Volunteers and university administrators discussed Tuesday how it will be possible to get a high percentage of students to live on campus at the expanded Oregon State University-Cascades Campus on Bend’s west side.

According to Associate Vice President for Finance and Campus Planning Kelly Sparks, who led a discussion at the university’s Campus Expansion and Advisory Committee’s housing task force meeting, to house 75 percent of students on campus, the university would have to require freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors to live on campus, as well as attract a good proportion of graduate students and transfer students from Central Oregon Community College.

That benchmark is well above the national average of on-campus students, which hovers around 40 percent, but Sparks also presented the possibility of facilitating the private development of housing within walking distance of the proposed campus.

Having students live nearby is key, Sparks said, as the university’s housing plan is trying to minimize the impact of commuters on local roads.

“Three developers in the last month have approached me with interest in developing housing for students,” Sparks said. “These could end up as apartments, duplexes or real residences halls off the main campus.”

According to preliminary results from a land study, there’s nearly 27 acres of undeveloped land with the appropriate zoning within a quarter-mile of campus.

Under current zoning ordinances, Sparks said, a maximum of 72 beds can be built on a one-acre site, which also leaves room for enough parking for each resident. If the boundary is expanded to one-half mile, there’s nearly 40 acres. With zoning changes, there’s nearly 100 acres available.

“Within one-fourth of a mile, students will definitely walk,” Sparks said. “Within one-half, they will most likely walk or ride a bike. Outside one mile, you’re pushing to ride a bike or you’d want a major bus route nearby. That’s why we’re talking about within that one-half mile.”

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the university’s goals for housing, and the 12 volunteer task force members weighed how aggressive to be with setting the bar high for on-campus housing.

“If the goal really is to minimize traffic and all that, I think we should really reach as high as we can,” said Michael Carr, a volunteer member of the task force.

Others, including Bill Bernardy, another volunteer, seemed more eager to intentionally incorporate nearby off-campus housing into the picture. Regardless, all of those present agreed any housing would have to be attractive to students. To that end, Bernardy gave a presentation on the amenities students desire, including coffee shops, gyms and recreation spaces.

The task force will continue to meet as it develops final recommendations to present in June.

— Reporter: 541-633-2160, tleeds@bendbulletin.com