TAFT, Calif. -- There's a growing sense of optimism among city leaders that there is great potential for future growth.

But while some of the ideas may be years away, they're confident they can get them done, bringing new jobs, homes and recreation to the city.

"We're very excited about our future growth potential," city manager Bob Gorson said. "We've planned our growth, and know exactly where it's going to go."

"After you start speaking to some of the people, you get pulled in, you think, hey, this is going to work!" planner Bud Rice added. "Everyone is behind it, not just city administration, not just city council, you're talking whole communities behind this."

City leaders say they are talking to companies who want to bring high-tech industrial parks to diversify the economy.

"We embrace the oil industry and we'll always be an oil town, but we do want to create about 6,000 new jobs," Gorson said.

A proposed industrial zone near Gardner Field could even bring in a biofuels firm that may set up its research and development wing in Taft, he said.

The city is also in talks with a developer to build a new golf course and regional park, situated near what could be a community with 3,500 dwelling units.

"[The planner is] going to be marketing that as a retirement community," Gorson said. "He thinks most of the people that are going to want to move here are from LA and Orange county, buying something that's exactly the same size but is a third of the cost."

Taft leaders have also selected a master developer for the 46-acre plot of land in the heart of the city it acquired from Union Pacific earlier this year.

At a meeting in February on the railroad land, residents voiced their concerns about future traffic that new growth could bring to the city, but leaders think they have mitigated those issues.

"We're trying to be assertive as possible, but maintain a balance in what we're trying to do as far as future planning and making sure we have everything to back it up," Rice said.

"We've been very careful in our master planning to accomodate the concerns the community has expressed with the growth it wants to experience," Gorson said.

Officials said the city's general plan amendment could be ready next month, with Taft's city council possibly approving it in September. That would clear the way for annexation of areas around the current city limits and spur growth.