Phase 2 Plan full draft - Blue Oak Ranch Reserve

Transcription

B
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U C B e r k e l e y, O f fice of the Vice-Chancellor for Research
DRAFT - 12/18/2008
PHASE 2 FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE
MICHAEL HAMILTON, RESERVE DIRECTOR
JEFF WILCOX, RESERVE STEWARD
TODD DAWSON, FACULTY RESERVE DIRECTOR
ANN JEFFREY, ASSISTANT VICE CHANCELLOR FOR RESEARCH
2 3 1 0 0 A l u m R o c k F a l l s R o a d • t e l e p h o n e : 4 2 4 - 7 0 4 - 5 9 0 8 • w w w. b l u e o a k r a n c h r e s e r v e . o r g / p l a n /
Draft 12/18/2008
Table of Contents
Summary
1
Background
2
Environmental and Ecological Constraints
6
Site Plan
9
Overview of Facilities and Infrastructure
12
Proposed Facilities
15
Proposed Infrastructure
21
Construction, Monitoring and Restoration
25
Intended Uses and Benefits
26
Preliminary Budget
28
Appendices
29
U C B e r k e l e y B l u e O a k R a n c h R e s e r v e
Phase 2 Facilities and Infrastructure
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Summary
Sustainable Science in the Natural Landscape
There is an increasing imperative for biological field stations and marine laboratories to be long-term, stable operations that produce top-quality research without adversely affecting the environment (OBFS, 2009). Building facilities
for a biological field station in a preserved habitat creates a unique contradiction of ideas. Research must take place
in a natural environment where scientists can analyze flora and fauna without the influences of humans, but constructing a new building on a reserve will inevitably alter the habitat.
Therefore, incorporating sustainable design and construction practices is crucial for our reserves. Through proper
planning, the location of facilities and infrastructure can minimally impact areas of research. Careful construction
practices, such as properly removing waste, controlling run-off, and educating contractors on the importance of
minimal impact can leave the site as untouched as possible by the end of the process. Finally, by wisely using the
land, a biological field station can retain its most precious resource: the habitat being studied. Through all these
means, field stations can remain consistent with the needs of the scientists.
Environmental and Ecological Considerations
The ecology and biodiversity of the Blue Oak Ranch Reserve spans a diverse assemblage of blue and valley oak
woodlands, native grasslands, chaparral and coastal sage scrub, pond and stream riparian wetlands, and associated
habitats for several rare and endangered species. Considered by The Nature Conservancy and conservation scientists
as some of the most imperiled ecosystems and species in California, it is crucial that our proposed development
minimize negative environmental impacts in the short and long term, with the added benefit that we can impart an
enlightened ecological ethic upon the students, faculty and public that will use this Reserve and its unique facilities
for years to come.
California Tiger Salamander
Western Pond Turtle
Valley Oak Woodland
Proposed Facilities and Infrastructure
This proposal describes a strategy for developing facilities and infrastructure that will support world class ecological
and environmental research and teaching at our newest Natural Reserve in a low cost and least impact manner.
Chancellor Birgeneau has made a commitment to UC Berkeley leading the nation’s academic institutions in sustainability, and he and our UC faculty have encouraged us to seize this opportunity made available through Proposition
84 funds to develop buildings and support systems at Blue Oak Ranch Reserve that meet and exceed this standard.
Our plan encompasses siting criteria based on detailed biological inventory, a comprehensive range of green design
principles for short and long-term living and work spaces tailored to the needs of field biologists, with a much reduced carbon footprint, advanced water conservation and waste recycling, solar and wind energy harvesting, and
embedded digital monitoring and control systems.
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Background
The Blue Oak Trust and The Nature Conservancy Mount Hamilton Project
The land that is now Blue Oak Ranch Reserve, is situated seven miles due east of San Jose above Alum Rock Park, on
the west slope of Mount Hamilton (Copernicus Peak), the second highest point in the Diablo Range, and within line
of site of the famous University of California Lick Observatory. Historically a part of the Spanish land grant called
Rancho Canada de Pala, and later owned by noted conservationist Joseph Grant, the property continued in private
ownership through several hands as a working cattle ranch until it was acquired in the 1970’s by a development
group that intended to subdivide it for vineyards, a reservoir and residential housing. Fortunately, due to geological
and archaeological constraints, the 3,260 acre property could not be approved for development, and so the Blue Oak
Trust, a conservation buyer, stepped in and acquired the land in 1990. Working with The Nature Conservancy, they
entered into an innovative conservation easement agreement by 2000, and as such became a major contributor to the
California Field Office’s Mount Hamilton campaign to preserve open space in the Mount Hamilton Range. The campaign, now in its 10th year, is working towards protecting as open space up to 500,000 acres in the 1.2 million acre
region surrounding Mt. Hamilton (TNC website, 2008). To date they have purchased land or acquired the development rights for more than 100,000 acres. The conservation easement on BORR restricts new development to a 10 acre
footprint, and permits only wilderness compatible activities on the majority of the Ranch. See Appendix___.
The 36th UC Natural Reserve
Following nearly two years of negotiations with the UC Natural Reserve System’s Systemwide Office, the Blue Oak
Ranch Trust transferred their ownership of the Ranch to the Regents of the University of California, on December 1,
2007, for the purpose of creating the 36th reserve in the Universities' world renowned Natural Reserve System. The
University accepted the terms of the Conservation Easement, with minor clarification, and entered into an open space
agreement with the County of Santa Clara. An anonymous donor provided start up and endowment funds that will
ensure the NRS, and UC Berkeley as the administering campus, will be able to indefinitely operate Blue Oak Ranch
Reserve. As the newest NRS Reserve, Blue Oak Ranch Reserve is now at the beginning of its legacy for field research. While the property has never officially operated as a coordinated field study site as have the other NRS reserves, it
does nonetheless have an extensive amount of information and data collected by academic scientists and land managers over the years, resulting in very complete biotic inventories, surveys of invasive species, rare and endangered
species surveys and studies, soil surveys, archeological sites, mapped GIS layers, and complete history of land uses.
Past and ongoing resource management activities are well documented including feral pig removal, aquatic habitat
restoration, prescribed burns, and invasive plant removal.
Adjacent and nearby parks and protected open
UCO/Lick Observatory on Mt Hamilton
Streams and drainage basins within the Reserve
space
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Proposition 84
At the time of the negotiations with the University, Resources Law Group, the legal representative of the Blue Oak
Trust collaborated in crafting elements of California Ballot Proposition 84 - The Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality
and Supply, Flood Control, and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006 - an initiative that was presented to the voters in
November 2006, passing with a 53% majority. Within this omnibus legislation, Resources Law Group included
$25,000,000 in matching funds made available specifically for the UC Natural Reserves to finance land acquisition
and “bricks and mortar” - facilities and infrastructure, funds that to date have been rare to acquire through the UC
general budget or external grants. Individual reserves are now eligible for up to $5,000,000, once the campus can
demonstrate a suitable match that can include land, cash or in-kind contributions. Conveniently, given the value of
the land, combined with the start-up and endowment funds granted to the University by Blue Oak Trust, we are
working with a proposed budget at the maximum amount. This new grant program is now administered through the
California Wildlife Conservation Board, working with the UC Natural Reserve System and the UC Office of the
President.
