The City of Bakersfield Planning Commission met Nov. 5, 2026. A resident urged review of the former McAllister's Ranch housing site during public comment; the commission approved the consent calendar (motions passed with Commissioner Martin absent); staff announced the next meeting (Dec. 3) and commissioners asked staff to follow up with the resident and suggested code enforcement review.

Discussion Points

•Commissioners suggested code enforcement inspect the McAllister's Ranch parcel for maintenance issues.
•Commissioner Strickland requested staff contact the resident and discuss planning/zoning processes with him.
•No items were removed from the consent calendar; commissioners approved the consent items by motion.
•Resident Alexander Powell requested a second look at the old McAllister's Ranch housing site and urged returning it to housing to improve neighborhood appearance and affordability.
•Staff announced next meeting date (Dec. 3)

Decisions

•Consent calendar item 4A approved
•Consent public hearing items adopted per staff recommendation

Directions

•Staff to obtain contact information from the resident and follow up.
•Staff to obtain the resident's contact information and follow up (staff agreed to do so).

Nov

City of Bakersfield City Council - November 4th, 2026 Meetings

The Bakersfield City Council met Nov. 4, 2026. The council certified the final EIR and approved a general-plan amendment for the Coffee Road/Viriview Marketplace project after public testimony and legal arguments about dust/valley fever mitigation; approved a tree-purchase bid and discussed a $500,000 tree-planting plan; appointed Adam Brady to the Youth Commission; heard several public comments and hosted Teen Government Day students.

Discussion Points

•Applicant and EIR preparer argued that the final EIR complies with CEQA and includes dust-control plans and regulatory requirements.
•Concerns about last‑minute posting of large agenda packets and requests for earlier public access to materials.
•Council recognized economic benefits and asked staff about mitigations and implementation.
•How the $274,413 procurement relates to a $500,000 planting plan (per‑tree pricing vs. program spending).
•Neighbor reported repeated potholes and lack of sidewalks; council asked staff to follow up on scheduling and maintenance.
•Nomination by Ward member; no further discussion recorded.
•Prioritization for disadvantaged neighborhoods and irrigation/infrastructure costs.
•Public-health concerns about valley fever and dust raised by CARE members and residents.
•Public request for maintenance reporting and inclusion of advocates in planning.
•Students highlighted college goals, leadership roles, community service and extracurricular involvement.

Decisions

•Accepted low bid to purchase trees and proceed to implementation planning.
•Adam Brady appointed Ward Six alternate to Youth Commission.
•Certified final EIR and approved General Plan Amendment 23‑0001; no recirculation ordered.

Directions

•Clerk/staff to continue improvements to agenda posting practices when feasible.
•Staff to confirm schedule for repairs on Oleander/Sunset and follow up with resident.
•Staff to ensure mitigation monitoring and conditions required by the certified EIR are tracked and implemented; return unresolved procedural questions to staff if needed.
•Staff to vet community partners and finalize distribution/irrigation plans; coordinate with Tree Advisory Group.

Nov

Kern County Board of Supervisors 2:00 p.m. meeting for Tuesday, November 10, 2026

The Kern County Board of Supervisors met on November 10, 2026 in Bakersfield. The board approved the consent agenda, confirmed nuisance-abatement cost recoveries, heard multiple public speakers seeking appointments or raising local concerns, and received state and federal legislative briefings that highlighted bills and earmarks affecting county programs.

Discussion Points

•Allegation of favoritism in hiring raised by resident.
•Board clarified recruitment process and prior vote.
•Candidate summarized qualifications and requested formal consideration.
•Federal appropriations timing (CR to Dec. 11) and pending BRIC grant risks for Kern Valley Hospital.
•Hearing focuses on confirming costs for abated nuisances and explaining appeal rights and assessment placement.
•Numerous operational election problems detailed including missing booklets, incorrect precinct routing and duplicated e‑poll book entries.
•Public comment alleged favoritism in proposed position related to item 22; board clarified process and prior reclassification vote.
•SB1329 singled out as a potential large fiscal hit to county property tax revenues if enacted.
•Summary of 2026 session totals, key bills affecting counties and funding items relevant to Kern County.
•Townsend reported $11.1M in House FY27 community project funding that the county is pursuing in final negotiations.

Decisions

•Consent agenda approved (4–0, one absent).
•Costs confirmed; item approved by board vote.
•No appointment made at meeting.
•No hiring action taken at meeting.
•Presentation received and filed; staff to follow up on grant and appropriations advocacy.
•Presentation received; no vote on legislation.
•Staff follow-up requested; no policy action taken at meeting.

Directions

•Continue advocacy for BRIC reconsideration and coordinate earmark finalization with congressional delegation.
•Continue tracking wildfire liability bills, SB1329 and Prop. 1 implementation; remain engaged with county legislative policy committee.
•Inspector directed to leave contact information with county clerk; Registrar of Voters to follow up.
•Proceed with open recruitment.
•Proceed with open recruitment for the position rather than direct appointment.
•Public Works to record confirmed amounts and allow statutory period before assessing unpaid balances to tax roll.
•Staff/board to consider materials during formal appointment process.

Nov

Kern County Board of Supervisors 9:00 a.m. meeting for Tuesday, November 10, 2026

Kern County Board of Supervisors met Nov. 10, 2026 in Bakersfield. The board approved consent items and three financing steps to advance a new animal services facility, received an air-quality update from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, and heard a sheriff's presentation and public concerns about automated license-plate readers.

