The Seattle Times is reporting that Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn and the City Council have decided to delay an annexation of the White Center area until at least 2011 because paying for services there would be so expensive.
According to the Times:
Annexing the area, part of the North Highline annexation area, could cost Seattle $12.6 million a year more than it would generate in new taxes, plus $8.7 million in one-time costs, according to a preliminary analysis by the city Budget Office. The area has about 20,000 residents.
With the city facing a $50 million shortfall in its general fund, the mayor decided to withdraw his earlier recommendation and campaign promise that residents of that area vote this fall on whether they want to join Seattle.
An analysis was presented Friday (March 19) to the council’s Regional Development and Sustainability Committee, and reports are that council members said the presentation was the first real cost estimate they had seen.
We’ll see how the City of Burien responds to this news. Keep in mind that Burien’s annexation of southern North Highline goes into effect April 1st.
Read the Times full story here.
The City of Burien recently mailed out a letter to approximately 1,250 business entities located or working in the North Highline annexation area, in an effort to provide the newly-annexed businesses with an overview of some of the opportunities available in Burien, such as the Taking Aim at Graffiti (TAG) program or the “pre-submittal meetings” offered by Community Development.
The letter also provided businesses with notice of some of their responsibilities, such as obtaining business licenses and updating their tax code on Department of Revenue forms.
Also, according to the city, as of April 1st, Comcast subscribers in the annexation area should be able to view Burien Channel 21 and Puget Sound Access on Channel 77 – and as we all know, nothing makes one feel more like part of a city than being able to watch live, exciting council meetings.
Here’s the text of the letter:
RE: City of Burien Annexation
Dear Business Owner,
I would like to welcome you to the City of Burien. As you probably know, on August 18, 2009, a majority of voting residents in the proposed annexation area, located in the southern portion of North Highline, chose to join the City of Burien. As a result, your business will officially be located in Burien as of April 1, 2010.
As a business new to Burien, your local opportunities and responsibilities will change on April 1. I encourage you to reach out and take advantage of some of our local resources. For example, Burien sponsors a Taking Aim at Graffiti (TAG) program, which provides graffiti removal to commercial properties – free of charge. Another City service you can take advantage of is the “pre-submittal meetings,” where you can meet with a City planner prior to expanding or moving your business. That way, you are aware of zoning & land use issues, parking, setbacks, signage and design criteria before you lease, buy or alter a new space.
There are also several local business organizations offering networking, collaboration and public input:
- Discover Burien: Steve Gilbert 620 SW 150th St. Burien, WA 98166 (206) 433-2882 www.discoverburien.com Promotional marketing. Meets 2nd Wednesday of each month at Burien City Hall 6:30 pm.
- Southwest King County Chamber of Commerce Nancy Hinthorne 14220 Interurban Ave. S. Tukwila, WA 98168 (206) 575-1333 www.swkcc.org Regional voice and business networking. Monthly meetings at various locations.
- Burien Business & Economic Development Partnership (BEDP) Dick Loman City of Burien Economic Development Manager (206) 248-5528 dickl@burienwa.gov Advisory Board to the Burien City Council. Meets 2nd Friday of each month at Burien City Hall 7:00 am.
- Small Business Development Center (SBDC): I especially want to call your attention to our Small Business Development Center at Highline Community College. Experienced business professionals are available by appointment to confidentially work with you on expansion, marketing, or financial needs you may have – also free of charge. You may contact Zev Siegl at (206) 878-3710, ext. 5151 or zsiegl@highline.edu.
Burien Business License
In addition to new opportunities, there are also new responsibilities. A Burien Business License is required to do business within our City limits. Business licenses are valid August 1 – July 31. For the remainder of this business license year, from April 1 through July 31, the license fees will be waived for newly annexed businesses. However, starting August 1, 2010, owners of annexed businesses will be expected to comply with the licensing requirements. For more information, please refer to the Burien Municipal Code Chapter 5.05, available on our website at www.codepublishing.com/wa/burien, or call (206) 988-3714.Burien Business and Occupation (B&O) Tax
The City of Burien collects a .05% business and occupation tax on gross receipts earned within the City. For example, a business with $100,000 in gross receipts would pay $50 in Burien B&O taxes. However, there is a threshold, which means that businesses with annual gross receipts of less than $100,000 are not subject to the tax. The tax is remitted quarterly and forms will be mailed to you. For more information, please refer to the Burien Municipal Code Chapter 3.11 or call (206) 988-3714.State and Local Sales and Use Tax
The amount of state and local sales and use taxes you will be collecting and remitting through the Department of Revenue will not change, but the local reporting code will change so that Burien receives its share of the taxes. For taxes collected on or after April 1, 2010, the local code is 1734, instead of 1700. For more information, please contact the Washington Department of Revenue at www.dor.wa.gov.Our goal is to assist and welcome our new businesses and residents during this transition. For additional information on how the annexation will affect business owners and residents, please visit our annexation section on the Burien website, www.burienwa.gov/annexation, or call the Burien Annexation Information Line at (206) 436-5555. We look forward to working with you.
Sincerely,
Mike Martin
City Manager
Here’s the actual letter:
Click to download PDF version.
The annexation of southern North Highline becomes official in just about two weeks (April 1st), and the mainstream media is starting to pick up on it.
With the annexation of this area, Burien will become the 21st largest city in Washington – just above Olympia – with a population of about 45,000. Currently the city ranks 31st in the state.
Seattle’s KING5 News just did a story on it, saying:
The city takes a big step forward on April 1, when it annexes 1,700 acres of unicorporated King County. Overnight, Burien’s population jumps by 14,500 people.
Voters approved the annexation last year by a 55% to 45% margin.
And this quote from City Manager Mike Martin:
“We pride ourselves in Burien for being responsive. We’re a small staff but we’re very responsive. So when people have problems they have somebody they can call.”
Here’s the video:
Burien City Council members agreed on Monday night (March 8th) to consider a resolution expressing to residents of northern North Highline the city’s interest in eventually annexing this unincorporated area.
The formal resolution will include wording that declares “the Burien City Council intends to advance annexation in [north North Highline] as soon as reasonably possible after successfully completing the annexation [of south North Highline].”
The green "Area Y" section is what Burien might go after.
This is the initial draft wording for the “Now therefore” conclusion of the proposed resolution that City Manager Mike Martin and council members agreed on during Monday night’s discussion of Burien’s possible annexation of the remaining North Highline unincorporated area.
Only Councilwoman Lucy Krakowiak, who also opposed the annexation of south North Highline, demurred.
Burien council members will consider the resolution, which will be drafted by Martin, at their March 22 meeting.
Voters of south North Highline approved in August annexation by Burien. The annexation of that area becomes effective on April 1.
In the meantime, the city of Seattle has expressed renewed interest in annexing the north North Highline unincorporated area.
The proposed resolution is a response, in part, to requests by some north North Highline residents for a display of interest by Burien in their unincorporated area, to assure residents there that they have an alternative to annexation by Seattle.
Additional details will follow.
| Mar | Apr |
| 12 | 25 |
The City of Burien will be conducting a special census of the newly-annexed southern portion of the North Highline area between March 12th and April 25th.
This area, which contains approximately 14,100 residents, officially becomes part of Burien April 1st. Residents approved annexation during the August 18, 2009 election.
As part of the annexation process, the City is required to conduct a special census of all housing units. Households in the annexation area will be visited by a census worker wearing a fluorescent vest and a City of Burien identification badge between March 12 and April 25, 2010.