Principles for the Sustainable Design of Field Stations
As we have mentioned in our summary, there is an increasing imperative for biological field stations to be long-term,
stable operations that produce top-quality research without negatively affecting the environment. Regardless of
where they are located, facilities that use less energy, that reduce water use, that occupy a smaller footprint of the
overall extent of the research areas, that require less maintenance --promote sustainability -- both economically as
they cost less to run, and environmentally, as they do less harm. Green facility design and clean technologies are two
umbrella growth industries that are booming even in these rough economic times, and California and its academic
institutions are at the heart of this innovation. Standard practices for sustainable building design and construction are
maturing thanks to organizations such as the U.S. Green Building Council, who have developed LEED, The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, which encourages and accelerates
global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of
universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria. This rating system spans a range of applications
and end uses from new construction through renovation, from homes to schools to retail, and entire neighborhoods.
While a LEED rating specifically for Field Stations has yet to be adopted, the National Science Foundation funded the
Organization of Biological Field Stations to develop a document with guidelines for field stations. Titled “Guidelines
for the Sustainable Design of Field Stations”, the final report will be available for download in early 2009 from the
OBFS website.
From this report a series of design objectives and recommendations are identified:
1) Programming - define the particular uses, multi-use, sleeping, outdoor, storm shelters, and wildfire issues
2) Appropriate Site Selection - build on higher elevation, build away from tall trees and grass, build on a south facing slope, build on a flat site, minimize site disturbance
3) Efficient Envelope Size - comply with building codes at a minimum, super insulate, avoid exposure to east and
west, avoid large windows
4) Energy Efficiency/ Cooling Load Reduction - reduce solar loads, reduce transmitted loads, reduce internal heat
gains, reduce outdoor air loads, night purge, evaporative cooling, natural ventilation, and power ventilation
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5) Energy Efficiency/ Heating Load Reduction - reduce transmitted loads, reduce outdoor air loads, passive solar
heating,
6) Efficient HVAC Design / Systems Selection & Operation - fuel types, central sources of heating, central sources of
cooling, heat recovery, systems of partial occupancy, automated control, location of outdoor equipment
7) Energy Efficiency/ Daylighting - north and south exposures, proper size of aperture, illumination level, light
shelves, room design, control systems, glass type
8) Energy Efficiency/ Electric Lighting Design - use high efficacy lamp types, use high efficiency light fixtures, paint
walls and ceilings light colors, regular maintenance outdoor lighting, automated control
9) On-Site Power Generation - photovoltaic solar panels, wind turbines, hybrid systems, hydropower, geothermal,
energy storage, backup electricity generation
10) Water Conservation/ Water Supply - durability, fire protection water reserve, low flow plumbing fixtures, hot
water systems, grey water use, rain water collection, reuse of storm water, water efficient landscaping
11) Sanitary Systems/ Off-Grid Systems - septic systems, composting and incineration toilets
12) Materials and Product Selection - resource efficient materials, indoor air quality, green purchasing
13) Waste Management - organic waste, inorganic waste, sorting the waste
14) On-Site Transportation - rechargeable electric field vehicles
15) Rating Systems - LEED, Green Globes, SPIRIT, AIA, ASHRAE, DOE, Rocky Mountain Institute
16) Design Decisions based on LCC Analysis - Life Cycle Costing
In our planning we considered the report’s recommendations and included additional criteria based upon a comprehensive literature review and real world experiences from case studies at other field stations with award-winning
green buildings, including the Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve’s Leslie Shao-ming Sun Field Station, and the Black
Rock Forest Consortium’s two green buildings, the Science and Education Center, and the Forest Lodge. We have also
interviewed the principals at numerous local industries and start-ups that are leading the way towards innovation in
these fields. The recent West Coast Green Conference held in San Jose was particularly important for informing us of
some of the latest green building materials and systems, and clean technologies, that have just reached or will soon be
on the marketplace. Finally, our own experience from developing and operating off the grid NRS reserves, and adapting to the evolving needs of our users for the past three decades, have led to our selection of design criteria and facility and infrastructure elements in this proposal.
Architecture and General Contracting
Our project will require a design team that is willing and committed to a unique task. The selected architect must
show strong experience in designing sustainable housing that are off the grid, as well as understanding of unique
ecological constraints to building in a sensitive natural environment. In discussion with the Director’s of Jasper Ridge
Biological Preserve and Black Rock Forest Consortium, they went with award-winning green designers, architects
and engineers. Indeed, of paramount importance to a successful design is for university representatives we interact
with be knowledgeable and committed to design a sustainable field station, and proactive for environmental sustainability as a whole. Besides our reserve staff (who are quite passionate and knowledgeable) we propose a working
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committee of faculty and student experts, working with Capital Projects and the Office of Sustainability, to participate
in the design phase. Choosing an architecture team as well as the general contractor will need to be exacting. We
highly recommend performance based contracts given the unique nature of the systems and the expectation that the
ultimate functionality will determine the degree to which our project qualifies for its LEED rating, and their performance in the real world. Ideally, contractors must show demonstrated experience with sustainable building elements,
familiarity with vendors and willingness to incorporate unique and experimental elements. It may also be prudent,
should the budget allow, to have third party commissioning starting with plans, through construction and through
the first year of occupancy. This might be an ideal opportunity to involve students and faculty from our campus Center for Environmental Design Research, the Green Building Research Center, and CITRIS.
Campus Planning and Timeline
While not particularly onerous, the steps to procure Proposition 84 funding through the Wildlife Conservation Board
(WCB) do require campus Sponsored Programs, followed by NRS systemwide approval, prior to WCB staff review,
and then final approval at a full WCB board meeting (held quarterly). To date, only a handful of projects have been
considered, although an increasing number of them are currently in the pipeline, so we hope to learn from their experiences over the next few months. Fortunately, the first approved project was a proposal submitted by our campus for
the Hastings Reserve, and while its not of the same scale and complexity as this one, it does contain some similar
elements.
