zero lot line; attached or common wall units, apartments, townhomes,
condominiums, co-housing, duplexes, triplexes,
quadplexes, and so on. (Imp 2.5, 2.9)

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
40 LU 7.5
Encourage the development of “granny ﬂats,” or
“companion units,” as a portion of a Village’s residential capacity in concert with single-family detached housing. (Imp 2.5, 2.6, 2.9, 4.11)

”Granny ﬂats” at rear of single-family units
LU 7.6
Prioritize the development of off-campus student housing within walking or bicycling distance of the UC Merced
campus. (Imp 2.5, 3.3)
LU 7.7
Allow for the development of innovative housing
forms and building materials that may emerge during
the buildout of the Community Plan, contingent on
their compatibility with adjacent uses and achievement
of other Land Use objectives and policies. Consider
modiﬁcations of building and subdivision codes, where
appropriate, that would facilitate the development of
affordable units, while maintaining the public health and safety. Work closely with the University and potential
developers to develop new housing prototypes that
increase affordability. (Imp 2.5, 2.6, 2.9)
LU 7.8
Provide opportunities for the development of housing
types to meet the special needs of students and others
attracted to a “University environment” (e.g., co-housing, higher density units, sustainable building materials,
group quarters, etc.). This may include areas set aside for the development of experimental or housing prototypes
provided that they are compatible with adjoining uses.
(Imp 2.5, 2.6, 4.11)
Village Centers
LU 7.9
Accommodate local-serving commercial, services, small
restaurants/cafes, public/civic meeting facilities, libraries, cultural facilities, parks, schools, religious facilities, public plazas, and comparable uses as the physical, functional, and symbolic focal point of neighborhood identity and
activity and supportable by the market. (Imp 2.5, 4.6–4.8)

School, and park serve as neighborhood focal point

LU 7.10
Allow for the development of mixed-use structures that
integrate housing with retail, ofﬁces, community, and
other uses. (Imp 2.5)

DENSITY/INTENSITY
LU 7.11
Accommodate a mix of residential densities, with
single-family units at an average of 4.7 units per gross acre and multi-family units at an average of 24 units
per gross acre throughout the University Community.

Densities may be varied within and transferred among
the Residential Villages, provided that the cumulative
number of permitted units in the Community is not
exceeded and any reduction does not jeopardize the
ﬁnancing and implementation of infrastructure, services, and environmental mitigation or otherwise frustrate the goals and policies of the UCP . (Imp 2.5)
LU 7.12
Establish minimum and maximum lot size limits for
each Residential Village. In general, lots larger than
7,500 square feet should be, located in areas that serve as transitions among Residential Villages and neighborhoods and to serve as a buffer with adjoining agriculture and open spaces. (Imp 2.5)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
41 LU 7.13
Accommodate commercial and/or ofﬁce uses in the
Village Center typically at a FARs of 0.2 to 0.35, with one Residential Village developed at higher densities to accommodate a second grocery store within the University Community. (Imp 2.5)
LU 7.14
Accommodate mixed use structures that integrate housing and retail/ofﬁce uses in the Village Center at a maximum FAR of 1.5, with a minimum FAR of 0.2 and maximum
FAR of 0.5 for non-residential uses, and a maximum
height of three stories. (Imp 2.5)

DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT
LU 7.15
Integrate housing, parks, schools, commercial, public,
and other uses into a cohesive urban pattern that provides the sense of a complete and identiﬁable neighborhood, in accordance with other policies in this section of the Plan.

Establish an urban form that ties together individual
parcels and uses into a cohesive whole, addressing
the location and massing of buildings, architecture,
landscape, connective pedestrian paths and walkways,
use of key landmarks, and similar elements (as illustrated in Figure 12). (Imp 2.5, 2.9)
LU 7.16
Require the development of neighborhoods that integrate a diversity of housing types and densities. (Imp 2.5)
LU 7.17
Prohibit the over-concentration of multi-family units by limiting the maximum number of such units to 350 in any area that is not separated by lower density development, except within and abutting the T own Center and the
Village Centers. (Imp 2.5, 2.9)
LU 7.18
Site and design development to enhance neighborhood
quality of life by:
 Establishing a pattern of blocks that promotes
access and neighborhood activity
 Minimizing the width of streets to slow trafﬁc and
promote intimacy, while maintaining acceptable
ﬁre protection and trafﬁc ﬂows
 Integration of a diversity of housing types within a
neighborhood and on individual blocks, ensuring
their compatibility with adjoining units
 Use of variable setbacks and parcel sizes to
accommodate diverse housing types
 Physically and visually relating the unit to the
street frontage
 Locating and designing garages to minimize their
visual dominance from the street
 Incorporating sidewalks and parkways to foster
pedestrian activity
 Promoting architectural diversity
 Other appropriate techniques (Imp 2.5, 2.9)

Housing oriented to street frontage
LU 7.19
Design the Village Center as the focal point of
neighborhood identity and activity locating buildings
along the street frontage and public spaces, designing
structures to enhance pedestrian activity (e.g., visual transparency and façade modulation/fenestration),
integrating community meeting facilities and plazas for public gatherings, constructing streetscape improvements, and locating higher density housing, such as townhomes, on adjacent parcels. (Imp 2.5, 2.9)
LU 7.20
Locate Village Centers within walking distance of all
homes within the village/neighborhood, connected by a
network of trails and pedestrian paths. (Imp 2.5, 4.8)
LU 7.21
Support the development of public uses that offer the
opportunity for the sharing of facilities such as the
integration of school play ﬁelds and athletic facilities with public parks, multi purpose auditoriums that
serve multiple schools, and libraries and multi-purpose facilities that serve both schools and the general public. (Imp 2.5, 4.6–4.8)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
42 FIGURE 8 ILLUSTRATIVE RESIDENTIAL DIAGRAM

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
43 LU 7.22
Promote the use of high quality and distinctive architecture that avoids the use of clichéd and repetitive styles and idioms and considers the region’s history, landscape,
and materials. In particular, the Village Centers should be designed to convey distinctive architectural qualities that distinguish them from typical suburban commercial
centers. Architectural elements and landscape should be used as landmarks that provide identity and a sense of
location and orientation. (Imp 2.5, 2.9)

LU 7.23
Design structures that integrate housing with commercial, ofﬁce, and other uses to protect residents from adverse impacts of the non-residential use such as noise, odors, vibration, and lighting. Parking and access to the different uses should be separated and secured. Housing units
should be designed to maximize their daylighting and air circulation. (Imp 2.5, 2.6, 2.9)
LU 7.24
Establish landscaped buffers and berms adjacent to major transportation corridors to protect adjoining residential neighborhoods from vehicular noise and trafﬁc. Housing
may be set back from the buffer with vehicular access
from rear alleys or streets or located to face the interior of a neighborhood with their backyards located along
the corridor and buffer. The use of walls along the
transportation corridor should be discouraged, unless
there is no feasible alternative that effectively protects the housing. (Imp 2.5, 4.8)

THE QUALITY OF THE COMMUNITY IS

ENHANCED BY ITS PUBLIC USES
Objective
LU 8.0
T o integrate public uses into the development fabric of the Community.

Policies
LU 8.1
Integrate schools, libraries, cultural facilities, parks, civic, and similar public uses into the T own Center and Residential Village Neighborhood Centers to maximize
their accessibility by local residents and recognize their contribution to community and neighborhood identity.
(Imp 2.5, 4.4–4.8)
LU 8.2
Cluster elementary, middle, and/or high schools for
the purposes of sharing capital-intensive facilities such as auditoriums, libraries, athletic ﬁelds, multipurpose meeting rooms, and similar uses (refer to Public
Services—Schools). (Imp 2.5, 4.7)
LU 8.3
Locate schools and parks adjacent to one another to
facilitate the sharing of play and athletic ﬁelds. (Imp 2.5,

4.7, 4.8)
LU 8.4
Integrate public libraries and community multipurpose
facilities with schools, where feasible. (Imp 2.5, 4.6, 4.7) Goals, Objectives, and Policies
44 THE NETWORK OF PARKS AND OPEN
SPACES DEFINE THE COMMUNITY’S

CHARACTER
Objective
LU 9.0
T o develop an open space system that sustains natural
resources, protects the community from natural hazards, offers opportunities for recreation, and serves as an
amenity that heightens the quality and livability of the University Community.

Policies
LU 9.1
Design open spaces as amenities that contribute to
the quality of life, image, and economic value of the
University Community. (Imp 2.5, 4.8)
LU 9.2
Develop open spaces for the purposes of active and passive recreation, habitat preservation, education and research, ﬂood control/public safety, agricultural production, and similar functions. (Imp 2.5, 4.2, 4.8, 4.10)
LU 9.3
Use natural drainages, trails, recreation areas, and similar techniques to link the University Community’s land
use districts and open space elements, the UC Merced
campus, Lake Yosemite Regional Park, and surrounding
open spaces. (Imp 2.5, 4.8)

LU 9.4
Develop a continuous greenbelt corridor/park system as
the centerpiece of the University Community (“Village
Green/Central Park”), which will be linked with each
Village Center and Community open spaces by a network
of connecting trails. Accommodate parklands and open
spaces within the greenbelt system that provide residents with a diversity of open space experiences, ranging from active urban spaces to passive open lands. This may
encompass landscaped urban squares, neighborhood and
community-serving parks, mini-parks, linear greenways,
landscaped hiking and bikeway trails, and similar
elements (as illustrated on Figure 13). At a minimum, the greenbelts and parks developed for active recreational use shall encompass 150 acres, based on standard of 5 acres per 1,000 residents. However, to create the amenity and economic and social values that are essential to uniquely deﬁne and differentiate the University Community,
developers shall be encouraged to exceed this minimum
for habitat and native grassland preserves, open space
buffers, and other purposes. (Imp 2.4, 4.8, 4.10)

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
45 FIGURE 9 ILLUSTRATIVE OPEN SPACE CONCEPT

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
46 LU 9.5
Design the “Village Green” as an organizational element for the siting and design of development, such as the
orientation and linkage of multi-family housing and
commercial uses to the park (e.g., restaurants “opening” onto the park). (Imp 2.5, 4.8)
LU 9.6
Require that the acquisition and development of the
“Village Green” be funded equitably by all development
within the University Community. (Imp 2.5, 2.7, 6.1–6.4) LU 9.7
Integrate the Le Grand and Fairﬁeld canals into the
University Community’s open space network, preserving
and protecting their primary function as a conduit of
agricultural water, consistent with the requirements
and to the satisfaction of the Merced Irrigation District (MID). (Imp 2.5, 3.3, 4.8)
LU 9.8
Design any uses, landscape, trails, and improvements
located in proximity to MID canals to protect the
physical integrity of the canals, levees, and related water conveyance systems. (Imp 2.7, 2.8, 3.3)
LU 9.9
Incorporate barriers, such as fencing, and other elements to ensure public safety and prevent public access to the canal, to the satisfaction of MID. Collaborate with the MID in the use of landscape, fencing, and other elements that assure a high level of public safety and visual quality that complements the open space system. (Imp2.7, 2.8, 3.3) LU 9.10
Allow for the use of existing prime agricultural land as open space that would be integrated into the ﬁnal design of the University Community, where possible. Open
space uses could include parks, community gardens, and
educational/research activities. (Imp 2.4, 2.5)

A COMMUNITY OF QUALITY

ARCHITECTURE, LANDSCAPE, AND PUBLIC

STREETSCAPES
Goal
A new community distinguished by its urban form,
architecture, landscape, and public streetscapes.

Objective
LU 10.0
T o develop buildings, sites, and public places whose
design contributes to the sense of community identity,
quality, and livability and reﬂects the history, landscapes, and character of the Merced region.

Policies
LU 10.1
Establish a program of streetscape improvements that
distinguish and uniquely identify the T own Center,
Business Center, and Residential Village centers and
neighborhoods. This may be accomplished through entry
identiﬁcation, signage, landscape, street furniture, public art, lighting, banners, and other design elements. (Imp 2.5) LU 10.2
Develop a pattern of landscape that differentiates
public places and streetscapes and private development
throughout the Community’s business districts, and
residential neighborhoods. Require the use of landscape materials that reﬂect the region, are drought-tolerant, and native species, to the extent feasible. (Imp 2.5)

Commercial streetscape

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
47 Residential neighborhood tree canopy

LU 10.3
Encourage the planting of trees along sidewalks and in
parks, civic facilities, public plazas, and parking lots that provide an extensive canopy and shade in the summer,
and are deciduous to facilitate solar access in the winter, as feasible and appropriate. (Imp 2.5)
LU 10.4
Promote architectural diversity and interest creating
consistency through building location, massing, scale,
height, materials, fenestration, modulation, signage,
lighting, and comparable elements, rather than a speciﬁc design idiom or style. (Imp 2.5, 2.9)
LU 10.5
Discourage the use of clichéd architectural design
styles emblematic of other regions (e.g., Cape Cod,
Southwest, and Spanish Mediterranean), encouraging the
development of an architectural character that is reﬂective of the history, landscape, and materials of Merced, the Central Valley, and Sierra foothills. (Imp 2.5, 2.9)
LU 10.6
Consider the use of building and landscape materials that reﬂect the region’s history such as stone, aggregate, and wood. (Imp 2.5, 2.9)
LU 10.7
Promote architectural design of unique merit and quality, particularly in the T own Center, Business Center, and
public buildings, while ensuring their compatibility with the overall quality and character of the Community.
(Imp 2.5, 2.9)

A COMMUNITY THAT SUSTAINS SCARCE

NATURAL RESOURCES
Goal
A new community whose physical form and development
sustains the region’s natural resources.

Objective
LU 11.0
T o develop sites and buildings in a manner that minimizes the depletion of non-renewable resources.

Policies
LU 11.1
Locate and design development in consideration of the
University Community’s climatic conditions. Examples
of techniques that may be considered include:
 Orientation, conﬁguration, and massing of
buildings and public spaces to provide shelter from
wind and temperature extremes and capitalize
upon opportunities to use sustainable energy
systems (solar, wind, other)
 Use of architectural elements to reduce the impacts
of temperature extremes (overhangs, arcades,
recessed windows, etc.)
 Use of building materials that promote energy
efﬁciency by minimizing heat gain and loss
 Use of landscape to provide shelter and relief from
heat in the summer and solar access in the winter
(e.g., deciduous trees such as sycamores)
 Incorporation of water amenities as a relief from
heat, with emphasis on the use of treated gray
water (Imp 2.5, 2.8, 2.9)
LU 11.2
Promote the use of recycled materials in building,
streetscape, infrastructure, and other construction.
(Imp 2.6, 2.8)
LU 11.3
Promote the use of grading techniques and roof-drainage systems that capture rain water on site and facilitate its use for landscape irrigation and water amenities. (Imp 2.7,

2.8)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
48 LU 11.4
Promote the re-use of treated wastewater on site (refer to Infrastructure-Water-Related Systems). (Imp 2.7, 2.8)
LU 11.5
Promote the use of native and drought-tolerant landscape and drip irrigation systems. (Imp 2.7)
C D
LU 11.6
Promote the use of energy-efﬁcient ﬁxtures and building techniques (refer to Energy Infrastructure). (Imp 2.6)
HOUSING—PROVIDING SHELTER FOR COMMUNITY RESIDENTS

STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
alifornia State Planning Law, Government
Code Sections 65300 and 65580 et seq .
require the preparation of a Housing Element
that deﬁnes programs to “…attain decent housing and
a suitable living environment for every Californian…”
The Element is mandated to include an analysis of
housing needs, a statement of goals, policies, quantiﬁed objectives, and scheduled programs for the preservation, improvement, and development of housing. The housing
section is speciﬁcally required to address affordability of housing and deﬁne a ﬁve-year plan of action on meeting
these needs. These requirements are addressed on a
countywide basis by the County of Merced’s adopted
Housing Element. Local governments are mandated to
update the Housing Element every ﬁve years.

As the University Community is vacant and development
is not anticipated for a number of years from the date
of the publication of this Plan, it is premature to deﬁne speciﬁc housing programs for the University Community.

Housing needs will evolve as residents move into the
Community. The character of a university’s population
(students, faculty, staff, and service workers) implicitly infers that the population and its housing needs will
be diverse. As such, the University Community Plan
outlines a broad framework of policies intended to
provide an adequate supply of housing units for a range of households, demographics, and incomes. These address
both short and long term housing affordability. The
policies also address key strategies intended to establish a high quality character of residential neighborhoods and sustain environmental resources. The UCP mandates the
formulation of a housing program to be incorporated in
the Speciﬁc Plans to be subsequently prepared for the
T own Center and each Residential Village.

As housing is developed in the Community, the needs
of its residents will be reviewed annually and speciﬁc
actions to ensure the provision of adequate housing in the Community will be incorporated in the ﬁve-year updates
of the County General Plan Housing Element.

OVERVIEW
evelopment of adequate housing to support
the needs of the population growth induced by
the presence of UC Merced is intrinsic to the
success of the University Community. In the early years of development, few constraints will affect the ability to produce units that will be affordable for many faculty, students, staff, and others attracted by the presence of the campus due to the prevailing low land values. However,
the need to fund “up front” infrastructure and public
services could escalate Community costs somewhat
higher than those found for housing in the City of Merced and surrounding region, placing the Community at a
comparative disadvantage in the marketplace. Potentially, some subsidy or holding cost will be necessary to offset these differences.

The Community’s most signiﬁcant issue of housing
affordability will be in the long-term. It is the experience in other UC communities that housing prices inﬂate
dramatically, typically above those in the greater region.

Frequently, this is due to the scarcity of land and product available (demand outstrips supply), as well as the
desirability of a university environment as a place to live for non-individuals not related to the university. Most UC communities are characterized by high-priced units
that are extremely overcrowded (ultimately contributing to their physical deterioration) and extreme travel
commutes by students, faculty, and staff who cannot
afford or ﬁnd housing locally.

Thus, the challenges for the University Community are
threefold: provision of sufﬁcient housing capacity to
stabilize prices, construction of units that can be afforded by students and low income populations, and the ability to maintain affordability as the Community matures. At
the same time, the University Community will share in
the County’s need to provide a range of housing types to meet the unique needs of a diverse general population.

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
49 Housing goals and policies for the Community are
consistent with and build upon the existing County
of Merced housing policy. In addition to securing
affordable and special needs housing, the Community
will need to provide a variety of housing opportunities that accommodates a broad band of residents in terms of household economics and lifestyles. As lifestyles change, the housing will need to be ﬂexible to accommodate
the change for future generations. The community will
provide a variety of adequate and affordable housing
opportunities for residents. The policies allow a mix
of housing units to adjust to market and affordability
needs. Affordable single-family detached and attached
residences, multi-family rental and ownership units,
co-housing, cooperatives, and live/work units will be
provided. The use of variable setbacks and parcel sizes will accommodate a diversity of housing types. Housing
near public transportation access points will give seniors and students needed mobility. Clustering of buildings
around common activity spaces and outdoor uses will
create social “micro-climates” with individual identity though interaction of residents.

Appropriate infrastructure will be provided to assure
the support of residential development and ensure the
proper integration of all services. Functional residential design will provide pedestrian oriented developments,
and aesthetically pleasing views that will contribute to the sense of community. Narrower streets will slow trafﬁc and promote intimacy while maintaining adequate
emergency response.

A sustainable design will allow the use of energy efﬁcient materials and measures, use landscaping for heat relief, maximize use of natural light, and encourage the use of systems to monitor energy use. Use of recycled materials for construction will protect natural resources.

The use of water efﬁcient ﬁxtures and systems to monitor water use will promote water conservation. Buildings will incorporate wastewater reuse systems, encouraging on-
site water recycling for cooling systems and landscaping needs.

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES
ousing goals, objectives, and policies
are organized according to a number of
fundamental values about the University
Community’s housing sufﬁciency, diversity, ability to meet the special needs of the population, short and long term affordability, quality, and environmental sustainability.

A COMMUNITY OF DIVERSE HOUSING

CHOICES

Goal
Sufﬁcient housing to meet the needs of the University
Community’s diverse residential population—students,
faculty, staff, employees of supporting businesses, and those attracted to the unique environment of a university campus.

Objective
H 1.0
T o provide adequate sites for housing in the University Community.

Policies
H 1.1
Designate sufﬁcient sites for housing development in
the University Community’s Residential Villages in Sub
Area Speciﬁc Plans, in accordance with the development
capacities speciﬁed by Land Use policies. (Imp 2.5)
H 1.2
Allow for ﬂexibility in the mix of housing units to be
accommodated to reﬂect market and affordability needs
as those needs evolve during the buildout of the University Community. (Imp 2.5, 2.9)
H 1.3
Work with UC Merced in developing opportunities to
provide housing to meet the needs of students, faculty, staff, and guest facilities for University visitors on the campus and in the University Community. (Imp 3.3)
H 1.4
Monitor the housing needs induced by the presence of
UC Merced at least once every ﬁve years and ensure that the University Community contains sufﬁcient capacity,
through its Speciﬁc Plans, to provide adequate housing
until the planned development capacity of each sub-area is exhausted. At that time, evaluate the need to develop additional housing capacity to support UC Merced and
its induced uses and determine the appropriate location(s) in which this growth should be targeted. (Imp 2.1)
H
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
50 H 1.5
Expand infrastructure as needed to support anticipated
residential development and ensure the proper integration of all services. (Imp 4.1–4.3)
H 1.6
Maintain consistency among the sub area Speciﬁc Plans
to provide the necessary services and infrastructure to support housing demands. (Imp 2.5, 4.1–4.3)
H 1.7
Ensure that the Community’s housing capacity is
sufﬁcient to support the employment generated by UC
Merced, businesses, and industries and correlate the mix of units to their income levels, offering a variety of rental and ownership opportunities. (Imp 2.5)
Objective
H 2.0
T o provide a diversity of housing types to meet the needs of the University Community’s residents.

Policies

H 2.1
Foster the development of a variety of housing types
to serve the needs of residents in consideration of
household size, age, incomes, special needs, cultures, and other relevant factors. These may encompass affordable, single-family detached and attached residences, multi-
family rental and ownership units, condominium,
co-housing, cooperatives, live/work, second units,
senior, intergenerational housing, units integrated with nonresidential uses, student housing, and similar units. A range of housing units to support a diversity of household sizes and incomes shall be accommodated in each
Residential Village (as speciﬁed by Land Use policies). (Imp 2.5)

H 2.2
Promote mixed-use developments that integrate a mix
of housing types and housing with commercial (ofﬁce
or retail), institutional, and public uses. The latter
may consist of sites on which more one use is located
(horizontal integration) or buildings in which housing
is located on ﬂoors above non-residential uses (vertical integration). The development of mixed-use buildings
shall be emphasized in the T own Center and encouraged
in the Residential Village Centers. (Imp 2.5

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
51 H 2.3
Support the development of multi-family housing projects that contain a variety of unit sizes, including larger unit sizes for low /moderate income families. (Imp 2.5, 4.11) H 2.4
Allow the development of live/work housing units to
provide ﬂexible work space needs and meet changing
consumer housing demands. (Imp 2.5, 2.6)
H 2.5
Support the use of increased densities and a variety of unit sizes to allow for different family size and composition, to better address current trends in housing demand. (Imp 2.5,

2.9)
H 2.6
Accommodate the development of new forms of housing
that may emerge based on their compatibility with adjacent uses and achievement of land use objectives. In particular, encourage innovation in building types, conﬁguration,
and materials for student-related housing, provided that they meet public health and safety requirements and are compatible with adjoining land uses. (Imp 2.5, 2.9)
Objective
H 3.0
T o provide adequate housing to meet the special needs of the University Community’s population.

Policies
H 3.1
Promote the development of housing for students and
seniors near the T own Center, transportation access
points, and Residential Village Centers. Prioritize the location of student housing in proximity to UC Merced.
(Imp 2.5)
H 3.2
Require that housing be designed to accommodate the
needs of the disabled and seniors, in accordance with
state and federal legislation. (Imp 2.5, 2.6)
H 3.3
Work with local private and nonproﬁt developers (e.g.,
Merced College “Build-A-House” Project) to ﬁnance,
design, and construct housing to meet special needs.

Such projects might include, but are not limited to, senior housing, including congregate care facilities; housing for people with physical and mental disabilities; and housing for large families. (Imp 3.5, 4.2)
H 3.4
Assess the special housing needs of the University
Community’s population as development occurs and, at
least every ﬁve years, establish programs to ensure that these needs are being met. (Imp 2.1, 4.11)

A COMMUNITY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Goal
Adequate housing opportunities for all income levels in the University Community.

Objective

H 4.0
T o develop housing for higher income residents of the
University Community.

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
52 Policies
H 4.1
Encourage development of high quality housing by
incorporating larger lot projects within the Residential Villages and “quality” townhomes in the T own Center,
Residential Village Centers, and along park frontages.
(Imp 2.5)

Objective
H 5.0
T o develop housing that is affordable to moderate-, low- , and very low–income households in the University
Community.

Note: It is recognized that affordable housing requirements will vary over the build-out of the University Community. Prevailing housing costs in the Merced market are low in comparison to most UC communities. However, experience suggests that such costs will rise as the Community matures and affordability will be reduced. Therefore, it is expected that the production of adequate affordable housing units will become more critical and programs will have to become more aggressive in the middle and later stages of the Community’s development.

Policies

H 5.1
Develop a Housing Program for each Speciﬁc Plan area
that commits to the development of adequate affordable
housing, facilitates access by low-income households,
and promotes its long-term affordability to meet
Community needs. The Program shall be consistent
with the provisions of the County of Merced Housing
Element in consideration of housing affordability in the greater Merced market. It shall be a condition of approval for the sub-area Speciﬁc Plans and include actions that may be undertaken by a diversity of entities including
the County of Merced, the Housing Authority, other
agencies, and private developers. A variety of elements may be incorporated including land use development
strategies, production of affordable units by developers and other entities, contribution of in-lieu fees to a
separate housing development entity, regulatory and
programmatic approaches, and ﬁnancial assistance to
buyers and renters. Possible components of the Housing
Program are deﬁned in Policies 5.1.1 through 5.1.18
(below). (Imp 2.5, 4.11)

LAND USE STRATEGIES
H 5.1.1
The development of a mix of single-family and multi-
family, owner–occupied and rental units in each Residential Village (in accordance with Land Use policies). Vary
the unit size, including smaller single-family detached, apartment, and townhome units. (Imp 2.5)
H 5.1.2
A variety of lot sizes to assure affordability. This may reduce minimum lots sizes from current County
standards. (Imp 2.5, 2.6, 4.11)
H 5.1.3
The construction of second units as an option for
affordable housing and to promote an integrated
neighborhood. “Granny ﬂats”/second units/accessory
apartments allow elderly residents, students and low-
income residents to live in moderate- and higher-
income neighborhoods. This provides housing diversity,
encourages neighborhood stability, improves the local
tax base, and improves local government control (fewer
illegal housing units). (Imp 2.5, 2.6, 4.11)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
53 H 5.1.4
The development of affordable innovative housing
units (Policy H 2.6) , live/work facilities (Policy H 2.4) , and manufactured homes in residential neighborhoods
provided that they are designed to complement adjoining housing and meet public health and safety requirements. (Imp 2.5, 2.6, 2.9, 4.11)

HOUSING PRODUCTION
H 5.1.5
The development of affordable housing by project
developers through:
a. The use of “inclusionary zoning,” wherein the
developer is required to produce a stipulated
percentage of the total housing units for low- and
very low–income households (120 percent and 80
percent of the County median household income,
respectively);
b. Provision of development density bonuses when
speciﬁed minimums are exceeded; and/or
c. Contribution of an in-lieu fee, based on the
calculation of the value of the required affordable
units, to the County or other entity (e.g., non-
proﬁt) for the construction of affordable units.

At a minimum, the developer shall be responsible for the provision of sufﬁcient affordable units, as determined by the County, through construction or in-lieu fees. (Imp 2.5,

4.11)
H 5.1.6
Supporting and encouraging innovative efforts for the
construction of affordable housing units in the University Community by private and non-proﬁt developers, such
as the Merced County Housing Coalition. An example
program is the City of Merced and Merced College
Partnership’s “Habitat Build a House” program that
provides funding and technical assistance for residential development in which college students are responsible
for construction. (Imp 2.5, 2.6, 2.9, 3.3, 3.5, 4.11)
H 5.1.7
Supporting UC Merced as a potential affordable housing
provider or partner within the community for students
and faculty. This may involve joint public/private
development of affordable rental and ownership housing. (Imp 3.3, 4.11)

REGULATORY AND PROGRAMMATIC
H 5.1.8
Incentives for the development of affordable housing
units, which implement and, as appropriate, expand upon the County of Merced Housing Element’s programs.

Examples of potential incentives to developers of projects that include below market rate units to be sold or rented to persons of low and moderate in come include:
 Density Bonuses. T o decrease the per-unit costs
of the development, the County could provide a
density bonus for eligible projects. The County
might also allow increased lot coverage for
affordable large-family developments. Alternately,
a percentage bonus (e.g., 20 percent greater than
that allowed under the designated zoning) could
be offered. For example, a development site of
90,000 square feet could accommodate 15 units
under R-1-6 zoning. With density bonus, the site
would accommodate 18 units (at 5,000 square
feet per unit).
 Development Related Inducements. Waivers may be
granted to affordable housing projects for permit
fees or selected impact fees, fee deferment, fast
track processing (priority review and permitting),
allowing second ﬂoor residential above ground
ﬂoor retail.
 Fee Deferment. T o reduce the “carrying costs” of a
project, the County could provide a deferment for
payment of permit and development fees through
the duration of the project’s construction loan.

Fees would be due at the point when long-term
ﬁnancing for the development in secured or the
project is sold. A maximum deferment period
could also be set (e.g., two years).
 Low interests Financing/Equity Sharing.

Developments that are deemed eligible could be
provided low-interest ﬁnancing or even equity
participation by the County through a Joint
Development Agreement. Such projects might be
required to meet stricter eligibility requirements
(e.g., a higher percentage of units affordable to
low- and moderate-income household).
 Low-Income Housing T ax Credits (LIHTC). This is a
primary vehicle for production of affordable rental
housing. Credits are used for the development of
affordable housing for low-income families and the
elderly for minimum 30 years. Some units can be
permanently dedicated for low income. Housing
credit is allocated for renters with incomes below
60 percent of the area median income.

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
54  Infrastructure Financing Assistance. T o reduce
the “up-front” infrastructure improvement and
development costs, the County could provide
assistance in developing alternative, long-term
infrastructure ﬁnancing. Such ﬁnancing might
include formation of a Mello-Roos or special
assessment district to support a low-term, low
interest revenue bond to fund infrastructure
improvements. Bond interest and principal would
be paid over time by homeowners in the assessment
district. (Imp 3.3, 3.5, 6.4, 4.11)
H 5.1.9
Establish an affordable housing trust fund to assist in the provision of affordable housing within the University
Community. Housing T rust Funds: are dedicated sources
of revenue administered by the County Housing Authority and used to build new housing, land acquisition, provide deferred loans for homebuyers, provide rental loan funds, provide low-interest ﬁnancing for the construction of
second units, and other assistance to very low– and low- income families. (Imp 4.11)
H 5.1.10
Actively seek state and federal Funds in coordination
with other local agencies and jurisdictions, with private developers and/or with local lending institutions:
 Identify and apply for funding at the state and
federal levels to ﬁnance the construction of new
affordable housing in the University Community.
 Assist private and nonproﬁt individuals or
organizations in applying for state and federal
funds. Assistance may take the form the
information referral, consultation regarding
program applications, and/or lobbing by local
ofﬁcials on behalf of the applicant.
 Identify and apply for funding at the state and
federal levels to help bridge the “affordability gap”
between housing prices and household incomes
in the County (e.g., assistance for ﬁrst-time
homebuyers). (Imp 4.11)

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
H 5.1.11
Participation in programs that provide ﬁnancial
assistance for low- and moderate-income households to
acquire adequate housing in the University Community,
as deﬁned by or in addition to those contained in the
County General Plan Housing Element. Programs shall
be directly correlated with the needs of the University Community and not adversely impact housing programs
for other areas of the County. Examples of programs
currently available include:
 Down Payment and Loan Assistance. Programs for
ﬁrst time homebuyers with low-interest loans for
down payments and mortgages.
 First-Time Homebuyer Mortgage and Counseling.

Programs speciﬁcally designed for low-and
moderate-income homebuyers that include
borrowing, budgeting, and housing maintenance
training.
 Mortgage Revenue Bonds. Single-family and low-
income rental housing bonds, also known as
Mortgage Revenue Bonds, sold by state and
local governments as tax-exempt bonds using the
proceeds to ﬁnance discount mortgages. A typical
MRB mortgage can save as much as $100/month
compared to a conventional mortgage. MRBs
can also provide down payment and closing cost
assistance.
 Establish an Affordable Housing Community Fund.

Establish a County account under the title of
“Affordable Housing Community Fund” to serve
as the depository for monies designated for general
use in affordable housing programs (project-
speciﬁc monies excluded). The Fund shall be
managed by the County’s Housing Program, with
policy oversight and monitoring from the County’s
Affordable Housing Task Force. Potential uses for
funded monies shall include land acquisition for
affordable housing, participation in affordable
housing development projects, contributions to
loan and rental assistance programs, low-interest
ﬁnancing for the construction of seconds units,
and support for down payment assistance for ﬁrst-
time homebuyers.
 Sweat Equity and Self-Help Enterprises. Emphasizes
ownership in housing by requiring a homebuyer to
participate in the development and construction
of housing, providing that such units comply with
applicable codes and regulations and are designed
to be compatible with adjoining residences. Can
be implemented by a group of participants who
collectively provide “sweat equity” in each other’s
homes, assisting one another in the construction
of their homes. (Imp 4.11)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
55 H 5.1.12
Work with the Housing Authority to continue to expand
Section 8 programs for use in the University Community, as needed. These are federally funded certiﬁcates or
vouchers that are used to pay up to 70 percent of the
rental costs for tenants of existing housing who pay 30 percent or greater of their household income for rent.

Cooperative activities may include, but are not limited to:
 Identiﬁcation and/or development of housing
units available for Section 8 occupancy
 Identiﬁcation of households eligible for Section 8
assistance
 Assistance in lobbying the federal government
for an increased allocation of Section 8 vouchers
and certiﬁcates for Merced County’s population
of very low– and low-income households (Imp 3.3,

4.11)
H 5.1.13
Establish a revolving loan pool to provide qualifying low- interest loans to ﬁrst-time low- and moderate-income
homebuyers. The loan pool would be operated as a self-
sustaining funding source distinct from other County
programs, with established guidelines setting forth terms and conditions for down payment loans. Such guidelines
might include a percentage-of-buying-price or total dollar limit on loans and conditions for interest and principal re-payment (e.g., due after 20 years or at time of resale).

Guidelines would be developed based on the dual goals
of making the loan pool self-sustaining and lowering the ﬁnancial burden on ﬁrst-time low- and moderate-income
homebuyers. (Imp 4.11)

LONG-TERM AFFORDABILITY
H 5.1.14
Require that affordable for-sale housing units that are subsidized by federal, state, County, or other public funds and non-proﬁt housing corporations be owner-occupied
and carry subsidy recapture provisions for a minimum
time period (e.g., 20 years) with the level of subsidy
determined at the time of construction as a percentage of development costs. For example, if a subsidy of $5,000 is provided towards a unit that costs $50,000 to construct and that unit is sold in 25 years for a sum of $500,000, the subsidizing entity shall receive $50,000 from the sale to reinvest in new affordable housing development through
an Affordable Housing Community Fund. (Imp 4.11)
H 5.1.15
Require that affordable for-sale housing units that are subsidized by the County or use of other public funds
be re-sold at affordable rates, to be determined by the County based on cost of living increases and inﬂation. The County shall encourage a similar program for affordable units for faculty, students, and/or staff developed by or in partnership with UC Merced. (Imp 4.11)
H 5.1.16
Provide ﬁnancial assistance to low- and very low–income households for the rental and purchase of affordable units as speciﬁed by Policies H 6.1 through H 6.3. (Imp 4.11)

DATABASE AND EDUCATION
H 5.1.17
Establish and monitor housing affordability levels to
ensure that housing options remain affordable over time.

This may be accomplished by regular surveys and review
of census ﬁgures and ﬁve-year updates of the County
General Plan Housing Element. (Imp 2.1, 4.2)
H 5.1.18
Educate the public regarding affordable housing issues
and programs. (Imp 5.10)

A COMMUNITY OF LIVABLE

NEIGHBORHOODS

Goal
Complete residential neighborhoods that integrate the
full complement of uses that support a resident’s needs and contribute to a high standard of livability and quality of life.

Objective

H 6.0
T o develop complete residential neighborhoods that
contain the diversity of housing, school, parks, services, amenities, and other uses supporting the daily activities and needs of residents and are designed to enhance
community socialization, as well as provide personal
privacy.

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
56 Policies
H 6.1
Accommodate a mix of housing types within each
Residential Village and establish an activity center that serves as the point of communal activity and identity that may include a school, park, multi-purpose facility, local commercial services, and similar uses in accordance with applicable Land Use policies. (Imp 2.5)

H 6.2
Design the residential neighborhoods to foster community activity by orienting housing units to the street (the
neighborhood “living room”) and enhancing walkability,
in accordance with applicable Land Use policies. (Imp 2.5,

2.9)
H 6.3
Encourage development of housing units designed
by recognized leaders in the architectural and design
ﬁeld. Promote diversity in the design of housing units, avoiding the monotonous repetition of a limited style
palette. (Imp 2.5, 2.9)
H 6.4
Encourage the use of design features that are common
throughout the neighborhoods to create a connection
and “sense of place” within the University Community.
(Imp 2.5, 2.9)

A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY

Goal
A housing community that sustains its non-renewable
natural resources.

