BAKERSFIELD, CA - Homeowners in 'City in the Hills' took to City Hall Thursday night, hoping to save a planned neighborhood park they say was promised to them before they moved in.
Members of the northeast Bakersfield neighborhood are upset the city wants to expand the Mesa Marin Sports Complex, instead of develop a second park City in the Hills homeowners have been waiting for.
Thursday night's vote was described as a decision between a neighborhood park or a community park.
"Save our park! Save our park! Save our park! Save our park!"
Families from City in the Hills in northeast Bakersfield signed petitions and protested, hoping the city would follow through on the vision they bought into when they bought their homes.
"The vision and the concept of what City in the Hills was supposed to be based upon the visions of the master developer were forever altered when they defaulted and basically walked away from that community and that development," said Bakersfield Assistant City Manager, Steve Teglia.
Now, the city wants to rezone the ten acre parcel of land to become single family homes and expand the Mesa Marin Sports Complex, instead of developing the neighborhood park homeowners have been anticipating.
"It's just really important to just pause for a minute and realize that these were promises. They were real promises," said homeowner Heidi Carter-Escudero.
But the Planning Commission was unanimous, approving the zone change and exchange of land.
"They have to serve the many and sometimes the small don't get exactly what they want," said Vice-Chair Barbara Lomas.
To the homeowners it's not just what they want, but what they were promised.
"It's really disappointing. We're going to lose that park and we're going to get overcrowding of the other park, and it's just not going to be what the neighborhood was designed to be," said resident Nicole Moore.
City in the Hills homeowners say they will be appeal to the City Council.
Members of the northeast Bakersfield neighborhood are upset the city wants to expand the Mesa Marin Sports Complex, instead of develop a second park City in the Hills homeowners have been waiting for.
Thursday night's vote was described as a decision between a neighborhood park or a community park.
"Save our park! Save our park! Save our park! Save our park!"
Families from City in the Hills in northeast Bakersfield signed petitions and protested, hoping the city would follow through on the vision they bought into when they bought their homes.
"The vision and the concept of what City in the Hills was supposed to be based upon the visions of the master developer were forever altered when they defaulted and basically walked away from that community and that development," said Bakersfield Assistant City Manager, Steve Teglia.
Now, the city wants to rezone the ten acre parcel of land to become single family homes and expand the Mesa Marin Sports Complex, instead of developing the neighborhood park homeowners have been anticipating.
"It's just really important to just pause for a minute and realize that these were promises. They were real promises," said homeowner Heidi Carter-Escudero.
But the Planning Commission was unanimous, approving the zone change and exchange of land.
"They have to serve the many and sometimes the small don't get exactly what they want," said Vice-Chair Barbara Lomas.
To the homeowners it's not just what they want, but what they were promised.
"It's really disappointing. We're going to lose that park and we're going to get overcrowding of the other park, and it's just not going to be what the neighborhood was designed to be," said resident Nicole Moore.
City in the Hills homeowners say they will be appeal to the City Council.