Checklist for approvals (proposed approval date)
1) Campus Capital Projects review, identify CEQA requirements - early January 2009
2) Campus Sponsored Programs submits proposal to UC NRS Systemwide Office - January 2009
3) Ad Hoc Bond Act subcommittee of the University-wide Natural Reserve System Advisory Committee, and The
Regents of the University of California (or its delegate) as necessary - February 2009
4) Wildlife Conservation Board approval, meetings held quarterly in February, May, August and November - May
2009
5) Project award - June-August 2009
6) Initiate CEQA process and project scoping, solicitation for architectural bids, approve well drilling contract August 2009
7) Project period August 2009 - June 2011
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Environmental and Ecological Constraints
TNC and Santa Clara County Conservation Easement
The Grant Deed of Conservation Easement for the Blue Oak Ranch was recorded at the Office of Recorder, County of
Santa Clara, San Jose, California on December 28, 2000. The purpose of this Conservation Easement is to preserve
and protect in perpetuity:
a) the Property from development;
b) the conservation and habitat values of the Property for relatively natural habitat of fish, wildlife, and plants, and
similar ecosystems, such as communities of valley oak woodlands and savannas, blue oak woodlands, native grasslands, riparian forests, intermittent and perennial streams, ponds and lakes and the species dependent on those
communities, such as western pond turtles, yellow-legged frogs, red-legged frogs, California tiger salamanders, neotropical migratory birds, and others, including the processes which sustain the communities;
c) the value of the Property as a corridor for these species and communities which they value also enhances the ecological value of the adjacent Joseph Grant County Park;
d) the wilderness qualities of the Property; and
e) the Property as a large contiguous wild and undisturbed habitat, which has important public benefits that are consistent with the availability of the Property for conservation and habitat.
The Easement delineates two zones of use, the “Wilderness Zone”, and the “Compatible Use Zone”, which will be
discussed in more detail in the next section. Allowable activities in these zones are specified within the Grant Deed of
Conservation Easement as well as the University letter agreement with The Nature Conservancy, dated May 10th,
2006 and included as Appendix ___. These documents constitute a negotiated management plan for how the University will operate and manage the teaching, research and stewardship activities at Blue Oak Ranch Reserve. All new
permanent facilities are to be located within the Compatible Use Zone, with an overall limit of 10 acres for construction. The agreement allows for the 10 acres to be divided into several smaller units, thereby facilitating adding to existing infrastructure rather than breaking entirely new ground. In addition, the agreement provides for up to 11,300
ft2 of new building footprint, which combined with the existing Cedar Barn and White Cabin will bring the total
maximum facilities development, excluding parking, to approximately 20,000 ft2.
Siting Constraints and Land Use
The Compatible Use Zone was delineated as an area of Blue Oak Ranch Reserve where, owing to past agricultural
land use practices (pre-existing structures, farming, and cattle grazing) and more recent developments (construction
of The Cedar Barn, Big Lake improvements), a wider range of reserve uses and activities would be allowed, including
a limited amount of disturbance and excavation of the soils, minor stream diversions, and vegetation manipulation
for research and stewardship purposes. Planned facilities and supporting infrastructure are allowed in this zone. In
contrast, the Wilderness Zone defines a majority of the reserve where the impacts of research and teaching activities
will be minimized in order to preserve organisms and habitats in as natural a state as possible. Certain stewardship
activities are allowed within both zones, including prescribed fire, ecological grazing, invasive plant and animal
eradication, fencing for pigs, and existing road and trail maintenance. Portable research instrumentation including
lightweight towers without foundations, weather stations, and solar power supplies are specifically allowed under
the UC/TNC agreement.
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Detailed inventory of geology, archeological sites, soil types, hydrological features, plant communities, wildlife habitats , overall biodiversity, and rare and endangered species have been ongoing over the course of the past 15 years,
providing an unusually detailed analysis with which to consult for purposes of optimal siting of new facilities. For
the past 12 years, Jeff Wilcox, working for the prior owner of Blue Oak Ranch conducted extensive resource management activities to eliminate non-native fishes and bullfrogs from the reserve’s livestock ponds and lake, pig fencing,
and hunting of feral pigs, all of which have resulted in a remarkable recovery in the habitat and reproductive success
of native amphibians, including the California tiger salamander (CTS), Ambystoma californiense, a state Species of
Concern, and Federally listed Threatened species. For the first time in many years, the California red-legged frog,
Rana aurora draytonii, a Federally listed Threatened species, has returned after 8 years and is now reproducing in one
of the reserve’s ponds. Other species of concern that appear to be recovering include the Western pond turtle, Actinemys marmorata, and Foothill yellow-legged frog, Rana boylii.
Within the general area of the proposed project, there are two registered archeological sites, and one livestock pond
that supports breeding for the California tiger salamander. All three of these elements are avoided in our site plan,
however CTS are fossorial as adults, dispersing from their breeding sites and living in rodent burrows throughout the
Reserve. Care must be taken to provide biological monitoring during any grading and excavating to identify potential habitat, and watch for individuals. The same is true for archaeology, as there is often little ground surface evidence for a new site, particularly if there is a cover of vegetation.
Amphibian breeding site at Barn Pond
Registered archaeological sites near Cedar Barn
Compatible Use Zone (green) and
Wilderness Zone (red)
CEQA
The University, as Lead Agency for each project, will prepare and file the CEQA documentation. WCB is a Responsible Agency for each project. For projects that the University and WCB determine (based on review of the project proposal) are Exempt from CEQA, WCB can fund the entire project (design and construction) at one Board meeting.
Once the Board approves the project, WCB will issue a Notice to Proceed. If WCB feels that the project (1) is in an
early conceptual phase, and (2) has a large total cost in the range of over $2 to 3 million, WCB may fund the project in
phases. The first Board approval would be for the cost of design, CEQA, and/or all permits (a match would be requested on these costs), and the second Board approval would be for construction dollars. In no case can the Board
approve a non-exempt CEQA project for funding until it has reviewed and developed CEQA “findings of fact,” as a
Responsible Agency for the project. After the Board approves the project and the “findings,” a Notice of DeterminaU C B e r k e l e y B l u e O a k R a n c h R e s e r v e
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tion (NOD) is filed, and the Board can issue a “Notice to Proceed.” How this pertains to projects depends on what
types of project components are being requested for funding:
i.
If design and CEQA is complete and only construction dollars are needed, the WCB, as part of the proposal
review, will need to review the CEQA documents and develop findings, prior to Board approval. The Board approves the findings along with the project, afterwards files a NOD, and issues a Notice to Proceed.
ii.
If the funding request includes design and CEQA costs (and WCB believes the project is non-exempt), this
automatically triggers a two-step Board approval process, by which WCB funds the design and CEQA portions at the
first Board meeting. Once this is completed and WCB develops its findings on the CEQA analysis, a proposal for
construction dollars can be taken back to the Board for approval of the construction and findings. Afterwards, WCB
files the NOD and issues the Notice to Proceed.
UC Berkeley Capital Projects, in consultation with BORR staff will determine if the proposed project will be categorically exempt from CEQA, based upon existing information and a site specific plan to minimize potential environmental and biological impacts. Regardless, an Environmental Impact Classification (EIC) will be prepared and included in this grant application.