The only information required in this census is the names of all individuals residing in a household. Annexation residents may also provide this census information directly, at any time after March 12th, by calling the Burien Census Hotline (available 24 hours a day) at 1-800-635-6594.
From what we understand, this work is actually being contracted through a company called Calm River, which, according to their website:
Calm River Demographics focuses on providing comprehensive census, demographic and mapping solutions for cities, counties, non-profits, universities, libraries, healthcare and human service organizations.
This company was scheduled to interview potential applicants last Friday last week (see our previous post here).
According to the city:
Any information provided will be held confidential. Cooperating with this special annexation census ensures that the City of Burien receives a full share of state funds allotted for essential public services.
This special annexation census is in addition to the U.S. Census conducted by the federal Census Bureau later this spring in which residents will receive a 10-question census form in the mail. More information about the federal census is available at http://2010.census.gov.
Residents should be aware that neither census will require them to provide their social security numbers, credit card numbers, bank account information or pay any fees. Residents should not provide such details to anyone who claims to be a census worker and asks for this kind of information. Legitimate census workers will have identification badges with a phone number that residents can call if they would like to verify their identities.
Residents may contact the City at (206) 241-4647 with questions or concerns.
by Mark Neuman
The gavel came down hard last night (Thursday, March 4) in a spirited meeting of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council in White Center.
The prospect of annexation with either Seattle or Burien focused the minds of the approximately 50 citizen attendees at the meeting, held at the headquarters station of the North Highline Fire District on SW 112th Street.
“You’ve had your chance to speak, and the public comment period is over,” council president Gregory Duff told one member of the audience as he hit the table twice with his gavel. That audience member at least three times tried to question invited speakers who were officially addressing the council.
Some attendees, almost all residents of North Highline, voiced dissatisfaction that the public comment portion of the meeting preceded the arrival of Kenny Pittman, Senior Policy Analyst for the City of Seattle.
Twenty citizens addressed the council during the comment period, all speaking about the annexation issue.
Fifteen spoke in favor of annexation with Seattle, three in favor of joining Burien, and two spoke in general terms without clearly stating a preference.
Barbara Dobkin favors annexation with Burien.
“I can call (King County Deputy Sheriff) Jeff Hancock on his cell phone, and he answers it,” Dobkin told the council. “There was a house fire a few doors down from me recently and the fire department was there in about two minutes. I see the high density of Seattle. I don’t want White Center to look like Delridge.”
Liz Giba, of a group called “People for Burien”, addressed the council.
“I would like to have an educated vote,” Giba said. “Seattle will focus on their affluent neighborhoods.”
The green portion of this map is the area of White Center that could be annexed by either Seattle or Burien.
Mercedes D’Antona has lived in White Center for about five years. She told the council:
“I get a little emotional about annexation. I am Hispanic. Seattle is a huge, humongous beast. Seattle has huge demand (on its services). We would not benefit. I like the laid back lifestyle we have here. I do not want to be suffocated.”
Brad Truesdell, a twelve-year resident of White Center said “Seattle is the best choice. They have three times the gang unit” than is currently available.
Truesdell, who envisions Ambaum Boulevard blossoming from time to time into a “multicultural open air mall,” said that White Center, once annexed with Seattle “could become the real International District of Seattle.”
Stephanie Dotson, who opposes annexation with Burien, told the council: “I have lived here forever. I find it extremely distressing that this council and audience have very few people of color.”
Mark Ufkes, who heads the White Center Homeowners Association, illustrated with placards that Seattle’s list of services to the public exceeds services provided by Burien.
“All we want is a chance to vote (on annexation),” Ufkes told the council.
One man who did not address the council was Gill Loring, a homeowner in White Center since 1998. He told The White Center Blog following the meeting that he favors annexation with Burien.
The newest member of the King County Council, Jan Drago, said at the meeting she will “not oppose” North Highline annexation. Drago recently completed four terms as a member of the Seattle City Council.
Pittman, of the City of Seattle, said North Highline District firefighters who might be temporarily displaced in the event of an annexation with Seattle would immediately go to the top of a re-hire list for firefighter jobs that open up at any fire station in Seattle.
King County Deputy Sheriff Jeff Hancock introduced nine members of the Sheriff’s gang unit. They reported that during 2009, the number of street gangs attempting to do business in and near North Highline was reduced from 21 to 15.
More information on the NHUAC is available at their website.
(Graphic courtesy North Highline Unincorporated Area Councils website)
Arbor Lake is one, small, unhealthy lake.
Within the next few weeks, the City of Burien will annex this lake into the city. The lake’s health problems, in large part, come from its public access. A couple times per month, citizen scientists visit Arbor Lake to perform visual assessments of the environmental and physical conditions around the lake. The reports from those visits are not good. Currently, King County has a clean-up crew at Arbor Lake seven days per week. The crew reports that there is litter (bottles, cans, paper, plastics, paint cans, used condoms, needles, etc.), biological wastes (poop, vomit), damage to the park equipment and gang tagging daily to clean up. They worry that Burien will not have the financial resources to provide this seven day a week routine just to maintain the lake and surrounding area at its current level. The worst damage happens to the lake on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This is a time at which Burien typically does not contract for park clean up.
Photo courtesy Arbor Lake area resident Colleen West.
A number of the neighbors around Arbor Lake say that they would never consider swimming in the lake because the water quality is so poor. Several drainage pipes empty into the lake and there is a lot of non-point pollution entering the lake. Arbor Lake is obviously infested with fecal coliform bacteria (E.coli) because of the amount of poop that is around the lake at times. Remember E.coli is that stuff that sickened and killed people who ate infected food. The major cause of this E.coli is not from birds. It is from humans and dogs pooping in and around the lake. During the summer, the lake has major infestations of invasive weeds that choke out the oxygen in the lake and make the water impossible to sustain any fish. At that time, the water is not healthy for the birds to use either.
Photo courtesy Arbor Lake area resident Colleen West.
The Native Plant society has attempted to help the lake by planting some native plants but clearly a great deal more needs to be done to help this small lake get back on the road to recovery. Most of the homes on the east side of the lake are heavily gated to protect the owners from public intrusion into their homes and property. No Trespassing signs are everywhere. The road running along the west side of the lake has had to be blockaded due to car racing and crimes. The King County Sheriff frequently has to visit the lake. Like Lake Hicks, Arbor Lake has fared poorly with public access. The City of Burien will be picking up a big financial bill, if it plans to care for and restore Arbor Lake.
Photo courtesy Arbor Lake area resident Colleen West.
What Burien really needs to provide for citizens is a swimming pool where they can learn to swim and enjoy the pleasure of water exercise. Most small lakes do not do well (water health wise) having heavy public access. Arbor Lake and Hicks Lake have not been able to meet the demands that the greater public has on them and perhaps that is not their real ecological purpose. These fragile bodies of freshwater are not sketchy line drawings on paper, art work, public swimming pools or public garbage cans. They are living, functioning natural systems that deserve respect, understanding, protection and care. Do not plan on having your kids swim in Arbor Lake soon for both your kids’ and the lake’s health.
– Chestine Edgar
[EDITOR'S NOTE: Have something you'd like to say? Then email us your "Letter to the Editor" by clicking here. Be sure to include your real name and a way to contact you, and, pending our review, we'll most likely post it. Otherwise, feel free to leave a Comment below...]
On Monday (Mar. 1st), Seattle Times columnist Jerry Large published a followup article that is basically a reaction to him being confronted by Burien Mayor Joan McGilton, Councilmember Kathy Keene and City Manager Mike Martin over Burien’s desire to annex the remaining portions of White Center.
