It is clear that many Ballard businesses are not happy wih the state of affairs when it comes to housing development and amenities such as bike trails and vehicle transportation.

A few weeks ago, we headlined a story that development of condos and apartments is hot in the downtown area of Ballard. Many businesses told us that it is easlier to get a permit to build residental housing on land zoned for industrial uses than it is to build an industrial facility. The paperwork and permits are daunting, these folks say. One owner of extensive holdings in Ballard said he spent a lot of money and over a year trying to build on industrial property, but finally gave up and went another direction.

One of the major problems for industry is the decision a decade ago that Seattle become a more compact area for people. The city was losing people to the suburbs and housing developments were sprouting on land that many said should be reserved for agriculture and left wild as open space. Areas of North Bend and Snoqualmie that used to be rural, quiet and serene, were becoming large stretches of houses.

So Seattle helped shoulder the weight and declared that urban villages with more compact housing would be the new order of the day. That led to such development as Belltown and to the influx of apartments and condos in Ballard. Thus the coming of 250 apartments and 17,000 squae feet of ground floor retail.

The problem, simply put, is that if industry is crowded out as the marine industry is worried about (See Story, Page One), then where will the people work? Add to that the expected inflation that could restrict who lives in these housing units. Some have already correctly wondered if there will be any place for those people who cannot pay top dollar for places to live. It appears most of the condos and apartments will be too expensive for many people.

We urge the city to be more forthcoming in reasons for its restrictions on business in Ballard - and the rest of the city. If there are no jobs, people will be forced to move to be closer to where there are jobs.

Again, we worry that Ballard will become like San Francisco, a beautiful place where only rich and poor live. The middle class live elsewhere. Let that not happen here.

-Jack Mayne