Two areas formerly zoned for industrial uses in downtown Ballard will be opened to new commercial development, but a stretch along the north side of Market Street will remained closed to residential development, after an April 19 Seattle City Council vote.

The council voted 8-0 to approve the planned rezone of Subarea 2, the south side of Market Street between 26th Avenue Northwest and 30th Avenue Northwest, from General Industrial to Industrial Commercial and Subarea 3, both sides of Leary Avenue between 15th Avenue Northwest and 20th Avenue Northwest, from General Industrial and Industrial Buffer to Industrial Commercial.

An Industrial Commercial zone allows for a mix of industrial uses and office and retail space.

As part of the vote, all projects built in Subarea 2 and Subarea 3 will be subject to the city's design review process.

Instead of converting it to Industrial Commercial or Neighborhood Commercial, the council decided to leave Subarea 1, the north side of Market Street from 25th Avenue Northwest to 30th Avenue Northwest, as an Industrial Buffer zone.

During the vote, Sally Clark, chair of the council's Committee on the Built Environment, said the city typically does not like to leave industrial zones in urban villages like downtown Ballard. But, Ballard is a special case because of the Ship Canal the the industries that it supports, she said.

When the city announced in September it would be rezoning the three industrial areas, the plan was to convert Subarea 1 to Neighborhood Commercial, which allows a mix of office, retail and residential space.

In December, the Ballard District Council and Ballard Chamber of Commerce sent letters to the Seattle City Council urging them not to allow residential development on the north side of Market Street.

The two organizations stated that residential development could create light, noise and traffic conflicts with the industrial businesses across Market Street.

Dan Nolan, Clark's legislative aide, said the councilmembers deliberated over whether or not there was a compelling reason to change the Industrial Buffer zone in Subarea 1 and ultimately decided the zoning was appropriate in its current form.

Nolan said it is unlikely there will be any move to change the zoning in Subarea 1 in the foreseeable future.