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Unhappy with proposed Rosedale/Jenkins development
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Posted by amgallon Mon Dec 13, 2004 09:20:00 PST
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0 responses 0 comments I'm not pleased with proposed city annexation of and developers' plans for up to 348 apartment units plus light manufacturing on a parcel next door to rural homesites. The project will impact traffic and schools in the neighborhoods of Westdale, Redwood Estates, Seven Palms and Rancho Palms Estates.

The city of Bakersfield planning director, Stanley Grady, recently notified a handful of Northwest neighbors living on one-acre and half-acre parcels that their new neighbors could be upwards of 400 to 1,000 apartment-dwellers on 20 acres immediately behind them, plus "light manufacturing" on another 18 acres fronting Rosedale Highway.

The 300-foot limit for notification letters meant that the people on big one-acre (300+feet deep) lots were notified, and their neighbors across the street were not. But that is another battle to wage later.

The combined-use project is under consideration for the northeast corner of Rosedale Highway and Jenkins Road. The applicant is San Joaquin Engineering in Bakersfield, but the developers appear to be from out of town.

Many neighbors, even those who live beyond the 300-foot notification line, are receiving the news with mixed reactions, feeling that the impact will not likely be to Rosedale Highway alone.

In addition to annexation by the city, the project (No. 04-1340) would require both a General Plan amendment and a zone change.

Neighbors are voicing concerns about increased traffic and safety on quiet Jenkins Road and possibly other unknown access points, the loss of the rural quality of their neighborhood and an influx of children for already-crowded neighborhood schools.

I feel that this project is just too dense, too many units, and too close to Rosedale Highway to become a popular address. The zone change is just too radical from what it has been. Jenkins Road is barely a two-lane street with no curbs and gutters. We like it that way so horses can be ridden. The street's mid-section has stop signs east-west but not north-south, and we're already seeing an increase in accidents and incidents there since a signal light was installed at Rosedale/Jenkins.

That mid-section corner is where school youngsters gather to meet their buses. I live at that intersection and our parcels are two-and-a-half acres up to four or larger. It's rural and in the county. I am not happy with the city coming in underneath and permitting uncontrolled distribution of our growing population when they could be encouraging infill within the city closer to employment and transportation - not at the western end of Rosedale Highway. This project is at the last signal light before you get out into the country.

Comments may be directed to Martin Ortiz, Bakersfield Planning Division, 326-3733; Area Supervisor, Ray Watson; City Councilmember, David Couch; or Mayor Harvey Hall, or any county supervisor or city councilmember.To get involved, phone 588-6896 or 589-6637.

Editor's note: At the Dec. 16 City Planning Commission meeting, the proposal was denied. The City Council will make the final decision on the matter.

 

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