The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) presented strategic and capital proposals for downtown Ferndale including a planned wayfinding and sidewalk improvement program, bannered as a largely one-time investment funded by TIF capture and supplemental grant awards.

Major points:
- Wayfinding and sidewalks: the DDA intends to contract design and public engagement this year and execute fabrication and installation in a subsequent year; the downtown team showed a program budget in the presentation that includes design, fabrication, streetscape elements and sidewalk repair work. Staff said roughly $700,000 of work was shown in FY2026; part of the total will be grant-funded (county and other sources) where available.
- TIF and funding basis: DDA staff explained the downtown tax-increment financing district and said the current projection reflects some downward pressure from the same Headlee/Proposal A dynamic discussed by the city manager. The DDA also pointed to Main Street and county funding sources that they use for programming and capital.
- Parking operations: parking staff said the city will transition meter technology from pay-by-space (where users enter a stall number) to pay-by-plate (license-plate-based payments) and that the roll-out requires signage and kiosk inventory changes; staff requested about $60,000 in FY2026 to finish kiosk replacements and also plans camera/garage equipment improvements for safety. Parking revenues were presented in the budget with a multi-year projection; presenters noted the accounting includes noncash depreciation entries used in the parking fund’s historic deficit-elimination plan.

The DDA also summarized downtown maintenance contracts (DPW-managed maintenance and a new pilot for downtown sidewalk snow removal) and said its public-art and event programming continues to bring foot traffic downtown. DDA staff said additional strategic-planning work will inform long-term TIF spending priorities.

Speakers: DDA executive director Jenny (presentation), Park Ferndale representative Bruce Campbell (parking operations update) and Bruce (parking director) gave the operational briefings. Councilmembers asked staff to be mindful of long-term TIF balance and to align sidewalk improvements with broader street grants where possible.

Ending: the DDA asked council to support staff’s pursuit of matching grant funds and to consider the timing of any dedicated city funding so that grant windows and fabrications schedules align with construction-season timelines.