The encounter came after Large published a column on Feb. 3rd extolling how White Center is “the right fit” for Seattle.
Councilmember Keene then sent us a copy of a letter she sent The Times, where she strongly refuted Large and claimed that Burien would be a better fit for White Center (read Keene’s letter here).
In Large’s latest column, he starts out by saying:
Burien is getting feisty.
The small city is not counting itself out as a home to the northern neighborhoods of North Highline.
So now, “feisty” Burien has struck back, and the columnist has printed our cityfolk’s claims, stating that “Burien knows what it wants” – read his full column here.
We wonder what will happen next in this political opinion-shaping chess match…stay tuned.
Looks like a consultant to the City of Burien has some temporary job openings for “door-to-door census taking” in March. According to a Craigslist Ad, this is NOT a federal census job – tt is an annexation census job for the City of Burien.
The pay is said to be $12 per hour, with flexible hours and a 3-5 week contract.
Interviews will be held on Friday, March 5th from 10:30am until 2pm.
From what we can tell, the job is actually for a consulting firm called Calm River, which says on its website:
Calm River Demographics focuses on providing comprehensive census, demographic and mapping solutions for cities, counties, non-profits, universities, libraries, healthcare and human service organizations.
Here’s the exact listing from the Craigslist Ad:
Temporary Job Openings in Burien, WA – $12 per Hour
The City of Burien is conducting a door-to-door census in March, 2010. Work hours are flexible and include evenings and weekends. Work will begin on March 11 and continue for 3-5 weeks.
Applicants must be willing to go door-to-door collecting basic census information and have their own transportation.
Applicants must be able to read a basic street map, have neat handwriting, be willing to pass a drug test and show proof of car insurance. All materials and supplies will be provided.
If you are interested please e-mail your resume to Richard Miller: Rick@CalmRiver.com
Interviews will be held on Friday, March 5th from 10:30 am until 2:00 pm. No telephone calls please.
Frequently asked questions:
How much do I get paid?
$12 an hour plus mileage (pays for your gas) and all the snacks you can eat. We also give you a vest, badge, pencils, and everything you need to work for free…Can I work only the hours I want?
Yes – you can work only the days you wantHow many hours a week can I work?
Up to 40!What hours do we work?
- Weekdays – we start at 3:00 in the afternoon and work until about 7:30 or 8:00 pm
- Saturdays – we start at 10:30 in the morning and work until about 5:30 or 6:00 pm
Is this a Federal (United States) Census Job?
This is NOT a federal census job. It is an annexation census job for the City of Burien.How do I apply?
Just e-mail Rick@CalmRiver.com with your contact information and a resume.Location: Burien, WA
Compensation: $12 per Hour
This is a part-time job.
Principals only. Recruiters, please don’t contact this job poster.
Please, no phone calls about this job!
Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.
Email: Rick@CalmRiver.com
For more area Job listings, check out our Jobs Page, which is continually updated with local employment listings.
As a resident of the Shorewood community, I strongly object to having an “Adult Entertainment” zone bordering our Shorewood neighborhood, including two public schools (Cascade and Evergreen) and a private Montessori school, as well as the White Center King County Library. I have contacted Joan McGilton, mayor of Burien, for an explanation, but she did not seem to be clear on the designation and suggested I contact Mike Martin for clarification.
If the Highline Times story is accurate, then I want to know why this particular area was selected and why we need an Adult Entertainment zone in Burien in the first place. Is there any other area in Burien that is currently zoned Adult Entertainment? Does this mean that topless barista coffee stands and “deju vu nightclubs” will be allowed to operate in this two block area? I sincerely hope this is not the case and would appreciate clarification on this zoning change as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Bonnie Moormeier
[EDITOR'S NOTE: Have something you'd like to say? Then email us your "Letter to the Editor" by clicking here. Be sure to include your real name and a way to contact you, and, pending our review, we'll most likely post it. Otherwise, feel free to leave a Comment below...]
| Feb |
| 22 |
| 7:00 pm |
by Burien City Council members will receive a briefing at tonight’s regular meeting (7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 22) on the King County Library System’s (KCLS) process for siting libraries.
The presentation will be made by Bill Ptacek, director of the King County Library System, and Denise Siers, director of KCLS Public Services.
And odds are good that they will hear an earful during public comments at the beginning of the meeting from North Highline residents – many of whom will become Burien residents on April 1 – concerned about the future of the White Center and Boulevard Park libraries.
The Library Service Area Analysis will also be discussed at the KCLS Board of Trustees monthly meeting at 960 Newport Way NW in Issaquah on Tuesday, Feb. 23, at 5 p.m. The document can be accessed here (as a PDF file).
That meeting will include the trustees’ quarterly public forum, during which library patrons can speak on matters of concern for more than the three minutes usually allowed for each person, and library siting is expected to be a key issue for discussion.
Funding for replacement or expansion of both the White Center and Boulevard Park libraries was part of a bond issue approved by King County voters in 2004, which is paying for new and renovated facilities throughout the KCLS service area.
That bond issue included construction of the new Burien library, which opened last June.
But Ptacek signaled last fall that he might be backing away from what library patrons voted for in 2004, when former King County Executive Kurt Triplett offered to sell Puget Sound Park to the KCLS.
Ptacek indicated at that time that the White Center and Boulevard Park libraries could be closed and consolidated in a new library building at the park site – a preliminary move that generated strong opposition from patrons served by the libraries in both communities.
KCLS Director Bill Ptacek.
Burien City Council members and City Manager Mike Martin strongly objected to a sale of the park because it is located in southern North Highline, which will be annexed by Burien on April 1. New county Executive Dow Constantine agreed and last month announced that Puget Sound Park will be transferred to the city as part of annexation.
Since then, however, the proposed KCLS Library Service Area Analysis has left White Center and Boulevard Park residents still ill at ease about the future of their community libraries.
Rachel Levine, a member of the White Center Library Guild, recently noted that the siting process is based too much on numbers and not enough on people. Her remarks pose a contrast to Ptacek’s statement in his director’s report for Tuesday’s meeting:
“It was a surprise to hear that the City of Seattle plans to pursue the annexation of the North Highline area. This would extend the current City limits all the way to 112th street. If this occurs, the Greenbridge Library would be in Seattle and the Boulevard Park and White Center libraries would be close to the boundary. Obviously this development would have a major impact on the service area analysis KCLS has planned for the area,” he wrote.
“We are meeting with the Burien City Council on February 22 to discuss library services in the North Highline area that will annex to Burien and will use that occasion to present the current draft of the Library Service Area Analysis Policy. KCLS will use that process before taking any action on library services in the area.”
Burien City Councilwoman Lucy Krakowiak, who is also a member of the KCLS Board of Trustees, told the other council members on Feb. 8 that the library board will not be discussing the status of these two libraries until the question of which city, Seattle or Burien, annexes northern North Highline is resolved.
Last week (Wed., Feb. 3rd), Seattle Times Columnist Jerry Large wrote an editorial explaining why he thinks White Center would be a “good fit” for Seattle, and vice versa (link here) – an issue that has reared its head ever since new Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn said that he’d like to annex the area.
Of course, numerous folks around these parts think differently from both Large and McGinn (hey, weren’t they in a band together in the 60s?), including Burien City Councilmember Kathy Keene, who read Large’s column, then emailed us her response to him:
“Needless to say I do NOT agree and wrote the following letter to Mr. Large, to which he responded.”
