AGENDA HIGHLIGHTS
September 24, 2025 COUNCIL MEETING
REGULAR MEETING – 3:30 PM
No items to highlight.
REGULAR MEETING – 5:15 PM
RESOLUTIONS
Item 7.d.4 Ice Plant Upgrade at the Valley Children’s Ice Center (Ward 2) The Valley Children’s Ice Center of Bakersfield operates using its original ice plant that is approaching the end of its typical 20 –30-year life expectancy. Additionally, the current ice plant uses R22 refrigerant , which has been phased out and banned by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of EPA’s ozone protection program.
Continuous, year-round operation has led to significant wear and tear, resulting in frequent and costly maintenance. Staff recommend upgrading the ice plant to meet current industry standards to improve performance, enhance energy efficiency, and ensure long -term operational reliability. CIMCO Refrigeration Inc. has entered a competitive procurement contract with Sourcewell to offer discount pricing for its work. Staff recommends adoption of the Resolution to dispense with bidding to procure ice plant upgrade services and approval of the agreement for the General Services Division within the Public Works Department. Sufficient funds were set aside in the Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget in the Capital Outlay Fund for this project; thus, no additional General Fund is requested for this project.
AGREEMENTS
Item 7.e.1 Workforce Development Plan with KCCD (Wards 1, 2, & 3) In 2023, the City of Bakersfield applied for a Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) grant from the California Strategic Growth Council (SGC). In partnership with local organizations and the community, the Southeast Strong initiative was created. On March 10, 2025, the City entered into Agreement No. SGC23129 with SGC for the TCC grant in the amount of $22,125,000 for the Southeast Strong initiative. Funds will be used to support multiple revitalization projects and programs for Southeast Bakersfie ld. The Southeast Strong Workforce Development and Economic Opportunities Plan (WDEOP) will tie proposed programs and projects with residents to create a synergy around investing in the TCC focus area. The City will partner with four agencies to execute th e WDEOP. Cohesively, the partners in the WDEOP will facilitate meaningful dialogue and connection with residents to ensure programs and projects impact the livelihood of residents in the focus area. The agreement would award the Kern Community College Dist rict (KCCD) $847,500 in TCC funds for the WDEOP. These services will be funded with the TCC State grant funds; thus, there will be no fiscal impact to the City General Fund.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Items 8.a HUD Action Plan Amendment (Ward 2) City receives annual entitlement funds from the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the submission of an Action Plan, which describes all HUD-funded projects and activities to be undertaken with HUD funds and how they meet community housing, homelessness, and community and economic development needs. Each Action Plan is tied to the funding of the Fiscal Year (FY) in which the grant funds were received by the City of Bakersfield. The addition of a new project to an Action Plan requ ires staff to process a Substantial Amendment including a 30 -day public notice period. Staff is proposing a Substantial Amendment for the HOME Improvement Partnership Program (HOME) grant, which is part of the City’s annual HUD Action Plan process. A public notice for this Action Plan Amendment was published in English in the Bakersfield Californian, and in Spanish in El Popular on August 22, 2025, initiating a 30 -day public comment period and providing a 30 -day notice of the public hearing. As of th e date of this report, no comments have been received. Staff concludes the proposed Action Plan Amendment meets all regulatory and public noticing requirements and recommends Council approve the Amendment.
Items 8. b Sewer Connection Fees (All Wards) In accordance with Bakersfield Municipal Code Section
14.12.380, the City Council is considering a resolution to adjust sewer connection fees for Fiscal Year 2025–26 to reflect the City’s updated costs for providing sewer connection services, including fac ility upgrades and expansions. Based on the 2022 Sewer Rates & Connection Fees Study and the July 2025 construction cost index, staff recommends a 4.33% fee increase . Industrial users will be charged based on flow and waste strength, as defined by federal regulations. Stakeholder outreach yielded positive feedback, and, if approved, the updated fees will take effect on October 1, 2025. All revenues will go to the Sewer Enterprise Fund, with no impact to the City’s General Fund.
HEARINGS
Items 9.a Housing Element (All Wards) The City of Bakersfield is proposing a General Plan Amendment to adopt its 6th Cycle Housing Element (2023 –2031), as required by State law, to identify and plan for the community’s current and future housing needs. The updated Housing Element outlines poli cies, programs, and a sites inventory to accommodate the City’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) of 37,461 housing units, focusing on infill, transit-oriented, and mixed-income development. After multiple submissions and revisions based on feedback from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), the current draft has been deemed to meet statutory requirements but still requires formal adoption and certification. The update also includes rezoning 333 sites to increase housing capacity, public outreach involving 64 events and over 4,500 survey responses, and compliance with. This item is being brought forward as a public hearing in accordance with state and local public notification requirements, i ncluding newspaper advertisements and direct outreach to community organizations. The Planning Commission recommended approval, and staff is incorporating additional provisions to ensure State compliance, with no fiscal impact to the General Fund anticipated.
Prepared by: Jaritza Nunez, Management Fellow CC: Department Heads Alex Hinojosa, Management Fellow City Manager’s File City Clerk’s File
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