BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The Bakersfield City Council is set to consider dedicating half a million dollars to tackle the recurring issue of illegal dumping in southeast Bakersfield, according to the meeting agenda for Wednesday.
According to city officials, Bakersfield’s Clean City Team — as part of the Clean City Initiative — has verified a 50-acre site south of Brook Street, east of Hale Street and adjacent to East Planz Avenue.
Officials said this is a “chronic illegal dumping site” with a history of code violations, with the city already having cleaned the site multiple times over the past few years.
The city’s goal is to clean the property and connect homeless individuals in the area to available resources, according to officials. The team also reportedly is working with the new property owners to share the clean-up cost.
If approved, the $500,000 from contingency funds set aside by the Council for this year would be used for resources needed to handle the site’s current conditions.
“This investment will improve public health and safety, reduce blight, discourage future illegal dumping, and demonstrate the city’s commitment to protecting neighborhoods and maintaining clean, safe and accessible properties,” the agenda argued.
A portion of the funding would also be used to secure the site and prevent recurring problems, according to city staff. That could include installing barriers, fencing, gates, K-rails and other measures that would help prevent vehicles from entering for illegal dumping, according to the agenda.
The city should also look into lighting, signage, surveillance and periodic enforcement, staff said in the agenda.
“These measures are critical because simply removing the debris without addressing continued unauthorized access and illegal dumping could result in the city facing repeated clean-up costs,” the agenda read.
During a committee meeting in August, city officials suggested strengthening consequences for illegal dumping, saying the area of East Planz Road and Hale Street has had several grass fires due to the illegally dumped waste on the site serving as fuel.
The City Council is expected to discuss this matter at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 1501 Truxtun Ave., according to the city.
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