GOAL 1: To create development patterns that directs future growth into developable areas and away from environmentally sensitive areas, in a manner that is consistent with principles set forth in the Urban Design Element and is compatible with the surrounding community.

OBJECTIVE 1.1: To protect natural resources including surface waters and wetlands.

POLICY 1.1.1: UCF shall establish Conservation areas as identified on the Future Land Use Map (Figure 4-1) and on the Conservation Element Map (Figure 13-1). Except for minimal structures and improvements necessary to ensure safe access and essential support functions, there shall be no construction in these Conservation areas except pursuant to an amendment to this Plan adopted in accordance with the requirements set forth in this Plan.

POLICY 1.1.2: Before any such construction is authorized and a plan of development is approved, UCF shall review all available and economic options (including the costs of mitigation). If this review indicates that development in designated Conservation areas is the only viable option, then UCF shall pursue all reasonable efforts to minimize and mitigate any unavoidable impacts to these areas.

POLICY 1.1.3: Should mitigation be deemed necessary the Director of Facilities Planning shall be responsible for coordinating any necessary actions with the appropriate UCF departments. The Director shall also coordinate any mitigation requirements through the appropriate cognizant federal, state and regional agencies in accordance with their permitting processes.

POLICY 1.1.4: A definitive campus arboretum site shall be established and maintained for the study and preservation of native plant and animal species.  The University will work with Friends of the Arboretum to develop the Arboretum into a renowned institution.  Non-native species shall be limited to the arboretum outside of native natural communities.

POLICY 1.1.5: Prior to clearing the 6.7 acre housing site in the Northwest Corner, the University shall construct a permanent fence along the northern boundary and northern two-thirds of the eastern boundary of the 6.7 acre site in order to separate the residential area from the conservation area.

POLICY 1.1.6: The parking facility to be constructed north of the arboretum shall not extend significantly beyond the footprint of the existing parking lot as shown in Figure 4-3.

OBJECTIVE 1.2: To minimize land use compatibility problems between the university and the host community.

POLICY 1.2.1: Pursuant to s.240.155(9), F.S., any amendment to the adopted Campus Master Plan shall be transmitted to the host and affected local governments and other external review agencies for review if such amendment, alone or in conjunction with other amendments, would:

1. increase density or intensity of use of land on campus by more than 10%;

2. decrease the amount of natural areas, open space, or on campus by more than 10%; or

3. rearrange land uses in a manner that will increase the impact of any future campus development by more than 10% on a road or another public facility or service provided or maintained by the state, the county, the host local government, or any affected local government.

POLICY 1.2.2: Proposed amendments to the adopted campus master plans which do not exceed the thresholds established in s.240.155(9), F.S., and which have the effect of changing land use designations or classifications, or impacting off-campus facilities, services or natural resources, shall be submitted to the host and affected local governments for a courtesy review.

POLICY 1.2.3: A 200 foot wide (minimum) green buffer shall be maintained around the entire periphery of the campus. Exceptions shall only be made for entrances, retention ponds and campus rights of way. In order to maintain the effectiveness of the buffer, non-invasive native plant species will be used in landscaping activities.

POLICY 1.2.4: Prior to adopting any amendments to the 2000 Plan that affect lands designated as conservation, the University shall do the following:

1. Perform reasonable site specific environmental analyses, including qualitative state and federal listed plant and animal species surveys, water quality impact analyses, and alternative location assessments;

2. Comply with section 1013.30, Florida Statutes, even for those amendments that fall within the exemptions set forth in Sections 1013.30(9)(a)-(c), Florida Statutes;

3. Require no less than a two-thirds majority vote of the University’s Board of Trustees to approve such amendments; and

4. Notify the Director of the Arboretum of any proposed amendments to lands designated as conservation
   
    

OBJECTIVE 1.3: To correct existing land use compatibility problems on the university campus.

POLICY 1.3.1: All permanent academic functions shall be located between the 400 foot radius (Pegasus Circle) and the 1200 foot radius (Apollo Circle) whenever possible.  Research functions may be located outside of the main academic area.

