Bakersfield Department of Development Services

Last updated
Bakersfield Department of
Development Services
2011 Bakersfield Development Services Building.JPG
Department Headquarters
Agency overview
Preceding agencies
  • Building Department
  • Planning Department
Jurisdiction Bakersfield, California
Headquarters Development Services Building
35°22′28″N119°01′09″W / 35.37444°N 119.01917°W / 35.37444; -119.01917
Annual budget $8.2 million (2009-10)
Agency executive
  • , Development Services Director
Website bakersfieldcity.us/cityservices/devsrv

The Bakersfield Department of Development Services is a department of the city of Bakersfield, California. The department enforces the city's building codes and land use policies. It also issues building permits, and give approval for new land development. It also provides inspections of new and existing buildings.

Bakersfield, California City in California, United States of America

Bakersfield is a city in and the county seat of Kern County, California, United States. It covers about 142 sq mi (370 km2) near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley and the Central Valley region. Bakersfield's population is around 380,000, making it the 9th-most populous city in California and the 52nd-most populous city in the nation. The Bakersfield–Delano Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Kern County, had a 2010 census population of 839,631, making it the 62nd-largest metropolitan area in the United States. The more built-up urban area that includes Bakersfield and areas immediately around the city, such as East Bakersfield, Oildale, and Rosedale, has a population of over 520,000. Bakersfield is a charter city.

California State of the United States of America

California is a state in the Pacific Region of the United States. With 39.6 million residents, California is the most populous U.S. state and the third-largest by area. The state capital is Sacramento. The Greater Los Angeles Area and the San Francisco Bay Area are the nation's second and fifth most populous urban regions, with 18.7 million and 8.8 million residents respectively. Los Angeles is California's most populous city, and the country's second most populous, after New York City. California also has the nation's most populous county, Los Angeles County, and its largest county by area, San Bernardino County. The City and County of San Francisco is both the country's second-most densely populated major city after New York City and the fifth-most densely populated county, behind only four of the five New York City boroughs.

Land use total of arrangements, activities, and inputs that people undertake in a certain land cover type

Land use involves the management and modification of natural environment or wilderness into built environment such as settlements and semi-natural habitats such as arable fields, pastures, and managed woods. It also has been defined as "the total of arrangements, activities, and inputs that people undertake in a certain land cover type."

Contents

The department was formed from the consolidation of the Building Department and the Planning Department (which became the Building Division and Planning Division). It is headquartered in the Development Services Building at the intersection of 17th Street and Chester Ave, in the Civic Center, downtown.

Civic Center, Bakersfield District of Bakersfield in California, United States

Civic Center is a district in Downtown Bakersfield, California. It is the center of government for the City of Bakersfield and the County of Kern, containing a collection of buildings used by the city, county, state, and federal governments. The district also contains all of downtown's sporting complexes. It also has the Rabobank Theater and Convention Center, which is the largest theater and convention facilities in the city.

Downtown Bakersfield central business district in California, United States

Downtown is the central business district for Bakersfield, California. Located in the heart of the city, Downtown Bakersfield is easily accessible from all its other parts. It is also reemerging as the center of Bakersfield's arts, culture and entertainment sectors. Downtown contains several of the cities major theaters, sporting complexes, museums, and historical landmarks.

History

Building Division

Bakersfield's building code has seen large changes as a result of two major disasters. They would also drastically change the look of the city. The first was the Great Fire of 1889. Prior to the fire, most of the city was constructed out of wood. This allowed the fire to spread quickly from building to building. After the fire, it was decided the buildings in the central business district would be constructed of non flammable materials. This also changed the look of the city from a "frontier town" to a "metropolitan city". [1]

The Great Bakersfield Fire of 1889 was a conflagration in Bakersfield, California. The fire would burn for three hours and destroyed most of town. In total, 196 buildings were destroyed, one man was killed and 1,500 people were homeless. The fire marked the transition of Bakersfield from a frontier town to a metropolitan city.