Here’s the email dialogue she had with Mr. Large, which we print below with her permission:
From: Kathleen Keene
Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 10:21 AM
To: Jerry Large
Subject: Article on White CenterDear Jerry,
I want to comment on your article last week on White Center.
Before I go any farther, let me introduce myself: I am a 23 year resident of the area (a veritable newcomer by most standards), and a 19 year Commissioner at Water District 20. We provide water to a very large portion of North Highline, in fact, the remaining unincorporated area east of 509 down to the Seattle city limits in South Park is in our service area. I also am in my first term on the Burien City Council.
As a small local government, Burien offers the residents in North Highline something Seattle will NEVER be able to: POWER TO THEIR VOICES! In Burien they will be 18,000 of 45 000, in Seattle they’ll be 18,000 of what? 600,000? Tell me how much power that gives them. In Burien we hold our Council meetings Monday at 7 PM, Seattle’s are 3:00, how many working folks can make those meetings? As an added bonus we’re a hop, skip and a jump from White Center, two jumps for Blvd Park, and the parking is FREE.
I would love to invite you to Burien and show you around. A Burien annexation of this entire area is a reuniting of a neighborhood that was one neighborhood for many many years. These folks are our brothers and sisters, our moms and dads, our cousins, our best friends. They shop in Burien. Like Burien, they are home owners and shop keepers, many have lived here for generations. I grew up in the little fishing village of Ballard. This area reminds me of my childhood – stable neighborhoods, generational families, extended families, a deep pride of community.
An annexation to Burien also ensures a continuation of the same services they now enjoy:
Libraries-currently the people of NH are part of the KCLS. If they become Seattle residents they lose that. The county may close down the White Center and Blvd Park libraries due to loss of tax revenue. It took Seattle 100 years to build a library in South Park, how long before they will build a replacement library in this area??? There are 8-10,000 people a month that use the White Center Library. I don’t have the figures for Blvd Park, but I do know it is also is the heart of their community. These facilities are a vital part of the human infrastructure of the area.
Speaking of infrastructure, the water distribution system in Water District 20’s boundaries are heads and shoulders above Seattle’s. Our system is almost totally rebuilt. We don’t wait for a pipe to break 3 times before we replace it; we are proactive. We don’t have the accidents like the Ravenna area has had recently. Approx. 35 years ago old WD 61 became a direct service customer of Seattle water; this area includes White Center, North Shorewood, Salmon Creek and the NW corner of Burien. A majority of that systems has not been touched since. The rate payers have no say in their rates and they pay a 10% out of service fee. (You pay, a 14% utility tax on your bill I believe) WD 20 and Burien have no utility taxes. By reuniting the entire area we can hopefully give all these folks back control of their water system and rates.
Another cost savings for the unincorporated area is their sewers. The western area is served by SW Suburban Sewer District (SWSSD), which has its own sewer treatment plants. We do NOT have to pay for Brightwater… look at your sewer bill, there is most likely a charge of $40 + to pay off the county bonds, which, I believe are 40 year bonds. I have been told that will probably go up to around $50/month. If this area becomes part of Seattle, I believe they will have to pay those rates because of the bond covenants, even if they remain in SWSSD.
Fire – Fire District 11 will go away and the entire area will be served by FD 2. The existing fire fighters will become FD 2 personnel. They know the area, which is helpful when every minute counts. When Burien was deciding on the boundaries of Phase 1 we included the fire station on 112th which serves this area now. Seattle was adamant that they needed that station to serve the area and parts of south Seattle. In a spirit of cooperation we honored their request. When the Seattle City Council was getting their briefing they were told this station isn’t adequate and White Center will be covered by the station in West Seattle…. I wonder how that will affect the response time? I wonder why we gave it up.
Police – If the area becomes part of Burien they will have the same police officers they have now, there will be a seamless transition. Our Sheriffs have been very effective dealing with crime in this area. So what happens to these officers if Seattle annexes? I realize they have the option to hire those that currently work there but there are issues of seniority, pay, benefits etc.
Debt-Burien has no debt, Seattle has many levy and bond measures that have to be paid. The new residents will be responsible for helping to pay for this debt since they now “enjoy the benefits”.
The focus of your article was on the social services and how the non profits could “help the people”. As you can see from what I’ve written there are many other aspects to consider. It is true Burien does not have the deep pockets of Seattle, but we do work well with the various support and non profit groups that work in our city. We look forward to working with the non profits you mentioned as well. Since these folks are receiving grant money from private agencies that money can also continue to flow into the area.
We are a small and nimble city, it is in our combined best interests to see that this area thrives. By having a government close by I anticipate the downtown core of White Center begin to fill up with new business run by the residents. As you pointed out there is a vibrancy in the area you don’t often see. That needs to be nurtured. Check into the B&O taxes Seattle charges, as well as space taxes, head tax, business license fees etc. These are a burden to beginning/small businesses. Burien doesn’t charge as much in B&O nor do we have any of those other ancillary taxes. We are a business friendly city and value the leadership and ideas they contribute to our community.
Again, I invite you back to the area, come on down to Burien some Monday evening and see our Council in action, walk around our downtown core and see what we have done – it was not done in a vacuum – the residents of Burien were very actively involved. This is the way we do business here – with the involvement and support of our residents. This is the power we offer to the remainder of the unincorporated area. Doubts? Come watch us as we begin this process with the area that will become part of Burien in April. I admit it will take some time; these folks have been ignored, neglected, abused, and dictated to for too many years. They aren’t quite sure of their voice yet, but given time they will gain confidence and bring a new vibrancy to our city…. we will all be a better place. I look forward to including the remainder of the area – what a great city we will be!
Thank you for your time,
Kathy Keene—– Original Message —–
From: Jerry Large
To: Kathleen Keene
Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 1:25 PM
Subject: RE: Article on White CenterDear Kathy,
Thanks for the note. I’d love to visit with you about White Center and Burien. I’ll be away next week, but I can come down after that. I have deadlines on Wednesdays and Fridays. If you let me know a couple of times that would work with your schedule, we can find one that works.
Jerry
Jerry Large
Columnist
The Seattle Times
Also, Thursday morning Crosscut published another editorial about why White Center should join Seattle, this one penned by Jordan Royer. And yes, he’s the son of former Seattle Mayor Charlie Royer – read it here.
So…what do YOU think of this issue? Should Seattle be allowed to annex White Center? Or should Burien go for it? Please take our Poll below, or leave a Comment…
Loading ...Finally, it’s official – Burien will annex unincorporated southern North Highline on April 1. City Council members voted 6-1 at their Jan. 11th meeting to establish the effective date.
Their action came after a delay of almost two months in setting an effective date, which occurred when the city learned in late November of an eleventh-hour maneuver by former King County Executive Kurt Triplett to sell Puget Sound Park in the unincorporated annexation area to the King County Library System.
New county Executive Dow Constantine announced on Jan. 6 that King County will not sell the five-acre park at 1st Ave. S. and SW 126th St. and, instead, will cede it to Burien as part of annexation.
Councilwoman Lucy Krakowiak cast the lone no vote against setting a formal annexation date. Krakowiak has continued to oppose annexation even after residents of southern North Highline voted by a large margin on Aug. 18 to become part of Burien.
Lucy Krakowiak cast the only "No" vote against the annexation date.
City Manager Mike Martin told council members before the vote, “This is the long-awaited resolution … I’m very pleased to bring it to you.”
He said setting an effective date “was not a matter of pulling it out of thin air.” Rather, annexation on April 1 “allows the maximum amount of revenue to be provided to the City from King County while allowing time for technical work needed to make the annexation effective.”
