Phase III  

Visioning Meeting

Leadership Bakersfield � February 18, 2000

Our Slogan:

�        A great place to call home

�        Home to the family

�        We�re all in it together

Our Image:

�        Progressive

�        World destination

�        Fun and safe place to live

�        Friendly people

�        Good jobs

�        Active-forward thinking

�        Safe place-open and supportive of a cosmopolitan environment

�        Agricultural preservation

�        Healthy environment

Our Reputation:

�        Safe place to live �family friendly

�        Business destination

�        Strong academic excellence

�        High-tech

�        Strong economy

�        Great housing

�        Inclusive

�        Arts & Culture

�        Strong education � K-12 & college

�        Dynamic

�        World class health care and research

Business Environment:

�        High tech central supportive

�        Opportunities are bountiful

�        Growing

�        Educated

�        Open to new ideas and willing to incubate and support

�        Diversity of opportunities

�        Business friendly � minimum regulation & taxes

�        Support of entrepreneur business (the small business person)

�        Less regulation for businesses

�        Family friendly policies in all workplaces

Arts & Culture:

�        More!

�        Public Art Mecca

�        Arts education for all

�        Available to all � economic status not a barrier for access

�        Always something going on

�        More ethnically diverse

Heart of the City:

�        Cohesive

�        Gang-free

�        Lots of trees

�        Kid/family friendly

�        Affordable housing

�        All cultures and languages welcome!

�        Hiking is safe, though alone

�        Arts & culture center

�        Entertainment, dining & shopping downtown

�        River running thoughout city year-round

�        Stop Urban Sprawl

Our Values:

�        Friendliness (Where everyone knows your name)

�        People aren�t afraid to stand up for what they know is right

Technology:

�        Hub of development

�        High speed wireless network throughout area to all homes

Transportation:

�        Increased direct jet service

�        Bullet service

�        Ability to get to major attractions easier

�        7 day/24 hour transportation

�        Accessible and affordable

�        Convenient rail service

Biggest Changes

�        Increased health care insurance for kids

�        Increased access to health care

�        No underclass

�        No racist attitudes

�        Well-funded schools and universities

�        No gangs-no crime

�        Celebrate differences

�        Cure cancer, heart disease, diabetes

Break-thrus:

�        Healthier youth and adults

�        Clean air

�        Women CEOs

�        Tolerance!

�        Declining homeless population

�        No AIDS

�        Affordable/quality child care

Looking Back I�m Most Proud of:

�        People communicating from all walks of life

�        Safe communities

�        Democracy

�        Vision 2020

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

�        Affordable, quality child care

�        Diverse economy � high tech

�        Regional center for distribution (ie: store & deliver e-business outputs)

�        Connected to Northern & Southern Cal, Arizona, Nevada via high speed rail & major roadways

�        Economic opportunity and training for individuals at all socio-economic levels

�        Many opportunities for all types of individuals

�        Continued agricultural preservation

�        Healthy workforce-initiatives that support employers to support healthy lifestyles

�        Stable, full-employment

�        Strong tourism industry

�        Attract major business H.Q. Eliminate ceilings for professionals

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

�        Investment back into our community

�        Child care language included in long term economic development plans � invest in child care!

�        Access to affordable education and vocational training

�        Continued affordable housing market!

�        Not to develop in prime farmland

�        Projects to recycle profits back into the community

�        Those that help diversify the economy from oil and ag (attract industries that are less cyclical)

�        Incentive to develop within; not without

�        Tapping into global market

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

�        Hi-Tec caring industry

�        Be the next Silicon Valley

�        All services for the community retail/wholesale

�        Nurses/health care providers �quantity

�        Higher skilled workforce-better educated workforce

�        Human resource research and development

�        Professional positions (major corporations, insurance companies, etc.)

�        Top Notch academics

�        Invest in those who take care of our children-parents, child care providers, teachers

�        Enviro-friendly businesses

�        Jobs that promote cultural diversity

�        High tech, high touch health care & preventive health

�        Teach social as well as technical skills

�        Top child care and adult care

�        Specialization

�        Emergency response

In our Community�s Future �WE WANT:

�        Close-knit neighborhoods

�        Water in the Kern River 365 days/year

�        Multilingual, global citizens

�        Better libraries

�        More reliable water supply

�        Self-sufficiency with the employment opportunity and training to support it

�        Larger CSUB campus � more students, more educational options, more community involvement

�        Maybe, also, U.C. of private university, too

�        Clean air

�        Government that is forward looking and responsive

�        Quality housing for our elderly population

�        City area pride

�        Quality transportation/access

�        Community that takes pride in our environment

�        More community based recreation & education programs

�        Family friendly employers

�        Affordable/quality child care � �Children really are our future�

�        Safety � reduce crime

�        Cure for Aids

�        Nordstrom �real� shopping

�        To be unique!

In our Community�s Future�WE DON�T WANT:

�        Urban sprawl on productive farmland ..ie:  NW & SW Bakersfield

�        Water in Kern without taking water from Farms

�        �Islands� in community that don�t participate in funding schools

�        Bigots

�        To be just another suburb of L.A.

�        Poor air quality

�        Apathy

�        Racism

�        Poverty without opportunity to improve

�        Development that puts our natural resources at risk (groundwater protection)

�        High teen pregnancy rate

�        Fear for safety

�        A �Big City� mentality

�        Gangs

Our Vision for Downtown:

�        Better access from Southwest and Northwest Bakersfield

�        Arboretum/botanical garden

�        Nordstroms

�         Riverwalk

�        Trees

�        Shopping, entertainment, walking paths

�        Outdoor theatre

�        Teen Center!

�        Attractive tourist center

�        Natural gas tour bus

�        Greeters!

�        Occupational health clinic

�        Child care center

�        Major hotel

�        Expandable Convention Center

�        Farmers Market

�        Museum

�        Pedi-taxi people mover

�        Shopping/restaurants/entertainment district

�        Support business & tourism & local support

�        Hospital

�        Beach

�        Commercial/recreation life along the river

�        Outside cafes

�        Use the river not the canals

�        Regional event � our version of a Rose Parade

�        Kern River Festival

�        Accessible to all

Common Themes � Meeting Wrap-up:

�        Safety

�        Family-friendly

�        Technology

�        High level of support for education

�        Air quality

�        Good transportation system

�        Support for Ag

�        Good health

�        Celebration of differences

�        Recreation

�        Water themes

�        Focus on education

�        Child care

�        Good stewardship of resources:  air, water

�        Arts & Culture

�        Affordable housing

�        Camaraderie

�         Educational opportunities

�        Efficient transportation

�        Elimination of health concerns

�        Confidence in the FUTURE