Ferndale fact versus fiction
Clearing up the mega-mall maelstrom
by Dana E. Blozis

This past March, BAS consultant and designer Mike Kohl unleashed a storm of concern throughout the region when he submitted a SEPA application for a new project in Ferndale. The proposal centered on plans for a mega mall that dwarfs Bellingham’s Bellis Fair in square footage, and could largely alter the economic makeup of Whatcom and Skagit counties.
Since the initial wave of concern, a mountain of misinformation has surrounded the project, causing residents, city and county officials, and political candidates to take sides. Others, including Ferndale Mayor Jerry Landcastle, have said it is too early to pass judgment on the project.
“It’s premature for people to have any kind of official response because we do not have an application,” Mayor Landcastle said. “We don’t know what the project is going to be.”
Ferndale City Council member Mel Hansen agreed.
“We can’t do much without an application. I won’t commit to the project until the application and economic impact statement are available.”
Nonetheless, the issue has been hotly contested in forums throughout Whatcom County. In an attempt to clear up the confusion, we interviewed city and county officials, Ferndale residents, and project designer and owner’s representative Mike Kohl.

The project
According to Kohl, the 98-acre parcel located on the south side of Axton Road just east of Interstate 5 was zoned commercial about six years ago. Since that time, the property’s owners have considered several design options using different consultants. After coming to a stalemate regarding design and economic feasibility, they turned to Mike Kohl at BAS Construction and Development Services in 2004.
Since joining the project, Kohl has worked closely with the owners to design a shopping center with an urban village feel to it. If approved, Pioneer Plaza will be a mixed use, commercial property featuring 160 condos, retail stores, parks and green space. Within the open lifestyle center, 56 acres will be developed, including approximately six acres of landscaping and parks. The remaining 42 acres will remain undeveloped.
Pioneer Plaza is expected to be 1.1 million square feet in size, with 800,000 square feet of retail space and 300,000 square feet of commercial and office space.
Moving away from the concept of strip malls and indoor shopping centers, Pioneer Plaza will feature an open air, attractive urban village similar in design to University Village in Seattle. Why the unique design? According to Kohl, the popularity of the enclosed mall is waning. Instead, shoppers prefer a landscaped, upscale shopping center where they can walk outdoors from store to store. The parcel in Ferndale is ideal for such a setting, he said.
In addition, Kohl said with Whatcom County’s growing population it has become necessary to build on green spaces. Rather than building on premium farmlands like those in Whatcom County’s northern portion, Kohl said it is preferable to utilize unused green spaces within city’s and designated urban growth areas.
The marketing goal of the project is to provide much needed housing, jobs, and local shopping in the growing city of Ferndale. Some believe there is no need for an additional mall, particularly because Bellis Fair in Bellingham has vacancies, as does the Peace Arch outlet mall on I-5 north of Ferndale. The concern is that a new mall would further detract from these businesses, and opponents to the project don’t believe the area can support another mall.
Mayor Landcastle disagrees.
“The kind of mall that this is could be very different from Bellis Fair,” he said.
Kohl explained that the Pioneer Plaza project is intended to be a regional mall to attract traffic along the I-5 corridor and from lower British Columbia. He believes the area can sustain another mall, particularly because figures show that 43 percent of Ferndale’s retail dollars left the community last year. People are traveling south to shopping centers like Burlington, Seattle and Bellevue. The new project would not only provide more local stores, but it would also help to keep local dollars in Ferndale, he said.
However, some Ferndale residents fear a Wal-Mart superstore will be included in the Pioneer Plaza project, an idea they oppose. Mike Kohl countered this concern, however, stating that the planned development is very site specific.
“I have no provision in this plan for Wal-Mart or any other big box store,” Kohl said.

