Ballard Avenue Landmark District
The Ballard Avenue Landmark District was created by the Seattle City Council in 1976. Buildings throughout the District embody the distinctive characteristics of modest commercial architecture from the 1890s through the 1940s, creating a sense that the street is almost suspended in time. Visitors to this unique neighborhood will find boutiques, artists studios, and galleries side by side with manufacturers of fishing equipment and even a television studio.<
The Seattle Department of Neighborhoods (DON) Historic Preservation Program conducts an annual election for the selection of Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board members who have been nominated by the community. All residents, persons who operate businesses, and property owners in the Ballard Avenue Landmark District, who have registered to vote at least fourteen (14) days prior to the election date, are eligible to vote.
Candidates for two (2) of the seven (7) total positions on the Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board will appear on the 2024 ballot.
- Position #6 for Property Owner or Business Person (term expires 6/30/26)
- Position #7 for Property Owner (term expires 6/30/26)
Community members are invited to nominate candidates for these positions. Nomination forms must be completed and returned to the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods by 5:00 PM on Tuesday, May 21, 2024.
The deadline to register to vote is Tuesday, June 11, 2024. To confirm registration status, contact Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Coordinator Minh Chau Le at (206) 684-0229 or minhchau.le@seattle.gov.
Ballots and self-addressed, stamped envelopes will be mailed to all registered voters on Friday, May 24. Completed ballots must be received via mail by Tuesday, June 25, 2024.
Voter registration forms, candidate nomination forms, and election procedures are available on the Ballard Avenue Landmark District election website. For further information, contact Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Coordinator, Minh Chau Le, at (206) 684-0229 or minhchau.le@seattle.gov.
The Ballard Avenue Landmark District is a nationally recognized historic district established in 1976 to commemorate the neighborhood’s unique place in Ballard’s history. To preserve its special character, the Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board reviews and approves all changes to building exteriors within the district before the changes are made, such as signs, awnings, window transparency, paint colors, street furniture and new construction.
The board has seven members. Five are elected by the community and two are appointed by the Mayor. Board members serve two-year terms. Additional information about the BLD can be found on the BLD website.
Please contact Minh Chau Le at minhchau.le@seattle.gov or (206) 684-0229 for more information.
In 1887 Captain William Ballard formed the West Coast Improvement Company to develop the 160 acres on the north shore of Salmon Bay, which were known as Gilman Park. This development, with its easy access to the waters of the bay and Puget Sound, quickly attracted settlers and industry particularly lumbering and fishing. In 1890 the community was linked by rail link with Seattle, the town was incorporated, and its name was changed to Ballard.
Ballard's development was rapid and by 1895 it was home to the world's largest shingle industry. Much of the material used in rebuilding Seattle following the disastrous 1889 fire came from Ballard. By 1904 Ballard's twenty mills reached a combined daily output of three million shingles. Fishing was also important: The Salmon Bay fishing fleet has long called Ballard its home port, and many still regard it as such. Immigrants from Scandinavia staffed much of Ballard's early industry and the area retains much of its Scandinavian heritage. Rapid development was not achieved without cost. A shortage of water (Seattle refused to share its Cedar River supply) as well as problems with sewage and school funding, brought about the annexation of Ballard by Seattle in 1907. At that time, Ballard's population of 10,000 made it the seventh largest city in Washington.
Served by streetcar and interurban trains, the area now comprising the Ballard Avenue Landmark District was Ballard's central business district and main arterial until that role was assumed by Market Street. This effectively arrested time and development at a mid-1940s point on Ballard Avenue and protected its small-town main street qualities. The buildings along Ballard Avenue provide a cross-sectional view of small-town development from the 1890s through the 1940s and retain modifications made in response to changing tastes and styles. The District contains many intact buildings constructed with retail spaces at street level and low-income residences above. Its granite curbs, cut locally, are almost unaltered and, in some locations, still contain hitching rings for horses. Brick paving and the long-disused streetcar right-of-way remain beneath the street's asphalt covering. Community awareness of and concern for these qualities led to the nomination of Ballard Avenue as a preservation district. This action was the culmination of many meetings between the Ballard Avenue Association and staff from the City's Urban Conservation Division. There were extensive public meetings prior to and after the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board's action to designate the District on January 14, 1975.
