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| For Immediate Release | Contact: Frances Squire |
| Sept. 3, 2009 | Phone: (559) 934-2134 |
West Hills College Coaligna is in the planning process for the Farm of the Future. An environmental impact report is now under review. This early artichitect's rendering is draft of what the future might hold.
West Hills College Coalinga Farm of the Future draft EIR comment period open
When Dorothy Allen and her family donated 230 acres to West Hills College Coalinga in 2001, the stage was set for the creation of the Farm of the Future, which has become a model for precision agriculture education and college/industry partnerships.
The college farm had previously been located close to the city center in Coalinga and faced challenges of urban encroachment. The new farm is several miles north of the city at Highway 198/33 and Gale Avenue on land that has been used for agriculture.
For the past two years, the college has been engaged in a master planning effort that includes a master environmental impact report. A draft of that document is now complete and available for viewing on the college website: westhillscollege.com, search Farm of the Future EIR.
It is also available at the Coalinga-Huron District Library at 305 N. 4th St., in Coalinga.
A public comment period opened Aug. 10th and will close at 5 p.m. on Sept. 25th, according to West Hills Community College District Vice Chancellor of Business Services Ken Stoppenbrink.
CD’s of the document are available in Stoppenbrink’s office at 9800 Cody, Coalinga, and at the library.
A public hearing on the plan will take place on Nov. 17th, during the district’s board of trustees’ meeting at 9900 Cody, Coalinga starting at 3 p.m.
Stoppenbrink said that written comments should be addressed to: Ken Stoppenbrink, Vice Chancellor of Business Services, West Hills Community College District, c/o Mary B. Reents, SWCA Environmental Consultants, 1422 Monterey Street, Suite C200, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401, email: mreents@swca.com.
Stoppenbrink said the EIR is being prepared for the farm to allow the district flexibility of planning for the farm in phases. In it, plans are considered for classrooms, labs and offices; a farm equipment building; shops and offices; an indoor pavilion; outdoor arena with bleachers; outdoor arena support facilities; student animal stalls and hay yard. Parking is also considered with 582 standard parking spaces and 38 RV/trailer spaces planned.
The first phase would include the outdoor arena which will have a 34,789 square foot arena floor surrounded by 2,026 seats and 66,585 square feet of support facilities. Plans call for the arena to be lighted for nighttime use.
Students at the farm have been meeting in modular buildings adjacent to the WHCCD offices. The plan calls for these to be replaced with permanent buildings when funding is available, Stoppenbrink said.
The master EIR outlines other plans for the Farm of the Future as well.
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West Hills Community College District serves the west side of the San Joaquin Valley and is part of the California Community College System. Its two colleges, West Hills College Coalinga, which includes North District Center, Firebaugh, and West Hills College Lemoore, serve more than 7,000 students on campus and online each semester.