In the early morning hours of Dec. 10th, a propane tank was stolen from a resident on the 5600 block of Second Avenue. The Ferndale Police are asking the public to help identify the suspect captured on the victim’s security camera. If you have any information about this theft or can shed some light as to the suspect’s identity, please call Detective Pike at (360) 483-5725. Thank you!
On 12/09/2018 at about 5:19 AM, Ferndale Police responded to a robbery at the Ferndale McDonalds, 1688 Main Street. Employee’s reported that a younger looking white male, about 6’ 4” tall, 250 lbs, wearing a black jacket over a black or dark blue hoody, dark blue jeans and brown boots, came in to the restaurant just after opening. The suspect implied that he had a gun and made his way to the back of the restaurant.
The suspect took cash from the tills before fleeing on foot westbound towards the Ferndale Events Center.
Deputies from the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, along with Troopers from the Washington State Patrol, assisted with a K-9 track for the suspect, however the suspect was not located.
Ferndale Police are continuing to investigate and ask the public to contact Detective Pike at 360-483-5725 or jpike@ferndalepd.org with any information.
Andrew Hansen
Last night, Andrew Hansen was nominated by Mayor Jon Mutchler to the Ferndale Arts Commission. Hansen, a Windward High School graduate and current Whatcom Community College student, is a local musician and interested in getting involved in Ferndale’s art scene. “I believe art is what gives color to life. It is the essence of our humanity.”
The Ferndale Arts Commission is charged with enhancing the community by advising on public art and community aesthetic enhancement.
The Arts Commission meets at 5 p.m. the second Wednesday of each month in the City Hall Main Conference Room, 2095 Main St.
The City accepts applications for boards and commissions year-round, not just when there is a vacancy. If you feel you have something to contribute, please fill out an application and send it to City Clerk Susan Duncan. You can find the application here.
Last night, attorney Mark Kaiman was sworn in as Ferndale’s new Municipal Court Judge. Kaiman served as a Judge Pro Tempore in Whatcom County District Court for the last four years. In addition to his judicial experience, Kaiman has been a deputy prosecutor in, and is currently in private practice as a military and criminal defense attorney.
“Sitting in judgment of others is a great responsibility. I am honored that the city of Ferndale has entrusted me with this task and allowed me to answer the call to public service,” said Kaiman.
| City Council Agenda Follow-Up
December 3, 2018 |
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| CALL TO ORDER/FLAG SALUTE/ROLL CALL | |
| PUBLIC COMMENT | INFO ONLY |
| CONSENT AGENDA
Councilmember Taylor moved, and Councilmember G. Hansen seconded, to approve the consent agenda. MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
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APPROVED
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| INTRODUCTION/SWEARING OF MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE MARK KAIMAN
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INFO ONLY |
| PUBLIC HEARING: Comprehensive Plan Updates Ordinance
The comprehensive plan is the long-range guiding document of the City and is fully updated every five to eight years in cooperation with other local jurisdictions and Whatcom County. In the intervening years the City or private applicants may propose amendments no more than once per year unless an emergency situation exists. There are two types of amendments: to the text and to the Land Use Map. In the proposed ordinance, all changes are primarily map amendments. The FEMA Floodway Modification amendment requires a minor change to the existing text, as a result of the map change. The three proposed modifications are: 1. Removal, modification, or renaming of the floodway land use designation. With this modification, properties currently subject to the designation would instead be designated based on the adjacent land use designations, and the properties would also be rezoned to the adjacent zoning designation. 2. Comprehensive plan land use map change: South Portal. The recommendation is to change the land use designation in this area from Commercial to Medium or High Density Residential. In recent years there has been a significant shift in ownership in the area and some of the long-term uses have ceased or may soon cease. The existing Commercial land use designation anticipates a variety of uses for an area that does not appear to be conducive to those uses. 3. Comprehensive Land Use Change: Donna Lane/Thornton Street. This amendment would change the land use designation of two properties in the vicinity of Thornton Street. The southern property would change from Commercial to Low Density Residential, consistent with adjacent residential properties to the west. The amendment would also make the northern property entirely commercial. Councilmember Watson moved, and Councilmember Xczar seconded, to approve the removal of the floodway designation and the South Portal land use map change. (Items #1 & 2) MOTION CARRIED 6-1, Councilmember Olson opposed. Councilmember G. Hansen moved, and Councilmember Kennedy seconded, to approve the comprehensive land use change for the southern property in the vicinity of Thornton Street from Commercial to Low Density Residential. (Item #3) MOTION CARRIED 6-1, Councilmember Olson opposed. Councilmember Kennedy moved, and Councilmember K. Hansen seconded, to direct staff to draft a development agreement requiring a residential buffer on the western and southern boundaries of the northern property, with homes no taller than 35 feet. The land use change to Commercial is pending the approval of the development agreement. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. |
DIRECTION PROVIDED TO STAFF |
| PUBLIC HEARING: Public/Institutional Zone Setbacks Modifications Ordinance
The Public/Institutional (P/I) Zone was established for the purpose of creating a zoning designation that would facilitate the development of public buildings. Prior to the establishment of this zone, public buildings could be allowed in any zone, subject to a variety of different review processes. Currently, the P/I zone is silent in terms of setbacks but refers to the underlying or adjacent zone for guidance. However, the P/I zone is a zone unto itself, so a reference to an underlying or adjacent zone is somewhat misleading. The proposed amendments establish setbacks in the P/I zone of 20 feet from the front, 5 feet on the sides, and 10 feet from the rear. These setbacks may be reduced if the adjacent zone has a lesser value. Councilmember Taylor moved, and Councilmember Watson seconded, to approve the agenda bill. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. |
