Blocks at Ballard II, LLC, filed an application for Council Land Use Action to rezone a 168,069 square foot property (1401 NW 46th St.) from IG2-U (Industrial General) to IC-65 (Industrial Commercial).

The vacant lot is directly across from Edith Macefield's house: a nail house that was formed by developers building the current Blocks at Ballard Complex around the house after Mrs. Macefield refused to sell.

The analysis from the application found on the DPD site, states that the property has been vacant for seven years after it was entitled by the City in 2007 for retail and office building uses.

Before the lot was vacant there was a paint mixing shop but after closing in 2007 the buildings fell into disrepair and were demolished.

In 2008 the Industrial Code changed, making various forms of development less flexible at the Blocks at Ballard II site.

The owner (Blocks at Ballard II, LLC) would like to rezone the property “…to a designation more consistent with the adjacent and nearby development. …To rezone Industrial Commercial is necessary to allow additional, viable development flexibility.”

In other words, the rezone would allow more flexibility for development in the future.

However, the application states that no developmental proposals are associated with the rezoning. But, the application also states that the property was meant to be the “companion development” of the Block at Ballard Complex, which was completed in 2009.

Since then the owner has been proposing a series of Comprehensive Plan Amendments to change the zone the property resides in from “Industrial” to “Mixed-Use Commercial.”

The application was submitted on Sept. 30th and the public comment period ended on Oct. 29. However, the DPD has extended the application comment period to Nov. 12 because of actions taken by the Ballard District Council and the Ballard Chamber of Commerce/ The Ballard Partnership for Smart Growth (BPSG).

The BPSG is a multi‐year strategic initiative to encourage investment and build sustainable relationships in Ballard. The BPSG is currently engaged in a long-term Urban Design Framework planning process that's led by the DPD in order to define the urban design recommendations (land use regulations, street-scape design, and design guidelines) that will guide future development.

The applicant site is within the area of the Urban Design Framework study, therefore the BPSG wants the rezoning to be tabled until the study is completed and new regulations and guidelines are put in place. The study is set to be completed spring of 2015.

In a letter to the DPD (found on the project wed page), Scott Ingham, Chair of the BPSG, wrote, “… any rezones of industrial lands that would allow new commercial uses must also ensure that future project proposals on rezoned land must adhere to stricter design guidelines and that all potential project impacts (e.g. environmental, transportation etc.) are studied and mitigation plans are required.”

The Ballard District Council agreed with Ingham.

“The key differences between the existing and the proposed code is a vast increase in the amount of allowable non-industrial impact to Ballard’s industrial zone as well as the potential significant change in scale of any new retail/commercial space at this location. Without the context of the Urban Design Framework work product, this proposed rezone should be tabled," wrote Kirk Robbins, President of the Ballard District Council.

"Ballard District Council strongly urges the Seattle City Council to table consideration of the proposed rezone at 1401 NW 46th Street until the collaborative DPD-BPSG Urban Design Framework and other critical planning processes are complete."

Mike Stewart, Executive Director of the Ballard Chamber of Commerce, also wrote a letter to the DPD requesting they extend the review period for the project.

“ With the Urban Design Framework study, we’re going through and looking at the potential revisions of land use policies and design review guidelines and all of those things. Our main concern is that since we are engaged with DPD in this planning process -- which isn’t scheduled for completion unit 2015 -- let's table the rezone until this process is played out,” said Stewart.

The application would likely go before the City Council for review.

Look to the Ballard News-Tribune for an update on this story.