Ferndale adopts vacant-structure ordinance with six-month registration and $600 fee

Summary

The Ferndale City Council on May 5 adopted a vacant-and-abandoned-structure ordinance that requires owners to register vacant buildings every six months, submit to an initial in-person inspection and monthly exterior checks, and pay a $600 six-month registration fee; the council also approved a required fee review in October 2025.

The Ferndale City Council adopted an ordinance to regulate vacant and abandoned structures on May 5, 2025, requiring a six-month registration, an in-person inspection by community development and fire staff before registration is issued, monthly exterior inspections and a six-month registration fee of $600.

City staff said the ordinance is intended to protect public health, safety and neighborhood welfare by requiring maintenance of vacant properties, enabling interior inspections where necessary, and giving staff enforcement tools when owners fail to comply.

Community & Economic Development Director Roger Crusoe told the council the program is designed to address long-running resident complaints about derelict and vacant properties that attract vermin, dumping and structural hazards. The ordinance excludes properties with an active rental license or a current building permit, allows…

Ferndale adopts vacant-structure ordinance with six-month registration and $600 fee

Summary

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