BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- The Kern County Board of Supervisors is taking a look at the Metro Bakersfield General Plan on Monday night, where a new state law could have a major impact.

Three years ago the state legislature passed the highly touted Assembly Bill 32 in an effort to reduce Green House Gas Emissions.

Recently, Senate Bill 375 was passed and it links those goals directly to city and county plans across the state.

"It's a difficult issue because this community is use to growing on the fringe where agricultural land is, agricultural land is traditionally cheaper to buy," said Ted James, Kern County Planning Department Director.

Monday night supervisors are looking at ways to give incentives for growth and development within the core of the Metro Bakersfield area.

"That's the most responsible thing to do from our prospective," said Dist. 5 Supervisor Michael Rubio. "Because municipal services are far more efficient. Whenever you have greater density it is easier to provide sewer, it is easier to provide public safety and it improves quality of life."

And that word density is where SB 375 comes in, as the State Attorney General's Office is reviewing city and county general plans to make sure they include higher density development within existing urban areas, as well policies and programs to get people biking, walking or using public transit to reduce vehicle miles and other requirements.

"If we don't do that, the attorney general has said he's going to sue, so in effect that stops development, so we have to comply with it," said Dist. 4 Supervisor Ray Watson.

"And that new legislation will penalize us if we keep approving more and more projects on the periphery areas which add to more vehicle miles traveled, that's the underlying issue we're trying to deal with," said James.

But as for how the county and city will encourage more development in empty lots in the core areas is the source of debate and even concern.

"If we act now and cut people out who have been in the process for many years and spent millions of dollars I don't think that's the right thing to do," said Watson.

Public comment is still being accepted on the General Plan and then city and county planning staff will get together to look at the supervisors' recommendations and direction.

The goal of SB 375 is to reduce Green House Gas Emissions back to 1990 levels by 2020.