BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — The City of Bakersfield's Planning Division is recommending the denial of a proposed student housing project in Southwest Bakersfield.

The City Planning Division staff has recommended denying the conditional use permit for the apartment complex proposed at Coffee Road and Stockdale Highway, near the campus of CSU Bakersfield.

Jacqui Kitchen, Development Services Director for the Planning Division, says the division received almost 1,100 comments against the project.

According to Kitchen, the staff considers a number of factors when looking at whether to approve a conditional use permit.

Two big factors are: If the proposed project fits with the city's plan, and if the proposed project is "in harmony" with the neighbors and the neighborhood. Kitchen says it was obvious from the community's response that it was not in harmony with the neighboring area.

Due to the opposition, Kitchen says the Planning Division is recommending the Board of Zoning deny the conditional use permit at Tuesday's Board of Zoning Adjustment meeting.

Kitchen says this is only a recommendation, and the Board of Zoning could still approve the project.

The proposed apartment complex was designed to provide off-campus housing for CSU Bakersfield students, but is not affiliated with the university.

23ABC has reached out to Coleraine Capital Group, Inc., who proposed the project. At this time, we have not received a comment.