Four new projects planned at the University of California, Davis -- student housing, a greenhouse, an office and laboratory building and expansion of an enterprise reserve -- are subjects of a draft initial study released today for public review and comment. Copies of the draft report are available at the reserve desk in Shields Library on campus and at the Yolo County Library in Davis, or may be obtained from the UC Davis planning and budget office. Campus planners will also be available to answer questions and take comments at a public scoping meeting 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10, at the Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center on campus. The deadline for written comment is Monday, Jan. 5. "The whole point of having the scoping time is for people to tell us what their concerns are, so we can address the issues," said campus environmental planner Sid England. "It's a chance for people to come talk directly with the people working on these projects," he said. The environmental review will update traffic projections in the campus's long-range development plan in light of Davis voters' decision not to widen Richards Boulevard from two to four lanes. The La Rue Student Housing would be built west of La Rue Boulevard between the Recreation Pool Lodge and the Inline Skate Facility. The apartments could open as early as fall 1999 to house 550 to 750 students. The current land use is open space reserve and would change to housing. "We are responding to the need for student housing and at the same time keeping campus development concentrated east of Highway 113, said Bob Segar, director of physical planning. The 10-acre site was originally identified as open space primarily to protect burrowing owls. "Regular surveys have not identified use of the site by owls for at least the last six years and breeding birds may not have been on the site since the late 1980s," England said. Concurrent with the housing project, the campus is proposing to convert 50 to 60 acres of orchards at the Russell Ranch to create habitat for burrowing owls, Swainson's hawks and other species. The housing will be built in partnership with a private developer, who as part of the agreement would give the campus 150 acres of farm land east of campus along Putah Creek. These lands would be designated as teaching/research fields and for additions to the Putah Creek Reserve. The greenhouse and a classroom and lab building would be built east of Highway 113 and north of Hutchison Drive. The $3.4 million greenhouse, funded partially by a $1.4 million grant from the National Science Foundation, would be used for research across the spectrum of plant sciences, from basic aspects of photosynthesis to development of new farm crops. The neighboring Bowley Plant Sciences Teaching Center would be funded by private gifts. Across campus, the proposed new plant and environmental sciences building would rise two- to four-stories between Veihmeyer Hall and the tennis courts. The $42.3 million building would provide 72,000 square feet of office and lab space to replace facilities in the aging Hoagland and Hunt halls. It would be funded by a combination of state and campus funds. The "enterprise reserve" south of Interstate 80 would be doubled from its current 12 acres to close to 25 acres. Among the possible tenants is Monsanto Co., which has been considering moving some life-sciences research operations, including newly acquired Calgene Inc., to UC Davis. The expansion would require a change in land-use designations from teaching and research fields to a high-density academic site.