Trustees OK Master Plan for Pierce College Farm

The Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees approved a master plan Wednesday for Pierce College that would bring privately financed senior citizens’ housing and biotechnology labs to the Woodland Hills campus while retaining much of its rustic flavor.

The master plan, a compilation of ideas from faculty and community members, includes an improved equestrian center, a football stadium where Cal State Northridge may play for two years and new buildings for agricultural sciences and nursing.

Presented by Pierce President Darroch “Rocky” Young, the plan calls for developing about half of the campus’ 450 acres of open space while leaving the remainder in its natural state.

The master plan’s unanimous approval by trustees promised an end to a long-running debate over the fate of the Pierce College farm--one of the last undeveloped parcels in the west San Fernando Valley, land that officials once considered selling or turning into a golf course.

“I think today is an historical moment when we put to rest what I have come to know as a 40-year conflict over the land use at the college,” Young told trustees. “That has been the most dysfunctional part of the institution.”

A portion of the Pierce expansion would be paid through a $1-billion bond the community college district plans to put before voters in April. If the bond is approved, $160 million would be spent on the Pierce project. If not, the school would have to find other public and private funding sources for the project, which does not yet have a total price tag, Young said.

*

Woodland Hills residents at the Wednesday board meeting questioned allowing private companies to fund college buildings and operate in them.

“We think it is not in the interest of any school to have corporate entities running businesses or leasing property [on campus],” said Gordon Murley, president of the Woodland Hills Homeowners Organization. “If they wanted to donate the money, as they do to the [University of California], that would be perfectly fine.”

Another member of the homeowners group, Sandy Enfield, said although Young had met with various community groups, the plan submitted Wednesday reflects little input from the community.

The community meetings “were primarily window dressing,” she said.

In making its decision, the board relied on a packet of about 30 support letters from officials, such as Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks); business groups, such as the Valley Industrial and Commercial Alliance; and area residents.

Young said construction of biotechnology laboratories would be paid for by private research and development companies and operated in conjunction with science course work.

He would not identify the firms considering investing in the project, but one of the support letters presented to the trustees Wednesday was written by a Mark Stowers, vice president of VivoRx, a Santa Monica medical biotech firm.

In his letter, Stowers said he serves on the board of directors of the Foundation for Pierce College.

Young said development will not diminish the campus’ agricultural roots.

“While I do respect our heritage, I do not want to be enslaved by it,” Young told the trustees.

City Councilwoman Laura Chick, whose district includes Woodland Hills, said in a letter to trustees that she liked the plan because it took into consideration surrounding areas and the future of Valley development.

“Over the years, there have been many proposals for the campus’ open space, but this is the first one that encourages the college to view its agricultural land use as a unique asset, not as a real estate development community,” Chick wrote.

*

An earlier plan for a golf course on the farm was dropped after vigorous protests from West Valley residents. Campus officials considered selling the prime property, which overlooks the Warner Center, for more than $500 million, Pierce spokesman Mike Cornner said.

According to the plan, a private developer would build the senior housing, where older students returning to college could live.

Pierce is in discussions with Cal State Northridge for the university to use the community college stadium until CSUN builds its own permanent home for its football team.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Pierce College Proposal

The Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees approved a master plan on Wednesday that preserves some of the cherished farm at Pierce College, but allows development of more than 200 acres for various uses.

Source: Sasaki Associates