COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIP
UC Santa Cruz is a significant element of both the city and the county of Santa Cruz. In 1987 the campus was the largest employer in the county, and students, faculty, and staff constituted approximately 8 percent of the working-age population of the county. In addition, students constituted the largest group of users of the Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit system.
The total acreage of the UC Santa Cruz campus is roughly equivalent to one-third of the total area of the city. Approximately 1,073 acres of the UC Santa Cruz campus are within the Santa Cruz city limits, while the remaining 928 acres of campus land are in the unincorporated area of the county. Of campus acreage outside the city, approximately 245 acres west of Empire Grade are in the Coastal Zone and therefore under the jurisdiction of the California Coastal Commission.
Because the University is a State agency, its planning decisions are governed by State law rather than by local regulations. Within this framework, and in view of the campus' importance to the Santa Cruz community, the University recognizes its responsibilities to the local community both as a public institution and as a good neighbor. The campus is committed to the enhancement of the cultural, educational, recreational, and social resources of the entire Santa Cruz community. Furthermore, the University is committed to preparing for the impacts of LRDP-related development by anticipating resultant infrastructure and housing needs, and will will address with sensitivity and care the significant environmental effects of its growth and development. The University is also committed to working cooperatively with the City and County of Santa Cruz and other governmental agencies, as appropriate, to plan for the timely installation of infrastructure services provided by the community to the expanding campus. The commitment to cooperative planning has been evidenced by the process under which this LRDP was developed.