[Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] The 3:30 p.m. meeting of the Bakersfield City Council is now in session. >> Good afternoon. It's my pleasure to call to order the 3:30 regular city council meeting of September 10th, 2025. Madam Clerk, please call the role. >> Mayor Go, >> here. >> Vice Mayor Core >> here. Council member Arias, Council Member Gonzalez, >> here. >> Council member Weir, Council Member Smith, >> I'm here. >> Council member Coleman >> here. >> Council member, excuse me, council member Basher. Uh, Council Member Basher has notified us that he is absent due to illness. >> Thank you. In keeping with council's resolution, public statements are received at different times depending on the item. I'll call on the city clerk to call for the public statements at the appropriate time. If you wish to make a public statement, please fill out a public speaker card and place it in the tray next to the speaker podium. We ask that you mark whether you're here to speak on an item listed on today's agenda or in a matter not on the agenda. Speakers who do not identify a specific agenda item will be presumed speakers for the non-aggenda public statements. If here to speak on an item not listed on the meeting agenda, you'll be called first to speak. Statements are given a two-minute time limit per speaker, 20 minutes total for all non-aggenda item public statements. If you're here to speak on an item listed on the agenda, I'll call for you at the appropriate time. Everyone in attendance is is expected to adhere to the rules of decorum established by resolution of the city council. Failure to abide by the city's rules of decorum, including any disruptive behavior that interferes with our ability to have an orderly and efficient meeting, prevents the city council from conducting the business of the city. Madame clerk, do we have any public speakers regarding items not listed on the agenda? >> Mayor Go, we have received one speaker card for items not on the agenda. The first speaker is Eddie Lane. Welcome. Please introduce yourself. >> Good afternoon, mayor and minis. I'm Eddie Lane. Uh transparency, accountability, and staff followup from previous commitments are needed with regard to tree work done by the city of Bakersfield. This policymaking council needs to be directly receiving regular reports about tree work in the costing hundreds of thousands of dollars paid by taxpayers. Being circulated for your review are the uh November 2024 additions to the city tree plan and also final recommendations from our tree trimming committee that was met yesterday. Yesterday's recommendations began with a review of the November 20 additions, important common sense priorities. Highlighted are priorities adopted by the council but not implemented by the staff nine months later. For example, for each tree removed, at least one new tree needs to be planted. This would certainly apply to Pinno Park where 14 trees re were recently removed, most of which died for lack of water. Another example, the city um developed a policy to protect mature trees. Council member Kleman, had the had the city developed such a policy and transmitted it to policy owners, those trees on Gossford would not have been trimmed until October and inappropriate trimming would not have resulted in f and would resulted in fines. Another example, a certified arborist is supposed to be uh there to determine which trees are to be trimmed or removed. I'm passing out a picture taken nove September 4th 7:48 a.m. corner of H and Vinka Street. I don't know whose whose ward that is. At least a portion of that tree was alive. Conceivably that tree could have been trimmed instead of removed. Uh yesterday we were told by a staff person that the new contractor is making the decisions about what trees are trimmed or removed. Uh this is not the practice this city needs to employ. The city needs to needs to be making those decisions. Thank you for this time. >> Thank you, Mr. Lane. >> Next speaker, please. >> Michael Turnup seed. >> Welcome. Please introduce yourself. >> Good afternoon, Madame Mayor, members of the council. I'm Michael Turnup Seed. I represent the Kern County Taxpayers Association. Uh I'll just generally talk about what the last three or four months and of county city activities have been and all the uh questionable decisions that have been going on. Uh the first of all, your proposal on your sewer system created quite a turmoil as you well know. Uh the city should have been much more thoughtful in developing a prudent plan to address all of its deferred maintenance instead of just dropping the improve co improving fees increasing fees by six times. Uh city your city grants made on defined outcomes and actually they're quantifiable. I don't hear any reports where you're actually comparing grant applicants against each other. Are grant applicants something that happens in the back room somewhere or are they actually publicized where people can see them? I mean, I look at your uh Bakersfield notes on Thursday. I have never seen a list of available applica grants for people to look at and to apply for. That's supposedly one of your primary ways to communicate with the community. When facing different financial challenges, which I define as when you have to have a hiring freeze, making questionable decisions and expenditures, uh, Bakersfield has a major problem getting the work that it has with the staff it needs and putting a freeze on and restricting the size of the work staff while other expenditures are being made. Sh that light has very negative interpretations in the community. SP the spending priorities of measure N have been very questionable. As we said from the very beginning in 2018, ongoing expenses should have been no more than 50%. So you had 50% to meet one-time needs when they were uh needed and it fell upon death ears. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you, Mr. Turnips. Madam clerk, do we have any other speakers? We have not received any speaker cards any excuse me any more speaker cards for non-aggenda items and we have not received any speaker cards for agenda items. >> Thank you. Next item please. >> Reports item 3A economic development strategic plan update. >> Thank you Mr. Click. >> Thank you mayor and council. We have a presentation this afternoon and the highlight will actually be uh in response to recent referrals. We had a referral earlier this year from council member Arius and recent discussions about our economic incentive criteria framework. Uh but we wanted to put that in context of the bigger picture, our economic development strategic plan. And so Miss Buyers has a brief update on where we're at overall with our economic development strategic plan as well as some specifics about our framework for economic incentives. >> Thank you, Mr. Clpires. >> Thank you, Mayor, City Council. Uh yes, today we're going to be speaking about our economic development strategic plan. The economic and community development department. We have several units and most of our units all have a strategic plan. So we have an affordable housing strategic plan. There is a homeless strategy as well as this economic development one. It was noted that we would be bringing an update over the next 60 to 90 days and staff was ready to bring it now. So I don't remember Madam clerk, for the record, council member Arius has joined us at 339. >> Is it dead? Do I turn it on? Just need some skills. Thank you. So in 2021 the city council did adopt the EDSP. It was based on a lot of research. Uh we had also worked uh after B3K had done their um plan as well. There are three major categories and within that there are 17 strategies. So the categories are industry targeting and that has to do with business development and job creation. There are umbrella programs and that's creating an environment for economic progress. And then there's the land use placemaking programs and that's the physical changes that would accommodate quality growth. So under category one we have our business development job creation. I'm not going to read every one of the 17 strategies to you. We are going to go over some of the activities that we are doing in each of these. The one that is dark blue is kind of our next layer of program that we need to go in further and we need some conversations with council about our economic development incentives. And so I'm going to jump right into some of the work that we've been doing. We have had business retention, expansion, and attraction. If you're ever talking about economic development, this is always what's highlighted as the number one work that economic developers do and that is retention, expansion, and attraction. We did execute with Bios Health. Uh since then, they have partnered with CSUB and Dignity Health for the precision medicine initiative. We worked with Calaries in their site location making sure they were zoned. Uh they opened a state-of-the-art bottling facility. They're hoping to be the largest in the world with their advanced manufacturing bottling facility. They are currently working on uh with three large industrial users on site selections as well. We have an RFP out for a business and industrial recruiter to kind of assist the city in this work that we've done. We for Rosedale Ranch, we had worked with Newark and they really highlighted some areas that staff was lacking and so this RFP would assist in that recruitment. Tech Park RFP, this has been on the docket for a long time. Having an RFP to try and market to uh tech park development. We have entrepreneurial development. We did through ARPA funds. We did do uh entrepreneurship 1.0 and 2.0. 1.0 we worked with KCCD, the small business association and CSUB for a program. It went so well that we ended up providing additional funding for entrepreneurship 2.0. Since the inception of the one that we do with Launchpad, there have been 500 jobs created just from an entrepreneurship program. So when we talk about things like cow dairies which is a huge development provided employment opportunities for 170 people and then you have an entrepreneurship program that created 506 jobs and so it really shows what's possible when we invest in small business I have a quote from T Johnson that she had given us for state of the city that was there as entrepreneurs are proof of what's possible when capital is combined with capacity building so that program is about building out entrepreneurs level of understanding of business, doing a business plan, working with them, and it's created this um ecosystem of other things. And so now access to capital has become one of the big conversations uh for entrepreneurs that they know who to go to, who to talk to, quit using their own their personal checking account as the way to fund their business. Those type of things are conversations that often need had with entrepreneurs, but also how to market their business. So, that's one of the programs that we're really proud of. We also participated in Valley Strong Credit Union. They did a financial summit. Cecilia Grigo with our staff was one of the presenters and it was building bridges for financial resources. So, again, providing opportunities to our entrepreneurs outside of just city funding. We have done small business support, the economic opportunity area incentive program. There are seven areas. We have done over a 100 grants. I think we're at 111 grant agreements. You can really start to see some of that work that has been done in our community, the growth of downtown and kind of the revitalization of that. That was also highlighted at the state of the city 18th and 19th 19th Street just how much work has been done for small businesses. There is a business incentive and resource guide book that's under development and that again is for small businesses and entrepreneurs to understand how to go through the process how to get a business license if you need a building permit. Check your zoning first. Are you allowed to be a business in that? So that is under development right now. We worked on three ARPA large facade grants to redevelop properties in downtown. Right now, one that's being highlighted is at 19 and L where JP Lake is making improvements to pretty much the city block there where they found the ghost sign. And so if you've been following the newspaper, that is one of the large facade grant programs. Vest Drugs is another one where it they made some improvements to Vest Drugs and also the vacant spaces up the street. And then Tomas Del Toro is going to be making improvements to the former um Toucan building where they're going to be doing uh a small business development as well. So those are some of the small support programs we have. We are evaluating and refining economic development incentives. One of the big topics right now is opportunity zones 2.0. The original program was set to expire in 2026. It has been included in the big beautiful bill to be put in perpetuity. So, it's going to be a forever program, but we do have to evaluate and reertify our existing 15 zones. There's been some changes to the program. And so, making sure that we're able to capitalize on that for our business owners to have a capital gain deferral incentive. A lot of the housing that has been developed in downtown utilized opportunity zones. And so we want to make sure that we are advocating because in the new opportunity zones 2.0 only 25% of the state's uh qualified census tracks are eligible. And so we're going to have to make sure that we include our community in that reertification. And then I talked about the tech park design. Since the adoption of the EDSP, I was talking a lot about the ecosystem for access to capital for our small businesses and CDFIs are community development financial institutions. Two have been formed since the EDSP was adopted and so Valley Strong got their certification. Um, we also have Alta is one of the banks that has it. then self-help and who is the other? Oh, I know Strata. Strata is now pursuing their certification as an EDSP. We are evaluating enhanced infrastructure financing district that's kind of touted as redevelopment 2.0 where you take future uh property tax increment and you can do projects with that. You can have infrastructure, you can do uh parks, you can do other developments. It's a really interesting program and so we are going to be evaluating what our property tax has the power to receive bond financing from. And then what we're going to be talking about later is the economic development scorecard. City staff has worked really hard to make sure that we're working on city council priorities. But with that, when we talk about these incentives, how do we make sure that we are in that attraction field trying to attract the right uh development for incentives? And so we're going to talk about that in just a minute. the economic the EDSP included marketing program making sure that we had a marketing program and it it covers several things and it was actually one of the items that Newark when we did Rosedale Ranch highlighted was we didn't have a slide deck we didn't have a one-page document to be able to give out that has all of our stats and so we're going to be working on our marketing RFP it will cover the benefits of doing business in Bakersfield what incentives are there uh again in that opportunity zone 2.0 that we're going to be reertifying and then awareness building for Bakersfield quality of life. So what is arts and culture in the community? What are our outdoor activities? Those kind of things. Category two is build implementation capacity through partnerships, advocacy, and program monitoring. Again, I'm not going to read all of the items on this. The dark blue one again is kind of the next area that staff is going to be focusing on. We've been working on these other ones pretty hard, but that dark blue one is the next one. We're going to be focusing on investigate and implement financing mechanisms to support real estate investments. When we talk about real estate investments and development, that's really the economic driver for the community. If we can increase property tax through development, that is really what funds the general plan. We were talking about PSVS earlier and that measure is a sales tax measure and so making sure that we are supporting and getting the retail sales where we can. So that's one of the items that we're working on. So education and workforce development, we did several programs. They were mostly ARPA funded that entrepreneurship one and two that we have an ARPA workforce development under contract. We have that under contract with three different entities. Creating opportunities sometimes include making sure that you have trained individuals to be able to go into those jobs. And so we are working on workforce development and making sure that there's opportunities for trained staff. There's a youth jobs program. 122 students have participated. We talk about our youth jobs program a lot in the department that it was a grant that we had received and through that we have fellowships and mentorships. We had programs this summer for high school students as well as young adults. And in fact, they did some interviews today for more fellows to be working with city hall. And then we partner, we're partnering with Kern Builders Exchange. One of the things that we've noticed with our contractors is a lot of the small contractors don't know how to bid for the procurement requirements that city jobs have or prevailing wage jobs have. And so making sure that our contractors have the ability that when there is work where prevailing wage is an option that they're eligible for it. We have found with some of our home repair programs and our ADA access, they're very small projects and so they require um actually a lot of paperwork to be able to do ADA improvements to a residence where it's only a $5,000 grant. But through this, we're hoping that we have more contractors who are eligible able to do the procurement. Yes, it's only 5,000 per, but we do have funding to do about 20 ADA improvements on residences, and we have struggled to find a single contractor willing to take on that job. Another one is to elevate city's reputation for business development. I'm going to take a nod over to Phil Burns, development services director. The physical one-stop shop is under construction in development services. If you have more questions about that, I'm sure he he'll be happy to speak of it. We are working on a business and industrial recruiter like I spoke about, but then also that economic resource guide book is under development. We do have to address some of the internal and external threats that we have as a community. part of the EDSP outlined that and so we recognize that we have threats for us. We are working for California jobs first program. We submitted an eight partner application for a catalyst funding uh and we convene with those partners to submit for implementation funds in our target industries that are identified in the EDSP external funding sources. So we can't we recognize in the economic development department that the ARPA funding while it was amazing to have that opportunity to do programs like entrepreneurship and to get the numbers that we did there just isn't the space to only be budgeted from the city. And so we have gone out for a lot of grants. We spend a lot of our time evaluating and looking at grants. We did receive the transformative climate community grant, 22.1 million. It has 17 partners, six projects, four community plans. It is extensive work in our southeast strong neighborhood. We also have an EPA brownfield grant and a brownfield grant is funding that will clean sites that have are undevelopable based off of the use that was previously on them. So those are some of the things that we're evaluating or currently under the work of for external funding sources and then investigate and implement financing mechanisms. Again we are looking into that EIFD enhanced infrastructure financing district. There's also KAS. There's a couple of funding mechanisms that take less of a hit on the city budget. We are looking at a PEBBID, which is a a business improvement district effort in downtown. They have attempted a couple times to do them, but I think with the grassroots effort that we've seen in downtown Bakersfield to redevelop, this is a way to maybe have that conversation again. opportunity zone. We are partnering with chamber of commerce uh and other partners who have taken advantage of the opportunity zone to make sure that we can reertify. Category three land use and placemaking. Uh we have worked on several initiatives prosperity neighborhood. We have two neighborhoods that we What I love about the program is we went into the community, had community members attend and had them tell us what they need. It wasn't the city government going in and telling them, you know, what would be great for you. This is going to improve your life. They told us the things that they needed. And not all of those items are things that the