A decades-in-the-making plan to grow the city of Merced and build a new community is now ready to roll.
The Local Agency Formation Commission voted Thursday to annex the Virginia Smith Trust land into Merced.
The vote by LAFCo was the final approval stamp needed to annex the 650-acre property just south of UC Merced.
The City Council voted unanimously on the annexation back in January.
It’s a particularly valuable expanse of land for the city and university. That’s because plans are already underway to develop it into thousands of homes, apartments, retail and commercial space, parks and transportation routes.
The annexation will take effect Oct. 12, according to a news release from Merced County Office of Education.
Plus, the development will be important for local high school students, as revenue generated from it will fund scholarships.
The trust was established in 1975 after the death of Virginia Smith, who in her will directed that 7,000 acres benefit local students.
Much of the trust’s land was donated in the late 90s for the purposes of building UC Merced, which opened in 2005. Last week, UC Merced was ranked among the nation’s best campuses by the Wall Street Journal, which included first place in the social mobility category.
Another large portion of land was preserved to protect vernal pools that are home to endangered fairy shrimp and other wildlife.
“The legacy that Virginia and her brother Cyril created will live on for generations and impact students in perpetuity from Merced County,” said Steve Tietjen, MCOE superintendent of schools.
Tietjen also serves as the trust’s advisor. “It is up to the current generation of Mercedians to make the most of this generous gift,” he added.
Since its establishment, the Virginia Smith Trust has distributed nearly $7 million total in scholarships to support more than 3,500 Merced students, the MCOE release said.