On April 13, 1976 the City Council created the District by ordinance. Mayor Wes Uhlman signed the ordinance into law at a ceremony in the District, concurrent with a special proclamation of King Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden.
Submit Public Comment to the Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board
2023 Agendas and Minutes
April 4, 2024 Agenda | Staff Report
March 7, 2024 Agenda | Staff Report
February 1, 2024 Cancelled
January 4, 2024 Cancelled
2023 Agendas and Minutes
December 7, 2023 Agenda | Staff Report | December 7, 2023 Minutes
November 2, 2023 Agenda | Staff Report | November 2, 2023 Minutes
October 5, 2023 Agenda | Staff Report | October 5, 2023 Minutes
September 7, 2023 Agenda | Staff Report | September 7, 2023 Minutes
August 3, 2023 Meeting Cancelled
July 6, 2023 Agenda | Staff Report
June 8, 2023 Special Meeting Agenda | Staff Report
June 1, 2023 Agenda | Staff Report
May 25, 2023 Special Meeting Agenda | Staff Report | May 25, 2023 Minutes
May 4, 2023 Agenda | Staff Report
Aviv Jewelry: Presentation
April 6, 2023 Agenda | Staff Report | April 6, 2023 Minutes
- Voyager: Presentation
- Public Right of Way: Presentation
- Draft Design Guidance
March 23, 2023 Special Design Committee Meeting
March 2, 2023 Agenda | March 2, 2023 Minutes
February 23, 2023 Special Design Committee Meeting
February 2, 2023 Agenda | February 2, 2023 Minutes
January 19, 2023 Special Meeting Agenda | January 19, 2023 Minutes
January 5, 2023 Agenda | January 5, 2023 Minutes
Meeting Materials Archive
A Certificate of Approval must be issued before changes can be made to individually designated City Landmarks or to properties within the City's eight historic districts.
Refer to the District Guidelines and other relevant resources for information regarding design standards and other considerations.
Please consult the Guide to Acing the Certificate of Approval Process before starting the online application process. For help with the online submittal, watch this How-To video.
Learn more about what types of changes require a Certificate of approval in the Frequently Asked Questions section of this page.
1. Is the building or business I own located in the Ballard Avenue Landmark District? If so, what does that mean to me?
Check the boundary map to determine whether the building is in the District. If it is, you already know that owning property or a business in the District means it's located on a street that looks and feels different from others. That's because owners have banded together to manage change in the neighborhood in order to maintain its special character. To do this, they have agreed that any change to the exterior of a building or any change that is visible from the exterior of a building must be reviewed and approved by the Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board. The installation of new signs, repainting, new construction, remodeling, and demolition are some of the changes that fall under the authority of the Board.
2. How do I get approval to make a change in the use or appearance of my building?
If you plan to make any change that affects the exterior of a structure in the District or is visible from the exterior - including installing new signs, new construction, remodeling or demolition - contact the Board Coordinator at (206) 684-0229 as early as possible so we can recommend next steps. To get your project reviewed and approved by the Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board, you need to apply for a Certificate of Approval and attend a Board meeting to present your application.
3. Who is on the Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board?
The Board consists of seven citizens who include District property owners, business owners, an architect, and a Ballard historian or person who has demonstrated special interest in the Ballard community. Five of the members are elected by the community to serve two-year terms, two are appointed by the Mayor of Seattle and confirmed by the Seattle City Council to serve two-year terms.
4. When is the election held and who can vote?
Elections for the Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board is held each June and all residents, tenants, persons who operate businesses and property owners of the Ballard Avenue Landmark District, of legal voting age, are eligible to participate in the election.
5. What types of changes require a Certificate of Approval for the Ballard Avenue Landmark District?
- Any change to the outside of any building or structure.
- Installation of any new sign or change to any existing sign.
- Installation of a new awning or canopy.
- Any change to an interior that affects the exterior.
- New addition, construction, and/or remodel.
- Any change in a public right-of-way or other public space, including parks and sidewalks.
- Demolition of any building or structure.
- Exterior painting
6. How does the Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board make decisions?
The Board bases all of its decisions on the standards set forth in three documents - the Ballard Avenue Landmark District Ordinance (SMC 25.16), the Ballard Avenue Landmark District Guidelines, and the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation. Contact the Board Coordinator at (206) 684-0229 for a paper copy of any of these documents.