city needs to take care of. Some of them are they wanted early childhood access. So, we're partnering with First Five. We're partnering part partnering with Bakersfield City School Districts to make sure that there's access for people to have uh for this early childhood education, but then also requesting things like clean streets and making sure that we have curb gutter sidewalks. And there's some of the work that is city, but then a lot of these programs that we're working in our prosperity neighborhood are about connecting the right people to work towards this. Another example that we have in our prosperity neighborhood, they they voted and stated they just didn't know how to access funding the same way other people did. And so Strata has a program to teach people checkbook balancing. Things that you think are really simple, but it is a way to make an investment in the community. And so we're in coordination for that. Um the downtown vision plan, we are working in coordination with the general plan update. We want to make sure that we're not doing duplicative activities even though it is a priority. It's a council goal. Um but it is also a timing and so we're working on that vision plan in coordination with that general plan update. Southeast Bakersfield that is one of our uh prosperity neighborhoods. It's also where the Southeast Strong initiative is occurring and so a lot of Southeast Bakersfield attention. We are set to start the southeast vision plan this fall. Oldtown Kern again a prosperity neighborhood. We did complete a vision plan. We worked with the community for what would they like to see and that has um recently been completed and we're looking to implement the items in there. Repurposing of high vacancy retail commercial centers. Uh, council member Coleman and I were speaking of a retail commercial center currently that appears to have some high vacancy. What is it that the city can do to assist in attraction in those high vacancy? We have a contract with Placer AI which is really um I would be afraid of it if I didn't know the back of it like it it's very big brother like it tracks your cell phone and it knows your credit card spending and those kind of things and we're able to get information about who is traveling in and out of these areas. It also does uh void analysis things like that. So if you have a specific commercial center, you're able to look at it and say, "Okay, we have this vacancy." It will run models for us to say what would be a good match. And from there, we're able to work with the develop or we're able to work with the property owner, but then also work with perhaps some uh retailers that would be a good fit. And then we are evaluating our EOA areas. you know, is there other areas that could use some funding where there's high vacancy? And then lastly, there's the comprehensive evaluation of the city zoning. And I think you guys are all up to date on where that stands. Right now, we are aligning the EDSP and the capital improvement plan. There's a lot of improvements on 18th and 19th Street. Rosedale Ranch. I've spoke of that a couple of times, but one of the things they're doing currently is the alignment of the future West Beltway and the circulation element. I will allow Phil to speak about that if you have questions, but we also have other corridor revitalizations. So, with that, I'm going to skip subject matters with you. and we have attached to your PowerPoint some of the things that we're looking at for scorecard. When we talk about wanting to be in line with city council's priorities, with city council's funding, we need to know where you would place some of that emphasis. And so we've come up with uh it it was a referral from council member Arius. So, thank you for that. I think it was a great idea. We've worked with city manager's office. Uh Jason Kedar was instrumental in putting this together. But what we've been looking about it as possible criteria for the council to determine sorry I forgot it. It is a strategy included in the EDSP. We want a standardized approach. How do we track engagement against the targets for city priorities? And then we want to provide transparency in the early stages of staff's focus. So if somebody calls and wants uh the economic development team to work with them on something, we will be going through the scorecard to see if it is a priority for that staff member. So the recommended criteria we evaluated based on various key metrics. for utilizing a weighted metric system and then based on the score we recommend one or more of the following supports. We either advocate we support them with the business success team and then we consider financial incent incentives to support project development and that would be subject to council approval. It is. So one of the recommended the top recommended criteria is what is the consistency with the economic development strategic plan. Does it target industry? The EDSP identifies four target industry. B3K market assessment also has some target industries and then the California jobs first regional plan does as well. And so are we having conversations with target industry clusters that are in alignment with this? We would also want to look at number of jobs. Uh are they providing a number of jobs both construction and permanent and are they quality jobs. So B3K in their study really talked about what a quality job is and are is this unknown development looking to create quality jobs from that? And then what would be their capital invested? It's not just the city's investments. What would the developers capital investment be? Placemaking. We have a lot of vacant and blighted properties. So we would we have a line in there to score based off of that. Is it in alignment with the general plan and other redevelopment efforts like TCC, like our prosperity neighborhoods? Are they investments above minimum development standards? And so do they plan to put into their development other things that aren't necessarily required? Uh what does screening of that facility look like? You know, currently a lot of our items you can just put a chain link fence. You know, is somebody willing to put uh more trees than what are currently required. Something like that is an investment that would be above the minimum development standards. Uh are they investing in underinvested areas? We have the opportunity zones. It is based off of quality census tracks. There's um also calen virro screen which identifies 21 criterias that would classify as underinvested. And then what are our regional and local economic alignment? Is it a company relocating from outside the area? Are they going to have a local hiring preference? Um one of the arguments that we talk a lot about is if not but for. So somebody needs to be able to tell us that if not for our assistance what would it what would occur and so that's what the if not but for argument is and then is it a contribution to Bakersfield for a destination of uh for innovation and then assessment of growth and scalability. So we recognize that there's some firms that it's not necessarily going to be a huge job provider. Uh I think BIOS is a good example of this. Could we assess somebody in the future for their scalability for being a startup or an emerging company? We have a lot of things that we want advanced manufacturing. What does that look like if they don't have um certain track records and so we would like to be able to have um conversations with companies that could be scaled based on startup. So, next steps is to receive and file, but staff is available for questions or comments on the incentives criteria. >> Thank you, Miss Buyers. Mr. Kle, before we go to the public, do you wish to make any other comments? >> Uh, thank you, Mayor. Ju just to summarize from my perspective at a very high level, um, there's often the question of, you know, when and why do we make public investments? You know, if if you have a business that could be a viable business, viable business plan, why would the city make investments? And there are some projects that are very competitive and there are some projects that also just wouldn't really happen because the market is not driving them to occur. And so, uh, we do have many successful businesses throughout Bakersville that we're very happy come and are successful without any help from the city. Uh but there are some um opportunities where they're savvy um developers who know that they could they're desirable because they're going to create a strong tax base. They're going to uh create good sales tax, good property tax, they're going to create jobs. And so um they look for cities who are going to incentivize to bring them there. And um um for better or worse, we sometimes find ourselves competing against other cities for these same projects. And so in those instances, uh we believe that if it's going to create that long-term benefit, there could be value in those public dollars making sure those projects happen here. That's one, you know, category. The second category is that there are some projects that market conditions just don't quite pencil for those projects to occur, but they're things that would be very well aligned with some of our strategies. In particular, this occurs often in some of our disadvantage or underinvested neighborhoods that market conditions don't warrant the same investment level. But if they're really close, that gap that's between profitable and not profitable, if the city can kind of help fill that gap, then those projects become a reality and they go forward and they provide those benefits to that area, to that neighborhood. And it could be also it's not just maybe a underinvested neighborhood. It could be again a specific industry type that we really want to see happen, but the market conditions don't quite make it it profitable. But if the city offers just that little bit of gap, then it makes the project now happen where otherwise it wouldn't happen. And so in those two instances, uh I would argue that yes, it's beneficial for uh the city uh to offer some kind of assistance and and it could u um be a variety of different assistance. And today we're focused more so on the criteria for when it warrants. But we have a tool kit that can include um just um white glove treatment. It can include, you know, helping them through the permit streamlining process. And then it can also include, you know, specific um uh financial incentives, but there's also more than one tool for financial incentives based on what makes the most sense for that particular project. We're not trying to get into every detail of that today, but really talk through what are the right criteria and and then my last thought is ultimately, you know, why do we do uh economic development? Um why do we offer these incentives? Uh our revenue base as a city to provide the resources that this community needs is based on property tax. It's based on sales tax. We have some other utility taxes, you know, um fees for service, but ultimately we need to create a stronger economy that creates the right types of jobs that then help us to uh both diversify and strengthen our uh revenue base so we can continue to provide the services to a growing community that's growing and demanding more and more services. And um some of that the mark private markets you know it will happen if you leave the private markets to themselves. Some of that will happen but we can create more by being intentional and strategic and making you know um thoughtful investments uh to grow our economy in the right direction as well as make sure that it's growing even faster than without our interventions. >> Thank you Mr. Kle. Madam clerk, do we have any public speakers who'd like to comment on this report? >> Margo, I have not received any speaker cards. >> Just want to give you the opportunity since you are here. >> Thank you. And then we'll go to council. Council member Gonzalez. >> Thank you, Mayor. Um, my first question was more global and I think Mr. Kle uh answered it just just now and that was why really is it important for cities not just the city of Bakersville but cities in general uh to have an economic development strategy? Why why is that so important for us? And the second question is how do we know as a council and how can the public and the taxpayers be sure that this isn't just the tail wagging the dog that in fact we are making an impact as a result of our efforts u that that our our strategies our investment in ECD is actually uh making a impact and making a difference and not just sort of um you know sort of responding to natural activities within the market. >> Thanks, Council Member Gonzalez. I'll take a first cut and then ask Miss Buyers to to add to that. Um I would just uh add one one additional thought that um I didn't mention earlier to your first question of why do this. Um, also, you know, folks who are very competitive and get a lot of these good jobs, it's because they've been strategic. And if we don't have a strategy, as you said, you know, many cities create strategies. We don't have a strategy, then we don't do as well as some of those other um locations. Mhm. >> Um to your second question, uh we we do have a series of what I would consider higher community level metrics that we track that while we aren't in total control of, we feel like we should be accountable to those. So unemployment rate, is the unemployment rate going up or down? Number of new business licenses that have been pulled, number of jobs, you know, uh in our overall workforce and economy. But then specific to our efforts, we also um are tracking um depends on which projects uh of course but projects that we directly get engaged on. We track are we seeing an increase in sales tax like how much sales tax is that specific project generating? uh we look at the number of jobs that are generated, the number of capital investment in that project, and you'll note that all three of those are things that we put on our economic incentive criteria list. Um and so we we should be tracking both just overall how is uh economic output and unemployment as a community, but then look specific to each of the projects that we've um you know made an impact in. for example, and Miss Buyers can correct me if I'm wrong, but our entrepreneurship grants, you know, we've given away a little more than a million dollars in entrepreneurship grants, but it's created more than 290 jobs locally. And so, we can point to the number of jobs created for those grants that have been um awarded. And and we um we are and should be tracking uh what are the outcomes from the investments that we make. What would you add, Jenny? I think just adding the competitive nature that we're in. We know who our competitors are when we talk about industrial development. We have wonderful just to the north of us and we have Tahone south of us and both of them really rely on the population in Bakersfield. But you're seeing that they're getting a lot more of the winds than land within the city of Bakersfield. So when we talk about property tax and we talk about investments that are $und00 million, that property tax becomes a very real number that could be accessible to the city of Bakersfield that is located just outside of our boundaries. And and so in order to be more competitive, they have all of their plans in order. They know who they're targeting and we need to have kind of the same targeted approach. Yeah, I appreciate that and and I appreciate the responses as well. I mean, my my take is that, you know, we still have this structural problem with our with our budget and uh you know, Measure N has helped us um for a few years, but it didn't fix the structural issue in terms of how we grow and and the the number of expenses as it relates to the growth of our city. um and everything gets expensive the further and further we we we um sprawl outward. Uh and that's just the reality. And so we we have to be able to uh have a strategy that really focuses in on uh development on economic activity on infill development. uh the pro the the cost per capita of delivering city services whether it be police, fire, roads, sewer, water, whatever it is, is far cheaper when you when you densify the urban core than it is when you um expand outward. I think we need actually both. Um but it from an economic perspective as a plan, I think uh that needs to be um that that infill development needs to be a priority. Um I'm going to switch gears. Mr. Cle, you made a comment regarding market market conditions sometimes don't make it profitable for businesses to invest in certain areas. I wanted to make it clear that when when we talk about the market conditions, we're really talking about the initial upfront capital investment or startup costs. We're not suggesting that somehow the um the ongoing operations is not profitable and therefore we're subsidizing ongoing business expenses. I just want to make sure the public is clear how we determine if and when the city might participate in some sort of um economic incentive. >> Yeah, great uh point, council member. Thank you for that. And and yes, mayor and council. We uh typically a you know developer will look at what is the number of years before they're going to see a return on their investment based on that upfront capital that they've got to put into a project. And and you're you're right, we're not we're not subsidizing ongoing. Um uh we are talking about that upfront capital to help create an incentive. It's still has to be a project that's going to pencil in the long run for them. We just help them get over that hump initially. And then I would also uh just add that you know there there are some there are some policy choices that the council can make and has made around land use around you know development uh standards and development impact fees that also help create conditions in which you know um projects can can pencil. Um but uh we also look at our economic incentives to help us you know close that gap for the right projects. >> Thank you. And uh my next question is regarding um grants um and and incentives and it's it's dovetailing off of comments that Mr. Michael Chernim made just a moment ago uh because I think it's an important one. It's a question that I've I've raised in the past as well in terms of how do we determine when we actually award a grant um and and determine that it's actually worthy of city investment uh visav other projects that are happening in the community. Um I'm thinking in particular, you know, downtown where there's lots of in investment, lots of folks who want these dollars that are finite. How do we make sure that our investment is the right one and we're getting the the best return? Um versus um on the other hand uh there are opportunities out there that we may miss and we may not have an you know a grant cycle that is aligned with the opportunity that comes about. For example, there may be a new industry that comes in and the timing is such that there may be uh a deal to be made with this new, you know, industry um and they're bringing in, you know, x number of new jobs. How how do we seize that opportunity and how do I how how do we allow ourselves enough enough flexibility to u to pursue those opportunities and provide those incentives outside of a grant making process? So there's sort of two sides of the coin that I've experienced on the council and I just want to kind of get your sense, Miss Buyers, how how staff is thinking through some of these things. >> We really have two levels of incentives that we're talking about and so we do have the economic opportunity areas. There has been 110 111 and the average grant on that is less than 25,000. And so it's it's typically a small investment. So somebody can get some tenant improvements, they can get a sign, they can get something marketing materials, those kind of things. And then we have our economic development subsidies. And so that would be a very large scale development. And that's where this criteria comes into play for the large larger um projects, especially those really greater than 100,000. um with the economic opportunity area, we are now looking at similar criteria that we're going to be bringing to finance economic development and jobs at the September meeting for the same reason that we need to be able to show why a project is more beneficial than others. when we had the ARPA funding, when we had um even EOA funding had received a lot of resources um a couple years into the program because it just wasn't seeing anyone go for an application and now you have so many applications that we're receiving that we are starting to look at it through a different lens. But both of those would be based off of kind of a scorecard. >> Okay, I appreciate that. And then my last two comments. Number one is regarding the opportunity zones. Uh I I want to echo the point that this has been um a big benefit for for downtown in certain projects. Um I I know that this uh topic actually was raised at the government relations committee with the Greater Bakersville Chamber of