APPROVED
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| PUBLIC HEARING: Nordic Way Rezone Ordinance
The area generally east of Haggen grocery store has been zoned for commercial purposes since the 1970’s, despite the fact that many of the largest businesses in the area are clearly more industrial in nature, and operate as legally non-conforming uses. For several years, property owners in this area have focused on the redevelopment of this area for large retail/big-box purposes. Since that time several of the property owners in the area have indicated that absent a large retail development, the City’s inventory of commercial properties far exceeds the need, and the inventory of serviced properties in General Business zoning is rapidly shrinking. Property owners in the area initiated a formal rezone request. Councilmember Taylor moved, and Councilmember Kennedy seconded, to approve the agenda bill. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. |
APPROVED |
| ORDINANCE: 2018 Budget Amendment
The budget amendment transfers funds to the stormwater fund, related to the Gateway Storm and Washington Street, Main to Vista projects. Councilmember K. Hansen moved, and Councilmember G. Hansen seconded, to approve the agenda bill. MOTION CARRIED 6-1, Councilmember Olson opposed. |
APPROVED |
| ORDINANCE: Adoption of 2019 Operating Budget
Councilmember Taylor moved, and Councilmember Xczar seconded, to approve the agenda bill. MOTION CARRIED 4-3, Councilmembers Olson opposed, Watson, and K. Hansen opposed. |
APPROVED |
| DISCUSSION: School Resource Officer Interlocal Agreement
The School District and the City believe that it is in the best interest of the Ferndale public school system to have a law enforcement presence in the schools, so they have established a “School Assigned Officer” (SAO) program. The SAO provides services on a rotating and random basis to all schools in the district during the ten-month school year. The proposed interlocal agreement extends the program for the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 school years. The proposed annual payment from the School District to the City is $63,135 for the 2018-2019 school year, and $65,503 for the 2019 – 2020 school year. On Wednesday, November 28, the Finance & Administration Committee forwarded the item to the full Council for further discussion with a recommendation of approving a 180-day contract for the 2018 – 2019 school year only. Councilmember Kennedy moved, and Councilmember Taylor seconded, to approve the 2-year interlocal agreement as presented.
Councilmember K. Hansen moved, and Councilmember G. Hansen seconded, to amend the motion to decrease the term of the agreement to a one-year, 180-day contract for the 2018 – 2019 school year. ON THE AMENDMENT: MOTION CARRIED 7-0. ON THE MAIN, AMENDED MOTION: MOTION CARRIED 7-0. |
APPROVED AS AMENDED
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| APPOINTMENT: Andrew Hansen, Arts Commission
Councilmember Taylor moved, and Councilmember Olson seconded, to approve the appointment. MOTION CARRIED 6-0, Councilmember G. Hansen abstaining. |
APPROVED |
| ADJOURNMENT: Meeting was adjourned at 8:52 p.m. |
Public Works crews are on Main Street today from 7am-3:30pm installing plastic traffic delineators along the center line of Main Street to prevent drivers from making left turns into and out of the North Sound Center parking lot. Flaggers will be on site, please use caution and follow all direction from Public Works crew.
The City is eliminating left turn movements between Main Street and the North Sound Center parking lot located between I-5 and Labounty. Drivers wanting to access the North Sound Center parking lot from Main Street or westbound Main Street from the parking lot will need to utilize the intersection at Main and Labounty.
This change was motivated by the use of “Intelligence-Based Policing”, where the Ferndale Police Department works hand in hand with the City’s GIS mapping team to identify hot spots by layering crash data into the City’s GIS mapping database. Utilizing this approach, the City is better able to identify changes in accident distribution and identify areas where increased patrols or modifications may be necessary.
This location was identified as one of the most frequent spots for accidents as drivers taking a left turn off Main Street into the parking lot collide with vehicles accelerating to enter I-5. Signage is being installed to inform drivers of the change with further improvements and signage planned for early Spring 2019.
Notice Traffic Revisions and Possible Delays: Thursday, November 29, 2018 from 7:00am to 7:00pm
Pheasant Way, between Church Road and Tyler Lane.
Drivers should expect potential delays and consider alternate routes as Pheasant Way between Church Road and Tyler Lane will be closed to thru traffic on Thursday, November 29, 2018 from 7am to 7pm. Westbound traffic will be detoured via Tyler Lane, to Sunshine Drive, to Evergreen Way, to Thornton Street to Church Road. Eastbound traffic will be detoured via Church Road, to Thornton Street, to Evergreen Way, to Sunshine Drive to Tyler Lane. This road closure is to complete utility improvements associated with a private development project. Flaggers will be on site to assist traffic.
If you have questions regarding this notice, please contact Ferndale Public Works Department at (360) 384-4006.
Notice Traffic Revisions and Possible Delays: Thursday, November 29, 2018, 7am to 7pm
Vista Drive, between Seamount Drive and Gardiner Drive
Drivers should expect delays and consider alternate routes as southbound traffic on Vista Drive will be shifted east into the turn lane on Thursday, November 29, 2018 between the hours of 7:00am and 7:00pm. Traffic may also be stopped temporarily in work zone. Flaggers will be on site to assist traffic. This road closure is to complete utility work associated with a private development project.
See attached for the Traffic Control Plan.
If you have questions regarding this notice, please contact Ferndale Public Works Department at (360) 384-4006.
