PlanningDivision Overview Renewable Energy Notices of Preparation Environmental Documents Planning Programs Planning Documents Forms & Applications Informational Guides Oil and Gas Permitting Cannabis Land Use Ordinance General PlanGeneral Plan 2040 General Plan Timeline Community Input Documents Interactive Maps Resources & Contacts HearingsHearings Public Hearing Notices Notices of Opportunity Director’s Hearings Map Archive Planning Commission Map…

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PlanningDivision Overview Renewable Energy Notices of Preparation Environmental Documents Planning Programs Planning Documents Forms & Applications Informational Guides Oil and Gas Permitting Cannabis Land Use Ordinance General PlanGeneral Plan 2040 General Plan Timeline Community Input Documents Interactive Maps Resources & Contacts HearingsHearings Public Hearing Notices Notices of Opportunity Director’s Hearings Map Archive Planning Commission Map…

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On March 16, 2020 a local emergency related to the Coronavirus, was declared by the Kern County Administrative Office. This declaration was subsequently ratified by the Kern County Board of Supervisors on March 17, 2020.  As a result of the emergency and subsequent declaration, the Planning and Natural Resources Department will be closed to the…

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The Kern County Zoning Ordinance contains provisions for local permitting of oil and gas production. Specifically, Chapter 19.98 (Oil and Gas Production) provides development standards for all future oil and gas exploration, extraction, operations, and production activities in the unincorporated Kern County. The Amendment to the Kern County Zoning Ordinance related to Chapter 19.98 and…

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The Kern County Zoning Ordinance contains provisions for local permitting of oil and gas production. Specifically, Chapter 19.98 (Oil and Gas Production) provides development standards for all future oil and gas exploration, extraction, operations, and production activities in the unincorporated Kern County. The Amendment to the Kern County Zoning Ordinance related to Chapter 19.98 and…

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WHAT IS AN ESTRAY ORDINANCE? The California Food and Agriculture Code, allows the Board of Supervisors to declare certain portions of the county as being devoted chiefly to grazing. Areas so designated are generally referred to as “Open Range.” Kern County established an Estray Ordinance in 1942. In such areas, a person may not “take up”…

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PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS OVERVIEW To assist the public in understanding the public hearing process for land use applications, the following information is provided as an overview. Kern County Planning Commission Hearing The Kern County Planning Commission is appointed by the Board of Supervisors to consider and take action on certain land use and planning issues in addition…

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WHAT IS A SPECIFIC PLAN? A specific plan is a regulatory tool that local governments use to guide development in a localized area and to systematically implement the general plan. A specific plan is intended as a more detailed development plan than is a general plan. WHAT DOES A SPECIFIC PLAN LOOK LIKE? According to state law,…

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WHAT IS A GENERAL PLAN? California law requires that each county and city in the state develop and adopt a general plan. The general plan consists of a statement of development policies and includes a diagram or diagrams and text setting forth objectives, principles standards, and plan proposals. It is a comprehensive long-term plan for…

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WHAT IS THE METROPOLITAN BAKERSFIELD HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN? The Metropolitan Bakersfield Habitat Conservation Plan (MBHCP) is a program that addresses the effect of urban growth on federally and State protected plant and animal species within the Metropolitan Bakersfield General Plan area. The MBHCP is a joint program of the City of Bakersfield and Kern County that…

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