Big Lake
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Site Plan
Location
The Blue Oak Ranch Reserve (BORR), is a undeveloped ecological reserve perched on the westfacing slope of the Diablo Range in northern Santa
Clara County, California, seven air miles east of
metropolitan San Jose and five miles northwest of
Mount Hamilton. Elevations range from 1,500 feet,
where the Arroyo Aguague exits the ranch, to
2,855 feet, at the top of Noah’s Ridge. The Ranch
location is approximately mid-point within the
Diablo Range, which is in turn a part of the Pacific
Coast Ranges, bordered by the San Francisco Bay, Santa Clara Valley, Gabilan Mountains, and Salinas Valley to the
west and by the Central Valley to the east. BORR is nearly completely buffered by open space, shares an eastern
boundary with 10,000 acre Joseph Grant County Park, its northern boundary with 1,600-acre TNC owned land, and
the remainder with large privately owned cattle ranches as well as Santa Clara County Open Space lands. The prop-
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erty is owned in fee title by the Regents of the University of California, consisting of eight parcels that total 3,280
acres.
Water, Soils, Vegetation and Drainage
The boundaries of the Reserve completely enclose four watersheds (three tributaries of Arroyo Aguague and one
tributary of Arroyo Hondo), facilitating ecological, biogeochemical, and hydrological research at the wholewatershed scale. Approximately two-thirds of the 1,320-hectare Reserve is drained by tributaries of Arroyo Aguague,
itself a tributary of Coyote Creek (via Penitencia Creek), which flows into the southern San Francisco Bay. The remainder of the ranch is drained by Smith Creek in the Arroyo Hondo and its tributaries. The four perennial streams
and their many intermittent tributaries are lined with bay-laurel (Umbellularia californica), white alder (Alnus rhombifolia), sycamore (Platanus racemosa), big-leaf maple (Acer macrophylum), and coffeeberry (Rhamnus purshiana). The Arroyo Aguague fault, a branch of the Calaveras fault, runs almost directly up the Arroyo Aguague. Many minor faults branch out through the ranch, probably forming the many intermittent drainages. Due to the many faults,
perennial springs are found throughout most of the property. Much of the western portion of the ranch is underlain
by large chert formations, which are exposed on many parts of the ranch. Much of what underlies the ridges above
the Arroyo Hondo is unstable mélange, and the area is punctuated with many young landslides. By contrast, the
west side’s many slides are quite old (Earth Sciences Associates, 1979.) Soils are of the Los Gatos-Gaviota complex,
derived from hard sandstone and shale from the Franciscan formation and younger (Miocene age) marine sediments.
Rock outcrops and unstable talus slopes are common.
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Building upon Existing Infrastructure
The University proposes to develop new facilities at Blue Oak Ranch Reserve for staff housing and offices, student
and faculty living quarters, classrooms and lab spaces, a maintenance area, and supporting utilities and infrastructure
which will be entirely within the Compatible Use Zone of the Reserve. The only exception to this will be the placement of portable radio towers at locations across the Reserve to provide a flexible platform for wireless communication and data transfer for Internet access via Mount Hamilton, a future wildlife telemetry array, and networked instruments installed by researchers. For the past three years, planning towards the acquisition has proceeded under
the assumption that the area in the immediate vicinity of the Cedar Barn, and possibly the White Cabin and historic
barn site, would be the logical location for future facilities. As shown in the figure below, all of the proposed buildings, water tanks, solar PV array will be clustered within a radius that is less than 1,000’ from the existing Cedar Barn.
This design also avoids the two archaeological sites, and the Barn pond by several hundred feet, and all stream riparian setbacks are greater than one hundred feet. Priority will be given to place new facilities as close to existing infrastructure such as roads, so that trenching for underground utilities reduces damage to vegetation and soils.
Compatible Use Zone
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Overview of Facilities and Infrastructure
Unit
Area
Notes
Staff Residence 1
1,940 ft2
see Siuslaw #44 cut sheet and cost proposal
Staff Residence 2
2,045 ft2
see Deschutes #22 cut sheet and cost proposal
Research Housing Court
“Tripod” configuration of 3
Clustering of 3 - 31’ yurts with interconnected
yurts
extensions
1,745 ft2
see Deschutes # 21 cut sheet for generic floor
Kitchen Yurt with bathroom,
dining, and meeting spaces
plan and cost proposal, note that this will be
customized in engineering design phase
4 Bedroom/2 bath Yurt 1
1,745 ft2
see above
4 Bedroom / 2 bath Yurt 2
1,745 ft2
see above
Cedar Barn
Existing 5,000 ft2, overall
space, expandable to
7,000 ft2
Constructed in 1993 for storage and occasional
overnight use by the owner. Apartment was
remodeled and utilities upgraded in 2008 as a
temporary residence for the Reserve Director
(Phase 1)
Office
TBD
utilizes existing apartment, bathroom and bedroom (door to kitchen)
Kitchen
TBD
remodeled from existing kitchen and mechanical room
Dining Room
TBD
remodeled from existing storage room, incorporating outside decking (existing and new)
Classroom
TBD
remodeled from center ground floor, moveable
walls/white boards
Work/Lab Room
TBD
remodeled from center ground floor, separated
from classroom by moveable wall
Restrooms/ Bathroom
TBD
accessible toilets, sinks and showers use space
from existing vehicle bay, portion of which will
serve as the mechanical room
Bedrooms
11 triple occupancy rooms
post and beam extension of second floor hayloft, stairwell with wheel chair lift, built-in bed
platforms/bunks, with desks
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Maintenance and Storage
1,200 ft2
metal roof and walls on slab, garage addition to
room
Solar Photovoltaic Array
west side of barn
3,500 ft2
New 40kW PV array, 185 solar modules, rack
mounted on south facing slope, 48v DC configuration, 3- 60 amp Xantrex inverters to replace current 3kW system, integrated automatic
start back-up 30 kW generator (to replace existing 17 kW unit)
Battery and Inverter Yurt
459 ft2
This 19’ yurt with 12x16’ extension, houses 72
gel batteries, 3 inverters, 20 charge controllers,
control electronics, and a work bench - see proposal
Drinking Water and Fire
400 ft2
Four - 5,000 gallon tanks, filtration system, wa-
Safety
ter test will determine if chlorination will be
required, pressure pump and tank
Drill and install new 300’ well
existing 60’ well now fails intermittently. We
intend to drill a new well as soon as the project
is approved, install a high capacity 240v AC
well pump, pump and tank to control water
pressure
Well and Pump House
148 ft2
weather tight building (14’ Wolfcreek #2 yurt)
for well head, pump controls, pressure tank,
filtration system
Water Storage and Fire Safety
install water storage capacity
Install three additional 5,000 gallon water stor-
Systems
to satisfy fire safety require-
age tanks adjacent to existing tank, pressurize
ments
4” water line to hydrants located at each building. Sprinklers may need to be installed in Barn
Waste Management Systems
Septic and Composting
TBD
Engineer septic fields for increased barn use
capacity, staff and research residences. Evaluate alternative methods for human waste such
as composting toilets (a proposal from Clivus
Multrum is pending)
Gray-water and Rain Catch-
n/a
Incorporate gray water systems for all build-
ment
ings. Install rainwater catchment system for
wildlife and drip irrigation
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Roads
n/a
14 miles of existing dirt roads will be graveled
where needed, out-sloped where needed, and
in one location re-routed to bring existing road
out of flood zone of the Arroyo Aguague.
