[Music] Welcome to the city of Bakersfield planning commission meeting. This television broadcast is brought to you by the local cable companies, the county of Kerna, and the city of Bakersfield. You can watch the rebroadcast of this meeting Saturday at 700 p.m. and Sunday at 10:00 a.m. The agenda for this meeting can be downloaded at www.bakersfieldcity. US. Presciding over this evening's meeting, Chair Adam Strickland. >> It is my pleasure to call to order the July 17th, 2025 planning commission meeting. Madame Clerk, would you please call the role? >> Chair Strickland >> here. >> Vice Chair Bidd >> here. >> Commissioner Brent Oliver >> here. >> Commissioner Kedar >> here. >> Commissioner Core here. >> Commissioner Martin. Commissioner Neil. >> Madame Clerk, next item, please. >> Pledge of Allegiance. >> Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you for attending tonight's planning commission meeting. This commission provides an opportunity for public participation in the development process throughout the city of Bakersfield. The planning commission considers a wide variety of projects, including subdivision maps, zone changes, general plan amendments, and more. When applications are received, the city planning division analyzes the request. Planning staff will present the facts about the project along with their recommendations to the planning commission who will then approve the item or make a recommendation as appropriate. Madame clerk, next item, please. >> Public statements. >> Public statements are now received at different times depending on the item. I will call on madame clerk to call out to call for public statements at the appropriate time. So, please listen carefully for the correct time to speak. Non-aggenda item 3A, public statements. >> Does anyone in the audience wish to address the commission regarding items not listed on tonight's agenda? If so, please come forward and state your name. >> Seeing none. >> Agenda item 3B, public statements. >> Does anyone in the audience wish to address the commission regarding items listed on tonight's agenda? If you are here for non-consent public item 6A, now is not the time to speak. You will be given an opportunity to speak at a later time. >> Seeing none, madam clerk, next item, please. >> Agenda item four, consent calendar items. >> All matters listed under the consent items do not require a public hearing and will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of said items unless staff or commissioner requests specific items to be discussed and or removed for separate action. May I get a motion approving consent items 4A? >> I'll make a motion. >> Commissioner Kedar, >> I'll second that. >> Vice Chair Bidd Commissioners, please cast your votes. Motion passes with Commissioner Martin and Commissioner Neil absent. >> Madame clerk, next item, please. >> Can we pause so I can update the roles and escribe? >> Yes, please. Okay. Agenda item five, consent calendar, public hearing items. Now is the time for consent calendar public hearing items. If the item is not removed by commissioner, staff, or a member of the public, the commission will vote on all items in one motion. without further comment. If an item is removed, it will be placed at the end of the non-consent public hearing items. At this time, I will open the consent calendar public hearing items. Does any member of the public wish to remove a consent calendar public hearing item? Seeing none, does any commissioner or staff wish to remove a consent calendar public hearing item? Missing >> Mr. or Cher Strickland. Staff would like to have item 5C, best tenative track map uh 7450 removed from consent calendar and placed under regular hearings. >> Understood. We will move that to the end of non-consent public hearing items. Um and that will come after item 6A. Seeing no other requests at this time, the consent calendar public hearing items not removed are now closed. May I get a motion to adopt staff's recommendations on the consent public hearing items not removed incorporating all staff memoranda and revised staff recommendations? >> I moved. >> Move. >> I'll second that. >> All right. Commissioners, please cast your vote. Can we uh we're showing the moved and seconded incorrectly on our side. Okay, cool. Thank you. Commissioners, please cast your vote. >> Motion passes with Commissioner Neil and Commissioner Martin absent. >> Thank you, Madame Clerk. Next item, please. >> Agenda item six, non-consent public hearing items. >> Now is the time for non-consent public hearing items. Before we begin, I would like to explain how the hearing will be conducted. Staff will first give a report. Then those in favor of the project will be allowed to speak. Those in opposition to the project will be able to speak. After all those in favor have spoken. Each side will be given five minutes to provide rebuttal comments. Individual speakers may ask questions during their statements, but the questions will not be answered until the