The second event was the 1952 earthquake. Similar to the great fire, a lot of the city was destroyed. When examined, most of the buildings that survived were reinforced structures (primarily reinforced concrete). Many of the buildings that fell were built with non-reinforced brick. When the city was rebuilt, it was required that large structures be constructed with reinforced materials. [2]

1952 Kern County earthquake earthquake

The 1952 Kern County earthquake occurred on July 21 in the southern San Joaquin Valley and measured 7.3 on the moment magnitude scale. The main shock occurred at 4:52 am Pacific Daylight Time, killed 12 people and injured hundreds, and caused an estimated $60 million in property damage. A small sector of damage near Bealville corresponded to a maximum Mercalli intensity of XI (Extreme), though this intensity rating was not representative of the majority of damage. The earthquake occurred on the White Wolf Fault near the community of Wheeler Ridge and was the strongest to occur in California since the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

Planning Division

Bakersfield's planning department has faced some major challenges in the development of the city. One of the largest was the integration of Central Bakersfield with East Bakersfield (former town of Sumner and later Kern City). Constructed by Southern Pacific, after a land dispute with the city, East Bakersfield's street layout had three major differences. The two cities had streets of different widths; Bakersfield's streets were approximately 20 feet wider. Bakersfield's streets were layout parallel to north/south and east/west while East Bakersfield's streets were parallel to Southern Pacific's tracks; about 30 degrees different. Also, the streets did not match up. The north sidewalk of a Bakersfield street almost lined up with the south sidewalk of the corresponding East Bakersfield street.

East Bakersfield Region in Bakersfield in California, United States

East Bakersfield is a region in Bakersfield, California directly east of downtown. The region was formerly known as the town of Sumner, which was later incorporated and renamed Kern City. It is primarily a mixture of residential and commercial developments. It also contains a small business district centered on the intersection of Baker Street, and Sumner Avenue. Census data is provided on the right for the time period when the region was an independent town and city. It is part of the Bakersfield Urban area of almost 500,000 people.

Several decisions were made to resolve the problems. First, Union Avenue would be the dividing line between the two regions. Streets would be constructed parallel to existing streets in both areas up to Union. Minor streets would simple terminate, with a medium separating the two. Major streets would directly connect at Union (creating an intersection) and then transition between the two street systems within one block. Most of this was done on the eastside, where there was less development, but some were done on the west.

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Meadows Field Airport airport

Meadows Field is a public airport in Kern County, California, three miles northwest of Downtown Bakersfield. It is the main airport for the Bakersfield area, and one of two international airports in the San Joaquin Valley. Also known as Kern County Airport #1, it is in Oildale, California.

California State Route 58 highway in California

State Route 58 is an east-west highway across the California Coast Ranges, the southern San Joaquin Valley, the Tehachapi Mountains, which border the southern Sierra Nevada, and the Mojave Desert. It runs between its western terminus near Santa Margarita and its eastern terminus in Barstow. It has junctions with Interstate 5 near Buttonwillow, State Route 99 in Bakersfield, State Route 202 in Tehachapi, State Route 14 in Mojave, and U.S. Route 395 at Kramer Junction. SR 58 gives good access to Edwards Air Force Base. At various points it is known as the Calf Canyon Highway, Carrisa Highway, Bakersfield-McKittrick Highway, Rosa Parks Highway, Rosedale Highway, Barstow-Bakersfield Highway, Kern County Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, and Mojave-Barstow Highway.

California State Route 99 highway in California

State Route 99 (SR 99), commonly known as Highway 99 or, simply, as 99, is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of California, stretching almost the entire length of the Central Valley. From its southern end at Interstate 5 (I-5) near Wheeler Ridge to its northern end at SR 36 near Red Bluff, SR 99 goes through the densely populated eastern parts of the valley. Cities served include Bakersfield, Delano, Tulare, Visalia, Kingsburg, Selma, Fresno, Madera, Merced, Turlock, Modesto, Stockton, Sacramento, Yuba City, and Chico.

City block central element of urban planning and urban design; smallest area that is surrounded by streets

A city block, urban block or simply block is a central element of urban planning and urban design.

PATH (Toronto) network of pedestrian tunnels in Toronto

PATH is a network of underground pedestrian tunnels, elevated walkways, and at-grade walkways connecting the office towers of Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is more than 30 kilometres (19 mi) long. According to Guinness World Records, PATH is the largest underground shopping complex in the world with 371,600 square metres (4,000,000 sq ft) of retail space.