Gates and Fencing
n/a
Two entrance gates will be replaced with solar
powered electric gates to insure continuous
closure in order to thwart feral pig entry
Permanent Equipment
n/a
30 kW propane generator
50 ft2 pad with 500 gallon fuel
Kohler 30RES
tank
Digital Wireless Network
n/a
Ten custom designed lightweight 10m towers,
solar power supply, 5.8gHz/2.4gHz/900mHz
mesh radios, sensors for system health
Tractor with PTO mower/
n/a
John Deere 210LJ
n/a
Bad Boy Buggies
brusher
All electric ATV
http://www.badboybuggies.com
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Proposed Facilities
Staff and Research Housing
Two full-time occupancy residences will be needed to replace the current temporary Cedar Barn residence for Mike
Hamilton, Reserve Director, and for a future resident reserve steward position. We asked a highly innovative company based in Eugene Oregon, Oregon Yurtworks, to work with us on designs for these unique factory built cabins.
They have clients throughout the world and have been in business since 1982. All of their models can be customized,
and they have recently upgraded their building materials lists, and offer in-house training to assist their clients in
achieving a LEED for Home rating. The units are built to order at their factory, then shipped to the site for assembly
by a local general contractor. Units can typically be assembled once the foundation is in place in less than 3 days.
Yurtworks provides the complete roof and exterior walls with siding and paint, inside paneling and trim, decking,
exterior doors, subfloors including hydronic panels, windows, skylights, building plans and engineering reports that
meet California Building Code. Site grading, foundations, interior room walls, cabinets, counter tops, plumbing, electrical, floor coverings, fixtures and appliances must be provided by the buyer’s general contractor. As a rule of
thumb, this doubles the cost of the unit, or more if you choose to go top of the line on the interior. They have built
many yurts to meet accessibility criteria.
Researcher housing at field stations around the country widely varies, ranging from military dormitory style (many
beds to a room), to shared bedrooms in an apartment or condominium, to conventional multi-bedroom houses, or
individual one-room cabins. After consulting colleagues at various reserves, the idea of a tight cluster of small efficient buildings was very appealing, where some are specialized for bedrooms with offices, and others serving as
shared kitchen space, and a common dining room with outdoor seating that can double for meetings. We also feel
that there are practical benefits in that shared utilities such as septic, solar hot water heating, and wireless internet
access, are examples which will save money in initial outlay and ongoing maintenance by reducing the number of
components.
Working with the Oregon Yurtworks planners, we came up with an idea for a tripod arrangement of three standard
31’ model yurts, that are interconnected with either breezeways, or fully enclosed rectangular extensions. Two of
these yurts would be sleeping units, each with four bedrooms and two bathrooms, and a common office space and/
or living room space. The center, or common yurt will be configured as a kitchen and dining room commons, with
sufficient refrigerators, stoves and storage to handle small groups of up to 16 people.
The following are digital renderings and floor plans of the proposed Oregon Yurtworks designs, placed in visual context with photo-point locations that are indicated on the Site Plan (Figure___, page 11).
15
Draft 12/18/2008
Director’s Residence - Staff Yurt #1
16
Draft 12/18/2008
Reserve Steward’s Residence - Staff Yurt # 2
17
Draft 12/18/2008
Research Housing Court
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Cedar Barn Renovations to create a “Barn Commons” for teaching and larger groups
The Cedar Barn is a beautifully constructed wooden post and beam structure, made almost entirely from red cedar,
with weathered recycled wood used for interior surfaces. Its was designed by architect Ajax Daniels Associates of Los
Angeles, and built by Dennis Carlson Construction of Los Gatos in 1993. While it was not intended to serve as a fulltime residence, the owner maintained a modest living space for occasional visits. The design is a classic California
barn, approximately 6,000 ft2, with a 645 ft2 hayloft, 555 ft2 of storage rooms, and a 1,030 ft2 apartment. A small water
tank was originally located in the second floor hayloft, with well water pumped via a solar assisted windmill to provide a low pressure source of drinking water. The original bathroom inside the apartment had a tub and a sink, but
no toilet. The kitchen had fresh water taps, and all drains were tied into a buried cistern gray water system. A nearby
outhouse was fitted with a passive Sun-Mar composting toilet. The overall construction and design is extremely well
done, with a tremendous amount of care for detail evident.
In early 2008, working with start -up funds provided by the donor and the campus, UC Berkeley Capital Projects
hired the original contractor to assist in bring the living quarters up to code so that the Reserve Director, Mike Hamilton would have temporary living quarters during upcoming Phase 2 design and construction. Subcontractors installed a modern plumbing system (water and gas), an indoor toilet connected to a new septic tank and leach field,
electrical wiring for lighting fixtures and wall outlets, and a new propane powered Kohler generator. We also hired
Real Goods Solar to install a 3kW solar photovoltaic power system using new and surplus components. Heating is by
a combination of an air-tight wood stove, with passive solar through the many south facing windows. The original
water system has now been replaced with a 5,000 gallon metal water tank, upgraded plumbing includes a fire hydrant, sediment filtration, and a UV sanitizer to provide potable water. An on-demand hot water heater provides
continuous hot water from propane, and is ready for integration with solar hot water heating. A high speed Internet
connection was achieved via a 6 mile wireless radio link between a site just above the Barn, and the main building at
the Lick Observatory on the summit of Mount Hamilton. A solar powered relay tower was designed by engineers at
the James Reserve, which bridges the wireless network directly to the Barn for staff and visitor access to the Internet
and telephone. The tower also includes a weather station and a surveillance camera.
19
Draft 12/18/2008
Re-purposing and Remodeling of the Cedar Barn
In re-purposing the Cedar Barn as the instructional center, it is our intent to demonstrate a wide range of sustainable
design elements, ranging from new insulation materials, high efficiency windows and glazing, recycled wall board
and countertops, solar hot water heating and under floor hydronics, ultra efficient LED lighting, and grey water and
rain water capture. Natural wood slabs from existing hardwood boles will be milled on site to fabricate shelves and
counters. The overall feeling of this classic barn will be preserved, with high ceilings, exposed beams, and use of
black iron straps.
