The City of Ferndale is updating its zoning ordinance, which shapes the way we live, work, and play in our beautiful community.
The primary goal is to create a sustainable, inclusive, modern, and user-friendly code, consistent with the 2022 Master Plan and Climate Action Plan. The City is working hard to ensure this process reflects the vision of all Ferndale residents and stakeholders, and we want to hear from YOU.
Check back soon for an event schedule, progress reports, and opportunities to provide input through forums, surveys, conversations, and mapping.
A Modern, Inclusive, and Sustainable Zoning Ordinance
Ferndale’s zoning ordinance regulates the use of land throughout the City, including the design of buildings, sites, and new streets. These requirements must be met for new construction and exterior renovations or site alterations. This rewrite will modernize the zoning code to ensure it is cohesive in its requirements and standards, incorporates form-based design, and removes barriers to sustainability practices and economic development.
The City’s objective is to reflect the equity and sustainability goals and community values that Ferndale embodies. The foundation of this project is an extensive and robust public engagement process geared to reach all stakeholders. This process is designed to ensure it achieves the City’s goals of an inclusive and comprehensive engagement with multiple opportunities for input and proactive participation with a breadth of stakeholders, age groups, and knowledge levels.
The approach and process for this rewrite reflects the community’s values from the 2022 Master Plan:
PROGRESSIVE
Priortize people and diverse perspectives in decision-making.
INCLUSIVE
Increase civic transparency and community engagement and prioritize policies and practices that make Ferndale a welcoming community to everyone.
EQUITABLE
Prioritize policies and actions that support people of all ages, races, ethnicities, abilities, sexual orientations, and gender expressions.
HEALTHY
Support the physical, emotional, and social well-being of all Ferndale residents and communities.
SUSTAINABLE
Facilitate individual and collective action to reduce resource consumption and promote healthy, active lifestyles.
THRIVING
Provide the opportunity for all residents to succeed.
RESILIENT
Strengthen social networks to withstand shocks and stresses.
CONNECTED
Connect to local neighborhood and advocacy groups to expand social networks among Ferndale residents and businesses.