BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The Delano City Council approved keeping a portion of the former Voice of America property and designating the rest as surplus land Monday, previewing the potential for future jobs and development expected in the area.

The City Council approved retaining 20 acres of the property for “future park purposes.” The rest of the property was designated as surplus property, which needs to prioritize affordable housing development under state law before taking any other offer.

A Delano resident asked the City Council if the city has considered moving the airport to the property — an idea that has come up in the past — emphasizing the need for high-paying jobs in Delano.

He said the agriculture industry is not enough and housing in the city is too expensive.

The Delano Municipal Airport is at the corner of Lexington Street and Woollomes Avenue, about 2 miles south of central Delano and halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

City Manager Maribel Reyna said staff traveled to Washington D.C. in 2016 to meet with the Federal Aviation Administration to relocate Delano’s airport to the VOA property.

However, due to numerous changes in flight paths that would need to be made, FAA did not approve of Delano’s request, according to Reyna.

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But officials said the City Council’s decision tonight is a step forward for the city to develop that land.

According to Reyna, the development will consist of multiple jobs, housing, retail, commercial, community facilities and more.

“I mean, there’s just so much property there that when it gets developed, it will be just a huge amount of jobs that will be coming,” said Reyna.

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