The post and beam structure will be expanded to extend the second floor to the full length of the barn, so that the
upstairs will comprise up to 12 bedrooms with built in bunk beds and desks, and a sleeping capacity of 30 persons. A
reconstructed stairwell will also feature a wheel chair lift. Roof mounted solar hot water heating panels will heat water that will be used for domestic washing, and radiant heating (both under floor tubing and with wall mounted radiators). A tankless hot water heater will serve as backup source of heat during inclement weather.
The ground floor apartment space will be converted to the administrative office for the Reserve, with separate access
to the kitchen and dining area. The current apartment kitchen will be enlarged to provide adequate space for two
commercial 6-burner ranges, three high efficiency 19 ft3 Sunfrost refrigerators, countertops fabricated from recycled
materials, and storage cupboards. A small dining area will be developed with doors leading to covered outside decking. The existing vehicle bay inside the barn will be plumbed and partitioned for construction of accessible restrooms
and showers, as well as space for a mechanical room to house the solar hot water heat exchange units, the hydronic
pump system, electrical service panels, digital network systems, and energy monitoring and controls for ventilation,
heating and lighting.
The large ground floor “center” section of the barn will become a multiple use/multi-purpose area, featuring countertops along the perimeter with lockable storage, sinks, and shelving. Moveable sound insulated wall partitions,
with integrated white boards, will allow the space to be divided into as many as three separate rooms, to create concurrent venues for classrooms, meeting spaces, teaching laboratory, demonstrations, or a a single large lecture hall
with a seating capacity of up to 75 persons.
A short distance from the barn will be an RV and tent camping area, with drinking water, WIFI, electrical hook-ups
and a dumping station for black water disposal.
20
Draft 12/18/2008
Proposed Infrastructure
Owing to its long history as an undeveloped cattle ranch, utility services typical of urban settings such as electrical
power, telephone service, water, sewage, natural gas lines or even paved roads are not present. We have chosen to not
bring in grid-tied services, even though some of these services, such as power and telephone, are within a mile of the
barn. Instead, we will expand our solar power generation capacity, well water pumping and storage capacity, solar
heating, wireless communication capacity, and implement waste management systems that are efficient, nonpolluting and self sustaining. Propane is currently being delivered, and we will continue to use this, and firewood, as
our back-up or secondary sources of energy.
Solar Photovoltaic System
Real Goods Solar has provided us a design for a 40kW off the grid solar power system that utilizes 185 rack mounted
solar modules (205 watts per module). Solar modules are tied together with charge controllers to deliver 48 volt battery charging to 72, 2kWH AGM gel batteries that are mounted on seismic-rated metal racks installed in the small
yurt shop building illustrated below. Three 60 amp Xantrex DC to AC power inverters will also be installed in this
building, along with computerized controls that allow continuous monitoring and automatic adjustments of the system to provide reliable, continuous AC power under all load and weather conditions. This system is similar to one
we installed in the barn this year, although with triple the power output and 10 times the storage capacity. A larger
30kW propane generator will be needed to serve as backup power and battery charging during periods of sunless,
inclement weather.
Drinking Water and Fire Safety
The reserve drinking water and fire suppression system will be improved in order to provide adequate storage capacity, pressurized delivery, durability from freezing, potable quality, and initial attack for structural fires. We have received a cost estimate to cap the existing 60’ well and relocate and drill a new well that is up to 300’ deep. We anticipate finding adequate water anywhere from 100-200’ at depth based on surrounding topography and known hydrology. A small pump house based on a yurt design, will provide an insulated, windowless envelope to protect the well
head, exposed plumbing, pressure tank and motor pump, filtration systems, and monitoring and controls. We intend
to upgrade the current 5,000 gallon capacity tank with at least 3 additional tanks for a total capacity of 20,000 gallons.
This capacity may be adjusted once the fire suppression system is designed. We anticipate placing standard fire hydrants at each building, and installing a sprinkler system in the barn.
21
Draft 12/18/2008
Waste Management Systems
During our Phase 1 upgrades to the barn our campus made the decision to install a septic tank and leach field to
handle human waste disposal. This replaced an existing composting toilet located in an outhouse outside of the barn.
We looked into indoor composting toilet systems such as the Clivus Multrum, and the Biolet, however a decision was
made to go with a conventional septic design. As we design waste systems for Phase 2, and with an emphasis on
minimal environmental impact, it would seem prudent to reconsider composting toilets as a means to reduce disturbance to soils, native vegetation and wildlife habitat. We expect to receive a proposal from Clivus Multrum for an
institutional grade system that could be installed in the barn, as well as smaller systems to incorporate into the housing yurts. This company is also willing to meet with Capital Projects staff to give a presentation about their systems,
and to refer them to clients within California who are currently using approved composting toilets.
Gray water and rainwater catchment systems are now being approved by government building departments, and a
number of innovative systems have been developed by local companies. We intend to explore designs that are appropriate for our facilities.
Road Improvements, Fencing and Equipment
Blue Oak Ranch Reserve currently has 13.57 miles of unimproved but well maintained dirt roads, some of which are
graveled, and all of which have culverts of various sizes to divert run-off and minimize erosion. Legal easements
exist for a 1.5 mile segment of University owned road that passes through Joseph Grant County Park (linking Mt
Hamilton Road with the southern entrance to the Reserve). A one-mile segment of Alum Rock Falls Rd passes within
the reserve just inside its western boundary, providing legal egress to private land owner George Kammerer’s property that abuts the Reserve across the southern boundary. Within the Reserve many miles of ranch roads provide access through canyons and to the highest locations along Poverty Ridge, as well as connecting to roads that lead onto
the adjacent Nature Conservancy owned land. Portions of the Arroyo Hondo watershed within the Reserve to the
north are roadless. A significant amount of road maintenance is required each year, often accomplished by hiring a
private equipment operator, or renting equipment, for light grading, gravel application, grass mowing and brush
trimming.
As a new reserve, the amount of vehicular traffic will increase geometrically. Even now with two full time employees
we are seeing increased road wear and tear. Once the reserve reaches capacity, the number of vehicle trips per day
will grow; from two round trips per day to upwards of fifty. The need for daily year round access across our roads
will also be needed, whereas today we must turn away visitors if there is any rain or snowfall as even light traffic will
damage the dirt roads, leaving ruts that exacerbate erosion. During Phase 1 we hired a road contractor to re-slope and
gravel some of the worst sections of our southern entry road. In Phase 2 we are requesting additional road work by a
grading contractor, as well as the stock-piling of gravel and road base for future application. There is a short section
of road we intend to re-route, where the current road literally traverses an intermittent stream course (the headwater
of the Arroyo Aguague, see figure below) and often washes out each winter. Our request also includes the purchase
of a tractor grader, with an articulated bucket and a PTO mower for grass cutting (required by California Department
of Forestry for fire protection). With this piece of permanent equipment, we can accomplish the majority of future
road maintenance.
