THE PERSON: Larry Meyer, lockmaster of the Ballard Locks

THE STORY: What do you get when you combine a fish ladder, a botanical garden, and a bunch of boats? The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks — also known as the Ballard Locks. And you can find one person at the center of it all.

Lockmaster Larry Meyer spends most days of the week perched in the control center of the Ballard Locks, raising and lowering the water level so boats can safely travel between Puget Sound and Lake Union.

It’s about a 20-foot difference in elevation between the two bodies of water, and Meyer has helped nearly every type of vessel, including kayaks and cargo ships, pass safely through.

But the Locks aren’t just for skippers – they’re also a great place to meet family and friends for a picnic.

QUOTABLE: “I used to come down here as a kid… never dreamt I’d get a job here.”

FUN FACT: Carl S. English started the botanical garden at the Locks. With the help of ship captains passing through the locks, he collected plant species from around the world.

CHECK IT OUT: With all the sun we’ve had lately in Seattle, it’s only a matter of time before the botanical garden down at the Locks is in full bloom. Looking for a deeper dive? Free guided tours of the Locks and garden happen every day at 1 p.m.

For more about Larry Meyer and the inner workings of the Ballard Locks, watch this 72-second video.

🕹️ Join us for Toys Through Time trivia night next Tuesday! This free event is all about fun past toys like that Polly Pocket you used to have, or those Lincoln Logs in your basement, or that epic action figure you never opened up — all to benefit local nonprofit School’s Out Washington. (South Lake Union)

🔬 What’s going on inside that gut of yours? In partnership with the Pacific Science Center, we bring you What Can Your Stomach Stomach next Thursday with Dr. Alexandra Kazaks — a look at all those microbes and what they do inside your body. (Queen Anne)

👏 Hear from an awesome group of local innovators, join fun workshops, and toast the ways we’re all shaping our city at our big Seattle Catalysts event on April 4, produced with Vulcan. (Downtown)

Want to unlock big discounts at Evergrey events? Support The Evergrey with a membership.

So what’s next? The Seattle City Council passed controversial legislation on Monday that will upzone portions of 27 neighborhoods, allowing bigger and taller development in exchange for affordable housing.

Does that mean high rises are going to start popping up all over Seattle right away? Not quite. Here’s what we know about next steps:

The new rules will add density to about 6 percent of the city blocks that are currently reserved for single-family housing. They will also allow for higher or wider construction in several other areas that were already zoned for multi-story buildings. The Seattle Times has an interactive map where you can zoom in to see what the changes will be on a given block or neighborhood.

More low-income housing is coming — but will it make a difference? The city estimates the new policies will create nearly 3,000 new low-income housing units over the next decade — most of which would come from a fee that developers would pay in exchange for permission to build higher or taller than they would be allowed to otherwise.

Opponents to the changes are still fighting. The possibility of additional legal challenges prompted council members to include a controversial “claw-back clause,” which essentially lets them back out of the affordability requirements if they’re found to be unlawful in court.

Still not sure what an “upzone” is? Or what all those crazy acronyms mean? Check out our Zoning 101 post for more on MHA, HALA, and how we got here.

In other news…

The orca calf that was first spotted in Puget Sound back in January was seen again earlier this month and has been nicknamed “Lucky” by researchers. (MyNorthwest)

Our snowy winter was rough on Seattle’s roadways, and SDOT says it’s doubled down on pothole repair since the February storms. (KING 5)

It might be called “Tacoma FD,” but the new TV version of “Super Troopers” was filmed exclusively in Los Angeles — so crews had to dim the bright California sunlight in post-production. (The Seattle Times)

Dust off your bike pump now. Bicycle Sundays return to Lake Washington Boulevard starting in May. (Curbed)

STAY COOL OUT THERE, FOLKS

Spring is just getting started. 🌞

— The Evergrey