Seattle's historic district is in the throes of election season, as the Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board gears up for its annual shake-up. Registered community members are set to receive their ballots by mail, alongside a self-addressed stamped envelope to secure their votes for two coveted board positions ahead of the June 25th, 2024 deadline. With the board's role in safeguarding the neighborhood’s nostalgic charm at stake, locals are urged to cast their ballots promptly, as detailed by the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods.
Vying for Position #6, as Property Owner or Business Person, are three candidates: the seasoned business manager of Olympic Athletic Club, Mark Durall, who has sat on the board before; Max Genereaux, a past member and the entrepreneurial spirit behind The Ballard Smoke Shop and two other district ventures; and Richard Hiner, an architect whose current tenure on the board is up for continuation. On the other hand, competing for Position #7, aimed at Property Owners, are two noted figures: David Brazeau, who nurtures the district’s character from Club Tavern Building, and Meagan Teutsch of Ballard Landmark Building, straddling the line between clinical social work and real estate with a history of civic engagement in Ballard. Candidate statements are included in the voter packets to aid in decision-making.
Since 1976, the Ballard Avenue Landmark District has been etching its story into the fabric of Seattle, pulling the attention of not just locals, but also earning a spot on the national register as a historic district. This body, the Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board, stands as a guardian over the community's aesthetics, wielding the power to approve or deny alterations to the physical narratives written upon the district's exteriors, ranging from signs to sidewalk furniture—a process that shapes the living museum that is Ballard Avenue, as chronicled on their website.
With ballots expected to make their way across Seattle, the future of Ballard's aesthetic is, quite literally, in the hands of its voters. As the June 25th cutoff approaches, the fate of Ballard Avenue hangs on the balance of inspiration and heritage, all culminating in the selection of those who will guide its distinctive narrative into the next chapter.