Why Ferndale?
Many residents have questioned why Ferndale was selected as the site for this project. In addition to the availability of land, the Axton Road interchange is a hub for the north county area, Kohl said. Also, the parcel in question is located within Ferndale’s urban growth area.
Kohl said the project meets the requirements of the Growth Management Act and smart growth principles:
1. Development and growth within the city limits;
2. Building near arterial roads;
3. Building where existing services are available;
4. Building near primary arterials.
“There is a functional demand for these services to be provided,” Kohl added.
On the flip side, folks in Ferndale and throughout Whatcom County are concerned about the magnitude of the project.
“Ferndale’s concerns are generally tied to the size and scale of the project,” said Greg Young, Ferndale’s city administrator.
Lynnea Flarry, a Ferndale resident who has spoken out about the project, is concerned that the project will adversely affect the personality of Ferndale. In particular, she cites two goals listed in the city’s comprehensive plan: “preserve the small town atmosphere” and “protect existing residential neighborhoods from incompatible uses.” She believes both of these goals are being violated by the Pioneer Plaza project.
“The mall is totally against what is in Ferndale’s comprehensive plan,” Flarry said.
She does, however, agree that the area needs more shopping, but she is concerned about the existing stores in downtown Ferndale.
“What happens to those stores?” Flarry asked. “Some are still recovering from the Main Street project, and some didn’t make it.”
Young, on the other hand, sees the project, which will also add considerable dollars to the city’s tax rolls, as a positive.
“I think downtown will be affected in a very positive way,” Young said. “The mall will provide a great deal of exposure to Ferndale.”
This, Young said, will bring more traffic to the area. While he doesn’t anticipate all of the Pioneer Plaza shoppers will also visit downtown Ferndale, he believes a certain percentage will trek over the freeway to see what the downtown offers.
Young does not agree that the proposed mall will diminish the success of local businesses. The current stores are often specialty stores, he said, and won’t necessarily compete with newer or larger stores.
“Businesses succeed or fail based on a good business plan and good products or services,” Young added.
Kohl agreed. “It’s a cute little downtown,” he said. “Ferndale won’t suffer any more from this project than it has to date.”
“The market share is here, the people are here, the income is here, and the sophistication of buyers is here,” Kohl added.
Elizabeth Behnke is another concerned citizen from Ferndale who has been publicly vocal about Pioneer Plaza.
“I have my doubts,” she said. “I’m definitely against it.”
Of particular concern to Behnke is the increase in traffic from gas-powered vehicles, the drain on city resources like water, and the ability to continue to “buy local” goods and services.
“I’m concerned about the quality of life in Whatcom County,” Behnke said.
Ferndale residents Brad and Rhonda Oxford, on the other hand, are excited about the Pioneer Project.
“I’m very much in favor of it,” Brad Oxford said. “We have a need of a tax base to make any kind of improvements like roads, sidewalks and downtown beautification.”
In particular, the Oxfords like the architectural layout, the different building styles, and the overall project design.
“We have a long term attachment to Ferndale and want to see it grow in the proper manner,” Brad Oxford said.
Oxford’s family settled in Ferndale in the 1850s. He and his wife live on the same property where his family originally built. Oxford, a member of the city’s planning commission, owns the Carnation Oxford Building next to Samuel’s Furniture. In addition to his 15 commercial tenants, he speaks to other residents on a daily basis.
“I’d say about 80 to 90 percent are in favor of the project,” Oxford claimed.

The controversy
Among the areas that are widely debated is whether or not other Whatcom County municipalities should have a voice in the proposed project’s approval or rejection. To date, both the Whatcom County Council and the Bellingham City Council have passed resolutions opposing the Pioneer Plaza project.
Whatcom County Council member Barbara Brenner is one of those opposed to the mall. She said the county should be consulted about the project. Kohl said, however, once the application has been made, the county will receive a copy and will be involved as required by the planning process.
Brenner said the way the project has been handled so far violates the county’s county-wide planning policies. According to Brenner, the project “violates the spirit and the wording of our county-wide planning policies.”
“Everybody in Whatcom County pays county taxes and this is a regional proposal that will have major regional consequences,” Brenner said.
In particular, Brenner is concerned that the language of the current planned unit development (PUD) is not strong enough to protect the taxpayers. She said that once the application is made, the project could be vested and the PUD will not impose sufficient requirements.
She said the cost for infrastructure costs “will be forever,” and will impact all Whatcom County taxpayers. In addition, she does not see the project as viable. Not only does she doubt claims that the state will make road improvements, but she believes the project is too large in scale to be popular or to fit within Whatcom County’s character.
“The long term probability for success is not very high,” Brenner said.
Citizens like Flarry, Behnke and current Ferndale City Council candidate Ken Downey have voiced concern that the city council is not receptive to their concerns. In fact, when approximately 75 residents attended the city council’s July 6, 2005 meeting, they requested an emergency moratorium on accepting new proposals. During this time, the residents wanted the city to update its PUD and comprehensive plan before considering any new projects.
At the meeting, Flarry said residents presented a petition with 450 signatures to the council. She said the council did not ask to see the petition. A six-week ban was proposed by Council member Ron Wilson but was not seconded, and the council proceeded with other agenda items.
“I don’t feel like our city officials are adequately representing the residents of Ferndale,” Flarry said.
To further protest the Pioneer Plaza project, “Don’t Mega Mall Ferndale” signs were made and posted in store windows and residents’ yards. While some have been vandalized, some signs remain. In addition, 300 signatures were added to the petition at Ferndale’s Old Settlers’ Picnic, bringing the total to 750, representing approximately 7.5 percent of Ferndale’s estimated population of 10,000.
City Council candidate Ken Downey, who is running against incumbent Susan Cole (not associated with Sue Cole of Brown and Cole Stores), is concerned about the city’s handling of the proposed project.
“They should adjust the picture to fit the frame, not the frame to fit the picture,” Downey said.
Another area that has been strongly debated is what infrastructure changes are needed and who will pay for them. Those opposed to the project believe that Whatcom County taxpayers will bear the brunt of the costs. Brenner and Flarry have also said the state does not have plans to improve Axton Road in its long-range plan. Others do not agree, including Mike Kohl and council member Hansen.
According to Kohl, the owners understand that infrastructure improvements will be needed, and they are prepared to make the necessary expenditures. Hansen pointed out that the city could ask the state for a grant to help pay for the needed road improvements, with matching funds coming from the developer. This could be made a condition for approval of the project, he suggested.

What’s next?
Kohl said that he is working on the completion of the application, and expects it to be submitted by the end of September. Following that, it will be in the hands of the Ferndale Planning Department, headed by Tom Black, who will follow the department’s normal procedure for handling. This process could take up to a year.
“The city will give the application due process when it is received, as we are required to do and is prudent,” Mayor Landcastle said.
Pending approval of the project, Kohl anticipates the project could be started in two years with a completion date of two to five years, depending on project phasing.

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