By Pam Sturdevant and Patric Hedlund

See individual map images at end of this story or View pdf of beautification plans.

Kern County came to town August 28 with news about not one, not two, not three…but four building projects currently underway or newly completed in the Frazier Park area.

Add to that the expected start of the Frazier Park Library and the confirmation of a new fire station to finally be built in Pine Mountain. These Mountain Community enhancements have all been given the green-light despite record budget difficulties for the state and county.

Supervisor Ray Watson and Kern County Roads Department Engineer Mark Evans briefed an appreciative crowd at the meeting hosted by Mountain Communities Town Council and the Mountain Communities Chamber of Commerce.

They spoke of the Frazier Park Waterline Relocation, which is now complete, upgrading failing water mains for the Frazier Park Public Utility District (FPPUD) along Monterey Trail and Frazier Mountain Park Road—beneath the pathway of the Frazier Park Streetscape project.

The streetscape project is now underway, with sidewalks, curbs and gutters being extended farther than originally anticipated. The beautification will include a ‘Welcome to Frazier Park’ monument at Frazier Mountain Park Road and Monterey Trail, creating an entry point with trees, lights, benches and trash receptacles, giving the town a visual theme.

Hooded streetlamps will be equipped with power outlets for holiday decorations. Completion is set for the end of October.

The rock mountain that litters the entryway to this area (along Frazier Mountain Park Road) will be removed within this coming month as the Cuddy Creek Streambed Restoration gets underway. That project will use the stockpiled concrete chunks to stabilize and restore the deteriorating streambed below the lower bridge east of Frazier Park.

A Pedestrian and Bike Path project will be built to extend across Monterey Trail past the post office and west up Park Drive to the site where the new library is to be built.

These projects are limited in their scope, Evans and Watson agreed, but “The county has planted a seed and we need to keep it growing,” they said. Janet Dauble suggested that efforts be made to bury the utility lines that litter the views of the mountains along Mt. Pinos Road. Evans responded that those who wish to see that occur can e-mail Southern California Edison’s Customer Service Planner, Nathanial Ross (Nathaniel.Ross@SCE.com) with a copy to Mark Evans at marke@co.kern.ca.us.

Frazier Park Beautification Project – Mt. Pinos Way

Frazier Park Beautification Project – Monterey Trail

Frazier Park Beautification Project – Frazier Park Streetscape

Cuddy Creek Streambed Restoration

Proposed Cuddy Creek Restoration and  Pedestrian/Bike Path

This is part of the September 12, 2008 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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