In September 2020, City Council approved an agreement with IBI Group to prepare the Downtown Corridor Enhancement Streetscape Master Plan. Since that time, the consultant reviewed the City's existing infrastructure; reviewed the Making Downtown Vision Plan; held a community outreach meeting in December 2020 with members of the public and downtown businesses; received feedback from the public from online surveys; engaged in dialogue and feedback with various departments within the City; finalized plant and tree pallets for the master plan; and prepared exhibits for the corridor enhancements along Chester Avenue and H Street. All of these items were integral in the final preparation and submittal of the master plan. The final Master Plan document was submitted to the City and accepted in June, 2021.
The Streetscape Master Plan will allow the City to streamline design elements for enhancements in the greater downtown area. The Streetscape Master Plan will be used as a tool to allow developers to construct amenities which will be consistent rather than piecemeal; and would provide a more contiguous and enhanced downtown area with the same concepts, styles, color scheme, while allowing more cohesive blending of tree and plant pallets. The Streetscape Master Plan will be consistent with the goals of the City Council with an emphasis on economic development and urban revitalization in downtown Bakersfield.
An amendment to Agreement 2020-168 with IBI Group will be proposed at the December 15, 2021 Council Meeting. The amendment will cover the next phase of the project, design improvements for the enhancements of both the corridors along Chester Avenue and H Street from State Route 58 to Truxtun Avenue. The first phase of the design will be the improvements for Chester Avenue, which is budgeted in FY 21/22; and the second phase of the design will be the improvements for H Street, which will be budgeted in FY 22/23.
Attached is the master plan that was prepared by IBI Group. Staff from the Public Works Department and the consultant will provide the City Council with a presentation on the master plan.