City Council

Ridgefield City Council appointed Judy Chipman and Rachel Coker to Positions 7 and 2 respectively, filling two vacancies created by Council resignations.

Positions 7 and 2 were vacated last month when Council Members Sandra Day and Dana Ziemer resigned due to their plans to move out of Ridgefield. State law provides that in a vacancy City Council “shall appoint a qualified person to fill the vacant position.”

Applications for appointment were opened on Friday, June 11 and closed at noon on Friday, June 25. In total, 10 eligible applications were received. The City Clerk provided each Councilmember with a notebook including all applications. Councilmembers reviewed and rated each candidate to select 4 finalists to interview.

At the City Council Meeting on Thursday, July 22, Council voted by ballot to appoint Judy Chipman to Position 7. Chipman took the Oath of Office and was seated for the vote for Position 2. Rachel Coker was appointed to Position 2, and subsequently took the Oath of Office. Both Council members will sit for election in 2023.

Judy Chipman grew up in Ridgefield and moved back to the area 9 years ago. Chipman served on the Columbia Credit Union Board of Directors for 9 years and retired from Bonneville Power Administration in 2017. In 2018, Chipman was appointed to the Ridgefield Planning Commission. Chipman enjoys attending Raptors games, walking her neighborhood, and enjoying the small-town atmosphere of Ridgefield.\

Rachel Coker has served as a member on the Parks Advisory Board since 2019. She has been involved in the community through the Parks Board, attending community events, volunteering at the Lions Club booth at the Clark County Fair, and attending business spotlight events by Ridgefield Life magazine and the Ridgefield Chamber of Commerce. Coker enjoys Eagle’s View Lookout Park, the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, and photographing local events and landscapes.

The March 25th City Council Meeting (tomorrow) will hold the first public hearing regarding a tree ordinance in the City of Ridgefield that would update the housing code. We would like to influence the City to adopt a bold tree ordinance in the residential housing code that will require landscaping at time of development to include trees because of their benefits to the environment.

How can you help? Send an email to the city clerk in support of such a Tree Ordinance before 3:00pm tomorrow. This will allow your email to be distributed to the City Councilors and become part of the public record.  If you can perhaps solicit like-minded Ridgefielders in your personal network to do the same, it would be a great help! For public hearings the City Clerk’s office is responsible for the emails, so no need to email specific councilors.

Written comments may be submitted to the City Clerk via email julie.ferriss@ridgefieldwa.us or be placed in the drop box in front of City Hall no later than 3PM on the day of the scheduled City Council meeting. Comments will be compiled and provided to the City Council and necessary City staff.

Some details from the City:

The City does not currently have a tree ordinance pertaining to new developments. There are requirements in RDC 18.725 including a total landscape coverage of 50% for low density developments and 25% for medium density developments.

We are currently working on housing code updates that would, among other things, require trees to be planted on individual residential lots at the time of development. Those proposed code updates will go to City Council for a public hearing on March 25. If you are interested in attending, the meeting information will be here the week of the meeting:

https://ridgefieldwa.us/government/city-departments/city-council/

On May 1, Governor Inslee extended the “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” emergency order until Sunday, May 31 and introduced a 4 Phase plan for reopening Washington State. Today, we are in Phase 1.

This is what Phase 1 means in Ridgefield:

What is changing:
• Some outdoor recreation, including hunting, fishing, golf, boating, and hiking have been re-opened with physical distancing restrictions in place. If you choose to recreate in these remember: leave 6 feet between you and others outside your household, check for openings before you leave, and stay close to home. If you will be utilizing the Port of Ridgefield boat launch, please remember the dock is for loading and unloading only.
• Existing construction projects that meet physical distancing criteria may resume/continue.
• Retail businesses may re-open for curbside business only.

What is NOT changing:
• City offices remain closed to the public. Our phones are staffed during business hours. Utility payments may be made online, by mail, drop-off, or phone.
• All gatherings (except for drive in spiritual services) are prohibited. All public events and park reservations through May 31st are cancelled.
• City parks and trails remain open. Play structures, sports courts, and public restrooms at parks are closed.
• To alleviate worry and maintain a standard of health in our community, the City will not assess late fees nor disconnect water service until further notice. You will continue to receive bills and past due reminders during this time. If you are having trouble paying your bill, please call us at (360) 887-3557 to make payment arrangements.
• All non-essential meetings, including regular Parks Board and Planning Commission meetings, will be suspended. Essential City Council meetings will continue to occur but will be conducted via teleconference. City Council members will not be attending the meetings in person.