Backgrounder: New Campus Plan Commits To Sustainable Growth

NATURAL AND LANDSCAPED OPEN SPACES

The draft plan commits UVic to protecting and restoring identified natural areas on campus. Among the 18 policy recommendations in this section are:

• a moratorium for 10 years on any form of development in identified natural areas outside Ring Rd. (South Woods, Garry Oak Meadow, Bowker Creek wetlands, University Gardens).
• a 10-year freeze on Cunningham Woods as identified in the plan.
• plans, implementation activities, and monitoring programs to steward natural areas back to health.
• environmental studies as an integral part of planning and designing new buildings and facilities
• increased use of drought-tolerant native plants, shrubs and trees

LAND AND BUILDINGS

The draft plan provides for carefully managed development, employing "smart growth" principles and practices. There are 30 policy recommendations in this section, including:

• striving to ensure the integration of academic priorities, compact development, and principle of sustainability into all new facilities
• respecting provincial environmental guidelines and national or international environmental rating systems in decisions about building sites, development, design and materials
• incorporating environmental sustainability features into the site and design of new facilities (minimizing erosion, sedimentation, and water and energy use, increasing the use of recycled building materials, and reducing the use of non-renewable resources)
• continuing to support sustainable practices such as resource conservation, waste reduction, energy use, water management and drainage, and reporting and enforcement mechanisms
• giving consideration to smaller building footprints
• maintaining a compact campus by the use of specific building sites within or near Ring Rd. This includes using lawn areas and parking lots and redeveloping small lower scale buildings.
• exploring the potential of the area at Finnerty and Ring Rds as a Village Centre. This would involve both infill and new development to create a mix of small shops, services, recreation and entertainment facilities, meeting rooms and eating areas. It will be sensitive to the types of shops and services in nearby shopping areas.
• developing a master plan for use of the university-owned CJVI property on Cedar Hill Cross Rd.. Potential uses include academic expansion, faculty and student housing, sports and recreational facilities, parking and other special opportunities.

TRAVEL AND PARKING

The goal of this section of the draft plan is to reduce motor vehicle traffic to campus and encourage increased use of public transit, cycling and walking. Its 14 policy recommendations include:

• completing a comprehensive transportation demand management (TDM) study with community representatives and implementing strategies that will reduce single occupant vehicle (SOV) use. The strategies will include both disincentives for SOV use and incentives to use high occupancy vehicles and alternative modes of travel.
• continuing to work with BC Transit and user groups to better define campus access patterns and encourage the increased use of public transit
• providing safe and weather-protected storage areas for bicycles near showers and change facilities
• continuing the practice of purchasing bicycles for on-campus use by staff
• phasing out vehicle parking within Ring Rd. and replacing the approximately 500 lost spaces with a combination of strategies including parking decks or multi-storey parkades on existing surface lots, and satellite parking with a shuttle bus.
• developing a parking plan to provide for the more efficient use of existing parking lots through measures such as valet-type parking, a lottery system and remote parking for campus residents, and a commuter student only lot.

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DRAFT CAMPUS PLAN ACTION STEPS

Adoption of the March 2003 draft campus plan by UVic's board of governors will be just the beginning of the new approaches to managing growth on campus. A variety of actions is required to implement the vision of the plan. Within six months of its adoption, the university's executive (president and vice presidents) will recommend the prioritizing and timing of the required action steps.

The 29 action steps include:

Consultation

• Regular meetings with neighbourhood associations to provide an update on planning and design initiatives.
• Collaborative processes within the university community and with neighbours and other interested parties on substantive planning projects.
• Identifying the process to review the future status of the natural areas under development moratorium.
• Regular meetings with Oak Bay and Saanich Councils and staff to discuss issues of mutual interest and provide an opportunity for municipalities to become involved in substantive physical planning.
• A review of the role and structure of the Campus Development Committee, the 25-member body which advises the president on planning matters.

Natural and Landscaped Open Space

• Further environmental studies on identified natural areas to identify all components of a maintenance and restoration strategy and complete an ecological inventory and map of the campus.
• Implement and monitor restoration projects to steward natural areas to better health and replace invasive flora with native, drought-tolerant plants. Outline how to involve community volunteers in these projects.
• Engage environmental specialists to undertake impact studies during the planning and design of new buildings and facilities.
• Undertake further planning for outdoor recreation areas.

Lands and Buildings

• Prepare a five-year capital plan that identifies major capital projects required to meet program needs.
• Work with Oak Bay and Saanich to finalize future arrangements for physical infrastructure and protective services.
• Undertake a study of the need for on-campus housing for faculty.
• Undertake a planning and design study for a Village Centre.
• Undertake a master plan for the university-owned CJVI property on Cedar Hill Cross Rd.
• Provide increased resources to the university's Sustainability Co-ordinator.
• Review sustainability policies with particular attention to resource conservation, waste reduction, energy use, water management and drainage, and reporting and enforcement mechanisms.
• Prepare a progress report every three years on the implementation of the recommendations.

Travel and Parking

• Work with BC Transit and user groups to encourage increased use of public transit. Provide a progress report every two years.
• Complete and implement a plan based on the Transportation Demand Management study. Provide annual progress reports.
• Undertake a comprehensive way-finding strategy for campus visitors and the university community.
• Undertake a study of traffic options for Ring Rd.
• Phase out vehicle parking within Ring Rd. and replace it with decks or parkades on existing lots outside Ring Rd.
• Provide additional weather protected storage for bicycles.
• Prepare a long term parking plan, including a management strategy to improve the efficiency of existing parking lots.