(Editor's note; This story has been corrected from an earlier version.)

The Seattle City Council voted today to amend an existing ordinance to create an exception to a requirement that museums in general industrial areas can only occupy buildings that existed as of Oct. 5 1987.

The council's planning and land use committee approved the change last week.

The vote allows the Nordic Heritage Museum to build a new facility at the site of the old Fenpro building on Northwest Market Street, west of 24th Avenue Northwest.

The museum has already completed a $5.1 million deal to purchase the 75,000 square foot building, located in the Ballard Hub Urban Village.

Eric Nelson, executive director of the Nordic Heritage Museum, has said he expects the museum to move to the new location by 2014. A new facility will be built, being designed now by Mithun Partners.

At a public hearing last week, Nelson told the committee that without the amendment, the museum would not be able to realize its vision of creating a "world-class" center for Nordic heritage for the community and city.

Erik Pihl, a member of the museum's board of trustees, said building a museum dedicated to Nordic history and culture is "ideally suited" for Ballard's working waterfront and industrial area, which was founded by Nordic immigrants.

Tom Hauger with the city's Department of Planning and Development, said at the Feb. 11 city council planning and land use meeting, the change would allow museums to occupy new structures and that it would effect approximately 5 acres.

Hauger also said the area is designated within the Ballard Neighborhood Plan to encourage pedestrian activity.

"We don't think there are impacts with this footnote other than this very narrow location."

Some concerns from the industrial community were gathered at a recent Ballard Interbay Manufacturing Industrial Council meeting. Their objections, said Hauger, stemmed around the possibility that the museum might object to noise or smells associated with their businesses.

The museum plans to include sound proofing in the construction of its new facility.