That work includes conducting a population census of the annexation area, contacting businesses there, and working out transition details with the state Department of Transportation.
During public comment, Burien resident Ed Dacy urged council members to use their influence to discourage any move by the King County Library System to close the White Center and Boulevard Park libraries – both of which are in the annexation area – and consolidate them in a new facility.
The library system earlier hoped to acquire Puget Sound Park as a location for a consolidated library – although the library board, on which Krakowiak also serves as a member, has not voted to close the two community libraries that soon will be within the City of Burien.
A 2004 bond issue passed by King County voters included funding for replacement or remodeling of both the White Center and Boulevard Park libraries. That money remains untouched in the library system’s capital budget.
The future of these library sites will be discussed by members of the King County Library System’s Planning Committee at 12 noon this Thursday, Jan. 14, in the second floor meeting room of the Burien Library. The committee will take comments from the public during the meeting.
King County will cede previously contested Puget Sound Park to Burien when the city annexes much of the North Highline unincorporated area, county Executive Dow Constantine and Mayor Joan McGilton announced Wednesday (Jan. 6).
The joint announcement ends a seven-week impasse between the city and county over the fate of the five-acre park at 1st Ave. S and SW 126th St, and clears the way for Burien to proceed with the final annexation process.
McGilton said annexation probably will take effect on April 1. The city council is expected to vote on that date at their Jan. 11 meeting.
Residents in the southern half of the North Highline unincorporated area voted by a sizeable margin last August to be annexed by Burien. The merger includes transfer of county property in the annexation area to Burien, which the city now will maintain, including streets and parks.
But city officials learned on Nov. 20 that former county Executive Kurt Triplett, in one of his final actions before leaving office, offered to sell Puget Sound Park to the King County Library System.
The library system, which was interested in building a new facility at that site and consolidating the White Center and Boulevard Park libraries there, signed a letter of intent to purchase the land for $600,000.
Burien lawmakers, however, were adamant that the park rightfully should go to the city as part of annexation. On Nov. 23, they postponed a vote to approve March 2 as the effective date and delayed annexation until this issue was resolved.
Constantine, who as a county councilman represented Burien, North Highline and West Seattle, inherited the conflict when he took office on Nov. 24. Before taking office, he asked Triplett not to proceed with the sale, and Triplett complied.
Earlier last year, Constantine twice wrote letters supporting Burien’s claim to Puget Sound Park if the city annexed part of the North Highline area (read our coverage here and here).
“A deal’s a deal, and it was the city’s understanding of the annexation process that it would receive six parks from the County, including Puget Sound Park,” Constantine said in the joint announcement.
“After detailed discussions, I agree that transfer of the park to the city is the right thing to do and should occur as part of that larger annexation.”
McGilton told The B-Town Blog, “I am very pleased that King County understood what Burien was saying, that we needed to be a part of the process in order to acquire Puget Sound Park.
“We are very happy that our new King County executive listened to the concerns of Burien and ultimately agreed that this was the best possible outcome for the city of Burien, for our soon-to-be new residents in North Highline, and for King County as a whole.
She added, “This part of our community has been underserved by parks. We look forward to bringing Puget Sound Park up to Burien standards for the residents who use this facility.”
In the joint statement, McGilton noted the transfer of the park, which still needs to be approved by the King County Council, “sets the right tone for this new era in King County government. I thank the County Executive for his leadership to reach a fair agreement on the parks transfer.”
City lawmakers had made it clear they considered the attempt by King County to sell the park, which was in the works before Constantine took office, a breach of trust. City Manager Mike Martin declared at that time that annexation would not happen until Burien got Puget Sound Park as part of the deal.
The city council also delayed adopting budget amendments for 2010 that account for additional revenue and expenses due to annexation until the park issue was resolved.
by Scott Schaefer
Publisher/Editor
As 2009 (and the first decade of the 21st century) winds to a close, we’re taking a few moments to reflect on a very interesting year, full of new beginnings, tragic endings, a drunk city manager, record-setting temps, an innovative art installation, a fake news issue, an expanding city and much much more.
Not only was 2009 a very exciting year for the area, it was also an outstanding year for The B-Town Blog, as our Readership rocketed from around 10,000 per month to nearly 50,000 in November (THANKS EVERYONE!).
Herewith, we proudly present what we consider to be the Top 11 Burien Stories of 2009 (Top 10 lists are soooo 2008), in reverse order:
11. The B-Town Blog’s Fake April Fool’s Day Issue: You can blame this idea entirely on me – as a former comedy Writer who has loved “fake news” since the 1980s (anyone out there remember HBO’s “Not Necessarily the News“?), I thought it might be kinda fun to do our own hyperlocal version on April Fool’s Day.
Who knew that it’d really fool people into believing that a new nightclub with Strippers on Segways was moving into the old Office Depot space?
Oops.
The most rewarding aspect of this online prank was the slew of Comments, emails and yes, even a couple of inquisitive voicemails – one from a local businessperson asking for more info on the “new strip club,” another from a man whose business monitors the internet for “terrorist news” (he was very interested in the interview with the laser pointing culprit, and he found the story through searching the keywords “laser” and “airport”).
Here’s a short collection of some of the best gags & comments:
BREAKING: Ex-Office Depot Space To House Strip Club
Dona Forrester: “I hope this is an April Fools Joke also? This would be terrible for Burien!”
Christine: “Gosh I hope this is an April Fools joke too…yikes….empty space beats a strip joint any day.”
BREAKING: King County To Fence In North Highline Area
too embarassed 2 say: “I didn’t fall for Google’s, or UW Daily’s, but then I saw this title in the RSS feeds, and for a second I was totally wondering…”
Several blogs linked to our “Strippers on Segways” story, including Nerve.com out of New York City:
10. Is The New Nude Female Sculpture At B/IAS Too Explicit? Take Our Poll…: After reading a Comment left in one of our Forums about a new, “naked female statue” at Burien’s Interim Art Space, we took some pics, posted a story and a poll, then sat back and watched as 140 people Commented (read ‘em here) on this “controversial” sculpture called “Paradigm Shift” by artist Mike Magrath. Soon, even mainstream media picked this story up, including a blog at the LA Times and a right-wing “news” source called Breitbart.
Soon, our own Mark Neuman and Bart Bryan were out interviewing people, asking “Whaddaya Think?” Of Burien’s Controversial Nude Female Sculpture? in this video that was viewed by nearly 2,400 people:
9. Burien’s Interim Art Space’s Fiery One-Year Life: The innovative Burien Interim Art Space, conjured up and co-curated by residents Kathy Justin and Dane Johnson, brought a taste of “Burning Man” to the city, with unique art pieces ranging from Dan Das Mann’s iconic “The Passage” to a way-cool (or rather, hot) computer-controlled “Fire Pod” sculpture that shot fire out to techno music, and sadly, was only lit up once (on opening night) due to fire regulations.
Like many residents, we were sad to see B/ IAS dismantled, but luckily we have lots of media to re-live its short but interesting and inspiring life in B-Town:
Here’s Photographer Francis Zera’s time-lapse of the installation of “The Passage”:
Here’s our photo slideshow recap of that opening night (w/pics by Maureen Hoffmann and Scott Schaefer):
And here’s a video of opening night shot by Steven Bradford:
And finally, here’s Photographer Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow of the B/ IAS “de-installations”:
8. HOTPOCALYPSE ‘09: Burien Has Its “Hottest Day” In Recorded History: the mercury hit 104-degrees in Burien on July 29th, and it was all anyone could talk about. The city turned on sprinklers to help people cool off, while some creative residents like Carrie Rasmussen baked cookies (yes, cookies) in the back window of her Nanny Gloria’s car:
That's right...on Burien's hottest day, chocolate chip cookies were baked in the rear window of a car.