POLICY 1.3.2: Academic core areas important formal open space systems shall be created by locating academic uses that are linked, similar or adjacent to each other.

POLICY 1.3.3: Surface parking areas shall generally be located outside of the 1200 foot radius (Apollo Circle) and inside of Gemini Boulevard, in order to reduce vehicular vs. pedestrian conflicts on campus. Exceptions may be made for temporary non-paved lots.  Surface parking areas shall continue to be consolidated in structures.

POLICY 1.3.4: Overflow parking areas may be located outside of Gemini Blvd., but shall never be located within the 1200 foot radius (Apollo Circle).

POLICY 1.3.5: Areas identified in the master plan as temporary classrooms, low density areas and parking lots shall remain as so until future projects for those areas are developed.

POLICY 1.3.6: All parking shall be removed from the area where the Temporary (T-600) parking lot is located by the year 2005.

POLICY 1.3.7: In order to preserve the open space nature of the campus and to minimize impervious surface needs, parking lot areas will continue to be consolidated into structured parking decks.

POLICY 1.3.8: In order to minimize automobile traffic, and therefore conflicts resulting from high vehicular levels of service, future parking decks shall be placed at strategic points near campus entrances. This will intercept a high volume of vehicles before they penetrate the campus circulation routes.

POLICY 1.3.9: Gemini Boulevard south shall be re-aligned in the direction of Central Florida Boulevard so that existing parking lots in the vicinity fall inside the Gemini Loop, creating development parcels for future academic and support buildings and therefore reducing present vehicular vs. pedestrian conflicts.

POLICY 1.3.10: The Master Planning Committee along with the administration, faculty and the Office of Facilities Planning shall review all proposals for compliance with the Master Plan's criteria for the Land Use Element.

POLICY 1.3.11: In the event that unforeseen changes are deemed necessary, to the Land Use Plan, the Master Planning Committee together with the administration, faculty, the Office of Facilities Planning and with the president's approval shall make the necessary amendments. Campus Master Plan amendments that, alone or in conjunction with other amendments, exceed the thresholds established in s.240.155(9), F.S., and in the Future Land Use Element, shall be reviewed and adopted under the provisions of s.240.155(6)-(8), F.S.; and that amendments to the Campus Master Plan that do not exceed these thresholds shall be consolidated into an annual submission and submitted to the Office of Capital Programs for review and approval by the Division of Colleges and Universities.

POLICY 1.3.12: All decisions concerning land use and development on campus, especially those specifically mentioned in the Future Land Use Element, must be coordinated with the present Capital Improvements Plan and Urban Design Plan.

POLICY 1.3.13: Future development within each category shall comply with the following densities or intensities of use:

Surface Parking:            124 Spaces per Acre

Structured Parking:            700 Spaces per Acre

Academic             2.5

East Academic Area          

Athletic & Recreation Area:            .30 FAR

Conservation Areas:            .05 FAR

Ponds & Lakes:            .05 FAR

Arboretum:            .05 FAR

Specialized Housing:            .10 FAR

Support Services:            1.0 FAR

Utilities:            1.0 FAR

Special Use:            1.0 FAR

Note:  The FAR values assigned to conservation, arboretum and retention areas take into consideration that although these are zones of no-development there might arise the need to provide structures which house utilities and other similar needs.

OBJECTIVE 1.4: To coordinate future land uses with the availability of facilities and services.

POLICY 1.4.1: Projects that propose increases to campus infrastructure, utilities, facilities or services shall be approved only if such facilities are funded and already on-line to accommodate the need or will be on-line prior to occupancy of any structure to be served by such infrastructure, utilities, facilities or services.

POLICY 1.4.2: The following order of priorities shall be implemented concerning coordination of land uses with appropriate facilities and services:

• Priority 1
  Eliminate existing system deficiencies which may prevent future development.  

• Priority 2
  Maintain the existing system as long as it is deemed capable of maintaining immediate needs.  

• Priority 3
  Systems shall be expanded to accommodate needs.