Commerce recently. uh and I believe um they've um they've established a committee uh to look at um the new boundaries and to make some recommendations. And so I'd like to make a referral this afternoon that u staff uh work with the Chamber of Commerce and that committee so that we can establish that working relationship and and identify key areas to to get these um get these areas right for for the future. >> No referral needed. I am already on that. >> Beautiful. Great. Great. I I figured you might be. And then the last thing is as it relates to recommended criteria, I didn't see any reference to tradable sectors. And I think that's a really important piece that that we're actually looking at new industries and businesses uh you know, local or outside the area doesn't matter to me. But as long as it's bringing in uh new dollars into this region, into this regional economy, um I think that that's a criteria that we really need to keep on the forefront. >> I appreciate that comment. When we look at this, the B3K market assessment really included those tradable sectors. So, I'm sorry that we didn't use that exact phrasing, but when we talk about I think we could change it to target industry cluster tradable sectors that are identified in the economic development. Thank you. >> Excellent. Thank you so much. Thank Thank you to your team. >> Thank you. I'm going to invite Mr. Turnipsy to offer his comment. I think it's related to a comment that Council Member Gonzalez made. >> Thank you very much, Mayor. Um, back in 2017, I went to the economic summit that we had in Bakersfield a few years ago down in San Diego and we I met an an economic developer named James Golov who worked around the world doing different things and in 2018 we brought him to the current tax annual meeting to be our speaker and if you want to watch the video it's on our web page and his PowerPoint and things are there and the plan is the plan. He said, "Everybody can drop a good plan. It's just like on a football game on Sunday. It's all about implementation." He says, "You can hire anybody because they all do the same things. They all look at silos and they all look at this and they all look at that, but what it boils down to is totally who's your patent? Who's the guy that's going to get it done no matter what?" And he said whether you're you look at Witchah, you look at some of the cities that have really had Oklahoma City, they have had a dynamic person who will not fail and he drives it. When he picks up the phone, everybody answers his phone call. It's a patent who refuses to accept defeat. And that's really the hard thing. And when you look across the community and I'm not to make people foul good bad go back 20 years ago you had a Jim Burke when Jim Burke Harold Meek Karpy uh Dean Gay we had 10 people in this town that they wanted to get something done they got it done and I look all the time for who are those patents that do not accept defeat eat. They They step on a few toes, but at the end of the game, they get the plan done. There's no excuse for failure. And that was Mr. Golib's biggest thing. That is the biggest decision. It's not who draws your plan. Brookings is a great company and they did their thing or whether it's Mr. Golib, it's who you select to move the ball. >> Who's that quarterback going to be? You need to find a Josh Allen. >> Thank you, Mr. Turner. And thank you for bringing Mr. go. He was an excellent speaker. Thank you. And now I'll go to council member Arius. >> Thank you, mayor. Um I agree. I think we do need a Josh Allen in in the city of Bakersville, but I think we've got a couple uh who are getting there. And I just want to be responsive to Mr. Turnup seat because I think you hit the nail on the head, which is that these documents don't do any good sitting on a shelf somewhere collecting dust. And I think that we agree with that sentiment. And uh I I believe what what this document does is really materialize and create a level playing field in some fairness um depending on what the project is actually going to be bringing to this community. And so um I'm really grateful, Jenny, to you and your team for bringing this forward. Um I think that it really puts into play a lot of those documents, the EDSP, the work that B3K has done, um the California jobs first regional plan. Um there's been dozens of plans that have been put together for this uh particular work. So I appreciate uh the work and the thought behind it. Um a a couple of thoughts as it relates to the scorecard. Um I agree with Council Member Gonzalez. I think um there should be particular emphasis on those properties that are really um addressing some of the blighted properties uh throughout Bakersfield. you know, yes, for sure downtown, but also uh in some of our older u communities as well. Uh we know that just, you know, turning around one one property could signal to the rest of that neighborhood and neighbors along that street that, you know, there's that the city of Bakersfield cares and that u they should, you know, potentially look at what what they can do uh to improve their property. Um I think also um the way in which we define our underinvested neighborhoods is going to be really important. Um as we look across our city um we rank very high on the Kalen bro um based on census tract um particularly on the east side of the 99 but I think even on the other side of the 99 there are communities um that could benefit uh from some of these investments some older neighborhoods. So, I'd be curious to know how we define that. Um, when it comes to uh jobs and and the types of jobs that it's bringing, I really appreciate the fact that we're not only taking into consideration uh whether or not they're, you know, construction jobs or permanent operational jobs, but the quality of the job, how much uh folks would be making, what the benefits look like. I think all of that is important to consider. Um, but I think on the local hiring preference, I think I would prefer something closer to like a sliding scale um that really measures exactly how much of a preference they have of bringing in um local hiring local folks as opposed to folks from outside of the community. We have dozens on dozens of local vocational workforce development programs that we have where we have students who are waiting for an opportunity. Um and so I think where we can leverage um these jobs and and create an opportunity for some of those individuals that would be incredibly important. I also would like to call out um that we add um some consideration of whether or not they're engaged with our local apprenticeship programs um and specifically working with those particular trades. Um those students are trained, they're certified, they're ready to go to be on the job and what better place to do their work than right here back at home. So I think I would love to add to that. Um the other is as I think back to the investment that was just made through our EOA program uh for the Dolores Peace and Justice Cultural Center is um how are we measuring the impact of arts, culture and tourism. I think that there's there should be some consideration of those factors. Um our toot fund is another source of revenue. Um, and if there's an opportunity for us to create space for, you know, more tourism in the city, I think that that should be for consideration. All in all, I think this is a great uh step in the right direction. Again, I think it creates fairness. And I would actually like to make a referral that we do nearly the same thing but for housing >> and start to measure um which types of housing it is that we want to see in our city and where we want to see it. Um, you know, I just jotted down a couple of points. Uh, Council Member Gonzalez mentioned high density. I completely agree. Um, I also think that we have been talking about bringing more housing downtown, um, which should be a factor, the affordability component, the willingness to house homeless individuals, um, not all projects, um, have to house, you know, affordable housing projects have to house 100% of homeless. you know, we could have a regular residential track that houses 5 to 10% or at risk of homeless families. Um, I think that that should be a consideration along with uh placemaking which which I think is captured here. So, I would like to make that referral that we take the next step and take a look at housing and just want to say good job to you and your team. >> Thank you, Council Member Arias. Council member Coleman. >> Uh, thank you, Mayor. Actually, some of my questions were were diffused by some of the questions and comments that council member Gonzalez made. So, I'll keep my comment short. So, uh I just wanted to say that I I like the plan. Uh uh I don't think you're collecting dust on these plans. Um uh what I like about it, the economic development plan is it's more than just grants. You there's an educational component and there's job assistance programs and and all these different elements uh uh to it. So I I like that aspect of it. Uh and I'm not going to make a referral tonight. So >> good job. I I I do want to say and then the point that uh uh council member Gonzalez brought up was that EOA, you know, what areas are we investing money in? And uh I'm glad to see us taking a a more global look at that because the perception is we spend all our money downtown and yeah we do spend quite a bit but there's areas uh east of town those kind of places that get uh that get attention but there are other areas and I think of the the Ming corridor I think of uh you know Panama east of 99. I think of uh you know Southchester, South Union that maybe don't get the amount of attention that that they could. And so I'm glad to see the some uh meeting of of people that are concerned about that to try to identify what those areas are and come up with programs for those specific areas as well. So thank you very much for your presentation. >> Thank you, Council Member Coleman. Vice Mayor, >> thank you, Mayor. Um thank you for this. This is incredibly helpful and I echo a lot of the sentiment of my colleagues as well. Um so they'll save me some time with some of my questions. I um one wanted to draw attention and just point out and really celebrate the fact that 122 youth have gone through the youth jobs program. That is incredible. and um just having that youth focus and and bringing young people into the city and seeing them at city hall when they're in and they're like the little experts and we're able to just go and ask them whatever questions and I just feel that bringing local when we talk about local I think about youth first and we already have such a great practice with bringing uh young people into our jobs program but I'd love to see that grow in um council member Audius has pointed out a couple of different ways um but really taking advantage of um building like a job pipeline, a more permanent pipeline into the city of Bakersfield from whether it's our community college districts, Cal State Bakersfield, um our different uh apprentice programs locally and and that being um how when we say hiring local, it includes our youth as well. um who are kind of maybe they're like midway through their degree programs and they don't realize that there are there are a plethora of jobs here at the city and in local government um from you know you can be an attorney for the city to you know as um as vastly different to being kind of like in the Rexen Park department. Um there's just uh I think an opportunity to expand that information and and bring more young people in. Um and I really appreciate Mr. Turnips Seed's points about uh the pant patents and I feel a lot of our patents are local. Uh the those that um while it it's kind of two things at the same time. It's equally as important to attract new industry and new innovation um while also like elevating those who have continued to build out um different job opportunity and industry locally and how are our relationships with those who are doing that who are creating like hundreds of locals jobs within the city of Bakersfield and its surrounding areas for the residents of Bakersfield. Do do we as a city have a strong relationship there where we are seen as like a trusted source of information aid um for something as small or large happening uh within their business on their various properties. Um, I almost want like within the scorecard if there was like a like a local category where we could just add I kind of wrote it in, but like there's like a subheading that just says local and are we able to check off what local things are being accomplished by the person, the industry, the entity that's applying? Um, are they able to hire local? Are they able to um are their families from Bakersfield? Are they familiar with the area? And I almost want to suggest that or I do want to suggest that local gets expedited. Um a lot of the time the feedback that I'm hearing is um we are uh we are responsive and giving like the red carpet treatment or white glove treatment as has been referenced to those who um are coming into our community and bringing jobs which is important but I hope that we're not leaving behind the locals as well and and being responsive of something that has been long overdue in in an improvement on a property to be able to expand a property for a business. Um, and and there be some sort of level of service that's provided to those uh who do call Bakersfield home and continue to call create jobs here. um and almost as if there's that that gets incorporated into our level of service towards um th those who are more local who are making the extra efforts to hire local to reach into our apprentice programs um and so forth. So that's my one suggestion is creating a like a local category and um I was curious if we have explored creating like a corporate social responsibility program at the city with those who do who who have the capacity who are coming into the city of Bakersfield and our larger corporations. Have we explored creating um creating a corporate social responsibility program that would then create incentive where we are providing white gloves serve all of the things all of the nice things that help promote building your business and bringing it here but while also saying we understand that this is a unique community and this is a special community to be a part of and we have um uh we are businessfriendly. we have the land to build up and across, but also um how do we also know that you are coming into the community and becoming a part of the community? And I feel encouraged when I see corporate social responsibility programs. Um and I would be curious if we are able to replicate that here or at least kind of think through options. Um because I I too like Mr. turnip seed. I'm really encouraged by Oklahoma City. There are so many demographic, business, land, climate similarities to the city of Bakersfield. We just don't have the Oklahoma City Thunder. So, if we can talk to the NBA, I'm willing to join that conversation as well. The NHL, I know we have the Condors, but I think we could really use an NBA team here. Um, but uh that that was one of my other questions. And then a lot of what we were talking about just reminded me of naming some of these things like some of these categories and some of these parts of town while we have um and I know we call them economic opportunity districts and they're all called something differently but to me they sounded a lot like innovation districts of when we bring in new businesses corporations folks are joining us or we're just kind of rebranding. Um, I feel that helps with placemaking when a part of town has a similar identity. Um, and there's a transportation corridor, there's an innovation district, there's our the heart of our city and the downtown. Um, those were some of the thoughts that I had and um, I welcome any responses or feedback there. >> Mr. Click. >> Yeah, thank you, Vice Mayor. Uh, several different thoughts. Uh, let me actually start with where you ended. A couple different thoughts. Uh first, um as we go into the general plan, uh Miss Buyers has been very thoughtful about how to to name and brand some of our sort of districts or sub areas as well as uh the the city council priority initiative around smart growth. We're talking about identifying those business nodes. And so it's really great feedback for us to think about and how we brand and name those business nodes that we can do it in a way that can be attractive to bringing people in. Not you know we often you want to think about historic nature of of certain names but then we could we could also call it by a historic name and then call it the transportation sector or the innovation sector things like that. So it's very good feedback for us to think about as we're looking at some of that along with the general plan as well as you know some of our just business district or business nodes planning. And then the last thought actually related to that topic is you know um I would suggest that what what you're um suggesting is that it's consistent with council member Weir even in our last conversation about vision and planning. Um you know I I know uh he's expressed uh over several of our workshops uh sort of you know when he talks about what's our vision for the future it's identifying some of those key corridors or sectors saying that that's where we're going to have advanced manufacturing that's our advanced manufacturing sector or that's our energy innovation sector like you know what are we going to put where is kind of how I summarize it down so that's consistent with something that council member Wear's been kind of looking for uh in uh some of our uh long range planning as well. Shifting gears back to the the um the corporate um uh social you know uh responsibility you know policy. We have not explored that. It's not been something that we've looked at either as part of one of our you know planning processes or or you know we haven't had a referral related to that topic historically. I think um some aspects of you know some of the corporate responsibility um models that I've just you know been um exposed to you know through you know professional trainings or or articles. Some of those same things are have some relation to some of the items that are in this list but we haven't taken that on as a specific um initiative. Uh I think I would, you know, respectfully categorize it as one of those areas where we're trying to get good at the basics before we kind of go to the next level. But um good good uh comment to note that that's something that we um can uh have in our list of things to to consider uh into the future. And I do know though we have some local corporations that practice that even though it hasn't been something the city has sort of encouraged or incentivized. Um I do know there are some here who do that and so we could even um have conversations with those folks that do it to understand how and and why and whether or not incentives, you know, from the city would make a difference. I think there was a a particular nugget in what you shared though about um as new folks come being intentional about sharing some of the important values that are expressed in this community and having that be sort of part of their acculturation to Bakersfield and Kerna that um I think probably is um more imminently needed to me um than even some of the other aspects that that we'll go back as staff and think about how do um uh help encourage new folks as they come in to be contributors to the community the way that many of our folks who have been here a long time have been doing for, you know, decades and ask them to do the same. >> Thank you, Mr. Click. No comment on the NBA. We used to have a D-League team, so I was just >> Whoever wants to open that, Jason, I know there's interest to open that conversation. I volunteer myself for that meeting as well. Thank you, Miss Buyers. Oh, just one clarification on the youth jobs. The 122 number, is that a very specific group? Because in July, I was told it was closer to 300 if you count our fellows, our interns. And I I know the number is higher than 122. So, it's good news. >> That is great news. Uh we will go back and look at that. I my understanding was the 122 was the ones that had done city hall not the program as a whole but let me verify those numbers. Thank you. >> Thank you. And with that sir a motion to receive and file. >> You have a motion. Please cast your votes. The motion is approved with council members weir and basher absent. And with that uh we stand adjourned at 4:43. [Music] [Music] Hey, hey hey. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Hey, [Music] hey hey. [Music] Hey hey [Music] hey. [Music] [Music] Hey hey hey. [Music] [Music] Hey, [Music] hey hey. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Heat. [Music] [Music] Hey. Hey. [Music] [Music] Hey. [Music] Hey. Hey. [Music] [Music] [Music] Hey, [Music] hey hey. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Hello. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] Hey. Hey. Hey. [Music] Hello. [Music] Hello. