COLLEGE MULLS FARM USES PIERCE TO UNVEIL CAMPUS PLAN.

Byline: Erik Nelson Staff Writer

WOODLAND HILLS - An agricultural education center, a ``pizza garden'' and a senior citizens apartment complex are among the possible uses for the Pierce College farm that campus planners will present next week.

On Sept. 21, college officials will introduce three alternative master plans from which they hope to cull elements of a master plan proposal by early November. That plan, which would also map out improvements to the academic half of the campus, is tentatively scheduled to be presented to the Los Angeles Community College board of trustees on Dec. 6.

The key question is ``how should Pierce College use 425 (total) acres in terms of fulfilling its educational goals. That's the whole point of this discussion,'' Pierce College President Darroch ``Rocky'' Young said.

Integral to the master plan is the development of the college's 250-acre farm, one of the largest pieces of undeveloped land in the San Fernando Valley. Looking to exploit the land, worth about $600 million, college officials had considered building a golf course there but rejected the idea after facing strong community opposition.

Now the college is looking for other, more suitable uses for the land.

One of the major projects being seriously considered is the development of an agricultural education center on perhaps 25 acres. The project, which might be done in conjunction with University of California, Davis, and California Polytechnic State University, could include a retail nursery, a landscape teaching facility and a farm store and display.

A controversial subject Young said he would like to see tackled by the center would be genetically engineered crops. The idea would not involve growing the altered plants but would ``try to frame the debate and remove the hysteria from it'' by educating the public about the benefits of the new technologies to developing nations that struggle to feed their populations.

On the lighter side, the center could also include a ``pizza garden,'' or circular plot of land that would include the agricultural components of pizza on various ``slices.'' One triangular section would have wheat for the dough, another a cow for the cheese and still another would grow tomatoes for sauce. Aimed at schoolchildren, the facility would also give out actual pizza slices at the end of the tour.

The center could also feature seasonal activities such as a cornfield maze and sales of pumpkins and Christmas trees. Visitors might also see sheep shearing or other farm animal demonstrations.

Bruce Ackerman, president of the Economic Alliance of the San Fernando Valley, described the open land as ``a great resource, because there's so little of it'' in the Valley.

Ackerman said he'd like to see a private-public partnership that would bring a growth industry such as biomedical, high-tech or Internet development to set up shop on campus.

``It's something that would be a natural fit for the college,'' providing internship opportunities for students and research possibilities for faculty, Ackerman said.

Young is hopeful about that sort of partnership, as long as the benefits flow both ways.

``I certainly would be interested in any kind of agricultural partner,'' Young added, saying such an arrangement would help to reinvigorate the college's agricultural program.

Other options expected to be incorporated into at least one of the three alternative plans include two apartment development scenarios. One would put about 200 student apartments on six to 10 acres and the other would develop up to 250 apartments for tenants over age 55 who desire a ``lifelong learning'' residential environment.

Other ideas include a sustainable agriculture project and possibly a veterinary teaching hospital.