(Editor's Note: A previous version of this story noted that the Bakersfield City Council approved a zoning change in the area of the proposed project, which has not happened yet.)
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Kern County residents looking for new ways to cool off may eventually have another option, but a proposed waterpark project is still years away from opening.
The Bakersfield City Council recently authorized the start of an environmental impact report process for a future water park, golf, and shopping facility. However, city officials emphasized they have not approved the actual waterpark project.
"There's been some press that indicated that we were approving whatever a water park. So I just wanted to be clear," Ward 5 Council member Larry Koman said.
Phil Burns, the city's development services director, told the council the environmental impact report process alone will take significant time.
"6 to 9 months before it comes out to the planning commission," Burns said when asked about timing by Ward 4 Council Member Bob Smith.
Mike Ross, developer of the Tortuga Bay Water Park project, acknowledged the lengthy timeline ahead.
"The hope is I'd like to have it open in a couple of years, but to be honest, I can't even tell you what step this is. We started this process a while ago," Ross said.
The project remains in very early stages, though some residents have already raised concerns about potential traffic impacts. One resident spoke at Monday night's council meeting about existing congestion issues.
"Traffic is backed up really badly. I can just imagine what it will be if this huge development is built. Hageman and Mohawk are not built wide enough for this huge development," the resident said.
The proposed facility would include water park attractions, golf amenities, and shopping options.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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