Planning a New UC Campus in Merced

Planners and officials are trying to balance smart growth concepts with the formulas that the University of California have used for decades (San Diego, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara). The historic UC strategy is to find an inexpensive secluded sport (preferrably on a hill) where the campus can be built with plenty of room to expand. Opponents argue that this would be akin to building a new mini-city for 30,000 in Merced's sensitive wetlands or pristine farmland, and would require extensive new infrastructure.