Planning staff previews Title 17 zoning changes and general plan EIR timeline

Development Services Director Phil Burns told the Bakersfield Planning Commission on March 5 that staff will bring 12 proposed amendments to Title 17 of the municipal code to the April 2 commission meeting and provided scheduling details for the city27s general plan and environmental review.

"Staff has been diligently working on our housing element that we finally adopted end of last year," Burns said, adding that "we'll be bringing forward 12 Title 17 amendments to the April 2 Commission Meeting" intended to implement programs from that housing element. He said the Notice of Preparation for the general plan environmental impact report went out previously and that a public scoping meeting is set for March 10 at 5:30 p.m. in the chambers.

Burns outlined timeframe expectations: staff aims to present draft general plan materials to the commission in May, circulate a draft environmental impact report in late July and pursue adoption of the general plan in mid-2026. He characterized these as large items that will return to the commission as they near completion and encouraged public participation at the scoping meeting.

Why it matters: The Title 17 amendments and the general plan/EIR process are the administrative steps by which the city aligns zoning rules and policy with the adopted housing element. Those changes can affect where housing is permitted, what development standards apply and what environmental mitigations may be required.

What happens next: The commission will see the proposed Title 17 amendments at its April 2 meeting. The public scoping meeting for the general plan EIR is scheduled for March 10 at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers; staff indicated a draft plan and draft EIR are planned for late spring and summer 2026, with adoption targeted for mid-2026.

The presentation was informational; the commission did not vote on the Title 17 amendments or the general plan at the March 5 meeting.