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Real Briefings

Ferndale City Council

FER-CON-2026-01-20 January 20, 2026 Committee Meeting City of Ferndale
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The Ferndale City Council held its regular meeting on January 20, 2026, featuring two major presentations that provided significant insights into the city's current development trajectory and emergency preparedness capabilities. Senior Planner Jesse Ashbaugh delivered an extensive update on private development projects, showcasing multiple housing developments that represent a substantial shift in Ferndale's density and housing diversity. Meanwhile, City Administrator Jori Burnett and other staff presented a comprehensive after-action review of the December 2025 flood response, demonstrating considerable improvements in emergency management since the devastating 2021 flood event. The development update revealed several major projects moving toward construction in 2026, including the Rubicon Homes townhouse development, multiple four-story apartment buildings, and ongoing work at the 350-unit Harrington Place Portal Way complex. These projects collectively represent hundreds of new housing units and mark a significant densification effort within Ferndale's urban core. The discussion also covered the city's evolving approach to Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), with 30 units now permitted and new unit lot subdivision tools becoming available. The flood fight recap demonstrated the city's evolution from reactive to proactive emergency response, with advanced warning systems enabling daytime deployment of flood protection measures rather than emergency nighttime operations. The December 2025 event, classified as approximately a 10-year flood, provided valuable lessons about community collaboration, resource coordination, and the effectiveness of infrastructure improvements made since 2021. Both presentations generated extensive council discussion about the Multifamily Tax Exemption (MFTE) program, its impact on other jurisdictions, and the delicate balance between incentivizing development and maintaining good relationships with partner agencies like the school distri

**Consent Agenda (AB #26-01-004)** - Approved unanimously - Staff recommendation: Approval - Council action: Approved - Includes January 5 meeting minutes, payroll authorization, Shannon Avenue right-of-way vacation public hearing resolution, FMC Chapter 2 amendments, and unified fee schedule a…

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**Development Density and Housing Policy** The most substantial policy discussion centered on Ferndale's approach to increasing housing density and diversity. Ashbaugh presented examples of developments ranging from 12 units per acre (Rubicon Homes townhouses) to 100 units per acre (2nd Avenue Apartments four-story building), demonstrating the practical implications of different zoning classifications. The discussion revealed the city's strategic approach to gradually introducing higher-density development while maintaining community character. The council extensively explored the Multifamily Tax Exemption program, which has seen limited use until recently. The program provides eight-year property tax exemptions for qualifying developments within a designated area roughly half a mile from downtown. Administrator Burnett explained that this 10-minute walking radius was deliberately chosen to create a dense residential core that could support downtown commercial development, following established urban planning principles. **Emergency Management and Flood Response** The flood fight recap revealed significant improvements in the city's emergency ma…
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**Public Comment Speaker (unidentified)** Delivered emotional testimony about death threats and concerns about law enforcement response, specifically referencing issues with Blaine officials and requesting Ferndale's assistance with investigation of alleged criminal threats. The speaker expressed frustration with what they characterized as official silence and inaction. **Jesse Ashbaugh (Senior Planner)** Presented comprehensive development updates with optimism about 2026 construction activity after a planning-heavy 2025. Emphasized the significance of finally seeing the first successful MFTE program application and the potential for ADU development under new state-mandated tools. **Administrator Burnett** Advocated for the MFTE program as one of the few tools ava…
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**Administrator Burnett, on emergency management improvement:** "Going into the the previous large flood event, we were really in a position of of responding to the flood a lot more in real time where it was the water kept going up. Quicker than what the the Noah Gage was indicating that was going to do." **Mayor Hansen, on flood response community engagement:** "Almost everywhere we stopped, people would come out or in a City car. People would come out and and you know, I can't emphasize how…
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**March 2, 2026** - Public hearing on Shannon Avenue right-of-way vacation following tonight's resolution setting the hearing date **February-March timeframe** - Presentation to Council on expanding MFTE boundaries, as mentioned by Administrator Burnett **2026 construction season** - Multiple development projects expected to break ground including: - Rubicon Homes townhouse development (35 units) - 2nd Avenue Apartments (four-story, 21 un…