public hearing on that item is closed. When comments may be written comments may be given to the clerk who will provide copies to the commission. Please be respectful to all others participating in the hearing by not repeating the remarks of previous speakers and presenting any new comments or thoughts in a concise and clear way. Miss Ing, would you or a designate please provide us with your staff report? I'd like to introduce Lewis Ramirez, associate planner. >> Uh, good evening, commissioner, commissioner, commissioners. Uh, my name is Lewis Ramirez. I'm an associate planner with the city of Bakersfield development services department planning division. Agenda item 6A is conditional use permit number 24-0016. The applicant, Scarpel Frank Associates, representing the Bakersfield Rescue Mission, is requesting a conditional use permit to allow the construction of a kitchen and transitional residence in an existing shelter and food service agency. The project is located in an existing shelter and food service agency located on an approximately 4 acre campus at 809 Sumar Street. The surrounding properties are primarily developed as a railroad yard to the north, residential to the south, automotive and warehousing to the east, baker bakery and wireless communication tower to the west. The zone classification of the parcel is M1 light manufacturing along with surrounding properties to the north, south, and west. M2's zone general manufacturing is east of the site. The land use designation is Alli light industrial as are the budding properties to the north, south, and west with SI service industrial to the east. Since 1952, the Bakersfield Rescue Mission has provided several services to the unhoused community, including overnight shelter, hygiene services, medical, and dental care. Currently, the mission's kitchen facility is located offsite directly west of the campus, which requires residents from the campus to cross King Street. The applicant is requesting to demolish the existing six bed women's transitional residence building and construct an approximately 14,000 square foot multi-function building. The building has a contemporary contemporary design with angular lines and dynamic roof slopes. The building will consist of a kitchen with a cafeteria, transitional residence with 19 beds, and two classrooms for computer training. The construction of the building will allow residents to stay on campus during meals and provide an additional 13 beds. After the distribution of the staff report, the applicant contacted the planning division regarding their community outreach efforts. staff has provided your commission with that attached memo conveying their efforts. No public opposition has been received for this project based on the suggested findings in the resolution. Staff recommends your commission to approve conditional use permit number 24-0016 with the recommended conditions of approval. Thank you. If you have any questions, staff and the applicant are available. Thank you for your presentation. The public hearing is now open. Is there anyone who wishes to speak in favor of the project? Please step to the microphone, identify yourself, and proceed. >> Uh good afternoon, commissioners. Thank you for allowing us to be here and thank you for that great uh introduction to our project. Uh my name is Steve Peterson. I'm the director of programs at the Mission of Kern County. Been there almost 15 years. And during my 15 years, I've seen hundreds, thousands of uh men and women and children use our facilities and see their lives changed. And uh one of the ways that it starts is with the meal. And uh we've been serving meals out of that kitchen uh where current we can seat about 65 people at a time. And when you have 200 or 250 people showing up for each meal, uh you can imagine it takes a while. And so they line up right now. They line up in the heat uh to get in and wait. And it takes us about three or four turns to to feed everybody. U we're excited about this new kitchen because it'll do it'll seat up to 200 at a time, which means we'll be able to pretty much seat everybody who comes for meal at one time. And uh plus it also moves it from offsite to uh insight, our gated area. Uh so everything will happen insight. I think it's going to decrease the amount of traffic on the sidewalks uh that surround the mission, which I think will be good for everybody. Um the transitional uh beds in there, those are going to be for people who've already went through our 12-month residential program and have graduated and have a job. uh we help them get a job and uh they'll be living there while they're for uh while they're transitioning from graduating that program to getting back into their own housing uh which is what we do. Our goal at the mission is to move people forward in whatever capacity whether it be uh looking for a job to get a job to get housing uh to have uh go through our addiction recovery programs or whatever it is we're we're just there to help and to serve and we feel that this project will help us do that. Uh thank you so much. >> Thank you Mr. Peterson. >> Good evening commissioners. My name is Gregory Frank. Uh I'm the architect and applicant for the project. Um I just wanted to introduce myself and let you know that I'm here. If there's any questions that come up, uh regarding the building or construction, uh just let me know. But obviously I'm in support of the project. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Frank. >> Good afternoon, commissioners. Carlos Baldinas, executive director at the Mission of Kern County. Um, as you can see in what, uh, Steve Peterson spoke about, this project is going to help the community. Um, actually, it's going to better the community. And, uh, as I did the outreach, uh, with our neighbors in the last several weeks, um, there was a lot of, um, there were actually, um, thrilled that we were going in, you know, we're going to doing these meals inside our campus. And um you know as as the organization you know we're serving upwards of 260,000 meals per year. That's uh that's a lot of meals. And um as you can see if you're you know I left the organ I left the office around4 to 5 and um people are lining up and it's hot outside and um and as you know it gets cold in the winter and it rains from time to time. So this is going to help people just to move them into services. But also, you know, Steve didn't go into detail. The the vocational learning center um is going to be very key for us. We already do that work inside what we currently have at the mission, but this is actually going to help us expand the education component to serve not just people on our campus, but people in the community. So, you know, to me, I'm very thrilled about this project. Um it's I believe it's going to be a good project for Oldtown Kern. Thank you for your time. Thank you. >> Marvin Fuller. Uh I am the the current board chair at the mission. I have served at the mission on the board for about 14 years. I just have a few observations. When I come down to the mission around noon, there's normally people lined up on the street. Um, it takes a walk across the street to get into the the current kitchen. Moving the kitchen and dining room on campus will keep foot traffic off of uh off of the street. Just a few things that, you know, we've already mentioned. Our current kitchen will seat about 65. New kitchen seats about 200. summertime, winter time, it's important to keep these guys uh out of the weather. 260,000 meals per year, which take about three rotations versus one. I should be noting existing kitchen, existing kitchen and dining room are currently across the street off campus. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Fuller. Is there anyone else in the public who would like to speak in favor of the project? Seeing none, is there anyone who wishes to speak in opposition to the project? Please step forward into the micro, please step forward to the microphone, identify yourself, and proceed. All right, seeing none. Does any commissioner have questions for the public on this item? Remember, this is not the time to express any opinions on the matter. It is only time to ask questions. >> Commissioner Brent Oliver, >> I just have a question. Not that it probably affects my vote, but is it funded? Do you have the support from your um donors to build this? Just curious. Uh the answer is yes. I mean I wouldn't sit up here without not having any support. So we've actually been talking about this since early 2024. Um it's been in the private phase, but since it's a public hearing, I had to put some signs up. So now it's become a public right because I'm getting the phone calls now like this is great, this is good. So I I do have support. That's I mean I feel again we've been working on this for quite some time and I mean that it's private money. Um, so we're we're moving forward um with, you know, once um if if the board chooses to approve this, just moving forward with continuing with our fundraising efforts. Does that help? >> Okay. See, seeing no other questions from fellow commissioners, I had a just a couple questions um about the program itself. Uh so the transitional housing that would be built or the transitional beds in this facility um it's after I understand it's after the 12-month program. What's the length of time you expect uh residents to stay in the transitional beds there? Is there a there a time limit on that or >> Yeah, we basically go about another year. Thank you for that question on that. And uh we're not hard and fast on that. If somebody needs a little more time, we're not going to put them out there. Our goal is to have them move into to their own sustainable living situation. >> Cool. That's great. And then just another question. So maybe not. Um you spoke the dining capacity is going to go up from 65 to 200, but that's occupancy. That's not meals per day you're providing, right? You're >> Yeah. No, that's just per meal. So yeah, we're