The Seattle City Council will soon be considering reforms that would change land use development regulations, many affecting Ballard. Beth Miller, executive director of the Ballard Chamber of Commerce, is asking residents to urge the city council to delay the considerations until the neighborhood can fully examine how the changes would affect residents and businesses.
From Miller:
The parking portion of these proposed reforms is especially concerning as our supply of on-street parking continues to disappear. We feel that these types of decisions should be made on a neighborhood by neighborhood basis, taking into consideration each district’s unique characteristics. The proposed approach is very much a one-size-fits-all way of dealing with development.
We are encouraging folks to let the Planning, Land Use and Sustainability Committee (PLUS) know their concerns via e-mails, phone calls and at the next committee meeting. A number of local organizations have joined together to create a more united front—the Ballard Chamber, InBallard Merchants Association, the Central Ballard Residents Association and the Ballard District Council.
The next meeting for the PLUS committee members is June 13, at 9:30 a.m. at City Hall. Here is a full list of the proposed changes, and here is a letter from the Ballard Chamber to the Seattle City Council. For a full list of the PLUS committee members and their contact information, click here.