Council Approves Riverview Marketplace Zoning Change
Bakersfield City Council unanimously approved a zoning amendment for the former PGE power station site at Coffee Road and Rosedale Highway.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Organic Food
Live Poll
Do you support building a major shopping center on a former power plant site in your community?
The Bakersfield City Council unanimously approved a zoning change clearing the way for the Riverview Marketplace shopping center on the southwest corner of Coffee Road and Rosedale Highway. The developer can now begin submitting building permits for the project.
Why it matters
The land needed a zoning change because it is a former power plant site, and the approval moves a project that was first announced with Whole Foods as its main anchor in January 2024 closer to construction. The decision affects how the city's commercial and retail footprint develops in the Bakersfield area.
The project would disturb 46 acres of soil, and the city's environmental analysis includes an Environmental Impact Report prepared under CEQA requirements. Construction is expected to follow soon after building permits are submitted, though no start date has been set.
The players
Bakersfield City Council
The Bakersfield City Council is the elected legislative body of Bakersfield, California, responsible for land-use and zoning decisions within city limits.
Whole Foods
Whole Foods Market is a national grocery chain known for natural and organic food, and it was announced as the main anchor for the Riverview Marketplace project.
The details
The Council approved the zoning amendment unanimously following a public hearing on November 4, 2026. The site is a former PGE power station at the southwest corner of Coffee Road and Rosedale Highway, and the zoning designation was officially changed on paper to allow the project to proceed.
Timeline
January 2024: Whole Foods was announced as the main anchor for Riverview Marketplace.
November 4, 2026: City Council held the hearing and unanimously approved the zoning amendment.
Market Landscape
The project's Environmental Impact Report was prepared under California Environmental Quality Act requirements before the council vote. The Whole Foods anchor announced in January 2024 places the development within the competitive push by natural and organic grocers to secure space in Kern County retail corridors.
Residents in the Bakersfield area may eventually see a new grocery option at the Riverview Marketplace site once construction is completed. Until building permits are issued and work begins, the site will not change for everyday shoppers.
The takeaway
Zoning approvals are an early milestone, and building permits are the next step before any construction or retail opening. Residents interested in the project can track permit filings with the City of Bakersfield.
Further reading
For more on grocery options in the region, explore Organic Food coverage for Bakersfield.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KERO.
Live Poll
Do you support building a major shopping center on a former power plant site in your community?
