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Resident presses Bakersfield for action on 14 remnant lots; city cites Caltrans rules and surplus land process
Summary
A West Park resident told the council that 14 remnant lots created during a freeway project are neglected and attracting trespass, waste and safety hazards. Council and staff said Caltrans rules and a surplus land process constrain options but pledged continued monitoring and sales to adjacent owners where permitted.
A resident told the Bakersfield City Council that 14 remnant parcels in her neighborhood have become nuisances — fenced poorly, used for trespass, and in some places covered with manure — and asked why the city has not taken stronger enforcement action.
Lisa Smith, who identified herself as a resident of Eighteenth Street, described persistent problems on the lots that fall within Councilmember Andre Gonzales’ ward and said she had contacted code enforcement and other staff members without sustained solutions. She said some lots have “homeless people trespassing and camping, using drugs, defecating out in the open” and that fences and locks are damaged.
Councilmember Gonzales responded that the city has not forgotten the neighborhood and asked City Manager (as referenced in the meeting) to provide context. The city manager said some of the small “remnant parcels” are subject to Caltrans guidelines because they resulted from a Caltrans project; per those guidelines smaller parcels are typically offered first to adjacent property owners, while larger parcels move through the Surplus Land Act process. The manager also said, as stated in the meeting, that some of the lots are not owned by the city but instead are owned by a private party referenced in the meeting as “Tripp.”
Smith said she had worked with staff members including Zach Meyer and that some staff have been responsive; she also said she received only out-of-office auto replies from Renee Williams over the prior eight months. Councilmember Gonzales acknowledged staff efforts and said the city will continue to monitor the properties and work on disposition and maintenance, and encouraged better communication with residents.
No formal agenda action or vote was taken on the issue; council discussed next steps and monitoring. Councilmembers and staff suggested options including more regular patrols by park rangers, private security, increased code-enforcement inspections, and using the surplus land process or Caltrans disposition rules where applicable.
The council did not set a specific date for follow-up; members urged continued attention from staff until disposition and maintenance issues are resolved.