Objective

H 7.0
T o locate and design housing and it’s supporting
infrastructure to minimize depletion of non-renewable
natural resources, emphasizing energy and water
conservation and the re-use of materials.

Policies
H 7.1
Promote the development of residential sites and
buildings to conserve energy consumption through their
location/orientation, building materials, architectural design, ﬁxtures, landscape, and use of alternative sources (refer to Infrastructure—Energy and Land Use policies). (Imp 2.5, 2.6, 2.9)

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
57 H 7.2
Promote the conservation of water through the re-use
of treated wastewater, capture and re-use of rainwater, efﬁcient plumbing and ﬁxtures, and use of native
and drought-tolerant landscape materials (refer to
Infrastructure—Integrated Water Systems and Land Use
policies). (Imp 2.5, 2.6, 2.8)
H 7.3
Encourage the development of “green” housing units.

These are characterized by the use of energy efﬁcient
design and construction materials, siting and location of housing, use of innovative or non-mainstream techniques such as solar heating, organic insulation, day-lighting (capitalizing on natural lighting), on-site water storage and recycling, and other techniques that promote the
concept of sustainability in construction. Green housing can often have higher front end costs, which may
necessitate targeting higher end consumers, but long term cost savings are making green units increasingly more
affordable. There is also a growing market of consumers who speciﬁcally seek green housing as a lifestyle choice (e.g., Civano, AZ and Davis, CA). (Imp 2.5, 2.6, 2.8)

STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
hile the California Planning and Zoning
Law does note require an Economic
Development Element of the General Plan,
Section 65303 permits a community to “…include any
other subjects which, in the judgment of the legislative body, relate to the physical development of the county
or city.” A permissive element enjoys the same weight
of authority and must be consistent with mandated
elements.

Inherently, an Economic Development Element is one of
the most important elements of a General Plan as it speciﬁes the actions to inﬂuence the marketplace to ensure that
the objectives and uses deﬁned in a Land Use Element are achieved. In a sense, a Land Use Element is a “blueprint” deﬁning the framework within which development may
occur and is reactive to the marketplace. On the other
hand, an Economic Development Element deﬁnes a set
of actions to intervene and shape the marketplace so that a Community’s land use and development objectives are
achieved.

The Economic Development Element describes the
economic goals and objectives and corresponding
policies that will guide economic development of the
University Community in the context of the Merced
County region as a whole. These economic development
goals and objectives are linked to policies contained in other Community Plan elements and will be supported
through consistent implementation of the Community
Plan as a whole

CONTEXT
C Merced will potentially confer signiﬁcant
economic beneﬁts to the University
Community and the region as a whole. These
economic beneﬁts will be a function of both the scale
and character of the campus activities as they emerge over time as well as the economic, institutional, and policy framework in which they occur. As has been the case
with other UC campuses, the economic impacts will very
likely take decades to unfold. Initially, the campus will be relatively small, with enrollments below 10,000 students during the ﬁrst decade of operations. The campus size, its location within Merced County, and the larger economic
forces affecting the San Joaquin Valley will tend to obscure its economic impacts. Over time, however, the campus
will be a part of and will support larger changes in the San Joaquin Valley, a region that is expected to experience signiﬁcant population and employment growth during
the ﬁrst part of the 21st Century.

Integration of the campus and the University Community
into the larger fabric of Merced County will present a
number of challenges and opportunities. For example, the large amount of regionally competitive real estate in the area will affect market conditions and absorption within the University Community. In addition, the location
of the campus may create development challenges and
concerns regarding urban sprawl and environmentally
related impacts. At the same time, the campus also has
the potential to increase demand for a range of real estate products and development due to the unique activities
and individuals it will attract.

The presence of UC Merced and its growth over time
will serve as an economic catalyst to both University
Community and Merced County as a whole in two
distinct ways, as described below.

W U
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT—CREATING A VITAL AND SUCCESSFUL

COMMUNITY
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
58 S
a. Direct Economic Impact. The direct expenditures by
UC Merced students, faculty, staff, and their families, as well as the University itself will increase demand
for goods and services throughout the County,
leading to the creation and expansion of local
businesses and a corresponding increase in County
employment. In addition, the new employment and
housing requirements generated by UC Merced will
increase demand for both commercial and residential
real estate in Merced County.
b. Indirect Economic Effect . Over the long-term the
University has the potential to have a transformative
effect on the regional economy by fostering a
business environment that is attractive to industries
and sectors currently under-represented or non-
existent. For example, the presence of a University
will expand and diversify the local labor force and
may attract entrepreneurs and/or spin-off businesses
that beneﬁt from proximity and accessibility to a
premier research institution. Although difﬁcult to
quantify, this effect will serve as a major asset to the surrounding University Community, generating real
estate demand that may have otherwise occurred
elsewhere in the region or not at all.

Despite the potential growth inducing impacts described above, the development of the University Community
will occur in an economic context that presents signiﬁcant challenges. First, unlike the regions surrounding most
of the other UC campuses, Merced County currently
possess a relatively small and undiversiﬁed economy.

Based on a variety of economic indicators including
unemployment, wages, personal income, and education
levels, the County lags behind the state’s average. In
addition, there currently exists a very large supply of developable land that is designated for urban uses. This excess land capacity will provide a competitive backdrop to the University Community that may effect the pace
and character of development.

OVERVIEW
ustainable principles of economic development
are applied to create opportunities for local
and regional economic strengthening and
development. The policies of this section identify
measures to foster and sustain direct and indirect
beneﬁcial impacts of the university through creation of a high quality community. A high quality community has
a strong sense of place stemming from managed regional
growth, vibrant town centers, quality of life amenities, and convenient, accessible living environments. The
policies will enact land controls that concentrate early development near the campus, provide opportunities for
mixed land uses, set aside land along major transportation corridors for future development, and obtain a high
quality master developer capable of implementing these
policies. Increased expenditures and land area used to
create public amenities and infrastructure—such as parks, pedestrian-oriented roads, and schools—will be balanced by realistic expenditure limits and adequate ﬁnancing.

Financial analysis will be integrated into the planning process, incorporating input from private developers
and property owners. A comprehensive ﬁnancing
plan that includes a mix of state, federal, regional, and private sources will be prepared to ensure that funding mechanisms are implemented in an appropriate manner.

Timing and the incidence of costs will be controlled
through policies to reserve development sites for future phases, maximize the use of existing public facilities in early years, encourage the development of shared facilities that serve the Campus and Community, and support
infrastructure solutions that allow for incremental
investment rather than large up-front costs. Market
and institutional uncertainties will be reduced through policies that utilize development agreements to codify
entitlements and ensure development rights and obtain
necessary regulatory approvals. Lands zoned for business centers and other commercial and research uses will be
located adjacent to the Campus to capture UC generated
business.

Economic sustainability in this Community Plan also
addresses equitable opportunity to take advantage of the economic growth provided by UC Merced. Accordingly,
goals for affordable housing will provide equitable
opportunity for lower income residents to live in the
Community.

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES
n economic, vital, and healthy University
Community is dependent upon ﬁve
fundamental principles: a strong community
identity, complementarity with adjoining uses, mix of
housing, ﬁnancially feasible development, and synergy
with UC Merced created economic opportunities.

A STRONG COMMUNITY IDENTITY
Goal
A distinct and strong identity for the University
Community that distinguishes it from other places in the region.

A
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
59 Planning and development efforts will create
a mix and scale of land uses that establish
a strong and unique “community identity.”
The University Community will create an
environment and facilities that attract high-
caliber students, faculty, and staff and that will
enhance the overall educational, work, and living
experience for all residents and businesses. This
quality environment and quality of life will be
the foundation of economic development in the
University Community.

Objective
ED 1.0
T o manage regional growth.

The large amount of regional land supply for
a wide range of urban uses contrasted with a
proportionally small annual land absorption
suggests that land use policies established and
enforced by Merced County, the City of Merced
and other cities will be needed to direct growth
to desired locations, including the University
Community. Failure to direct growth will weaken
the success of both existing developed areas (e.g.
downtown Merced) as well as the University
Community and cause a host of other problems,
including urban sprawl and premature conversion
of agricultural lands from production. Special
concern should be given to rural residential areas
between the City of Merced and the University
Community to avoid random “strip” development
along major transportation corridors.

Policies
ED 1.1
Establish a cooperative planning program with the City of Merced to assure that appropriate and coordinated land
use controls are consistently applied within the north
Merced area, both in the City and the County. (Imp 3.3) ED 1.2
Maintain land uses surrounding the University
Community in current General Plan designations and
zoning, subject to further study regarding the appropriate type and pattern of uses that will complement the
University Community. (Imp 2.1)
ED 1.3
Limit access on existing and new roads approaching the
University Community and strictly control commercial
land uses to maintain the visual quality and focus
commercial development in the University Community,
north Merced, or other existing commercial areas. (Imp 2.1,

3.3)
ED 1.4
Design development activity in the University Community to minimize conﬂ icts with surrounding agriculture and thus help sustain the agricultural economy of the County (refer to Area Plan-Agriculture policies). (Imp 2.5)
ED 1.5
Designate commercial land uses in the University
Community in proportion to demand generated by UC
Merced and the Community. (Imp 2.5)
Objective
ED 2.0
T o establish a vibrant town center.

Community identity will be established through
creation of a town center within the University
Community that physically links the Campus to
the Community. Creating a vibrant town center
requires that it be active and lively into the evening
hours. Cafes, bookstores, and restaurants with
extended hours can be attracted to the town center
to draw students and professionals alike and offer
a welcome setting for studying and socializing if
retail, service, and entertainment businesses are
concentrated in one village center near the edge
of the campus in the early phases of development.

High density residential can also contribute to the
success of the town center, providing customers
within walking distance.

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
60 Policies
ED 2.1
Establish ﬂ exible, mixed-use planned development
requirements for the T own Center that reﬂ ects the use and density policies of the Land Use section of the UCP . (Imp 2.5)
ED 2.2
Concentrate and mass development in the T own Center
area through Speciﬁ c Plan requirements and a joint
marketing effort with the University to attract tenants and businesses that provide needed local services and
complement the University’s functions. (Imp 1.4, 2.5, .3.3,

5.11)
ED 2.3
Establish minimum density requirements and use land
banking to secure sites for which market demand may
not exist in early phases of development, as speciﬁ ed by Land Use policy. (Imp 2.5)
ED 2.4
Allow temporary interim uses of land banked sites to
offset costs of holding the land for higher intensity uses. (Imp 2.5)
ED 2.5
Seek public investments (from grants, etc.) in amenities and facilities in the T own Center that improve the area and lower costs to prospective builders and tenants.
(Imp 6.1–6.4)
Objective
ED 3.0
T o blend campus and community uses.

A “soft edge” will be established between the
Campus and the adjacent University Community
to create the mix and intensity of uses, facilities,
and customer base needed to create a successful
T own Center and Community. This reliance by
the University Campus upon the Community will
be essential in the early phases of development
when the University-related activity will be the
primary source of demand.

Policies
ED 3.1
Establish joint development and use of facilities with
UC Merced such as performing arts center, parks and
recreation facilities, and housing. (Imp 2.5, 3.3)
ED 3.2
Locate University-serving commercial uses in close
proximity to the campus. (Imp 2.5)
ED 3.3
Create transparent roadway and pedestrian access to the UC Merced campus from the T own Center. (Imp 2.4, 2.5,

4.1)
Objective
ED 4.0
T o establish quality of life amenities for the University Community.

The University and the University Community
will attract new residents and businesses to the
immediate area and to the County as a whole.

In this context, the University itself is the primary
amenity. Other amenities such as infrastructure,
landscaping, cultural facilities, schools, and
recreational opportunities will be created to
establish a high quality of life for residents of the
University Community.

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
61 Policies
ED 4.1
Require development to achieve a high level of design
quality that contributes to the Community’s vitality,
livability, and identity. Pertinent design standards and development guidelines shall be incorporated into each
Speciﬁ c Plan (refer to Land Use policies). (Imp 2.5, 2.9) ED 4.2
Coordinate with the local school districts to provide
timely and high-quality primary and secondary
educational facilities. Linkages between the secondary
schools and UC Merced should be promoted (refer to
Public Services—Education). (Imp 4.7, 5.8)
ED 4.3
Achieve a high standard for public landscaping throughout the University Community area and promote artwork in
public areas and rights-of-way. (Imp 2.5)
ED 4.4
Include community centers, libraries, and other cultural facilities in the Basic Improvement Program for the
University Community. (Imp 2.5, .4.6, 4.8)
ED 4.5
Ensure adequate provision and funding of public services, establish service-level standards for services such as public safety and recreation, and so on. (Imp 6.1–6.4)

A COMMUNITY THAT COMPLEMENTS

ADJOINING LAND USES AND THE CITY OF
MERCED
Goal
A community that complements existing developed
areas.

The University Community should be conceived as
a complementary part of the entire Merced County
community and not as a separate entity. As such,
development programming efforts should seek
opportunities to strengthen existing neighborhoods
and commercial areas rather then compete with
and ultimately weaken them.

Objective
ED 5.0
T o encourage the development of local-serving commercial uses that focus on the needs and demand of University
Community residents and the campus’ population.

Ensure that retail, entertainment, and business
service uses are oriented primarily to serving the
campus and University Community. Specialty
retail, service, and dining establishments can
be blended with larger “chain stores” including
a grocery store, book stores, apparel, etc. but
opportunities for independent retailers and service
businesses will be emphasized within the T own
Center.

Policies
ED 5.1
Limit the commercial ﬂ oorspace to the amount needed
to serve neighborhood shopping demand of the residents, employees, and students of the Community and campus.
(Imp 2.2, 2.5)
ED 5.2
Limit large-scale, community-serving commercial uses to the T own Center and a Residential Village community
commercial center in the southern portion of the site
(south of Cardella Road). (Imp 2.2, 2.5)
ED 5.3
Establish an outreach program to attract local retailers and service businesses to the T own Center. (Imp 1.4, 5.11) Objective
ED 6.0
T o exclude the development of large format regional
retail commercial uses in the University Community,
sustaining other regional centers in the City of Merced and County.

Large strip development or “power centers”
(typically 250,000–500,000 leasable square feet
of national and regional anchor stores) will be
prohibited in the University Community. This
type of development would detract from existing or
planned uses elsewhere in the region, may worsen
trafﬁ c and parking problems, and would detract
from the Community’s image as pedestrian-
friendly and neighborhood oriented.

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
62 Policies
ED 6.1
Require application and approval of a special use permit for large (20,000 square feet and above), non-grocery,
single tenant retail buildings. Such projects will be
evaluated according to their potential impacts on regional commercial centers located in the City of Merced and
other County areas. (Imp 2.5, 2.9)
ED 6.2
Limit commercial designations to the T own Center
and Residential Village Centers in the University
Community; prohibit the development of commercial
uses as continuous linear strips on shallow parcel depths along the major arterial roads within the University
Community. (Imp 2.1, 2.5, 3.3)

ADEQUATE HOUSING TO SUSTAIN

ECONOMIC VITALITY
Goal
A community containing a mix of housing opportunities
to meet resident needs.

Achieve social and economic vitality both now and
in the future by providing a wide range of housing
product types at varied price points. A diversity of
housing types will underpin economic development
activities by providing for a diverse work force for
jobs with UC Merced, in the Community, and
throughout the Merced region.

Objective
ED 7.0
T o provide a diverse mix of convenient and accessible
housing to meet the needs of students, faculty, staff, and others induced by the presence of UC Merced.

The University Community will provide a
convenient and accessible living environment
for students, faculty, and staff. This proximity
will reinforce community identity and enhance
quality of life through short commuting times.

Artists, entrepreneurs, and other small business
owners often need ﬂ exible work space and may
ﬁ nd it efﬁ cient to combine their residences with
their studios, retail businesses, or ofﬁ ces. Providing ﬂ exible housing options fosters a dynamic social
and economic environment that beneﬁ ts the
immediate community and the larger region.

Providing a range of affordable housing will
be crucial to the long-term success of both the
University and the University Community.

Policies
Note: The provision of adequate and affordable housing is an essential contributor to the economic vitality of the University Community. Housing section policies deﬁ ne a comprehensive set of strategies to meet these needs. The following synthesizes a number of the key policies that are integral for successful economic development.

ED 7.1
Promote and accommodate the development of a mix
of housing units to serve the needs of students, faculty, staff, and other residents of the University Community.

A component of “high end” executive housing should be
developed in each phase to meet campus and regional
demand for such housing. The speciﬁ c mix and types of units accommodated shall be considered at the time of
the preparation of Speciﬁ c Plans and considered in view of buyer preferences, technical innovations, and overall demand. (Imp 2.5, 4.11)

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
63 ED 7.2
Focus the development of multi-family housing near the
campus, T own Center, and Residential Village Centers.
(Imp 2.5, 4.11)
ED 7.3
Permit ﬂ exible building standards that encourage mixed- use development combining retail, ofﬁ ce, and residential uses, live/work facilities, second units in single-family areas, and other innovative housing types and construction methods. (Imp 2.6)
ED 7.4
Develop a program for the provision of affordable
housing, as speciﬁ ed by Policy LU 5.1, which may include the implementation of an affordable housing fee, charged to new commercial and residential development that will contribute to an affordable housing trust fund. Over
time, as the University Community matures, this fee
may increase or be replaced by an inclusionary housing
requirement. (Imp 4.11)
ED 7.5
Seek partnerships with the University, other public
agencies, and non-proﬁ t housing developers to secure
land and construct affordable housing in the University Community. (Imp 3.3, 3.5, 4.11)

A FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE COMMUNITY
Goal
A community whose development and maintenance costs
can be borne through private and public investment.

The University Community will not be successfully
developed without ensuring the ﬁ nancially feasible
of the necessary private investment. Speciﬁ cally,
the real estate value created must be sufﬁ cient to
cover the costs of required infrastructure and public
facilities, after accounting for risk and acceptable
return on investment. This is especially important
given the large supply of competitively zoned land
that exists in the Merced region.

Objective
ED 8.0
T o optimize real estate value of the University Community with public and private investment
One of the most difﬁ cult challenges in developing
a master planned community is balancing the
need to provide high quality infrastructure
and amenities with the need to reduce cost and
maximize value. If excessive expenditures and
land area are devoted to public amenities and
infrastructure (e.g. schools, parks, roads, etc), the
resulting real estate products may be too expensive
to succeed in a competitive market environment.

Conversely, if public amenities and infrastructure
are sacriﬁ ced to reduce costs, the University
Community may not be able to differentiate itself
as a desirable, high quality environment, resulting
in a decline in market value.

Policies
ED 8.1
Provide appropriate ﬂ exibility, through the plan
amendment process, with regard to development timing,
product type, and design in order to respond to changing market conditions. (Imp 2.5, 2.9)
ED 8.2
Secure sites and right-of-way for public improvements and amenities through planning designation, dedication, and acquisition early in the development process. (Imp 4.1) ED 8.3
Coordinate private development with development of
the UC Merced campus. (Imp 3.3)
Objective
ED 9.0
T o apply public ﬁ nancing mechanisms and sources for
development in the University Community.

A variety of public ﬁ nancing mechanisms and
funding sources will be required to pay for the
public infrastructure improvements and amenities
envisioned for the University Community.

Careful planning will be required to ensure that
the development, timing, and coordination of all
potential funding mechanism is implemented in
a skillful and appropriate manner. In general, a
comprehensive ﬁ nancing plan should include a
mix of state, federal, regional, and private, land-
based sources.

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
64 Policies
ED 9.1
Allocate a proportional share of infrastructure costs to beneﬁ ting entities, including UC Merced and other
regional development. (Imp 6.1–6.4)
ED 9.2
Seek grant funding for University Community
infrastructure and facilities from outside sources,
including state and federal government. (Imp 1.3, 6.1–6.4) ED 9.3
Establish cooperative ﬁ nancing agreements with property owners, UC Merced, and special districts, the City of
Merced, and participating developer(s). (Imp 1.3, 2.7, 6.1–

6.4)
ED 9.4
Establish special development impact fee ordinance(s)
for the Community Plan area that reﬂ ect and internalize the net proportional share of infrastructure costs (roads, parks, schools, utilities, etc.) to new development in the Area. (Imp 1.3, 2.5. 2.7)
ED 9.5
In cooperation with private developers, sponsor land
secured ﬁ nancing districts and other development-based public ﬁ nancing mechanisms to fund basic infrastructure in the Community. (Imp 1.3, 2.5, 3.4, 3.6)
Objective
ED 10.0
T o optimize the timing and incidence of development
costs.

Although the precise development schedule of the
University Community is uncertain, buildout is
likely to take many years to achieve. As a result,
ﬁ nancial feasibility will require that infrastructure investments be closely linked to income generating
development both in terms of timing and land
use. Speciﬁ cally, infrastructure investments should
be phased so that major costs coincide with the
development of value generating uses. In addition,
costs should be allocated so that, to the extent
possible, those land uses capable of bearing the
burden cover a relatively higher share of the costs.

Policies
ED 10.1
Phase infrastructure investments to match demand and
value created as each Speciﬁ c Plan area (Residential
Village and T own Center) develops. (Imp 4.13)
ED 10.2
Reserve land and development “pads” designated for uses that will be viable in later phases of development, such as a neighborhood commercial center or a business park or
research and development (R&D) uses. (Imp 2.5)
ED 10.3
Maximize the use of existing facilities in early years, such as schools and certain utilities, which defer major up- front expenditures. (Imp 4.4–4.7)
Objective
ED 11.0
T o create an institutional framework for the efﬁ cient governance of the University Community.

Risk and uncertainty are key factors affecting the
ﬁ nancial feasibility of the University Community.

Currently, a variety of obstacles must be overcome
prior to development, including environmental
mitigation, infrastructure costing and ﬁ nancing,
land assembly, and even the precise location
and development schedule of the campus. Early
resolution to these uncertainties through regulatory
approval, reﬁ ned cost estimates, and contractual
commitments from UC Merced and other entities
will greatly increase the attractiveness of the
project to potential developers. In addition, land
use controls included in the master plan and
enforced with development agreements or other
mechanisms will also reduce risk and increase
project feasibility.

Policies
ED 11.1
Establish agreements with and obtain necessary permits
from applicable federal and state regulatory agencies
regarding mitigation of habitat loss and impacts upon
threatened and endangered species. (Imp 3.3)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
65 ED 11.2
Utilize the University Community Program
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to deﬁ ne and focus
subsequent environmental review of Speciﬁ c Plans and
development applications. (Imp 2.3)
ED 11.3
Adopt a Speciﬁ c Plan Ordinance deﬁ ning the intent,
contents, standards, and procedures for creating and
administering site-speciﬁ c planning and zoning within the Community Plan area. The Speciﬁ c Plan Ordinance
should specify that Speciﬁ c Plans prepared and adopted pursuant to the Ordinance would be adopted as the
zoning ordinance for the speciﬁ ed area. (Imp 2.5, 2.6) ED 11.4
Assemble standard development conditions applicable to
subdivision maps and/or development agreements. These
standard conditions will implement Community Plan
policy and other regulatory requirements associated with development of the University Community. (Imp 2.8, 2.9) ED 11.5
Form a Community Services District or similar entity,
initially as a dependent district, to coordinate and
manage infrastructure development and ﬁ nancing and
the provision of municipal services within the University Community. (Imp 3.4, 3.6)
ED 11.6
Seek an amendment to the City of Merced Sphere of
Inﬂ uence, if appropriate, to clarify service delivery, annexation, and ﬁ scal relationships between the County and the City of Merced. (Imp 3.3)

STIMULATE ECONOMIC GROWTH

CAPITALIZING UPON THE PRESENCE OF UC
MERCED
Goal
A community that develops economic enterprises that
provide new job opportunities for local residents induced by the presence of UC Merced.

The presence of the University will expand and
diversify the local job market and will attract new
labor force, entrepreneurs, and spin-off businesses.

The Campus Community should endeavor to foster
the growth of economic clusters and accommodate
new business ventures.

Objective
ED 12.0
T o foster an environment for business development in
the University Community.

Although the development of high technology
and R&D ﬁ rms are unlikely in the early phases
of development, over time conditions favorable
to this type of business creation may emerge.

Necessary pre-conditions such as a well-educated
work force, supportive business environment
and services (e.g. hotels, ﬁ nancial institutions,
airport), and a critical mass of R&D activity
and academic institutions may converge to give
rise to new businesses and economic clustering.

The University Community should provide real
estate options appropriate for this type of business
development.

Policies
ED 12.1
Designate land zoned for a business center or research
and development (R&D) that can be developed in later
phases. Sites located close to UC Merced should be
selected in order to promote synergistic momentum with
UC Merced and to offer short commuting distances.
(Imp 2.5)
ED 12.2
Designate and reserve land for hotels and conference
centers that can be developed in later phases as demand arises. (Imp 2.5)
ED 12.3
Institutionalize policies and mechanisms to promote
the University Community to the national and regional
business community, focusing on opportunities that
capitalize on the academic specializations and strengths of UC Merced. (Imp 1.4, 5.11)

Community Infrastructure
and Services

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
69  G Street is a north/south road extending from
Highway 99 to La Paloma Road
 Olive Avenue is an east/west street providing cross-
town travel. West Olive Avenue connects State Route
59 and R, M and G Streets. It primarily serves a
commercial corridor but also connects the northern
portions of Merced to the City of Atwater, and Castle
Air Force Base
 Bellevue Road is a two-lane east/west road extending
from Fox Road to its eastern terminus at Lake Road
 Yosemite Avenue is a two-lane east/west road
extending from R Street to its eastern terminus at
Arboleda Drive
 Lake Road is a two-lane north/south road extending
from Yosemite Avenue to its northern terminus at
Lake Yosemite
Major capacity expansions are planned for many of
the above facilities prior to or during the period of
development for the University Community Plan.

OTHER TRANSPORTATION MODES
BUS
Local transit service is provided by Merced County
T ransit, which is managed by the transportation division of the Merced County Department of Public Works.

Urban transit routes connect downtown Merced,
adjacent neighborhoods, and major trip generators such
as the Merced Civic Center, hospitals, shopping areas,
and Merced College. Rural routes connect outlying cities and communities in Merced County. Fixed route service
is supplemented by a dial-a-ride service.

T ransit service linking the City of Merced with other
parts of the state is provided by private entities, including Greyhound Lines, which provides daily and weekend
service from Merced to numerous California locations.

NONMOTORIZED MODES
The City of Merced’s bikeway system consists of Class I paths and Class II bicycle lanes along many of the major streets in the City and several of the local creek corridors.

Merced County also maintains bike paths along portions
of Bear Creek and along Lake Road to Lake Yosemite.

S
T

STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
tate of California law requires that a circulation
element of a General Plan or other similar
planning document discuss the general
location and extent of existing and proposed major
thoroughfares, transportation routes, terminals, and
other local public facilities, all correlated with the land use element of the plan. The requirement for correlation is particularly important, because the two elements should be developed simultaneously. The circulation element
describes how transportation services will be provided
in the community envisioned by the land use element.

At the same time, the layout and capacity of streets and other transportation facilities inﬂuence the character of neighborhoods, the location of speciﬁc land uses, and the overall form of the community, as described in the land use element. Thus, the two elements are interrelated. The process of developing this University Community Plan
(UCP) has allowed ongoing coordination of the goals,
policies, and programs speciﬁed in both the land use and circulation elements.

CONTEXT

EXISTING REGIONAL AND LOCAL

ROADWAY NETWORK
he University Community planning area is
largely undeveloped, with limited roadway
infrastructure in place. The site is accessed by
two-lane rural roads, including Bellevue Road and Lake
Road. Regional roadways in the vicinity of the University Community are shown in Figure 10 and include:
 Highway 99 is the primary regional facility providing access to San Francisco and Sacramento to the north,
and Fresno, Bakersﬁeld, and Los Angeles to the south
 Highway 140 is a major east/west highway providing
regional access to Yosemite National Park to the east
and extending to Highway 99 and Interstate 5 to the
west
 Highway 59 is a north/south facility extending from
Route 152 (near Los Banos) to Snelling, a community
located north of the City of Merced
Major arterial streets in proximity to the University
Community, also shown on Figure 14, include:

TRANSPORTATION—ASSURING ACCESS AND MOBILITY FOR THE
COMMUNITY’S RESIDENTS
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
70 Goals, Objectives, and Policies
71 PASSENGER RAIL
Amtrak provides daily passenger rail service to the San Francisco Bay Area, the San Joaquin Valley, and Yosemite National Park.

PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS
The Regional T ransportation Plan (RTP), developed by the Merced County Association of Governments (MCAG),
outlines long-range transportation improvement plans
and objectives in the County. Several of the fully funded improvement projects identiﬁed in the 1998 RTP could
potentially beneﬁt the University Community; these
projects are shown in Figure 15 and are listed below.

1. Campus Parkway

2. Highway 59, widen to 4 lanes from 16 th Street to
West Olive Avenue

3. Highway 59, new interchange at Thornton Road and
expressway from Highway 99 to Belcher Avenue

4. Highway 140, widen to 4 lanes from Parsons Avenue
to Kibby Road

5. Improve Highway 99/140 interchange, connect 16 th
Street to Highway 140

6. Improve Highway 99 interchanges at V and R Streets,
complete 13th and 14th Streets as one-way couplet

7. Upgrade Highway 99 to freeway from Merced
to Madera County, construct new interchange at
Mission Avenue
The City of Merced has formally designated M Street
as a “T ransitway” or transit corridor. This corridor is a logical location for centralized bus service throughout the entire north/south length of the City. Light rail has been discussed as a possible mode for service along the M Street corridor, although it is unlikely to occur until the later stages of campus and Community development.

An enhanced M Street transit corridor with connections
to Bellevue Road and the University Community could
offer convenient nonauto access to nearly every major
destination in Merced.

The extensive system of existing and planned bicycle
facilities, the nature of University-related travel, and the development opportunities around the campus all point
toward a signiﬁcant component of nonmotorized travel.

The Regional Bicycle Plan proposes a complete system of Class I and II bikeways for northern Merced, including
Bellevue, Cardella, and Yosemite serving east/west
travel, and Lake, Parsons/Gardner, and G Street serving north/south travel. Improvements and extensions are
also proposed to the creekside paths along Bear, Rascal, and Fahrens Creeks, which primarily serve recreational
travel.

P
The development of the University Community will
present some challenges in terms of transportation
infrastructure. The existing roadway system extending
to the University Community will require upgrades in
some areas, and new regional links must be constructed
to serve the level of development anticipated. Given the time lines associated with the environmental review,
design, ﬁnancing, and construction of new infrastructure, very ambitious scheduling will be necessary to provide
the basic system for travel to the UC Merced campus
and University Community area. At the same time,
many of the local improvements necessary for adequate
circulation to and from the University Community will
be partially or fully funded from sources with uncertain availability. For example, improvements funded partially or completely by new development will be tied to the pace and location of that development. These constraints are not unusual in a development project of this magnitude, but careful planning will be required to make the current goals a reality.

OVERVIEW
lanning for the circulation system of the
University Community focuses on integrating
land use and transportation to minimize
reliance on the automobile and impacts to adjoining
land uses, while maintaining high levels of accessibility and personal mobility. There are a number of established policies, trends, and plans that present an opportunity to design a Community that relies less on single-occupant
automobile travel than would traditionally occur, and
this UCP expands on those opportunities. The success of this theme will derive from transportation planning and programming that establishes a non-motorized, transit-
oriented “culture” from the earliest stages of Community development, and preserves that culture throughout the
evolution of the Campus and Community. Creating
this culture will depend on early investment in bicycle, pedestrian, and transit systems and amenities, as well as land use plans that ensure the levels of diversity, density, and design normally associated with pedestrian- and
transit-friendly environments.

For the University Community as a whole, the diversity
of the land use mix will be one of the primary means
of minimizing transportation capacity requirements. The land use element of this Plan includes a healthy mixture of uses, such as academic, residential, retail, ofﬁce,
recreational and cultural. Given the large size of the
University Community relative to the City of Merced,
any imbalance between campus population and the
amount of available nearby housing will translate directly to heightened transportation impacts. The same will be
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
72 Goals, Objectives, and Policies
73 true of any lack of opportunity to develop needed services, amenities, and university-related spin-off activities such as incubator space for new businesses. The land use and circulation elements of the Plan are mutually supportive.

Secondary, but important, land use factors will be density and design, including population and employment
density, density of the transportation network, walkability, transit orientation, and amenities for bicyclists and
pedestrians. All of these factors must work together
in order to be effective. Communities and university
campuses with higher densities, traditional urban design forms, and effective demand management strategies that
encourage walking and bicycling have trafﬁc generation
levels that are substantially lower than less dense, large- scale developments.

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES
he following section contains transportation
policies that will contribute to the realization
of the themes discussed previously.

A COMPREHENSIVE, MULTI-MODAL

TRANSPORATION SYSTEM FOR EFFICIENT
TRAVEL

Goal
A transportation system that allows safe and efﬁcient travel by a variety of modes and promotes the use of alternatives to the single-occupant vehicle, while minimizing impacts on adjoining uses and supporting the land use goals of
this University Community Plan.

Objective
T 1.0
T o ensure that the Community’s transportation
infrastructure will adequately serve local and regional trips, provide appropriate connectivity, and minimize
impacts to the transportation systems in the City of
Merced and Merced County.

Policies
T 1.1
Designate a functionally classiﬁed system of principal
transportation facilities that represents the major backbone circulation system needed to serve the Community Plan
at acceptable levels of service. A sketch of the proposed backbone system is shown in Figure 16. Deﬁnitions of
the street classiﬁcations are given in Table 3, and typical cross-sections are shown graphically in Figures 17 and 18.

The precise alignment and standards for transportation
facilities shall be deﬁned by an Areawide Circulation
Master Plan prepared prior to or concurrent with the
preparation of the ﬁrst sub-area Speciﬁc Plan. These may modify the elements shown on Figure 3 provided that
the underlying goals, objectives, and policies of the UCP for urban form, community character, and mobility are
achieved. These include the establishment of a system
that:
 Supports the County Campus Parkway and
underlying interconnected grid street system
 Provides access to and from UC Merced, that is
interconnected with and prevents adverse impacts
on the Community’s T own Center and Residential
Villages
 Promotes the use of public transportation and
alternative modes
 Interfaces with the surrounding street network
and development (Imp 2.4, 2.5, 4.1)
T 1.2
Develop individual but coordinated master plans to guide design and implementation of the principal circulation
infrastructure, including plans that address streets,
bikeways, pedestrian ways, transit, and parking. (Imp 2.4,

2.5, 4.1, 4.8)
T 1.3
Reserve adequate rights-of-way to implement the
designated circulation systems and designate access
management restrictions for adjoining properties. (Imp 2.5,

2.6, 4.1)
T 1.4
Promote the timely development of the principal
circulation system, through phases coordinated with
implementation of the land use element and with
preparation of sub-area Speciﬁc Plans. (Imp 1.2, 4.13)
T 1.5
Ensure that regional transportation improvement
programs keep pace with future needs, through
coordination with the County, City, MCAG, and other
regional agencies. Work with MCAG to augment the
regional travel demand model to reﬂect the proposed
land uses and circulation system within the Community
area. The model will be used as a tool for evaluating and monitoring impacts of the Community Plan and future
Speciﬁc Plans on the regional transportation system.
(Imp 4.12)
T
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
74 Goals, Objectives, and Policies
75 TABLE 3 CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM FOR PRINCIPAL ROADWAYS IN UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY PLAN AREA Classiﬁcation
Example of Street in
University Community Type of Adjoining Use
Posted
Speed Limit1
Intersection
Spacing # of Lanes2
Right-of-Way
(ft.)
Paved Width2
(ft.)
Typical Daily
Volume
Major Arterial/
Boulevard Campus Boulevard Residential/ commercial
Business Center 35–45 ¼ mile 6 128 100–110 30–40,000
Minor Arterial
West Commerce
Drive (Cardella
extension)
Business Center
Commercial 25 ⅛ mile + 4 118 80–90 20–30,000
Minor Arterial/
Business Route East Commerce Drive
T own Center
Village Center Parks/
Recreation
25 300 feet 4 110–118 90–95 15–25,000
Rural (Transitional)
Collector Y osemite Ave. Agricultural
Rural Residential 35 ⅛–¼ mile 3 80 55 5–15,000
Community Collector Various Village streets
Residential3
School/Parks
Village Center
25 300 feet 2–3 70–80 50–60 5–15,000
Notes:

1. Design speed generally 5–10 mph greater than posted speed limit.

2. Represents size at ultimate buildout; roads may be built in phases with fewer lanes.

3. On collectors designated for the higher end of volume range (10–15,000), residential development would be limited to higher density housing with consolidated driveways and/or greater residential setbacks. In general, all roadway types include a center median and bicycle lanes. Parking would be allowed only on business routes and community collectors. Trucks would be permitted on most roadway types, with local deliveries only in residential areas.

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
76 Goals, Objectives, and Policies
77 Goals, Objectives, and Policies
78 Objective
T 2.0
T o create a network of secondary streets that provides for multiple routes between various origins and destinations to disperse rather than concentrate trafﬁc, provide full connectivity for bicycles and pedestrians, and reduce
emergency response times.

