A long-time fixture in Ballard, Jacobsen's Marine, is gearing up to leave the community for a new home at the Port of Edmonds as early as next year, said Terry McCartney, co-owner of the company on Northwest Market Street.

McCartney and partner Greg Jacobsen, son of company founder Bob Jacobsen who passed away in February, have signed a letter of intent with the Port of Edmonds Board of Commissioners for a long-term lease, but the move is not a done deal, said McCartney.

"We need to agree on the value of the property and if in fact we can, the plan is to be up and running (in Edmonds) by the end of 2008," he said.

The company, which sells and services salt-water sport-fishing boats, has been shopping around for a new location for the past few years. The boating industry trend is toward sales of larger boats and it's become too difficult to maneuver the boats around Ballard's narrow streets, said McCartney.

Changes in fishing regulations have pushed recreational fishers further out and vessels are being built larger to accommodate the deeper waters. Jacobsen's largest boats are now 36 feet long, compared to 25 feet a few decades ago.

"We knew there were complication's with this property because we've been dealing with them for years," McCartney.

The Port of Edmonds rectangular shaped property and proximity to Puget Sound will be better suited for showing the longer vessels, said McCartney. Better access to Interstate 5 was also a big selling point.

The company's customer base has changed over the years, too. While it used to serve primarily Ballard families, now it sells mostly to West Coast and out-of-state buyers.

Another factor is the Ballard property has become too valuable for its current use, said McCartney.

"It's just a number of things that all fall into place," he said.

Port of Edmonds Commission President Marianne Burkhart called the deal a "good fit" and said it means some underutilized land will be put to marine-oriented use.

"The business involves both a lovely family and a great business," Burkhart said. "We have the amount of space they are looking for on our waterfront and close to the travelift that would be needed to move boats back and forth between (Jacobsen's) and the water."

The Edmonds site would house the whole operation, including offices and show rooms, ending the company's 56-year run in Ballard.

"We are a one-store company and we will continue to be a one-store company," McCartney said.

If the deal goes through, the company plans to build a new facility on port property. Jacobsen's would own the building and pay the port lease-hold taxes and rent. McCartney wasn't able to disclose the cost of construction or possible rental rates.

A major question is what will be done with the Ballard property. If sold, it would likely go to more condominium developers, said Mary Hurley, chair of the Ballard District Council.

"They can pick and choose who they sell it to, but the developers right now are condo developers," Hurley said.

Bob Jacobsen Jr., another son of the company's founder, said a decision would be made in a few weeks on whether or not to sell the 77,000-square-foot property at 2412 N.W. Market St. The land includes four company buildings and the novelty store Archie McPhee.

"Chances are it will probably be for sale pretty soon, but we just haven't figured that out yet," he said. "But you know what's going to happen, it's going to be more condos."

Ann Woodard, general manager of Archie McPhee's, said her company has been kept informed about the potential move and possible sale of the property.

"We're not feeling slighted or jaded ... we love Ballard, Ballard's been good to us," said Woodard of the store's 10-year stint here. "There will still be an Archie McPhee, but I just can't tell you where it will be."

About finding a new space here, "you have to get creative," she said. "But we have to decide what makes sense for us next and we can't panic."

The property is zoned neighborhood-commercial 3 with a 65-foot maximum building height. It's the most intensive of the neighborhood commercial zones, allowing for more uses, said Alan Justad, spokesperson for the city's department of planning and development.

A commercial-only building could be built there, though that's increasingly rare for that type of zoning, he said, adding that residential units above ground floor commercial would be the most likely development.

That's a concern because the location of the property, outside of the Ballard Civic Center, means the community would have less say in design aspects like setbacks and green space.

But to Warren Aakervik Jr., owner of Ballard Oil, the relocation of one of Ballard's last few family run businesses signifies more than just a change of address and the possibility of another condominium.

Aakervik said it is just added proof that the city of Seattle doesn't value economic stability in its communities. Instead officials are pushing for more mixed-use developments to increase urban density.

Developers are gobbling up land long used for commercial business, and rising property prices are pushing industry and other business out, said Aakervik, a member of the Ballard Interbay Manufacturing Industrial Action Committee.

"Seattle is not protecting its industrial areas and commercial areas that support industry," he said. "We should have seceded yesterday."

There ought be some kind for safety net like bonds or low-interest loans for businesses that support the economic viability of the community and the city, he said. But he doesn't blame Jacobsen's for wanting to maximize its dollar by selling the property for probably several million-dollars.

"The city is giving them a golden branch ... they're going to leave because that's what the community is telling them to do," Aakervik said. "There's no protection for commerce and industry here."

Hurley is also saddened to see another family business along with jobs leave the area. But they aren't leaving because of all the changes in Ballard, they are moving to sustain their business, she said.

"As a business person, you've got to go where you can sell your product," said Hurley, owner of Best Regards on Market Street.

But in the bigger picture, Aakervik is worried that people are losing sight of what's fundamental to a thriving community.

"Jobs and economic benefits to the community are more important than urban density," he said. "I don't think this community can survive as a bedroom community and people better start thinking about that."

Rebekah Schilperoort may be reached at 783.1244 or rebekahs@robinsonnews.com