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**Emergency preparedness capabilities significantly enhanced** - The city demonstrated substantial improvement from reactive to proactive flood response, with better advance warning utilization, daylight deployment of protective measures, improved inter-agency coordination, and more effective community outreach protocols. **Development momentum accelerated** - 2026 represents a shift from planning to construction phase for multiple major housing projects, with several four-story buildings and hundreds of residential units moving toward active development after a planning-intensive 2025. **MFTE program activated** - The first successful Multifamily…
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# A Passionate Plea, Development Updates, and Flood Lessons Learned ## Meeting Overview The Ferndale City Council convened for their regular meeting on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, in the City Hall Annex chambers. Mayor Greg Hansen presided over a meeting that would encompass everything from emotional public testimony to technical development presentations and critical lessons from a recent natural disaster. Present were Councilmembers Herb Porter, Ali Hawkinson, Erin Gunther, Robert Pinkley, and Jon Mutchler, with Councilmember Ryan O'Larey excused and Councilmember McKenna Pinto-Gonzalez attempting to join remotely. The evening's agenda promised a mix of routine business and substantive presentations, but it was bookended by moments that revealed both the human drama of local governance and the careful planning required to protect a community from natural forces beyond their control. ## A Death Threat and Unanswered Questions The meeting's most striking moment came during public comment when an unnamed speaker delivered an emotionally charged testimony about death threats and official silence. The individual, clearly frustrated and fearful, directed pointed questions at officials in neighboring Blaine while criticizing Ferndale's response to what appeared to be a serious public safety matter. "On several occasions I have asked Blaine's Mayor, Mary Lou Stewart, a very simple question," the speaker began. "Did you have prior knowledge that I was going to get a death threat? She has remained silent." The testimony painted a troubling picture of intergovernmental tension and alleged inaction. The speaker described receiving a death threat from "a convicted felon with a known violent history" who had previously been sentenced to prison for shooting at cars with a rifle. According to the speaker, Ferndale Police Officer Hart was aware of this history but failed to provide adequate help, instead directing the complainant "back to harm's way to Blaine with a conflicted chief of police." "Officer Hart was aware of this, but he did not help me," the speaker said. "He sent me back to harm's way to Blaine with a conflicted chief of police to get my investigation looked at." The individual read from text messages sent to Officer Hart: "Do you know anyone at [Whatcom County] who could investigate the death threat against two City Council members and four citizens? It has been 5 days. Blaine is not acting. The man who made the threat is still free." The respons…
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### Meeting Overview Ferndale City Council held their regular meeting on Tuesday, January 20, 2026. The meeting focused on private development updates showcasing significant housing growth throughout the city, and a comprehensive review of the December 2025 flood response, highlighting lessons learned and improved preparedness compared to the 2021 flood event. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs):** Secondary housing units on single-family residential properties. Ferndale now allows up to two ADUs per lot under updated regulations. **Multifamily Tax Exemption (MFTE):** An 8-year property tax exemption program designed to incentivize multifamily housing development within a designated area near downtown Ferndale. **Unit Lot Subdivision:** A new state-mandated subdivision process that allows property owners to subdivide their lots specifically to sell ADUs as separate fee-simple properties. **Flood Stage:** Water levels at which the Nooksack River begins to overflow its banks and impact surrounding areas. The December 2025 flood was considered a 10-20 year event compared to 2021's 30-year flood. **Emergency Operations:** Coordinated city response during flood events, including sandbagging stations, protective berms, and voluntary evacuation notices for at-risk areas. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Greg Hansen | Mayor | | Jori Burnett | City Administrator | | Jesse Ashbaugh | Senior Planner | | Kevin Renz | Public Works Director | | Matt Huffman | Police Chief | | Erik Berkeley | New Police Officer | | Paul Perry | New Police Officer (not present) | | Megan Juenemann | Communications Officer | ### Background Context Ferndale is experiencing significant residential development pressure with m…
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Housing Land Use & Planning Public Safety Government Operations Bellingham Everson Ferndale City Council Ferndale School District Harrington Place Rubicon Homes Sumas Whatcom County Ali Hawkinson Erin Gunther Greg Hansen Herb Porter Jesse Ashbaugh Jon Mutchler Jori Burnett Kevin Renz Matt Huffman Megan Juenemann Robert Pinkley Ryan Oleary Accessory Dwelling Units Affordable Housing Comprehensive Plan Downtown Development Emergency Management Flood Mitigation Housing Development Middle Housing Multifamily Tax Exemption Public Safety Zoning