Kern Council of Governments

Kern Council of Governments
Name	Kern Council of Governments
Formation	1977
Type	Council of Governments
Headquarters	Bakersfield, California
Region served	Kern County, California
Leader title	Executive Director

Kern Council of Governments is a metropolitan planning organization and regional planning agency serving Kern County, California and its incorporated cities. Established in the late 1970s, the agency coordinates regional transportation planning, land use initiatives, and federal and state funding programs across a mix of urban and rural jurisdictions including Bakersfield, California, Delano, California, and Taft, California. The council acts as a forum for elected officials from counties and cities to collaborate on multimodal projects, air quality strategies, and disaster resilience planning alongside state and federal partners such as the California Department of Transportation and the United States Department of Transportation.

History

Kern Council of Governments traces origins to intergovernmental planning movements in the 1970s following enactments like the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1973 and the expansion of regional entities such as the Association of Bay Area Governments and the Southern California Association of Governments. Early milestones paralleled the growth of Bakersfield, California and energy development in the Kern River Oil Field, prompting coordination among jurisdictions like Arvin, California and Shafter, California. The agency evolved through federal transportation reauthorizations including Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 and Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, adapting its role with mandates from the California Air Resources Board and the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.

Organization and Governance

The council's governance structure includes a board of directors composed of elected officials from member cities and the county, mirroring arrangements used by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (San Francisco Bay Area) and the Sacramento Area Council of Governments. Executive staff coordinate with committees focused on planning, programming, and technical analysis, interfacing with agencies such as the Federal Transit Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency. Policy decisions reflect statutory frameworks like the California Government Code provisions for councils of governments and are informed by regional allies including the California State Transportation Agency and academic partners like California State University, Bakersfield.

Programs and Services

Kern Council of Governments administers programs spanning transportation funding allocation, regional freight planning, and community development grants similar to programs managed by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the San Diego Association of Governments. Services include grant application support aligned with Federal Highway Administration funding cycles, technical assistance for sustainable energy projects paralleling work with the California Energy Commission, and coordination for emergency response planning with entities like the Kern County Sheriff's Office and the California Office of Emergency Services.

Planning and Transportation

The agency develops long-range transportation plans and short-range transportation improvement programs, integrating modal priorities from Bakersfield Amtrak Station services to regional freight corridors tied to the BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. Projects reflect state-level mandates such as Senate Bill 375 and federal performance measures under Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act. Planning processes engage stakeholders including transit operators like Golden Empire Transit District, aviation authorities at Meadows Field Airport, and tribal governments representing Tule River Indian Tribe and other communities.

Funding and Budget

Funding streams combine federal apportioned funds under programs administered by the Federal Transit Administration and Federal Highway Administration, state allocations from the California Transportation Commission, and local revenue measures similar to sales tax measures undertaken by regions like Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. The council prepares regional transportation improvement program budgets, prioritizes projects for Surface Transportation Block Grant Program funding, and administers Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grants in coordination with the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.

Membership and Jurisdictions

Member jurisdictions include the County of Kern and incorporated cities such as Bakersfield, California, Arvin, California, Delano, California, McFarland, California, Shafter, California, Taft, California, Wasco, California, and Ridgecrest, California where applicable. The council also engages with special districts like the Kern County Water Agency, transit operators including Kern Transit, and regional entities such as the Kern Economic Development Corporation and academic institutions like Bakersfield College.

Regional Impact and Projects

Notable regional projects coordinated or supported by the council include highway improvements tied to State Route 58 (California), freight rail enhancements serving the Port of Los Angeles-linked supply chain, and local transit expansions akin to projects overseen by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Los Angeles County). The council has influenced housing and land use discussions in regions affected by energy development in fields like the Midway-Sunset Oil Field and rural agricultural hubs including Delano, California and Lamont, California, while partnering on resilience projects with the California Geological Survey and the United States Geological Survey.

Category:Kern County, California Category:Regional planning organizations in California