22
Draft 12/18/2008
Proposed re-route of the west road (red line)
where it enters the stream course of the Arroyo
Aguague (blue line), an intermittent drainage that
often inundates the road during high rainfall. This
road is needed for reliable access to the Reserve
via Alum Rock Park.
A significant portion of the Reserve’s perimeter was fenced over the past years as an effort to exclude wild pigs, and
through the diligence of Jeff Wilcox, most if not all the animals were eradicated. While there are occasional fence
breaks from tree fall, or vandalism, this fencing has by and large been very successful. The two reserve entrance
gates, the west gate for Alum Rock Falls Road, and the Twin Tanks gate for the south road, do get left open and this
can result in pigs entering from Grant Park. We intend to improve the fencing next to these gates, and to install a solar powered opener so that the gates will automatically close after a vehicle enters.
Distributed Wireless Network and Digital Communications Backbone
During Phase 1, we arranged with the UC Santa Cruz campus and the UCO/Lick Observatory network staff to design and install a limited-bandwidth wireless link between a the Barn and the main Observatory building on Mount
Hamilton to provide Internet access and VOIP telephony. A site was choose a few hundred feet from the Barn that
offered a line of view, and a solar powered relay tower and instrument cluster was installed with a 5.8 gHz radio to
bridge the 6 mile span, as well as a second 2.4 gHz radio to bring the signal from the relay tower to a radio mounted
on the Barn. The tower, or “Alpha Node” was designed by James Reserve employees Tom Unwin and Kevin Browne,
and includes the two radios, four solar modules, 2 gel batteries, a weather station server, and a controllable pan and
tilt network camera. In successful operation for the past 4 months, the system has proven to be extremely reliable,
and achieves 256 Kilobits per second of bandwidth ‘for the Internet, and up to 50 mega bit per second between the
Observatory severs and the Barn’s router.
We are again working with the IT group at UC Santa Cruz to improve our Internet bandwidth as well as provide distributed access to an improved wireless network over the Reserve. Currently, the Lick Observatory on Mount HamilU C B e r k e l e y B l u e O a k R a n c h R e s e r v e
23
Draft 12/18/2008
ton is served by four DS1 (T1) circuits commercially provided by ATT for a total bandwidth of 5.6 megabits per second. A new system is being planned for 2009 to wirelessly link the top of the Mountain to the UC Santa Cruz facility
at the NASA Ames Reserve Center for 100 megabits per second. We have proposed sharing in the cost of the installation and hardware, and monthly maintenance, in exchange for a dedicated 10 megabits per second of bandwidth.
With this increased network, we will focus multiple antenna from the Observatory to several high points within the
Reserve. At these locations, portable relay towers similar in design to the Alpha Node, will be installed, along with a
cluster of smaller omni-directional wireless nodes (MERAKI solar mesh repeater) to create an interconnected wireless
cloud that will be distributed over most the Reserve. This network will then allow researchers to deploy networked
instruments and data loggers that are accessible to them via the Internet. Sensor networks, and ground based remote
sensing and tracking systems are becoming widely used in environmental, ecological and wildlife sciences.
Photographs of main building at Lick Observatory (top left) where the Trango 5.8 gHz radio is mounted (top right).
The alpha node remote relay (bottom left) is located above the Barn on the Reserve and points to the summit of
Mount Hamilton (bottom right)
24
Draft 12/18/2008
Construction, Monitoring and Restoration
Construction Guidelines
Careful construction practices, such as properly removing waste, controlling run-off, and educating contractors on
the importance of minimal impact can leave the site as untouched as possible by the end of the process. It is our experience however that greater care will be given by contractors and their employees when our own professional staff
are directly involved in the daily construction activities, thereby circumventing potential issues. We intend to request
funding to support the time for Jeff Wilcox to be involved in monitoring the construction activities and in educating
the contractors. Proposition 84 guidelines allow for staff salaries to be paid if the work is specifically required as part
of the project, and as long as the cost does not exceed 10% of the total budget.
Biological and Archaeological Monitoring
Jeff Wilcox will also be performing construction monitoring for biological and archeological elements. Jeff will also
be involved in any CEQA required studies or information reporting as requested by campus and or the Wildlife Conservation Board.
Native Plants Revegetation
A re-vegetation plan will be written, and conducted to re-plant disturbed areas with native perennials, including native grasses, shrubs, and trees. We have contacted several local organizations who specialize in native landscaping,
permaculture and gray water systems that might be incorporated in the final restoration phase of the project.
25
Draft 12/18/2008
Intended Uses and Benefits
Need for new facilities based upon current research and training needs
The Blue Oak Ranch Reserve (BORR) became the 36th reserve in the University of California Natural Reserve System
(NRS) in december 2007. A conservation-minded donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, generously committed to
donate BORR to the University of California in fee title for inclusion in the NRS. In addition to the land, the donation
includes $2.5 million to the NRS system for the establishment of an endowment to support the operation of the Reserve, as well as additional one-time funds towards the initial start-up costs and an annual contribution of $50,000 for
five years. The Blue Oak Ranch Reserve is located within a large complex of conserved lands in the Mt. Hamilton
Ecoregion, including state, regional and county parks, as well as private lands subject to conservation easements held
by The Nature Conservancy. As a centerpiece in this string of contiguous, protected lands, the Reserve provides an
important connection in a long corridor for migratory wildlife between Alameda and Santa Clara Counties. As such,
the site offers tremendous potential as a focal point for research on pressing eco-regional conservation issues.
NRS Review Process
The suitability of BORR for addition to the NRS was reviewed by a four-campus committee formed with the approval
of the University-wide NRS Advisory Committee. The members of the Committee reviewed substantial background
information on the attributes of BORR compiled earlier by Jeff Wilcox for The Nature Conservancy, which holds a
conservation easement on the property. In November and December 2005 and January 2006, groups of faculty from
UC Davis, Berkeley, and Santa Cruz visited BOR. Experienced NRS reserve managers also visited the site. The feedback from these visits was uniformly strongly positive, and the Committee’s report strongly recommended the addition of BORR to the NRS. The report and the detailed offer letter from the Resources Law Group, representing the
donor, were examined and discussed by the University-wide NRS Advisory Committee and the recommendation
accepted—with the proviso that a formal agreement be reached with The Nature Conservancy that the uses proposed
for BORR in its role as an NRS reserve lie fully within the intent of the conservation easement. The resulting Letter of
Agreement between the University and The Nature Conservancy is appended.
The next step taken by the NRS was to solicit proposals from a UC campus to provide the daily administration and
management of BORR, including additional funding support. Specific major responsibilities include: (a) the day-today administration of assigned reserves; (b) appointment of a faculty director or coordinator; (c) reserve staff recruitment; (d) academic oversight of reserve use (generally through the establishment of a campus NRS faculty advisory committee for the reserve); and (e) facilities planning and management. Two proposals were received and reviewed by a faculty committee, and in the summer of 2007, UC Berkeley was selected by the NRS Director to become
the managing campus for BORR.
