The University of ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Board of Regents today accepted a conceptual land use assessment study for the ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥-Boulder South campus, concluding a three-month process of seeking feedback and input from university constituents, including the public, on the general concepts for land use on the 308-acre site.
The conceptual land use assessment for the entire ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥-Boulder South property was contracted to Shapins Associates of Boulder in order to identify potential for building and outdoor uses including locations for the ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥-Boulder South athletic and recreational facilities that are expected to occupy about 75 acres.
The concept of using ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥-Boulder South for athletic and recreational facilities has been approved by the ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Commission on Higher Education (CCHE), as outlined in the current Campus Master Plan.
Paul Tabolt, vice chancellor for administration and Jeff Lipton, executive director of facilities management, presented the conceptual land use assessment to the Regents' Capital Planning Committee yesterday. The map shows 127.7 acres for building potential, 45.2 acres for flood storage, 32 acres that could be either flood water storage or buildings or some combination of the two, 81.5 acres for natural areas, 10.4 acres for ponds, 2.7 acres for a potential parkway, and 2.8 acres for roads.
The university has agreed to create low areas where floodwater could be stored in the event of a flood on South Boulder Creek and where athletic and recreational fields could be co-located. If such flood storage areas are built, flooding danger to properties downstream will be decreased.
"The university fully intends to be responsive to the flood safety issues affecting Boulder citizens while protecting our investment in the property," Lipton said at the committee meeting.
"Right now we are only planning to develop a portion of this property for athletic and recreational use," said Lipton. "But in order to best locate the initial sports facilities, we needed to map out the entire property to determine where athletic and recreational uses should best be located, where flood storage should be designated and what areas are potentially usable as building sites in the future."
The map incorporates wetlands as required. Protection of the sporanthes orchid, which is present in very small numbers on the property, also is addressed.
The land use assessment has been reviewed by the Boulder Campus Planning Commission, the University Design Review Board, the ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Real Estate Council, the Chancellor's Executive Committee, City of Boulder and Boulder County staff, the Chancellor's Community Advisory Council, the Boulder Economic Council, members of the Boulder City Council, Boulder County Commissioners, the Boulder Faculty Assembly Executive Committee, the Regents Capital Planning Committee, and the public at an open house.