POLICY 1.4.3: Campus development which might increase demands for solid waste collection and disposal shall be approved under provisions delineated in the General Infrastructure Element (2.9).

POLICY 1.4.4: Campus development which might increase amount of required impervious surface areas shall be approved on the provision of a drainage system that adheres to the conditions set forth in the General Infrastructure Element (2.9).

OBJECTIVE 1.5: To ensure the availability of suitable land on campus for utility facilities required to support future on-campus development.

POLICY 1.5.1: Within the academic core utility easements will be reserved along routes of easy access and where future building development is not planned, such as along the three pedestrian circular walks, along radial pedestrian walks and in dedicated radial open spaces.

OBJECTIVE 1.6: To minimize off campus constraints which limit future development on campus (i.e. traffic, utilities) and minimize on campus conflicts with land uses within the context area.

POLICY 1.6.1: The University shall request signalization for all Alafaya Trail access roadways as they become warranted.

OBJECTIVE 1.7: To coordinate future land uses with the appropriate topography and soil conditions.

POLICY 1.7.1: Development shall not occur within the present Federal Emergency Management Assistance 100 year flood line.

POLICY 1.7.2: UCF shall maintain a data base of existing topographic and soil conditions, which shall be updated on a regular basis, and as additional data developed for future construction projects become available.

POLICY 1.7.3: Areas containing severe soil constraints such as those that are found in and around wetland sites and Lakes Lee and Claire shall remain undisturbed.

POLICY 1.7.4: Future development shall not alter the topographical features and surface water run-off patterns adapted by this Master Plan.

POLICY 1.7.5: Consistent with policies listed in this Element above, the University shall review future construction projects for consistency with existing topographic and soil data.

POLICY 1.7.6: UCF shall ensure that appropriate methods of controlling soil erosion and sedimentation to help minimize the destruction of soil resources be used during site development and use. Such methods shall include, but not be limited to:

• Phasing and limiting the removal of vegetation.

• Minimizing the amount of land area that is cleared.

• Limiting the amount of time bare soil is exposed to rainfall.  

• Use of temporary ground cover on cleared areas if construction is not imminent.

• Special consideration shall be given to maintaining vegetative cover on areas of high soil erosion potential (i.e., steep or long slopes, banks of streams, stormwater conveyances, etc.).

POLICY 1.7.7: UCF shall require the integration of natural topographic and other physical features in project designs in order to develop the campus in harmony with its natural environment.

OBJECTIVE 1.8: To ensure that future campus development projects are consistent with regulations governing development in areas where historically or archaeologically significant resources may be present.

POLICY 1.8.1: In coordination with state and local historic preservation officials, UCF shall maintain an information file which identifies and locates properties under University ownership which may contain historic or archaeological resources which appear to qualify for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.

POLICY 1.8.2: The University shall consider the effect of any undertaking on any historic property that is included, or eligible for inclusion, in the National Register of Historic Places. The University shall afford the Department of State's Division of Historical Resources a reasonable opportunity to comment on such an undertaking.

POLICY 1.8.3: The University shall consult with the Department of State's Division of Historical Resources prior to any land clearing, ground disturbing, or rehabilitation activities which may disturb or otherwise affect any property which is included, or eligible for inclusion, in the National Register of Historic Places.

POLICY 1.8.4: Prior to a historic property being demolished or substantially altered in a manner that adversely affects its character, form, integrity, or archaeological value, the University shall consult with the Department of State's Division of Historical Resources to avoid or mitigate any adverse impacts, or to undertake any appropriate archaeological salvage excavation or recovery action.

POLICY 2.1.1:  The University hereby creates a new future land use designation of “Conservation Easement Lands” for the purposes of environmental protection of lands that are set aside in perpetuity pursuant to a recorded conservation easement.  This new designation will allow very-low impact recreational or educational uses such as hiking, non-motorized boating, bird watching, horseback riding, fishing, primitive camping and nature study, that utilize natural amenities of such sites and such other uses that are not in violation of the recorded conservation easement.