Planning commission denies rezoning request for 212 N Union St after neighbor concerns

The Ballard Planning Commission voted on Feb. 3 to deny a rezoning request for 212 N Union St that would have allowed the construction of 33 townhomes.

Applicant Robert McNeel presented the proposal and said the development would include 33 townhomes, an homeowners association and that the primary access road would be Union Street, ending at the townhome property. McNeel told the commission that drainage would be retained on-site and that the project would not cause a substantial increase in traffic.

Neighbor Lynn Snow, who owns the parcel just north of the site, asked whether the development aligns with the city’s master plan and raised concerns about drainage, traffic and the type of fencing that would surround the townhomes. The commission reviewed a concept plan showing unit locations, roadway access and retention ponds during the public hearing.

After public comment the commission debated the application and Board Member Robin Moran moved to deny the rezoning and retain the property’s Commercial zoning, sending the matter to City Council for further action; Kay Burgess seconded. The motion was recorded and acted on by the commission during the meeting.

The minutes record the objections and technical concerns raised by nearby property owners but do not include a written traffic study or a detailed engineering drainage report in the record. The commission’s action forwards the question to City Council; the council will receive the denial and any supporting materials for its consideration at a subsequent meeting.