California State Route 65 highway in California

State Route 65, also known as Highway 65, is a north-south state highway in the U.S. state of California. It is composed of two segments. The southern segment begins at SR 99, near Bakersfield and terminates at SR 198 near Exeter. It also serves the communities of Oildale, Ducor, Terra Bella, Porterville, Strathmore, and Lindsay. The northern segment begins at Interstate 80 in Roseville and terminates at SR 70 at Olivehurst. It also serves Lincoln and Wheatland.

California State Route 178 highway in California

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Bakersfield station (Amtrak) Amtrak train station in Bakersfield, California

Bakersfield station is a train station in Bakersfield, California. It is the southern terminus of Amtrak California's San Joaquin route, with Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach service continuing to Amtrak stations and bus stops throughout Southern California and Nevada. The station opened with a celebration on July 4, 2000. It contains an 8,300 square feet (770 m2) station, 2 tracks, and a 15-bay bus station.

Cooper Square square in Manhattan, United States

Cooper Square is a junction of streets in Lower Manhattan, New York City located at the confluence of the neighborhoods of Bowery to the south, NoHo to the west and southwest, Greenwich Village to the west and northwest, the East Village to the north and east, and the Lower East Side to the southeast.

Jacksonville Riverwalks Pedestrian walkway along the banks of the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida.

The Jacksonville Riverwalks are a network of multi-use trails and open space developments along both the north and south banks of the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida. The roughly 2-mile (3.2 km) Downtown Northbank portion travels alongside the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville, Jacksonville Landing, Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts, CSX Transportation Building, and extends into the Brooklyn district. The 1.25-mile (2.01 km) Southbank portion of the trail connects local landmarks such as Friendship Fountain, Museum of Science and History and Riverplace Tower.

Transportation in Kern County, California

Kern County’s transportation system was quoted as the “unseen industry.” Located at the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley, the county is at a prime location to ship goods west to the central coast, south to ports in Los Angeles, and east to corridors that connect to the rest of the country. It is also on major corridors that link to all northern points.

Southwest Bakersfield Region in Bakersfield in California, United States

Southwest Bakersfield is the southwest region of Bakersfield, California. It is roughly bounded by the Kern River to the north and Oak Street/Wible Road to the east. The other boundaries are the city limits themselves.

Bakersfield Department of Recreation and Parks

The Department of Recreation and Parks is a department of the city of Bakersfield, California. It is responsible for the maintenance of the city's lands which include: parks, natural preserves, and streetscapes. It also runs recreational programs throughout the year at various locations throughout the city. The department also runs the Bakersfield Ice Sports Center and McMurtrey Aquatic Center. Although there are incorporated areas in the northwest, the city does not have any parks in that region. They are instead maintained by the North of the River Recreation and Parks District. The department has been accredited by the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies.

The Bakersfield and Kern Electric Railway was a streetcar company which operated between Bakersfield and Sumner, in California. Later, after Kern City was annexed by Bakersfield, the streetcar company operated completely in Bakersfield. The company was originally formed in 1887, under the name Bakersfield and Sumner Railroad. At its height, in 1915, the company operated five streetcar lines, totaling 10.5 miles (16.9 km). It also operated three feeder bus lines, one of the first companies in the nation to offer that type of service. Also, with the exception of one-way sections, the entire system was double tracked.

Bakersfield station (Southern Pacific Railroad) Southern Pacific train station in Bakersfield, California

The Bakersfield Southern Pacific Station in Bakersfield, California, was the train station used by the Southern Pacific Railroad. The station opened in June 27, 1889, in the town of Sumner. The station was a mixture of: Richardsonian Romanesque, Spanish Colonial Revival, and Moderne styles. It was closed in 1971, after the formation of Amtrak.

Bakersfield station (California High-Speed Rail) proposed California High-Speed Rail station in Bakersfield, California

Bakersfield is a proposed California High-Speed Rail station in Bakersfield, California. The station is part of the Initial Construction Segment expected to be completed by 2017.

References

  1. ↑ Bailey, Richard. Heart of the Golden Empire. Windsor Publications, Inc. Woodland Hills, California: 1984. ISBN   0-89781-065-1. Pages 61-65.
  2. ↑ Maynard, John. Bakersfield: A Centennial Portrait. Cherbo Publishing Group. Encino, California: 1998. Pages 75-79.
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