Phase III

Visioning Meeting

Norris Rd. Veteran�s Hall � March 30, 2000

Our Slogan:

� There is nothing we can�t be or do when we stand United!

� Unity begins with you

� Opportunity for every community

Our Image:

� Shady & cool

� Moderate

� Clean air

� Attractive to residents and visitors

� Encouraging place where people are working together

� A diverse community working in harmony

Our Reputation:

� Friendly greeters

� Friendly people

� Positive place to live

� Athletic teams: pro soccer. Ladies pro basketball

� A clean, attractive community

Civic Culture:

� City/county cooperation

Business Environment:

� Incentives for business to choose Bakersfield

� Marketing of Bakersfield thru U.S.

� Use tourist trade for city tax

� County/city/private sector partnerships

Arts & Culture:

� Cultural arts pavilion (indoor/outdoor)

� Recreation: Family resort(s)

� Symphony Hall/Performing arts center

� Professional basketball

� Children�s Performing Arts Center

Heart of the City:

� Mix youth and elderly activities

� Friendly, caring community

� No cars in the city center

� Friendly people

� Pretty streets � lots of trees

� Churches/business/government working together for social, economic change

Technology:

� Computers for each student

� Universal access, on-line education systems

� School of engineering

Transportation:

� Light rail system

� High speed rail

� Bake lanes the norm on all streets

� Affordable electric cars

� Mass Trans/underground � reduce by � cars

Our Values:

� Community involvement

� Strong families

� Families first

Biggest Changes:

� 1,000�s of new trees planted

� New airport

� Lots of restaurants!

� Employers sponsor child care for employees

� Good medical care for families

� Internet communication � schools, churches, business, government

� Higher education level of the citizens

Break Thrus

� Public transit vs. More big stores

� 400 billion bps processing speed

� Drug, alcohol free community

� Valley Fever Research

Looking Back I�m Most Proud of�

� A culturally integrated community

� Each high school grad has a place in college

� Safe environment

What�s our Vision for Our Economy over the next 10-20 years?

� More diversity in economic base

� Business development in incubator

� Use solar energy � get away from dependence on oil

� Diversify beyond oil/ag. Perhaps we could focus on transportation and also emphasize recreation and tourism

� Offer tax incentives for businesses to relocate to this area

� New malls

� Lots of fun family activities (water parks, etc.

What kind of Economic Development Initiatives do we want to create?

� Laser tech to purify saltwater for more water supply

� Transportation, communications and recreation

� Better educated population will allow greater market penetration to the high tech industries

What kind of Jobs do we want to attract here over the next 10-20 years?

� High tech

� Clean industries

� Television and movie related

� Jobs in tourism, communications, and recreation, and also oil/ag

� Job opportunities for unskilled workers that will pay while they train for more skilled positions

� Better pay, better benefits, people friendly work environments

Our Vision for Downtown:

� Nice new airport

� Light rail system completely surrounding the downtown area

� Expanded Metro Rec Center for Youth Activities � near Museum

� Trees everywhere

� Park N of 24^th and S of California between Chester and Oak

� Water Park and youth activity center N of 34^th ST. between Chester & Union

� Pedestrian friendly housing developments (European Model) N of 34^th St. E. of Union

� �River Walk� in central downtown through Central Park

� Water, trees, pedestrian urban entertainment zone along riverwalk

� Marketplace in core downtown

� Continue downtown beautification

� Zoo in Lakeview Area

� Canal diversion from river � Riverwalk business similar to San Antonio

� Oildale: attractive housing � business growth

� Hope Center near Oak and 24^th and S. of California � W of Union and E of Lakeview

� Performing Arts Center between Union and Truxturn (Central Park area)

� People living downtown

� Complete revitalization of Truxtun South in the Lakeview area

� Attractive affordable housing on Lakeview

� Marketplace II E of Lakeview

� Central Square between California & Truxtun, W of Union

In our community�s future, we wanted and we got:

� Safe, clean neighborhoods

� Lush vegetation/trees

� High paying jobs

� Preserve mobile home parks for low cost housing

� All major streets to have a landscaped median � especially Airport Drive � 1^st road visitors see

� Lights on all freeway street signs

� Senior citizen developments/children

� Clean up blighted areas for improved neighborhoods and city

� High speed rail to L.A./Bay area

� Cross town freeway � a real one

� Widen Freeway 99

� More Ed for welfare reform

� Ball park

� Positive visual entries to community

� Trees- flowers

� Open more Hope Centers

� Lower gas prices

� Continued maintenance of parks

� Ice skating rink

� More medical centers for lower income people

� Big amusement park with water element

� Enough water

� Habitat for Humanity

� Affordable care, housing & recreation for seniors

In our community�s future we didn�t want and didn�t get�

� Graffiti

� Crime

� Indifference in our communities

� Pollution Air/Water

� Concrete canals

� Dairy odor

� Pollution/litter

� Higher taxes

� Bad air quality

� Kids with no hope

� Continued increase of abuse and neglect

� No gangs, more drug enforcement

� Run-down neighborhoods

Common Themes:

� Transportation

� Unity

� Family friendly

� Water Themes

� Tourism

� Trees and landscape

� Less pollution

� Performing Arts

� Activities for children & seniors together

� High tech job opportunities

� City/county cooperation

� Alternative energy

� Education

� Eliminate blight

� Professional sports

� Economic development

� Shopping malls