UC Davis is seeking public comments through July 29 on a draft environmental impact report that involves a hotel expansion and a road extension on the south portion of campus.

The first project would expand the Hyatt Place hotel by adding 52 rooms to the existing 75 rooms (for a total of 127 rooms.) The expansion would take place on a landscaped area within the developed parcel of the hotel to the north and east of the existing building. The hotel’s existing parking lot will not need to be expanded.

The second project would involve an extension of Old Davis Road to A Street. About 1,100 feet of new roadway would connect to the south side of Parking Lot 5. It also involves converting the existing Old Davis Road (between A Street and Mrak Hall Drive) to a bike and pedestrian path.

The campus built part of the connector in 2009 to provide access to the university’s new Conference Center and the privately-owned hotel. With this road extension, hotel guests would have a more direct route between the hotel and downtown Davis.

The comment period for the draft EIR will extend from June 15 to 5 p.m. on July 29. Comments can be e-mailed to environreview@ucdavis.edu or sent to:

Sid England
Assistant Vice Chancellor-Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability
University of California
One Shields Avenue
436 Mrak Hall
Davis, CA 95616

Comments may also be presented orally during a public hearing at 7 p.m. on July 7 in the Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center on the Davis campus.

The Hyatt Place opened on March 17, 2010. In March of this year, the planners released their initial environmental report for the hotel expansion and road construction. A 30-day public review period ended on April 21.

The goal is to present the project to the Board of Regents for approval.

More information, including the draft EIR.