UC Davis asks residents opinion for research center plans

University of California, Davis, officials want residents to take a look at two ways it may spend $13.5 million to build a research center near the shores of Tahoe City.

Both proposals would convert the old fish hatchery, where the university has conducted its work since 1975, into an environmental education center.

The proposals differ in where they want the center to go. After years of searching, planners have come up with two sites that will be discussed Wednesday at meeting of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.

They are:

-- Five acres of state parks land within Lake Forest Village. The parcel is south of Lake Forest Road and meets the shore of Lake Tahoe midway between Burton Creek and Dollar Point.

-- About 5 acres next to the old hatchery. The parcel is part of a campground managed by the Tahoe City Public Utility District and is considered by TRPA to be sensitive stream land. It is just south of the state parks land.

In June, Assemblyman Tim Leslie, R-Tahoe City, called the proposal to build on state lands hypocritical. He said the lands were meant for recreation. Soon afterward, comments from the TRPA and the public persuaded UC Davis to embark on an in-depth environmental impact analysis report, comparing both properties. It is expected to be released this spring.

Prior to going full bore on an environmental impact statement, planners reworked their initial analysis in an effort to compare the properties.

"Doing this one, we looked at both sites together and compared them," said Sid England, environmental planner at UC Davis.

If the research center is built on the state land, it would contain 13,500 square feet, provide 35 parking spaces, and involve realignment of a hiking trail and construction of a water line.

Currently, just over 3,000 square feet of land is covered by the Tahoe Christian Center driveway and paths and a trail that leads to Lake Tahoe.

If the research center is built next to the old hatchery it would contain 9,500 square feet, provide 20 parking spaces, and require construction of a driveway. It would also involve extensive wetland restoration work.

Money for the project, which could begin construction in May 2004, was raised through private donations, according to England.

The latest environmental analysis can be read at www.ormp.ucdavis.edu/environreview. Public comments are due by 5 p.m. March 3.

Comments can be e-mailed to environreview@ucdavis.edu or mailed to John A. Meyer, Vice Chancellor - Resource Management and Planning, University of California, One Shields Ave., 376 Mark Hall, Davis, Calif., 95616.

IF YOU GO

What: Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Advisory Planning Commission

Where: North Tahoe Community Conference Center, Kings Beach

When: 9:30 a.m. Wednesday

Why: Discussion of and public comment about the number of allocations this year; decreases in the Individual Parcel Evaluations System lines of El Dorado and Douglas counties; and a $13.5 million research center to be built near the lake for UC Davis.