Policies
T 2.1
Design the Community’s street system in a grid (or
curvilinear grid) pattern, to disperse trafﬁc throughout the community and provide multiple connections to
most destinations. Figure 19 includes an illustrative
representation of a grid street pattern, compared with a system based on cul-de-sacs. (Imp 2.5, 2.7, 4.1)
T 2.2
Discourage cul-de-sacs and other non-connecting street
types. (Imp 2.5, 2.7)

STREETS THAT ENHANCE COMMUNITY

LIVABILITY

Objective
T 3.0
T o provide attractive streets compatible with adjoining land use activities and designed to serve a broad spectrum of travel modes as well as automobiles.

Policies
T 3.1
Deﬁne a set of street design standards that minimize
paved area while ensuring safe and adequate access to the Community. (Imp 2.4–2.6, 4.1)
T 3.2
Specify ﬂexible design standards for arterial and primary collector streets to accommodate the mix of travel modes that may develop over time. (Imp 2.4–2.6, 2.8, 4.1)
T 3.3
Design roadways that are compatible with adjacent
land uses, through choice of street width, median and
landscaping treatment, parking provision, pedestrian/

bicycle accommodation, and access management
strategies. The following images illustrate the concept. (Imp 2.5, 2.6, 4.1)

T 3.4
Accommodate a “transitional” roadway type in places
where the Community borders rural areas to minimize
conﬂicts between agricultural and urban users. The
following image provides an illustration of this type of roadway. (Imp 2.5, 2.6, 4.1)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
79 Goals, Objectives, and Policies
80 T 3.5
Protect the quality of residential areas by reducing
or controlling trafﬁc routing, volumes and speeds on
local streets. Integrate trafﬁc calming measures into
street design, to enhance livability of neighborhoods.

Examples of calming measures may include roundabouts,
neckdowns, raised crosswalks, and narrow or curving
streets; illustrations of these measures are shown in the following images. (Imp 2.5, 2.6, 5.1)

T 3.6
In addition to the County’s traditional vehicle level of service (LOS) standard, deﬁne a “Person LOS” standard to measure the travel characteristics of all modes, and apply it in conjunction with the existing County standard. T o maintain fundamental consistency with adopted County
General Plan policies, in no case would a roadway be
designed to operate below the existing County minimum
vehicle LOS standard. However, in those cases where
improvements to walk, bicycle, or transit modes could be made without causing the trafﬁc LOS to deteriorate below the County standard, such improvements would increase
the Person LOS measure and would be encouraged.
(Imp 2.3, 2.6, 2.8)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
81 A COMMUNITY THAT IS FRIENDLY TO

WALKERS AND CYCLISTS
Objective
T 4.0
T o emphasize walking and the use of energy-efﬁ cient
and low- and non-polluting forms of transportation,
including bicycles.

Policies
T 4.1
Create a complete, interconnected bicycle and pedestrian circulation system that serves both commuter and
recreational travel, and provides access to major
destinations. (Imp 2.5, 4.1, 4.8)
T 4.2
Work with UC Merced to establish convenient pedestrian
and bicycle access routes to and through Campus. (Imp 3.3,

4.8)
T 4.3
Install amenities to serve bicyclists and pedestrians, such as secure and convenient bicycle parking and shaded
seating areas at public facilities. (Imp 2.7, 4.1)
T 4.4
Establish bicycle parking standards for new development. (Imp 2.2, 4.1)
T 4.5
Work with the transit provider to encourage transit-
bicycle transfers by installing bike racks on buses. (Imp 3.3,

4.1)
Objectives and policies in the Land Use Element
of this Plan dealing with development density,
mixture of uses, and design elements also serve
to support this objective, as do certain policies
associated with circulation objectives T 3.0 and
T 7.0.

A COMMUNITY THAT USES PUBLIC TRANSIT
Objective
T 5.0
T o encourage transit usage, with emphasis on energy-
efﬁ cient, low-polluting forms of public transportation.

Policies
T 5.1
Promote and, where appropriate, participate in the
development of high-frequency transit services that
seamlessly connect major destinations, including the UC Merced campus. Encourage convenient transfers between
transit and other modes of travel. (Imp 3.3, 4.1)
T 5.2
Work proactively with local and regional transit providers to coordinate transit service. Work with transit providers, the regional Air Pollution Control District, and public utility providers to encourage actions that reduce
pollution from transit vehicles (such as purchasing
vehicles that use alternative fuels, and providing fueling/ charging stations). (Imp 3.3)
T 5.3
Establish a transit hub at the interface between the town center and campus core for timed-transfers between
local campus/Community transit service and regional
transit connections serving the City of Merced, the rest of Merced County, and major interregional destinations. (Imp 2.5, 3.3, 4.1)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
82 T 6.4
Encourage use of “intelligent parking systems” such as
message signs indicating real-time parking availability by location. (Imp 4.1)
T 6.5
Provide priority parking for vanpools, carpools, and
energy-efﬁcient and low-pollution vehicles, including
recharge stations for electric vehicles. (Imp 2.5)
T 6.6
Designate residential permit parking areas as needed
to protect neighborhoods from parking intrusion from
adjacent land uses. (Imp 5.1)
T 6.7
Enforce permit parking restrictions in residential areas near campus, and parking time limits in town center.
(Imp 5.2)

REDUCING AUTOMOBILE TRIPS

Objective
T 7.0
T o encourage the use of transportation demand
management (TDM) strategies to provide attractive,
competitive alternatives to single-occupant auto travel and to assist in mitigating trafﬁc impacts and maintaining a desired level of service on the circulation system.

Policies
T 7.1
Encourage non-residential developments to offer
telecommute and ﬂexible work-hour opportunities, and
provide employee incentives for using transit, ridesharing, bicycling, and walking. (Imp 5.1)
T 7.2
Locate parking at strategic intercept points to minimize driving into and through central areas of the Community and Campus. Serve remote parking with frequent transit
shuttles. (Imp 2.5, 3.3, 4.1)
T 7.3
Promote ridesharing through public information and
outreach. (Imp 5.10)
T 5.4
Work with UC Merced to design a transit fare policy and transit pass system that provides maximum incentives for transit ridership for University students and employees. (Imp 3.3)
T 5.5
Establish development standards, such as inclusion of
handicap-accessible bus stops and shelters, to make
transit attractive. Require development to fund its fair share of necessary transit facilities. (Imp 2.5–2.7, 4.1) T 5.6
Establish a County/City/University transportation
clearinghouse and website that provides information on
local transit services and alternative travel options. (Imp 3.3,

5.10)

PARKING THAT SUPPORTS LIVABILTY

Objective
T 6.0
T o balance the need for parking with the desire to limit automobile travel, and minimize parking intrusion in
residential neighborhoods.

Policies
T 6.1
Plan for parking reservoirs at gateways to the T own Center for use by multiple tenants and residents. Discourage
development of fragmented parking facilities that serve single parcels. (Imp 2.5)
T 6.2
Encourage shared parking facilities at the interface
between the T own Center and the UC Merced campus.

UC Merced and the Community would jointly determine
the appropriate parking supply, as well as the control and enforcement of use. Encourage development of parking
structures in the T own Center when warranted by
employment and residential densities. (Imp 2.5, 3.3)
T 6.3
Develop parking requirements that are consistent with the goals for increased use of alternative transportation modes, and that acknowledge shared parking opportunities.
(Imp 2.5, 2.6)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
83 T 7.4
Encourage non-residential developments to provide
amenities for bicyclists, including showers and changing facilities. (Imp 2.5, 2.7, 5.10)

MANAGING TRAFFIC REGIONALLY

Objective
T 8.0
T o ensure adequate coordination with neighboring
jurisdictions and regional agencies to manage trafﬁc
growth on a regional level, and coordinate transit, bicycle and pedestrian systems and services.

Policies
T 8.1
Require all Speciﬁc Plans to include trafﬁc and circulation studies that:

TT
 Assess internal circulation system needs and
develop a trafﬁc circulation plan for the Speciﬁc
Plan area
 Demonstrate consistency with the circulation
policies of this Community Plan
 Identify regional transportation infrastructure
connectivity requirements
 Identify speciﬁc trafﬁc impacts related to the
Speciﬁc Plan and improvement measures to
mitigate these impacts (Imp 2.5)
T 8.2
Circulate all relevant trafﬁc and circulation studies to neighboring jurisdictions that may be affected by the
proposed development. (Imp 3.3)
T 8.3
Establish funding mechanisms to fairly distribute the
costs of required new off-site infrastructure. (Imp 6.1–6.4)

STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
he state of California does not include
Infrastructure among the mandatory elements
of a general plan. However, Government
Code §65303 allows local government to adopt any
other elements or address any other subjects that in the judgment of the local government relates to the physical development of the community. Once adopted, the
non-mandatory elements become a full-ﬂedged part of
the general plan with the same legal authority and effect as one of the mandatory elements. It should further be
noted, that many of the goals, objectives and policies
presented below in the Water-Related Infrastructure
Element involve issues typically addressed in one or
more of the mandatory elements. For example, the water
conservation policies in this element would typically be included in the Conservation Element, some of the storm drainage policies would typically be included in the Safety Element, and a number of policies related to multiple use detention facilities would typically be addressed in the Land Use Element and/or Open Space Element.

OVERVIEW
he University Community Plan envisions an
integrated system of water-related infrastructure
that meets the needs of future residents
and businesses, and that takes advantage of innovative
techniques to achieve the highest levels of sustainability.

Key characteristics of the University Community water-
related infrastructure will include the highest level of water conservation, innovative techniques for wastewater collection, treatment and reuse, and environmentally
sensitive stormwater management.

T raditionally, water-related infrastructure has been
characterized by:

1. Separation of systems for the delivery of potable water, the collection, treatment and disposal of wastewater,
and the collection and conveyance of stormwater

2. Consideration of potable water as an unlimited
resource, to be utilized for all purposes regardless of quality requirements

3. T reatment of wastewater as dangerous and harmful,
quickly conveying it some distance from the urban
area for treatment and disposal
WATER-RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE—AN INTEGRATED AND

SUSTAINABLE SYSTEM
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
84 during which the wastewater ﬂow exceeds the demand
for recycled water. Alternatively, on-site storage may
be provided for treated wastewater in portions of the
Community Plan area expected to remain vacant for
many years. In less densely developed portions of the
University Community, particularly in the Residential
Villages, on-site decentralized wastewater treatment
systems will be encouraged. These systems provide
high levels of ﬁltration and disinfection of wastewater efﬂuent, which is then distributed in subsurface drip
irrigation systems for landscaping purposes. The exact
portion(s) of the University Community to be served
by decentralized wastewater systems will be determined
during the preparation of the Areawide Infrastructure
Plan and Speciﬁc Plans.

In the University Community, stormwater runoff can
be managed in a way to maximize the utilization of
stormwater as a valuable resource and to minimize
the public investment in expensive water conveyance
facilities. Building lots can be graded and landscaped
areas can be designed to capture and store rain runoff at the lot, reducing peak runoff and the size of stormwater conveyance facilities in the Community. Where
conveyance facilities are necessary, they can be designed as natural features to support natural habitat and to serve as visual amenities within park and open spaces of the
Community. Where soil conditions allow, stormwater
retention and conveyance facilities can be designed to
maximize groundwater recharge. T o the extent that
stormwater must be conveyed from the University
Community, the MID Fairﬁeld Canal may be a primary
facility for the disposal of stormwater outside of the
Community.

As a whole, the University Community water-related
infrastructure will be reﬂective of the goals of the Merced Water Supply Plan (MWSP), jointly sponsored by the
Merced Irrigation District and the City of Merced.

The MWSP seeks to protect regional water resources
and to meet increasing demands by conjunctively using
groundwater and surface water to meet agricultural and
urban water needs, speciﬁcally matching water quality
requirements with sources of water.

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES
his section outlines the overall issues,
goals, objectives, and policies aimed at the
development of an integrated, sustainable
water infrastructure system that will meet the University Community’s needs for potable water, recycled water,
wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure. Each section provides information on the issues associated with water, wastewater, and storm drainage. Under each issue,

4. T reatment of stormwater as a ﬂood control problem
to be managed through rapid conveyance from
developed areas
Development of the University Community provides a
unique opportunity for the construction of water-related infrastructure that is based on a more sustainable concept of water and water-related infrastructure, characterized by:

1. Integration of water, wastewater, and stormwater
infrastructure as a single system of water use and
management

2. Consideration of potable water as a limited and
valuable resource to be used judiciously and conserved
to the maximum extent practicable

3. Consideration of wastewater as a nutrient-rich
resource that, if treated and used appropriately, can
bring value to the University Community and reduce
the demand for potable water

4. Consideration of stormwater as a valuable source of
water to meet the needs of University Community
residents, businesses, and open spaces
Reﬂecting these sustainable characteristics, the University Community can be developed based on an integrated
water-related infrastructure system that will maximize the conservation of water by using all sources of water and closely matching the quality of water to speciﬁc needs in the Community. Consistent with the UCP , an areawide
water infrastructure master plan will be developed prior to or concurrent with the ﬁrst stages of development that will detail speciﬁc improvements that meet these goals
and objectives.

It is anticipated that groundwater will be the source of potable water in the University Community, however
the use of potable water can be minimized to a large
degree through the creative use of recycled wastewater
and stormwater in a way that will make the University
Community an example of water conservation in the
region.

Flexibility and innovation in the technologies used for collection and treatment of wastewater is encouraged
in the University Community. The most densely
developed portions of the University Community can
be tied to a wastewater collection system connected to
a new wastewater treatment and recycling plant The
plant would be a source of high-quality, tertiary-treated recycled water that can be used for non-potable purposes, including landscape irrigation, toilet ﬂushing, and uses that do not involve human contact. The University
Community water recycling plant may be connected to
a local wastewater treatment plant that would provide
treatment and disposal during portions of the year
T
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
85 speciﬁc goals, objectives, and policies are identiﬁed.

Generally, several policies are recommended for each
issue. Consistent with the concept of an integrated water- related infrastructure system, the goals, objectives, and policies presented herein are appropriately integrated and presented by topic rather than by type of infrastructure.

However, to assist the reader, where multiple policies exist they are presented in order to ﬁrst address potable water, then wastewater treatment and recycling, and ﬁnally
stormwater management.

INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS ADEQUATE AND

RELIABLE

Water-related infrastructure in the University Community must be adequate to meet the needs of future development and to avoid adversely affecting adjacent or nearby
uses. Systems must be designed to exceed minimum
requirements under a variety of operating conditions
and emergency situations, including drought, ﬁre, and
signiﬁcant storm events. A key element of ensuring the
adequacy and reliability of water infrastructure over the long-term is ensuring the affordability of systems that are designed and planned.

Goal

Adequate and reliable water-related infrastructure
systems.

Objective

IW 1.0
T o develop water-related infrastructure systems that are adequate to meet the needs of the University Community.

Policies

IW 1.1
Ensure the provision of potable water infrastructure (wells and storage) to provide water supply to meet community
needs. (Imp 2.4, 2.5, 2.8, 4.2, 5.4)
IW 1.2
Require that an adequate water supply be demonstrated
before approving new development. (Imp 2.8, 5.4)
IW 1.3
Require that a water distribution system (line pressure, pump stations, pipes, valves, connections, storage
facilities, etc.) be designed, constructed, and operated in accordance with applicable standards prior to occupancy. (Imp 2.4, 2.5, 2.8, 4.2)
IW 1.4
Ensure the provision of water systems that match
appropriate water quality to water use requirements.
(Imp 2.8)
IW 1.5
Design potable water system to meet federal and state
drinking water regulatory standards. (Imp 2.8)
IW 1.6
Required that water supply wells be developed,
constructed, and installed in accordance with the
American Water Works Association (AWWA) Standards
A-100 for Water Wells and the water well standards
presented in applicable California Department of Water
Resources Bulletins, or the most current standards at the time of development. (Imp 2.8)
IW 1.7
Require that new water sources meet or exceed the DHS
Title 22 regulation regarding water quality. (Imp 2.8)
IW 1.8
Require that adequate capacity exists to treat the
wastewater ﬂows generated by development and that
sufﬁcient capacity is available for the treatment and
disposal of sludge before approving new development.
(Imp 2.4, 2.5, 2.8, 4.2, 5.4)
IW 1.9
Ensure the provision of adequate stormwater conveyance
and storage infrastructure to accommodate planned
development. (Imp 2.4, 2.5, 2.8, 4.2)
IW 1.10
Encourage the provision of on-site wastewater treatment and disposal, where feasible. (Imp 2.5, 2.7)
IW 1.11
Establish as the highest priority the development of
on-site storage for treated wastewater that reduces the need for connections to local community wastewater
treatment systems and which maximizes the availability
of recycled water for appropriate uses in the University Community, where feasible and timely in consideration of its technology, costs, funding, practicality, and permitting requirements and processes. (Imp 2.5, 2.7)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
86 IW 1.12
Require that wastewater ﬂows be minimized through
water conservation efforts. (Imp 2.5, 2.7, 5.10)
IW 1.13
Ensure the provision of stormwater conveyance and storage infrastructure to accommodate planned development.
(Imp 2.5, 2.7, 2.8, 4.2, 5.5)
IW 1.14
Ensure that the stormwater conveyance and storage
system is designed consistent with Merced County
standards. (Imp 2.8)
IW 1.15
Require the reservation of right-of-way and easements
for designated water-related infrastructure facilities as a condition of project approval. (Imp 2.5, 2.7)
Objective

IW 2.0
T o develop water-related infrastructure systems that are reliable.

Policies
IW 2.1
Ensure the provision of water-related infrastructure
systems that allow operation under multiple demand
scenarios and emergency conditions. (Imp 2.4, 2.5, 2.8, 4.2) IW 2.2
Ensure the provision of reliable water supply sources to ensure availability during drought conditions. (Imp 2.4, 2.5,

2.8, 4.2)
IW 2.3
Ensure the provision of water supply, storage, and
adequately sized pipelines to provide ﬁre ﬂows at any
point within the Community to meet recommendations
of the Insurance Services Ofﬁce (ISO) and/or the County Engineer, while maintaining minimum pressures in
accordance with requirements outlined in the California DHS/Waterworks Standards. (Imp 2.5, 2.8, 4.2)
IW 2.4
Ensure the provision of reliable water and wastewater
treatment processes, with appropriate backup systems.
(Imp 2.4, 2.5, 2.8, 4.2, 5.4)
IW 2.5
Ensure the provision of a reliable water supply system by requiring adequate water storage to meet the needs of the University Community as follows:
 Diurnal Operational Needs (for meeting peak
ﬂows)—25 percent of peak daily demand
 Fire Reserve—provide ﬁre reserve as required by
the ISO, California DHS/Waterworks Standards,
and the standards of Merced County
 Emergency Storage—25 percent of average daily
demand (Imp 2.4, 2.5, 2.8, 4.2)
Objective

IW 3.0
T o develop water-related infrastructure systems that
are affordable to future residents, homeowners, and
businesses.

Policies
IW 3.1
Ensure the provision of water-related infrastructure
systems that will enhance the affordability of homes and businesses in the University Community at the time of
construction and over the long-term. (Imp 2.4, 2.5, 4.2, 4.13) IW 3.2
Ensure that water-related infrastructure systems will allow for ﬂexible and phased implementation throughout the
buildout of the University Community. (Imp 2.4, 2.5, 4.2)

INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS EFFICIENT AND

SUSTAINABLE

The water-related infrastructure that will serve the
University Community must be efﬁcient and sustainable.

The fundamental design of water-related infrastructure
systems is central to the ability of those systems to achieve goals for water conservation, energy conservation, cost- efﬁciency, water quality and enhancement of the natural environment. Achievement of these goals is central
to the University Community Vision of a socially and
environmentally sustainable community.

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
87 Goal
Efﬁcient water-related infrastructure systems that
promote sustainability.

Objective

IW 4.0
Water-related infrastructure systems that are integrated in order to achieve efﬁciency and sustainability.

Policies
IW 4.1
Promote opportunities for habitat and community
enhancement through the beneﬁcial reuse of wastewater.
(Imp 2.4, 2.5, 4.2, 4.10)
IW 4.2
Require multiple use stormwater detention basins,
including uses such as stormwater detention, water
quality enhancement, recreation, wetland habitat, and
species conservation. (Imp 2.4, 2.5, 4.2, 4.8)
IW 4.3
Require the creation of recharge basins for stormwater
recharge to the aquifer system, where feasible. (Imp 2.4, 2.5,

4.2)
IW 4.4
Encourage the use of recycled water for wildlife habitat and for community enhancement through the creation
of water features, including constructed wetlands, ponds, and fountains in the community. (Imp 2.4, 2.5, 4.2, 4.10) IW 4.5
Encourage the availability of recycled wastewater for
agricultural users. (Imp 2.5, 4.2, 4.10, 5.5)
IW 4.6
Require the inclusion of water reuse infrastructure within building systems and landscape irrigation systems, except where inclusion of such infrastructure is irrelevant or infeasible. (Imp 2.5, 2.6, 2.8)
IW 4.7
Ensure that where recreational uses are included in
multiple use detention basins they are designed to avoid inundation of playﬁelds by more than one foot of water
during the 10-year storm event, consistent with Merced
County standards (as illustrated in Figures 20 and 21). (Imp 2.5, 2.6, 4.8)
IW 4.8
Ensure that the design of multiple use detention basins protects public safety by minimizing hazards. (Imp 2.5, 2.6,

2.8, 4.8)
Objective
IW 5.0
T o develop water-related infrastructure systems that
achieve high levels of water conservation.

Policies

IW 5.1
Implement an active water conservation program in the
University Community to reduce future water demand
to the extent allowed by law by establishing building
requirements for new construction, providing educational information through local media sources, and establishing effective rate changes to encourage conservation. (Imp 2.5,

2.6, 5.10, 6.4)
IW 5.2
Require the use of best available technologies (BAT) for water conservation, including, but not limited to water- conserving toilets, showerheads, faucets, and water-
conserving irrigation systems. (Imp 2.5, 2.6)
IW 5.3
Require meters for all water connections. (Imp 2.5, 2.6) IW 5.4
Encourage the use of recycled water by industrial,
commercial, recreational, and agricultural users
through the use of incentives (i.e., differential pricing, uninterrupted supply). (Imp 2.5, 5.1, 5.5)
IW 5.5
Require the construction of a distribution system for
recycled water use that makes recycled water accessible to each developed lot in the University Community. (Imp

2.5, 2.7, 4.2)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
88 Goals, Objectives, and Policies
89 Goals, Objectives, and Policies
90 IW 5.6
Ensure the provision of recycled water at the appropriate quality required for a speciﬁc reuse opportunity. (Imp 2.5,

2.7, 4.2)
IW 5.7
Ensure the construction of stormwater capture, storage
and conveyance systems that allow for the productive
use of runoff and that decrease demand for groundwater
resources. (Imp 2.5, .2.7, 4.2)
IW 5.8
Ensure the provision of captured stormwater runoff for
irrigation of public facilities and/or recharge to aquifer on site to offset use of potable water. (Imp 2.5, 4.2)
IW 5.9
Require that grading plans are designed to reduce runoff by capturing rain waters on site and that avoid “crowning” techniques that force rain waters into community drainage facilities. (Imp 2.5, 2.7)

IW 5.10
Encourage the inclusion of rainwater “harvesting”
(capture and storage) facilities in residential and non- residential development (including open space and
recreational uses) through incentives that recognize
the value of water conservation and associated reduced
stormwater management costs. (Imp 2.5, 2.7)
Objective
IW 6.0
T o develop water-related infrastructure systems that are highly efﬁcient in the use of energy.

Policies
IW 6.1
Promote reuse at the point of generation (i.e., locate
recycled water facilities as close as possible to reuse sites to minimize pumping distances). (Imp 2.5, 2.7, 4.2)
IW 6.2
Ensure the provision of wastewater conveyance and
treatment system(s) that minimize energy use. (Imp 2.4, 2.5,

2.8, 4.2)
IW 6.3
Require the use of water supply and distribution and
wastewater conveyance and treatment systems and
equipment that at a minimum meets mandates for energy
efﬁciency. (Imp 5.4)
IW 6.4
Support the use of gravity ﬂow in lieu of pumping in the design of wastewater and stormwater conveyance systems, wherever appropriate (i.e., align wastewater collection system to follow natural contours on site). (Imp 2.4, 2.6, 4.2) IW 6.5
Support the use of natural systems and rates for treatment of wastewater and stormwater when practical, as opposed to mechanical systems. (Imp 2.5, 2.6, 4.2)
Objective
IW 7.0
T o develop water-related infrastructure systems that are cost efﬁcient over the long-term.

Policies
IW 7.1
Ensure that water-related infrastructure systems are
designed to minimize life-cycle costs, including short- term and long-term costs. (Imp 2.8, 4.2)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
91 IW 8.5
Prohibit cross-connection of sanitary sewer and storm
drain system. (Imp 2.8, 4.2)
IW 8.6
Ensure that stormwater detention and groundwater
recharge facilities are designed to avoid adverse impacts to groundwater. (Imp 2.8, 4.2)
IW 8.7
Ensure that stormwater conveyance and storage
facilities are designed and constructed to ensure no net deterioration in stormwater quality. (Imp 2.8, 4.2)
IW 8.8
Ensure that water-related infrastructure is designed to support Merced Irrigation District local and/or regional groundwater recharge program(s). (Imp 2.8, 4.2)
IW 8.9
Require the application of Best Management Practices
(BMPs) for stormwater quality. (Imp 2.6, 4.2)
IW 8.10
Encourage sensitivity to water pollution through
educational and outreach programs aimed at the
residential landowner. (Imp 5.10)
Objective
IW 9.0
T o develop water-related infrastructure systems that
enhance the natural environment.

Policies
IW 9.1
Encourage the design of stormwater conveyance and
storage facilities to preserve, enhance, or create natural wetland habitats. (Imp 2.8, 4.2)
IW 9.2
Encourage the location of stormwater detention basins
near existing or re-created stream corridors. (Imp 2.5, 2.7,

4.2)
IW 7.2
Conduct ﬁrst cost and present worth analysis of technical options to identify initial and life cycle costs during infrastructure planning and design. (Imp 2.8, 4.2)
IW 7.3
Ensure that water-related infrastructure systems are
designed to maximize the system’s “output” for beneﬁcial use (i.e., maximize use of recycled water, capture and use stormwater, etc.), and consider any such cost savings in calculations of life-cycle costs. (Imp 2.8, 4.2)
IW 7.4
Provide feasible alternatives for seasonal discharge of treated efﬂuent, including on-site water storage and/or connection to a local municipal wastewater treatment
facility. (Imp 2.5, 2.7, 4.2)
Objective
IW 8.0
T o develop water-related infrastructure systems that
protect the quality and quantity of surface and ground
waters.

Policies
IW 8.1
Require that groundwater extraction does not result in
localized groundwater drawdown that will substantially
reduce the production rate of existing nearby wells to a level that would not support existing land uses beyond
the reasonable life-cycle expectancy and long-term
productivity of those wells in the absence of this project. (Imp 2.8, 4.2)
IW 8.2
Prohibit direct discharge of treated wastewater to surface waters. (Imp 2.6, 4.2)
IW 8.3
Ensure that wastewater collection and treatment system(s) are designed and constructed to protect groundwater and surface water from contamination by wastewater. (Imp 2.8,

4.2)
IW 8.4
Ensure that wastewater treatment levels meet standards
for intended reuse or discharge point. (Imp 2.8)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
92 IW 9.8
Encourage the inclusion of pedestrian, bicycle and
equestrian paths through ﬂoodplain corridors to enhance circulation and recreational opportunities. (Imp 2.5, 4.2,

4.10)

Objective

IW 10.0
T o develop water-related infrastructure that is
ﬂexible and incorporates innovative technology.

Policies

IW 10.1
Ensure that long-term plans for the design and
construction of water-related infrastructure include
ﬂexibility that allows for changes in technology, funding, and/or management. (Imp 4.2)
IW 10.2
Ensure that water systems are designed to anticipate
changes in the demand for water of different quality
parameters. (Imp 4.2)

INFRASTRUCTURE THAT COMPLEMENTS

AND IS SUPPORTIVE

The University Community will be developed in
unincorporated Merced County, adjacent to the future
University of California, Merced, near and potentially
connected to the City of Merced infrastructure systems, and within the service area of Merced Irrigation District.

The water-related infrastructure systems that serve the University Community will affect infrastructure and land uses in the vicinity, and the presence of the developing university campus presents opportunities for the
construction of facilities that will jointly serve both the IW 9.3
Encourage the design of stormwater conveyance facilities that retain or re-construct portions of natural drainages to maintain stream velocities at or near pre-developed
conditions. (Imp 2.5, 2.7, 4.2)
IW 9.4
Encourage the preservation of natural ﬂoodplains in the design of water-related infrastructure in order to reduce infrastructure construction costs and potential ﬂood
hazards to structures. (Imp 2.5, 2.7, 4.2)

IW 9.5
Encourage the design of stormwater storage facilities that maximize opportunities for intermittent shallow water
impoundment during the wet season. (Imp 2.5, 2.7, 4.2)
IW 9.6
Ensure the design of stormwater storage facilities that promote the growth of native vegetation. (Imp 2.5, 2.7, 4.2) IW 9.7
Prohibit development, grading or structural improvements within the 100-year ﬂoodplain, except as consistent with Merced County standards. Recreational activities may be permitted within the ﬂoodplain. (Imp 2.7, 4.2, 4.10)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
93 community and campus. A key element of the University Community Vision is that the University Community
will compliment and support the UC Merced campus,
the City of Merced and the region as a whole. As such,
it is appropriate that this Plan contains goals, objectives and policies that address the ways that water-related
infrastructure will support neighboring uses and systems, and will compliment infrastructure systems in the Merced region.

Goal

Water-related infrastructure systems that complement
and support neighboring uses and jurisdictions.

Objective

IW 11.0
T o develop water-related infrastructure systems that
complement adjacent and nearby systems.

Policies

CITY OF MERCED
IW 11.1
Require that the University Community water supply
infrastructure system is consistent with regional water supply plans, particularly the Merced Water Supply Plan. (Imp 3.3, 4.2)
IW 11.2
Require that groundwater wells are sited consistent with City of Merced operational strategy. (Imp 3.3, 4.2)
IW 11.3
Require that the University Community water supply
strategy conforms to existing protocol for groundwater
withdrawal and storage established by Merced Irrigation District and the City of Merced, and reﬂected in the
Merced Water Supply Plan. (Imp 2.8, 3.3, 4.2)
IW 11.4
Require that the groundwater well distribution conforms to the City of Merced well grid system. (Imp 3.3, 4.2)
IW 11.5
Ensure, if necessary, that the wastewater systems include a connection to a municipal wastewater treatment system for discharge of wastewater in excess of amounts recycled and used on site or for other beneﬁcial uses. (Imp 2.6, 3.3,

4.2)
IW 11.6
Ensure, if necessary, that the opportunity for on-site
seasonal storage of treated efﬂuent is provided and
consistent with state and local guidelines. (Imp 2.5, 2.6, 3.3,

4.2)
IW 11.7
Ensure that water systems are designed to conform to
local jurisdictional design standards, where such systems may be connected to the local jurisdiction. (Imp 2.8, 3.3,

4.2)

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, MERCED
IW 11.8
Ensure the design and construction of facilities that
are sized to jointly meet the needs of the University
Community and the UC Merced campus where
appropriate. (Imp 3.3, 4.2)
IW 11.9
Encourage the design and construction of joint wastewater treatment and water recycling facilities in collaboration with UC Merced to promote on-site water reuse and cost
efﬁciency. (Imp 3.3, 4.2)

MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICT
IW 11.10
Ensure that the design of proposed stormwater conveyance and storage facilities is compatible with existing capacity restrictions of MID facilities. (Imp 2.8, 3.3, 4.2)
IW 11.11
Ensure that stormwater systems that discharge to MID
facilities are designed consistent with MID requirements and construction standards. (Imp 2.8)
Objective
IW 12.0
T o develop water-related infrastructure systems that
complement neighboring uses.

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
94 Policies
IW 12.1
Require that the design and construction of facilities
avoid any interruption of irrigation water delivery to
downstream users. (Imp 2.6, 2.8, 4.2)
IW 12.2
Require that the Fairﬁeld ‘A’ Canal and associated laterals continue to function to supply users downstream as
needed until such time as alternate facilities are provided. (Imp 2.5, 2.6, 3.3, 4.2)
IW 12.3
Require that facilities that detain stormwater runoff are designed and constructed so that no adverse ﬂooding
impacts are created downstream. (Imp 2.8, 4.2)
IW 12.4
Ensure that new development provides stormwater
detention sufﬁcient to limit outﬂow to a level consistent with downstream limitations. (Imp 2.8, 4.2)
IW 12.5
For discharges to the MID facilities, limit the peak
stormwater discharge to the available capacity at the time of discharge. (Imp 2.8, 4.2)
IW 12.6
Require that groundwater extraction does not result in
localized groundwater drawdown that will substantially
reduce the production rates of existing nearby wells to a level that would not support existing land uses beyond
the reasonable life-cycle expectancy and long-term
productivity of those wells in the absence of the project. (Imp 2.8)
IW 12.7
Ensure that water-related infrastructure is designed to support local and/or regional groundwater recharge
program(s). (Imp 2.8, 4.2)
IW 12.8
Locate and design above-ground infrastructure to be
compatible with adjoining land uses through the use of
screening, landscape, and aesthetic architectural design. (Imp 2.5, 2.8, 2.9, 4.2)
IW 12.9
Cluster above-ground infrastructure, as feasible, to
minimize its visibility and impacts on adjoining land
uses. (Imp 2.5, 4.2)
Objective
IW 13.0
T o develop water-related infrastructure systems that are well managed and operated.

Policies

IW 13.1
Establish as the highest priority the management and
operation of the University Community water-related
infrastructure (including all water, wastewater, and storm drainage systems) as a single interrelated system. (Imp 5.4) IW 13.2
Ensure the establishment of water-related infrastructure management institutions speciﬁcally for the oversight and operation of an integrated water infrastructure system. (Imp 3.4, 3.6, 5.4)
IW 13.3
Require the implementation of monitoring programs
to ensure systems consistently comply with applicable
potable water regulations. (Imp 2.10, 5.4)
IW 13.4
Maintain an adequate lead time, normally ﬁve years,
in the planning of needed water-related infrastructure
improvements and include identiﬁed improvements with
the County’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and/or
any other relevant jurisdictions. (Imp 5.4)
IW 13.5
Require meters for all water connections. (Imp 2.6)
IW 13.6
Require compliance with the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System Phase 2 program and monitoring of
stormwater. (Imp 2.8)
IW 13.7
Evaluate groundwater recharge capabilities every ﬁve
years and ensure adequate long-term protection of
groundwater resources. (Imp 2.10, 5.4)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
95 A
However, the state experienced a number of problems at
the same time the electricity industry was restructured. The demand for electricity grew faster than expected during the 1990s due to the rapid growth in the state’s economy and population, spread of computer technology, lack of
new power plants construction since the mid 1980s, and
lack of widespread conservation due to relatively low
electricity costs to consumers.

This was compounded by reductions in supplies available from other western states, particularly the northwest,
which also experienced dramatic growth. Because most
power plants in California are powered by natural gas, the cost of generating electricity has increased due to dramatic increases in the price of natural gas during 2000. In late 2000 and early 2001, some utilities, including Paciﬁc
Gas & Electric (PG&E), began to experience ﬁnancial
problems.

Electric Service Providers (ESPs) are a result of the 1996 restructuring of the California electrical industry and are non-utility retail service providers who buy all of their power from generators and distributors, and sell the
electricity to consumers. Because ESPs provide service
only through existing transmission lines, the University Community would be able to obtain electricity only
through PG&E or MID. After the infrastructure is in
place, the University Community could choose to obtain
electricity through an ESP .

The energy facilities currently serving the University
Community site are not adequate for development of
the University Community’s uses. New on- and off-site
transmission and distribution lines and related facilities are required for electricity and natural gas service for the University Community.

OVERVIEW
n the past, PG&E would have been the de
facto provider of electricity and natural gas
to the University Community and development would
have been powered solely by electricity and natural gas.

The restructuring of the electricity market in 1996 not only expanded the choices of providers of electrical
power, but the impacts resulting from changes in energy supply and reliability emphasize the necessity for using diverse and alternative sources for the supply of energy.

Therefore, policies that address the provision of energy to the University Community focus on the diversiﬁcation
of energy sources such as solar, wind, and fuel cells, in W
I

STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
s indicated in the previous section, the state
of California does not include Infrastructure
among the mandatory elements of a general
plan but permits local government to adopt any other
elements or address any other subjects that in the
judgment of the local government relates to the physical development of the community. While once a given, the
provision of electrical and natural gas energy to a new community is of increasing concern. In particular, the
identiﬁcation of strategies that maximize conservation and use of alternative sources warrant careful consideration.

This section of the UCP establishes such a program.

CONTEXT
ith the passage of Assembly Bill 1890 (AB
1890) in 1996, California was the ﬁrst state
to deregulate its energy market. Under the
new law, the transmission and distribution of electricity remains the responsibility of regulated utilities, but the generation of electricity is open to competition. The
utilities are required to purchase all their electricity needs from the wholesale market. The goal of the legislation
was to open the state’s energy market to competition,
with the expectation that competition would drive down
the cost of electricity.

