Help Protect Bakersfield's Quality of Life

Hi. My name is Greg Ketchum and I live in Brighton Parks an active adult community located just to the north of Stockdale Hwy between Jewetta and Allen Road. I am the chair of an Ad Hoc Committee formed to lobby the City of Bakersfield on behalf of Brighton Parks and other concerned Bakersfield residents, to oppose any modification to the current height limits for buildings constructed on the 13 acre parcel bordering the south wall of the Brighton Parks neighborhood which is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

We, The Brighton Parks Ad Hoc Committee and the the Brighton Parks' community generally are not opposed to having the LDS Temple on this parcel. Our two concerns are the height of the proposed large tower (123.5 ft / 11 stories tall / the 2nd tallest structure in Bakersfield) and the lighting (brilliant lighting throughout the night) of the proposed Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Temple. The LDS application for modification, if approved, would override the existing 60ft height restriction along with lighting restrictions. After much due diligence, there seems to be NO compelling reason for these modifications. It has also become obvious that in order to strengthen our efforts to thwart this potential approval by the City of Bakersfield, we will need a budget.

Initial donations have allowed us to engage an attorney who specializes in this type of land use issue; however, additional funds will be needed for the attorney’s continued review and guidance to ensure that our initial efforts are as effective as they can be.

Below are a few of the key actions the attorney has and will be taking on the behalf of Brighton Parks and adjacent communities

• Guide the Ad Hoc Committee through the process so as to be most effective.

• Interface with city council, planning department/commission and staff.

• Review all communications for most effective dissemination of concerns.

• Making sure the committee does not put itself or the community in a position to be portrayed in a negative light by any party.

If you are concerned about these issues and potential negative impact on your quality of life, donations, no matter how large or small, can assist in these efforts.

Thanking you in advance for your donation to this important call to action.