Saco Ranch Commercial Center starts hearing process
| Friday, Mar 06 2009 08:55 PM
Last Updated Friday, Mar 27 2009 12:56 PM
Comment about the report
The Saco Ranch Commercial Center’s draft environmental impact report is available on the city’s Web site.
Copies for review are at the city’s Planning Department, 1715 Chester Ave., in downtown Bakersfield.
The deadline for public comments is April 16.
Send comments to: devpln@bakersfieldcity.us.
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A proposed center could add several million square feet of retail, office and industrial space to Coffee and Seventh Standard roads.
If approved, development of Saco Ranch Commercial Center would start in late 2010, with full build-out expected in 2030, according to a draft environmental impact report now available for public review.
West of Coffee Road, the shopping mix would include “community retail,” a lifestyle center with stores, restaurants and a movie theater.
East of Coffee Road would be “destination retail” — big-box stores, similar to the Northwest Promenade.
“All the houses up there, they need commercial,” said Martin Ortiz, principal planner with the city of Bakersfield.
The project would include:
• 1.5 million square feet of retail commercial space; the working title is “The Commons.”
• 332,000 square feet of office space.
• 1.4 million square feet of light industrial space.
The proposal involves annexing 301 acres of farmland into Bakersfield.
But first, the project faces a series of hearings.
The Bakersfield Planning Commission will take comments during a March 19 adequacy hearing.
Responses will be included in a final environmental impact report, which the commission will consider in June.
Bidart Bros. owns the property, which has been used to farm wheat, potatoes, apples and almonds, according to a draft environmental impact report.
The Bidarts would participate in a voluntary program to offset the loss of prime farmland. They would need to mitigate the loss of land on a 1:1 basis before they receive a grading or building permit.
Being near an interchange offers easy access to the freeway, said Roger McIntosh, principal of McIntosh & Associates, which is representing Bidart Bros.
Trails and greenbelts would connect the center to nearby neighborhoods to encourage walkability.
According to the draft report, the project’s significant and unavoidable impacts are noise and traffic and circulation.
By the year 2030, cumulative traffic levels, including Saco Ranch’s contribution, would require improvements that are beyond the city’s design standards at eight intersections and three roadway segments.