The restructuring law also froze electric rates for
residential and small commercial customers of investor- owned utilities at a level 10 percent below where they
were in 1996. The frozen rates were expected to be above the utilities’ actual costs, thereby giving the utilities a chance to recover their past generation investments while guaranteeing lower rates for consumers.

ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE—SUSTAINABLE ELECTRICITY AND

NATURAL GAS
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
96 addition to traditional sources. T o be responsive to the advantages of the 21st century, ﬂexibility would be built into the energy systems to take advantage of future
technological advances.

Electricity and gas utilities provide the basic energy
services necessary to support a highly productive
Community. An energy services plan, as well as other
policies for adequate, reliable, and redundant energy
services, will promote security of daily operations to
foster economic and community development. A reliable
and conservation-oriented energy supply is encouraged
through building-related conservation measures and
through a balanced supply of electricity from the grid and from community-based energy production. Sources of
distributed electricity generation will include renewable energy sources like wind and photovoltaic cells located on buildings or designated sites.

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES
he following section presents the goals,
objectives, policies, and programs for the
provision of energy services to the University
Community site. These goals can help ensure that reliable, cost effective, and environmentally sound energy systems are supplied to the University Community. Pertinent
policies must be considered for any development
activity.

ENERGY THAT IS ADEQUATE, RELIABLE, AND

SUSTAINABLE

Goal

An energy infrastructure that provides an adequate and
reliable supply to the Community, reduces consumption,
and is environmentally sustainable.

Objective

IE 1.0
T o establish a coordinated approach for the development of a reliable supply of energy, which is ﬂexible to take advantage of future technological advances.

Policies
IE 1.1
Require that an Energy Services Plan for the entire
University Community be developed as a component
of the Infrastructure Master Plan and approved either
before, or in conjunction with, approval of the ﬁrst sub- area Speciﬁc Plan. This Plan shall consider the phasing of the construction of the University Community to ensure
that the infrastructure and capacity of the energy systems is able to meet the energy needs. Require that the design of the energy systems for each Speciﬁc Plan comply with the provisions of the Energy Services Plan. (Imp 2.5, 3.3, 4.3,

4.13)
IE 1.2
Encourage the development of a diversiﬁed energy system that relies on electricity generated from nonrenewable
resources and natural gas only when they are the best
solution and instead uses renewable resources (e.g., solar and wind) and passive energy systems (e.g., natural light and ventilation) to the extent possible. (Imp 2.5, 3.3, 4.3) IE 1.3
Require that sufﬁcient electricity and natural gas
distribution facilities be designed, located, and constructed to meet energy demands prior to occupancy. (Imp 2.5, 3.3,

4.3)
IE 1.4
Consider the use of portions of the UCP site and/or
nearby properties for the development of alternative
energy generation facilities (e.g., solar collectors or wind generators) that would reduce the dependency upon
electricity generated from nonrenewable resources or
natural gas supply. (Imp 2.5, 2.7, 3.3, 4.3)
IE 1.5
The Energy Services Plan shall be ﬂexible and able to take advantage of future technology advances. (Imp 2.5, 3.3, 4.3) IE 1.6
Ensure the incorporation of environmental objectives
and tradeoffs in decision making about the design and
operation of energy supply systems by matching tasks
with the appropriate type of energy source and then using that energy as efﬁciently and cost-effectively as possible. (Imp 2.5, 3.3, 4.3)
Objective
IE 2.0
T o employ a holistic approach in the development of an energy system that would capitalize upon opportunities
for combining, some building energy systems; and
thereby, reducing the amount of energy needed.

T
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
97 Policies
IE 2.1
Encourage the development of shared utility systems (e.g., centralized heating, air conditioning, and ventilation
systems could be used to serve more than one building). (Imp 2.5, 2.6, 3.3)
Objective
IE 3.0
T o provide affordable and sustainable energy options
through the more efﬁcient use of energy coupled with
the use of cost effective renewable sources, such as sun, wind, and biomass.

Policies
IE 3.1
Encourage buildings that are constructed in the University Community to strive to achieve a 15 percent reduction
in energy use below state energy efﬁciency standards.
(Imp 2.5-2.8)

IE 3.2
Encourage the use of distributed generation (DG)
technology, which generates electricity close to the
load it serves, either in the same building or complex.

This objective requires innovation in the design and
construction of buildings and implementation of the
concept that buildings are “systems.” For example,
construct solar panels on roofs and a fuel cell system when constructing buildings. Lighting choices will inﬂuence
the costs of cooling a building, and thereby inﬂuence the amount of power consumption. The siting, construction
and operation of the buildings and residences within
the University Community play a role in the amount of
energy resources used. Through the use of an integrative design it is possible to achieve large efﬁciency gains more cost effectively than small ones. (Imp 2.5)
IE 3.3
Require that the design for each Speciﬁc Plan either:
(a) produce an energy budget or (b) comply with
prescriptive standards developed as part of the Energy
Supply Plan. Either of these measures should encourage a 15 percent reduction in total energy use over performance standards contained in California Code of Regulations
Title 24, Part 6, and are to be implemented through a Best Practices program. Ensure that the energy system design identiﬁes, and provides for, adequate energy supply for each phase. (Imp 2.5)
IE 3.4
Formulate the Best Practice program as an extension of the state standards, rather than a new format or compliance method to ease implementation. Structures would be
assigned a base set of mandatory efﬁciency measures. The structures must be designed to consume no more energy
than speciﬁed in the energy budget. The applicant would have the option as to which measures to install or use to meet the energy budget. The prescriptive approach would require that speciﬁc measures be installed in addition
to the base set of measures. The speciﬁc measures can
be those that the California Energy Commission has
determined will result in the building meeting an energy budget. (Imp 2.5, 2.6)
IE 3.5
Require energy efﬁcient appliances, ﬁxtures, and systems (e.g., heating, solar or low emission water heaters, air conditioning, and ventilation) within buildings and
residences with energy efﬁcient envelopes (e.g. insulation, insulated windows). (Imp 2.5, 2.6)
IE 3.6
Encourage the use of energy sources that are not dependent upon electricity generated from nonrenewable resources
or natural gas supplies for public utilities, whenever
possible. (Imp 2.5, 4.3)
IE 3.7
Require that large-scale commercial and business
development provide a comprehensive energy use
evaluation that is used to determine energy saving
measures to be included in the design of the development.

Require developers, at a minimum, to include the energy savings measures if they have a payback period of seven years or less. (Imp 2.7)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
98 Objective
IE 4.0
T o optimize passive energy designs in buildings
in order to reduce the amount of energy
required for the University Community.

Policies
IE 4.1
Require all new subdivisions to maximize, to the extent feasible, proper orientation of lots with regard to solar utilization. (Imp 2.5, 2.7, 2.8)
IE 4.2
Require the use of architectural design elements that
support natural heating and cooling of buildings (e.g., overhangs, ventilation by open windows, and light
colored materials for roofs and walls). (Imp 2.5, 2.6, 2.8) IE 4.3
Design and mass buildings and architectural forms to
provide protection from heat, cold, and wind and thereby reduce energy use. (Imp 2.5, 2.8)
IE 4.4
Integrate landscape and water elements with building
design to provide relief from heat (e.g., plant trees that provide a broad canopy for shade and require that shade trees be planted on the eastern, western, and southern
exposures of buildings to reduce energy needs for cooling). (Imp 2.5, 2.8)
IE 4.5
Require that the type, area, and/or placement of windows in buildings ensure maximum natural light without
causing a signiﬁcant heat gain. (Imp 2.5, 2.6)
IE 4.6
Emphasize natural versus mechanical energy systems and
those that depend upon, or facilitate the use of, non-fossil energy sources (e.g. solar, wind, geothermal wells, fuel cell technology, and cogeneration). (Imp 2.5, 2.6)
IE 4.7
Encourage the use of building materials that incorporate recycled and sustainably harvested or manufactured
materials by requiring that construction use a certain
percentage of such materials. (Imp 2.5, 2.6)

ENERGY SYSTEMS THAT COMPLEMENT

THEIR SETTING
Goal

Energy systems that are integrated into the natural and built environment so that they become unobtrusive.

Objective
IE 5.0
T o visually integrate the energy systems into the natural and built environment.

Policies
IE 5.1
Energy systems are required to be visually integrated into the natural and built environment to the extent possible. (Imp 2.5, 2.7, 4.3)
IE 5.2
Preclude the use of above ground wiring, unless there is no feasible alternative. (Imp 2.5, 2.7, 4.3)
IE 5.3
Screen utility facilities, such as electrical substations, with dense vegetation or architectural features. (Imp 2.5, 2.7, 4.3) Goals, Objectives, and Policies
99 B
antennas to be mounted at various heights throughout
the landscape. In order to site them at the necessary
height, these antennas are sometimes mounted on towers, poles, and other structures, resulting in concerns about the visual impacts of these facilities. Unless designed and sited properly, telecommunication facilities, such
as antennas, could negatively impact the aesthetic
quality of the surrounding neighborhood. Therefore,
the telecommunication policies focus on integrating the facilities into the built and natural environment to the extent possible. Similar to the provision of energy to the University Community, the policies for the provision of telecommunication facilities should be ﬂexible in order to take advantage of future technological advances.

The University Community provides an opportunity to
create a sense of interconnection within the Community
and with the UC Merced campus, through policies that
require the provision of a community wide digital system to connect the occupants to each other. A voice, data, and video communications network could be developed that
links the residential, commercial, educational, utility, and civic uses of the University Community. The system
could also link the University to the Community Plan
area, thereby providing access to the educational and
cultural resources of the campus. Similar to the provision of energy and telecommunications to the University
Community, the policies for the provision of digital
facilities should be ﬂexible in order to take advantage of future technological advances.

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES
he following section presents the goals,
objectives, policies, and programs for the
provision of telecommunication services to
the University Community site. These goals can help
ensure that reliable, cost effective, and environmentally sound systems are supplied. Pertinent policies must be
considered for any development activity.

B
T
A

STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
s indicated previously, an Infrastructure
Element is not statutorily required as a part
of a community’s General Plan but local
government are permitted to adopt any other elements
or address any other subjects that in the judgment of the local government relates to the physical development of the community.

CONTEXT
usinesses and residents of the University
Community will expect and require the most
current telecommunication available services.

Over the past decades, the technology has changed
dramatically. Communities have been connected with
hard wire and ﬁber optic systems to provide access
to telephone, cable television, Internet, and similar
services. Wireless communication systems are the
newest form of telecommunication infrastructure.

These systems currently involve cellular phone service, Enhanced Specialized Mobile Radio (ESMR), Personal
Communication Services (PCSs) and paging systems.

The existing telecommunications infrastructure could
not be expected to adequately serve the University
Community. Businesses, residents, and public uses will
necessitate the construction of new facilities, whether linear systems that connect a user with a transmission or reception source (wire and ﬁber optic) or wireless systems (transmitters, antenna, receivers/dishes, and other). Each technology has implications regarding its compatibility and “ﬁt” with the Community’s development, landscape,
and aesthetic quality. Cell towers have been the subject of debate in numerous communities. The pace of technology
suggests the continuing evolution and changing physical characteristics of telecommunications for which the
University Community must be prepared to adapt.

OVERVIEW
ecause of the number and different types
of commercial providers for wireless
communication, there is the potential for
numerous facilities within the University Community.

Providers are prompted to increase their number of
transmission sites in order to gain coverage and calling capacity, and the resulting market share. Exacerbating
the problem, wireless communications require numerous
TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE—CONNECTING IN THE

DIGITAL WORLD
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
100

TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES

THAT SUPPORT AND COMPLEMENT THE

COMMUNITY

Goal
A telecommunications system that fosters the dynamic
economic and social development of the University
Community while lessening the impacts resulting from
multiple providers.

Objective
IT 1.0
T o creatively integrate the telecommunication facilities into the natural and built environment and to minimize
the number of telecommunication facilities.

Policies
IT 1.1
Develop design guidelines for wireless communication
systems to visually integrate the systems into the natural and built environment. (Imp 2.5, 2.8, 3.3, 4.3)
IT 1.2
Encourage the minimization of the number of facilities
through the shared use of sites and antennas by multiple providers. (Imp 2.5, 3.3, 4.3)
IT 1.3
Encourage telecommunication providers to locate
facilities on structures within the University Community and design the facilities to be compatible with the
structure’s architectural character. (Imp 2.5, 3.3, 4.3) IT 1.4
Require that any freestanding towers or antenna used
for telecommunications be designed at a high level of
architectural quality that complements the Community’s
buildings and landscapes. (Imp 2.5, 2.8, 3.3, 4.3)
Objective
IT 2.0
T o ensure objective standards for the provision of
telecommunication services and require that the plan be ﬂexible and able to take advantage of future technological advances.

Policies
IT 2.1
Establish standards and guidelines for the accommodation of communication facilities that are ﬂexible to account for the rapidly changing nature of the industry. (Imp 2.5,

3.3, 4.3)
IT 2.2
Ensure the timely and proper removal of unused
telecommunication facilities. (Imp 2.7, 3.3, 5.1)

CONNECTING THE COMMUNITY

Goal
A voice, data, and video communications network that
serves the residential, commercial, educational, utility, and civic needs of the University Community that
facilitates the sense of community and helps shape it
by allowing occupants to electronically communicate
with one another, UC Merced, University Community
businesses, merchants, and civic and cultural institutions, and the world.

Objective
IT 3.0
T o ensure that all Community neighborhoods and
districts are connected by digital infrastructure.

Policies
IT 3.1
Install a telecommunications network that interconnects all residents with each other, the Internet, local schools, UC Merced, libraries, government, health facilities, and other institutions to provide opportunities for communication, education, cultural enrichment, recreation, information, and socialization. (Imp 2.5, 3.3, 4.3)
IT 3.2
Require new homes and businesses to incorporate
conduits using state-of-the-art technology to provide
easy telecommunications access and adequate capacity to allow for efﬁcient retroﬁtting. (Imp 2.5, 2.6)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
101
T
S
Objective
IT 4.0
Through the application of long-term planning and
priorities to the communication and information systems, a coordinated approach can be developed for the supply
of these services to the University Community and would lessen the impacts resulting from numerous providers
trying to gain market share.

Policies
IT 4.1
Establish standards and guidelines for the accommodation of digital facilities that are ﬂexible to account for the rapidly changing nature of the industry. (Imp 2.5, 3.3, 4.3) IT 4.2
Ensure the timely and proper removal of unused digital
facilities. (Imp 2.7, 3.3, 5.1)
A

STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
he purpose of this chapter is to deﬁne policies
that ensure the healthy, safe, economical, and
sustainable collection and disposal of solid
waste. The state of California does not include solid
waste collection and disposal as a mandatory element
or a component of a mandatory element of a general
plan. However, Government Code §65303 allows local
government to adopt any other elements or address
any other subjects that in the judgment of the local
government relates to the physical development of the
community. Once adopted, non-mandatory elements
become a full-ﬂedged part of the general plan with the
same legal authority and effect as one of the mandatory elements.

CONTEXT
olid waste from the University Community
would be collected by the County and disposed
of at the Highway 59 Landﬁll, approximately
three miles from the Community. The Highway 59
Landﬁll has recently undergone an expansion and has
a lifespan of approximately 30 years. The County is
continuing to take efforts to ensure compliance with state mandated reductions in solid waste generation established in the California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989 (AB 939). As part of this effort, the Merced County Solid Waste Regional Agency adopted a Countywide Integrated
Waste Management Plan in 1995.

OVERVIEW
central theme in sustainable development
involves the minimization of the waste stream.

The following goals, objectives and policies
provide guidance to ensure that the future University
Community is a model of source reduction and waste
minimization through the implementation of effective
programs, recycling efforts, and public education. The
following goals, objectives and policies are intended
to reﬂect the goals of the Countywide Integrated
Waste Management Plan and to support the County’s
commitment to sustainable development in the University Community.

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES
Goal
An adequate and orderly system for the collection and
disposal of solid waste.

Objective
ISW 1.0
T o provide an adequate and orderly system for the
collection services and adequate pre-collection storage facilities and disposal of solid waste to meet the demands of the University Community.

Policies
ISW 1.1
Require that adequate solid waste collection be provided for commercial, industrial, and residential uses in
accordance with state law. (Imp 2.7)
SOLID WASTE—SOURCE REDUCTION AND RECYCLING
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
102
ISW 1.2
Provide for the installation and maintenance of trash
and recycling receptacles along streets in commercial
areas and along major arterials; design receptacles to be aesthetically compatible with the district in which they are located. (Imp 2.5, 2.6)
ISW 1.3
Investigate the feasibility of implementation of joint solid waste collection with UC Merced. (Imp 3.3)
Goal
A high level of source reduction and waste
minimization.

Objective
ISW 2.0
T o sustain source reduction, waste minimization, recycling and composting programs that meet or exceed the state-
mandated levels reduction established in the California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989 (AB 939).

Policies
ISW 2.1
Ensure that future developments are consistent with the requirements of the Merced County Integrated Waste
Management Summary Plan. (Imp 2.7, 5.1)
ISW 2.2
Encourage the development of recycling programs for
solid wastes from non-residential uses in the University Community and ensure that they are recycled at an
approved materials recycling facility. (Imp 2.7, 5.1)
ISW 2.3
Maximize curbside recycling opportunities for yard
wastes and other recyclables. (Imp 5.10)
ISW 2.4
Support programs that promote home composting.
(Imp 5.10)
ISW 2.5
Collaborate with UC Merced in the implementation of
recycling, composting, and source reduction programs.
(Imp 3.3)
ISW 2.6
Promote community awareness of recycling and
composting program activities and services in coordination with the County of Merced, City of Merced, Merced
County Association of Governments (MCAG), and UC
Merced. (Imp 5.10)
ISW 2.7
Require that developers work with the Solid Waste
Division of Merced County to implement recycling
programs for construction materials to reduce the amount of waste disposed of at the landﬁll. (Imp 2.7)
Public Services

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
105

STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
he state of California does not include Public
Services among the mandatory elements of
a general plan. However, Government Code
§65303 allows local government to adopt any other
elements or address any other subjects that in the
judgment of the local government relates to the physical development of the community. Once adopted, the non-
mandatory elements become a full-ﬂedged part of the
general plan with the same legal authority and effect as one of the mandatory elements. The provision of adequate public services for a newly developing community is
considered crucial in establishing its vitality, livability, and health. The qualities of a community’s schools,
parks, libraries, youth and seniors programs, and health facilities are often cited as key determinants in a person’s decision-making for a future residence. The development of a superior infrastructure of public services is essential to enable UC Merced to attract a high quality of students and faculty to the new campus.

CONTEXT
s an undeveloped property, the University
Community planning area does not contain
any of the key public service facilities that are
essential to support the well-being of its future residents.

As the Community grows, schools, parks, libraries,
health, police, ﬁre, health, and seniors, youth, and
other social programs will have to be provided. These
can expand from the existing service infrastructure that is provided to County of Merced and City of Merced
residents. In some cases, new facilities will have to be developed in the Community, in others, services may be
provided from centralized facilities in the City or another location. It is possible that wholly new service providers may be established to speciﬁcally serve the needs of the University Community’s residents and businesses.

OVERVIEW
he social well-being of a population is
nurtured and sustained by access to a full
range of services that educate, enrich the
lives, and meet basic human needs for health, safety,
and quality of life. T o reach these goals, the community will provide adequate educational and cultural services through schools, libraries, a range of cultural facilities, public safety services, health care, social programs, and programs for youth and seniors.

The policies will support the development of school
facilities to meet the basic educational needs of the residents.

They will also support opportunities for enhanced roles as centerpieces of community identity and integrated
elements of the Merced area school districts for funding purposes. School will be located within village centers and within close proximity of parks, libraries, recreation facilities and day care centers to allow joint use of space.

The new school building will use a sustainable approach in construction and maintenance to promote shared and
mixed-use facilities, reduce energy consumption, avoid
indoor air pollution causing materials. A partnership
between UC Merced, the state, and Community will be
encouraged to enrich educational programs and develop
a “university laboratory school” on the campus for grade- school Community students.

Library facilities shared with schools and the campus will provide high quality library services to residents. Libraries will be integrated with multi-purpose community/
cultural facilities, thereby creating community civic
centers. High quality cultural facilities will be encouraged to provide amenities of the quality desired by faculty and staff. Cultural facilities will be sited in the T own Center and distributed within each community center.

Adequate fast-response police and ﬁre protection services are essential to the long-term social and economic
sustainability of the Community. Polices establish
the ratio of law enforcement personnel to residents,
accommodating population growth, development
characteristics, and coordination with the campus police programs. Neighborhood crime watch and prevention
programs will be encouraged, as well as site design
measures to provide maximum safety through well-lit
open pubic spaces. Fire services and personnel will be
expanded to keep pace with the community growth,
including addition of ﬁre suppression infrastructure.

Fire protection measures will include coordination
with the campus ﬁre services and programs to prevent
encroachment of wildland ﬁres into the Community.

Appropriate and high quality health care, social services, and programs for youth and seniors promote the social
vitality of residents in the Community. High quality
services will be achieved through collaboration with
existing County and City services and the planned campus services. Services will be sited at the community centers, allowing for expansion with growth and use of nearby
commercial buildings to support these services (i.e., to house medical ofﬁces). Programs will focus on enriching the lives of residents and promoting social interactions, such as establishing community gardens (particularly for seniors), providing intergenerational facilities for youth and seniors, and offering programs for developmentally
disabled youth, a variety of recreational programs for
youth to promote hobbies, environmental awareness,
sports, volunteerism, and the arts. Seniors programs will encourage ﬁtness and nutrition, recreation, and volunteer opportunities as docents or greeters.

T
A
T
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
106

PROJECTED SCHOOL NEEDS
he University Community will generate a
demand for elementary, middle, and high
schools during its build-out (6,968 single-
family and 4,645 multi-family units). As phased
development of the University Community occurs, various levels of school facilities and services will be required. In addition, the generation of students within the University Community Plan area will require the expansion of
local school district support facilities, including but not limited to administrative facilities, technology facilities, warehouse, maintenance and food service facilities, and transportation facilities that serve the jurisdictional areas of the school districts. The number of schools and the
required support facilities that will ultimately be needed to support the University Community will depend upon
its residents’ demographics and the design and operational standards and requirements of the local school districts.

Experience in comparable campus-oriented communities
with a large number of college students living in proximity to a campus, such as Davis, Santa Cruz, and Chico, suggests that fewer public school-age children are generated and the number of required classrooms are less in comparison with typical residential communities. Additionally, there are trends throughout the state to develop efﬁcient sites by the joint use and sharing of school facilities and other public facilities as a means to reduce costs in this era of limited ﬁnancial resources. These trends, coupled with
opportunities to develop facilities within UC Merced, may enhance the efﬁciency of utilizing land and constructing facilities that may be required in compliance with the
standards and requirements currently used by the Merced area school districts.

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES
oals, objectives, and policies for the education
of K–12 University Community students and
residents are intended to provide adequate
facilities to meet population needs, ensure that facilities are available concurrently with the development phasing of the Community, ensure that they are integrated into
the fabric of the Community to enhance its livability, and provide programs that support and nurture the residents through all ages of their lives.

G
T

SCHOOL FACILITIES THAT ENRICH THE

COMMUNITY

Goal
Adequate school facilities to meet needs of population.

Objective
PE 1.0
T o provide sufﬁcient school facilities within the University Community for its residents, in accordance with Merced
City School District and Merced Union High School
District standards.

Policies
PE 1.1
Designate sufﬁcient lands for school sites within the
University Community planning area to meet local
population demands. (Imp 2.5)
PE 1.2
Require that developers consult with applicable school
districts during the formulation of a sub-area Speciﬁc
Plan to mutually conﬁrm the number of public school age children to be generated by the proposed development,
school site and facility needs, and a program and
responsibilities for site acquisition, facility development, and funding. The program shall be incorporated into the sub-area Speciﬁc Plans and Development Agreements,
which shall be reviewed and approved by the County.
(Imp 2.5, 2.7)
SCHOOLS—EDUCATING COMMUNITY RESIDENTS
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
107
PE 1.3
Cooperate and coordinate with the Merced area school
districts in the County’s administrative and legislative actions to ensure that elementary, middle and high
school sites and facilities adequately serve the needs and requirements of the University Community residents
consistent with the standards and requirements of the
school districts and within the authorities and limits
prescribed by state legislation. (Imp 4.7, 5.8)
PE 1.4
Condition the approval of new development within
the University Community upon the requirement that
school impact fees shall be paid to the applicable school districts consistent with state law, or as may be voluntarily negotiated by project developers with the school districts. (Imp 4.7, 5.8, 6.4)
PE 1.5
Encourage landowners and developers to enter into
voluntary agreements with school districts where state- mandated fees may be insufﬁcient to meet the full costs of school and facility development, to supplement
funding or provide other support for the acquisition and construction of school facilities needed for the planned development. (Imp 4.7, 5.8, 6.4)
PE 1.6
Promote the use of creative ﬁnancing methods to fund
the construction of schools and associated community
facilities where possible, such as access to federal grants, partnerships with corporate commercial developers and
private foundations, and comparable techniques. (Imp 5.8,

6.1–6.4)
PE 1.7
Promote the development of a magnate high school
within the University Community to serve the local
residents and the greater region. (Imp 2.5, 4.7, 5.8)
PE 1.8
Phase development within the University Community
concurrently with the funding and/or availability of
school facilities required to serve the development needs and requirements of the residents within the Community, or as otherwise agreed upon by the County and school
districts in an approved sub-area Speciﬁc Plan and
implementing Development Agreements. (Imp 2.5, 2.7)
Objective
PE 2.0
T o support the development of UC Merced.

Policies
PE 2.1
Support and, as appropriate, cooperate with UC Merced
in administering community educational programs.
(Imp 3.3)
PE 2.2
Encourage the development of a “university laboratory
school” on the UC campus for University Community
students. (Imp 3.3)
PE 2.3
Encourage local industry and businesses to donate services or funds towards programs and/or scholarships for local youth for UC Merced. (Imp 5.10)

SCHOOL FACILITIES THAT ARE THE

CENTERPIECE OF THE COMMUNITY AND

ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE
Goal
Educational campuses/sites for elementary, middle, and
high schools that function as centerpieces of community identity and activity.

Objective
PE 3.0
Establish schools as focal points of neighborhood
identity.

Policies
PE 3.1
Work with the school districts to establish a process for coordination with developers in the planning for the
location and design of schools to be integrated with and serve as the focal point of neighborhood activity and
identity, consistent with UCP urban form objectives
and policies. Schools should become a multi-purpose
gathering place for local residents for education, events, and socialization. As generally depicted on the illustrative Goals, Objectives, and Policies
108
land use concepts (Figures 4 and 5), the schools should be integrated with uses that serve both students and
neighborhood residents including public parks, multi-
purpose facilities, libraries, auditoriums, gymnasiums/ athletic facilities, and similar uses. These may be physically sited on a common site, where facilities are shared, or in proximity to one another. The design, size, and
conﬁguration of schools shall be in accordance with the standards and requirements of the local school districts.

Should these conﬂict with the urban design intentions
for the Community, as speciﬁed in this Plan, the County shall work with the applicable school district to identify how these differences shall be resolved in accordance with procedures speciﬁed for the resolution of disputes and
differences that shall be incorporated into each sub-area Speciﬁc Plan. (Imp 2.5, 4.7, 5.8)

PE 3.2
Locate preschool and day-care facilities in appropriate areas within neighborhood villages, possibly within or
directly adjacent to local commercial facilities. (Imp 2.5) PE 3.3
Encourage the school districts to site buildings and
design the campuses to promote continuity with the
development fabric of the adjacent residential uses.

Avoid the establishment of an isolated, “walled” school environment. (Imp 2.5, 4.7, 5.8)
PE 3.4
Establish walkways, bicycle paths, greenways, and other elements that link school sites with surrounding uses.
(Imp 2.5, 4.1, 4.8)

Goal
Community schools that sustain natural environmental
resources.

Objective
PE 4.0
T o create a sustainable approach to new building
construction and maintenance.

Policies

PE 4.1
Promote the establishment of energy-efﬁcient standards
for school facilities. (Imp 5.8)
PE 4.2
Encourage the implementation of Bright Schools program
for energy efﬁciency. The Bright Schools Program is
sponsored by the California Energy Commission and
offers speciﬁc services for new schools construction in designing cost-effective energy-efﬁcient systems. Bright Schools can provide design consultation, identify energy saving measures, compare technologies, and other services (application process required). (Imp 5.8)
PE 4.3
Promote the School Districts’ use of mixed-use facilities on school campuses in the University Community such
as buildings that serve as two or more of the following:
cafeteria, auditorium, library, community, and multiple- use rooms. (Imp 5.8)
PE 4.4
Encourage the School Districts to construct buildings
that are reusable, recyclable, and adaptable over time. (Imp 5.8)

NURTURING LIFE-LONG LEARNING

Goal
Quality long-term educational opportunities for all stages of life.

Objective

PE 5.0
T o support life-long educational opportunities for
the University Community’s residents through UC
Merced, Merced College, Cal State Stanislaus, and other institutions and private entities.

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
109
Policies
PE 5.1
Support and cooperate, where appropriate, with UC,
Merced Community College and Cal State Stanislaus
in developing courses and educational programs that
support the life-long educational needs of the University Community’s residents including classes conducted on
their campuses, in the Community, or through electronic media. (Imp 3.3, 5.8)
PE 5.2
Support UC Merced, other educational institutions, and
local industries in the development of programs that
enhance the educational skills of local residents to enable them to take advantage of new job opportunities that
may emerge due to UC Merced’ academic and research
programs. (Imp 3.3, 3.5, 5.8, 5.10)
PE 5.3
Encourage UC Merced and Merced Community College
to establish or expand existing mentoring programs to
serve the youth of the University Community. (Imp 3.3,

5.8)
PE 5.4
Promote the use of enriched academic and support
programs to promote student retention and academic
success by local educational institutions. (Imp 3.3, 5.8) PE 5.5
Encourage local industry and businesses to participate in internship, mentoring, teaching, job training, and other programs that increase the opportunity for residents to be employed locally. (Imp 3.5, 5.10)

EDUCATION IN THE DIGITAL WORLD

Objective
PE 6.0
T o enable the University Community to beneﬁt from the
latest technological advances for education and bringing information to its residents.

Policies
PE 6.1
Promote the development of a telecommunications
network that interconnects all residents with the Internet, local schools, UC Merced, libraries, government,
health facilities, and other institutions to provide
opportunities for education and communication (refer to T elecommunications Infrastructure policies). (Imp 2.5, 3.3,

4.3)

PE 6.2
Consider the establishment of a local community Intranet to facilitate e-education opportunities. (Imp 2.5, 3.3, 4.3) PE 6.3
Work with the school districts, colleges, and universities to establish distance education programs for web-based
education training for all Merced residents. (Imp 3.3, 5.8) Goals, Objectives, and Policies
110
PLC 1.2
Develop library facilities that serve the University
Community, as identiﬁed in sub-area Speciﬁc Plans,
which may include:
 One or more freestanding facilities for library
services
 Shared library facilities with area schools
 Library facilities integrated with multi-purpose
community/cultural facilities
 Shared library facilities with UC Merced
 Library facilities incorporated within commercial/
retail development (Imp 2.5, 4.6, 5.7)\
PLC 1.3
Encourage libraries to be consolidated with other public facilities in the T own Center and Residential Village
Centers near transit facilities, bike paths, and pedestrian paths, to serve as a contributing use that fosters activity and identity. (Imp 2.5, 4.6, 5.7)
Objective
PLC 2.0
T o capitalize upon the opportunity to integrate and share library facilities with related educational, cultural, and other Community institutions.

Policies
PLC 2.1
Encourage the development of library facilities that can be jointly used by public schools and community residents. (Imp 2.5, 4.6, 5.7, 5.8)
PLC 2.2
Work with UC library system to explore opportunities
for the sharing/linkage of library resources including
facilities, stafﬁng, and circulation materials. Promote access to the UC library system by Merced’s residents.
(Imp 3.3)

T
C

CONTEXT
he Merced County Library system currently
serves Merced’s residents. However, reduced
funding has resulted in the scaling back
of services including programs, hours, and staff.

Development in the University Community will need to
creatively address the provision of this important service.

There are no cultural facilities located in the University Community, though there are numerous organizations
and events that serve the City and region today. Among
these are the Merced County Arts Center & Arbor
Gallery, Multi-Cultural Arts Center, Merced Center for
Performing Arts, Merced Open Air Theater in Applegate
Park, Merced Symphony Orchestra, fun runs, county
fairs, antique shows, farmers markets, and local school plays and performances.

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES
ommunity Plan goals, objectives, and policies
provide for the development of library and
cultural facilities to serve the University
Community.

LIBRARIES AS CENTERPIECES OF LEARNING

AND COMMUNITY IDENTITY

Goal
High quality library services for University Community
residents.

Objective
PLC 1.0
T o develop library facilities to serve the needs of the University Community’s residents.

Policies

PLC 1.1
Establish standards for the development of Community
libraries that recognize opportunities for joint use with UC Merced, other institutions, and opportunities
imposed by digital communication. (Imp 2.5, 4.6, 5.7)

LIBRARIES AND CULTURAL FACILITIES
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
111
Objective
PLC 3.0
T o utilize technology to expand and enhance library
services for residents.

Policies
PLC 3.1
Install new technology, such as a ﬁber optic network,
for telecommunication services to connect University
Community housing and other neighborhood facilities
with local libraries and, as feasible, the UC library system. (Imp 2.5, 4.3, 5.7)
PLC 3.2
Encourage the development of “information access” in
public facilities and buildings (computer terminals or
kiosks in public facilities). (Imp 2.5, 2.6, 4.6, 5.7, 5.10) PLC 3.3
Support innovative methods (as they emerge) of
delivering library services at the neighborhood level to promote community education and provide a focus for
community activity and cultural development. (Imp 5.7)

CULTURAL PROGRAMS AND COMMUNITY

EVENTS THAT ENHANCE LIVABILITY

Goal

A diversity of cultural opportunities for University
Community residents and visitors.

Objective
PLC 4.0
T o celebrate the University Community through
programming of community events.

Policies
PLC 4.1
Promote local community groups to establish and support a regular calendar of events that bring local residents together such as book fairs, festivals, neighborhood
celebrations, athletic competitions, picnics/food
preparation, and so on. (Imp 3.5)

PLC 4.2
Work with UC Merced in the scheduling of events
and activities that serve both campus and Community.
(Imp 3.3)
PLC 4.3
Encourage local artists to contribute artistically to the design of Community facilities and public art. (Imp 3.5) Objective
PLC 5.0
T o develop a wide range of cultural facilities to serve the University Community.

Policies
PLC 5.1
Work closely with civic groups to identify opportunities for the development of cultural facilities within the
University Community. (Imp 3.5)

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
112
PLC 5.2
Promote and support the development of “satellite”
facilities of existing Merced cultural organizations, such as an arts or historical center, in the University Community. (Imp 3.5)
PLC 5.3
Promote the development of a museum or educational
facility that documents the history, culture, and landscape of the Merced region, including the agricultural industry and critical plant and animal resources. This may be
accomplished in collaboration with UC Merced. (Imp 3.5)

PLC 5.4
Work closely with UC Merced to develop community
relationships with on-campus cultural facilities in
terms of community participation and facility/event
programming. (Imp 3.3)
PLC 5.5
Promote the development of cultural facilities in the
T own Center, as the ﬁrst priority locations, with possible facilities in the Residential Village Centers. (Imp 2.5, 3.5) T

CONTEXT
he University Community site is served by
the Merced County Sheriff’s Department,
which operates out of City of Merced police
facilities. Development in the University Community
could necessitate the development of a local facility.

The Merced County Fire Department provides ﬁre,
rescue and emergency medical services to the University Community area and all unincorporated areas within
the County. McKee Station #85 is the closest facility
to the University Community area. Development of
the University Community would likely necessitate the
development of new facilities to assure levels of service and response times.

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES

A SAFE AND SECURE COMMUNITY

Goal

A high level of police protection for University
Community residents, visitors, and businesses.

Objective
PS 1.0
T o coordinate land development activities with police
and sheriff’s departments in order to ensure that adequate facilities and services are development to provide service in the university community.

POLICE AND FIRE—ASSURING THE SAFETY OF THE COMMUNITY’S

RESIDENTS
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
113
Policies
PS 1.1
Increase law enforcement personnel by approximately 40
personnel in order to accommodate the estimated 30,000
university community residents, based on the City of
Merced Standard of 1.32 ofﬁcers per 1,000 residents for urban services. This increase in personnel could differ if based on Merced County standards. (Imp 4.4, 5.2)
PS 1.2
Identify sites for police facility location(s) in subsequent Speciﬁc Plans for development in the University
Community, based on need, phasing, and timing. The
T own Center would be a priority candidate site. (Imp 2.5) PS 1.3
Coordinate development of public safety programs and
personnel to serve the University Community with the UC Merced police programs, ﬁnding shared opportunities,
where appropriate such as mutual response programs.
(Imp 3.3, 5.2)
PS 1.4
Work with appropriate policing authorities to establish community and neighborhood safety and crime
prevention programs (e.g. neighborhood watch). (Imp 5.2) PS 1.5
Work closely with UC Merced towards crime prevention
speciﬁc to student/community conﬂicts. (Imp 3.3, 5.2)
Objective
PS 2.0
T o create a land use and development conﬁguration and
site design standards to minimize crime
Policies

PS 2.1
Require that Speciﬁc Plans incorporate site designs
that help ensure maximum visibility and security for
entrances, pathways, streets and sidewalks, corridors,
public and private open space, and parking lots and
structures. (Imp 4.5, 5.3)
PS 2.2
Require the incorporation of appropriate lighting
that provides adequate exterior illumination around
commercial, business center, public, parking, and multi- family structures. (Imp 2.5, 2.8)
Goal
A high level of ﬁre protection service for University
Community residents, visitors, and businesses.

