Bakersfield Planning Commission approves 245‑lot subdivision and adopts mitigated negative declaration

The Bakersfield Planning Commission on Feb. 5 voted to adopt a mitigated negative declaration under the California Environmental Quality Act and approve Vesting Tentative Tract Map 7386, allowing subdivision of 58.29 acres at the southeast corner of Morning Drive and Paladino Drive into 245 single‑family residential lots.

Staff Associate Planner Veronica Martinez told commissioners the project, proposed by San Joaquin Engineering on behalf of the property owner Emlen LLC, would create mostly 5,000‑square‑foot lots (with lot sizes ranging from about 5,000 to 12,670 square feet), two landscape lots, a drainage basin and a remainder parcel, and that the initial study found no significant environmental impacts after proposed mitigation for air quality, biological resources, cultural resources and traffic.

The project drew public opposition that focused on cumulative environmental impacts. Gordon Knipp, vice chair of the local Sierra Club chapter, said the city had not adequately addressed cumulative effects across multiple pending developments and raised specific air‑quality concerns, saying local PM2.5 readings were “more than six times” what he identified as the applicable health standard. "Our air is terribly dirty," Knipp said, urging the city to require enforceable mitigation and coordination with the Air District and to restore or replicate the functions previously handled by the Metropolitan Bakersfield Habitat Conservation Plan.

Representing the applicant, Brandon Martin said the project supports the city’s housing element and state housing mandates and that staff had evaluated cumulative impacts for the current increased‑density proposal. "We do have an obligation under CEQA to address and analyze cumulative impacts and we believe we've done a sufficient job," Martin said, adding that if additional analysis is required, the team will prepare an EIR or FEIR before the City Council vote. Brett Dawson, the project civil engineer, described the site as infill adjacent to existing development and an elementary school and said the revised map increases density to better serve affordable‑housing goals.

Commissioners questioned whether an external letter from the Sierra Club was included in the record and whether the MND addressed reported leaking oil wells; staff said the Sierra Club letter was attached to a blue memo and that any necessary oil‑well abandonment and testing typically occurs prior to recordation of a final map and involves fire‑department and state processes rather than the current discretionary stage.

During deliberations Commissioners emphasized competing priorities. Commissioner Martin framed the vote around an affordability imperative, citing higher rents and constrained incomes in Bakersfield and saying denser, smaller lots can help lower housing costs. Commissioner Brent Oliver and others said the absence of a citywide HCP does not eliminate legal or project‑level requirements to address biological resources and that mitigating measures and permitting processes remain available to address habitat impacts.

After discussion, Commissioner Martin moved, and Vice Chair Biddle seconded, to support staff recommendations to adopt the mitigated negative declaration and approve Vesting Tentative Tract Map 7386. The motion passed with affirmative votes from Chair Adam Strickland, Vice Chair Biddle, Commissioner Brent Oliver, Commissioner Corr and Commissioner Martin; Commissioners Cater and Neal were absent for the vote.

The Commission’s action adopts the MND and approves the tentative map; the project record indicates additional CEQA review or permit steps may occur ahead of any City Council decision or final map recordation. Members of the public and applicants were reminded that the Commission’s decision may be appealed to the City Council through the City Clerk.