providing like you said about 260,000 meals a year. you know, roughly, you know, two about 200, you know, people per meal. >> And so, um, yeah, breakfast, we serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day of the year. 365, 366 on leap year. >> Great. Thank you. And then and then I guess final question, the the existing kitchen across the street, what's what's the plan for that when >> when this new facility is constructed? >> That's a good question. >> That's a great question. That's actually going to be a surplus building that we'll have. We'll use a storage. Um, I've never been I' I've been the director at the mission for 15 years. I've never been keen on that building. Actually, I've never liked that building. So, when we came to this plan of doing the kitchen and and the the project, it was actually exciting to me because I can actually use that building as storage. Um, and just, you know, because we operate a lot of different things throughout the community. So this will be very much a help to to store it but not nonoperational for anything else. >> Awesome. Thank you so much. Just for clarification, there's no rebuttal periods. >> That's correct. >> Okay, cool. >> All right. So, seeing no other comments from public or commissioners, um I will now close the public hearing on the item and return it to commission for comment and action. uh first one was Commissioner Kater. Commissioner Kater, >> well uh I just want to say thank you for the work you do in our community. uh thank you for um looking out for uh our fellow community in need and uh just exciting to see um your services expand and uh providing more resources at your uh your campus in Oldtown Kern. So I was going to make a motion to um to um go with staff's recommendation and approve the project, but uh I think there are other speakers, so I will hold on that unless and >> yeah. Yeah, we'll uh we'll circle back for that. Uh Vice Chair Bidd, >> that was just a second. So, anybody else? >> Uh I was So, we'll get to that. I I just wanted to make the same comment. Appreciate the work the mission does. Um I I think one thing that you've stated, but really shouldn't be overlooked by the public is you're not only increasing capacity, but you're adding a safer way to feed and house uh those who really need it. Especially winter isn't as bad here as other places, but summers are brutal. So removing foot traffic across the street is huge. Getting people out of long lines outside is huge. And increasing capacity at a time when we really need it is huge. So same opinion. I have full support, but I'm going to defer to others for the motion. Thank you. At this time, the consent public hearing items not removed right now. Closed. May I get a motion to adopt staff's recommendation on the consent public hearing item not removed incorporating all >> I guess now now is the appropriate time and I will happily make the motion. >> All right. Uh motion by uh Commissioner uh Kedar. Do I have a second? >> And I'll second that. >> Vice Chair Biddle. Uh commissioners, please cast your vote. Motion passes with Commissioner Martin and Commissioner Neil absent. >> Thank you, Madame Clerk. Next item, please. The next item would be public hearing for item 5C. Agenda item 5C which is now 5B stays as 5C but it's only yeah only G it has a hearing now missing would you or your designate please pro designignate please provide us with your staff report for agenda item 5C >> like to introduce Noelli Topete who is an associate planner with the department. >> Hello, good evening. My name is Noel Topete, associate planner with the development services department. I'm here to present agenda item 5C, vesting tenative trackm 7450. Vesting tenative trackm 7450 is located at the southwest corner of Olive Drive and Rosedale Ranch Parkway in Northwest Bakersfield. The applicant is requesting a track map to subdivide 32.66 acres into 76 residential lots and five public landscape lots in the R2 zone. Residential lots range in size from 4,500 square ft to 12600 12,000 yeah 12,657 square ft and the typical lot size is approximately 50 ft wide by 100 ft deep or 5,000 square ft. On January 16th, 2025, esting tenative track map 7450 was scheduled for planning commission consideration. Subsequent to the setting of the project for consideration, staff requested the project be referred back for readvertising and public notification. The map was then scheduled for planning commission consideration on February 20th, 2025. Following the distribution of the staff report, staff received correspondence from the Sier Club and a neighboring resident. Staff then requested the map to be referred back to address comments and for further environmental evaluation. An initial study was prepared and comments received from Sierra Club and the neighboring resident were addressed in the initial study. Subsequent to the distribution of the staff report for this planning commission meeting, staff received written correspondence from Gordon Nip