A proposed shopping and housing development near the intersection of Cottonwood and Planz Roads in southeast Bakersfield has become the center of a debate over whether the city should spend taxpayer money to clean up a private property dealing with illegal dumping and homeless encampments.
Councilmember Eric Arias proposed a cleanup initiative for the property last week, bringing the issue before the full council at the final meeting of August. The city put forward an option to assist the developer to the tune of $500,000, which the city would recoup over time through tax liens on the property.
Arias said the investment goes beyond a single property…