The City of Ferndale’s Community Development Department and Western Washington University’s Urban Planning Studio invites the public to a community planning meeting on Tuesday, April 15th from 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at the City Hall Annex (5694 Second Avenue). This meeting will also be held online via Teams.
The meeting will consist of a Western Washington University student presentation and opportunity for community feedback on a proposal to create three new future neighborhoods to meet Ferndale’s urban growth needs. Light refreshments will be provided and children are welcome. Come share your vision for the future of Ferndale!
Project Overview: The City of Ferndale’s population is currently 16,762 and is expected to gain 10,961 residents and 3,337 jobs over the next 20 years. This requires the city to provide for new housing, jobs, civic, and public spaces, presenting challenges in preparing for growth. Partnering with City of Ferndale, Urban Planning Students at WWU are working to develop urban development models to accommodate new growth while improving the quality of life for current residents. A proposal for meeting future growth demands focuses on establishing Complete Neighborhood Communities. The sites were investigated for future development as Complete Neighborhoods.
What is a Complete Community? A Complete Community, also commonly known as an Urban Village or a 15-Minute City, is a neighborhood-scale development strategy which locates key uses an resident may need within walkable or bikeable distances. Characterized by close proximity to residences, urban amenities, and jobs, complete communities also prioritizes multimodal connectivity throughout the community. By applying Complete Community principles as well as the feedback received in community engagement sessions, we are working on actionable policy changes and implementation strategies that could bring the vision of Complete Communities to Ferndale.