Discussion Points

•Board will use design-build public-works approach and return with construction contract recommendation before borrowing.
•County IT to be asked about exposure to the PHP vulnerability; departments committed to follow up.
•District emphasized limitations over mobile-source regulation and need for state/federal partnership.
•District promoted grants, outreach and no-burn advisories for residents.
•District reported long-term improvements in ozone and PM2.5 despite population and economic growth.
•KCSO described use-cases for ALPR in serious crimes and said the system does not perform facial recognition.
•KCSO said data are retained for 30 days, access is logged, two-factor authentication is used and audits are conducted; no misuse found to date in KCSO audits.
•Proclamation framed as public recognition of adoption efforts and a lead-in to a local National Adoption Day event.
•Project design will nearly double current shelter space to ~46,375 sq ft and address operational limitations.
•Public commenters cited large numbers of plate reads and urged 7-day retention, local-only sharing and independent audits.
•Public Works to follow up on Tehachapi flooding report; Supervisor Parlier indicated outreach would occur.
•Registrar of Voters will be asked to provide information after DOJ-related concerns were raised.
•Speakers described support partners (Casa Kern County, Koinonia Family Services, Kern Bridges, Bakersfield Angels, Care Foundation).
•Staff recommended public-market financing combined with county resources and tobacco endowment funds to balance cost and reserves.

Decisions

•Adopted facility substitution resolution; approved bond/disclosure counsel contract (<= $96,500); adopted reimbursement resolution indicating intent to pursue ~ $30 million in tax-exempt obligations.
•Board adopted proclamation; Human Services will proceed with planned Nov. 20 events.
•Board voted to receive and file the presentation.

Directions

•KCSO to continue transparency, publish sharing partners and report audit procedures; board requested follow-up information.
•Relevant departments (Public Works, ROV, IT) to contact speakers and return with information where appropriate.
•Staff to return with a comprehensive financing plan and construction contract recommendation after selection of design-build partner.

Nov

Kern County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo), October 21, 2026

Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) meeting covering two annexation proposals, a new budgeting forecast, staff updates and resident questions about water service consolidation in unincorporated Kern County.

Discussion Points

•Chair and commissioners supported staff recommendation.
•Commission directed staff to hold a protest hearing and return results.
•Forecast will cover revenues, personnel, benefits and reserves and will be updated annually.
•It is not a spending authorization and does not replace the legally controlling annual budget.
•New analyst offer accepted; expected start Nov. 2; will bring GIS skills.
•News article noted Pond residents felt abandoned ahead of El Niño; commissioner raised floodplain management questions.
•Nov. 18 meeting anticipated to be long and include multiple major items.
•Residents asked about upfront hookup fees, monthly bills, and whether private wells must connect.
•Staff described historical emergency hookups after a 2022 arsenic exceedance and physical connections completed in 2024.
•Staff explained state funding supports infrastructure and that meters will be installed on existing connections.
•Staff recommended denying a fee waiver because costs shift to other funding agencies.
•Staff said county departments will address El Niño preparedness and that resource conservation districts may do mitigation but typically lack dedicated revenue.

Decisions

•Annexation approved; fee-waiver denied.
•Motion passed to incorporate rolling five-year forecast.
•Motion passed to proceed with annexation process and to conduct protest proceedings.

Directions

•Adopt resolution and deny fee-waiver request; record annexation per conditions.
•Commissioners asked to reserve Nov. 18 and read packet in advance.
•Direct staff to add the five-year forecast beginning with FY 2027–28.
•Hold written protest process, mail notices to those within 300 feet, and report back.

Bakersfield

Meetings

Planning Commission - November 5th, 2026 Meeting

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

City of Bakersfield City Council - November 4th, 2026 Meetings

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

Kern County Board of Supervisors 2:00 p.m. meeting for Tuesday, November 10, 2026

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

Kern County Board of Supervisors 9:00 a.m. meeting for Tuesday, November 10, 2026

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

Kern County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo), October 21, 2026

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

Around Kern County Episode 132

Discussion Points

BPD Sgt. discusses importance of HalLAWeen to all involved #Shorts

Discussion Points

Kern County Board of Supervisors 9:00 a.m. meeting for Tuesday, October 27, 2026

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

Kern County Board of Supervisors 2:00 p.m. meeting for Tuesday, October 27, 2026

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

The Flow: Water Director discusses his department's work #Shorts

Discussion Points

City of Bakersfield City Council - October 21st, 2026 Meetings

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

Water Director discusses rain, El Niño preps #Shorts

Discussion Points

The Something Better Podcast, Ep. 36: BPD set for scary good time with HalLAWeen

Discussion Points

Directions

Planning Commission - October 15th, 2026 Meeting

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

The Flow: Where does Bakersfield's water come from?

Discussion Points

Kern County Board of Supervisors 9:00 a.m. meeting for Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

Kern County Board of Supervisors 2:00 p.m. meeting for Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

City Council - October 7th, 2026 5:15PM Meeting

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

City Council - October 7th, 2026 3:30PM Meeting

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

Around Kern County Episode 131

Discussion Points

Directions

Planning Commission - November 5th, 2026 Meeting

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

City of Bakersfield City Council - November 4th, 2026 Meetings

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

Kern County Board of Supervisors 2:00 p.m. meeting for Tuesday, November 10, 2026

Discussion Points