Ferndale council approves one-hour Sunday sound extension for DIY Street Fair

Ferndale City Council voted to allow an extended hour of amplified sound for the DIY Street Fair on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, approving an appeal to move the sound curfew from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. The council also approved the event permit for the DIY Street Fair to be held Sept. 19–21, 2025, with the 10 p.m. Sunday hour reflected in the permit.

Council members debated the request after the event organizer said an extra hour would materially help revenue for artists and vendors and could improve the event’s ability to break even. Event planner Chris Johnston told the council, “I love seeing the police and fire and everyone at our events. I think it’s a great asset to have,” and said he could program quieter, more “listener-friendly” music for the 9–10 p.m. hour to reduce impacts on neighbors.

The debate revisited a 2018 Special Events Committee recommendation and a city policy revision that limit amplified sound on Sundays; staff told council the special events policy as revised March 10 (year in packet) specifically states sound amplification shall be limited to 9 p.m. on Sundays. Several council members said they wanted a path forward that balanced neighborhood quiet with event viability, suggesting softer programming, decibel monitoring or post‑event review. Staff was asked to report back on complaints and event impacts in time to inform next year’s approvals.

Council members voted 4–1 to approve the appeal permitting the Sunday extension to 10 p.m. (Yes: Johnson, Kelly, Mikulski, Leaksmay; No: Polica) and then unanimously (5–0) approved the related special event permit as amended to reflect that extension. The council did not attach specific operational conditions to the extension beyond the requirement that the issued permit reflect the new hour; several members urged the promoter voluntarily to use lower‑impact programming from 9 to 10 p.m. and asked staff to monitor complaints and compliance.

Discussion also touched on event costs charged to promoters. Staff described a pattern in which department cost estimates for events have historically exceeded final billed amounts and noted that sustainability requirements added in 2022 and the city purchase of 16 crowd barriers (50% grant-funded; city share roughly $40,000) contributed to increased event line items. Council members said they want improved transparency on staffing estimates and how charges are assessed and signaled interest in examining how large legacy events such as Dream Cruise are billed in future budget discussions.

The decision applies to the DIY Street Fair dates and hour specified; council members said future permits will be decided on their own record and that staff will prepare complaint/usage reports to inform next season’s policy.