From Reader Candice Packer came this pic of a truly-retro Honeywell thermostat showing that the day’s temp was totally off the chart:
Our own Mini Cooper Blogmobile recorded the following 104-degree temp whilst overheating in downtown Burien:
BTB Photographer Francis Zera won the “hottest place” contest with this shot of his thermometer hitting 106.2!:
7. Burien Man Stabbed To Death Outside Good Time Ernie’s: Tragedy struck Burien when Mark. K. Ebinger (25, pictured left) was stabbed to death outside Good Time Ernie’s in an “ambush” that also injured his brother Peter, 24.
The incident occurred around 1:40am on Nov. 12th. Sheriff’s detectives interviewed bar patrons and witnesses, but no one has yet been arrested, the investigation is ongoing, and a $5,000 reward has been offered.
If anyone has any information on this case, they should call the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-274-6313.
Here’s a Photo Slideshow of the crime scene taken the morning after the incident:
6. King County’s Stealth Attempts To Sell Puget Sound Park May Postpone Official Annexation: King County stealthily attempted to sell Puget Sound Park to the King County Library System out from under Burien.
Puget Sound Park is located in the unincorporated area of North Highline that is to be annexed by Burien early next year.
This is an ongoing story, and we’re proud to have been the ones to break this news, including publishing numerous letters from new King County Exec Dow Constantine showing his support for keeping the park, to our upcoming coverage of Burien City Councilmember Lucy Krakowiak’s role in the issue (she serves on our city council as well as the board of the King County Library System, and our records show she never informed the council on this possible deal nor recused herself – more to come on this soon).
5. Burien City Manager Mike Martin Arrested For DUI: City Manager Mike Martin was arrested for a DUI on April 19th after his vehicle left the road and struck a ceramic pot in the yard of a house.
According to King County Sheriff’s records, Martin was found outside his car, “leaning forward and swaying side to side.” His breath allegedly smelled strongly of alcohol, his speech was slurred and he admitted to drinking a couple glasses of wine and two beers.
This was not Martin’s first run-in with the law – previously he resigned as Chief Administrative Officer for the city of Kent after a 2005 hit-and-run incident. Martin has been city manager since November 2006, and his yearly salary is $135,180.
We took a poll of our Readers, and of 223 responses, 53% thought Martin should “Resign immediately, get treatment and move on.“
However, Martin entered a “Not Guilty” plea, and remains in his position, with an amended contract:
(click to view PDF of entire contract)
4. Over 1,000 Witness Burien Town Square Grand Opening: On June 13th, Burien’s brand-spankin’ new Town Square opened, including a new City Hall, Library and Condos which, sadly, sits mostly empty some six months later.
The Highline High School Pirates marching band kicked off the grand opening ceremonies by marching (and boisterously playing) down SW 152nd to the main podium at the Town Square where numerous local and state dignitaries spoke to a crowd estimated by local police as “well over 1,000.”
The day’s celebration served as the culmination of over 12 years of the city’s planning for the $193 million “town square as the central focal point for the downtown core” as first approved in 1997, then developed and built beginning in 1999 until construction began in 2004 to Saturday’s festive ribbon cutting ceremony.
3. Sound Transit Opens Light Link Rail Line July 18th: Although the nearest stations are located in Tukwila and SeaTac, the fact that South King County is now part of the northwest’s first mass transit system is huge news.
For just $2.50, riders can get to downtown Seattle from this area in around 35 minutes and not have to worry about parking or traffic.
Reporter Ralph Nichols wrote I Rode Link Light Rail & Lived To Write About It. Have You?
2. Burien Nissan Loses Entire Inventory, Closes: Over a few nights in March, several large 18-wheeler haulers pulled up and took away all of Burien Nissan’s new car inventory.
After the business’s “flooring” (financing) fell through, at least 100 new cars were removed, with an estimated value between $2 and $3 million, leaving the once-bustling car lot looking like a ghost town:
At the time, Sales Manager John Antonelli said:
“it’s business as usual – we’re still open for business in service, parts and sales. When we get our new financing we’ll re-open in a couple of weeks.”
Because the flooring could not be re-established, at least 35 employees were laid off, and in May, the business closed for good despite a recent $5 million remodel.
After one false attempt to re-open the dealership by a new owner, nothing materialized and the lot still stands empty, a beacon to 2009’s weak economy.
Because auto dealers account for a significant portion of tax revenue for Burien, Dick Loman, Economic Development Director for the city, said:
“This sorry economic downturn is just hurting everybody.”
1. Voters Decide To Approve Burien’s Annexation of Southern North Highline: On Aug. 18th, voters in the southern portion of North Highline voted by a 56% to 44% margin to approve Burien’s annexation of that area.
With this annexation (once set for March 2, 2010, but now delayed pending to the above-mentioned Puget Sound Park issue with King County), Burien will become the 21st largest city in Washington – just above Olympia – with a population of about 45,000.
Currently Burien ranks 31st in the state, but look out Richland – you’re next!
So…what do YOU think the Top Story of 2009 was? Please take our Poll, or leave a Comment below…
Loading ...Burien City Council members and Highline-area residents made their case on two issues of considerable local concern to trustees of the King County Library System (KCLS) at their Dec. 15th meeting in Issaquah:
- Puget Sound Park is an asset that rightfully should go to Burien when the city annexes about half of the North Highline unincorporated area, perhaps in early March.
- Neighborhood libraries in White Center and Boulevard Park should remain open and not be consolidated in a new library building, perhaps at Puget Sound Park.
And both matters should be discussed openly, with affected citizens given ample opportunity to express their views at conveniently located public meetings.
KCLS Director Bill Ptacek and several trustees responded that, until this meeting, they were unaware of the facts supporting Burien’s claim to the park, and of community concern about their neighborhood libraries.
They apparently lacked both information and perspective on these issues despite the fact that Burien City Councilwoman Lucy Krakowiak is also a member of the KCLS Board of Trustees.
The comments were made during a scheduled public forum. No action was expected or taken. However, both Ptacek and trustees assured the representatives from Burien and North Highline that an involved public process will precede any decision on either the park or the libraries.
Puget Sound Park is located at 1st Ave. S and SW 126th St. just two blocks beyond Burien’s current northern city limit.
Puget Sound Park is located at 1st Ave. S and SW 126th St. just two blocks beyond Burien’s current northern city limit. Residents of the southern half of North Highline, which includes that five-acre site, voted in August to be annexed by Burien.
But before leaving office late last month, former King County Executive Kurt Triplett put in his 2010 county budget $600,000 from a planned sale of the park to the KCLS.
Triplett included that item after a letter of intent for the purchase of Puget Sound Park was signed by the library system in early November.
He also budgeted the one-time anticipated revenue to pay for maintenance of parks in other unincorporated areas of the county next year.
Burien city officials were never told by Triplett about the pending sale, learning of it only in a second-hand way on Friday, Nov. 20.
The new budget was approved by the county council on Monday, Nov. 23; new Executive Dow Constantine took office the next day.
In the past, Constantine has strongly opposed efforts by the executive’s office to sell Puget Sound Park.
Ptacek has expressed an interest in the library system acquiring the property and consolidating the White Center and Boulevard Park libraries, which would be closed, in a new facility at that location.