Objective
PS 3.0
T o ensure that ﬁre department facilities, personnel, and equipment needs keep pace with growth of the University Community.

Policies
PS 3.1
Ensure that ﬁre facilities and personnel are expanded to serve the needs of the estimated 30,000 residents of the University Community and to maintain a ﬁve minute
response time. (Imp 4.5, 5.3)
PS 3.2
Include appropriate ﬁre facility location(s) in subsequent Speciﬁc Plans for development in the University
Community, based on need, phasing, and timing.
(Imp 2.5)
PS 3.3
Provide an adequate level of water-related infrastructure in development for use in event of ﬁre. (Imp 2.5, 4.2)
PS 3.4
Coordinate development of ﬁre personnel and facilities
with the UC ﬁre protection programs, ﬁnding shared
opportunities when possible. (Imp 3.3, 5.3)
PS 3.5
Implement brush clearing and other ﬁre suppressing
programs in adjacent lands, thereby reducing the
possibility for the encroachment of wildland ﬁres onto
inhabited areas (in consideration of maintenance programs for important plant and animal habitats). (Imp 5.1, 5.10) Goals, Objectives, and Policies
114

CONTEXT
everal hospitals and health care services facilities
are located within the City of Merced and the
surrounding region including Mercy Medical
Center Merced Community Campus, Mercy Urgent
Care, Olive Avenue Urgent Care, and various specialty
clinics and medical groups.

There are a number of facilities providing social services within the City of Merced and the surrounding region.

Examples of existing service providers include: family
planning and birth control clinics, a blood bank, two
mental health clinics, and home care, and hospice
services.

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES

A HEALTHY POPULATION

Goal
A community that provides high quality health care for
its residents.

Objective

PHS 1.0
T o provide adequate and convenient health facilities for University Community residents.

Policies
PHS 1.1
Work with local health providers to ensure that adequate health services are provided for University Community
residents. This may involve the development of new
facilities within the Community and/or expansion of
existing facilities outside of the Community. (Imp 3.5) PHS 1.2
Locate any health care facilities that are developed in the Community in the T own Center and, secondarily, in the
Residential Village Centers to maximize access by local residents and interface with other public uses. (Imp 2.5) S
PHS 1.3
Identify and commit the appropriate location(s) for health care facilities in subsequent sub-area Speciﬁc Plans, based on need, phasing, and timing. (Imp 2.5)
PHS 1.4
Work with local health providers to ensure that
information is provided to new residents of the University Community regarding available health services and
programs. (Imp 3.5, 5.10)
Goal
A community that provides high quality social programs
that nurture and support its residents.

Objective
PHS 2.0
T o provide social programs to meet University Community residents’ diverse needs.

Policies
PHS 2.1
Collaborate with local area social service providers
to provide services to meet the needs of University
Community residents. (Imp 3.5)
PHS 2.2
Locate social provider facilities in the T own Center
and, secondarily, in the Residential Village Centers to maximize access by local residents and interface with
other public facilities. (Imp 3.5)
PHS 2.3
Work closely with the UC in order to develop community
relationships with on-campus social service programs.
(Imp 3.3)
PHS 2.4
Promote the development of programs to enrich the lives of residents and promote social interaction, such as the establishment of community gardens. (Imp 3.5, 5.10)

HEALTH CARE AND SOCIAL PROGRAMS
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
115
PYS 1.5
Encourage major employers in the University Community
to provide day care facilities on site or in a location that is conveniently accessible by their employees. (Imp 3.5, 5.10) PYS 1.6
Promote the development of day-care facilities in the
T own Center and Residential Village Centers. (Imp 2.5, 3.5,

5.10)
Objective
PYS 2.0
T o provide a diversity of high quality programs for the University Community’s youth.

Policies
PYS 2.1
Monitor the needs of the Community’s youth population
and work with local agencies, youth groups, teen centers, and other service entities to provide social, recreation, after school, summer, educational, cultural, and other
programs to meet these needs. (Imp 3.5, 5.1)
PYS 2.2
Work with UC Merced to develop collaborative programs
with Community service providers to implement
programs that serve campus and Community youth and
create youth/UCM student mentoring programs. (Imp 3.3)
PYS 2.3
Encourage the development of programs to serve youth
with developmental disabilities. (Imp 3.5, 5.1)
Objective
PYS 3.0
T o provide a variety of high quality programs for the
University Community’s seniors.

CONTEXT
urrently, there are a number of facilities that
serve youth and seniors within the City of
Merced and programs offered other public and
private entities.

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES
SUSTAINING THE COMMUNITY’S YOUTH

AND SENIORS

Goal
A community that contains a broad base of facilities and programs that support the special needs of its youth and seniors.

Objective
PYS 1.0
T o develop adequate facilities to serve the Community’s youth and seniors.

Policies
PYS 1.1
Work with youth and senior program providers to develop facilities within the University Community. These should be located in the T own Center and Residential Village
Centers to maximize access by local residents and beneﬁt from the presence of other public and community uses.

Opportunities to consolidate or share facilities with other service providers, schools, parks, and other organizations should be pursued for efﬁciency and to minimize costs.
(Imp 2.5, 3.5)
PYS 1.2
Consider the development of an intergenerational facility for youth and senior activities. (Imp 2.5, 3.5, 4.8)
PYS 1.3
Encourage the development of special facilities to serve the needs of seniors in Community parks. (Imp 2.5, 3.5, 4.8) PYS 1.4
Design youth and senior facilities to be accessible to
persons of all ages and abilities. (Imp 4.8)

YOUTH AND SENIORS
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
116
Policies
PYS 3.1
Monitor the needs of the Community’s seniors population and work with local agencies and organizations to ensure that a full range of programs, and services are provided to meet their needs. This may include social, nutrition, recreational, therapeutic, ﬁnancial, health, and similar programs. (Imp 3.5, 5.1)
PYS 3.2
Work with UC Merced to develop cultural, educational,
recreational, health, and other programs and services
for the University Community’s seniors. Encourage
the establishment of a program to use area seniors as
volunteers, docents, or greeters for University events and/ or programs. Seniors may also serve as in supporting staff roles. (Imp 3.3, 3.5)
T

CONTEXT
wo existing recreation facilities are located on or
directly adjacent to the University Community
planning area. One site, the Merced Hills
Golf Course, will be removed and replaced with the UC
campus and portions of the University Community.

Lake Yosemite Park, located in-between the University
Community and Lake Yosemite, is an existing important
recreational resource. Policies associated with the future development of this recreational resource are addressed separately in the Area Plan section of this document.

As the University Community Plan area is undeveloped,
there are no existing recreation facilities. Development of the Community will generate the need for both active and passive recreation facilities for all age levels. The provision of these facilities will largely be the responsibility of Merced County. There are also opportunities for the
sharing of recreational facilities with UC Merced as these are developed on campus to serve student needs.

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES

PARKS THAT MEET THE RECREATIONAL

NEEDS OF COMMUNITY RESIDENTS

Goal
A community of quality parks for its residents and visitors.

Objective
PP 1.0
T o establish neighborhood and community park facilities to meet the diverse needs of University Community
residents.

Policies
PP 1.1
Provide sufﬁcient parkland to meet the recreational
needs of the University Community’s residents, based
on a standard of ﬁve acres per thousand residents, in
accordance with Policy LU 9.4. Of this, a minimum of
three acres per thousand residents shall be developed as community and/or neighborhood parks that contain
sports ﬁelds and facilities, picnic areas, swimming pools, multi-purpose gymnasiums/buildings, picnic areas, and
similar improvements that meet the active recreational
needs of the residents. The balance of acreage may be
used for passive recreational activities such as hiking and nature observation. (Imp 2.5, 2.7, 4.8)
PP 1.2
Require that a comprehensive parks and recreation
component be deﬁned in each sub-area Speciﬁc Plan that
reﬂects concepts depicted on the Illustrative Open Space Concept (Land Use, Figure 9) and:
 Deﬁnes service standards, park types, design
guidelines, landscape standards, and appropriate
programming for park facilities based on user
demand assessments and community input
 Identiﬁes mini, neighborhood, and community
park sites in accordance with service standards
 Integrates neighborhood parks with neighborhood
centers and schools
 Links park facilities through an integrated trail
network
 Deﬁnes programming needs for park sites
consistent with demographic trends in the
University Community (Imp 2.5)

PARKS AND RECREATION
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
117

PP 1.3
Require the dedication of neighborhood and community
park sites in future phases of development, concurrent
with the review and approval of T entative Maps. (Imp 2.7) PP 1.4
Require that planned sites for park facilities be developed as part of an interconnected open space system (refer to LU 9.4). (Imp 2.4, 2.5, 2.7, 4.8)
PP 1.5
Require that neighborhood and community parks are
sited, programmed, and developed in an environmentally
sensitive fashion that is consistent with overarching
principles of the University Community development.

Park landscape should emphasize the use of native and
drought-tolerant species. T reated wastewater and water captured and detained on site from rainfall should be
used as primary sources of irrigation and on-site water amenity. Park structures should be constructed with
recycled materials, to the extent practical. (Imp 2.5, 2.9, 4.8) PP 1.6
Provide park facilities programmed with active
recreational facilities, including athletic facilities, such as multi-purpose ﬁelds, ball ﬁelds, multi-purpose courts, and other facilities oriented towards youth leagues and team sports in order that the existing highest recreational need in the Community is addressed. (Imp 2.5, 4.8)
Objective
PP 2.0
T o establish open space and park facilities alongside and integrated with development.

Policies
PP 2.1
Require that large-scale commercial developments, such
as the proposed T own Centers and Business Centers,
integrate common recreational or open space facilities on site. (Imp 2.5–2.7)

PP 2.2
Support the creation of community gardens as one of
several elements of the University Community’s open
space system, provided that they are compatible with and do not adversely impact adjoining land uses. (Imp 2.5, 5.10)

PARKLANDS THAT ENHANCE

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

Goal
A community that is structured by high quality passive
and natural open spaces for Community residents and
visitors.

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
118
Objective
PP 3.0
T o establish a system of greenways/conservation corridors throughout the University Community and are linked to
UC Merced.

Policies
PP 3.1
Create a continuous system of connected open space and
recreation areas throughout the University Community.

This will integrate active and passive parklands with
preserved and restored natural habitats, detention basins, trails, and other open spaces. The precise location of this system shall be deﬁned by each sub-area Speciﬁc Plan, in accordance with concepts on the Illustrative Land Use
Diagram (refer to Land Use policies). (Imp 2.4, 2.5, 2.7, 4.8,

4.10)
Objective
PP 4.0
Protect and preserve natural resources through designated passive open space areas.

Policies

PP 4.1
Develop open space corridors alongside watercourses and valued natural resource areas, as an integral element of the continuous community park system (as deﬁned in
Policy PP 3.1). (Imp 2.4, 2.5, 2.7, 4.8, 4.10)

PP 4.2
Provide open space buffers in areas where urban
development abuts sensitive natural resource areas
(wetlands, vernal pools, and grasslands) and agricultural lands. (Imp 2.4, 2.5, 2.7, 4.10)

MAXIMIZING PARK OPPORTUNITIES

THROUGH JOINT USE

Goal
Efﬁcient use of parklands and open spaces, through
multiple use.

Objective
PP 5.0
Take advantage of opportunities for the multiple use of parklands, open spaces, and other public facilities.

Policies

PP 5.1
Require the siting of park facilities in proximity to school facilities. Sites shall be deﬁned by the sub-area Speciﬁc Plans. (Imp 2.5, 4.8, 5.6, 5.8)
PP 5.2
Require use agreements between school jurisdiction and
park jurisdictions, addressing time and nature of use for recreation facilities, liabilities, and other issues. (Imp 5.6,

5.8)
PP 5.3
Design storm drainage basins to accommodate both
passive and active recreational uses during the dry periods (refer to Water-Related Infrastructure policies). (Imp 2.5,

4.2, 4.8)
PP 5.4
Develop passive recreational facilities in natural resource conservation areas, e.g., nature interpretation, bird
watching information, and similar amenities. (Imp 2.5,

4.10)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
119
PP 5.5
Integrate community facilities, such as community
centers, auditoriums, day care centers, seniors facilities, and other uses into park facilities. (Imp 2.5, 4.8)
PP 5.6
Encourage opportunities for the shared use of recreation facilities located on the UC Merced campus (Refer to
Area-plan policy). (Imp 3.3)

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

Goal

A comprehensive and interconnected system of public
pathways and bikeways.

Objective

PP 6.0
Create a trail system that provides residents with safe, useable, and attractive bicycle and pedestrian trails.

Policies
PP 6.1
Require that a comprehensive network of pedestrian
paths be established linking each portion of the University Community, including the T own Center, UC Merced,
Residential Village neighborhoods and centers, schools, and parks. (Imp 2.4, 2.5, 4.8)
PP 6.2
Require each phase of new development in the University Community to connect with and expand upon existing
trail facilities. Locations and improvements shall be
deﬁned in the sub-area Speciﬁc Plans. (Imp 2.5)

PP 6.3
Encourage infrastructure rights-of-way or easements to
be designed and developed to accommodate trails where
feasible and where compatible with the intended primary use. (Imp 2.5, 4.2, 4.3, 4.8, 4.10)
PP 6.4
Encourage the development of trail facilities in greenway or conservation corridor areas. (Imp 2.5, 4.10)
PP 6.5
Require new that new trail facilities provide connections with existing and planned regional trail facilities and those planned by the UC on the university campus.
(Imp 2.5, 3.3, 4.8)

CORRELATING COMMUNITY PARKS WITH

RESIDENT NEEDS AND OBJECTIVES

Goal
Recreational facilities and programs that meet the needs of the University Community’s residents.

Objective
PP 7.0
T o meet the recreation needs of the range of residents in the University Community, as they evolve over time.

Policies
PP 7.1
Conduct a detailed recreation demand analysis in order
to match park siting and program characteristics with the needs of Community residents. (Imp 4.8)
PP 7.2
Create park facilities programmed with facilities for all age groups, including children and youth, teens, university students, and adults. (Imp 4.8)
PP 7.3
Consider training and using local residents as volunteers to maintain and administer park programs (sports
director, event organizers, property clean-up, and other) to enhance their ownership of the park, where appropriate. (Imp 5.6, 5.10)

Environmental Resources

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
123

STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
tate of California Law does not provide that
a Biological Resources Element, per se, be
prepared as a part of a County’s General Plan
(Government Code §65302). However, Government
Code §65302(d) requires the inclusion of a Conservation Element that addresses natural resources issues, as
described below:

A conservation element for the conservation,
development, and utilization of natural resources
including water and its hydraulic force, forests, soils, rivers and other waters, harbors, ﬁ sheries, wildlife, minerals, and other natural resources.

CONTEXT
he eastern Merced County region is part of the
largest block of relatively undisturbed, high-
density vernal pool grasslands remaining in
California. In addition to the high density of vernal pools, these grasslands support a diversity of wildlife and plant life including rare, threatened, and endangered species.

The University Community Plan area lies on the western
edge of the region.

Habitats of the University Community have been altered
through agricultural practices. A majority of the University Community is currently in row crop production and
provides little wildlife value. Approximately twenty
percent of the University Community planning area
remains in a semi-natural condition and supports annual grassland habitat interspersed with vernal pools (vernal pool grassland) and other wetland habitats. Development of the Community Plan will result in loss of annual
grassland and associated wetland habitats. Habitats more compatible with the University Community Plan can be
developed that will provide ecological value.

T
T
MS

OVERVIEW
erced County is committed to the preservation
of important natural resources that occur
within its boundaries. This commitment is
articulated in the Conservation Element of the County
General Plan. This section of the University Community
Plan responds to the presence of valuable and legally
protected species and habitats within and near the
University Community. The following goals, objectives,
and policies provide guidance to ensure that future
development within the Community Plan area supports
the County’s commitment to resource conservation
through avoidance, minimization, compensatory
mitigation, and sensitive design of open spaces and edges of the Community.

The UCP focuses on preserving and sustaining the
vitality of the rich and diverse natural wetlands and
annual grasslands of eastern Merced County as well as
maximizing the ecological value of the Community
Plan. Environmentally sensitive project siting and design will seek to protect adjacent vernal pools, wetlands, and grasslands from community development. Consultation
with the relevant agencies will guide the approach and
deﬁ ne the constraints and procedures to implement this policy. This will include measures such as buffer zones, seasonal construction prohibitions in sensitive areas,
signage, and monitoring. A buffer zone will be established to minimize the effects of developments on contiguous
wetland resources, including barrier requirements, activity restrictions, and signage requirements. Where necessary, a wetland mitigation plan and a habitat mitigation plan will provide off-site compensation for the loss of wetlands and grasslands.

Open space corridors and open water features will be
incorporated to allow movement of wildlife through
the community. The use of native vegetation in local
landscaping will offer wildlife value. The public will be encouraged to participate in wildlife protection through pet leash laws and environmental education programs.
he natural resources of the Community Plan area are native plants and animals, topographic character, viewsheds, geology, soils, agriculture, air quality, surface water, and ground water. These resources represent essential factors for the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of the populace, providing a sense of beauty and support to the economic base of the community at large. The policies aim to preserve, protect, and/or mitigate the loss of resources, promote the long-term sustainability and vitality of these resources within the larger regional context.

These resources will be maintained within the Community Area for as long as possible and to the extent feasible. Surface and ground water policies are located in Utility Infrastructure: Water-Related Infrastructure.

PLANT AND ANIMAL RESOURCES
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
124

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES
VALUING THE COMMUNITY’S WETLANDS

AND GRASSLANDS

Goal

Preservation and protection of the rich and diverse natural wetland resources of eastern Merced County.

Objective
PA 1.0
T o protect the wetland resources of the eastern Merced region by ensuring that there is no net loss of wetland functions and values (including vernal pools and other wetland habitats for special status species) due to the development of the University Community.

Policies
PA 1.1
Require that direct and indirect effects to wetland habitats be minimized through the promotion of environmentally
sensitive project siting and design, to the maximum
extent practicable. (Imp 2.5, 4.10)
PA 1.2
Obtain the appropriate regulatory approvals prior to the initiation of project construction. (Imp 3.3)
PA 1.3
Ensure protection of on-site avoided, created, or restored permanent wetlands. (Imp 2.5, 2.10)
PA 1.4
Ensure the protection of off-site adjacent wetland
habitats, including those with hydrological connections to off-site wetland resources, through the implementation of measures that will protect the quality and quantity
of source waters and will avoid disturbance of wetland
habitats by human activity including domestic pets.
(Imp 2.7, 4.10)
PA 1.5
Require monitoring, cleanup, and maintenance of
preserved wetland habitats within and adjacent to the
University Community, as necessary. (Imp 2.10)
PA 1.6
Require the development of a habitat mitigation plan for each sub-area Speciﬁc Plan, acceptable to the USACOE,
USFWS, and CDFG, that achieves no net loss of wetland
function and values by meeting established ratios for
wetland enhancement/restoration and on- and off-site
compensation for the loss of wetland functions and
values., (Imp 2.5, 2.7, 4.10)
Objective

PA 2.0
T o protect and enhance annual grassland habitat functions and values, including habitats for special status species.

Policies
PA 2.1
Encourage the retention of annual grasslands to the
maximum extent feasible through the promotion of
environmentally sensitive project siting and design.
(Imp 2.5, 4.10)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
125
PA 2.2
Incorporate open space corridors into the Community
Plan that allow the movement of wildlife through the
Community Plan Area, to the extent feasible. (Imp 2.4, 2.5) PA 2.3
Ensure the development of a habitat mitigation plan
to provide off-site compensation for the loss of annual grassland functions within the University Community
that is acceptable to the USFWS, CDFG and other
relevant agencies. (Imp 2.5, 2.7, 4.10)

INTEGRATING RESOURCES WITH

DEVELOPMENT

Objective
PA 3.0
Well planned open spaces and landscaping that results
in a high degree of ecological value in the University
Community.

Policies
PA 3.1
Incorporate large interconnected open space corridors
throughout the Community Plan area. (Imp 2.4, 2.5, 4.10) PA 3.2
Utilize native vegetation in local landscaping to the
maximum extent feasible. (Imp 2.5)
PA 3.3
Create open water park features, where feasible, to provide resting areas for migrating waterfowl and shorebirds.
(Imp 2.5)
PA 3.4
Ensure the protection of wildlife through establishment of programs to control feral pet populations. (Imp 5.1) PA 3.5
Provide public environmental educational programs
to inform the public about the natural resources of the region, including information about cohabitation with
wildlife populations that are common in urban areas.
(Imp 5.10)
PA 3.6
Conduct botanical surveys to establish baseline
conditions for Speciﬁc Plan applications consistent with the prevailing CNPS Botanical Survey Guidelines. (Imp 2.5,

4.10)
T D

STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
he state of California does include Agriculture,
per se, among the mandatory elements of a
general plan. However, Government Code
§65302 requires the preparation of an open space
element that deﬁnes policy for “open space used for the managed production of resources, including…agricultural lands and areas of economic importance for the production of food or ﬁber…” One of the central themes of the Merced
County General Plan is the conservation of important
agricultural lands and the protection and enhancement of the County’s important agricultural industry. A reﬂection of this commitment is the presence of an Agricultural
Element as a distinct element in the County General
Plan. This section of the University Community Plan
responds to the presence of designated prime agricultural lands and productive agricultural activities within the University Community planning area.

CONTEXT
evelopment of the University Community Plan
(UCP) area will result in the loss of productive
agricultural lands. The northern portion of the
site is actively used for grazing cattle and the southern portion is used for the production of tomatoes and
corn rotated with oats and wheat. Lands to the south
and southeast of the University Community are rich
farmland soils planted in crops such as almonds, walnuts, cotton, tomatoes, and corn. In addition to the loss of
agricultural lands within the University Community, its urbanization could induce economic pressures for the
premature conversion of surrounding agricultural lands
for comparable uses. Given the importance and value
that Merced County places on the preservation and
conservation of farmland and agricultural productivity, all reasonable efforts should be taken to avoid adverse effects on nearby farmland or agricultural productivity.

AGRICULTURE
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
126

OVERVIEW
griculture represents a vital element of the
economic base and a valued way of life in
Merced County. The sustainability of the
agricultural sector is strengthened through County
policies that protect and enhance agricultural activity. The Community represents a large area where the land use
will change from agricultural to urban. Policies emphasize the transition of land uses to prolong agricultural activity within the Community area as long as possible and to
protect continued agricultural uses on adjacent lands.

Nonagricultural residents of the Community will be
informed of the right-to-farm ordinance and what that
means in terms of local agricultural operations, practices, and the potential agriculture-related impacts (e.g., noise, odors, dust). Brochures and pamphlets will be issued upon in the signing of rental and title agreements to inform residents of the effects of agricultural activities, such as plowing, spraying and burning, and the use of chemicals (e.g., fertilizers, pesticides). An adequate buffer space will be established to minimize agricultural and urban land
use conﬂicts.

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES
he following goals, objectives, and policies
provide guidance to ensure that the future
development of the University Community
reﬂects the County’s commitment to farmland conservation and enhancement of agricultural productivity through
phasing, compensatory mitigation, and sensitive design
of the edges of the Community.

A COMMUNITY THAT VALUES CONTINUED

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
Goal
Continued agricultural productivity within the University Community planning area prior to development.

Objective

A 1.0
T o maximize use of productive agricultural soils within the University Community planning area.

Policies

A 1.1
Encourage agricultural production to occur within the
University Community planning area, for as long as
possible, during development of the site. (Imp 2.5,)

T
A
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
127
A 1.2
Enforce the County of Merced’s Right-to-Farm
Ordinance for the University Community that
requires nonagricultural residents be made aware of
local agricultural operations, their practices, and the potential agriculturally related impacts. This may be
accomplished through its inclusion in the distribution
of annual property tax bills, escrow papers upon sale or lease execution, Title Reports issued at the time of close of any escrow, Department of Real Estate White Papers,
or similar documents. (Imp 2.5, 5.1)
A 1.3
Provide materials such as brochures and pamphlets to all future residents of the University Community informing
them about the effects of agricultural activities that
states residents within the University Community may
be subject to inconveniences or discomfort arising from the use of agricultural chemicals, such as fertilizers and pesticides; and from the pursuit of agricultural operations including but not limited to, plowing, spraying, and
burning which occasionally may generate dust, smoke,
noise and odor. (Imp 5.10)

MITIGATING FOR THE LOSS OF

AGRICULTURAL LANDS

Goal

Compensate for the loss of productive agricultural land due to development of the University Community area.

Objective
A 2.0
T o mitigate for the loss of productive farmland within the University Community area.

Policies
A 2.1
Participate in a program, if adopted, that may be
established by the County of Merced and the City of
Merced for the full mitigation of the loss of agricultural lands in the north Merced area. In the event that such
a program is not adopted prior to approval of any sub-
area speciﬁc plan, require implementation of such
measures that would achieve the equivalent protection
of comparable farmland at a ratio of 1:1 for Important
Farmland converted with the subject speciﬁc plan area;
examples of measures include acquisition of conservation easements, payment of in-lieu fees to the County (or an appropriate third party designated by the County) that
would protect such lands through fee title , easement, or other measures. (Imp 2.5, 2.7)

COMPATIBILITY OF AGRICULTURE AND

URBAN USES

Goal
Reduce the potential for agricultural and urban land use conﬂicts.

Objective
A 3.0
T o minimize agricultural and urban land use conﬂicts.

Policies
A 3.1
Establish an adequate open space buffer along the edges of the University Community planning area abutting
agricultural lands. This buffer may accommodate passive uses such as open space, parks, certiﬁed organic farming, natural preserves, or treated wastewater storage. (Imp 2.4,

2.5)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
128

CONTEXT
artial site surveys and literature research
indicate that no archaeological sites,
prehistoric cultural resources, or historic
structures have been found in the University Community
planning area. A representative of the Native American
Heritage Commission indicates: “a search of the sacred
lands ﬁle has failed to indicate the presence of Native American cultural resources in the immediate UCP
area.” An evaluation of the Le Grand and Fairﬁeld Canals concludes that, “neither of the canals appears to meet
the criteria for listing in the National Register or State Register because they are not signiﬁcant historically or for their engineering, and because they lack integrity to their periods of signiﬁcance.”

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES
Goal
Protection of any archaeological, prehistoric, historic, Native American, or other cultural site or structure
and paleontological resources that may be found in the
University Community.

Objective
C 1.0
T o establish a process for the identiﬁcation and protection of archaeological resources.

Policies
C 1.1
Require that an appropriate archaeological survey of
the University Community planning area and locations
to be developed for off-site infrastructure be conducted concurrent with the preparation of sub-area Speciﬁc Plans in accordance with CEQA Section 15064.5. (Imp 2.5)
C 1.2
Require that, prior to ground disturbance, developers
shall notify contractors that they are required to watch for potential archaeological sites and artifacts and to notify the County of Merced immediately upon any ﬁnd.

Evidence of potential archaeological sites and artifacts includes, but is not limited to, aboriginal or historic P
skeletal remains, chipped stone, groundstone, shell and bone artifacts, concentrations of ﬁre cracked rock, shell, bone and historic features such as privies, trash pits or concentrations, and building foundations. (Imp 2.7)
C 1.3
Require that, should a previously unidentiﬁed cultural
resource be discovered during grading, trenching,
or other on-site earthwork, construction activity be
stopped within 100 feet of the identiﬁed materials until a professional archaeologist certiﬁed by the Registry of Professional Archaeologists RDA), and the County of
Merced evaluates the signiﬁcance of the ﬁnd and suggest appropriate mitigation(s), as determined necessary.
(Imp 2.7)
Objective
C 2.0
T o establish a process for the identiﬁcation and protection of paleontological resources.

Policies
C 2.1
Require that, prior to construction, construction
personnel shall be informed of the potential for
encountering signiﬁcant paleontological resources. All
construction personnel shall be informed of the need to stop work in the vicinity of a potential discovery until a qualiﬁed paleontologist has been provide the opportunity to assess the signiﬁcance of the ﬁnd and implement
appropriate measures to protect or scientiﬁcally remove the ﬁnd. Construction personnel shall also be informed
of the requirement that unauthorized collection of fossil resources is prohibited. (Imp 2.7)

CULTURAL RESOURCES
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
129

CONTEXT
he University Community planning area is
characterized by gently sloping lands from the
northeast to the southwest that exhibit little
topographic form. The maximum elevation change across
the property is approximately 60 feet. As a consequence, there is little inherent opportunity to use the site’s
topography to distinctively shape development patterns
or the urban form.

The Le Grand Canal, along the eastern portion of the
Community site acts as a distinct barrier differentiating the ﬂatlands from the more variable and rolling
topography to the east. The northern portion of the
University Community site is separated from the UC
Merced campus site by an ephemeral drainage corridor,
Cottonwood Creek.

Within the site, Cottonwood Creek and several smaller
drainages deﬁne a number gently sloping mesas and
mounds. These are subtle changes in topography that are not readily apparent when viewed at any distance. But,
on site, they provide physical relief and character.

OVERVIEW
he objective of the policies is to create an urban
form that recognizes the site’s topography and
establishes a distinct sense of place, quality,
and character. The Community’s physical development
will reﬂect the nature of its topography, retaining basic forms, contours, and elevations while eliminating
the use of extensive ﬂat pads and cut-and-ﬁll slopes.

Natural drainage channels will be retained for multiple uses including stormwater control, wildlife value, and
recreation.

T
T
Goal
A community whose form respects the site’s natural
topography, creating a distinct sense of place, quality, and character.

USING TOPOGRAPHY TO SHAPE

COMMUNITY CHARACTER

Objective
TO 1.0
Locate and design development in consideration of the
site’s subtle topography.

Policies
TO 1.1
Require that the development of the University
Community site reﬂect the character of its underlying
topography, retaining basic forms, contours, and
elevations.

TO 1.2
Require that the University Community site be graded
to ensure appropriate and continuous transitions with
adjoining properties. Abrupt changes of topography and
the use of retaining walls shall be discouraged. (Imp 2.7) TO 1.3
Require that development be located and designed to
mimic the natural topography in areas characterized by
topographic diversity and preclude the use of extensive ﬂat pads and cut-and-ﬁll slopes, providing that this does not result in extraordinary costs that impact ﬁnancial
feasibility. (Imp 2.5, 2.7)
TO 1.4
Retain natural drainages for storm drainage, detention, recreation, and open space, except where modiﬁcations
may be necessary to accommodate cohesive transportation and utility infrastructure. (Imp 2.5, 2.7)

TOPOGRAPHY
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
130

CONTEXT
s indicated previously, the University
Community planning area is characterized
by gently sloping lands from the northeast
to the southwest with little elevation change. They
transition from the rolling grasslands in the northeast to the ﬂat agricultural lands to the west and south. As such, viewsheds from the site are short-distanced and,
primarily, of surrounding properties. Views to the Sierra Nevada to the northeast are possible, due to their height and visual dominance.

The elevation change between the Golf Course, in
particular the location of the proposed initial phase campus buildings, and the Community offer opportunities to
establish viewing corridors from the Community (in the
vicinity of the proposed T own Center and north-south
open space corridor) to the proposed campus core.

Viewsheds and the visual quality of the University
Community are also affected by the ambient lighting
conditions. The lack of development on and in proximity to the site, offers opportunities for dramatic views of stars in the nighttime sky and low levels of illumination for existing rural housing. Development of urban uses in the Community will substantially increase ambient levels of illumination and glare during the evening, changing the area’s character.

OVERVIEW
olicies provide for the creation of viewing
corridors of the Sierra and proposed campus
core. These view opportunities will be
strengthened through siting and design requirements
for transportation corridors, plazas, and squares. The
P
A
creation of urban viewsheds of the T own center, campus, and landmark buildings enhance the sense of place and
visual connectivity of the Community.

Additionally, policies provide for the use of lighting
elements that minimize ambient illumination and glare
during nighttime hours.

A COMMUNITY THAT VALUES IMPORTANT

VIEWSHEDS

Goal

A community that recognizes its location through
the maintenance of viewsheds of the Sierra, adjoining
open spaces, and key landmarks within its urban
development.

Objective

V 1.0
T o develop a pattern of urban development, transportation corridors, and open spaces that provides high quality
views.

Policies

V 1.1
Locate and design principal transportation corridors to provide public views of the Sierra Nevada and, where
appropriate, the UC Merced campus core. (Imp 2.4, 2.5)
V 1.2
Incorporate plazas and squares at the conﬂuence and
termination of streets and pedestrian paths, in the
principal Community activity centers (T own Center
and Residential Village Neighborhood Centers), and
other public places and design them to provide views of the Sierra Nevada, surrounding grasslands, and, where
appropriate, the UC Merced campus core. (Imp 2.5)
V 1.3
Locate and design sites and buildings to serve as visual landmarks within the University Community (e.g.,
siting of buildings and parks as visual termini of streets, neighborhood areas, etc.; use of towers and other
architectural elements; and so on). (Imp 2.5)

VIEWSHEDS
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
131
V 1.4
Design principal entry corridors to the University
Community as landscaped amenities that provide view
of the T own Center, UC Merced campus core, Sierra
Nevada, and other visual assets. (Imp 2.4, 2.5)

MAINTAINING LEVELS OF ILLUMINATION

THAT ENHANCE COMMUNITY CHARACTER

Goal

Levels of nighttime illumination that enhance Community quality, while maintaining public safety.

Objective
V 2.0
T o control levels of nighttime illumination and glare
to sustain opportunities for night-sky viewing and the
region’s rural character, without sacriﬁcing public safety.

Policies
V 2.1
Require that outdoor lighting ﬁxtures be located and
designed to minimize ambient levels of illumination and glare, while providing adequate illumination for public safety. (Imp 2.5)
V 2.2
Require that outdoor lighting ﬁxtures be located and
designed to prevent spillover and impacts on adjoining
properties (e.g., use of ﬁxtures that cast their illumination downward and in a contained area). (Imp 2.5, 2.8)
V 2.3
Require that buildings in the University Community
minimize the use of surface materials and glazing that
are highly reﬂective of sunlight and nighttime outdoor
lighting and/or place such materials in locations that will not impact adjoining uses. (Imp 2.5, 2.8)
V 2.4
Establish standards to minimize the levels of illumination of outdoor signs in the University Community. (Imp 2.5) T

STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
he California Government Code does not
mandate air quality issues be addressed by local
planning efforts. As such, the existing Merced
County General Plan includes only one Open Space/
Conservation goal related to air quality: “...to properly manage air resources.” Regionwide air quality planning
efforts are conducted under the Health and Safety Code
(§§40910–40930) by the local air quality management
district (San Joaquin Valley Uniﬁed Air Pollution
Control District, or SJVUAPCD) in conjunction
with transportation planning agencies. Congestion
management programs are required by the Government
Code (§65089) to address air quality consequences of
regional transportation planning efforts.

Merced County is encouraged by the SJVUAPCD to
use its land use and transportation planning authority
to help achieve region-wide air quality goals. The Air
Quality Guidelines for General Plans , published in 1994 by the SJVUAPCD, provides assistance for developing
policies and implementation strategies at the local level that will be consistent with regional efforts to manage air quality. These guidelines recommend incorporating
air quality considerations when developing land use
and transportation plans. Examples of this would be
considering transportation demand (and motor vehicle
emissions) that would be associated with land use patterns or considering land use compatibility of agricultural and industrial uses with uses that would be “sensitive” to
localized air quality conditions. These guidelines provide the basis for the air quality components of the University Community Plan.

AIR QUALITY
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
132
M

OVERVIEW
erced County recognizes that land use
planning, and the associated transportation
and energy demand, affects management
of air resources. This chapter of the UCP identiﬁes
policies to improve coordination and planning for air
resources. T o the extent that compact development and
efﬁcient infrastructure can be encouraged, indirect air quality beneﬁts may be realized through implementation
of the UCP . Opportunities to integrate land use and
transportation planning are especially relevant in reducing trip lengths and improving the potential for transit service, thereby reducing the reliance on the automobile and
emissions from motor vehicle use. Goals and strategies
recommended by the San Joaquin Valley Uniﬁed Air
Pollution Control District and included in the UCP are
used to align the UCP with regional air quality planning efforts through land use and transportation planning.

Additionally, strategies are identiﬁed for managing other speciﬁc activities that cause air pollution (e.g., energy use, wood-burning appliances, and agricultural activities).

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES

A COMMUNITY THAT VALUES ITS HEALTHY

AIR QUALITY

Goal

Effective communication, cooperation, and coordination
for the development and operation of community and
regional air quality programs.

Objective
AQ 1.0
T o coordinate air quality management efforts for the
University Community with regional programs and
those of neighboring jurisdictions, especially the City of Merced.

