Like many other communities across this nation, the city of Bakersfield is experiencing an increase in the street sales of marijuana, PCP, rock cocaine and other controlled substances as defined in the Health and Safety Code of this state.

It is the intent of this chapter to assist law enforcement personnel of this city in abating the sale of controlled substances. The city council finds and determines that the sale of controlled substances constitutes a continuing public nuisance which adversely affects the public health, safety and welfare, fuels fear among the community and is a factor which not only depreciates the value of property upon which such activity occurs, but also depreciates the value of adjacent and surrounding properties, and adversely affects the city’s image, business, development and housing costs.

The purpose of this chapter is, therefore, to further assist law enforcement to minimize the impact which drug sales have on the city’s quality of life, overall sense of feeling of safety and security of its citizens, and economic stability. The sale of controlled narcotic substances breeds criminal and gang-related activities and breeds community discontent. This ordinance will serve to mitigate these adverse effects by further limiting the means by which drug sales can occur. (Ord. 3591 § 1, 1994)