on behalf of the Sierra Club and Carol Bender, a neighboring resident. The comment letters and staff's response were provided to your commission for um through a memorandum. Staff recommends approval with conditions. That concludes my presentation of the project. Thank you. >> Thank you so much for your report. The public hearing is now open. Is there anyone who wishes to speak in favor of the project? Please step forward to the microphone, identify yourself, and proceed. Good evening, commissioners. My name is Blaine Neptune. I'm with Macintosh and Associates. I'm the civil engineer and applicant on this project. The city of Bakersfield through its housing element update process has to plan for approximately 37,000 homes. This figure represents the Bakersfield share of the re regional housing needs allocation, RENA, as determined by the state. The housing element update are mandatory by the state of California every eight years to ensure that local governments plan for adequate housing at all income levels. The arena identifies number of residents and units required. This project is fully entitled as staff suggested. It's residentially zoned. This is a remapped uh this project was had a tenative map on it previously. It is being renapped. Uh the houses in this subdivision developed today versus when the original map was approved are much more energy efficient. They have solar. It's all it's all electric. Uh we u respectfully request the commission to approve this tenative map. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Neptune. Are there any other members of the public that wish to speak in favor of the project? Good evening, uh, members of the commission. My name is Tom D. I represent the land owners and, um, um, I'd like to thank the staff for, um, their continuing work over the last eight months on this project. Um, I know they've gone through a lot of different reports and, um, I just want to thank them for that hard work. Um, I I would like to, you know, believe that they've potentially, you know, flushed out every disclosed, analyzed, and mitigated in accordance with SQUA. Um, I know that, um, there's been some responses by the public that have raised some concerns about air, farmland conservation, greenhouse gases, uh, biological resources, and cumulative impacts. And in our view um and as reflected in the staff report all the technical data studies all these concerns have been thoroughly addressed. The project falls below the established thresholds for air quality analysis greenhouse gas emissions. The site is not in the Williamson Act. It hasn't been in a long time. Um as Blaine had mentioned it had a tenative track map on it. before that was part of the Western Rosedale specific plan. Um and so planning in this area for homes, commercial um has been under review for 30 years. So um you know the biology studies that we've conducted out there actually confirm there's no presence of no presence of sensitive species or habitat and there's mitigation measures that go along with all those requirements. there's um uh there's adopted mitigation in place for all the air quality issues. So, we believe that you know that our project as presented as staff has presented uh is consistent with SQL requirements and I appreciate your time and consideration for this project again. So, thank you. >> Thank you, sir. >> Is there anyone else who wishes to speak in favor of the project? Seeing none, is there anyone who wishes to speak in opposition of the project? If so, please step to the microphone, identify yourself, and proceed. >> Good evening, uh, planning commission. I'm Eddie Eddie Lane at Ed Y. I'm with the Sierra Club. Um, and you received a lengthy letter from the Sierra Club a couple days ago. Thank you for taking this off the consent calendar. The mitigated negative declaration for track 7450 is deficient and see our letter. Let me point out some of the issues. The decision makers need to know the results of the biological surveys before deciding whether to approve the project. to address biological resource issues. A biological survey and consultation with uh United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife should be required before project approval. Regarding the impact of this project on air pollution, the city asserts that project specific insignificance uh implies cumulative insignificance. That violates the meaning of cumulative impacts. According to secret guidelines section 15355b, cumulative impacts can result from individually minor but collectively significant projects taking place over a period of time. The conclusion of cumulative insignificance of this project on air pollution must be withdrawn or substantial evidence based on firm legal and rational ground must be presented. The city must require this project to adopt a sufficient number of effective air pollution reduction measures. For example, a developer mitigation contract with the air district to offset cumulative air pollution impacts. Regarding the