Ferndale Limits Size of Big-Box Stores

Earlier this month the Bellingham City Council limited the size of retail outlets to 90k S.F. per store. That stopped plans for a “Super” Wal-mart in Bellingham. The shrill retort from our local pro-business sycophants was; 'well fine, Walmart will just build the "Super Store" up the road in Ferndale and we never liked Bellingham anyways'. But that ain't happenin' either:

City slaps ban on large retail

by Matthew Anderson - Record-Journal editor

... The Ferndale City Council on Tuesday voted 6-0, with Councilman Mel Hansen absent, to impose a six-month moratorium on applications submitted through the planned unit development process for single-use retail facilities larger than 75,000 square feet.

The decision was in response to a proposal submitted by the Ferndale Downtown Development Association that asked the Council to consider its position on such developments.

Wal-Mart has been attempting to add a grocery store to its existing Bellingham outlet, but the Bellingham City Council last week passed an ordinance essentially forbidding that action, forcing store officials to look elsewhere in the county should they decide to continue seeking the expansion. ... (article)