CITY COUNCIL NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING 10/15/2025
CITY OF FERNDALE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING OF THE FERNDALE CITY COUNCIL NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Ferndale City Council will hold a public hearing and first reading on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at 6:00 pm at 834 Main Street, Ferndale, California, to consider the Planning Commission’s recommendation to adopt amendments to the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances. The purpose of the amendments is to achieve consistency with the adopted Housing, Land Use, and Safety elements of the Ferndale General Plan, and the Subdivision Map Act (Calif. Government Code 66410 et seq.), implement Programs of the City’s adopted 6th cycle Housing Element, and address changes in State housing law. The proposed amendments to the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances can be read online on the City of Ferndale’s website at https://ci.ferndale.ca.us/documents/zoning-ordinance-update/ and a printed copy is available for review at City Hall during regular business hours. Project Description: The City Council will consider the following Project: • Adopt text amendments to various sections of Ordinance No. 02-02 (the Zoning Ordinance), including: Article 3: Definitions add and update terms such as single room occupancy housing, supportive housing, and other terms; Article 5: Regulations for the Principal Zone amendments that include adding single room occupancy housing and supportive housing developments as allowed housing types in the Residential Two Family (or R2), Residential Multiple-Family (or R3), Neighborhood Commercial (or C1), and Community Commercial (or C2) zones; update the Development Criteria of the R1, R2, and R3 zones to clarify the exterior siding material language, and to add “non-reflective or anti-reflective Class A metal roof” as a permissible roofing material; Article 6: Regulations for the Combining Zones to add provisions for a Streamside Protection Area (or -SPA) combining zone; Article 7: General Provisions and Exceptions to add new provisions for single room occupancy (SRO) housing and supportive housing developments in accordance with State housing laws and the Housing Element programs; and add new procedures requiring Planning Commission discretionary review for the demolition of existing hotels, motels, and multifamily development, and buildings and structures located in Ferndale’s designated historic district and designated historic buildings; Article 10 add the findings to approve a use permit and a special permit; and Article 12 move the provisions for Special Permits to Article 10. • Adopt text amendments to various sections of Ordinance 99-04 (the Subdivision Ordinance), including streamline the review of lot line adjustments and voluntary parcel mergers; and updates to the expiration and extension provisions for approved and conditionally approved tentative map subdivisions for consistency with the Subdivision Map Act. Project location for the proposed amendments to the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances: Citywide. Environmental Information: Approval of an Addendum to the Programmatic Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) (SCH# 2023020217) certified for the Land Use Element update of the Ferndale General Plan on November 20, 2024 is recommended pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15162 and 15164: None of the conditions requiring preparation of a subsequent EIR have occurred, and the Project would not result in any new significant impacts not analyzed or considered under the PEIR. You may send written comments to cityclerk@ci.ferndale.ca.us. All comments must be received by 12:00 pm, the day of the public hearing. Comments will be forwarded to the Commission for their consideration. This City endeavors to be ADA compliant. Should you require assistance with written information or access to the facility, or a hearing amplification, please call (707) 786-4224 24 hours prior to the meeting. Thank You Kristene Hall, City Clerk