Ballard Partnership for Smart Growth & Improvement Area

BDS Planning & Urban Design facilitated a strategic planning and organizational development effort to reinvent the neighborhood chamber of commerce as the Ballard Partnership for Smart Growth. The Partnership is dedicated to creating a thriving environment for Central Ballard that supports the interests of commercial and residential property owners, residents, business owners and visitors. All stakeholders will benefit from the Partnership’s ability to advocate for the public services desired by the neighborhood, and provide a strong, clear voice at City Hall. A key element of this consensus building process was finding balance among businesses, residents, property owners, developers, employers, and advocacy organizations in this rapidly growing and changing neighborhood.

The first big win for the Ballard Partnership was passage of the Ballard Improvement Area (BIA) by the Seattle City Council in October 2016. The BIA provides a stable funding mechanism for the partnerships work, and provides cleaning, safety, and mental health outreach services throughout the district.