impact of this project on greenhouse gas emissions and climate crisis, the negative declaration inappropriately jumps a huge logical gap and ignores scientific evidence by wrongly to wrongly conclude that the project's cumulative impact to climate change is insignificant. There's been no attempt to quantify the cumulative impact and and there is thus no data upon which to base a conclusion of insignificance. The city must present an analysis of the project's accumulative impact. Since the city has shelved adopting a climate action plan, it needs to be extra diligent in asssuring that individual projects like this one satisfy state goals and regulations and legal requirements. The city needs to require this project to adopt feasible climate change mitigation in new environmental documents. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you, Charlene. Oh, what a mess. Now, are there any other members of the public who wish to speak in opposition of the project? >> I'm sorry. One second. Uh, do do we go to commissioner before rebuttal or rebuttal before commissioner? So, we already did the in favor and those in opposition. So, you're on number four. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Does any commissioner have any questions for the public on this item? Remember, this is not the time to express any opinions on the matter. It's only the time to ask questions. Commissioner Brent Oliver. My question is for Mr. D. Um, you mentioned biologic studies already have been done and can you clarify that because Mr. Lane's stating that he needs it done before >> I I sorry um Tom D um representing landowner um I believe it's in your staff report. you have a copy of a um of a actual um survey out there where they surveyed um not only once, not maybe even twice, but three times, three different times. Plus, there's currently ongoing surveys out there for uh endangered species. Every project that breaks ground uh has a 30-day clearance that's issued. This project is adjacent to one that has just broke ground about six months ago. It's in the off-site grading um procedures right now. So, um the staff report has it no endangered species, plants, anything of significance was found. Um the mitigation measures required uh for us to do again are pursuant to protocol. Um we will be doing our you know our surveys before we start doing grading out here. So, uh, we'll follow all the rules and regulations. Um, so yes, they have been done. >> Thank you so much for clarifying that. >> Seeing no other questions out of commissioners. Uh, all right. Is there anyone who wishes to provide a rebuttal on this item? If so, please be prepared to step to the podium. Each side will only have five minutes, so make your comments succinctly without repeating the remarks of previous speakers to ensure that everyone wishing to provide rebuttal comments has a chance to do so. And I think we start with in in favor. I was madam clerk, it's five minutes. Thank you. Okay, seeing none, we still continue with opposition rebuttal. Correct? Yeah. Cool. Uh, is there anyone who would like to provide rebuttal in opposition of this project? Okay. Seeing none, I will now close the public hearing on the item and return it to the commissioners for comment and action. Okay. At this time, the consent public hearing item not removed is now closed. >> Do I have a commissioner recommendation? >> I move to adopt this project. >> Commissioner Brandt Oliver. >> I'll second that. >> Vice Chair Bidd. Commissioners, please cast your votes. Motion passes with Commissioner Martin and Commissioner Neil absent. >> Thank you, Madam Clerk. Madame Clerk, next item, please. >> Agenda item seven, communications. >> Does staff have any communication items? >> We will be having an August 7th planning commission meeting. That's it. >> Thank you, Miss Ing. Uh, madame clerk, next item, please. >> Agenda item eight, commissioner comments. >> Does any commissioner have comments? Uh, Miss Bidd, do you want to start? Vice Chair Bidd, your birthday next time. Is that what I heard? Okay. All right. All right. Seeing none, Madame Clerk. Next item, please. Agenda item nine, adjournment. >> This meeting is adjourned at 6:08 p.m. >> Chair Sar Strickland. Um, we need to give the appeal notice. >> Oh, uh, I'm just kidding. It's not adjourned. Uh, can we get the appeal notice? You may appeal a commission decision to the city council within 10 days from the date of the commission's decision by submitting a request in writing to the city council in cl and care of the office of the city clerk 1600xton Avenue Bakersville California. Your appeal must satisfy the requirements of the Bakersville mun municipal code and may require a non-refundable filing fee. Thank you. and staff will provide this to the Sierra Club who spoke in opposition. >> Thank you so much for that. And I Madame Clerk, next item, please. >> Agenda item nine, adjournment. >> This meeting is adjourned officially at 6:09 p.m. [Music] [Music] Yeah. [Music] Heat.