In September, the Seattle Department of Planning and Development proposed a rezone of three industrial areas in Ballard. The Ballard District Council voted Dec. 9 to ask the city to reconsider a zoning change that would allow residential buildings on a portion of Market Street.

The city plans to rezone Subarea 1, a section along the north side of Market Street from 25th Avenue Northwest to 30th Avenue Northwest, from an Industrial Buffer zone to a Neighborhood Commercial zone, which could include housing, office space and retail.

Catherine Weatbrook, an at-large member of the Ballard District Council, said putting residential that close to the working waterfront on the other side of Market Street could lead to conflicts over light and noise.

Weatbrook said a lot of residential development has already been built up in Ballard. The council's preference of an Industrial Commercial zone for Subarea 1 would bring in living-wage jobs, she said.

In a letter being sent by the Ballard District Council to Seattle City Council member Sally Clark, the district council states that they strongly oppose the change to Neighborhood Commercial zoning.

The letter states support for the city's plan to change the zone of Subarea 2, the south side of Market Street between 26th Avenue Northwest and 30th Avenue Northwest, from General Industrial to Industrial Commercial, which allows mixed industry and office space.

According to the letter, the council believes the zoning change in Subarea 2 would maintain a protective buffer for Ballard-Interbay Manufacturing and Industrial Center land to the south.

The district council also supports the planned rezone of Subarea 3, both sides of Leary Avenue between 15th Avenue Northwest and 20th Avenue Northwest, to an industrial Commercial zone.

According to the letter, the council feels this change will contribute to a thriving business district without impacting the industrial core of Ballard.

The views expressed by the Ballard District Council in the letter to Clark are consistent with views expressed in a similar letter sent by the Ballard Chamber of Commerce.