The University of California Board of Regents on Thursday approved UCSB’s plan to expand enrollment to 25,000 students in the next 15 years.

The long-range development plan would guide the growth needed to accommodate an additional 5,000 students, 1,700 faculty and 1.8 million square feet of academic space. The LRDP, which seeks to unify the campus architecture with several pedestrian malls, still requires the go-ahead from the California Coastal Commission.

“We are extremely grateful to all who have participated in this process, which has helped make our plan stronger and in harmony with our neighbors and the environment,” UCSB Chancellor Henry Yang said in a statement.

Campus administrators as well as faculty, staff and student representatives met with community groups, civic leaders and elected officials to ensure the final plan would address community concerns while meeting campus needs. Some of those concerns include the school’s impact on Isla Vista, law enforcement, fire protection and traffic impacts.

“I am grateful for the contributions of the MTD, the Goleta Water District and Sanitary District, SUN (Sustainable University Now) and all of our other community partners,” Yang said. “We have been meeting and working with these groups for months. We have solicited, welcomed and benefited from their input.”

Some of the input has come from Goleta Water District president Bill Rosen in the form of a 40-page letter addressing the water issue. While the university and GWD haven’t seen eye to eye on how much water would actually be needed, the targeted enrollment growth is not set in stone.

According to UCSB’s statement, the additional 5,000 students represent an upper limit and is not a foregone conclusion. Since the academic plan was approved on campus, the budget climate has deteriorated, and UC schools are experiencing enrollment declines. Even if the LRDP were to be in place tomorrow, the campus would not increase its enrollment for several years.

Approval of the LRDP, which also received unanimous support from the city of Goleta and the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, came the same day the university was rated 29th best in the world by the British periodical Times Higher Education.

— Noozhawk intern Alex Kacik is a graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. He can be reached at akacik@noozhawk.com.