City of Ferndale (COF) staff will be recommending Ferndale City Councilmembers approve an ordinance that will impose an 6-month emergency moratorium on the “submission, acceptance, processing or approval of any permit or land use applications related to storage, mini-storage, or similar uses.” This is on the agenda for tonight’s Ferndale City Council meeting.
The ordinance says a reason for the moratorium is storage and mini-storage operations are typically unmanned and therefore not do not provide as many jobs as could other business types.
Another reason cited is the “potential proliferation of storage operations threatens the existing and planned character of the General Business zone, specifically along Portal Way.”
The COF acknowledges it is currently processing “several” development applications for additional storage facilities and is aware of at least 4 pending applications.
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One applicant in the early planning stages is Pioneer Pole Buildings Owner Doug Scoggins. Scoggins has built and operates several storage facility buildings on Portal Way and recently approached the city about a facility on 20 acres of a property on Portal Way.
The property was recently cleared and prepared to be developed as a business park and a facility for a food manufacturer. But the food manufacturer is reported to have purchased their Bellingham facility and now plans keep their operations in Bellingham.
According to COF Community Development Director Jori Burnett, Scoggins has submitted a complete land use application for the 20 acre development so it would be ‘vested’ and not impacted by this moratorium. “The moratorium is focused exclusively on the acceptance of applications for new projects,” Burnett said in an email.
The City Council meeting is scheduled to convene at 6pm at the City Annex Building at 5694 2nd Avenue.