Asked earlier this week about this conflict, Constantine said, “Clearly we need to have an arrangement that works for the city of Burien … as well as for King County. We need to slow this process way down to hear from everybody.”
Constantine said the county is “entering into a conversation with the city of Burien” – something that was not done by Triplett – “with everyone at the table … to make the best of the situation that I inherited.”
Burien City Councilwoman Rose Clark told the library trustees, “I’m heartbroken that such a deal could be struck [by the county] with the library without anyone coming to us [the city council] and … the two libraries in North Highline that would be closed.”
“I had a lot of [negative] emotions when I learned the county wanted to sell Puget Sound Park. No one came to us to ask our interest … it was presented to us as a done deal.”
“I encourage you to have a good public process … before final decisions are made about the park and the neighborhood libraries,” added Councilwoman Kathy Keene.
“We have some real concerns,” Keene said. “The park needs to go back to the people where it belongs.”
“This kind of 11th-hour dealing by the county really gives the county a bad name in its dealings with the city,” Councilman Gordon Shaw declared.
“Many details remain unanswered should the library system eventually buy the park,” Shaw continued. “Would the library system build a new facility on part of the land and give the rest to Burien? Would it use the entire park? Would it leave the land undeveloped?”
“This whole thing doesn’t seem to be well thought out,” he said, voicing the hope that the issue is settled with the park going to Burien.
“Just to set the record straight,” Ptacek interjected, “I was led to believe there was communication … between the city and the county [executive’s office]….
“I was told if we were able to purchase the park, some of the money would go the city” for park maintenance along with the rest of that property for use as a park. “Now,” he said, “we hear that Burien considers this an asset….
“I assure everybody in this room that we will not proceed without a full public process,” Ptacek added, noting the letter of intent has expired so it no longer is an issue.
Burien “never asked anybody for money for [city] parks,” Clark advised the library trustees.
White Center resident Rebecca Wells said “to take away the White Center Library and move it to Puget Sound Park would be a prohibitive distance for White Center residents,” including students who use it after school.
If a new library is built at Puget Sound Park, this White Center branch will be closed, along with Boulevard Park.
Ed Dacy, a member of the Burien Parks Board, highlighted the importance of this park to east Burien, which is underserved by parks. Then, pointing to a wall map of the library district, he reminded the trustees that distances appear closer than they really are.
If the White Center and Boulevard Park libraries were consolidated, residents of both neighborhoods would have to take buses into downtown Burien and transfer – just a few blocks from the city’s new library – to get to another new library at the park site, Dacy said.
“To close both of these libraries would really be a disservice to both communities,” he concluded.
White Center Library Guild member Rachel Levine told the trustees that the 2004 library bond, which was approved by county voters, includes funds for new or remodeled libraries in both White Center and Boulevard Park.
“Maybe it’s not the most efficient or economic thing to have small community libraries, but libraries are part of the people infrastructure of a community,” Levine said. “People depend on them. So it was a shock to us to hear about a possible consolidation … [that] would be very inconvenient for many.”
She said people “still need libraries that serve the community, that are within walking distance, that are within biking distance, that are within busing distance.”
“The bottom line,” said Liz Giba of White Center, “is that there is a lot of poverty, a lot of people who walk to the library. To consolidate these libraries would really put at risk a lot of my neighbors and would really put at risk a lot of kids.”
Closing the two neighborhood libraries and using Puget Sound Park for a library “would take away three assets” from the Highline area,” Giba continued.
“Please do the right thing,” she urged the library trustees. “Please stand up for the people of White Center and Boulevard Park. Please show that you really do care.”
Burien council members are scheduled to adopt tonight (Monday, Dec. 14) amendments to the city’s 2009-2010 biennial budget.
The changes will adjust the 2010 budget to compensate for revenues that fell below projections in 2009 and are estimated to be lower than previously anticipated again next year.
Unless there is a late resolution in the dispute between Burien and King County over Puget Sound Park – none was reported as of late Friday afternoon (Dec. 11) – the budget amendments will not include revenues and expenses associated with annexation.
Council members have agreed not to set a date for annexing the southern part of the North Highline unincorporated area until the park dispute is settled.
When an agreement with the county is reached, the council will proceed with the annexation process. That timing will determine both the costs and income from annexation for the remainder of 2010, which then will be included in additional budget amendments.
The amended 2010 budget will be based in part on a property tax increase of 1 percent – the limit allowed by Initiative 747 – which was approved by council members on a 5-2 vote on Nov. 23.
With this increase, the average homeowner in Burien will pay an additional $3.83 in property tax next year.
Council members Gordon Shaw and Lucy Krakowiak opposed the 1 percent increase, which was adopted after the council declared a substantial need to exceed the limits of I-747 because neither inflation nor population grew at a rate above 1 percent.
Greetings,
Please cease any discussions with King County in regards to transferring any ownership or easement rights in Puget Sound Park prior to the annexation of the park area into the City of Burien. The proposed action is akin to buying (Burien as buyer) a car (Puget Sound Park), having the dealer (King County) sell all four tires to a third party (KCLS) prior to delivery and offering the original buyer the price of one tire! If not illegal, it is certainly morally bankrupt on the part of the dealer. Any third party would also be morally if not legally culpable for taking possession of property that rightfully belongs to the original buyer.
The possibility of purchasing the rights offered by King County to the Puget Sound Park should be negotiated in an open manner with input from the affected communities. With the upcoming vote on the Library levy lid, KCLS can ill afford to alienate voters in White Center, Boulevard Park and Burien.
Sincerely,
Douglas and Maria Sykes
Burien
[EDITOR'S NOTE: Have something you'd like to say? Then email us your "Letter to the Editor" by clicking here. Be sure to include your real name and a way to contact you, and, pending our review, we'll most likely post it. Otherwise, feel free to leave a Comment below...]
by Ralph Nichols
Burien City Council members had their first face-to-face discussion with a representative of the King County Executive’s office on the divisive issue of Puget Sound Park at their Dec. 7 meeting – and they didn’t blink.
Following a lengthy – and amicable – exchange of views with new Deputy Executive Fred Jarrett, the council agreed to delay once again setting March 2 as the formal date for annexing the south half of the North Highline unincorporated area.
City lawmakers made it clear to Jarrett that they consider the latest attempt by King County to sell the park – which was in the works before Executive Dow Constantine took office on Nov. 24 – a breach of trust.
And they remained equally adamant that Puget Sound Park, located at 1st Ave. S and SW 126th St. in the unincorporated area, is a county asset that rightfully should be transferred to Burien with annexation.
Jarrett appeared before the Burien council at the request of Constantine, who sent his regrets at not being able to attend the meeting. Prior to his election as county executive last month, Constantine represented Burien, North Highline and West Seattle on the King County Council and served as council chairman this year.
“We’re all in a place that we would really choose not to be,” Jarrett told the Burien council. “Our goal in all this is to be good partners and to reach an accommodation that meets the needs of both” the city and county.
Puget Sound Park is located on the land that once housed Puget Sound Jr. High, near the intersection of 1st Ave South and SW 126th.
Constantine, who in the past has strongly opposed efforts to sell Puget Sound Park, “is constrained by prior action of the [county] council,” he continued.
Before leaving office, former Executive Kurt Triplett included in his 2010 county budget an anticipated $600,000 from a planned sale of the five-acre park to the King County Library System. This one-time revenue is expected to pay for maintenance of county parks in unincorporated areas next year, Jarrett said.
