Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Welcome to the City of Bakersfield Planning Commission meeting. This television broadcast is brought to you by the local cable companies, the County of Kern and the City of Bakersfield. You can watch the rebroadcast of this meeting Saturday at 7pm and Sunday at 10am. The agenda for this meeting can be downloaded at www.bakersfieldcity.us. Reciting over this evening meeting, Vice Chair Cassie Biddle.

It is my pleasure to call to order the March 5th, 2026 Planning Commission meeting. Madam Clerk, would you call the roll, please?

Chair Strickland. Vice Chair Biddle.

Here.

Commissioner Brandt-Oliver. Here. Commissioner Cater.

Here.

Commissioner Kaur.

Here.

Commissioner Martin.

Here.

COMMISSIONER NEAL. MADAM CLERK, NEXT ITEM, PLEASE.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL,

Madam Clerk, next item, please.

Public statements.

Public statements are now received at different times depending on the item. I will call on Madam Clerk to call for public statements at the appropriate time, so please listen carefully for the correct time to speak.

Non-agenda item 3A, public statements.

Does anyone in the audience wish to address the commission regarding items not listed on tonight's agenda? If so, please come forward and state your name.

Agenda item 3B, public statements.

Does anyone in the audience wish to address the commission regarding items listed on tonight's agenda? seeing none madam clerk next item please agenda item four consent calendar items all matters listed under the consent items do not require a public hearing and will be enacted by one motion there will be no separate discussion of said items unless staff or a commissioner requests specific items to be discussed and or removed on a separate action may i get a motion approving consent item 4a

I'll make a motion.

Commissioner Cater, can I get a second, please?

Second.

Commissioner Kaur.

Let's see.

Do I, oh, no. Commissioners, cast your votes. Do I slide over? Motion passes with Chair Strickland and Commissioner Neal absent.

Madam Clerk, next item please. Agenda item five, consent calendar public hearing items.

Now is the time for the consent calendar public hearing items. If the item is not removed by a commissioner, staff, or a member of the public, the commission will vote on all items in one motion without further comment. If an item is removed, it will be placed at the end of the non-consent public hearing items. At this time, I will open the consent calendar public hearing items. Does any member of the public wish to remove a consent calendar public hearing item? Does any commissioner or staff wish to remove any consent calendar public hearing items?

Okay.

At this time, the consent calendar public hearing items not removed are now closed. May I get a motion to adopt staff's recommendation on the consent public hearing items not removed, incorporating all memorandum and revised staff recommendations?

So moved, Madam Chair.

Can I get it? Sorry. Commissioner Martin, can I get a second?

Second.

Commissioner Oliver, please cast your votes. Motion passes with Chair Strickland and Commissioner Neal absent.

Madam Clerk, next item, please. Agenda item six, there are no non-consent public hearing items. Okay, next, Madam Clerk, next item, please. Agenda item seven, communications. Does staff have any communication items?

Yes, we will have a meeting in two weeks. I think it's March 19th. And I'd like to introduce Phil Burns, Development Services Director.

Good evening, Commissioners. I just want to make a few announcements. The staff's been diligently working on our housing element that we finally adopted at the end of last year. And to give you a heads up, we'll be bringing forward 12 Title 17 amendments to the April 2nd Commission meeting. They are in relationship to programs and changes that were promised as part of the housing element. Also, our notice of preparation for our general plan EIR is out. Actually went out a notice on Saturday, September 28. So that will be out for 30 days. And I think that the bigger notice is we're having a scoping meeting on March 10 at 530 in the chambers. So hopefully we'll have the public come down and comment. IN ADDITION TO THE GENERAL PLAN, JUST GIVING YOU AN IDEA, THE NEXT THING YOU SHOULD SEE FROM US WILL BE IN MAY, AND THAT WILL BE BRINGING THE DRAFT GENERAL PLAN TO THIS BODY, AND WITH THE HOPES THAT WE'LL HAVE ADOPTION OF THE DRAFT SOMETIME IN JULY OF 2026. THEN ALSO WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE A DRAFT environmental impact report late July, early August of also 2026 with the overall goal is to get the general plan adopted by the end of 2026. So I just want to give you guys kind of an update that these things are coming down the pipe. They're large items and as they get closer we'll make sure that you guys are informed.

Thank you, Director Burns.

Madam Clerk, next item, please. Agenda Item 8, Commissioner Comments. Does any Commissioner have any comments?

I thought this was going to be a lot more exciting of a meeting. Madam Clerk, next item, please.

Agenda Item 9, Adjournment.

This meeting is adjourned at 5.37 p.m.