Policies
AQ 1.1
Determine air quality effects of projects using analysis methods and signiﬁcance criteria recommended by
the SJVUAPCD. This would help to ensure impacts
identiﬁed during CEQA review are consistently and fairly mitigated with feasible, implementable, and cost effective strategies. (Imp 2.3, 3.3)
AQ 1.2
Work with the City of Merced and other jurisdictions
and agencies to address cross-jurisdictional and regional transportation and air quality issues. Encourage staff
planners to participate in activities of neighboring
jurisdictions and regional agencies. The aim would be
to examine congestion in other jurisdictions caused
by University Community projects, effects of projects
on viability of regional transit and pedestrian-oriented projects, progress of jurisdictions to construct segments of regional bikeway plans, proposed land use or circulation changes that would alter trafﬁc ﬂow or increase urban
sprawl in jurisdictions. (Imp 3.3)
Goal
Improve air quality through land use patterns that
minimize the generation of pollutants and reduce vehicle trips.

Objective

AQ 2.0
T o integrate air quality goals with proper land use and transportation planning and management.

Policies
AQ 2.1
Integrate planning efforts by considering air quality
when planning land use and transportation systems and
considering air quality and mobility when reviewing any proposed change to the land use pattern. (Imp 2.4, 2.5, 2.3) AQ 2.2
Develop a congestion management plan to reduce motor
vehicle trips, as deﬁned by the UCP’s transportation
policies (T 7.1 to 7.4). These include policies for (a) the provision of grid streets and “ﬂexible corridors” that provide travel-mode options and future capacity and (b) street design standards for bicyclists, pedestrians, and trafﬁc calming. (Imp 2.5, 4.1)
AQ 2.3
Establish land use pattern, densities, and pedestrian-
enhanced infrastructure, in accordance with Land Use
policies, to encourage the use of alternative transportation modes and reduce the length and number of motor
vehicle trips. These encompass policies to manage the
density and intensity of development; develop a planned “heart” of the community, parklands, pedestrian-
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
133
oriented mixed use districts, neighborhood convenience
commercial, neighborhood schools, and centralized large- scale commercial and ofﬁce uses in village centers with appropriate transportation services; as well as compact and orderly outward expansion of contiguous development
and infrastructure through “land use phasing” and urban limit lines. (Imp 2.4, 2.5)
AQ 2.4
Design streetscapes, housing, and village centers to
improve access by pedestrians and bicyclists. Land Use
policies provide a structure that maximizes pedestrian
activity and transit use. (Imp 2.5)
AQ 2.5
Implement a transportation infrastructure that provides opportunity for reduced trip lengths and minimized
new trips while anticipating a multi-modal system in
accordance with T ransportation policies. This should
include internal and regional public transit systems,
supporting transit infrastructure and amenities (shelters, benches, bus turnouts, route signs, park and ride
lots, and so on), multi-modal connections to regional
transportation system (airports and passenger rail
facilities), a comprehensive system of bikeways, required bicycle storage and parking at appropriate sites, and
infrastructure for telecommunication facilities. (Imp 2.4,

2.5, 4.1)
AQ 2.6
Require the installation of electrical outlets in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings to support the use of low emission landscape and property maintenance
equipment. (Imp 2.5, 2.6)
AQ 2.7
Comply with SJVUAPCD published guidelines and
mitigation measures for analyzing and mitigating air
quality impacts related to development of the University Community. (Imp 2.3, 3.3)
Objective
AQ 3.0
T o properly manage land use to minimize health risks
from air contaminants and exposure to airborne nuisances, such as odors and dust.

Policies

AQ 3.1
Adequately separate or buffer sensitive uses from sources of odors and dust. Require new point sources of pollution, including sources of odors and dust, to be located an
adequate distance from sensitive receptors. (Imp 2.3, 2.5) Objective

AQ 4.0
T o minimize air pollutants from energy generation and
consumption.

Policies

AQ 4.1
Implement energy conservation policies deﬁned in the
Energy policy section of the University Community
Plan. (Imp 2.5, 2.7)
Objective
AQ 5.0
T o minimize air emissions attributable to construction activities.

Policies
AQ 5.1
Implement measures to reduce dust and particulates
created during construction activities including limiting trafﬁc on unpaved roads, installing erosion control
measures to prevent silt runoff onto public roads, use of wheel washers for construction vehicles, installation of windbreaks, suspension of excavation and grading during high winds, and similar techniques. (Imp 2.7, 2.10)
AQ 5.2
Promote the use of alternative fuel construction
equipment, where feasible, and the use of low emission
on-site stationary equipment. (Imp 2.7)
AQ 5.3
Limit the hours of operation of heavy-duty construction equipment and the amount of construction equipment
in use at any time. (Imp 2.7)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
134
S
AQ 5.4
Curtail construction activities during periods of high
ambient air pollution concentration. (Imp 2.7)
Objective
AQ 6.0
T o minimize particulate matter, toxic air contaminants, and other pollutants resulting from wood-burning
appliances in residential development.

Policies

AQ 6.1
Require the installation of low emitting, EPA-certiﬁed
wood-burning appliances, natural gas ﬁreplaces, or pellet stoves in residential developments when such heating
units are incorporated in any development. (Imp 2.6)
Objective
AQ 7.0
T o improve air quality by the procurement and operation of low emission vehicles.

Policies
AQ 7.1
Identify opportunities for and encourage the
procurement and use of alternative fuel vehicle ﬂeets by large employers in the University Community and UC
Merced. Collaborate with UC Merced on an alternative
fuel vehicle shuttle system servicing the campus, the
University Community, and the City of Merced. (Imp 4.9)

CONTEXT
urface and ground water quality is affected by
the discharges into the water body from storm
drainage, urban and agricultural run-off, the
re-use of treated wastewater, water recharge programs,
and urban use activities (e.g., pollutants from industrial manufacturing). Water quality standards are imposed by
regional, state, and federal agencies.

The comprehensive policies for the development of
an integrated water infrastructure system (potable,
wastewater, and stormwater) have been drafted with the
objective for compliance with applicable standards.

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES
Goal
Surface and groundwater that meets or exceeds regional, state, and federal water quality standards.

Objective
W 1.0
T o manage urban development, infrastructure, and
agricultural uses in the University Community to assure compliance with surface and ground water quality
standards.

Policies
W 1.1
Implement Integrated Water Infrastructure policies for
the management of stormwater, urban, and agricultural
runoff, manufacturing and other urban use pollutants,
the re-use of treated wastewater, urban and agricultural pesticides, construction practices, and other functions of the University Community that do not substantially
reduce the quantity or quality of surface waters or the groundwater supply and meet regional, state, and federal standards.

SURFACE WATER AND GROUNDWATER QUALITY
Public Safety

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
137

STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
tate of California law requires that a safety
element be prepared as part of a General Plan.

Government Code §65302(g) stipulates that
(excerpts):

A safety element for the protection of the community
from any unreasonable risks associated with the
effects of seismically induced surface rupture, ground
shaking, ground failure, tsunami, seiche, and dam
failure; slope instability leading to mudslides and
landslides; subsidence, liquefaction and other seismic
hazards…, and other geologic hazards known to the
legislative body; ﬂ ooding; and wild land and urban
ﬁ res. The safety element shall include mapping of
known seismic and other geologic hazards. It shall
also address evacuation routes, peak load water
supply requirements, and minimum road widths
and clearances around structures, as those items
relate to identiﬁ ed ﬁ re and geologic hazards.

T o the extent that a county’s safety element is
sufﬁ ciently detailed and contains appropriate
policies and programs for adoption by a city, a city
may adopt that portion of the county’s safety element
that pertains to the city’s planning area in satisfaction of the requirement imposed by this subdivision.
[Note: This provision also applies to Community Plans
embedded in a countywide General Plan.]

CONTEXT
he University Community planning area is
not generally prone to seismic hazards, and the
probability of ground shaking in the region is
low. Geologic hazards associated with unstable soils, such as ground subsidence, liquefaction potential, unstable
slopes, and expansive soils are considered in building
design requirements and site preparation permits, many
of which are based on requirements of the California
Building Code (Title 24, CCR).

Soil conditions throughout the University Community
planning area are not consistent. As development in the University Community planning area continues over
time, geologic and soil conditions can vary signiﬁ cantly due to an alteration of topography, an increase of
impervious surfaces creating new drainage paths,
increased groundwater withdrawal or reduced recharge,
unknown seismic faults, and the simple presence of
additional people and structures.

S
S
T
The University Community planning area is not prone to
hazards associated with 100-year ﬂ ood plains. However, signiﬁ cant development and construction activity
associated with the proposed University Community will
be occurring around the Fairﬁ eld and Le Grand Canals, which would increase the potential for structural damage to the canals. In addition, development throughout
the University Community planning area will create
additional impervious surfaces, potentially exacerbating ﬂ ooding situations.

The University Community planning area has
historically been used for agricultural purposes, and there is the potential that the environmental quality of the
University Community planning area has been adversely
affected by ongoing pesticide and herbicide application or unknown hazardous materials disposal. Soil and/or
groundwater at the University Community planning area
may be contaminated as a result of past activities, which could create a health hazard during site construction.

Hazardous materials and hazardous wastes are regulated
at various levels of federal, state, and local governments by numerous agencies.

The University Community planning area is located in
a ﬁ re environment described by the California Division of Forestry as mixed interface, and is within a State
Responsibility Area (SRA), indicating that ﬁ re protection responsibilities are through CDF and the Merced County
Fire Department. Because the University Community
planning area is located within an SRA, in accordance
with Public Resources Code 4291, development in the
area would be required to comply with ﬁ re defensibility measures, such as ﬁ re breaks around structures, clearance of combustible vegetation, and roadway standards to
ensure emergency access and egress.

OVERVIEW
ocial sustainability demands a baseline level
of public safety to prevent injury to the
physical well-being of a population by seismic
activity, geologic instability, ﬂ ooding, or exposure to hazardous materials. Measures to provide public safety
for the protection of the community from unreasonable
risks will be implemented on hazards, such as seismic,
geologic, ﬂ ooding, and hazardous materials. Geological and seismic hazards will be mitigated through sites
studies to determine the characteristics of soils and
geology and engineering design of structures in response to these. Flooding policies address the integrity of levees

PUBLIC SAFETY
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
138
T
along Fairﬁeld and Le Grand Canals to protect the new
Community by strengthening the levees if necessary and
by respecting existing MID easements along the canals.

Because public safety risks could be related to historical use of hazardous agricultural chemicals, a preliminary site investigation and construction observation measures will seek to identify and remediate any residual chemicals if present in the soil. A Hazardous Materials Management
Plan will identify measures to reduce incidences
exposing residents and workers for various land uses and transportation conditions. The Plan will reﬂect federal and state law and conform to the County’s existing
environmental health policies programs. Adequate
hazardous materials policies will be adopted to ensure
protection of residents.

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES
he following section presents the goals,
objectives, policies, and implementation
programs for seismic, geologic, ﬂooding,
and hazardous materials concerns at the University
Community planning area.

PROTECTING THE COMMUNITY FROM

GEOLOGIC AND SOILS RISKS

Goal
Ensure that the University Community complies with,
at minimum, the soil investigation and building design
requirements of the California Building Standards Code
(California Code of Regulations, Title 24), and follows a common grading plan that will conserve soils resources
and not affect off-site resources.

Objective
S 1.0
Ensure that on-site geotechnical investigations are
performed prior to development, this information is
available to the public, and used in the design of the
project.

Policies
S 1.1
Require that a site-speciﬁc soil and geotechnical
investigation be performed prior to development for
individual construction projects to determine the
classiﬁcation and engineering capabilities and constraints of the soil at each building site. The standards used
during the site investigation shall be, at minimum, the California Building Standards Code, and any other
applicable professional standards and Uniform Codes.
(Imp 2.5, 2.7, 2.8)
S 1.2
Require development applications to include a report
detailing the types of soil and locations, erosion potential or soil engineering constraints/opportunities, and
erosion control options. Mitigation plans must address
methods to be used during all phases of site development, implementation, and operation. (Imp 2.5, 2.7, 2.8)
S 1.3
Make site-speciﬁc soil and geotechnical information
available to the public, developers, and consultants.
(Imp 2.7, 2.8)

PROTECTING THE COMMUNITY FROM

FLOOD HAZARDS

Goal
Protection of the University Community from potential
ﬂood hazards associated with the Fairﬁeld Canals and
Grand Canals.

Objective
S 2.0
T o protect the University Community from levee failure and ﬂooding through reinforcement of the canals and
establishing a development setback.

Policies
S 2.1
Ensure that the structural integrity of the on-site
irrigation canals is adequate to support projected water ﬂows within the canals. If necessary, concrete liners
can be installed in the canals, or the banks of the canal can be fortiﬁed or raised. A qualiﬁed engineer should
perform structural stability investigations, and make
recommendations regarding reinforcement options. This
should be completed in concert with the stormwater
drainage system design. (Imp 2.8, 3.3)
S 2.2
Development at the University Community should
not occur within an agreed-upon distance (County and
Merced Irrigation District to decide) from the toe of the Goals, Objectives, and Policies
139
canal’s levee in order to protect the structural integrity of the canal system. MID currently maintains a 150-foot-
wide easement along the Le Grand Canal, a 100-foot-
wide easement along the Fairﬁeld Canal, and a 60-foot-
wide easement along the Fairﬁeld Lateral “A” and the
Dunn Lateral. (Imp 2.5, 2.8, 3.3)
S 2.3
Work with MID to identify appropriate landscape and
development plans for MID canal corridors through
the University Community, in order to ensure the long-
term operational viability of the canals as irrigation water conveyance facilities. In particular, ensure that trees and other landscaping do not diminish the structural integrity of the canal levees and do not interfere with regular
operation and maintenance. (Imp 2.5, 2.8, 3.3)

PROTECTING THE COMMUNITY FROM

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

Goal

Mitigation of any unknown hazardous materials that
would be a hazard to public health and safety and the
environment.

Objective
S 3.0
T o identify the potential for soil or groundwater
contamination at the University Community area.

Policies

S 3.1
Conduct a preliminary site investigation in accordance
with ASTM Standard Practice E 1527-00 (or the most
current site assessment standard) by an environmental
professional to determine the potential for on- and off- site hazardous materials contamination, prior to site
preparation and construction activities. (Imp 2.7, 2.8) S 3.2
If, during the preliminary site investigation, or during construction activities following completion of the
site investigation, evidence of hazardous materials
contamination is observed or suspected through either
obvious or implied measures (i.e., stained or odorous
soil, or oily or discolored water), construction activities shall cease in the affected area and an environmental
professional shall assess the situation. If necessary, the environmental professional shall prepare a sampling plan to collect soil and/or groundwater samples to determine whether or not the site has been adversely affected by
past activities. The samples shall be analyzed for the
contaminants determined to be a potential health concern by the environmental professional. Depending on the
nature of the contamination (if any), the Merced County Division of Environmental Health and appropriate
federal and state agencies shall be notiﬁed. (Imp 2.7, 2.8) Goal
The proper use, transport, storage, and disposal of
hazardous materials and wastes in accordance with
federal, state, and County regulations.

Objective
S 4.0
T o provide the residents of the University Community
with information necessary to safety manage hazardous
materials.

Policies

S 4.1
Prepare a “Hazardous Materials Management Plan”
to provide residential, commercial, and industrial
properties with necessary information regarding the
use, transportation, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials and hazardous wastes within the University
Community and Merced County. (Imp 5.1)
S 4.2
Require that all projects within the University Community comply with the Hazardous Materials Management Plan
and the programs established by the Merced County
Division of Environmental Health. (Imp 2.5, 2.7)

PROTECTING THE COMMUNITY FROM

WILDLAND FIRE RISKS

The Merced County General Plan in its wildland
ﬁre policy section (Public Safety Chapter, Goal 5)
incorporates policies to minimize the risk of injury and property damage resulting from wildland and urban ﬁres.

These policies include establishing water supplies for
ﬁreﬁghting, installing sprinkler systems where applicable, providing adequate access to rural areas, and maintaining “clear zones” around new and existing residential
structures. These shall be applicable to the University Community.

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
140
Goal
A Community that is protected from the risks of wildland ﬁ res.

Objective
S 5.0
T o establish programs for brush clearance, use of building materials and landscape, and other techniques to reduce the risks of wildland ﬁ res.

Policies
S 5.1
Implement brush clearing and other ﬁ re suppression
programs in adjacent lands, thereby reducing the
possibility for the encroachment of wildland ﬁ res onto inhabited areas (consistent with maintenance programs
for important plant and animal habitats). (Imp 2.5, 2.7, 5.1,

5.3)
S 5.2
Encourage the use of non-combustible rooﬁ ng materials within 200 feet from an area designated a very high
hazard severity zone. (Imp 2.5, 2.6)
S 5.3
Prohibit the planting of “highly combustible” landscape materials, such as pines or eucalyptus trees, along the University Community’s border within a very high
severity zone for brush ﬁ res. (Imp 2.5, 2.7)

STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
alifornia Government Code (§65302(f)) mandates that
each General Plan include a noise element as follows
[Note: Excerpts only; noise sources not applicable to
the planning area have been deleted such as railroads and airports]:

A noise element that shall identify and appraise
noise problems in the community. The noise element
shall recognize the guidelines established by the
Ofﬁ ce of Noise Control in the State Department of
Health Services and shall analyze and quantify, to
the extent practicable…current and projected noise
levels for…highways and freeways, primary arterials
and major local streets, local industrial plants,
including, but not limited to, railroad classiﬁ cation yards, and other ground stationary noise sources
identiﬁ ed by local agencies as contributing to the
community noise environment.

Noise contours shall be shown for all of these
sources… The noise contours shall be used as a guide
for establishing a pattern of land uses in the land use element that minimizes the exposure of community
residents to excessive noise. The noise element shall
include implementation measures and possible
solutions that address existing and foreseeable noise
problems, if any. The adopted noise element shall
serve as a guideline for compliance with the state’s
noise insulation standards.

The County General Plan includes a Noise Chapter
that identiﬁ es current and projected noise levels for the noise sources in Merced County as speciﬁ ed by the Government Code. The Noise Chapter is the planning
document that provides goals, objectives, and policies
to ensure that future noise and land use conﬂ icts are minimized through application of land use compatibility criteria and participation in the discretionary review
process. The Land Use Compatibility Guidelines (Figure
IV-2 of the Noise Chapter) identify the noise levels that would be acceptable for planned land uses and specify
the level of analysis necessary to identify noise reduction requirements. These guidelines would be applied on a
project-by-project basis through discretionary review. The established and adopted goals, objectives, policies, and implementation strategies of the Noise Chapter are the
basis for the components of the University Community
Plan.

NOISE
include implementation measures and possible
solutions that address existing and foreseeable noise
problems, if any. The adopted noise element shall
serve as a guideline for compliance with the state’s
noise insulation standards.

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
141

CONTEXT
he University Community is a rural
agricultural environment characterized by
very low ambient noise levels. Its development
will introduce urban uses that will signiﬁcantly change the noise environment. Major noise sources will include transportation vehicles (automobiles, trucks, and transit), entertainment venues, manufacturing, human activity
(recreation and sports competitions, community events,
etc.), and construction activity. Figure 22 depicts the noise levels attributable to vehicular use on buildout of the Community Plan.

It is expected that the general ambient noise levels in the University Community will be higher than those of
urbanized Merced as there will be a higher intensity of development densities and intermixing of housing with
commercial and ofﬁce uses to promote pedestrian activity and “livable” residential neighborhoods. Inherently, the higher densities and compact forms of development are
inconsistent with existing County noise policies, which call for extensive property setbacks. The beneﬁts from
the proposed land use pattern in community quality and
the reduction of vehicular impacts, however, off set this issue.

OVERVIEW
ocial sustainability demands a baseline level of
public safety to prevent injury to the physical
and psychological well-being of a population
by exposure to excessive noise. Measures to protect the community from the unreasonable risks of noise will be
implemented. Generally, these include controls on uses
and activities to limit/contain their generated noise and prevent impacts on adjoining uses, mitigation of noise
impacts on housing and other “sensitive” uses through
building placement and insulation, and management of
construction activities.

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES

MAINTAINING A NOISE ENVIRONMENT

THAT CONTRIBUTES TO COMMUNITY

LIVABILITY AND SAFETY

Goal

All citizens of the University Community free from the
harmful effects of excessive noise.

Objective
N 1.0
T o control noise sources to prevent impacts on housing, schools, hospitals, and other “sensitive” uses.

Policies

N 1.1
Design and construct new noise-generating land uses in a manner that does not cause excessive noise on any location of nearby residential properties. The noise standard of 65 dBA L dn shall not be exceeded by stationary noise
generating land uses at any existing or planned residential land use. Noise reduction features shall be included in the design of any land use that has noise sources affecting residential land uses. (Imp 2.3, 2.5, 2.6)
N 1.2
Minimize transportation noise by the development of a
grid street pattern with “ﬂexible corridors” that disperses local trafﬁc and minimizes the need for major corridors carrying high volumes of trafﬁc at high speeds and by
integrating trafﬁc calming measures into neighborhood
street design. (Imp 2.4, 2.5, 4.1)
Objective

N 2.0
T o protect housing, schools, hospitals, and other
“sensitive” uses from the impacts of noise in areas of high noise exposure.

Policies
N 2.1
Use the Land Use Compatibility Guidelines of the County of Merced General Plan Noise Chapter (Figure IV-2) to
characterize the acceptability of a noise environment for proposed residential uses and specify the level of analysis and design features necessary to provide appropriate noise insulation. (Imp 2.3, 2.5, 2.6)
N 2.2
Require that residential uses located in noise environments above 65 dBA Ldn mitigate the interior noise level to a 45 dBA Ldn through adequate noise mitigation techniques
(insulation, double pane window, and so on). (Imp 2.3, 2.5,

2.9)
T
S
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
142

Goals, Objectives, and Policies
143
N 2.3
Reduce noise exposure 65 dBA L dn for large outdoor
recreational spaces that are a part of housing developments as feasible through insulation, landscape, berms, and
other techniques. (Imp 2.3, 2.5, 2.9)
N 2.4
Provide noise protection for residences in mixed use
projects that integrate housing with retail, ofﬁce, or other non-residential use, including the use of construction
techniques that prevent adverse noise transmission
between differing uses or tenants located in the same
structure or site. (Imp 2.3, 2.5, 2.6, 2.9)
N 2.5
Identify a County agency or department for the
coordination of noise control efforts. (Imp 5.1)
N 2.6
Manage noise from construction activities by:
 Limiting the hours of construction activities that
generate noise, when adjacent to housing and other
“sensitive” uses. Typically, construction is limited
to the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., weekdays
and Saturday, and prohibited on Sundays and
holidays.
 Requiring that all construction vehicles or
equipment, ﬁxed or stationary, be equipped with
properly operating and maintained mufﬂers
 Requiring that construction vehicle staging
areas be located as far as practical from existing
residential uses
 Requiring that construction vehicle trips be routed
as far as practical from existing residential uses
(Imp 2.5, 2.7, 2.10)
N 2.7
Evaluate the noise impacts of the adjacent airstrip
on the University Community’s land uses during the
formulation of each Speciﬁc Plan and mitigate potential impacts through the siting and design of buildings, use of insulation, and/or working with the airstrip owner to control hours of operation and/or modify ﬂight patterns, as feasible. (Imp 2.3, 2.5)
Goal

Noise generating land uses and facilities important to
the economic health of the University Community and
County are not adversely affected by the development of incompatible land uses.

Objective

N 3.0
T o site and design land uses to protect the functions and activities of important Community uses characterized by high levels of noise.

Policies

N 3.1
Locate and design new noise-sensitive land uses to
minimize impacts by recreational activities at Lake
Yosemite. (Imp 2.5)
N 3.2
Require that educational, recreational, commercial, and industrial land uses (including educational campuses,
parks, stadiums, and public event facilities) be designed in such a manner that:
 Vehicle access points are located away from noise
sensitive uses
 Loading and shipping facilities and noise
generating equipment are concealed or located
away from noise sensitive uses
 Parking areas and structures are located away from
noise sensitive uses
 Structural building materials are incorporated to
mitigate sound transmission
 Use of outside speakers and ampliﬁers is
minimized
 Interior spaces are conﬁgured to minimize sound
ampliﬁcation and transmission (Imp 2.5, 2.9)
N 3.3
Require that facilities used for active recreation in the University Community that are likely to draw cheering
crowds, elicit loud play, or have ampliﬁed game
announcements be located in parks or at locations away
from noise-sensitive uses. (Imp 2.3, 2.5, 2.7, 2.9)
N 3.4
Locate uses in the vicinity of the UC Merced campus that are consistent with the noise levels generated by campus recreational, central plant, or other noise-generating uses. (Imp 2.5)
Goals, Objectives, and Policies
144
A
F

CONTEXT
small private airstrip is located east and adjacent
to the southeast portion of the University
Community planning area on the east side
of the Fairﬁeld Canal. The airstrip is primarily used by nearby farmers to operate “crop-dusting” planes and
helicopters. The crop-dusting airplanes using the airstrip to apply dry materials, such as fertilizers and seed, and the helicopters to apply wet materials, such as pesticides and herbicides. During the past several years during the agriculture season, the airport sustains approximately ﬁve to six ﬂights per day, but has experienced up to 50 ﬂights per day under peak conditions in the past. Night ﬂights occur only in times of potential frost.

STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
ederal Aviation Administration (FAA)
regulations codiﬁed in Title 14 of the CFR are
administered at the state level by the Caltrans
Division of Aeronautics; however, Caltrans does not
speciﬁcally regulate agricultural airports. Agricultural aircraft operations are codiﬁed in 14 CFR, Part 137.

Neither the FAA nor Caltrans regulate land use adjacent to private airports; however, Part 77 of 14 CFR regulations requires FAA agency notiﬁcation when there is a change in land use that would involve the development of structures and roadways adjacent to the facility. The criterion for notiﬁcation depends on the height of proposed structures relative to the location of the runway. Upon request of an airstrip property owner, the FAA will conduct an
airspace safety review to ensure that building height to distance from airstrip runway ratios comply with FAA
and Caltrans safety requirements.

State regulations (CCR Title 21, Division 2.5, Chapter 2) pertaining to personal-use airports contains the following minimum standards, found in Article 5, §3560: the
runway length and width must be adequate to enable
aircraft to operate safely, considering airport location and the performance data of the most demanding aircraft
to utilize the airport; the ends of each runway be at
least 200 feet from the airport property line; and the
distance from the runway centerline to the property line of another owner must be at least 50 feet. In addition, Article 2, §3532 of Chapter 2, presents the permit
requirements for maintaining and using an agricultural
airport. These permit requirements include requirements for both airplanes and helicopters, and include distance requirements for operation of airstrips within boundaries of K–12 public and private schools.

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES
Goal
Community compatibility and safety with the adjacent
private airstrip.

Objective
AS 1.0
T o deﬁne standards and procedures to ensure the
compatibility of the University Community’s urban
development with adjoining airstrips.

Policies
AS 1.1
Require that development in the University Community
maintains airspace safety and distance ratio requirements established by the Federal Aviation Administration and
the Caltrans Division of Aeronautics as long as the
airstrip adjacent to the University Community remains
operational. (Imp 2.5, 2.7)

AVIATION SAFETY
Area Plan
145

AREA PLAN
evelopment of the University of California Merced and associated University Community introduces an urban function and uses into an area historically committed by the County of Merced for agriculture, open space, and low density rural uses that serve as a transition between the urbanized City of Merced and surrounding agricultural production. This area also serves as a primary recreational amenity for the region, centered on Lake Yosemite Park. Inherently, these important characteristics and functions will be signiﬁcantly affected by the development of the campus and community.

The economic, social, and cultural beneﬁts accruing from the development of UC Merced and the Community are of considerable signiﬁcance and, as such, are fully supported by the County of Merced. The policies for the development of the University Community, as presented in earlier sections of this Plan, and the adopted Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) for the campus provide for development that, while urbanized, considers the region’s agriculture, open spaces, and historic patterns of development.

While supporting the campus and community, the County of Merced recognizes the long-standing imperative to preserve its agricultural lands, assure an appropriate transition between urbanized lands and agriculture, and protect Lake Yosemite Regional Park as an asset for its residents. T o this end, the University Community Plan expands upon its core policies for the development of lands within the deﬁned limits of the planning area by the establishment of goals and policies in this section of the Plan to address these critical values in relationship to how they affect surrounding lands. In general, these pertain to lands within two miles of the University Community.

D
AGRICULTURE—SUSTAINING THE REGION’S PARAMOUNT RESOURCE

OVERVIEW
ne of the central themes of the Merced
County General Plan is the conservation
of important agricultural lands and the
protection and enhancement of the County’s important
agricultural industry. A reﬂection of this commitment
is the presence of an Agricultural Element as a distinct element in the County General Plan. This section of the University Community Plan responds to (1) the presence
of designated prime agricultural lands and productive
agricultural activities in areas south and southeast of the University Community planning area, and (2) concerns
that development of the University Community or
related infrastructure could adversely affect the long-term viability of this area as a key component of the County’s agricultural industry. The following goals, objectives, and policies provide guidance to ensure that the future development of the University Community reﬂects
the County’s commitment to farmland conservation
and enhancement of agricultural productivity through
strengthening the linkages between the County’s urban
areas and its agricultural industry, targeted voluntary preservation strategies, and limitations on infrastructure capacity.

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES
Goal
Strengthen economic and social linkages between the
University Community’s urban consumers and regional
small-scale farms.

Objective

AA 1.0
Support agriculture by encouraging farmers to deliver
agricultural products directly to consumers.

Policies

AA 1.1
Encourage the development of agricultural retail
businesses by promoting local agricultural events and
other direct marketing programs by advertising for them through regional media. (Imp 1.4, 3.5)
AA 1.2
Facilitate a farmers’ market in the University Community, in coordination with the Merced County Agricultural
Commissioner’s Ofﬁce, by providing a suitable low-cost
site in a central location and other resources to develop and promote it. (Imp 1.4, 3.5)
O
Area Plan
146
AA 1.3
Encourage the use of local agricultural goods for use
in local restaurants, schools, and grocery stores, when possible. (Imp 3.5, 5.10)
Goal
Preservation of important farmlands south and east of
the University Community.

Objective

AA 2.0
Protect land located south of the University Community
boundary and immediately east of the City of Merced.

Policies

AA 2.1
Establish the University Community boundary as an
urban limit line, outside of which no urban uses will be permitted in agricultural areas (refer to Policies LU 2.4 to LU 2.6). (Imp 2.1)
AA 2.2
Design and develop infrastructure to serve development
within the University Community boundary, except
where necessary for joint use by the Community and UC
Merced and to provide connections to regional systems.
(Imp 2.4, 4.13)
T

OVERVIEW
he general underlying themes in the University
Community Area Plan relative to recreation
include the importance of Lake Yosemite
Regional Park to Merced County, the nature and amount
of increased demand for recreational facilities caused
by the new population generated by the University
Community and the UC Merced campus, and the roles
of Merced County, UC Merced and the University
Community in providing recreational facilities sufﬁcient to meet potential demand.

The goals and policies presented below assume, and
seek to address, future demands on regional recreational facilities, especially Lake Yosemite Regional Park. These policies also establish a framework for future individual and collective action by Merced County, the University
Community and UC Merced to respond effectively over
time to the recreational needs of a growing population in eastern Merced County.

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES
Goal
Joint use of the University of California, Merced recreation facilities, and Lake Yosemite Regional Park.

Objective
ALY 1.0
T o meet the recreational needs of UC Merced students,
staff and faculty, as well as University Community
residents.

Policies

ALY 1.1
Work with UC Merced for the shared use of its on-
campus recreational, parking and sports facilities with the Merced community, especially with regards to campus
parking in areas bordering Lake Yosemite Regional Park.

Such cooperative programming may diminish impacts
on the existing Park by providing additional recreational opportunities and shared parking for Park users. (Imp 3.3,

5.6)
ALY 1.2
Encourage UC Merced to provide students, staff, and
faculty with active recreational and sports facilities
and programs on campus that meet or exceed any
recommended standards for the anticipated campus
population, concurrent with increases in campus
population. (Imp 3.3, 5.6)
LAKE YOSEMITE REGIONAL PARK—SUSTAINING MERCED’S MOST

IMPORTANT RECREATIONAL ASSET
Area Plan
147
ALY 1.3
Cooperate with UC Merced, to the maximum extent
possible, to initiate and maintain a cooperative campus- run, water-related program on Lake Yosemite that
combines academic programs with student and public
recreational water sports activities year round. (Imp 3.3, 5.6) Goal
Expansion and Improvement of Lake Yosemite Regional
Park.

Objective
ALY 2.0
T o assure the continued capacity of Lake Yosemite
Regional Park to serve the recreational needs of County residents.

Policies
ALY 2.1
Require that, prior to the transfer of title for any land that is currently or planned to be a part of Lake Yosemite Regional Park, UC Merced develop mechanisms for
the acquisition of additional property to replace any
parkland lost or impacted by the conversion for campus
uses consistent with state and federal grant requirements.

Eligible lands include, but are not limited to, lands
contiguous with the existing developed Park and property on the Lake itself, subject to approval of the Board of Supervisors. (Imp 3.3, 5.6)
ALY 2.2
Developers of the University Community and UC
Merced shall participate in the development of additional parkland adjacent to Lake Yosemite to be included within the Lake Yosemite Regional Park in cooperation with
UC Merced in order to meet the needs of the University
Community and campus populations at a standard of

0.88 acres for each 1,000 residents, which may be satisﬁed by the payment of in-lieu fees. (Imp 4.8, 5.6)
ALY 2.3
Work with the City of Merced and UC Merced to expand
Lake Yosemite Regional Park in response to impacts
associated with buildout of the University Community
and UC Merced. (Imp 3.3, 5.6)
ALY 2.4
Encourage UC Merced to designate the County-owned
property currently designated for Park expansion as an
appropriate buffer for Lake Yosemite Regional Park,
including, but not limited to, such lower intensity on- campus uses as athletic ﬁelds. (Imp 3.3)
ALY 2.5
Monitor the use of Lake Yosemite Regional Park associated with increased population and assess those impacts related to the build out of the University Community and UC
Merced. The County, UC Merced, and developers shall
work cooperatively with the University to assure that
development adjacent to Lake Yosemite does not result
in a net increase in costs to the County or decrease in service level. (Imp 3.3, 5.6)
ALY 2.6
Initiate, in coordination with UC Merced, the
development and implementation of a Lake Yosemite
Regional Park Master Plan to determine the potential
uses, necessary facilities, design standards, and funding strategies for public parkland surrounding Lake Yosemite.

The Master Plan shall address active and passive recreation including playing ﬁelds, recreational equipment design
and placement, a pedestrian, bicycle, and equestrian
recreational trail system around the Lake and connecting to existing or planned trails, parking and landscape
planning and design. (Imp 4.8, 5.6)
Goal
Meeting the Recreational Needs of Eastern Merced
County.

Objective
ALY 3.0
T o establish a planning framework and identify resources to support recreation planning for Eastern Merced
County
Policies

ALY 3.1
Work with UC Merced to create a joint task force to meet regularly in a public setting to achieve cooperative goals for recreation and open space planning, parkland and
resource acquisition, and the provision of adequate active and passive recreation, parks and open spaces to meet the needs of the population of eastern Merced County and
UC Merced. (Imp 3.3, 5.6)
Area Plan
148
ALY 3.2
Work with the City of Merced to establish recreation fees to apply to all new development, including the University Community, to support the expansion of Lake Yosemite
Regional Park. (Imp 3.3, 5.6)
ALY 3.3
Encourage development of a public golf course in the
vicinity of the University Community, UC Merced,
and Lake Yosemite, as warranted by demand for such a
facility. (Imp 1.4, 5.6, 5.11)
I

CONTEXT
n 1997, the County and City entered into an
agreement for the sharing of revenue for newly
annexed areas to the City of Merced. Such
a Revenue Sharing Agreement is required prior to the
processing and approval of an annexation application to the City of Merced by the Merced County Local Agency
Formation Commission (LAFCO). The Revenue Sharing
Agreement contains provisions governing County land
use within the City’s Growth Area (SUDP) Sphere of
Inﬂuence, and the Rural Residential Centers that exist
in the vicinity of the City of Merced. Under the current terms of the agreement, the County is limited within
this RRC to residential land uses at a density no greater than one unit per net acre, even though County zoning
provisions allow a greater density and certain institutional uses.

The proposed site of the University Community SUDP
Plan Area is located adjacent to the City’s SUDP . In
addition, Bellevue Road is designated by the City of
Merced as a future transit corridor that would connect
the University Community and campus with downtown
Merced (via “M” Street). Cumulatively, these factors
suggest that the intervening lands between the City and Community SUDP’s Plan Area, currently designated
for rural uses, be reconsidered for higher density
development comparable to those uses permitted on
adjoining lands. This could create a continuous pattern of urban uses of comparable density between the City
and University Community. While this may be viewed
as a beneﬁt, it may also be perceived as a detriment.

Arguably, one-acre lot development is urban in character and, in many communities, is the density of upscale
housing neighborhoods. The lack of a clearly deﬁned
transitional area could negatively impact the ability to establish the identity of a distinct community that may be necessary to attract the involvement of a high quality master developer.

This issue, along with the potential growth inducement
associated with development of the University
Community SUDP Plan Area and Campus Parkway, begs
fundamental questions about the long-term urban growth
boundaries for the City and protection of agricultural
lands. Such issues cannot be resolved independently and require collaborative efforts that build upon the history of collaborative planning fostered by the Revenue Sharing Agreement. A number of ancillary issues emerging from
the development of the campus and Community, such as
their impacts on the use of Lake Yosemite Regional Park, would also beneﬁt from a collaborative approach.

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES
Goal
Development on lands between the University
Community and City of Merced that is complementary
and compatible reﬂects the area’s characteristics and
natural resources.

