RSS Feed
Print Story
E-mail Story
Ask The Californian
| Sunday, Oct 8 2006 11:05 PM
Last Updated: Sunday, Oct 8 2006 11:09 PM
Q: What's the strange building being built off Akers and White Lane? It's south of Akers between Planz and White Lane.
BAKERSFIELD.COM HOT TOPICS:
Loading Stories
Advertisement
-- Alta Shelton
It's a mosque, and construction is expected to be finished in late December.
It's being built for Shiite Muslims who are in the Dawoodi Bohra sect.
The mosque doesn't have a name yet. Its architecture integrates the Fatemi style, which is popular in Cairo.
There will be an area for dining, a library, and offices for administrative staff and an imam.
Q: I have heard that Wal-Mart has purchased the land on the corner of Renfro and Rosedale to build a new Supercenter. Is this true?
-- Steven Debuskey
Spokesman Roderick Scott said Wal-Mart doesn't own any land in that area.
Scott said pending litigation on sites for proposed Wal-Mart supercenters near Panama Lane and Highway 99 and Gosford and Pacheco roads has halted any Bakersfield-area expansion plans for the time being. He said there are also no current plans to add a Sam's Club at Rosedale and Renfro.
"We haven't acquired any new properties," Scott said.
Officials at the county building and planning departments said they have not seen permits or other documents that would signify Wal-Mart is planning to move there.
"It's all rumor," said Walter Baldwin of the county building department. "There's no fact."
Documents reviewed at the county assessor's office show Chrystal Investments, LLC owns the land at the northeast corner of Rosedale and Renfro.
Baldwin said the land south of Rosedale is zoned agricultural and would need approval to change its zoning. The northwest corner of Renfro and Rosedale would also need to receive approval for a Wal-Mart to be built there, Baldwin said.
"As far as I know an application hasn't been turned it to change the zoning," said Craig Murphy of the county planning department.