The Bakersfield Department of Development Services is a department of the city of Bakersfield, California. The department enforces the city's building codes and land use policies. It also issues building permits, and give approval for new land development. It also provides inspections of new and existing buildings.The department was formed from the consolidation of the Building Department and the Planning Department (which became the Building Division and Planning Division). It is headquartered in the Development Services Building at the intersection of 17th Street and Chester Ave, in the Civic Center, downtown.HistoryBuilding DivisionBakersfield's building code has seen large changes as a result of two major disasters. They would also drastically change the look of the city. The first was the Great Fire of 1889. Prior to the fire, most of the city was constructed out of wood. This allowed the fire to spread quickly from building to building. After the fire, it was decided the buildings in the central business district would be constructed of non flammable materials. This also changed the look of the city from a "frontier town" to a "metropolitan city".The second event was the 1952 earthquake. Similar to the great fire, a lot of the city was destroyed. When examined, most of the buildings that survived were reinforced structures (primarily reinforced concrete). Many of the buildings that fell were built with non-reinforced brick. When the city was rebuilt, it was required that large structures be constructed with reinforced materials.

BakersfieldParks.us - the official source for City facilities and activities. Check back for updates on activities, programs, and events.

Kern County HR is committed to building a healthy, positive, and productive workforce in order to effectively and efficiently assist and provide services t