Objective
ARM 1.0
T o establish a process and policy, standards, and
regulations for the development of lands between the
University Community and City of Merced to ensure
their compatibility with the University Community, UC
Merced campus, and City of Merced.

Policies
ARM 1.1
Confer with the City of Merced in the joint planning
of lands located between the University Community
and City SUDP (location to be mutually determined by
the County and City) that may designate land uses to
be accommodated, development and design standards,
transportation and infrastructure improvements, public
services (schools, parklands, etc.), open spaces, resource management strategies, and governance. This would be
accomplished through a Memorandum of Understanding,
which builds upon the spirit of cooperation in the existing Revenue Sharing Agreement. (Imp 3.3)

RELATIONSHIP TO THE CITY OF MERCED
Area Plan
149
ARM 2.2
Collaborate with the City of Merced in implementing
agricultural protection policies deﬁned in the Area
Plan—Agriculture (preceding section). (Imp 3.3,)
Goal
Maintenance and enhancement of Lake Yosemite
Regional Park as a recreational amenity serving residents of the County, City of Merced, and greater region.

Objective
ARM 3.0
T o establish a process and policy, standards, and procedures for the long term use, management, improvement, and
funding of Lake Yosemite Regional Park.

Policy
ARM 3.1
Identify community recreational needs and potential
funding sources for the Lake Yosemite Regional Park
in cooperation with the City of Merced and other
jurisdictions that beneﬁt from the Park’s use. While
the Park is under the authority of the County, the City and all jurisdictions whose constituencies use that Park should seek to identify how they can contribute to the
Park’s maintenance, enhancement, and programs (refer
to policy ALY 3.2). (Imp 3.3, 4.8, 5.6)
Goal

Provision of adequate public services to the University Community throughout its development life.

Objective

ARM 4.0
T o engage the City of Merced as a partner in providing adequate urban services to the University Community in
the early years of development.

Policy
ARM 4.1
Enter into agreements with the City of Merced to
provide interim police, ﬁre, library, and other services to the University Community during the initial stages of
development and sufﬁcient resource capacities are created to support local services. (Imp 3.3)
ARM 1.2
Assure that development in the area between the City and University Community SUDPs urban limit boundaries
complements (in type, density/intensity, and design)
and does not adversely impact uses in these areas. In
particular, control uses located at key entries and edges to ensure that their quality is reﬂective of the campus and Community. (Imp 2.1, 3.3)
ARM 1.3
Plan for the development of cohesive transportation
(roadways, transit, bikeway, and pedestrian) and
infrastructure (water, wastewater, storm drainage,
telecommunications, and energy) systems that link
the University Community, campus, unincorporated
Rural Residential Center, and City, where needed and
appropriate. (Imp 2.1, 2.4, 3.3)
ARM 1.4
As part of the joint planning of lands located between the University Community and the City of Merced SUDP ,
the County and the City should evaluate the long-term
viability of rural water and wastewater infrastructure, and should consider the potential for provision of urban water and wastewater infrastructure to this area. (Imp 2.1, 2.4, 3.3) Goal
A long-term growth and development strategy for the
greater Merced urban area, including the University
Community, which recognizes the importance of
preserving opportunities for agricultural uses.

Objective
ARM 2.0
T o establish a process and policy, standards, and
regulations for the management of agricultural lands.

Policies
ARM 2.1
Collaborate with the City of Merced in establishing a
strategy for the long-term growth and management/
protection of agricultural lands on properties east of the City, extending to and beyond the proposed Campus
Parkway. (Imp 2.1, 3.3,)
Area Plan
150
Goal
Clearly understood linkages to City and County
destinations.

Objective
ARM 5.0
T o develop a system of information, visual elements,
and transportation that integrate the County, City, and University Community into a cohesive community
fabric.

Policies
ARM 5.1
Work with the City of Merced to develop a well-designed street signage and monuments/ landmarks program
that will be commonly used throughout the University
Community, City of Merced, and adjoining areas that
provides clear information regarding major destinations and travel routes (“wayﬁnding”). (Imp 3.3)
ARM 5.2
Work with the City of Merced in establishing a uniﬁed
transit system that connects the University Community
with key destinations in the City. (Imp 3.3, 4.1)
T

CONTEXT
he University Community planning area
divides both the Flying “M” property being
acquired by the Virginia Smith T rust/UC
Merced LLC and Hunt Farms. The lands west of the
Fairﬁeld and Le Grand Canals within the UCP are
designated for urban uses. Lands east of these canals
have a rural designation of “Agriculture” in the County General Plan. As lands within the University Community
and UC Merced campus are developed over time, it may
be appropriate to consider how the use of these adjoining properties inter-relate and ﬁt. The area north of the Le Grand Canal is highly constrained, as it is near some of the most valuable and sensitive wetlands and endangered species habitat in the region. The lands south of the Le Grand Canal are currently irrigated pastureland, crop
land, and non-irrigated pasture. The use of such lands
would have to be carefully evaluated for its impacts on the region’s agricultural productivity, natural resource enhancement opportunities, and continuity with the
University Community and UC Merced campus.

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES
Goal
Long-term use of the land east of the University
Community that reﬂects the site’s natural resources,
contribution to agricultural productivity, continuity with the University Community, and role as a deﬁnable urban
limit.

Objective
AV 1.0
T o provide a process for the consideration of the
appropriate long-term use of lands east of the University Community Boundary.

Policies
AV 1.1
Evaluate the appropriate long-term use of the lands east of the University Community including consideration
of, but not limited to, development, agriculture, habitat preservation, or habitat restoration. (Imp 2.1, 5.1)
AV 1.2
Evaluations of the lands east of the University
Community shall consider the site’s soils, agricultural uses, and productivity; the existing presence of wetlands and signiﬁcant plant and animal species, as well as habitat enhancement or restoration opportunities; relationship
and ability to ﬁt with the University Community’s land
uses and infrastructure and UC Merced; and relationships to adjoining agriculture and open spaces. (Imp 2.1, 2.3, 5.1)

RELATIONSHIP TO ADJACENT USES
Area Plan
151

CONTEXT
he design and development of the UC Merced
campus is guided by the campus Long Range
Development Plan (LRDP .) The LRDP
describes the development of a Main Campus of 910
acres, a Campus Land Reserve of 340 acres, and a Campus Natural Reserve of 750 acres. Development within the
main campus is proposed to consist of an Academic Core
(157 acres); Student Services (23 acres); Student Housing (250 acres); Faculty Housing (90 acres); Campus Support (56 acres); Athletic and Recreation (148 acres); Parking (147 acres) and On-campus Research (39 acres). The
LRDP was approved by the Regents in January 2002.

The University Community Plan has been prepared
to address the growth that will occur as a result of the development of UC Merced. The County and University
planning teams have closely coordinated throughout the
preparation of the UCP and LRDP . This coordination
has resulted in the Plans being compatible and mutually supportive. As these plans are administered and future
amendments considered, this coordination between
the County and UC will become even more critical, to
ensure the continued compatibility of these plans. The
integrity of these plans must also be retained to respect the representations in each plan that each one achieves its goals with minimum environmental impact. In recognition
that the development of UC Merced as prescribed by the
LRDP will change over time in consideration of evolving academic and research programs and ﬁnancial resources,
it will be essential to periodically review and amend
where necessary the UCP to ensure the consistency of
development within the University Community.

Because the University and University Community
are being developed on vacant lands, the unique
coordination of the University and County in developing and implementing their plans will avoid the historical
experience of land use conﬂicts in other campus host
communities.

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES
Goal
Maintain the compatibility of the University Community
Plan and Campus Long Range Development Plan, and
the integrity of each plan, as these plans are administered and implemented by the County and the University.

T
Ensure through development agreements and other
measures that if presently unanticipated University
campus uses outside the boundaries of the LRDP adopted
in January 2002 are proposed within the UCP area, such
uses will conform to and not frustrate the provisions of the Merced County General Plan and the University
Community Plan.

Objective

ARUC 1.0
T o provide a process during the administrative and public review of Speciﬁc Plans for the University Community
that ensures coordination between the County and
University in the implementation and administration of
the UCP and LRDP , and maintains the integrity of each
plan.

Policies
ARUC 1.1
The County shall, consistent with state statutes, make
available drafts of speciﬁc plans for public review and comment, which shall include the opportunity for UC
Merced to comment regarding their compatibility with
the campus LRDP .

ARUC 1.2
Amendments to the UCP shall not frustrate the goals,
objectives, policies, and programs of the campus LRDP .

ARUC 1.3
The County shall review proposed amendments to the
LRDP , prior to consideration by the Board of Regents, to ensure their compatibility with the University Community Plan goals, objectives, policies, and programs.

ARUC 1.4
The County shall secure the cooperation of UC Merced
to assure that any amendments to the UC Merced LRDP
not frustrate the goals, objectives, policies, and programs of the University Community Plan.

ARUC 1.5
In recognition of possible signiﬁcant changes in UC
Merced’s academic and research programs, the County
shall periodically review the UCP in response to changes to the UC Merced LRDP .

AREA PLAN—RELATIONSHIP TO UC MERCED CAMPUS LONG RANGE

DEVELOPMENT PLAN (LRDP)

Implementation Plan
153

OVERVIEW
he Implementation Plan describes the
institutional actions and mechanisms
necessary for carrying-out the University
Community and Area Plans. In reality implementation
of the Community Plan will be an on-going process
with future stakeholders and residents building on the
actions and decisions made in earlier planning phases.

Thus, the Implementation Plan establishes a framework
for this process by outlining the individual programs and actions needed to develop and maintain the University
Community, consistent with the Community and Area
Plan goals and policies.

Implementation covers a wide range of topics including
(a) how development will be organized and pursued
by the private sector, (b) how the public (the County)
will manage the planning and development effort over
time, (c) how governance will be established to provide infrastructure and services; and (d) how public facilities and services will be ﬁnanced and constructed. Of course, these four areas are interdependent and need to be
coordinated both initially and as time moves forward.

IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
his chapter of the Community Plan outlines the Implementation Program of the Merced County University Community and Area Plans. These describe the comprehensive set of actions, procedures, and relationships necessary to carry out the Plans. While some of the programs are described in considerable detail, they do not necessarily address all policy requirements presented in the preceding sections of the UCP . Consequently, all Plan policies need to be referred to in carrying out these programs.

Each of the policies contained in the preceding sections of the UCP shall be implemented by one or more of the following programs. Applicable implementation programs are referenced for each policy by the notation: (Imp __). Over the course of the buildout of University Community’s land uses, it can be expected that the implementation programs may change due to state and federal legislation, court decisions, and funding sources and other unforeseen events.

Consequently, the programs deﬁned in this chapter should be reviewed annually and modiﬁed as necessary to reﬂect pertinent changes.

A key aspect of implementation of the University
Community Plan will be the large amount of negotiation
that will be necessary. There are many parties-of-
interest who each must be satisﬁed that their interests or obligations are achieved. A variety of “inter-agency agreements” will need to be negotiated between the
County and other jurisdictions that will serve the
Community. An agreement will need to be reached with
UC Merced on a range of topics including infrastructure cost sharing. Property owners and prospective developers will be involved in negotiating aspects of any “master
developer” role. State and federal regulating agencies will deﬁne mitigation requirements that will need to be met.

IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAMS
he following implementation programs, as
acted upon, will achieve the goals and policies
set forth in the Community Plan and Area
Plan. The numbering system used below to identify each
implementation program is referenced by applicable
UCP policies.

T
T
T
Implementation Plan
154
he University Community Plan area is currently
held by property owners who it is assumed will
sell or transfer their land to private real estate
developers who will undertake the actual development
process. The general outline of this process will need
to be speciﬁed, to the degree possible, and coordinated with other aspects of the planning effort. The Master
Development Process will be managed by the property
owners, pursuant to County goals and policies expressed in the UCP . The County may have a coordinating role
in the Process. The following key steps are likely to be required:

IMP 1.1 PUBLIC/PRIVATE FINANCING

STRATEGY

Since the development of the University Community will
rely on both public and private funds, the coordination and allocation of private and public sector responsibilities will be an essential part of the implementation program.

In this regard, the Master Developer will need to play
a key role in developing ﬁnancing strategy, as discussed further below.

T
IMP 1.2 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

PROGRAM

The Master Developer(s) must be actively engaged in
marketing and economic development activity, a role that will be speciﬁed in the Contract T erms and Conditions
described above. This activity will include typical
marketing and tenant attraction as well as coordination with the University and local government-sponsored
economic development efforts. For example, the Master
Developer(s) will likely assist in the development of
an Economic Development Strategy that will include
targeted outreach to business sectors that will enhance academic-professional linkages between the Community
and UC Merced.
he Development Management System
describes the role, relationship, and sequencing
of key policy documents associated with
the University Community Plan. The Development
Management System is basically how Merced County
will regulate development of the University Community
over time. Because of the unique nature of this area a
special set of programs must be established, rather than relying solely upon the County’s normal procedures that apply throughout the rest of the unincorporated County.

These include:

IMP 2.1 MERCED COUNTY GENERAL PLAN

The University Community Plan shall be adopted as an
integral chapter of the County of Merced General Plan,
consistent with the California Government Code §65300
et seq. The UCP’s policies are intended to supplement
and be consistent with countywide General Plan goals,
objectives, policies, and programs that are applicable to the University Community. Adoption of the UCP will
modify the County General Plan Land Use Diagram
by applying a “Multiple Use—Urban Development” to
the University Community planning area, as depicted
on Figure 3. Existing land use zoning shall be retained in these areas until such time that Speciﬁc Plans,
Development Agreements, and, where needed, County
General Plan amendments are approved by the County
Board of Supervisors in accordance with State Planning
Law and the California Environmental Quality Act.

Implementation of the Area Plan goals, objectives, and
policies may involve the reconsideration of the County
General Plan’s land use policies and designations and
resource conservation strategies for lands adjoining the University Community. Should changes be proposed
by the County, they shall be considered as amendments
to the County General Plan, subject to California
Environmental Quality Act review and public hearings by the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors.

Any future amendments to the Merced County General
Plan shall be evaluated for their applicability to the
University Community to ensure that the unique role
I.0 MASTER DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

2.0 DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
T
Implementation Plan
155
of the University Community is recognized and not in
conﬂict with the amendment. Updates of the County
General Plan Housing Element’s Five Year Action
Plan shall consider the appropriate contribution of the University Community in meeting Countywide fair
share housing obligations for that time period. These
shall reﬂect provisions for affordable housing made in any Speciﬁc Plan and/or Development Agreement approved
for the University Community.

IMP 2.2 UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY PLAN

All land development, infrastructure improvements,
public services, capital budgeting, and resource
conservation programs in the University Community
shall be consistent with the UCP . Speciﬁc land use
entitlements and actions shall be deﬁned in Speciﬁc Plans to be prepared for the Community’s planning sub-areas
(see below), which must be found to be consistent with
the UCP .

In accordance with §65400 of the Government Code,
the Board of Supervisors shall provide, as a part of its mandatory review of the County General Plan, an annual
report to the State of California Ofﬁce of Planning and Research and the Department of Housing and Community
Development on the status of the Community Plan (and
implementing Speciﬁc Plans) and progress in meeting
the County’s share of regional housing needs.

The County Board of Supervisors may amend the UCP
a maximum of four times during any calendar year in
accordance with Government Code §65358. This
limitation does not apply to amendments for a single
development of residential units for which at least 25
percent of the total units will be occupied by or available to persons and families of low or moderate income.

At a minimum, the County shall undertake a
comprehensive review of the UCP at least once each 10
years to ensure that it accounts for prevailing physical, market and ﬁscal economic, and social conditions and
issues, the needs and visions of community residents,
legislation and court decisions, and state-of-the-art
planning, design, and community development processes.

This review should assess the effectiveness, feasibility, and continued relevance of the Plan’s existing goals, objectives, policies, and implementation programs. Those that
remain valid should be retained and supplemented where
necessary. The UCP should also be comprehensively
reviewed concurrent with any substantive revisions of the UC Merced UCP .

Any UCP amendments would be subject to public input
and environmental review.

IMP 2.3 CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL

QUALITY ACT (CEQA)

A Program Environmental Impact Report (EIR) has
been prepared and will be certiﬁed for the University
Community Plan in accordance with the procedural and
substantive requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). This document describes (1) the
proposed project (the UCP); the University Community’s
existing environmental setting; (2) the environmental
impacts that would occur on implementation of the UCP , including cumulative impacts resulting from other know
future projects including development of UC Merced;
(3) measures that must be implemented to reduce
these impacts below a level of signiﬁcance; (4) impacts that cannot be reduced below a level of signiﬁcance;
(5) alternatives to the proposed project; and (6) the
environmentally superior alternative. A companion
document, the Mitigation Monitoring Program, deﬁnes
the process for the monitoring of the implementation of prescribed mitigation measures and evaluation of their
effectiveness in reducing impacts. Most of the measures that have been identiﬁed to mitigate the impacts of
the development of the University Community are
incorporated as policies of the UCP .

The Program EIR is written to the level of speciﬁcity of the UCP’s goals, objectives, policies, and programs. It shall be used as the basis for the preparation of CEQA- required environmental documents for subsequent sub-
area Speciﬁc Plans, in which the analyses would be tiered from those deﬁned in the Program EIR. Following the
certiﬁcation of an environmental document for a Speciﬁc Plan, any residential development project in the University Community that is consistent with the adopted Speciﬁc
Plan shall be exempt from further CEQA review, as
speciﬁed in California Government Code §65457.

IMP 2.4 COMMUNITY MASTER PLANS OR

FACILITY PLANS

Prior to or concurrent with the formulation of sub-area Speciﬁc Plans, it will be necessary to establish the precise locations, development standards, and implementation
procedures (governance, funding, etc.) for the backbone elements of UCP infrastructure and public services that will serve all planning sub-areas and to which the land uses and improvements of the sub-areas must connect.

This may be accomplished through the preparation and
adoption of Community-wide master plans that would
include:

Implementation Plan
156

1. Areawide public improvements plans—roadways,
bicycle paths, transit corridors, and other
transportation elements, integrated water systems
(sanitary sewers, water distribution and storage, and
storm drainage), energy, and telecommunications
(refer to Imp 4.0).

2. Areawide open space network including parks,
trails, and passive open spaces.

3. Urban design and streetscape improvements that
unify the entirety of the University Community.

IMP 2.5 PLANNING SUB-AREA SPECIFIC
PLANS

Separate Speciﬁc Plans shall be prepared for the
University Community T own Center and Residential
Villages as generally depicted on Figure 6, in accordance with California Government Code §65450 et seq. These
boundaries may be modiﬁed to reﬂect site conditions
and land use development market projections at the time of the preparation of the Speciﬁc Plan, provided that
the UCP’s intentions for urban form and development
character are achieved. The number of Residential Villages shown on Figure 6 is correlated with the number of K–6
schools that are estimated to be required to support the Community’s population. Should this be modiﬁed, the
number of Villages may be adjusted accordingly. Speciﬁc Plan boundaries shall be conﬁrmed by the County in
consideration of objectives for the development of cohesive and integrated neighborhoods and districts. Speciﬁc Plan land use designations and development guidelines and
standards shall serve as the zoning regulation of the area within the Speciﬁc Plan boundary.

UCP Speciﬁc Plans will be prepared by the landowners
and/or Master Developer(s) in cooperation and pursuant
to County of Merced adopted policy and procedures.

Accordingly, the County shall adopt a University District Speciﬁc Plan Ordinance that speciﬁes the content and
procedures whereby Speciﬁc Plans within the UCP shall
be adopted by the County of Merced, consistent with
the description provided in this section. The public shall be provided the opportunity to have input during the
preparation of the Speciﬁc Plans, as well as during formal hearings to be conducted by the Planning Commission
and Board of Supervisors, in accordance with state
statutory requirements (California Government Code
Sections 65453 and 65351). Environmental documents
shall be prepared for the Speciﬁc Plans in accordance
with CEQA (see above).

CONSISTENCY WITH UNIVERSITY

COMMUNITY PLAN
The Speciﬁc Plans shall implement and be consistent with the policies contained in the UCP . They are intended to achieve distinctly identiﬁable places that integrate a mix of uses into a cohesive district or neighborhood and are integrated with and support the functions and uses of
UC Merced.

The mix and amount of uses to be accommodated in
a Speciﬁc Plan area shall be consistent with Table 2,
which prescribes development capacity limits for the
T own Center and Residential Villages. The amount of
development in any planning sub-area may be transferred to another, provided that the Plan’s policies for urban form and community character are achieved and the
cumulative development capacity for the Community is
not exceeded, nor reduced to a level that jeopardizes the ability to adequate fund infrastructure, public services, and environmental mitigation. The prescribed mix of single
and multi-family housing units may be varied to reﬂect
market conditions prevailing at the time of the Speciﬁc Plans’ preparation, provided that there is a commitment to provide sufﬁcient units affordable to meet the needs of the Community’s population (see below). Any variation
of use and/or density shall be determined in consultation with the County and supported by market, ﬁscal impact,
affordability needs, and other analyses that justify such a variation.

CONSULTATION WITH UC MERCED FOR

TOWN CENTER/CAMPUS CORE EDGE
The T own Center Speciﬁc Plan shall be prepared in
consultation with UC Merced to ensure the UCP’s
objectives for the interface and sharing of uses and
continuity of streets, sidewalks/pedestrian paths,
bikeways, infrastructure, open space amenities, and other elements are achieved.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR PREPARATION
Preparation of the Speciﬁc Plans may be prepared by one of the following methods:

1. On the initiation by and full funding by a property
owner and/or developer, with preference given
to one or more master developers, with County
input, review, and approval

2. On initiation by the County upon the formation
of an assessment district to fund the plan’s
preparation

3. On the initiation by the county using General
Funds or other sources with reimbursement by
subsequent developers; or
Implementation Plan
157

4. A collaborative partnership of the County and
UC Merced for the T own Center and campus core
edge

SPECIFIC PLAN STUDIES AND CONTENT
Additional background data pertaining to the planning
sub-area’s conditions and constraints shall be compiled to supplement the UCP’s database and as necessary to
support the preparation of the Speciﬁc Plan. This may
include, but not be limited to:

1. Soils and geotechnical analyses—type, stability,
expansiveness, permeability, and so on

2. Archaeological, cultural artifact, and paleontological surveys

3. Hazardous materials surveys

4. Plant and animal surveys
Sub-area Speciﬁc Plans shall contain, at a minimum, the following components. It should be noted that this list is only intended as an overview of key elements that must
be incorporated in the Speciﬁc Plans, as deﬁned by UCP
policies. It is not intended to serve as a comprehensive listing of all topics that must be addressed or studies to be undertaken. Authors of the Speciﬁc Plans must carefully review all UCP policies to ensure compliance with their requirements, and to consult with appropriate federal
and state agencies.

1. Physical development plans including:
a. Land use plan that depicts the uses to be
accommodated by type, density, and/or
other descriptive characteristics, consistent
the allowable uses stipulated in Table 2 or as
modiﬁed as described above.
b. Land division and parcelization plan.
c. Urban design and streetscape plan (landscape,
sidewalk and crosswalk paving, street furniture,
lighting, signage, public art, and other
elements).
d. T ransportation Improvement Plan (TIP) that
deﬁnes local streets, and highways, transit
facilities, truck routes, bikeways, pedestrian
paths, and hiking trails, parking management,
demand management, and other elements
that are consistent with the community-wide
Public Improvements Plan (refer to Imp 4.1).
e. Parking plan that identiﬁes the location and
types of facilities such as on site for each use
and/or shared facilities.
f. Infrastructure services plan that deﬁnes the
network of local integrated water (IWIMP),
energy and telecommunications, and solid
waste infrastructure systems that connect
with backbone systems and any other local
improvements and funding and governance
methods (refer to Imp 4.0).
g. Design and engineering plan for the protection
of the MID canals, as appropriate.
h. Public services plan that prescribes the location
and facilities for schools, police, ﬁre, library,
and civic uses and funding methods (refer to
Imp 4.0).
i. Parks and recreation plan that prescribes park
locations, improvements, and acquisition and
funding methods (refer to Imp 4.0).
j. Open space and habitat mitigation plan (refer
to Imp 4.10). This may include park lands,
trails, habitats to be preserved, restored, or
newly developed on site. Speciﬁc Plans prepared
for Residential Villages adjoining agricultural
lands shall incorporate a landscaped buffer of
adequate size to protect these lands.

2. Housing Program that stipulates the total number
of units that shall be developed and affordable to
very low, low, and moderate income households,
the methods by which they shall be provided (fee
waiver, inclusionary, in-lieu fee, bonus density,
state or federal funding, etc.), the timing of their
development, County or other agency purchase
or rental ﬁnancial assistance programs, and
commitments for preserving the affordability
of the units for a 10- to 20-year time period.

The Housing Program shall be developed in
collaboration with and approved by the County
prior to the submittal of the ﬁnal draft Speciﬁc
Plan.

3. Impact mitigation plan that identiﬁes the amount
of productive agricultural lands, wetlands, or
other habitats (as deﬁned by UCP policy) that
will be lost or otherwise affected by development
and the method(s) by which these impacts shall be
mitigated (e.g., replacement of lost habitat, or other
strategy as deﬁned in Imp 4.10). The mitigation
program shall be developed in collaboration
with and approved by the County prior to the
submittal of the ﬁnal draft Speciﬁc Plan. These
requirements are not intended to supplant federal
and state Clean Water Act or Endangered Species Act
requirements.

Implementation Plan
158

4. Commitment for participation in:
 The County Right-to-Farm Ordinance,
that requires purchasers of property in the
University Community to acknowledge the
presence of continued agricultural activity in
proximity to the University Community
 Environmental resource habitat mitigation
program and/or Habitat Conservation Plan
 Mitigation program for the loss of agricultural
lands in the north Merced area that may be
established and adopted by the County of
Merced and City of Merced. In the event
that programs have not been adopted by
the County and City prior to approval of
any sub-area speciﬁc plan, the speciﬁc plan
shall commit to the implementation of such
measures that would achieve the equivalent
protection of comparable farmland at a ratio
of 1:1 for Important Farmland converted with
the subject speciﬁc plan area. Examples of
measures include acquisition of conservation
easements, payment of in-lieu fees to the
County (or an appropriate third party
designated by the County) that would protect
such lands through fee title, easement, or other
measures.

5. Development regulations pertaining to each use
to be developed in the Speciﬁc Plan sub-area that
shall address:
 Permitted uses
 Residential density (units per acre) and
commercial and industrial intensity (ﬂoor area
ratio)
 Building height
 Lot coverage and property setbacks
 Landscape, including standards for the use of
sustainable plant materials (natives, drought
tolerant, drip irrigation systems, and so on)
 Lighting
 Signage
 Parking and parking management including
on-site showers for bicyclists (in activity
centers)
 Sustainable development practices for site
planning, building design, architecture,
landscape, building ﬁxtures, infrastructure
improvements and other relevant elements,
which shall include the establishment of energy
and water conservation budgets and recycling
goals
These standards shall constitute the zoning
for the Speciﬁc Plan sub-area and, where
appropriate, be uniquely designed to reﬂect the
intended uses within the Community such as
mixed use and pedestrian-oriented buildings/
uses in the T own Center and Residential
Village Centers.

6. Design guidelines for site layout, architecture,
landscape, and grading and public streetscape
improvements (paving materials, street furniture,
trees and plantings, signage, lighting, public art,
and other). These shall reﬂect the UCP’s intentions,
as expressed by policy, for the development of a
“walkable” and “livable” community (e.g., siting
of buildings, concentration and intermixing of
development, pedestrian-oriented design, and
so on) and the use of sustainable development
practices (e.g., recapture of storm runoff on
site, orientation and design of structures to
reﬂect climatic conditions and minimize energy
consumption, incorporation of solar and wind
energy systems, use of native and drought-tolerant
landscape, and so on).

7. Capital improvements plan that deﬁnes the costs
and sources of funding for public infrastructure and
services, consistent with the Public Improvement
Plan (Imp 4.0).

8. Phasing plan that depicts the sequence of land
use development, circulation, infrastructure, and
public service improvements. Documentation
shall be included that demonstrates that the phasing
program results in cohesive neighborhoods and
districts, is of a scale sufﬁcient to assure economic
viability, is ﬁnancially feasible, is appropriately
related to the development of UC Merced and
peripheral land uses, and does not impact the
integrity of agricultural and natural resource lands
not designated for development.

9. Fiscal impact analysis that deﬁnes the full public
costs associated with development and anticipated
revenues.

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159
 Establishment of ﬂexible commercial and ofﬁce/
research and development land use categories that
facilitate the Community to accommodate new
uses that may evolve in the marketplace during its
buildout
 Modiﬁcation of noise standards to allow the
development of housing units in areas exceeding
a 65 dBA Ldn provided that interior noise levels do
not exceed a standard of 45 dBA Ldn in the T own
Center and other key activity centers
 Modiﬁcation of building codes to permit the use
of sustainable and energy conserving building
materials that fully comply with structural design,
wind, and seismic requirements such as Rastra,
stamped bales, and other innovative materials
 Modiﬁcation of building codes to permit the use
of innovative design techniques that promote
sustainability such as the recapture of rain water in
cisterns and on site; gray water recycling plumbing;
use of solar and wind generated elements; location
of heating, ventilating, and air conditioning in the
exposed, “conditioned” space; and incorporation
of showers in ofﬁces and public buildings (for
bicyclists)
 Modiﬁcation of building codes to preclude the use
of wood roofs and other combustible materials in
Community areas exposed to high ﬁre hazards
IMP 2.7 DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS AND

SUBDIVISION MAPS

Development Agreements shall be prepared as contractual agreements between the County and developers of the
University Community sub-areas to provide assurances
to each party regarding the uses to be entitled and rules of development. Development Agreements shall be adopted
by the Board of Supervisors, in consideration of public comments, and be effective for a speciﬁed time period.

Since the University Community will be developed over
an extended time period, such agreements reduce the
uncertainty of changing policies, rules and regulations, and conditions of approval that are likely to occur and which can impact development feasibility and quality.

In accordance with Government Code §65865.2,
the Agreements shall specify the permitted uses of the
property, density and intensity of use, maximum height
and size of proposed buildings, and provisions for the
reservation or dedication of land for public purposes
(schools, parks, and so on), consistent with the adopted UCP and related Speciﬁc Plans.

10. Implementation programs that deﬁne the range
of actions to carry out the Speciﬁc Plan that may
include Development Agreements, development
fees, County development review and approval
processes, governance, and other appropriate
programs.

11. Financing plan for public infrastructure and
services, identifying costs, ﬁnancing mechanisms,
and projected revenue.

12. Findings that:
 Levels of development to be accommodated in
the sub-area reﬂect the scale of planned and
anticipated student enrollment, faculty, and
programs of UC Merced
 Pertinent interagency agreements have been
approved
 Pertinent environmental permits have been
committed or approved, in accordance with
prescribed procedures
 Criteria speciﬁed for Policy LU -4.5 have been
achieved.

IMP 2.6 ZONING REGULATIONS AND

BUILDING CODES

While the Speciﬁc Plans shall serve as the zoning
ordinances for the Community, it may be necessary to
revise the County Ordinance, as well as the Building
Code, to ensure that the more precise standards for the Community can be found to be consistent with these.

In some cases, the revisions may be only applicable to
the University Community, while in others that may
have potential utility throughout the County. Such may
include:
 Establishment of a new General Plan land use
category, “Multiple Use Urban Development,”
that accommodates the mix of uses speciﬁed by
the UCP
 Establishment of a new land use category for
the development of mixed-use structures that
integrate housing with retail commercial, ofﬁce,
civic, institutional, public parking, or other uses
 Establishment of new residential categories to
reﬂect the range of housing types and densities
in the Community, as well as provide ﬂexibility
for the accommodation of innovative and new
housing types that may be proposed
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160
Subdivision maps shall be prepared to implement an
approved Speciﬁc Plan and Development Agreements
in accordance with the California Subdivision Map Act
(Division 2 of Title 7 of the Government Code). These
will divide the planning sub-area into legal parcels of record to accommodate planned development, including
those dedicated for transportation and infrastructure
improvements and open spaces. Generally, the subdivision process involves the preparation of a T entative Map
that is submitted for County review and approval, for
which conditions of development are normally applied.

The Final Map incorporates the approved elements and
conditions and provides the legal basis for land division and development.

The County’s Subdivision Ordinance shall be revised by
Merced County to reﬂect UCP policies and standards,
where appropriate. These may address land use density/
intensity and parcel size, grading to reﬂect the site’s topography, and the use of best management (BMPs) and
environmental sustainability practices.

IMP 2.8 ENGINEERING REVIEW AND

MONITORING

Proposed development projects shall be reviewed
for their compliance with applicable building code,
subdivision, and other County engineering requirements
and standards. At a minimum, this will encompass
review of (1) infrastructure improvements consistent
with the Public Facilities Plans (Imp 4.0), including
transportation, potable water, wastewater, storm drainage, electricity, natural gas, and telecommunications; (2) site grading and soils/geological stabilization; (3) building and foundation design for structural stability, ﬁre
codes, soils and geologic characteristics, and so on; and (4) compliance with energy and water conservation
budgets and environmental sustainability standards.

Project applicants will be required to submit studies and analyses that are necessary for an adequate engineering review such as trafﬁc impact studies, soils tests, and
percolation test.

Where development or public improvements abut
or otherwise impact the Merced Irrigation District
(MID) canals and tributary facilities in the University Community, proposed grading and development plans
shall be reviewed with MID to ensure that the structural integrity, functionality, and safety of the systems are maintained.

IMP 2.9 DESIGN REVIEW

Proposed development projects shall be reviewed for their consistency with the UCP and Speciﬁc Plan design and
development standards and guidelines and applicable
codes and regulations. Plans and designs may be reviewed and approved by the County Planning Director, the
Planning Commission, or an appointed University
Community Design Review Board. If the latter, its
membership should consist of design professionals
(architecture, landscape, urban design, and/or visual
arts) and Community residents and businesspersons that
would report their recommendations to the Planning
Director and/or Planning Commission. Appeals would
be submitted to the Board of Supervisors.

IMP 2.10 ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE AND

IMPACT MONITORING

The County shall maintain a map of the sensitive plant
and animal resources within the University Community.

The map will be updated to reﬂect current conditions
within the University Community every two years. Any
potential unauthorized activities will be reported to the appropriate regulatory agency. These activities include but are not limited to unauthorized ﬁll or draining of
jurisdictional waters, the take of threatened or endangered species or their habitats, and the destruction of active raptor nests.

Environmental impacts and the effectiveness of deﬁned
mitigation measures of the University Community shall be evaluated in accordance with a prescribed Environmental Monitoring Program, prepared in accordance with
CEQA.

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161
IMP 3.3 INTER-AGENCY COORDINATION

AND AGREEMENTS

Success of the University Community depends in some
measure upon the successful cooperation between the
County of Merced and UC Merced. The proximity to
the City of Merced and the need for coordination with
other regulating agencies also create the need for a range of special agreements.

County and University of California Merced
Development of the University Community is directly
linked to the development of UC Merced and its
population of faculty, staff, and students. There are
numerous issues of common concern that need to be
jointly addressed by the County and UC Merced through
collaborative planning processes, formal agreements,
and informal coordination. At a minimum, these must
address:
 Provision of a connected system of transportation
and, where appropriate, water/wastewater and
other utility infrastructure
 Provision of recycling and solid waste disposal
facilities
 Development of shared or transitional uses in the
T own Center and campus core and shared parking
facilities at the same locations and Lake Yosemite
Park
 Development of connecting open space systems
 Provision of a range of housing in the Community
that is affordable in the long-term for UC Merced
students, faculty, and staff
 Mitigation of the loss of vernal pools, wetlands,
and other environmental resources
 Mitigation for the impacts of the campus on
Lake Yosemite Regional Park and replacement
of County lands that had been acquired for the
purposes of Park expansion
 Use of campus recreational, libraries, and other
facilities by residents of the Community and
greater Merced
 Provision of adequate public schools to support
the needs of campus residents
T
he Governance portion of the Implementation
Program describes the institutional process
through which key policy decisions related to
the University Community will be made and carried-out.

It is likely that the actual governance of the University Community will evolve over time with more developed
governing bodies created as the area becomes more
developed and populated. At the outset, governance will be provided by the county; however as changes in district or municipal boundaries are considered or independent
special districts are created, the Merced Local Agency
Formation Commission will be involved pursuant to the
Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization
Act of 2000 . The actual governance will be determined
through the following processes.

IMP 3.1 INTERIM GOVERNANCE

STRUCTURE

Initially, the County will serve as the governing
body and may continue to play an important role in
decision-making and public service provision over time.

However, the County will need to establish an entity
(i.e. a special district) that is responsible for overseeing and coordinating University Community-related
infrastructure development and public services delivery.

IMP 3.2 OPTIONS AND MECHANISMS FOR

TRANSITION

Given that the form and structure of the governmental
entities with jurisdiction over the University Community is likely to evolve over time, a transition plan will need to be developed. The T ransition Plan will deﬁne the process through which new governing structures are adopted
and developed. Options include continued operation
as an unincorporated area of the County served by a
special district, annexation to the City of Merced, and incorporation of an entirely new City.

