Ferndale Shoreline Master Program: periodic review
Final approval
On Dec. 5, 2024, we approved the City of Ferndale's shoreline master program (SMP) periodic review amendment.
Ferndale’s updated SMP is effective Dec. 19, 2024, 14 days after we provided notice to the City that their amendment was approved.
The City’s SMP regulates shoreline uses and activities along shorelines within city limits including sections of the Nooksack River, Ten Mile Creek, Cedar Creek, Schell Creek, Silver Creek, Whiskey Creek, and Tennant Lake along with associated wetlands. The City’s periodic review amendment brings the SMP into compliance with state rules that have been added or changed since the City’s comprehensive SMP update in 2009. It also ensures the SMP remains consistent with amended comprehensive plans and regulations, and incorporates revisions deemed necessary to reflect changed local circumstances, new information, or improved data.
Conditional approval
On August 2, 2024, we provided the City of Ferndale with required and recommended changes to their periodic review amendment. The changes are based on our review of whether or not the proposed update complies with state laws and rules, and two public comment periods held Jan. 27 to Feb. 10, 2021 and May 19 to June 16, 2021 and two virtual public hearings on Feb. 10, 2021 and June 16, 2021.
The City sent formal response to us on Nov. 8, 2024, accepting all of our required and recommended changes.
The public participation plan the City prepared for their periodic amendment informed, involved, and encouraged participation of interested persons and private entities, Tribes, and applicable agencies having interests and responsibilities relating to shorelines. We distributed notice of the state comment period by email to state and local interested parties. We received one public comment. We individually notified and invited the Lummi Nation, and the Nooksack Indian Tribe to comment on the amendment. An additional opportunity to provide comment or consult Government to Government was extended to the Swinomish Tribal Community, the Tulalip Tribes, and the Upper Skagit Tribe later in the state review process. No Tribal comments or feedback was received.
Documents related to approval
Note: All documents are PDF
- Ecology's Dec. 5, 2024, final approval letter
- City of Ferndale's Nov. 8, 2024, letter accepting our changes
- Director of Ecology's Aug. 2, 2024 letter
- Periodic Review Checklist
- Locally Adopted SMP
Paper copies of the above documents are available by contacting Stephanie Barney (contact information below).
Appeals
- Per RCW 90.58.190(2) and RCW 36.70A.290, an interested party may file an appeal with the Growth Management Hearings Board within 60 days of the publication date of our written notice of final action.
- We plan to publish the notice of final action in the Ferndale Record legal ads on Jan. 8, 2025.
Related links
Contact information
Stephanie Barney
Shoreline Planner
Stephanie.Barney@ecy.wa.gov
360-296-2103