Finding Higher Ground
From March 2006
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The committee received more than 10 proposals, including one from William Jessup University, which was looking to move from San Jose, and the Legion of Christ, an international Catholic order interested in opening a campus in the United States. Although neither school was the private four-year liberal arts college the committee desired, after both institutions were exposed to the region, each eventually opened campuses here: William Jessup in the vacant Herman Miller furniture plant in Rocklin; the Catholic college, called the University of Sacramento, settled in Sacramento at 16th and I streets while eyeing a large residential campus at Mather Field for 2008.
The offer also drew the attention of the Christian Brothers, looking to relocate from San Jose and name its new campus De La Salle University. Its application was accepted by RUC and paperwork began traveling through the county’s approval mill. The proposal designated 600 acres for the campus, with the remaining 536 acres to be built out in homes and apartments. The proceeds would go back to the university to help with funding construction and administration costs.
Two years into the process, Christian Brothers withdrew its bid, then indicated it might reapply farther along in the approval course. Rumors ? ew that it was because county of?cials were dragging their heels.
“I think everybody in Placer was surprised to hear (those rumors),” says Graves.
After losing the interest of the Christian Brothers, KT Communities and the RUC decided to use the voting process to publicize the land offer and gauge community support. Last November, Placer County’s Measure H asked if the public approved of the project. It did, by nearly a two-thirds margin.
“We put Measure H on the ballot to show the broad support for our project,” Kyriakos Tsakopoulos says, “and it exceeded our expectations.”
That may be due to his personally ?nanced ad campaign, complete with glossy brochures and endorsed by a former Placer supervisor, business owners and corporate heads. Although he could not quote the cost of the promotion, Kyriakos Tsakopoulos says he was willing to spend whatever was necessary to get the facts out. “Some said the measure was ballot-box planning, but that’s wrong,” he says. “If the measure had circumvented the development-approval process, then it would be.”
Economic-development specialist Graves agrees: “Nothing in Measure H requires anybody in Placer County to lessen the standards for development of that university.”
Regardless of which university ultimately occupies the land, the KT Communities’ project is still on track. And, for now, that’s enough.
The offer also drew the attention of the Christian Brothers, looking to relocate from San Jose and name its new campus De La Salle University. Its application was accepted by RUC and paperwork began traveling through the county’s approval mill. The proposal designated 600 acres for the campus, with the remaining 536 acres to be built out in homes and apartments. The proceeds would go back to the university to help with funding construction and administration costs.
Two years into the process, Christian Brothers withdrew its bid, then indicated it might reapply farther along in the approval course. Rumors ? ew that it was because county of?cials were dragging their heels.
“I think everybody in Placer was surprised to hear (those rumors),” says Graves.
After losing the interest of the Christian Brothers, KT Communities and the RUC decided to use the voting process to publicize the land offer and gauge community support. Last November, Placer County’s Measure H asked if the public approved of the project. It did, by nearly a two-thirds margin.
“We put Measure H on the ballot to show the broad support for our project,” Kyriakos Tsakopoulos says, “and it exceeded our expectations.”
That may be due to his personally ?nanced ad campaign, complete with glossy brochures and endorsed by a former Placer supervisor, business owners and corporate heads. Although he could not quote the cost of the promotion, Kyriakos Tsakopoulos says he was willing to spend whatever was necessary to get the facts out. “Some said the measure was ballot-box planning, but that’s wrong,” he says. “If the measure had circumvented the development-approval process, then it would be.”
Economic-development specialist Graves agrees: “Nothing in Measure H requires anybody in Placer County to lessen the standards for development of that university.”
Regardless of which university ultimately occupies the land, the KT Communities’ project is still on track. And, for now, that’s enough.
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