At the southern tip of California's San Joaquin Valley lies Bakersfield, a city of 312,000, expected to grow to 730,000 in three decades. It has just doubled its sphere of influence and shows little inclination to put restraints on growth.
"At a time when many areas of the country are trying to contain sprawl, the City Council won approval this year to expand an area chosen for development outside city limits that could nearly double Bakersfield's size in the years ahead.
Critics see the expansion as a green light to builders that will encourage more suburban sprawl, gobble up more prime farmland and aggravate traffic congestion and air pollution
Mayor Harvey Hall says Bakersfield has little appetite for higher-density developments and other urban design trends. 'I certainly respect the interests of the smart-growth people,' Hall says. 'But as the mayor, I support prosperity. You just can't stop growth.'"
Thanks to Katie Appel via Central Valley Air Quality Coalition listserv
Read the full story: Calif. city to expand boundaries
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