With the University of California Regents’ approval last week, UCSB has moved to acquire the Devereux School property. It lies between the present West Campus faculty housing on the east and Devereux Slough on the west, with Coal Oil Point to the south.

In a letter to the campus community, Chancellor Henry T. Yang on Thursday wrote, “We have long recognized the importance of having this developed property as an integral part of our campus. These 33 acres will be a wonderful complement to our adjacent West Campus faculty housing, and will enhance our ability to fulfill the mission of our campus as well as provide unique ecological benefits.”

The Devereux Foundation, the present owners of the land, earlier last year announced the closure and eventual phasing out of the Devereux School for developmentally disabled young people. If UCSB buys the parcel, a small portion of the property will be leased back for ongoing programs of the school, Yang wrote in his memo.

Acquisition of the property would be followed by “a broad and thorough consultative process” for how it will be used, Yang promised, though generating revenue and accommodating campus programs were mentioned in the memo. “For the long term,” the chancellor wrote, “we will solicit ideas for how this property can best fulfill our future academic vision.”

In 1967, the University of California bought 221.5 adjacent acres of Devereux land, along with an option for Right of First Offer/Right of First Refusal on the remaining 33 acres. That parcel is the object of the current purchase plan.