Campus & community, Campus news

Christ launches effort to update Berkeley's development plan

By Public Affairs

Chancellor Carol Christ issued the following message today :

To the Berkeley Campus Community

Now that we have completed our first, new Strategic Plan in 16 years, the campus is ready to take the next, necessary step to turn its aspirations into physical reality by updating our Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) and creating a new Campus Master Plan .

Updating the LRDP and creating a new Campus Master Plan at the same time will expedite and make more efficient the multiyear process required for each effort, and will ensure critical alignment between the plans’ visions for the future of UC Berkeley.

Similar to a city’s general plan, every University of California campus has an LRDP which is updated at key points in time. After nearly 15 years, the time has come to update Berkeley’s LRDP so it is consistent with and supportive of our Strategic Plan, as well as key campus priorities such as housing, energy efficiency, accessibility, mobility, seismic remediation, and deferred maintenance.

Our LRDP is not a mandate for growth nor does it include plans for specific projects. Rather, it is a forward-looking planning guide for managing resources, land use, transportation systems, and open space. A comprehensive analysis of anticipated environmental impacts of future development is an important part of the LRDP process that will also include extensive dialogue with the City of Berkeley about the extent and significance of those impacts, as well as their mitigation.

Our Campus Master Plan, last updated in 2003, will propose innovative projects and initiatives to achieve our strategic goals. From new buildings, renovations, and infrastructure improvements, the Campus Master Plan considers changes in technology, new methods of instruction, and new modes of mobility, and how they can be incorporated into our Berkeley campus. The Campus Master Plan ensures that near-term development is aligned with strategic long-term plans and goals for the campus as outlined in the LRDP.

The choices made in the LRDP and Campus Master Plan will affect the entire Berkeley community, on campus and beyond. The work plan for both projects will be guided by an Advisory Group comprised of senior campus leaders, and a Working Group with representatives from staff, faculty, and current students. Additionally, subject-specific working groups will be formed to address key issues such as academic and research needs, housing, safety, and infrastructure, among others.

During this multiyear process, there will also be several campus- and community-wide town halls and surveys. To learn more about the process and objectives for our LRDP and Campus Master Plan, I invite you to participate in the first of these town halls with me on Wednesday, April 24, at noon, and on Monday, April 29, at 6:30 p.m. Both town halls will be held in the Pauley Ballroom at the MLK Jr. Student Union. Details are available on the websites for the Long Range Development Plan and the Campus Master Plan processes. I invite you to visit these sites regularly for updates and upcoming opportunities to participate. We plan on holding a town hall for the broader community in the fall of 2019, and will share timing and location details in the late summer.

The first survey is also now available and I encourage everyone to take a few minutes to give us your perspectives on some introductory questions that will guide our future work on these plans.

This is an exciting time for Berkeley as we envision our next decade and continued excellence as the preeminent public research university in California – and the world. Fiat Lux!

Sincerely,

Carol Christ
Chancellor