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Hey. Hey. Hey. [Music] [Music] [Music] Welcome to the Bakersfield City Council 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., Sunday at 10:00 a.m., and the following Wednesday at 7 p.m. You can download the agenda for this meeting at www.bakersfieldcity. us. Preciding over this evening's meeting, the honorable Mayor Karen K. Go. Good evening. It's my pleasure to call to order the 5:15 regular city council meeting of September 10th, 2025. Madam clerk, please call the role. >> Mayor Go, >> here. >> Vice Mayor Core >> here. >> Council member Aras >> here. >> Council member Gonzalez >> here. >> Council member Weir. Council member Smith, >> I am here. >> Council member Kleman >> here. >> Council member Basher. Council member Basher has notified us he is absent due to illness. Thank you and welcome to all of you. We appreciate having you participate in the civic process tonight. We have the pleasure of having Pastor Mike Oheimer from uh Calvary Chapel who will offer the invocation. Thank you so much for your church's involvement in our community. I know with Recovery 180 working together with those who are struggling with addiction, you've made a major um major inroads there and thank you for your support. And thank you also for hosting the prayer booth at the Kern County Fair. Following the invocation, Claire Michael, who's a senior at Bakersville High School, will lead us in the pledge. Claire is one of my appointees to the Youth Commission, and I'm excited to have her. She has a 4.2 GPA. She's ASB Commissioner of Community Service and a part of the National Honors Society, the Drama Club, Chamber Choir, and the Corral. So, at this time, would you all please stand? just like to thank Mayor Go and the city council. It's always a privilege and an honor. It's humbling to be able to be here in person, but I just want you to know as a church, as many do in this city, that you'd know that you have many that pray for you every single week. And and uh we are honored to be able to do that in person tonight. I'm I'm always reminded of 1 Timothy 2:2 because it tells us this for all of us that are not just for those in ministry but also for the city as well. Says, "Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live a peaceful and quiet lives that are marked by godliness and dignity." And uh we pray that often uh for you and just really appreciate your service to our community. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, uh come to you in the name of your son Jesus Christ. And I ask you to bless these proceedings tonight. Every item, Lord, on the agenda, big or small, it's essential to you. And and I thank you first and foremost for again our mayor, Mayor Go, and for each member of our city council who seeks to carry out the duties of their office, and they do it faithfully, and thank you for them. As we begin this council meeting tonight, Lord, we're reminded from your word that promotion doesn't come from the east or from the west, but it comes from you, oh Lord. Like Esther in the book that bears her name. Each of these elected officials along with their staff have been appointed by you for such a time as this. It's not by accident, but by your design that these officials hold the offices that they do today. And with that in mind, may each of them sense their privilege and the responsibility in leading our great city. May you give them wisdom from heaven with regard to the decisions that they must make first for your glory and for the good of our people. We recognize that the world we live in today is becoming increasingly divided and the temptation to compromise truth for the sake of unity has never been greater. And so I ask that you give our city leaders the courage and the conviction to stay the course as they work together to honor you and to bless our city's residents through the thoughtful decisions they'll make. I pray also a hedge of protection around them and their families as they go about their ways. And lastly, may you bless the city of Bakersfield and our city's leaders and their families and make these meetings a joyfilled experience for each of them for their sacrifices as they listen and they govern our city with righteous judgment. And I ask all these things tonight for your glory and for the good of all the citizens of Bakersfield in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Thank you. >> Thank you, Pastor Claire. Thank you so much for having me. Salute. Pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. And you may be seated. And Pastor and Claire, I know that you have other responsibilities. So, you're welcome to stay or leave. Here are a few guidelines to help our meeting run smoothly. We request that you turn off your phones. Please be courteous in the use of cameras and videos for safety reasons and as a courtesy to others. No signs are allowed in the council chamber or in the lobby. Applause is allowed during the presentations portion of the meeting, but not during other portions of the meeting. Everyone in attendance is expected to adhere to the rules of decorum established by resolution of the city council. Failure to abide by the city's rules of decorum, including any disruptive behavior that interferes with our ability to have an orderly and efficient meeting prevents the city council from conducting the business of the city. Consider this a first warning to everyone in attendance that conduct that disrupts the meeting may result in expulsion and/or the chambers being cleared. Behavior that disrupts the meeting includes repetitive statements, shouting, hate speech, interrupting staff or presenters during the meeting, speaking out of turn, and outbursts from the audience. Madame clerk, next item, please. Presentations. Item 4 a presentation to Jeremy T. Tobias, Kelly Lowry, CAPK's food bank administrator and chair of the Kern County Food Policy Council. Marissa Jimenez, CAPK board member, and Johnny Delgado, member of the Kern County Food Policy Council, declaring September 2025 as hunger action month in Bakersfield. >> Thank you. Hunger and food insecurity affects thousands of children, families, seniors, and individuals in Kern County. Creates barriers to health, stability, and opportunity. But we are so blessed to have community action partnership in this community who feed thousands and thousands and thousands. You're going to hear a lot from them. And we together want to join this night to say that we recognize that healthy food and sustainable food has become an urgent issue in our community and now is the time to act. gives me pleasure to read this proclamation. Whereas Community Action Partnership of Kerna Food Bank is the largest hunger relief organization in Kern County, distributing more than 22.5 million pounds of food in the past year. the equivalent of 18 million750,000 meals to families in need through its network of community partners, mobile distributions and choice pantries. And whereas during hunger action month, CAPK food bank joins feeding America and food banks across the country to raise awareness about hunger, inspire advocacy, and encourage community engagement to end food insecurity. Whereas in 2025, the Kern County Food Policy Council relaunched to strengthen collaborative efforts between public agencies, nonprofit organizations, businesses, community members, building long-term strategies to improve food access, nutrition, and stability across the county. And now therefore, I Karen Go, Mary the city of Bakersfield, do hereby proclaim September 2025 as hunger action month in our city and call upon our citizens to join in the fight against hunger by supporting local hunger relief efforts, advocating for stronger food systems and taking meaningful action to ensure every neighbor has access to healthy and nutritious food. It's my honor to be able to present this on behalf of our city council to Jeremy Tobias. Thank you so much for all that you have done for our community. And I guess it's not going to be Jeremy. I'm looking around. Pritikica, come on up here. We really appreciate that's why you kept pointing to yourself trying to figure out what it was about. But thank you for all of your efforts and it's my honor to be able to present that to you. >> Yeah. Thank you so much. Uh, thank you to the council and staff for allowing us to participate in this proclamation. Um, we've made it a point to really celebrate the food bank for the last couple of years and all of you have been so instrumental in supporting our agency, especially the food bank. So, I just wanted to say thank you. I'm joined by a couple of partners and colleagues that have a few words to say, so I'm going to hand it over to them. Hi, good evening. I'm Savan Oats, PR and advocacy manager for CAPK. Um, I just want to reiterate what Crita said. We are here with a lot of our partners. Today is hunger action day. We were at the corner of 22nd and al so we're a little sunburnt. Some of us are in different clothes than we usually would be. Um but we're thankful for the collaboration. There is still a lot of events for the community to get involved with. We are going to have a community box building day on September 20th at the food bank from 7:45 to 11:00 a.m. We're encouraging the community to come out, help us build senior food boxes for all of our seniors in Kern County. And then also with the Kern County Fair, we'll be at the gates on September 23rd um from 400 p.m. on to collect cans. All six cans, get you in for free. So, we have a ton going on. Um if you're interested in any of these activities or any other further activities in the future, you can visit capkfoundation.org/ham. We didn't do that on purpose. It's uh for hunger action month, but I'd like to pass it over to the Kern County Food Policy Council to reiterate the partnership we have relaunched. Hello and good afternoon. Uh my name is John Dogado. I'm the member of the Kern County Food Policy Council and serve as the grants program director with Bakersfield American in Health Project. Um, as we serve hunger action month, um, I do want to state that although Kern County is one of the largest exporters of food and caps does an amazing job at distributing millions of pounds of food a year to the community, Kern County as a whole experiences food insecurity at about 150% higher than state and federal state and national averages. I believe it's vital to recognize that food insecurity does not affect all communities equally. Indigenous populations, including Native American communities communities in and around Bakersfield, often experience disproportionately higher rates for food insecurity rooted in a long history of systemic inequities. These include land disposition, limited access to traditional foods, and underinvestment in infrastructure and geographic isolation. Addressing indigenous food insecurity requires more than food distribution. It calls for culturally informed, community-led solutions that honor traditional food ways, promote food sovereignty, and acknowledge the historical injustice that continues to impact communities today. As we move forward to building more equitable and inclusive food systems, we must ensure that no community is overlooked, especially those that have been historically marginalized, marginalized. Thank you. And lastly, we would like to add, if there's any community members or constituents you have in your guys's area, they can call 211 to find the closest food distribution located to them. Thank you. >> We're coming over. Go ahead. Go ahead. >> And three, two, one. One, two, one. All right. Thank you. >> Give it up for Cat. and thank you to council member Eric Arus for being a member of the food policy council. Next item, please madam clerk. Presentations item 4B, proclamation to KC the Bull and Kern County Fair chief executive officer Michael Olcott declaring September 17, 2025 through September 28th, 2025 as Kern County Fair days in Bakersfield. Is there a Casey anywhere in the house? >> I think maybe Casey. All right, come on down. Come on down here. We're gonna do it down here. Then you can dance after I give this to you. Uh Mike Alcott is not able to be here, but Chelsea's going to be here. And then Casey the bowl. It's that time to uh celebrate and to eat uh super unhealthy food and lots of fried whatever you can imagine. It's my honor to uh issue this proclamation. The mayor of city of Bakersville, California, has officially proclaimed September 17th through September 28th, 2025 as Kern County Fair days in our city in honor of the annual great Kern County Fair. In recognition of the visitors who will pass through the gates of the fairgrounds to celebrate the wonderful bounty of Kern County. In recognition of the visitors who will also enjoy the talents of our residents during this autumn institution. In recognition of the opportunities this event offers families to spend time together. in recognition of the continued support and outstanding efforts of local businesses in our community and in honor of the great Kern County Fair where residents can treat themselves to fun-filled time to create memorable moments. And it's my honor to be able to present this to you. Chelsea, come on up. I don't know. Do you want him to have it? I don't know that he has hands. Thank you so much. and you may offer comments and then we'll take a vote. >> Thank you so much. Um we are so excited to be here to accept the proclamation for Kern County Fair days. We are excited to have another 12 days of a great event in our community. We are looking forward to having 12 nights of free concerts at the Budweiser Pavilion with a great lineup. We have tons of great promotions going on. We have tickets on sale starting today at on at all Sully's locations at a discount. And we have our feed the need day where we take in the free can six cans for free admission into the fair on Tuesday, September 23rd. Um we have a huge livestock show celebrating all of the livestock in our community. We have the largest livestock show in California. And so that's something we're extremely proud of. We have our competitive exhibits with over 7,000 entries this year where our community can really show off all of the skills and hard work that they have and we're super excited to have everyone. >> Thank you. Give it up for All right, we'll do a couple of them here. Three, two, one. Three, two, one. And three, two, one. All right. >> Thank you so much. [Applause] [Music] He's making it out the door. In keeping with council's resolution, public statements are received at different times depending on the item. I will call on the city clerk to call for public statements. If you wish to make a public statement, please fill out a public speaker card and place it in the tray next to the speaker podium. We ask that you mark whether you're here to speak on an item listed on today's agenda or in a matter not on the agenda. Speakers who do not identify a specific agenda item will be presumed speakers for the non-aggenda public statements. If you're here to speak on an item not on the meeting agenda, you'll be called first to speak. Statements are given a two-minute time limit per speaker, 20 minutes total for all non-aggenda item public statements. If you're here to speak on an item listed on the agenda, I'll call for you at the appropriate time. If public statements become disruptive and I have to clear the chambers to regain order of the meeting, you'll be called in one at a time to provide your public statement when your item is called. Madam clerk, do we have any public speakers regarding items not listed on the agenda? Margo, we have received two speaker cards for items not on the agenda. The first speaker is Sharon Belle. Welcome. Please introduce yourself. >> I'm here tonight. I'm Sharon Briel and I'm a uh 24 year resident of Bakersfield and I live in Mr. Coleman's um ward. I'm here to um give great appreciation to Councilwoman Carr for her initiative to reach out to Phoenix and uh conduct a Zoom meeting to discuss how they expanded their urban forest. Um the need to protect our citizens from heat, but via having more shade trees is so vital and I want to say how deeply thankful I am for the her initiative to make this possible. However, I have to throw a little shade. While our parks department did attend the meeting, they didn't ask any questions and they didn't show their face. So, I felt very disappointed that we didn't have our own department engaged in this important discussion. So, thank you, Councilwoman Carr. And uh for um the purposes of understanding why this is important, Mr. Coleman, um I counted 15 trees that have died on Scarlet Oak Drive and they haven't been replaced and I'm hoping to see that you'll be helping us with that process. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Braille. Madam clerk, next speaker, please. >> Stephanie Sanchez. >> Welcome. Please introduce yourself. >> Good afternoon. Can you hear me? >> Yes. >> My name is Stephanie Sanchez. I've worked for the city of Bakersfield for 25 years. I'm a proud member of the SEIU 521. My co-workers and I are here today because too many dedicated city employees, the people who keep our communities safe, clean, and running, are leaving for better pay, and better opportunities everywhere else. As an accountant in the development services department, I have seen firsthand um how the city saves money and increases efficiency. By bringing together the building planning, code enforcement, and public works subdivisions department into one a one-stop shop as requested by city council, we're going to streamline services for both residents and businesses. When it came time to prep prepare for this merger, staff did the ground work ourselves. We managed office moves and built our own work spaces to keep construction on schedule. That's real uh savings for taxpayers. Despite our dedication and results, the city struggles to retain staff. Workers continue to leave for more life balance or highpaying jobs at the county or in the private sector. Bakersfield has come be has become a training ground. People come here, gain experience, and then leave. This is not ideal, and this is not sustainable. The city's budget is strong. We need real solutions, and we need them now. I stand with my union to ask for a fair contract, one that prevents burnout, attracts and retains skilled workers, and keeps Bakersfield strong. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Sanchez. >> We'll now move to the public statements listed on the agenda. If you're here to speak on items listed under consent calendar item 7, your time to speak is now. Again, each speaker is given a two-minute time limit and each agenda item is limited to 20 minutes total. The consent calendar as a whole constitutes one agenda item. If you're here to speak on public hearing items 9A through B, now is not the time to speak. You'll be given an opportunity to speak when the when those items are called later in the meeting. I'm just going to give a minute for uh our guests to exit so we can all hear. >> Madam clerk, do we have any public speakers regarding items listed under consent calendar item seven? Mayor Go, we have not received any public speaker cards for items under consent item seven. >> Thank you. Next item, please. >> Consent calendar items 7A through 7I. A staff me excuse me, a staff memorandum has been submitted for item 7E2 for a typographical error. >> Thank you, Council Member Gonzalez. >> Mayor, uh, tonight I'll be recusing myself uh from item 7i2 out of an abundance of caution. I want to avoid a perception of a conflict of interest. The executive director of be finally free also serves on the board of directors for my employer stewards and so I'll be recusing myself from 7 I2. >> Thank you, Vice Mayor. Uh motion to um approve the consent calendar agenda with the exception of Oh, sorry. No, not with the exception. >> Not with the exception. Just seven uh sorry motion to approve our consent calendar. >> You have a motion. Please cast your votes. And we know that council member Gonzalez has recused himself from that item that he announced. The motion is approved with council members Weir and Basher Tash absent and council member Gonzalez uh abstaining from item 7 I2. Thank you. Our next item is public hearings. Each side will be allowed 15 minutes. It's 15 minutes for all speakers per side. So it's important that you identify yourself, make your statement succinctly. So others may speak. We'll hear statements from those opposed to staff's recommendation first, then we'll hear from those who'd like to speak in favor of staff's recommendation. If there's testimony on both sides, each side will be allowed a five-minute rebuttal. There's a clock on the TV screens behind me, which indicates 15 minutes, please step to the microphone, identify yourself. After 14 minutes, a yellow light will come on. At the end of 15 minutes, a red light will flash indicating your time is up. Please quickly end your statement. You may ask questions during your statement, but they won't be addressed until the public hearing is closed. If you have written comments that are longer than your verbal statement, give them to the clerk. She'll provide copies to the council. Please be courteous to others who wish to speak. Madame clerk, please read the first public hearing item. Item 9A, public appeal hearing of planning commission's approval of vesting tenative tract map 7450 and it's proposed mitigated negative declaration Macintosh and Associates representing Opal Land Company co-ownership interests LLC and BGM LLC and 7G's Investment Group LLC is proposing vesting tenative trackm 7450 to subdivide approximately 32 2.66 acres into a 176 single family residential lot and five public landscape lots in the R2 zone located at the southwest corner of Olive Drive and Rosedale Ranch Parkway. Consideration of a resolution adopting a mitigated negative declaration pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act and approving vestive vesting tenative track map number 7450. Gordon Nip representing the Sierra Club submitted an appeal to the planning commission's approval of the request. A staff memorandum has been submitted with additional correspondence. >> Thank you, Mr. Cl. >> Thank you, Mayor and Council. Our development services director, Phil Burns, will provide a summary for this item. >> Mr. Burns, the presentation, please. I'll briefly go over um the project and then why we're here. Uh what we're here is track 7450 which is in the southwest corner of Olive Drive and Rosel Ranch Parkway. Uh this uh property is zoned R2 and the land use designation is is low density residential. The proposed vesting track 7450 shown here is consistent with both the zoning and the land use for the prop proposed project. The project uh went in front of the planning commission back in January 16th, 2024. Uh the commission referred it back to staff to respond to Sierra Club's comments and comments from a base resident. Project was readvertised for a future planning commission hearing which happened on July 17th. Plan commission approved vesting tenants track 7450 unanimously with uh commissioner Martin and Neil absent. Um Eddie Lane was representing the Siri club did speak in opposition at the hearing. Um for the city clerk, the project was appealed by Gordonet President Sur Club. Uh the main issues were uh cumulative air quality and uh climate mitigation measures uh lack of appropriate mitigation measures and habitat loss impacts. The applicant provided uh an air quality impact provided by their qualified consultant accordance with sound clean valley pollution control guidelines and methodologies. analysis supports a determination that the measures apply to project um are are and provide consistent when implementing their rules and regulations. Both SQL guidelines and relevant case law do not require specific thresholds for estimating project contribution and cumulative climate change impacts but do support an assessment of the project consistency with regional and statewide programs reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The project meets the best performance standards to reduce greenhouse gas by 25 29% per AB32 along with title 24 energy efficiency programs and greenhouse green building code requirements. There is substantial evidence to support that the project contribution to cumulative greenhouse gas impact would not cumitively uh be considerable. the deferrals of species specific protocols and surveys mitigation measures. The reality the there was a biolog biological resources study uh prepared by pro biological resources provide information analysis and responding to biological resource related questions and contain initial study mitigation measures have been included to reduce levels and impacts less than significant. Um there's a concern that this violates SQA. SQA doesn't require perfection, but instead adequacy, completeness, and good faith effort to to full disclosure. SQA allows for differences opinions, which and in this case, that's just kind of where we are. Um the proposed mitigated uh mitigated negative declaration is supported by project specific analysis and qualified air quality and biological resource consultants and supplemented in and further analysis based on the applicants of um certain sequest sections and case law. The applicant also provided uh additional response letters for from their air quality and biological consultants which are also in the record. With that, the staff's recommended denial of the bill. That concludes my >> Thank you, Mr. Burns. Mr. Clerk, do you have anything further to add? >> Thank you, Mayor. I do not. >> Thank you. So, at this time, public hearing item 9A is open. Is there anyone who would like to speak in opposition to staff's recommendation? Please come to the microphone, identify yourself and proceed. >> Hello. >> Welcome. >> Good evening. >> Please introduce yourself. >> I I will. >> My name is Bob Aknafi. I'm an attorney and I have and continue to work with Sierra Club on land use and environmental issues. and I'm going to be making the presentation on behalf of the Sierra Club this evening. I appreciate the opportunity and we'll try to keep it as brief as possible. >> And before you begin, colleagues, if at any point you need a break, just let me know, okay? Because we all have to be here to listen to all of the public hearing. Go ahead. So I want to begin by um emphasizing the fact that in principle in general Sierra Club is not opposed to housing projects that provide housing provided that the project is fully and thoughtfully evaluated as required by SQA that all potentially feasible alternatives and mitigation measures are considered and required. ired and in a case of a residential project like this one that consistent with the goals and policies of both the state of California and uh the city's own housing element that all effort is made to ensure that at least part of the new units are affordable. So, I think staff did a good job of of of pointing out the issues that uh have brought us here tonight. the city as far as I can see uh and you'll see another project later on um there is this trend of approving residential projects and and other projects that come below this uh 10 ton threshold that is set by the airboard. Um and and then considering despite the fact that we all know that achieving um the federal and state standards for air quality has been very challenging for this area has been challenging for the city and its residents that continually um pay the price for the quality of air here. that despite th those concerns, the city continues to approve projects um denying that they have an accumulative contribution to this pervasive problem because of this 10 ton threshold and I think it's not fair to the residents and it doesn't make sense from SQA perspective because it because clearly a 1670 unit project will bring additional residents and they will generate more pollution and it doesn't make sense not to require mitigation given how bad the air is. I want to point out as as we do in our letter that the general plan admits that implementation of the housing goals will result in a significant air quality impact. Well, what does that mean? If there is no finding that it's not feasible to require quality mitigation and you know from your the analysis uh about the general plan that if you don't change your policy you will continually make the air worse. And yet we're here because staff has argued and others have argued that you should ignore that cumulative contribution to their quality impact. So I urge you to rethink that because I I think it's not fair to the residents. Climate change presents a similar challenge but in sort of a more biblical um quantity because as as you're aware um with fires raging not too far from here that we're we're experiencing the effects of climate change now. This is not something that will happen in the future. It's happening right now. And yes, staff is correct that there has there's not a threshold adopted as to like when you consider a project's contribution significant. But this metric of consistency with existing plans is is problematic for for the city and and frankly for you know other local agencies. Um so here the city doesn't have its own um climate action plan. So it's hasn't set out a set of rules that you can follow. And so there is the issue of well is this project consistent with the statewide plans. I probably don't need to tell you that California's statewide plans for reducing GHG emissions have taken a big blow because of the federal government's frankly hostility towards any measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. More to the point, a big part of California's ability planning for achieving greenhouse gas reductions was dependent on California's ability to set emission standards for cars and trucks. So California's um achievement of those targets depends on our ability as a state to for example require um all car manufacturers who want to sell in California to produce only zero emission cars by 2035. That was a cornerstone of our plan. Well, the EPA has revoked that waiver that allowed us to do that. California has sued, but the result is uncertain. This is just one example of programs and and and policies that the state had adopted that are in jeopardy because of what is happening in Washington. I know we can't really affect that directly, but we can't ignore these realities either. So if if California is to achieve its emission reduction targets, its GHG targets, which is a requirement, which is a law here, if we can no longer depend on, for example, the emission reduction for cars, we have to achieve reductions elsewhere. Now I understand that the the city is not in a position to make policy for this state but it's very disappointing and frankly against SQA to to see that these changes in the environment in the um context in which this project you're considering this project is not reflected in the analysis uh in the amend. So, I urge you to not approve this project until staff is directed to to really consider the issue that I'm raising. Um, I'll speak briefly um about the the endangered species issues. Again, it's it's it's somewhat similar to the the greenhouse gas emissions because there was a major change in the landscape of endangered species in this in the city when the Metropolitan Bakersfield HCP was allowed to expire, frankly, without achieving all the conservation targets that it identified with like not having even spent all the money that was set aside from development fees to conserve habitat. So it didn't achieve its goals and then it was deemed uh too expensive or too infeasible to implement. So it's not clear how these conservation objectives can be achieved on a big scale without that HCP. Well, we can't make you want to have an HCP. But I also want to stress that there is no mechanism right now to ensure that the cumulative impacts of habitat loss and and frankly loss of species individually um is being addressed on a landscape scale. So I I don't believe this M&D can there's that there's evidence that there won't be a cumulative impact on species here as as you saw the picture of the lots in question. Uh it looks like it's in agricultural production. Uh and you may think that well agricultural production doesn't you know it's not habitat. That would be incorrect because even if species can't burrow there and have dens uh a lot of agricultural land in this area um is is um foraging ground and on the margins support various species. So I urge you to um uh ask your staff to reconsider um the project and its analysis based on um these points. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Nefisi. We have some other speakers who would like to speak in opposition. I've received some cards. Uh, Miss Lowour, Miss Brio, and Miss Bell or you have Whoops, we had four minutes and just a little over four minutes. >> I don't need that much time, but good afternoon everyone. So, I just want to appeal to your environmental conscience. So, my name is Antilawa. I am a representative of um the Sierra Club. I'm the conservation chair for a couple years, but I'm also a biologist at CSUB. So, I as I said, I like to appeal to your environmental conscience and um the quality of life in Bakersfield now and how we see Bakersfield in the future with everything that is going on. The river is dying, the air quality is bad, and we squander our land. we should be more wise in figuring out where we want to build and how these building units should be and what we can do to save some of our endangered species from extinction. So what I have to say is more related to the second housing unit that is being proposed uh tract 7471. So let me read that to you. >> So according to the city's own biological study >> uh we'll have an opportunity during that time if you want to come by. Yes. >> Okay, good. and I will >> we're out of time and there's some others who wish to speak. >> Okay, good. Thank you then. >> Thank you very much, Miss Lowour. Um, M. Bil, would you like to speak in opposition? >> And this is regarding 9A. >> Hi there. Um, what I'd like to speak to is that right now we know that Bakershill has the arguably the dirtiest air in the nation largely because the emissions resulting from past projects. According to the Cal and Virus screen, the tracks are located 95% percentile for ozone exposure and the 99th percentile for PM2.5 exposure. This huge P existing PM2.5 exposure for example is a clear health risk particularly for sensitive receptors or people like me. Um I want to put a personal face on that. We have a very wonderful woman in our community right now who is isolated in her home because of the poor air quality. She contributes greatly to the community through the uh youth resource um alliance. I'm probably not saying that correctly. Um and it's important that she be protected. Um, I tried to become a little more aware of the mechanics of how this sausage is made by reading the staff document or trying to reaching out and trying to understand the uh various state legislations that guide you. And the one thing that I got from it was your job is to make sure that I as a citizen know what these decisions are going to do to my health. And what they're saying is that is not happening. That you are not really telling me, Miss uh citizen, that the heir will potentially cause my death early or my child not to survive as long as he should or be in the health that he should. So, the reason why I'm asking you to reject this project and go back to the drawing board and think about it harder is translate emissions into something that makes sense to me so that I know you're not going to harm me. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Pil. And we have a minute and 30 seconds left. Uh, Mrs. Bell, would you like to offer comment in opposition? Marjgerie Bell is next. Mhm. >> Can you reset the clock a little bit? She was walking down the aisle. >> Yes. I'm I apologize. I I'm not sure this is where I should be talking, but I concur with Gordon Nip. I concur with Beck Nefi. I think we need to step back a bit and maybe even as many communities have declare some kind of a moratorum on this uh this wild and crazy notion that we have to fill up every bit of land and space that we have with new houses, especially those houses available to people with better incomes. Salt Lake City, for example, has done that. And there are developers who are interested in lower income housing and infill and uh that and young people need to be able to build equity and uh lower uh uh lower cost housing and and generally in the housing area. I would like us really to step back and give this some serious thought if not now in the near future. Thank you. >> Thank you Mrs. bill and our 15 minutes for opposition is up at this point. So now, is there anyone who wishes to speak in support of staff's recommendation? Please come forward at this time. >> Welcome. Please introduce yourself. >> Good evening, Mayor Go, and members of the city council. My name is Brian Winter. I'm the land use and squa attorney on behalf of the project and on behalf of the applicant team. Um, we have our entire project team here, members of of the applicant team, members of ownership, as well as, uh, the technical consultants that are, uh, relevant to the comments that have been made tonight. Um, I wanted to, um, briefly indicate that we support the the good work that we believe staff has done in connection with this project. Um, they've confirmed that this project is consistent with your general plan, consistent with your zoning ordinance, and that it does comply with SQA. Um, I agree with that completely. It's uh this project is supported by detailed um technical analysis uh responses to comments that have been made in writing by the appellant um and and and those have been addressed and in my view resolved. Um the result of the fact that this project is one that is consistent with your general plan and zoning ordinance is something that I think should be emphasized here tonight. Um, at a at a bare minimum, that means that this project is a project that is protected by the housing accountability act, which in my view is the most important state housing production law that we have in California. We have many such laws. In my view, the HIA is the most important law. Um, that law does many things. Um, one of which is that it uh puts extremely limited um circumstances under which a jurisdiction can lawfully disapprove a housing project. I don't need I don't think I need to get into those details, but the only way in which such a project can be disapproved is if the jurisdiction can make finding supported by a prepoundonderance of evidence in the record that the project would have a specific adverse impact on public health and safety. uh there's no evidence in the record of any such impact, never mind a prepoundonderance of the evidence. But I think it's also important to understand that the the housing accountabil in enacting the housing accountability act and amending it some 25 times since its enactment in 1982, the legislature has regularly recognized that the state has a decadesl long uh housing supply and related affordability crisis. And the legislature has recognized that the lack of the lack of housing in this state, the lack of approving specific projects causes adverse environmental impacts. Um, I think that's a very important and correct and critical insight. Uh, when you don't approve a project somewhere, it will go somewhere else and it will cause other environmental impacts. It will it will it will it will increase the environmental impacts. There's the the legislature recognizes recognizes that in their studies to support to support that. With respect to the particular appeal tonight and with respect to Mr. Nefi's comments, I support generalized uh concerns about the environment and and the need for all communities including this community to to do its uh to do its job in protecting the environment for the citizens of Bakersfield. Um, I would note however that when there's a challenge to a project like this and when there's a when there are allegations that the environmental analysis is not adequate, it is the appellant's burden to make a fair argument supported by substantial evidence in the record that the that either the environmental analysis is inadequate in some way or or that or or that there is there there will be adverse environmental consequences warranting either redoing the mitigated negative negative declaration in this context or or or warranting an IR that is the appellant's burden. Um I don't believe that's been met tonight. There are a great many generalized concerns about about the environment. um none of which are directly in my view tied to this project and I don't believe there has been any argument much less an argument supported by substantial evidence uh that this project would have an impact that would undermine the validity of the M andD that has been uh prepared and already certified by your planning commission for this project. Uh with that I I will I will stop save time for the rest of our team. Um, happy to answer any questions, happy to have any members of our team come up and answer any questions. And I would urge you respectfully uh to deny the appeal and uphold the approval of this project. >> Thank you, Mr. Winter. Is there anyone else who'd like to speak in support of staff's recommendation? Mr. Damahusky, I see that you submitted a card. >> Good evening, Mayor Go and council members. Dave Damowski representing the Homebuilders Association of Kern County. I just wanted to indicate that uh we've reviewed the staff reports for this appeal as well as the following item on your agenda and think the city staff and the applicants have prepared adequate responses to all the issues raised by the appellants. And I I would like to remind the city that uh uh California and the city of Bakersville share in a a serious housing crisis. Um only about 25% of all Bakersfield households can qualify uh to for a mortgage for uh the median price home in Bakersfield, which is now approaching $400,000. Uh the statewide median is approaching a million dollars. That's not sustainable. Uh it's a bad sign for uh Bakersfields and the state's future economic development prospects. I'd also like to mention that uh our uh kind of notorious housing market analyst uh Gary Crabtree all already declared the death of the entrylevel housing market in Bakersfield earlier this year. That's not a good sign for our community. So I wanted to uh urge the council to uh support the staff's recommendation. I think many of the uh issues u raised by the appellants in this project and the following item on your agenda have more to do with financial interest than environmental interest. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Is there anyone else who'd like to speak in support of staff's recommendation? Seeing none, is there anyone who would like to provide a rebuttal in opposition to staff's recommendation? We have five minutes total for this section. >> Welcome. >> Hello again. Uh I'm Bob Aknafcy. Uh providing a brief rebuttal. um the the claim that um that we haven't that the concerns have raised here that are quote generalized concerns about the environment and that we haven't pointed to any substantial evidence. >> Can you get a little closer to the mic, please? that we haven't uh identified substantial evidence supporting a finding that there will be a um that this project will cause significant environmental impacts really misses the mark and so maybe I can clarify and like I said put a finer point on it. Um what I argued here today is that the problem with the M &D the mitigated negative declaration is that in preparing it staff um has failed to proceed in the manner required by SQA. So, when I bring up the issues about losing the California uh losing the waiver and not being able to rely on emission reductions from uh requiring zero emission cars after 30 2035, what that means is that when staff bases its conclusions about the lack of significant impact uh to climate on consistency with a plan, the state's mitigation GHG reduction plans that have been undermined at a fundamental level, then staff can no longer reasonably rely on that consistency determination without at least analyzing the factors that I mentioned and explain why it's still appropriate to rely on that consistency. Similarly, um the gentleman who who um represents the developers u mentioned the consistency with the general plan and that's fine. That's not saying much because if it wasn't consistent, you couldn't approve it. But the very general plan with which this project is consistent also concluded that its implementation would result in significant environmental impacts on air quality. So when you have multiple projects of this kind like the one that is coming next where you have 100 200 residential units and staff says no require no mitigation is required because it falls below that threshold. That's how you get to that significant impact but of of implementing the general plan. So, sequences it's uh you can't rely on a single threshold to conclude a project doesn't have significant impacts if there are there is other evidence or other arguments apart from that threshold that show that the project could have a significant impact. That's what I've done here tonight and in our letter. the the fact that implementation of the general plan with which they argue this project is consistent will result in significant air quality impacts is evidence that you shouldn't just rely on the threshold by the uh APCD and consider other evidence like the ones I provided that show that this project will have an incremental significant contribution to a existing and worsening air quality. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Nefisi. Is there anyone else who would like to provide rebuttal in opposition to staff's recommendation? Seeing none, is there anyone who would like to provide rebuttal in support of staff's recommendation? Good even the mic please. >> Yes, Brian Winter again on behalf of uh the applicant. Um Mr. Nfi argues that the project failed to proceed in the manner required by SQA but again in my view has not made an argument to demonstrate how that's possibly true. Um, in order again, as I as I stated earlier, in order for a mitigated negative declaration to be ina inadequate, requiring recirculation and preparation of a new mitigated negative declaration or an environmental impact report, there must be fair argument uh supported by substantial evidence that the project uh would have a significant uh environmental impact. Um, there is no such evidence tonight. SQA defines um speculation to include argument, unsubstantiated opinion or narrative um such as that provided by Mr. Nefi tonight. Um that sort of uh that sort of argument um is not substantial evidence and is not uh does not rise to the level of a fair argument that would invalidate or undermine the validity of this of this EIR. Um with respect to the project's consistency with the general plan, um that is critically important. The housing, as I said again, the housing accountability act is the most important uh state housing production law we have in California. Dates to 1982. Um the Housing Accountability Act establishes that when a project is consistent with applicable objective provisions of the general plan, uh and they're supported also by case law, North Pacifica and Sequoia Hills Oakland case. Uh the o the only way in which a jurisdiction can lawfully disapprove such a project is to is to find by a preponderance of the evidence that the project would have a spec a a a a significant direct quantifiable and unavoidable impact on the environment and that the only way to avoid that impact is to say no to the project or require that it be built at a lower density. Uh there's again there's no evidence of any of that. There's no ability to make those findings. Um, the fact again that this this project is consistent with the journal plan is critically important and I would argue it's it's the it's the entire ballgame in light of the fact that there is no substantial evidence presented by the appellants that this mitigated negative declaration is inadequate in any fashion. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Winter. Is there anyone else who would like to provide rebuttal statements in support of staff's recommendation? Seeing none, I'll close the public hearing and return it to council for comment and action. Council member Smith, this is in your ward. >> Thank you, Mayor. I just want to ask staff, I've seen the a letter was submitted September 9th that seemed to be about the same stuff that I had already read. Does staff have any comments on the additional letter? Um, Council Member Smith, basically it's it's the same argument that's been articulated tonight. >> That's what I thought. So, staff has nothing else to add. >> That's correct. >> Thank you. Uh, with that, I will move to deny the appeal and approve the subdivision. >> Thank you, Council Member Smith. Vice Mayor, >> uh, I just had general question um, for staff and for just kind of like the good of public knowledge in there was a mention of our HCP and, uh, in the absence of a local HCP, what how do we approach this process just for public knowledge? >> Vice Mayor Core. Um, so the process that we've been following is that we require that the applicant submit specific species studies um to have them approved by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and this is done prior to the city issuing a building permit. So that happens later on. >> Okay. Thank you. Um I felt it was important for that to just be mentioned um so that there is an idea that there is a complete absence of this being a part of the process. though um having a local HCP I do personally feel um adds a benefit to localizing um some of the conversations that's been had um while also balancing the very delicate doing the very delicate dance between being in a housing crisis, affordability crisis, building crisis um while understanding that we've inherited the environmental impact that we have here in the Sanwoken Valley. So that was really my only question. Thank you. Thank you, Vice Mayor. You have a motion to support staff's recommendation. Please cast your votes. >> The motion is approved with council members Weir and Basher Tash absent. >> Thank you. And now, Madam Clerk, next item please. Continued public appeal hearing of planning commission's approval of vesting tenative trackm number 7471 and it's pro proposed mitigated negative declaration Sanwaqin Engineering Inc. representing LGI Homes California LLC is proposing vesting tenative tract map number 7471 to subdivide 83.97 acres into 363 single family residential lots and various private and public lots for streets, landscaping, and other ancillary uses in the R1 zone located at the southwest corner of Morning Drive and Paladino Drive. Consideration of a resolution adopting a mitigated negative declaration pursuant to the in California environmental quality act and approval excuse me and approving vesting tenative trackmap number 7471. Gordon Nip representing the Sierra Club submitted an appeal to the planning commission's approval of the request. >> Thank you colleagues. Just checking that nobody needs a break before we go into this section. City manager Kle. Mayor and council, again, our development services director, Phil Burns, will provide a summary for this item. City clerk, we have the presentation, mayor, council members, uh, similar to the the previous appeal, uh, this is for vesting tenative track 7471. Um it's located southwest corner of Paladino Drive in Morning on the map. Uh it is zoned R1 single family and has a land use designation of uh low density residential. So again this project is consistent with the general plan and zoning. Um and this is the investing tenantship track in question. Uh this particular project went to planning commission on May 1st 2025. two opposition speakers, Lori Pasanti, director of local chapter of Sierra Club and Jeremy Bowman, a neighboring resident. Uh, this project was appealed to uh your board your board with by Gordon Nip, a rep club. Similar issues to the previous appeal. air quality and cumitive uh climate change analysis, deficient mitigation measures, uh deferral of species and biological protocols, surveys for the kit, fox, burring owl, crotchous bumblebee and needed uh before project approval and also similar the M andD violates SQA. Just like the previous project um there the con applicant did have consultants uh qualified consultants do uh air quality um studies same methodology for sound king valley air pollution control analysis support for the determination these impacts and projects are below thresholds levels are not significant mitigation measures applied to project are to broad consistency with wings valley error rules and regulations both guidelines and relevant case law do require specific thresholds old for estimating project contribution cumulative climate change impacts but do support assessment of project consistency with regional and statewide programs reducing GHG emissions. The project also meets the best performance standards reduce GHD to 20 29% per AB32 including all the same mitigation measures that building code title 24 energy efficiency green building requirements solar pre-wire vehicles and additional items similar to this the previous project there was uh biologic studies this time one done by McCormic Biological Incorporated uh they provide information analysis to respond to biological uh resources related to this project and initial study. The study identifies those listed are sensitive species for further evaluation. Species specific studies would be required upon consultation with the uh California fish and wildlife department. Uh the um allegations that the squa has been violated squa doesn't require perfection but again adequacy and completeness and a good good faith effort to full disclosure. SQL allows for differences of opinion which which makes a determination. The proposed mitigated neg negative declaration is supported by project specific analysis by qualified air quality and biological resources consultants and supplemented with further analysis based on the applicant and certain sequest sections and case law. Uh, further in your record, LGI's uh, air quality and biological consultant submitted supplemental letters which should be in your uh, out their uh, file. With that, uh, staff recommends denial of the appeal. >> Thank you, Mr. Burns. Mr. Kle, do you wish to add anything? >> Thank you, Mayor. I do not. >> Thank you. So, at this time, the continued public hearing on item 9B from the August 13, 2025 city council meeting is up for discussion and decision. Is there anyone who would like to speak in opposition to staff's recommendation? So, is that uh Mr. Chase? Uh, go ahead. Good evening, honorable mayor, vice mayor, and council members. My name is Chase Parciato, and I'm speaking on behalf of supporters of Wans for Environmental Responsibility or SAFER. We submitted written comments earlier today. Safer respectfully requests that the city council approve the appeal and deny approval of the project and M andd under SQA if there is a fair argument that a project may cause significant environmental impacts and EIR is required. That is the case here. Safer retained expert wildlife biologist Dr. Sha Smallwood whose team conducted surveys of the site. He found that the project could significantly impact special status species through habitat loss, wildlife movement disruption, and increase mortalities from traffic, window strikes, and predation by cats. These impacts remain unressed and require an EIR. Safer also retained baseline environmental consulting. Baseline found that the project fails to comply with California's 2022 scoping plan, which requires transportation, electrification, BMT reduction, and building decarbonization. The M &D does not disclose Bakersfield's already degraded air quality, and resulting health risks, and relies on thresholds not supported by substantial evidence. the project could cause a significant cumulative impact on human health. The M andd's conclusion that energy impacts are less than significant because the project complies with green building codes is legally inadequate. There is substantial evidence that the project may have significant impacts on biological resources, greenhouse gases, air quality, health, and energy. SEC requires these issues to be analyzed at an EIR. For these reasons, we urge the council to grant the appeal and require preparation of a full environmental impact report. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Presiado. Mr. Nip, >> I am Gordon Nip. I'm the vice chair of the local Sierra Club chapter. Um, first of all, I'd like to note that the Sierra Club is not opposed to new housing, per se. Uh we would be pleased actually to see a a new housing project that thoroughly addresses the it's its cumulative its cumulative impacts and of course the affordability issues for this project. The Sierra Club has submitted several comment letters and our attorney has submitted a letter as well. Um these submissions address way more issues than we can speak to in our a lot of time tonight. So, we'll leave much for the written record and focus on three issues tonight. Issues with a common theme of the city's lack of appreciation for the cumulative effects of this tract. For each of these three issues, the city mistakenly considers the project's cumulative impact to be insignificant. The three issues, habitat loss, air pollution, and the climate crisis must all be addressed on a cumulative basis. And thus far, the city has refused to do so. I'll talk a little bit about the climate change issue. Now, I'll leave the other issues uh air pollution and habitat loss to a couple of other very well-qualified folks. But let me talk a little bit about um about climate about the cumulative climate change issue. The um Sierra Club has presented clear scientific evidence in our earlier submissions that the climate crisis is inherently a cumulatively significant issue. No one project of course is is is large enough to heat the atmosphere. But cumulatively, our stupid species continues what UN Secretary General Antonio Gutierrez calls, and I'm quoting here, quote, the madness of incinerating our only home. In spite of the scientific consensus, the negative declaration seems to have a bias against accepting the reality and seriousness of the of the climate crisis. For example, the the the air study considers a significance determination for the project's cumulative contribution to climate change to be speculative. Nevertheless, the negative declaration is willing to speculatively conclude that the project's cumulative GHG emissions are not significant. Conclusions based on unacceptable bias must certainly be approached with skepticism. The city should require environmental documents that reflect scientific objectivity and impartiality. The city's lack of mitigation and its insignificance conclusion for climate change is based to some extent on the assertion that the project will follow state mandates that will address the issue. This conclusion may be undermined by the potential impacts of President Trump and Congress's actions to block California's mandates. Mandates, for example, to phase out gas powered cars and and clean up diesel trucks and proposed federal rules that relax the regulations that apply to gas and coal fired power plants. These federal actions may result in higher emissions of greenhouse gases, which in turn could affect California's ability to to to achieve its GHG reduction targets. Any conclusion based on California mandates, the conclusion here that that that the project's impact is is cumulatively insignificant. Any such conclusion is is is here clearly speculative. If we care not to leave an overhated planet for f for future generations, the city must thoroughly address the climate crisis. In our earlier submissions, we have presented feasible potential mitigation measures. The city should require sufficient mitigation to substantially reduce the impact of the project on the climate crisis. I'll I'll I will um I will um um let a couple of other folks speak to some of the other issues. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Nip. Uh who else would like to speak in opposition? >> Okay. So again, >> Okay. Again, my name is Anilawa CSUB and also Sierra Club and I want to underscore what Gordon Nip and the gentleman before actually said. I also want to point out before I re read this to you that think about who's moving in into those housing units. These are not lowincome housing units. You know, are we providing homes for our people in need here for Kern County or are we providing homes for people who move in from other areas? Do we care? Okay. And then as a biologist, I care about um animals. And you know the endangered species act also requests and requires that we also are aware about what we're doing to endangered and and threatened species when we build houses and use our land. Right? So let me read this to you. So according to the city's own biological study for site attract 7471 in this regard this site is almost certainly habitat of the Sanwaqin kitfox an endangered species nesting birds and boring owls. many other important species species are there as well and less of habitat to urbanization like this is a major loss of habitat to urbanization like this is a major reason for species decline urban sprawl I actually asked AI when will the kit fox be extinct when we continue like that and AI said 10 to 20 years I think that's kind of shocking I think we need to be aware that what we're doing has these kind of effects okay if this were the only project in the works. We probably wouldn't worry about this loss of 84 acres of habitat, but there are dozens of new local projects in the works, each of which divorce species habitat, each of them. When all these new cumulative projects are built, the displaced kit fox will be hardpressed to find somewhere else to forage, perhaps reduced to stealing food from dogs from an urban backyard or something like that. Where will the boring outs go when all the land is gone? Loss of habitat like this used to be addressed by the Metropolitan Bakersfield Habitat Conservation Plan that recently expired. The developer would pay $2,135 per acre to purchase and preserve habitat for species at risk of extinction and threatened. But the Metropolitan Beckers habitat conservation plan doesn't exist anymore. For this project uh tracked 7471 84 acres of habitat will be lost to the kitfox the boring owl and owl and other species and no other compensating property will be preserved as in the past. The city's own biological study from August 2024 for this tract 7471 admits and we quote, "The cumulative effects of ongoing urbanization and habitat loss of the Bakersfield area should be immediately evaluated for potential significant long-term effects that may consequently have substantial impacts to species status species such as the kitfox and cumulative impacts in biological resources from this project and other project in the vicinity would be potentially significant. So again each individual housing development is not significant but taken together it makes a big difference. So where do we see Bakersfield in 1020 years? Right? Is the quality of life going up, the quality of life going down? Now that the Metropolitan Bakersfield habitat conservation plan is no longer in effect, the city must find another way to effectively address the project's contribution to cumulative habitat loss. The city should admit the significance of cumulative impacts to biological resources, including endangered species, and should require viable mitigation measures for these impacts, including purchases of replacement habitat as in the past. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Lara. Is there anyone else who'd like to speak in opposition to Steph's recommendation? Welcome. Please introduce yourself. >> Thank you. My name is Maria Polite and I'm here as an individual, not as a member of an organization. But I'm here because I have a number of questions. Number one, are we spreading human development and quietly accepting the demise of all the wildlife that would have been otherwise inhabited the land being developed? The mountains and the hills of the eastern part of our city are surely the most beautiful part of our city. In 1983, I was fortunate enough to move out and live on 3 acres in this area. It certainly doesn't look the same as it did when I was there. I lived there for 20 years. And tonight, I want to speak for the beauty and the wild things that are there. The bobcats I faced on my early morning walks. The coyotes I often saw in the hillsides. The kit foxes that really I never saw. Consider the effects of housing developments with the unknown effects of chemicals and plastics permeating the environment. Wildlife is declining. The housing developments in their human population will surely create an out of balance condition with the rest of life. The quality and quantity of nonhuman forms are in a state of actual mass extinction. Do we want to add to that? Please consider other ways to provide for population growth more than these large housing developments. And I found a photograph that illustrates my point. So I would like to leave it for the council members and staff. >> Thank you, Miss P. You can put it in that tray right there. Thank you. >> Is there anyone else who'd like to speak in opposition to staff's recommendation? Um good evening Bob Aknafc for this year club. Um very quick point um in response to an earlier question about um how the issue of um impact to protected species is handled. I think city attorney mentioned that um they have to consult with the applicant has to consult with the fish and wildlife service uh before a grading permit or or building permit is issued. The whole point of having a HCP is to avoid having to do individualized um applications for take permit or for authorization for you know for take because individual getting an individual standalone permit is very time consuming and very difficult. Um so what's happening here is not a take permit for each project. Um there as far as I know and I've done public records requests to both the county and the city um the sufficiency of this process that city attorney mentioned um has not been demonstrated. Um the the city has not does not include in a regular basis conditions that ensure that the mitigation is actually going to um that that adequate mitigation is imposed to a less than significant level. And if you consider the local fish and wildlife service, all of a sudden they don't have more staff, but since the habitat conservation plan went away, the amount of work that you have put on them and every other city has gone up geometrically. So the if you want to uh rely on this kind of a process, there has to be a demonstration that this works and that demonstration has not been made. So um I think there is no significant uh there's no substantial evidence that the impact on species will be addressed to a less than significant level um with the process that the city uh follows right now. Thank you. >> Thank you. And unless somebody can do it in four seconds uh thank you all for your comments. And now is there anyone who'd like to speak? >> Madam Mayor, if we could have a bio break maybe. Okay. Sure. >> Thank you. >> Uh, we need all the council present, so we're going to take a quick break. >> 6:42 Hey, hey hey. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] The grand the heaven. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] Right. Let's uh reconvene. Right. 651. Mr. uh >> sorry, Mr. Martin in support of staff's recommendation. >> Oh, sorry. >> There was an issue. Uh before we go to this, uh I've been informed that there's somebody in the audience who would like to speak in opposition and the clock was running. We had a little technical difficulty. So we apologize. I know we have a special new team here that's uh trying their very best. So, uh madame city attorney, who is that person? >> Oh, come on. >> I didn't get her name, but yes. >> Uh yes, and we're going to give you one minute. >> Hi, my name is Lauren Rodriguez. I am a community member here in support of the opposition uh with Sierra Club. Uh of the community members who are here also in support today. Could you raise your hand? >> Support of the opposition. >> Yes. Support of the opposition. I was born and raised in Bakersville, California. Privileged to have been from here. Like Claire, I showed up maybe 20 years ago now with a backpack as large as I was in front of a city council meeting and I'm here again 20 years later. I recently moved home. I'm I'm an emergency uh medicine physician. I moved home to help care for a family member who's immunosuppressed. For six weeks, we drove over the mountains to LA for care. Every time driving back, we drove into that bowl of our brown air that we suffer from in our central valley. Both as what we sacrifice as a community for others, for feeding our nation, the oil, but also as a result of our local decisions. And I strongly urge you as a committee to think of what we can do locally for our air. You do have a say. You do have power in making our air. >> Thank you, doctor. Uh you can just say it one more sentence and wrap it up. Our time is up. >> Okay. If it were just one house, one development, that's one thing, but I urge you to look at the cumulative effects because what is one more housing project if we don't have clean air to breathe? >> Thank you, doctor. And now, Mr. Martin. So this we're back in the section of supporting staff's recommendation. >> Welcome. >> Good evening, Mayor Go, uh, Vice Mayor Carr, uh, and city council members as well as distinguished staff. Thank you very much. U, my name is Brandon Martin. That's B R A N D O N M A R T I N. Um, I'm a local land use attorney. It's not my first time appearing before the council or the planning commission, so there's some friendly, familiar faces all around, but I don't take every client. Um, there's something special about LGI and this cl this project in particular that I think has been overlooked or even misstated. Uh, this is a project that helps people who grew up here and maybe they're living in an apartment buy their first home. Affordable housing is a term of art in the law that we talk about and for taxation purposes and some tiny bit litigation and policy. But when I talk about affordable housing, that's LGI. And I'm not exactly sure why we've been talking about McMansions because if you want to look at our track map, that's not at all what we've been proposing at all. Um, in fact, the history of this project is interesting. It's why I think this year and I by the way I should take as an aside. Um I would consider Gordon Nip a friend of mine personally. Um and Babick Mafisi uh I've called and asked for help on several questions that have environmental significance and I consider him kind of a dean of SQL law. So there's a lot of respect going both ways here. But indiscriminately papering this project without finding out anything about what we're trying to do here uh is a cheap shot. And uh it it's it makes sense if you consider wanting to have a global conversation about some important public policy issues, but if you look at the history of this project, it just makes no sense. We had an entitled vested track map that we could have built on and we decided to work with the city to make it environmentally superior project that helped the city meet some of its housing goals and some of the state of California's housing goals much more dense, more walkable, um environmentally superior in just about every way I can imagine if you compare the two maps. But here we are and I believe it's because we are again being indiscriminately uh papered here uh by some folks with some good intentions. In terms of those global issues, I'll just comment personally that I agree with Councilwoman Carr and the Acier Club and hopefully some development representatives here uh that we should have a continuation or a reboot of our habitat conservation uh program. Um that's just I'm not speaking for LGI. I'm just speaking for myself. When we adopted those in the past, we considered that for the purpose of streamlining development as well as environmental protection. It's a win-win. Um, now finding the right number and the right cost for people involved takes debate and some discussion. And I don't have an opinion on that, but I do have an opinion that we should have the debate and the discussion. My client can't do that by himself. Even as a company like LGI, it takes the city of Bakersfield. It takes other stakeholders. It is extremely unfair to ask my client to have to mitigate its project by creating an HCP in Bakersfield when one is expired. Can't do that by ourselves. We can do a lot but not that. Um the same thing with the local thresholds of significance. If there is an update to the city general plan in the future, those throal thresholds of significance that we could only speculate as to what they should be at this point could be narrowed down given criteria that we can follow and use in our reports in the future to better help the environment. But if you look at what we have in front of us and you asked applicants like LGI to simply make up a local threshold of significance, you know what would happen? And this is just a practical matter. They'd be papered by the Sierra Club because we didn't choose the right threshold of local significance. That's just what would happen and we'd be here all over again. So is there a discussion that should be happen? Yes. But it shouldn't result in the destruction of a very good project for people in our community who will be hopefully making the leap from being renters to first-time home owners. And you you're all out in the community more than I am because you're elected officials. But this is a theme that I've seen over and over again where people say, maybe it's because I'm a land use attorney. Hey, it's the folks from San Francisco and Los Angeles. They're coming in here and they're buying our homes. They're racking up the value. We can't afford to live here. We're doing everything we were supposed to do. We were told we were growing up we'd be able to buy a home and live the American dream if we did those things and they can't because housing's too expensive. Well, one solution is Evan Licked and LGI. So, I'd like him to come down and maybe talk a little bit about the project and his company which has a solution. And uh we also have our develop our engineering and cons environmental consulting team here as well if you have any questions about the substantial evidence in the record. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Martin. >> I have a handout for the group as well. >> Welcome. Please introduce yourself. Mayor Go, Vice Mayor Carr, and the council members. My name is Evan Light with LGI Homes, and I'm really here to uh just provide an over overview of the project. Um tell you a little bit more about what we do as a company and um really just thank staff for for their time and working diligently on this project. But um as as Brandon had mentioned um our focus as a home builder is converting renters to homeowners. And so really what that means is with any project that we have um we do not buy a piece of property unless there's 50,000 renters within 30 miles. And so our focus is how do we provide a quality affordable product that we can get uh somebody who's never bought a home, never thought about buying a home, how do we get them into their first home? And so um if you look at uh the packet I handed out really that the second page here is just kind of an overview of our history in Bakersfield uh in Northeast Bakersfield. Uh we entered the market about uh six years ago or so with Juliana's Garden which was a defunct project that had been sitting for about 10 years and we stepped up and built it out. Um and currently we're working on a project adjacent uh called Morning Star Ranch which has been highly successful for us um in in getting people to buy buy a home for the first time. And then you see here uh Morning Sun Estates. This is a project that that's the marketing name we're giving it, track 7471. And so really our focus is um as a home builder, especially in Bakersfield. We're also operating in the southwest part of the city, is to um have a long-term pipeline um to continue help converting renters to homeowners within the city of Bakersfield. Um and so that that's why we're here tonight and that's what this project would help us achieve. And so um a little bit more of an overview. So, this is 363 homes. As um as Brandon had mentioned prior, there was a previous map that was um larger lots with no public park, no no POS, nothing really for the community to enjoy. And so, we took a look at that and said, how can we build a more efficient site plan that is going to build a better sense of community for the homeowners? And so, we've added a park, we've added a walking trail, 6.6 6 acres of parks and poos and a mix of 5,000 and 6,000 foot lots. Um, which is in our our opinion kind of the sweet spot of um you're still getting a a quality sized lot that we can build a quality home on um but we can still achieve an affordable price point uh at this lot size. And then um the next three pages are just sort of overviews of the the park that we're looking to build um with basketball courts, shade structure, swing sets, playgrounds, so on and so forth. And so really the way when I'm looking at this, I'm focused on I have um a wife, a three, and a one-year-old. And it's really what I want to live in the community and and how do we create an environment where people can live there and and be part of a community, enjoy themselves. Um, and then lastly, uh, is just some renderings of of the architecture that we've been building adjacent at our Morning Star Ranch project. And, um, that's really it. I'm just here to answer questions and say thank you to staff and everybody else for their time. >> Thank you, Mr. Light. Is there anyone else who'd like to speak in support of staff's recommendation? Mr. Martin? >> Yes. I just wanted to I neglected to say a couple things that I think respect merits that I say. Uh, I noticed that the jewelry firm said to parallegal, probably from Oakland or somewhere, uh, he read so fast auctioneer style, I couldn't take notes on whatever reports had been commissioned by his firm. Uh, we haven't seen them and it's the council meeting in which you'll make the decision. For due just basic fairness, due process reasons, I think that should be excluded from the record. I I don't know what it is. I can't even respond to it. Um the other thing about the habitat is that this lot was raised. Um it was just leveled uh for the purposes of buildout of the previous project that was mentioned that didn't go forward. Um so it's not a that was a while ago. Um but it's you may be I just want to put that in in case you're misunderstanding you know where this is and what the h the the sort of the land looks like. Um it looks like it's been bulldozed. Uh the other thing that I would I would mention is that you know we we received an early letter that we were able to communicate with um from somebody just from across the street. uh this is where your council has decided the path of growth should go and I know not everybody on the council was was here when that decision was made but it's that general plan that decides that path of growth is what my clients as developers have to make their their reasonbacked investment decisions based on so they need to be able to say okay this is where the city wants the affordable housing that LGI makes LGI can make the decision to make the investment in Bakers field. So, we're really asking you to help us conform to your vision um for housing in Bakersfield. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Martin. Anyone else wishing to speak in support of Steph's recommendation? Seeing none, is there anyone who wishes to rebuttal in opposition to Steph's recommendation? You have five minutes. Um Gordon Nip um uh with the Sierra Club. Um the developer talks about converting renters to homeowners and firsttime home buyers and they seem to be contending that since there are more lots proposed on this project than on an earlier one, then the project will consist of affordable housing. Let me point out that the lots as proposed vary from 5,000 square ft to 15,000 square ft. Houses built on the larger lots almost certainly will not be affordable to folks who whose incomes are at the med at median or or or below. And even the smaller lots of course could accommodate large expensive houses. If the developer really does intend to build affordable housing, that is a noble motive. But having dealt with many developers for 50 for almost 50 years, I've become a little cynical. Um, without an incentive or a requirement from the city, I would be very surprised if the developers profit motive to make more money didn't prevail over the developers noble motive to provide affordable housing. If you approve this project because you want affordable housing, I would suggest that you don't leave affordability to the developers goodwill and and and nobility. Uh place a condition on the project that requires the new housing to be affordable. Perhaps even change the zoning to allow for condominium or apartment construction. To quote Ronald Reagan, "Trust but verify." Perhaps these developers are noble and trustworthy. Uh, I hope so. But President Reagan, I think, would suggest that you place a formal condition on the project that requires housing to be affordable so that you can monitor and enforce that is verify. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Nip. Is there anyone else who wishes to speak? >> My name is Lori Pasante and I am the chapter director of the current Kua chapter of the Sierra Club. I'm also a very longtime resident of Bakersfield. Um, and today is my birthday, by the way. >> Well, happy birthday. >> Thank you very much. What I want is real climate action. Real climate action. Everything that everybody else has said in opposition to this project is not in opposition to housing and certainly not affordable housing. Let's be very clear about that. It's in opposition to the cumulative impacts that this city council and this city is required to account for and and you're just not it's not happening. Right? I'm older now. Like clearly today is proof of that. I'm not going to be around forever. We're not going to be around forever. But my kids, God willing, will be. And I don't want this to be an industrial hellscape for them to live in. You know, I'm glad they brought up Morning Star. Anybody heard anybody's familiar with that Morning Star housing development? Google Morning Star explosive levels of methane cuz that is where 7471 is located. Right there by Thorner Elementary. I take my daughter to piano lessons right there off of Paladino every Wednesday. Right past those explosive levels of methane where the abandoned oil wells are located. That is where we're calling familyfriendly so that some folks can make some money. Let's start focusing on climate change. Let's focus on those cumulative impacts. Let's have those conversations about the HCP. Let's have that, but let's stop pretending that you're actually doing something about it and actually do something about it. >> Thank you, Miss Bzante. Is there anyone else who would like to speak in to rebuttal in opposition? Seeing none, is there anyone who'd like to rebuttal in support of staff's recommendation? M. Martin, do you wish to rebuttal? >> I'm not sure it's a rebuttal as much as just a clarification. The previous speaker made some good points generally about our city um and about um our drive forward um as people looking to make things better for the next generation. Um but she mentioned something about there being some retired oil and gas or methane buildup in a that's a neighboring community that's not our land. So that morning star is not it's not us. It's nearby but it's not us. And that's the important thing for you to understand. Thank you, Miss Martin. Is there anyone else who would like to provide rebuttal in opposition in support of staff's recommendation? Seeing none, I'll close the public hearing and return it to council for comment and action. Council member Smith. Thank you, Mayor. Again, I would ask staff if they have anything to add or any comments from what we've heard. Okay, thank you. Uh, with that, I will make a motion to deny the appeal and approve the ten of track 7471. >> Thank you, Council Member Smith. Vice Mayor, where are we in the conversation about our HCP? Council member Ror, for the benefit of the public uh awareness, the city council identified uh development of an HCP as one of your priority initiatives for this coming fiscal year. Um that was adopted at a workshop in the spring and and went into effect for this fiscal year. And so Phil Burns and his team have been working on a plan to bring forward a revised habitat conservation plan. When we met with your council um a couple of years ago, we didn't have a plan that was feasible um in consideration of the different stakeholder feedback uh related uh to some of those costs at the time. But we have worked with an uh uh CDFW. We've worked internally and with stakeholders to identify an alternative plan and we have now contracted with a consultant to actually write that up. The framework uh is something that we've discussed and there's a general support of the framework from CDFW. It's going to take um several months to for that to be developed uh in specific wr you know language uh which would then uh be able to be prepared for public comment and and review by the community but we anticipate being an um environmental impact report specific to that which is probably the longer time frame and so we've identified about four different steps to get to conclusion on a habitat conservation plan but because the ER are should be pretty significant on that. We're expecting that to be 8 to nine months Phil. Oh, 18 months. Heavens. And so, uh, we won't be done with that this fiscal year, but we're going to be well down the path of having a habitat conservation plan, um, you know, in EIR by this fiscal year to be then done in next fiscal year >> in and can you share what CDFW stands for? sorry, the the California Department of Fish and Wildlife who approves habitat conservation plans. And again, in the meantime, um uh that same department is who governs the incident take permits and the mitigation efforts that are required. It's not an optional just for for council's benefit. um uh depending of course on the studies that are conducted. But if if if a species or habitat are identified in that initial study uh CDFW has been requiring those mitigations to occur occur absent our habitat conservation plan. So mitigation does occur. We just believe that there's benefits for all to have that both be intentional and strategic and streamlined um as well as you know be able to address some of those you know longer term you know broader impacts by having a a comprehensive plan for the city >> in a traditional um in the process of developing a habitat conservation plan. Traditionally, when a city works on an HCP, uh, is it is it a common practice to involve community input? Um, and what has that looked like in the past and what can that look like in the future for an HCP that we're working on? >> It does uh involve community feedback. Um, as I noted, there are sort of the standard requirements for public, you know, uh, review and public comment, but also given, you know, the interest in our community, uh, as we develop this first, you know, formal draft of a revised framework, we'll take it out to our many stakeholders, have their, you know, comment and review as well as those more formal required review periods. Can we invite the stakeholders that are here in attendance to review that as well? Um, I would love for their input to be involved with our the HCP and I do agree. I think a healthy dialogue on something as impactful as an HCP is incredibly important and it is vital that we have something that is um something we can pass locally. Um my second question was I'm curious about the point of um having certain requirements placed and exploring that as to having different criteria. I think it was an earlier conversation that was had um as to having different requirements uh of developers to have certain percentages be um I guess you could say reserved for affordable housing when developing and that being kind of an incentive slash encouraging um affordable housing being developed within larger developments. Um, I think that kind of speaks to the conversation we were having at the 3:30 meeting in um, not only economic development, but housing and economic development kind of going hand in hand. And are is that an is that an incentive um, that or an ordinance or something that can be encouraged that exists in other cities? Is that something we can also explore here at the city of Bakersfield? Thank you, Vice Mayor, Mayor and Council. I would make sure and draw a clear distinction between a policy choice that sort of mandates versus it creates an incentive. And so, you asked about an incentive. Um so our um economic and community development department is looking at some of the other cities that have created incentive programs where um typically it comes out of something like an affordable housing trust fund funds that we've already set aside for affordable housing. You can actually use those dollars to help actually you know basically u pay down the costs of certain units so that they can be um subsidized affordable housing. Um I would also just point to um this is a much broader conversation and don't want to go down you know too much of the rabbit hole but there's market rate affordable and then there's sub subsidized affordable. Your council has done much to direct staff to develop policies. And I kind of mentioned these earlier around uh densities and land use and impact fees that try and create more market rate affordable housing that can just be more affordable in the in the straight marketplace. But um I I think what you're referring to is more of you know the city actually using some of our funds for affordable housing to buy a certain number of units uh that could be um offered for home ownership at a lower rate or that could you know um could potentially be entered again like into the community land trust um as uh homes that continue to be in the land trust. Um and so our team is looking at that. We don't have that all um ready for council consideration. Uh but um we anticipate that in this fiscal year to be able to come back and make some recommendations about how we can use some of those dollars from the affordable housing trust fund to get a mix of incomes in some of our market rate developments um that we buy down those units. Yeah, that was my that was probably my next point also is connecting. Um I I think it's it would be a missed opportunity when we have developments of this caliber size and we've seen two of them today if we aren't also pairing um the community land trust that exist within the city um to actually reserve some of the homes being developed even if it's a smaller percentage within a large development of this size. um that can then encourage home ownership in different parts of the city where the burden isn't exactly entirely on the developer, but there is some responsibility that the developer carries in um allocating certain housing for market rate affordable um and or both and it can come from two different streams whether that's our affordable housing trust fund and or our community land trust and I feel that hits at exactly what the community land trust what we're trying to achieve there in making sure that folks can find market rate affordable housing in different parts of the city. So, um I I think that's a referral from me as well tonight. So, if you can tie that up in a nice bow uh and referring to whatever I had just mentioned. Um, but I would be really interested to see uh if that's something of a policy suggestion, if that's an incentive that can be created or if um but particularly at the community land trust. >> Thank you, Vice Mayor. Council member Gonzalez. >> Thank you, Mayor. Um, first and foremost, I just want to thank all of the folks who've come out and voiced their um thoughts and opinions on this particular item tonight. Um I understand um some of the feedback received from uh the community members related to commu uh cumulative impact as it relates to air pollution and even uh carbon emissions and I appreciate that. Um I I will point out, you know, as I think about this and as we, you know, sit in a valley and in a region that is not controlled by solely the city of Bakersfield, uh that there are other um local government uh entities that also uh make decisions that contribute to that cumulative impact. And so, um, I think that it's important for us if we're going to talk about cumulative impact, we have to recognize that there are lots of, uh, different jurisdictions that contribute to that. Um, and there are lots of questions that that come into play as if with with regard to land use and if we want to curb development, what happens then in other jurisdictions? And so, that that was my first thought. The second thought was um you know for years my my response and my my work on the council has really been in an effort to promote uh density and infield development in the urban core and a lot of my colleagues have have um have also led a lot of this work um to to get to that um uh issue related to accumulative impact. Um, we know that Bakersfield continues to grow. That is a reality. 1 to 2% a year. Um, more and more people continue to enter into our region and there are there are larger forces at play statewide um that contribute to that growth. Um, I think it's a positive thing in a lot of different ways. Um, at the same time, we have a lot of local families and I have a a lot of uh constituents, a number of constituents who are perpetual renters and have been for for years and who are very frustrated particularly in the last five, six years with their inability to actually own a home. And um, you know, yes, we need uh subsidized affordable housing. Yes, we need market rate affordable housing, but we also need just additional housing units period. Like throughout the whole market, like every type of product, we need more additional units. Uh and so um I I um I'm in support of uh the the motion tonight because of that pressure uh that I know we all feel in the need to provide additional housing inventory for our for our community and for our families. And I don't want to limit uh our uh housing stock and put um some of these concerns on the backs of all these families who are really struggling and um hoping to own uh a piece of their American dream, uh their California dream and home ownership in the future. And so I'm I concur with the um with the motion tonight. >> Thank you, Council Member Gonzalez. Council member Arius. >> Thank you, Mayor. I'll keep my comments brief uh but just share similar sentiments as my colleagues appreciation for folks who came out in opposition of the project. Um I I'll share that a lot of the commentary around the challenges with our local air quality resonate strongly with me. Um, I'll share vulnerably that was one of the main reasons why I as a young kid constantly told my mother that I was never going to come back to the city of Bakersfield after leaving for college. Um and of course coming back for family ultimately um is what brought me back and uh you know one of the commitments I made personally was that as you know I ventured into the realm of politics um was that I would you know do what I could to make sure that we are cleaning up our air quality here in the valley. Um, I think the comment that council member Gonzalez made regarding the fact that our geography makes it particularly challenging for us to address it as a singular u municipality is a real one. Um although that doesn't mean that we shouldn't also be doing our part. So I think that there's ways to do that. Um but I think ultimately it's my understanding that it's not the responsibility of a single developer on a single development um to um to deal with those larger cumulative challenges um that face us as a community. Um, the other piece to all of this is that there was a comment about species potentially being on um, this particular lot. And I just wanted to make sure and ask Madame City attorney if in fact that is found to be the case, there are still pathways and avenues to address those concerns. >> Council member Adas. Yes. As I mentioned before, um before the city issues any building permits, we will require that the applicant provide uh species reports that first have to be vetted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and then they submit to us and we we confirm and we then issue the building permit. >> Okay. Thank you. I appreciate that and again appreciate the comments and look forward to I believe the general plan is coming back uh here within a few weeks potentially. Um so I think that the points many of the points that were made tonight um you know would be great feedback for us to hear through that process but it sounds like I got the timeline incorrect. So I'd love to give >> Mr. Click. Yeah, just really quickly, council member, we do have um an aspects leading up to general plan uh adoption. We actually have the housing element which is again our language has been approved by um um the state. Uh we need to bring that back to your council for approval. And then we'll be having workshops around the general plan update um through fall and spring, but it won't be done in the fall. Just that's the one piece we wanted to clarify. that we'll have multiple steps in the next um you know couple of quarters that we're we're in the thick of the general plan. Yes. I mean it's been coming and coming and you're right we're in the thick of you know where it all comes together in the next you know couple quarters. >> Great. Thank you. >> Thank you. Council member Arius. You have a motion to support Steph's recommendation. Please cast your votes. The motion is approved with council members Weir and Bash absent. >> Thank you. Next item, please. >> Council and mayor statements. At this point, I don't see anyone requesting. Council member Arius, is that you pressing? Council member Arius. >> Thank you. Uh attempting to um really quick, Mayor, I just wanted to shed light on the fact that uh a local nonprofit organization called um Time for Change, uh led by my good friend Jovon, has been doing some good work to uh spruce up and take care of uh MLK Park, which now sits in Ward 2. um and has alerted me that, you know, through their u regular cleanups continue to identify uh needles in the park. Um and that is of great concern to me. I I'm sure unfortunately that that's not the only park that that is the case. um and would love for us to uh invite him to the Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods Committee uh to share uh the work that they've done, share some of the challenges that they're seeing um and potentially have a conversation about the creation of some signage uh to educate particularly our youth on what to do uh when in fact they come into contact with some of these dangerous objects. Thank you. >> Thank you, Council Member Smith. >> Thank you, Mayor. I have a couple items. Uh number one, we've been doing a lot of work on our traffic calming and and we've had a lot of requests uh from the community since we have instituted it. And so I would like to make a referral to have uh staff bring us back to the full council. Kind of a multimodal update where we're at on that. And then the other thing is um I went to the board of supervisors yesterday to ask for help with the uh our continuing problem with not enough jail bits and for multiple years now we've uh tried to work with the sheriff and get more jail beds and tried different avenues and at this point nothing has seemed to work but It continues to be a big frustration for our community. We have hired 120 more police are on the street. We have code enforcement. We have park rangers. We we have BLNC for homeless. We have done many many things and the community is still frustrated. And a system doesn't work unless all the systems are working together. And without the jailbeds, we can't really we're not getting the use of all the other things that we're doing. So I think we really need to focus on the jailb issue. And so I would make a referral that that we create a task force from the community and and it's the city and it's the DA's office and and you know the sheriff's obviously got to be involved. But I think also we need uh the chambers, the business people involved. They're the ones really suffering. You know, the continual breaking the windows, the vandalism, the robberies. So, uh, hopefully we can we can just really focus on this and get the whole community behind it and find an answer. Thank you. >> Thank you, Council Member Smith, Council Member Gonzalez. >> Thank you, Mayor. Um, so last night I performed a routine uh night uh drive through parts of my ward uh to check on the conditions of some of our neighborhoods. Um, you know, fall is coming and so it's getting darker earlier. Um, and I'm, uh, concerned about some of the neighborhoods in East Bakersville, particularly on East Truxton and Niles and Monterey, uh, where there are some, uh, street lights that have been perpetually out. Uh, and I'm talking about, you know, I think I've made requests now for the last couple of years, particularly there was a traffic, there was a, excuse me, street light pole that was hit by a vehicle and was never replaced. several years ago. And so I'm going to make a referral tonight that staff um make um a run through um East Bakersfield and the Niles Monterey corridor um to identify those street lights and um make sure that they're functioning properly, particularly as we get into the to winter months. We have a higher concentration of folks who are pedestrians, who are bicyclists, and we want to make sure that our neighborhoods are safe for all users of the roadway. Um, and secondly, I I received a um visit from a constituent in Westchester uh with concerns related to some of our short-term vacation rentals. Uh, we had uh brought this topic up uh a few years ago. Uh, and I'd like us to uh again uh consider an ordinance related to short-term vacation rentals. um and perhaps um you know definitively now establish an ordinance that regulates these things that allows us to uh respond to those that are not registered or are in compliance with those regulations that we set forth. And so I'm making that referral tonight. Um I know that it was sent to a committee. Mr. Kle, if you can help me um help us understand where where it sits currently. >> Yeah, thank you, Council Member. I was going to um clarify because our committee um names have changed slightly since then. And just to confirm I I think you know um council >> you know direction on which committee it was at our um uh planning and development committee prior now our our housing and community development committee. >> I think that probably still makes the most sense. If um if that there's consensus around that, I think we would still bring it back to the committee that that principally still has this similar scope. >> Perfect. All right. Thank you so much, >> Council Member Coleman. >> Uh thank you, Mayor. My comments going to be brief. I just wanted to thank Council Member Smith for advocating on behalf of the people of Bakersfield, going to the going to the county board of supervisors and uh asking them to help out with the jail sped space. So, I appreciate the extra effort on our behalf. So, thank you, sir. >> Thank you, Council Member Coleman. On September 11th, courage, sacrifice, and selflessness triumphed over terror. Tomorrow, we're approaching the 24th anniversary. We remember the courage of firefighters, law enforcement, countless civilians who gave up their lives. We remember the sacrifice of Betty Ang, the flight attendant, first person to warn authorities. Our hearts go out to all the loved ones. We remember the children of the parents who didn't come home. It's with great gratitude that we remember the selfless men and women who put the well-being of others before themselves. So may we as a city grow in our support and gratitude for all of those who continually fight for freedom and uphold the foundational truths on which our country was built. And may we have a moment of silence just in remembrance. Thank you. And with that, we stand adjourned at 7:36. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music]