3.0 GOVERNANCE
Implementation Plan
162
 Development of lands adjoining the University
Community and UC Merced to ensure that it
is complementary, compatible, and of a high
quality
 Support for economic development strategies
designed to attract business sectors that will both
complement and beneﬁt from the academic
environment fostered by UC Merced

JURISDICTIONAL AGENCIES
A number of governmental agencies and districts currently have and may continue to have decision-making and
service provision responsibilities within the University Community area (e.g. water, irrigation, and wastewater
districts). In many cases, development of the University Community will require expanding, modifying, or re-
constituting these district and agency responsibilities.

Thus, implementation of the Community Plan will
require establishing agreements with these agencies and districts.

Development projects that abut or otherwise affect the
MID canals and ancillary facilities shall be reviewed with and be subject to approval by MID to assure that their
structural and functional integrity is maintained and that there are no adverse impacts on public safety or liability.

Agreements necessary for the development of an
integrated water system include the following:

1. Prior to the approval of the ﬁrst T entative Map,
an agreement between the County of Merced and
MID to discharge stormwater to MID facilities
from lands outside of the current district shall be
approved by the Board of each agency:
 Land areas north of Sections 10 and 11 and
west of Section 4 will require an agreement
and fee for discharging stormwater runoff to
the Fairﬁeld Canal
 At a minimum the Agreement shall be based on
the MID Facilities Master Plan and the Storm
Drainage Master Plan (previously prepared
and adopted) and shall identify necessary
improvements (if any) both within the UCP
and outside the UCP that may be required to
accept drainage outside of the current district

2. Prior to the approval of the ﬁrst Speciﬁc Plan,
develop an agreement between the County and
the University of California, Merced related to
shared water-related infrastructure systems. At
a minimum, the Agreement shall address the
following:
 Deﬁnition of those facilities to be shared
 Governance of the shared facility
 Cost sharing for the design and construction
for each shared facility
 Cost sharing for on going operation and
maintenance of each shared facility
 Determination of when and how the expansion
of proposed facilities would take place to meet
Campus and UCP demand

3. Prior to the approval of the ﬁrst Speciﬁc Plan,
develop an agreement between the County
and the City of Merced related to the potential
connection of the University Community to the
City of Merced water distribution grid, if needed.

At a minimum, the Agreement shall address the
following:
 Governance of the shared facility
 Timing of when the connection can be made

4. If required, prior to the approval of the ﬁrst
Speciﬁc Plan, develop an agreement between the
County and a local jurisdiction related to the
potential connection of the University Community
wastewater system to a local municipal wastewater
treatment facility. At a minimum, the Agreement
shall address the following:
 Maximum quantity of efﬂuent that will
be accepted by the existing collection and
treatment infrastructure operated by the local
jurisdiction
 The alignment of the off-site collection facility
to the jurisdictions wastewater treatment plant
shall be graphically deﬁned and included as an
Exhibit to the Agreement
 The Agreement will constitute a “Will
Serve” commitment on the part of the local
jurisdiction
 Fair share of cost to provide collection and
treatment shall be included in the Agreement

CITY OF MERCED
The County of Merced and City of Merced maintain a
number of cooperative relationships regarding land use
development and infrastructure and public services.

Development of the University Community will
necessitate furthering these efforts including:

Implementation Plan
163

1. The City of Merced may provide certain services to
the University Community (such as infrastructure)
by contractual agreement as discussed above, as
well as interim police and ﬁre services during the
early stages of Community development.

2. The proximity of the University Community to the
City raises the issue of development in the North
Merced area, the City’s Sphere of Inﬂuence, and
County “Rural Residential” areas located between
the City and University Community. While the
City’s planned long term growth patterns are to
the north of Bellevue Road, there has been some
interest expressed by the City to reconsider whether
or not this growth should be refocused easterly
towards the University Community along the
Bellevue Road corridor. T o resolve these issues, it
is recommended that the County and City engage
in a collective process to determine the appropriate
land uses, densities, and improvements that
should link and serve as transitions between the
City’s urban area and the University Community.

Depending on the outcomes of such a study, this
may involve amendments to the County General
Plan, County-City Revenue Sharing Agreement,
and a revised Sphere of Inﬂuence Study for the
North Merced Area developed by the City in
cooperation with the County that would be
submitted to the Merced Local Agency Formation
Commission for approval.

3. The County and City may enter into an agreement
that:
 Reiterates the commitment of both jurisdictions
for the preservation of agricultural lands east of
the City of Merced
 Establishes appropriate oversight, information
exchange, and approval processes by the Board
of Supervisors and the City Council for changes
of zoning to urban uses within the areas south
of the University Community boundary and
immediately east of the City of Merced

SCHOOL DISTRICTS
As part of the implementation process, applicable
developers shall formalize plans with the school districts that address the implementation of school facilities and support facilities that are needed and required to serve the University Community. Key issues to be addressed
shall include:
 Number and Type of Schools: Although the
Community Plan estimates the number and
type of schools needed to serve the University
Community, these estimates will need to be
ﬁnalized and conﬁrmed based on discussions with
and requirements of the school districts. Estimates
will be based on school generation factors, service
standards, and other considerations. In this regard,
it will be important to consider the potentially
unique student generation factors associated with
the expected population base within the University
Community. The County, applicable developers,
and the school districts shall agree on the number
and type of schools that will be constructed in the
UCP as the development proceeds.
 School Location and Phasing: The general
locations of the schools estimated to be needed
in the University Community are depicted on
the Illustrative Land Use Diagram (Figure 4).

The County and the school districts shall work
together and identify the speciﬁc planning sub-
areas in which the high, middle, and elementary
schools shall be located. These school sites shall be
designated in amendments of the County General
Plan and the University Community Plan. Prior
to adoption of speciﬁc plans, Development
Agreements, or tentative maps, the school districts
shall work with applicable developers to conﬁrm
the number and size of schools needed, and their
location consistent with the urban form policies
speciﬁed by the University Community Plan.

Implementation Plan
164
 Funding for School Facilities: The school districts,
at a minimum, have indicated that they will levy
Level I development impact fees. 1 Since Level I
fees may not be adequate, the school districts
have the authority under state law to levy and
impose Level II and Level III development fees,
upon a showing of the proper justiﬁcation and
subject to school district state eligibility and
applicable statutory requirements. In the event
that school impact fees are not adequate to
fund the acquisition and construction of school
facilities, landowners and developers may enter
into voluntary impact mitigation agreements with
the school districts. Landowners and developers
also may choose to advance to the school districts
the difference in costs between the state-mandated
school impact fee and the actual “fair share” costs
of providing necessary school facilities. When
and if the school districts receive state funds for
facilities constructed with funds advanced by
landowners or developers, the school districts
would then reimburse the landowners/developers
on a pro-rata basis. The school districts may also
offer to landowners within the Community the
opportunity to voluntarily establish one or more
Mello-Roos Community Facility Districts (CFD)
or School Facility Improvement Districts (SFID)
in order to provide a higher level of school facility
funding, in the event development fees and state
funding are deemed insufﬁcient. 2 Since both
the CFD and SFID can be tailored to the actual
areas of new development, they can provide more
funding than the state minimum standards without
burdening the current district landowners with
general obligation bonds. The implementation of
CFDs or SFIDs will require the afﬁrmative vote
of the landowners to form the CFDs or SFIDs
and levy special taxes, and shall be in compliance
with applicable standards and accepted ﬁnancing
procedures and requirements.

The above issues will need to be addressed in the context of promoting a high quality and ﬁnancially feasible
Community Plan. For example, the development of
school facilities will need to be phased to make optimal use of existing facilities and minimize overly burdensome up-front costs on development. Such use shall not,
however, result in unreasonable impacts on existing
facilities or facility-related services.

IMP 3.4 EXISTING COMMUNITY-SERVING

SPECIAL DISTRICTS

Certain infrastructure and services may be provided to the University Community by existing special districts such as the Merced Irrigation District. When such services
differ in some fashion from those provided through the
jurisdiction of these special districts special agreements may be required.

IMP 3.5 PARTNERSHIPS WITH PRIVATE AND

QUASI-PUBLIC AGENCIES

The County shall work with private, quasi-public
agencies and organizations, and non-proﬁts to provide
selected services for the University Community. This may include partnerships with conservation organizations for the protection of on-site resources and/or participation regional habitat and agricultural conservation programs, development of affordable housing, and the provision of health, seniors, youth, and other social services.
1 Under current state statutes, school districts have the authority to levy fees on new residential and commercial and industrial development. The statutory fees (known as level I fees), currently at $2.05 per sq. ft. of new residential and $0.33 per sq. ft. for commercial and industrial development, often do not generate the necessary funding for new schools. Non-uniﬁed school districts share the maximum authorized development fee levy based on agreements between the districts. School districts may also establish fees (know as Level II fees) equal to one-half of the cost of providing new school facilities (at state cost standards) if they meet certain conditions that may affect the entire school district, and after non-residential development fees are applied. With Level II fees, it is assumed that the state, through the issuance of statewide general obligation bonds, will provide the other half of the cost of the new schools and thus the impacts of new construction will be “fully mitigated.” In the event that the state does not have funding available (provided through state-wide bond elections), then school districts may temporarily increase the fees (known as Level III fees) on new residential development in order to provide full funding for schools. This allows school districts to receive the state’s half of the funding when the state is out of money. When state funding becomes available through future statewide bonds, the Level III fees must be refunded or the district must forego future state funding. Thus, funding (at minimum state standards) to mitigate the impacts of new development may be assured, whether or not state funding is available. The ability of a school district to impose Level III fees is subject to certain statutory conditions and requirements, including but not limited to the State Allocation Board ﬁnding and noticing the state legislature that school facility funding apportionments are unavailable. Without this notice school districts are not permitted to levy and impose Level III fees. 2 Since state funding levels (Level II fees plus state funding) are often less than the actual cost of providing adequate school facilities, additional local funds may be needed to provide quality school facilities.

Implementation Plan
165
IMP 3.6 CREATION OF NEW SPECIAL

DISTRICT(S)

In addition to existing agencies and districts, the
University Community may require (as noted above)
the establishment of an entirely new service district(s).

The creation of a new district will require a resolution of formation by the County to the Merced Local Agency
Formation Commission and may require a vote among
applicable property owners and/or approval by other
agencies with jurisdiction over the area. A determination of which, if any, new districts need to be formed will be based on public service and facility requirements and the preferred provision mechanism. It is anticipated that a general purpose special district, such as a community
facilities district will be created early in the development of the Community. Initially this special district would be governed as a “dependent” district by Merced County but over time, as the population in the Community increases to above 5,000 persons a vote to transfer governance to a locally elected board of directors shall occur. This will assure that decisions regarding infrastructure and services are guided by local residents.
he Public Improvement Plan shall specify
the type, amount, cost, and phasing for the
public improvements and facilities that will
support the University Community. A description of
these improvements is provided in the Infrastructure
and Services Chapters of the UCP , as elaborated below.

The actual improvement projects, as well as their cost
and timing, will need to be reﬁned and ﬁnalized before
development can proceed through the formulation
of Community-wide master plans (Imp 2.4) and sub-
are Speciﬁc Plans (Imp 2.5). The development of these
improvements will require the County, City, University, and project developers, enter into cooperative agreements about service provision, participation, capacity, and
funding contributions (see the Governance and Financing Strategy sections of this chapter for further discussion of these issues).

IMP 4.1 TRANSPORTATION

INFRASTRUCTURE

The UCP area is largely undeveloped, with limited
transportation infrastructure in place. New transportation corridors, roadways, and improvements to existing roads, will be necessary and will be consistent with the Regional T ransportation Plan (developed by MCAG) and by
guidelines articulated in the UCP . Certain roadway
improvements, such as the Campus Parkway, will
need to be developed in the early years of Community
development in order to link the Campus and Community
to Highway 99. Other roadways and improvements will
be tied to the construction of various land uses and will be guided by subsequent Speciﬁc Plans.

4.0 PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT PLAN
T
Construction of roadway improvements will require
cooperation and funding from a variety of entities
including County, state, and federal agencies, MCAG,
and private developers.

Elements of the T ransportation Improvement Plan (TIP)
shall be formulated for the entirety of the University
Community and relevant components contained and
elaborated in the sub-area Speciﬁc Plans. The TIP shall incorporate:
 Roadway master plan
 Designated truck routes and ordinance
 Bicycle master plan
 Pedestrian master plan
 Street design and access management standards
 Street plan lines
 Land use–sensitive functional hierarchy of
streets (to ensure compatibility between uses and
transportation elements)
 T rafﬁc calming guidelines
 T rafﬁc control warrants
 Multi-modal level of service criteria
 Parking management plan (for prioritization of
nonpolluting vehicles)
 Parking code and ordinance
 Residential permit parking ordinance
 Monitoring program for parking occupancy
 Parking violations and enforcement
Implementation Plan
166
 Short-range transit plan
 T ransit and bus stop design guidelines
 T ransportation demand management program
 Public outreach programs to encourage use of
alternative modes
IMP 4.2 INTEGRATED WATER SYSTEMS

The Community has established as a priority the
development of a self-contained system with a sewer
treatment plant on site. Alternatively, it may connect
to an existing local municipal treatment plant. Sewer
pipes may be sized to serve only the Community or may
include additional capacity to serve the Campus and
other areas in the unincorporated County. Similarly,
on-site water wells may be developed to provide potable water for the future Community. However, if conditions
warrant, use of off-site wells or connection to the
City of Merced water system may be considered most
prudent. In the event that connections to local systems are desirable or required, the construction of integrated water infrastructure may require cooperation between the City, County, University, and regional utility districts to determine participation, service delivery responsibilities, and capacity. The type, amount, location, and phasing
of infrastructure that is actually built may be determined based on the best information available at the time these systems are designed and by agreements reached between
these jurisdictions.

Goals and policies set forth in the Community Plan
will guide the decision making process with respect to
such issues as governance, technology, environmental
sustainability, and level of service.

Prior to the preparation of the ﬁrst Speciﬁc Plan, an
Integrated Water Infrastructure Master Plan (IWIMP)
shall be developed for the UCP area. The IWIMP shall be prepared through the direction of the County of Merced
and reviewed by the UC, MID, City of Merced and City
of Atwater (if necessary). The IWIMP shall incorporate
the following elements:
 A Potable Water System Master Plan
 A Recycled Water System Master Plan
 A Wastewater T reatment and Disposal System
Master Plan
 A Storm Drainage Master Plan (SDMP)
 A Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) to construct
the IWIMP elements
The IWIMP shall, at a minimum, achieve the standards
identiﬁed below in Table 4.

Concurrent with the preparation of each Speciﬁc Plan, a design-level MID facilities master plan shall be developed for areas within the UCP .
 The plan shall demonstrate the ability of the
MID system to continue to deliver irrigation to
downstream users despite modiﬁcation to the
existing system.
 At a minimum, the MID Facilities Master Plan
shall incorporate elements of the Storm Drainage
Master Plan that identify speciﬁc improvement to
MID facilities.
 The MID Facilities Master Plan shall be reviewed
and approved by MID and the County of Merced
prior to or concurrent with the Speciﬁc Plan.

IMP 4.3 ENERGY AND

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Energy services will be developed in accordance with an Energy Services Plan that shall be approved either before or in conjunction with the ﬁrst sub-area Speciﬁc Plan.

This plan will establish a service agreement with a power distributor and will identify opportunities to purchase power generated from sustainable sources such as solar
wind, and fuel cells, including the possible development of these facilities in proximity to the University Community site.

T elecommunications infrastructure will be developed by the phone, cable, and wireless communication providers
that will serve the University Community and connect it to UC Merced and other appropriate off-site areas. The
UCP will guide the siting of telecommunication facilities so that they may efﬁciently serve the community while
complementing buildings and landscapes.

IMP 4.4 POLICE SUB STATION

Police protection will be provided by the Merced County Sheriff’s Department. The Department has expressed
interest in siting a substation in the UCP area and
therefore one facility has been planned. The County
may elect to contract with the City of Merced to provide urban level services to the Community during the initial years of development.

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TABLE 4 INTEGRATED WATER INFRASTRUCTURE MASTER PLAN
Minimum Standards
Potable Water Systems  Wells and distribution system capable of meeting maximum daily demand and ﬁre ﬂow requirements set by the local governing agency.  Wells shall be equipped with well-head ﬂuoridation and disinfection systems as required to meet state Water Supply Permitting requirements.  Backup well(s) shall be integrated into the potable water supply system.  Wells grouted to minimum depth required by Merced County or state of California, whichever is greater.
 Adequate storage shall be provided within the UCP area.  Storage tanks equipped with pumps capable of meeting maximum daily demand plus ﬁre ﬂow.
 Community design standards that require use of water conserving devices, such as low-ﬂow showerheads, toilets, washing machines, etc.  Water meters on all potable water connections.
 If required, water supply infrastructure that allows for the expansion to the Campus and the City of Merced
 Monitoring programs designed to track long-term changes in local groundwater levels
 If conditions warrant, consider development of off-site wells or connection to the City of Merced potable water system.

Recycled Water Systems  Modular design of recycling plant to allow expansion to include community and campus demand.
 Recycled water distribution system capable of delivering recycled water to all developed and/or landscaped lots.
 Recycled water delivery systems that avoid discharge to receiving waters.  Recycled water delivery system that allows for delivery of recycled water to the Campus.
 Recycled water delivery system that allows for delivery of recycled water to ongoing agricultural users within the UCP
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TABLE 4 INTEGRATED WATER INFRASTRUCTURE MASTER PLAN
Minimum Standards
Wastewater Treatment and
Disposal Systems
 Seasonal water recycling plant capable of producing Title 22 tertiary treated water or to the level appropriate for agricultural applications.  Gravity wastewater collection system capable of conveying a peak ﬂow of 3.5 times the average ﬂow in areas served by recycling plant.  On-site seasonal treated wastewater storage capable of accommodative wintertime treated efﬂuent to be used for irrigation purposes during summer seasons.
 Alternatively, gravity wastewater connection to local municipal wastewater treatment facility capable of providing treatment and disposal of wastewater during winter or other times when wastewater ﬂow exceeds recycled water demand.
 Alternative to the seasonal connection to a local municipal wastewater treatment facility shall include on-site seasonal storage of treated efﬂuent.  Decentralized on-site collection and treatment systems where soils are suitable for year-round disposal of wastewater.

Storm Drainage Systems  Stormwater conveyance system with capacity for 100-year storm.  Stormwater conveyance system that can accommodate campus demand.  Detention and retention basins that result in no net increase in stormwater discharge.
 Detention basins discharging to MID facilities sized to capture entire 10-year, 24-hour storm volume.
 Detention/retention basin design(s) consistent with regional groundwater recharge program.
 Detention basins that sustain vegetation beneﬁcial to water quality.  Pump station to discharge stormwater to Fairﬁeld Canal.  In MID receiving canals/creeks, sensor devices that determine when canal/creek is at capacity.
 Stormwater quality control devices that prevent sediment, petroleum, and heavy metals from entering receiving waters.
 Grass swales that ﬁlter “ﬁrst ﬂush.”
 Stormwater quality monitoring program to ensure achievement of SWRCB discharge standards.
 Stormwater infrastructure that does not preclude the continued use of existing irrigation facilities to ongoing agricultural users.

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IMP 4.5 FIRE STATION AND FIRE FIGHTING

EQUIPMENT

The Merced County Fire Department provides ﬁre,
rescue, and emergency medical services to the University Community and all unincorporated areas in the County.

McKee Station #85 is the closest facility to the University Community area. Development in the University
Community will likely require the County to construct
a new station in order to assure response times and
maintain current levels of service.

IMP 4.6 LIBRARY

The Merced County Library system currently serves
Merced’s residents; however, reduced funding has
resulted in the reduction of programs, hours, and staff.

The UCP provides for the development of one or more
library facilities to serve the community. This may
include partnerships with UC Merced and local schools
to provide shared facilities, as well as wired/wireless connections between residences and library resources.

The County will need to use a creative ﬁnance approach
to funding capital costs for site acquisition, construction, furnishings, ﬁxtures, and equipment.

IMP 4.7 SCHOOLS

As housing development proceeds, elementary, middle,
and high schools will be developed within or outside
the University Community to serve the University
Community. The number of necessary schools shall be
based on the planning of the University Community in
conjunction with the implementation programs of the
applicable school districts. The actual number of schools to be developed will depend on the actual rate of students generated by housing in the University Community, the
school sizes based on enrollment levels, and the standards and requirements of the local school districts. There
is a statewide trend to the development of somewhat
larger schools on smaller parcels that share facilities with adjoining parks or other schools for efﬁciency and to reduce costs. Additionally, it can be expected that
the student generation rates for the Community may
be less than traditionally experienced in Merced due to the expected high occupancy by unmarried UC Merced
students without children.

In order to accommodate K–12 students generated
from the University Community, local school districts
will be required to obtain school sites, and construct
schools and support facilities concurrently with the
development activities of the University Community. In
order to help ensure that facilities are constructed in a timely manner to accommodate enrollment growth, the
Community Plan Financing Strategy and Speciﬁc Plan
Financing Plans adopted by the County, and containing
a schools and schools support facilities ﬁnancing program approved and accepted by the applicable school districts shall be approved concurrently with the sub-area Speciﬁc Plans and speciﬁc development activities within the
University Community to help ensure that the cost of
school facilities, school support facilities, and services are funded through development impact fees, bonding, state
funding programs, grants, and/or other public or private sources or techniques. The County and developers within the UCP area shall collaborate with local school districts in seeking expanded school ﬁnancing mechanisms
through new or revised state programs or through new or revised local facility ﬁnancing instruments. Additionally, the location and designation, the costs and sources of
funding, and the ﬁscal impact associated with required
school sites and facilities, support facilities, and district operations shall be considered, evaluated, and presented in the Public Services Plan, Capital Improvements Plan, Fiscal Impact Analysis, and Implementation Programs as
required to be included in the sub-area Speciﬁc Plans.

A process shall be deﬁned, incorporated, and consistently implemented by each development sub-area Speciﬁc Plan
for the resolution of any differences or disputes in the event that the County, the respective school district and the private development applicant are unable to reach
an agreement on the schools portion of the contents of
the Financing Strategy, Speciﬁc Plan Financing Plan,
the Public Services Plan, the Capital Improvement Plan, the Fiscal Impact Analysis, and/or the Implementation
Program.

IMP 4.8 PARKS AND COMMUNITY

FACILITIES

Parks and other community amenities will be important
assets to the University Community. A comprehensive
network of parks and open space has been planned for
the Community. The County will be largely responsible
for developing parks and other facilities, although there will also be opportunities for sharing facilities will
UC Merced. T o facilitate management and funding,
Community Facilities Districts (CFDs) may be created.

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IMP 4.9 PUBLIC VEHICLE FLEET AND PUBLIC

TRANSIT

The County shall purchase and public transit providers
shall be encouraged to purchase a ﬂeet of vehicles to serve the University Community that are non-polluting and
energy efﬁcient.

IMP 4.10 OPEN SPACE AND HABITAT

CONSERVATION/MITIGATION

The eastern Merced County region is part of the largest block of relatively undisturbed, high-density vernal pool grasslands remaining in California. As such, habitat
protection is a critical aspect to the UCP , which focuses on preserving and sustaining the vitality and diversity of the relatively undisturbed areas of the UCP district.

Consultation with relevant federal and state permitting agencies will guide the approach and deﬁne the constraints for providing habitat conservation and mitigation.

Responsibility will fall initially to the County to adopt a land use plan and zoning designations that are acceptable to the regulating agencies. Subsequent development
will be responsible for mitigating habitat off-site when necessary.

HABITAT MITIGATION PLAN
The County, in consultation with federal and state
agencies, shall require the project applicant to prepare a Habitat Mitigation Plan that must achieve:
 No net loss of wetland functions and values
 Minimization of impacts to affected annual
grassland and other upland habitats and
preservation of similar habitats at a minimum
ratio of one acre preserved for each acre lost.

The Habitat Mitigation Plan must address all habitats
that will be affected by the implementation of a Speciﬁc Plan including:
 All permit conditions provided by the United
States Fish and Wildlife Service, Regional Water
Quality Control Board, California Department of
Fish and Game, and/or United States Army Corps
of Engineers.
 Mechanisms for long-term protection, monitoring,
and maintenance of protected habitats, including
long-term funding instruments.
 Speciﬁc design criteria to protect avoided on-site
and off-site protected habitats. Design criteria will
include, at a minimum, a 250’ vegetated buffer
between the building envelope and the edge of a
protected habitats. The buffer will be designed to
achieve the following:
 Create a barrier for surface run-off from the
UCP area
 Create a barrier to the movement of domestic
pets into natural areas
 Minimize seed dispersal of exotic plants to the
natural areas
 Reduce noise and light from the Plan area into
the natural areas
 The speciﬁcations of buffers and other
habitat protection measures, including barrier
requirements, activity restrictions, signage,
monitoring, and reclamation requirements will
be developed in coordination with the RWQCB,
CDFG, USACOE, and USFWS.

Impacts to wetland habitats will be mitigated as follows:
 Mitigation that, at a minimum, meets or exceeds
the following: The County shall ensure that three
acres of wetlands will be preserved, enhanced,
restored, or created for each acre lost. Wetland
habitats will be mitigated in-kind to the maximum
extent feasible. The mitigation wetlands should be
aggregated and located immediately adjacent to
other preserved wetlands of similar type whenever
feasible and practical to avoid creating isolated
preserves where function and value cannot be
maintained over the long term.

Impacts to annual grassland habitats will be mitigated as follows:
 Compensatory mitigation that, at a minimum,
meets or exceeds the following: The County shall
ensure that one acre of annual grasslands will be
preserved for each acre lost. The preserved annual
grasslands should be aggregated and located
immediately adjacent to other preserved annual
grasslands of similar type whenever feasible and
practical to avoid creating isolated preserves where
function and value cannot be maintained over the
long term.
 The County shall implement the following
measures that address potential indirect impacts
to annual grasslands within the UCP area and on
adjacent natural lands:

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171
 Provide a natural or semi-natural buffer
between urban development and natural lands
to the east (e.g., along the Fairﬁeld Canal)
 Provide increased wildlife habitat value
along interior corridors maintained for other
purposes (e.g., canals)
The minimum performance standards for these natural
and semi-natural lands shall include: maintenance of
existing natural vegetation within buffer lands: minimum width of interior corridors shall not be less than 300 feet; no new permanent improvements, other than unpaved
trails, within open space corridors designated for wildlife use (unless undergrounded); annual eradication of non-
native weeds that are nuisance species or that substantially reduce wildlife habitat values: annual mowing of
undisturbed grassland within interior corridors shall
occur only between August 31 and October 31 (after
the avian nesting season); and establishment of an open space/natural landscape working group to advise the
County on management of the open space corridors for
wildlife habitat.

The preparation of Mitigation Plans must involve
consultation with the EPA, USCOE, USFWS, CDFG,
and other relevant agencies.

A mitigation plan completed as part of the acquisition of a permit under the Clean Water Act, federal Endangered
Species Act, or California Endangered Species Act.

OPEN SPACE CORRIDOR
The County, during project review, will ensure that the designated open space corridors are sited and operated
to maximize their conservation value. The County shall
ensure that the open space corridors will support at least 30 acres of existing, restored, or created wetlands and allow the movement of wildlife through the Community
Plan area, to the extent feasible and applicable.

IMP 4.11 AFFORDABLE HOUSING

The ability to maintain housing affordability over the long term will be an important challenge for the University
Community. Affordable housing goals articulated in the
UCP can be achieved through cooperation between the
City, County, University, the business community, non-
proﬁts, and residents at large. Effective mechanisms for providing affordable housing include land use controls
that require inclusionary units, in-lieu fees paid by
residential and commercial development, leveraging of
state and federal funds, tax credits, and volunteerism
(e.g., Habitat for Humanity).

A Housing Affordability Plan shall be required to be
incorporated into each Speciﬁc Plan. This shall quantify the anticipated housing needs for the planning area, goals for the production of housing for very low–, low-, and
moderate-income households, and a speciﬁc program
of actions for their achievement. The Community’s
affordable housing goals shall be integrated into the
mandated ﬁve-year updates of the County General Plan
Housing Element.

IMP 4.12 OFF-SITE INFRASTRUCTURE

PROGRAM

At each phase of development, off-site improvements
to infrastructure (roads, sewer, etc.) may be required.

These improvements, as well as funding mechanisms,
will need to be identiﬁed throughout the development
process. Guidelines set forth in the UCP will determine appropriate service levels for off-site improvements.

IMP 4.13 INFRASTRUCTURE PHASING

Infrastructure phasing will be determined by cooperative agreements between the City, County, and University
as well as by market factors that drive the pace of
development. Certain “backbone” improvements such
as arterial roadways, sewer and water trunk lines, energy transmission lines, and possibly a ﬁre station may need to be constructed before or concurrently with the ﬁrst phase of residential and commercial development. Other items
such as in-tract roads, schools, library, and recreation facilities can be phased to match the pace of development and to respond to the growing needs of the community
as they arise.

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IMP 5.4 INTEGRATED WATER UTILITIES

The provision of integrated water service may require
cooperation between the City, County, University, and
regional utility districts to determine participation, service delivery responsibilities, and fee levels. For example, the County may provide its own water and sewer service or
may contract with another agency for service.

IMP 5.5 DRAINAGE, LANDSCAPE, AND

HABITAT MAINTENANCE

For maintenance of drainage, landscape, and habitat
areas, the County will need to determine whether existing County departments will be responsible or whether the
County will need to create a new department. Levels of
service will be guided by standards set forth in the UCP .

IMP 5.6 PARKS AND RECREATION

The County will be largely responsible for maintaining
parks and other facilities and sponsoring recreation
programs. However, there will be opportunities for
sharing facilities and programs with UC Merced and the
City.

IMP 5.7 LIBRARY

The County will bear the primary responsibility for
stafﬁng and maintaining library facilities in the UCP . The County may also participate in reciprocal borrowing and other programs with UC Merced.

IMP 5.8 SCHOOLS

The County will have to come to determine whether
the schools in the UCP area will be integrated in the
Merced area school districts or if they will form their own district. In any event, operations and maintenance will be provided by the governing district using a combination
of property tax and state funds, which are distributed on a per student basis.

The Merced City School District, the Weaver School
District, and the Merced Union High School District
currently are responsible for providing the K–12
T
he public services plan identiﬁes the parties
responsible for providing municipal services
to the University Community and their
participation as well as level of service standards. The County, City, and University will need to reach cooperative agreements that dictate how services are provided in both the short and long term. For example, in the early years of Campus and Community development, the Merced
County Fire Department may provide protection to both
the Community and UC Merced. As student enrollment
increases, however, the UC Merced may transition to
providing its own ﬁre protection on campus or may
provide joint services with the County throughout the
campus and UCP areas.

Services that will need to be deﬁned include:

IMP 5.1 PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

MANAGEMENT

Initially, planning and development management will be
provided by the County and informed by Memoranda of
Understanding (MOUs) between the County and City
of Merced. These MOUs will reﬂect the goals, objectives, and policies of each jurisdiction.

IMP 5.2 POLICE PROTECTION

Initially, the Merced County Sheriff will provide police protection to the University Community at the level
of service that is currently enjoyed elsewhere in the
unincorporated County. In future years, the level of
service may be modiﬁed as determined by the appropriate governing body.

IMP 5.3 FIRE PROTECTION

Initially, ﬁre protection will be provided by the Merced County Fire Department. The County and University will
need to come to agreement about service responsibilities as well as the possibility of providing reciprocal protection.

5.0 PUBLIC SERVICES PLAN
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173
educational programs, operations, and facilities for the future residents residing within the Community Plan. The formation of a new school district, or the annexation or de-annexation of property from one district to another, is subject to state statutory requirements and procedures. In any event, operations, maintenance, and facilities will be provided by the governing district using a combination of property tax revenues, state funds and operational grants, and other local public and private revenues, resources
and techniques. Operations, maintenance, and facilities shall be in accordance with the adopted and accepted
requirements and standards of the applicable school
districts providing service and facilities.

IMP 5.9 FISCAL ANALYSIS

A key component of the Public Services Plan will be an
analysis of the public costs and revenues associated with providing the services described above. In this regard, a Fiscal Analysis will be conducted as a part of the record during preparation and consideration of individual
Speciﬁc Plans to ensure that adequate revenues will be
available to fund these public services.

IMP 5.10 COMMUNITY EDUCATION

The County shall prepare and make information
available to inform residents and businesses within the University Community regarding its services, programs,
and key community issues. Representative of the range
of information that may be presented include: land use
zoning and development processes; development fees;
code compliance; property and building maintenance
and improvement techniques; ﬁnancial assistance and
affordable housing programs, public transportation; ride- sharing and other transportation demand management
programs; neighborhood trafﬁc calming techniques
and permit parking programs; status of infrastructure
improvements; energy conservation methods and
recycling programs; hazards and emergency response
procedures (wind, ﬁre, seismic, and ﬂooding); the
County’s agricultural industry and compatibility of
urban uses with these; natural resources and their value; educational and cultural events and venues; parks and
recreation, health and safety, and seniors and youth
programs; and access to government services and elected ofﬁcials. This information may be presented in ﬂyers
and newsletters that are distributed to households in the University Community, on the County or a Community
Web Page, and/or by cable television broadcasts.

IMP 5.11 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The County will develop or assist in the creation of a
public or non-proﬁt entity that focuses on promoting
economic development activities within the University
Community and related to UC Merced. This entity
will sponsor programs and efforts designed to attract
business sectors that enhance the University Community
environment and foster positive inter-relationships with UC Merced campus.

T
he Financing Strategy speciﬁes the sources and
uses of funds for the public improvements
described in the Public Improvement Plan.

The Financing Strategy is developed in part to ensure
that the Community Plan as a whole can be developed
in a ﬁnancially feasible manner given available private and public funding sources. In addition to a Financing
Strategy for the Community Plan as a whole, each
individual Speciﬁc Plan for the Community Plan sub-
areas will include a detailed Financing Plan, as required by state law and as speciﬁed above in the program addressing Speciﬁc Plan form and content.

Initial feasibility analysis conducted as a part of the UCP preparation indicates that development of the
Community can be ﬁnancially feasible, given expected
infrastructure costs and the ﬁnancial resources that will become available as development occurs. In general,
the Financing Strategy sets forth a “pay its own way”
approach consistent with the Merced County General
Plan and other development policies. Under this policy, the University Community will be expected, through one
mechanism or another, to fund infrastructure and services without any negative effect upon existing taxpayers or
ratepayers in other portions of the County.

The key steps in developing the Community Plan
Financing Strategy, as well as the more detailed Speciﬁc Plan Financing, are as follows:

6.0 FINANCING STRATEGY
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174
IMP 6.1 REFINE AND UPDATE PROJECT

DESCRIPTION AND COST

ESTIMATES

Before the individual funding mechanisms can be
implemented a clear and accurate project description,
including information about the cost, phasing, location, and amount of development planned for each land use
in must be assembled. Although baseline assumptions
have already been developed, the County and/or
Master Developer(s) will need to update and reﬁne
this information on an on-going and iterative basis.

Additional research on the exact location of planned
development as well as the characteristics of the various product types will need to be conducted. The timing of
infrastructure improvements will also need to be speciﬁed in further detail and linked to development priorities and absorption assumptions.

IMP 6.2 ASSEMBLE AND ASSESS FINANCIAL

RESOURCES

The various funding sources that might be utilized
to ﬁnance public improvements and facilities in the
University Community should be identiﬁed and assessed.

Factors to be considered include ease of implementation, reliability, availability, and timing. The overall logic of any potential ﬁnancing mechanism will need to be evaluated
and tested to ensure that it is sound and feasible given the perspective of the involved parties including the County, landowners, developers, and other agencies. The key
funding sources and mechanisms are likely to include the following:
 University Cost Sharing Agreement
 Speciﬁc Plan Fees
 Development Agreement/Map Conditions
 Special District Financing
 Mello-Roos Community Facilities District(s)
 Area Development Impact Fees
 Existing County Fees
 Other County Funding
 Other Local Agency Funding
 Other State/Federal Funds
IMP 6.3 DEFINE INPUT AND PARTICIPATION

OF KEY STAKEHOLDERS

Input and participation from the key stakeholders
associated with ﬁnancing the University Community
infrastructure development, including the Master
Developer(s), the County, the University, and other public agencies should be solicited and their respective roles deﬁned. For example, where appropriate, their position
regarding the infrastructure costs, cost allocation, and proposed phasing should be solicited and commitments
established. Such consultation with interested parties
will help secure necessary funding and equity and allow subsequent implementation steps to take place with more efﬁciency.

IMP 6.4 IMPLEMENT FINANCING

MECHANISMS AND SECURE

FUNDING

Based on the analysis described above a preferred
Financing Strategy will need to be deﬁned. Implementing this Financing Strategy will require that the County or other applicable governing entities establish ﬁnancing
districts and other funding arrangements and conduct
negotiations with regulatory agencies. In addition,
in many cases state, federal, and local funding sources will require legislative approval. A strategic approach to these institutional requirements will be needed, wherein individual activities and negotiations are coordinated
to ensure that the most advantageous outcome for the
County, landowners/developers, University, and other
stakeholders is achieved.

Speciﬁc actions that may be undertaken include the
establishment of a land-secured ﬁnancing district (e.g.

Mello-Roos District), approval of a general obligation
bond, or adoption of a development impact fee ordinance.

In most cases, supporting technical and ﬁnancial
documents will need to be assembled and required
institutional actions taken, including voter approval by affected landowners.

City Council/Public Finance and Economic Development Authority/Parking AuthorityJune 3, 2024

City Council/Public Finance and Economic Development Authority/Parking Authority
June 3, 2024