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UCD Plans To Sell Old Davis Family Land

FAIR OAKS (CBS13) - The UC Davis Medical Center owns a nature-filled piece of land on Fair Oaks Blvd near Sunrise.

They want to sell it for as much money as they can get, but the people, who live around the area, aren't too thrilled.

This eight acre former olive orchard is filled with elms and oaks, even palm trees line the roadway leading up to the old Davis Ranch. It's now a vacant home from the early 19th Century, donated to the Medical Center. The Davis family is long gone, but the wildlife stuck around.

"We get deer every single day. They come out here and back through the property," said Leslie Abbott.

Living next door for 30 years, Abbott takes pride in her tranquility.

"It's private and secluded and a dead-end street great for kids. We raised our three kids here and it was just incredible," said Abbott.

However, Abbott could be getting a lot of new neighbors. A developer could be the buyer and builder with plans of tearing down 400 trees to make room for up to three dozen homes.

"For 55 years these houses have been here. There hasn't been a problem," said Abbott.

They'll be bulldozing make way for a new road.

The final wish of the last two Davis daughters is to help pay for medical students to become doctors. Now, a debate over a donation will pave the way for some students while disrupting the serenity of neighbors.

"I've seen where they build two story property right against yours and that would be tragic," said Abbott.

The county has to vote on the plans but has already warned the neighbors that change is coming.

There will be a public meeting in four weeks.

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