Zoning is one those mind-altering issues that most people immediately zone out - excuse the bad pun.

This newspaper has been critical of the city for not adequately informing the citizens of Seattle on the potential effects of the zoning that creates the urban centers. People in the Ballard are simply overwhelmed with the massive influx of new condominiums and apartments. Where will the traffic go since not all of these new occupants will go downtown, the only place people can go efficiently on a bus, as things stand now?

But the city's Department of Planning and Development paid a welcome call on us last week to explain the current process of upgrading the zoning code that has not had a makeover for 26 years. The man in charge of his re-do, Mike Podowski, and his boss, deputy planning Director Alan Justad, told reporter Rebekah Schilperoort that the work is not a rezone or an "upzone," merely a change in the development standards within the existing code. (See story, Page One.)

Podowski notes Seattle has changed a lot in the years since the zoning code was adopted.

"We think the proposed code would do a better job of helping to promote development that fits into neighborhoods and addresses environmental and affordable housing goals."

So, just what will this work accomplish?

One thing that makes us very happy is finally applying some standards on the box-like townhomes cropping up everywhere, sometimes four or five on a former residential lot. Often they clash with the surrounding neighborhood.

Residental buildings under eight units are not now subject to design review board scrutiny. Under the proposed new code, design standards would be applied to all multifamily development that are not subject to review.

That means 20 percent of the street side would have to be windows and ground level units would have to have a pedestrian entry facing the street, and there would be requirements to break up parking lots with plants.

Small steps, but important ones to keep the city looking better, not swallowed up by cheap-looking, grungy structures.

Seattle is still a beautiful city. Keeping it as beautiful in the light of massive new development will be very hard to do, but it must be done with the concurrance of the citizens or nothing will truly work.

- Jack Mayne