Ferndale City Council
The April 20 City Council meeting was dominated by a comprehensive work session on the city's Growth Management Act-mandated comprehensive plan update, specifically focused on proposed zoning changes throughout the urban growth area. Following a public hearing on April 6, Council spent nearly three hours discussing staff recommendations for multifamily residential development, commercial zones, and industrial land uses needed to accommodate projected growth of nearly 11,000 new residents by 2045. Community Development Director Mike Cerbone guided Council through detailed maps of proposed rezoning in six key areas, seeking direction before submitting the draft plan to state agencies for review. The session revealed ongoing tensions between accommodating state-mandated housing growth and addressing neighborhood concerns about density and character changes. Council made several modifications to staff recommendations, including swapping mixed-use commercial and residential multifamily medium zones in some areas to buffer existing single-family neighborhoods, and reducing proposed density in flood-prone areas along the Nooksack River. Public Works also provided updates on three major capital projects: the Main Street reconstruction (pushing toward 2027 construction), the Portal Way interchange roundabout improvements (targeting 2026), and the nearly complete Ferndale Terrace project featuring new speed tables and pedestrian improvements. The meeting opened with heated public comment from an unnamed speaker criticizing Mayor Hansen and police leadership over an unspecified public safety matter involving alleged death threats and jurisdictional disputes.
**Consent Agenda (AB #26-04-003)**: Approved unanimously without discussion, including April 6 meeting minutes and April 5 payroll authorization. **Comprehensive Plan Work Session**: Council provided preliminary direction on multiple zoning map changes: - **Thornton/Freeberg Area**: Approved swapping mixed-use commercial (MXD) and residential multifamily medium (RMM) zones to better buffer existing single-family homes - **Northern UGA**: Changed one large RMM area to MXD zon…
**Mid-June 2026**: Staff will submit the comprehensive plan draft to state agencies for two-month review period after incorporating Council direction from this work session. **Summer 2026**: Final City Council hearing and adoption of the comprehensive plan and zoning ordinances after receiving state agency comments. **2027**: Target construction start for Main Street improvement project, pending federal permittin…