According to materials assembled by the city in preparation of an upcoming Hearing Examiner meeting, a project to restore a building on Barrett Road to use as a hotel is described as
an extended stay transient accommodation facility in existing structure on site, previously occupied by [an] assisted living facility.
The location is currently zoned “General Business” and labeled “Commercial” in the city’s current Comprehensive Plan. But, according to city staff, General Business zoning does not allow for a hotel at that location. While the location was permitted when originally a hotel, changes to zoning in that area since now make a hotel an unpermitted business use.
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Click for more informationApplication for a conditional use permit due to the incompatible zoning is the reason this project is going before the Hearing Examiner. Applicants are listed as Harjit Dhaliwal and Tony Dhaliwal, principals of the recently opened Orca Inn extended stay facility at 4071 Home Road in Bellingham.
According to the Ferndale city website,
The Hearing Examiner reviews, holds public hearings when appropriate and makes a final determination on many development applications, such as Conditional Use Permit Applications, …
The Staff Report for the Hearing Examiner meeting describes the expected facility operations as follows,
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Click for more informationCustomers may stay for a maximum of 30 consecutive days. Customers may check back in after a period of 48 hours, and then may stay another 30 consecutive days. While the hotel is targeting out of town customers such as contractors, and consultants, there is the possibility of low income and homeless staying within this facility.
Also according to the Staff Report,
The properties directly surrounding 5370 Barrett Road are currently vacant. Approximately 200 feet to the North is Pioneer Commercial Center, and 800 feet to the East is Liberty Park Long Plat, a residential subdivision. There is a significant amount of wooded area on the vacant sites surrounding 5370 Barrett Road, buffering the hotel from the subdivision.
The Staff Report points out there are limited uses for the existing structure, including hotel, assisting living and some other form of multi-family development.
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Click for more informationIf the Hearing Examiner finds appropriate conditions have not been proposed by the applicant so as to permit the granting of the permit, he may either deny the permit or impose conditions to allow granting of the permit.
The public meeting is scheduled for February 4th but information published online by the City of Ferndale did not include the time or location of the hearing. In the past, Hearing Examiner meetings have been held in the Ferndale City Hall Annex at 5694 Second Avenue. This article will be updated after receiving confirmation of time and location of the meeting from the city.
UPDATE 8:15am 2/1/16:
City staff confirmed the Hearing Examiner meeting is scheduled for 7pm on February 4th in the Ferndale City Hall Annex (Council Chambers).
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