Earlier this year, The University of North Georgia released the Campus Master Plan for the Dahlonega and Gainesville campuses, denoting specific areas of change the university plans to introduce during their development period.  These plans include new buildings, specific areas, improvements to the university structure for travel, utilities and environmental aspects.

In the University of North Georgia Campus Plan the designers outline sustainable options for each campus, giving each existing building a rating depending on four primary assessment categories: Administrative Spaces, Academic Spaces, Building Qualities and Campus Context.

“There are no existing, immediate issues with the storm drainage system on the campus.  However, many of the existing storm drainage pipes in the central campus area around the Drill Field are old with many being in service for over 50 years.  Many of these storm drainage pipes are approaching the limit of their serviceability,” said Jackie Longoria, Senior Urban Planner in the Infrastructure and Utilities Summary for the University of North Georgia Master Plan for the Dahlonega Campus.

Longoria said, “A master stormwater detention and cistern storage system was investigated over the past few years but the project was never constructed due to cost and site location concerns.  The planned location of the master detention and cistern system was the area around the current Military Leadership Center.”

One of the biggest aspects the redesign addressed was the parking capacity, and the shift towards a more sustainable and traversable campus design for visitors and students.  With a large portion of the parking being at over 75% occupied, with at least 12 of the areas falling at above 90% occupancy.  The goal is for students to utilize campus provided transportation once parked as well as bicycles and easily traversable pathways.

“I look forward to the much needed improvements on both campuses, especially with the influx of new students each year and the need for more spaces. The Gainesville campus, as it currently stands, suffers from poor air quality most of the year. With the construction that would be needed for the expansion of the campus, we would see a growth in air pollution and noise pollution.” – Mariela Alvarado, Senior, Math and Engineering

UNG also plans to add more student housing to both campuses, increasing the amount of beds to potentially 1680 beds on the Gainesville campus with four new housing buildings. Additionally increasing the Dahlonega housing by potentially 1280 beds and introducing four new housing buildings.

The plans also highlight areas at the risk of erosion and the necessity of stormwater management on the Dahlonega campus.  The campus plans outline the preservation of these wooded areas and mention the ecological benefits to the Dahlonega community. Areas of focus to help mitigate the impact of runoff water drainage on the Dahlonega and Gainesville campuses include rain gardens, vegetated swales, rainwater harvesting, infiltration systems and cisterns.