What's New in Stanwood: November 2026

A lot happens in Stanwood between council meetings, and the last couple of weeks brought real news: a packed council table over the Flock cameras, design officially starting on a new police station, and a holiday calendar that is now mostly locked in. Here is the current version of the story, pulled from the city's own updates and local reporting, current as of the first week of November 2026.

The Flock cameras came before the council

The October 8 city council meeting was dominated by the Flock license plate camera debate. Dozens of residents testified urging the council to cancel or not renew the city's contract with Flock Safety, while a smaller group defended the cameras as a needed force multiplier for a small police department. The city had published "The Facts About Flock Safety" on October 5 to lay out what the system does and does not do.

For context: the cameras were reactivated in April 2026 after Governor Bob Ferguson signed the Driver Privacy Act, and the city has said the system uses no facial recognition, records no video, and retains images for 21 days. In August, the council unanimously approved a $40,000 payment as Stanwood's share of an $80,000 settlement of a public records lawsuit over the camera images. As of this writing the program remains active, and this is a debate worth following whether you live here or are just watching the town's direction from the outside.

The new police station is officially in design

Stanwood was awarded $100,000 in state capital funds to begin design of a new police station, planned across from the school district administration building on Pioneer Highway. The city's project page, updated October 16, says design is underway and construction is likely several years away, dependent on state and federal funding. For anyone living near the downtown area, that means continued site planning on a visible city property, not near-term construction.

Budget season opened

The city opened its 2027-2028 biennial budget process and, on October 1, the application window for the 2027 docket, the annual list of code, ordinance, and road work residents can request. If you have petitioned the city about a street or a code issue before, this is the time of year to get your request on the list.

The holiday calendar is set

• Ornament Tree Lighting, Saturday, November 28, 3 to 6 PM along the historic brick road downtown, kicks off the holiday season.
• The Lights of Christmas at Warm Beach Camp runs Friday, November 27 through Sunday, December 27. This season it is a walking event with activities, food and craft vendors, and light displays.
• Light Up Your Holidays Tree Lighting, Saturday, December 5 starting at 3 PM at 8727 271st Street NW, with live performances through the evening, Santa, and downtown business stops.
• The first annual Krampus Night Market and Parade, Saturday, December 19 at 3 PM in Old Town along the brick road, is free and open to the public.

Bottom line

Stanwood's public safety, its downtown, and its holiday calendar are all getting real attention right now. The camera debate shows a town arguing about how it wants to police itself, and the design work and budget season show a city planning ahead. Add the holiday events on the calendar and there is a lot to see on a visit, and a lot to know before you buy.