The full range of teaching and research opportunities offered by BORR can only be realized if this Reserve has adequate facilities. Our one useable facility is the Cedar Barn, which provides the interim residence for the Reserve’s
Director, temporary office space for staff, and storage of reserve tools, materials, and vehicles. We can now provide
our users potable water, access to an outhouse, and wireless internet access when they visit. To date all of our use has
been as day-use, and this will continue until we complete a small developed campground adjacent to the barn. This
work is now proceeding and we anticipate a number of field course visiting and camping in the upcoming 2009
spring and summer field season of 2009.
26
Draft 12/18/2008
How will facilities benefit the management of land and wildlife resources
The strength of the UC Berkeley management proposal was in our vision of BORR rapidly becoming a world-class
center for teaching, research and public service. The Reserves proximity to the Bay areas major Universities and
schools, while its landscape being embedded in extensive tracts of protected lands in the Mt. Hamilton Range, but
located close to downtown San Jose, makes it an ideal site for studying the effects of urbanization on adjacent wildlands. As part of its broader goal of facilitating wide-ranging ecological research, we envision that BORR will become
a testbed for developing wireless ecological observing systems in collaboration with CENS (Center for Embedded
Network Sensing) and CITRIS (Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society). BORR's proximity to Silicon Valley makes it a natural site for developing new sensors and networking systems, in direct collaboration with California's high-tech pioneers. This effort will be greatly facilitated by BORR Director Michael Hamilton's
expertise in remote sensing and sensor technologies for environmental research, and by his ongoing participation in
major initiatives including CENS, CLEANER, and NEON (National Ecological Observatory Network).
In its first year as an NRS Reserve, BORR has already attracted numerous teaching and research faculty and their
graduate students from institutions including UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis, San Jose State University,
NASA Ames Research Center, and Santa Clara University. Faculty and students are now conducting their field research on a wide range of topics including ecosystem ecology, air pollution impacts to vegetation, plant biodiversity,
oak woodland regeneration, and wildlife studies that include amphibian decline, raptor genetics and behavior, and
badger reproduction and prey studies.
Describe how space was allocated for particular uses
Through the negotiation process with the donor’s representative and the NRS, The Nature Conservancy, and the Office of the Vice-Chancellor for Research at UC Berkeley, written agreements were reached that would allow for an
upper limit of 11,300 ft2 in new facilities, in addition to the renovation and repurposing of the existing barn and cabin.
Discussions with potential faculty users, other NRS reserve directors, and systemwide staff provided the necessary
input to anticipate the range of facilities that would be most appropriate. There clearly was emphasis on overnight
accommodations, for both class-sized groups in a dormitory setting as well as small numbers of individual researchers with private bedrooms and work spaces that were separated from the instructional use. A number of faculty were
interested in the new facilities providing adequate overnight accommodations to host small meetings, department
retreats and workshops of less than 50 persons. Other expressed interest in being able to provide sufficient classroom
and meeting space for simultaneous use by two or more classes. Dedicated work spaces for laptop use, processing
field collections, and lockable storage were deemed important. Spaces that might be expanded in the future with research funds for dedicated laboratory equipment or capability is also important. The Barn provides up to 7,000 ft2 of
useable space, which is more than adequate to serve the instructional and large group needs. the remainder of the
space will be allocated to research housing and infrastructure.
27
Draft 12/18/2008
Preliminary Budget
The budget is a work in progress. Items with * have cost proposals or cost estimates from vendors which are included
in the appendices. In all cases we have consulted with vendors, websites, contractors, campus experts, reserve directors, and others with relevant knowledge and or experience to assist us in generating reasonable estimate. In some
cases, such as the barn remodel, we provide a budget which is not to exceed. In this case, and until we hire an architect and prioritize our requirements, we will not know how close we actually are. In all cases we erred on the side of
over-estimating rather than cutting corners. Its critical before we proceed to consider what campus project management will cost, from start to finish. We have put in 10% of the total budget as a placeholder, and assume that this cost
will be negotiated and finalized for the final submitted proposal.
Blue Oak Ranch Reserve Prop 84 Facilities Plan
updated 12/15/2008
Income Source Allocation and Balances
Details
Planning, Design and Administration
one-time allocation
$!
Amount
5,000,000.00
contingency @ 5%
$!
0.00
total expenses
$!
4,984,000.00
! $!
Balance
Expenditure
16,000.00
Contractor Projects
Expenditure
Amount
783,000.00
7 Yurt kits from Oregon Yurtworks*
$!
completion construction of yurts
$!
800,000.00
barn renovation
$!
1,000,000.00
fence and gate work
$!
20,000.00
road work including gravel and asphalt
$!
100,000.00
campground improvements
$!
new well*
Amount
Site Plan, Architectural and Engineering
$!
CEQA and permits
$!
100,000.00
50,000.00
Capital Projects and Inspection fees (10%) $!
500,000.00
CEQA studies, Construction Monitoring
and Mitigation (Wilcox supplement)
$!
50,000.00
Total Expenses
$!
700,000.00
Equipment, Materials, Supplies
Expenditure
Amount
new tractor and mower*
$!
110,000.00
25,000.00
appliances
$!
69,000.00
$!
50,000.00
generator - 30 KW Propane
$!
15,000.00
20,000 gallon water tank(s)
$!
15,000.00
$!
250,000.00
excavation and underground plumbing
$!
250,000.00
distributed wireless network
septic engineering and expansion
$!
100,000.00
electric ATV
$!
8,000.00
Solar hydronic heating systems
$!
250,000.00
Total Expenses
$!
452,000.00
Solar photovoltaic System - 40Kw*
$!
339,000.00
Landscaping-permaculture
$!
100,000.00
Total Expenses
$!
3,832,000.00
New Square Footage Allocation
Expenditure
Amount
Barn Dormitory
Appliances
Expenditure
Quantity
Amount
Director’s residence
1,940.00
Stewards residence
2,045.00
researcher housing (3 units)
5,500.00
maintenance extension to barn
1,200.00
7
$24,500.00
13
$6,500.00
kitchen stoves and hoods
6
$18,000.00
tankless hot water heaters
6
$10,000.00
Woodstoves
5
$10,000.00
pump house
$69,000.00
Total Square Footage
Sunfrost refrigerators
low flush toilets
Total Expenses
battery/inverter mechanical
459.00
148.00
11,292.00
28
Draft 12/18/2008
Appendices
A) NRS Reserve Cut Sheet
B)
Proposition 84 Guidelines
C) Campus Approval Forms
D) Preliminary Cost Proposals
29

Phase 2 Plan full draft - Blue Oak Ranch Reserve

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