Environmental Planning (CEQA)

Environmental Planning is responsible for assuring campus compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA).

CEQA is the basis of environmental law and policy for the state of California. It requires multi-disciplinary review of environmental impacts and identification of possible measures to reduce or mitigate impacts. Consideration of these impacts and mitigation measures are required prior to approval of projects by UCR and/or University of California Board of Regents.

In addition to advising campus units during project design to determine the appropriate level of environmental documentation, Environmental Planning also leads and manages the preparation of environmental documents (Initial Studies, Environmental Impact Reports, and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Programs) in accordance with CEQA, and NEPA when federal funding is involved, to inform the decision makers (UC Regents or UCR Chancellor) of the environmental consequences of project approval.

Environmental Planning is responsible for mitigation monitoring and reporting programs, as well as specialized environmental studies required for campus actions that may affect the physical environment, and prepares or manages the preparation of documentation and applications for environmental permits for campus activities requiring consultations and agreements with other agencies, including the California Department of Fish & Game, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Regional Water Quality Control Board.

Environmental Planning works cooperatively with campus affinity units to advance campus projects in a way that minimizes environmental impacts and maintains UCR’s unique natural resources and setting.

Current Requests for Qualifications/Proposals

CEQA Notices

Comments on the CEQA documents below may be submitted during the indicated public review period via email to CEQA@ucr.edu or regular mail to Stephanie Tang, Campus Environmental Planner, UCR Planning, Design & Construction, 1223 University Avenue, Suite 240, Riverside, CA 92507. If submitting comments via email, please reference the project name in the subject line.

Projects Pending Environmental Approval

  • Pending Projects

    Parking Structure 1

    Notice is hereby given that the University of California, Riverside (UCR) has proposed for approval the Parking Structure 1 project. The project will be considered for approval, with the adoption of the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration, the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program, and Findings under CEQA, and design approval by the UCR Chancellor on or after ­­­­­­­­­­­­­January 17, 2020.

    UCR proposes to construct a four-level parking structure, approximately 27-foot high to the top of guard rail and 350,728‑square‑feet, with 1,079 spaces (Parking Structure 1). The project also includes the reconfiguration of the existing surface parking area, landscape and hardscape improvements, new pedestrian and bicycle pathways, and other site amenities (e.g., bicycle racks, benches) on the existing campus parking lot (Parking Lot 13).

    The purpose of the proposed project is to accommodate parking needs of the existing campus population and the anticipated growth of student, faculty, and staff populations as analyzed in the LRDP EIR, as well as compensate for the loss of existing surface parking lots due to new major capital projects. The proposed project would result in a net increase of approximately 825 to 850 parking spaces within the project site. The project site is in an area designated as “Parking” in the 2005 Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) and 2005 LRDP Amendment 2, which allows for the development of the proposed project.

Completed CEQA Documents

Approved Projects