Veterinary Medicine Development Plan Project NOP Page

UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine Development Plan Project

Notice of Preparation and Scoping

UC Davis released the Notice of Preparation (NOP) to solicit comments on the scope of a subsequent environmental impact report (Subsequent EIR) tiered from the 2018 Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) Program EIR (SCH #2017012008) for the UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine Development Plan Project on April 22, 2026. A copy of the full NOP can be found here: NOP Link (PDF). The NOP public comment period is from April 22 through May 22, 2026. However, please note that due to the official State Clearinghouse filing date, the State Agency review period ends Tuesday, May 26, 2026 at 5pm. Therefore, we will be accepting all comments until May 26th, 2026.

The purpose of the NOP is to provide an opportunity for the public, interested parties, and public agencies to comment on the scope and content of the Subsequent EIR.

Project Location: The Project would be developed throughout the existing Weill School of Veterinary Medicine, within the Health Sciences District of the UC Davis central campus. The Project site is generally bound by Garrod Drive, La Rue Road, and Hutchinson Drive, which connects to State Route 113 and Interstate 80. 

Project Overview: The UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine Development Plan Project proposes the phased development of approximately 300,000 square feet of new and renovated space within the existing Weill School of Veterinary Medicine to support veterinary, education, and related services. Project components include construction of new facilities; the renovation and/or demolition of existing buildings; and associated utility and transportation infrastructure improvements. The Development program is anticipated to include a new approximately 35,000 square foot (sf) Education Pavilion and Primary Care Hospital, a new approximately 200,000 sf Small Animal Hospital, a Large Animal Hospital, a Veterinary Cancer Center, an Equine Reproduction facility, an Equine Performance Arena, a Raptor Experience facility, and a new surface parking lot with approximately 200 parking stalls. The environmental review will be prepared as a Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to the previously certified 2018 Long Range Development Plan EIR. The Supplemental EIR will evaluate proposed modifications to the overall development program and will provide program-level analysis to support subsequent tiered environmental review and approvals for future phases and individual projects. Phase 1 of the project is anticipated to include the Education Pavilion and Primary Care Hospital facility and the Small Animal Hospital, representing the initial implementation of the overall development program.

Environmental Effects: The Supplemental EIR tiered from the 2018 LRDP Program EIR will evaluate whether implementing the Project would potentially result in a new or more severe significant environmental effect compared to what was previously evaluated in the 2018 LRDP Program EIR. The Supplemental EIR will include both programmatic- and project-level analysis depending on the project component, where near-term projects will be assessed at the project-level and all other project components will be assessed programmatically. 

Due to the nature of the Project, UC Davis has identified the potential for significant environmental effects related to archaeological, historical, and tribal cultural resources; GHG emissions and climate change (campus-wide GHG emissions will be considered); and transportation, circulation, and parking, which will be evaluated in further detail in the Supplemental EIR. UC Davis anticipates that the Project’s other potential environmental effects were appropriately evaluated in the 2018 LRDP EIR and will substantiate that the Project is within the scope of the 2018 LRDP EIR for those resource topics. The 2018 LRDP EIR will be incorporated by reference into the Supplemental EIR.

Comment Period: UC Davis requests input regarding the scope and content for the Supplemental EIR that is relevant to your agency’s statutory/regulatory responsibilities or is of interest to individuals, to ascertain potential environmental impacts of the Project. The NOP public comment period extends from April 22 to May 26, 2026.  

The NOP is available review at the following locations:

On-line

UC Davis: Campus and Environmental Planning, 255 Cousteau Place, Davis CA 

Public Libraries:

  • Davis: Mary L. Stephens Branch Library, 315 East 14th Street, Davis, CA 95616
  • UC Davis: Shields Library Reserves Section, Shields Avenue, University of California, Davis

To Comment: Written and/or email comments on the NOP should be provided at the earliest possible date, but must be received by 5:00 p.m. on May 26, 2026. Please send all comments on the NOP to:

Heather Davis, Director of Campus and Environmental Planning
Design and Construction Management
University of California, Davis
255 Cousteau Place
Davis, California 95616
E-mail: [email protected] 

Public Scoping Meeting: UC Davis will host a public scoping meeting to inform interested parties about the Project, and to provide agencies and the public with an opportunity to provide comments on the scope and content of the Supplemental EIR. The scoping meeting will be held via webinar only.