BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The Bakersfield City Council's Committee on Budget, Finance, and Economic Development has held its monthly meeting to discuss the city's Economic Development Strategic Plan. Through various methods of research, including resident surveys, the plan is designed to continue the revitalization of multiple Bakersfield community areas.
"For so long, cities just did roads and sewers, and now it's turning into 'How do we improve our quality of life? How do we improve the place?' All of this urban greening," said Bakersfield Assistant Economic Development Director Jenni Byers. "Those type of things that's a quality of life. It's a quality place, that you enjoy where you are."
Byers says this ideology is starting to expand among city officials.
re
The citywide initiative is set to tackle areas like Downtown, Southeast Bakersfield, and Old Town Kern.
Byers says one main issue the city faces is determining what revitalization looks like for specific areas.
"We're looking at vacant properties to see if there's some way to link retailers with that so we don't have high vacancy at these centers," said Byers.
Byers says once the city identifies which lots are vacant, surveys are used in each area to determine what the public would want to see in their area.
"How do we get that filled quickly? We do it through what we're working on with these retail analytic firms to see what the match is for that demographic in that area," said Byers.
Based on the survey, Byers says they've received 3,600 responses. The survey also asked residents for their zip codes to better understand the needs in certain areas and how it compares to the amenities already there and in surrounding communities.
"The Northwest has so many of the large-scale restaurants, so I'm curious what they are stating, what they want to see versus other zip codes," said Byers.
The survey itself focuses on more retail and chain companies. Although it's a popular ask from the community, members at the meeting mentioned that, considering Bakersfield is built on local, family-owned restaurants, development should focus on what's already here and how the city can help them expand to bring more local amenities.