Constantine had nothing to do with putting revenue from the sale of Puget Sound Park into the new budget and, Jarrett noted, “Dow did slow the [sale] process down” by asking Triplett not to act on a letter of intent with the library system.
Triplett complied with that request and, Jarrett said, the time to exercise the letter of intent has now elapsed.
However, Constantine presided over the county council meeting on Nov. 23 – the day before he was sworn in as executive – when it unanimously approved a $5 billion county budget for 2010.
“The Council has crafted a budget that protects public safety [and] keeps parks open in the unincorporated areas,” Constantine said following that vote.
Earlier this year, he wrote then-Executive Ron Sims, strongly objecting to any sale of Puget Sound Park for low-income housing, which was under consideration at that time.
Constantine also told the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council that the property should remain a park and should go to Burien if annexation took place.
King County Library Director Bill Ptacek has expressed interest in the library system acquiring Puget Sound Park and consolidating the White Center and Boulevard Park libraries, which would be closed, in a new facility at that location.
City Councilwoman Rose Clark told Jarrett it is “really reprehensible that at the 11th hour [before annexation] – 11:30 almost – the county says, “Oh, by the way, we’re going to sell the park and use the money for parks in other areas … and not tell you about it until the [county] council has voted” on it.
City Manager Mike Martin says that annexation won’t happen until Burien gets this park as part of the deal.
“To do that is a disservice to the Highline area,” Clark said. She then asked if the only way to keep other county parks open “is to take this park from Burien?”
Jarrett said that since anticipated revenue from selling the park is already in the new county budget, if the park is not sold cuts would have to be made or a source of replacement revenue would have to be found.
Nevertheless, he added, “We want to work with you. We want to be partners. We want to stop unilaterally actions by the county.”
“We would welcome that,” Clark replied.
Later, Jarrett said he and Constantine want to settle the park issue “in a different way. We just want to do this in a way that meets the needs of both sides.”
Clark insisted that as city and county officials discuss this matter, all meetings should be public, involve the city council and not just staff, and be held in Burien, which is a more convenient location than downtown Seattle for local citizens with a direct interest in the park.
Mayor Joan McGilton emphasized the important of parks in bringing the diverse cultures in Burien together. “We have [no parks] on the city’s east side,” she said.
And Councilman Gordon Shaw observed that the pending action by King County “proves the old adage that ‘no good deed goes unpunished’ … the whole thing doesn’t feel right.”
Burien officials learned about Triplett’s attempt to sell Puget Sound Park just days before the city council was scheduled to set March 2 as the formal date for annexing much of the North Highline unincorporated area – and just days before Triplett left office.
The city council then put the setting of an effective date for annexation on hold – and City Manager Mike Martin has declared that annexation won’t happen until Burien gets this park as part of the deal.
During public comment prior to the council’s discussion with Jarrett, Russ Pritchard, representing the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council, noted that the council has twice voted unanimously to oppose the sale of Puget Sound Park.
Yet, Prichard said, the county is now attempting to sell the park without first receiving public comment.
Will this be the site for another new library?
Burien resident Ed Dacy said “a park is a jewel, and that “sale of a park, even for a library, should not happen without an extensive public hearing. What else are they [the county] trying to sell in the back room?”
Dacy also said City Councilwoman Lucy Krakowiak, who also is a member of the King County Library System board of trustees, “must recuse herself” from voting on this park-or-library issue “due to a conflict of interest.”
Krakowiak later said while she wears two hats, she represents the city first and as a library system trustee recuses herself from votes involving Burien.
Rachel Levine, a member of the White Center Library Guild, said the pending sale of Puget Sound Park and possible closure of that library took them by surprise.
White Center was promised a new or expanded library through the library bond issue that was approved in 2004, Levine said. And the library, which “gets lots of use” with many patrons arriving on foot or bicycles, remains essential to the academic success of many Evergreen High School students.
“We can’t let go of the social network of our community,” she added. “We’ve already lost the Evergreen Pool – for the moment.”
Pat Price of Boulevard Park said residents there from students to the elderly “really need their library … we can’t find this acceptable to close two libraries to build one.”
North Highline resident Liz Giba said “to take away libraries from two communities that need them … is an ugly, ugly approach. We need libraries that are accessible … [and] the county told us this park would be saved.
“It’s time for King County, please, to treat us with a little bit of respect. We’ve been working for annexation for a long time. This is the latest step by the county to make it more difficult.”
City council members also agreed to delay adoption at Monday’s meeting of an amended budget for 2010 that would reflect both revenue and expenses associated with annexation. Instead, they will vote on Dec. 14 on a revised budget that does not include annexation unless the park issue is resolved before then.
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by Deputy King County Executive Fred Jarrett spoke to the Burien City Council Monday night (Dec. 7th) about the Puget Sound Park issue, expressing Executive Dow Constantine’s hope that an agreement can be reached that will meet the needs of all parties.
Jarrett said it is his understanding that this will include the King County Library System, which wants to buy the park – located at 1st Ave. S. and SW 126th St. in the North Highline unincorporated area that will be annexed by Burien next year – for a library site.
Such a library would consolidate the White Center and Boulevard Park libraries at the park location.
However, Burien wants the park to become part of the city’s park system once annexation occurs.
Following Jarrett’s presentation, council members agreed to continue a discussion about the park with county officials.
They also delayed adoption of the city’s amended budget for 2010 and the setting of a date for formal annexation to take place. Council members have said they won’t set a date for annexation until the park issue is resolved, and the timing of annexation will affect the budget.
A full report will appear on The B-Town Blog on Tuesday, Dec. 8th.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
by A letter written on April 3 by then-King County Councilman Dow Constantine – this one sent to Ron Sims, who was still county executive at the time – affirms Constantine’s apparent support for preserving Puget Sound Park.
Constantine, now the new King County Executive, informed Sims that he could not “support the Sustainable Communities and Affordable Housing proposal until Puget Sound Park is removed from further consideration” for conversion to housing.
Located at 1st Ave. S and SW 126th St., the park is in the unincorporated area of North Highline that is to be annexed by Burien early next year.
“I was dismayed to see this parcel listed along with several other non-park properties being prepared for conversion to housing use,” Constantine wrote Sims.
“I have previously stated in writing that I would not support any conversion proposal for any portion of this park that did not have the support of both the North Highline community and the city of Burien, which is pursuing the annexation of the surrounding neighborhood.
“As the city of Burien has registered its formal opposition and the community appears adamantly opposed to selling all or part of the park, it should be removed from the proposed ordinance.
“Parks have immense value to their surrounding communities, and replacement of this park property in this immediate neighborhood would be difficult at best,” he continued. “Replacement at a site elsewhere in King County is, of course, wholly inadequate….
“I do not feel that the conversion of public parks to housing sites is appropriate … and, if this legislation is introduced, I will take immediate action to amend it to protect this neighborhood park.”
Before becoming county executive, Constantine represented Burien, North Highline and West Seattle on the county council.
On April 13, Puget Sound Park was removed from consideration as a project site for the Sustainable Communities and Affordable Housing program.
Noting he was “pleased to learn” of this action, Constantine added, “our public parks – both active and passive – are valuable assets to their surrounding neighborhoods and King County that must be preserved and enhanced whenever possible.”
When the King County Council adopted the Sustainable Communities and Affordable Housing ordinance on Sept. 14, Puget Sound Park was not included as one of the properties for conversion.
Nevertheless, Constantine’s immediate predecessor, former county Executive Kurt Triplett, attempted to negotiate a backroom deal for the sale of Puget Sound Park to the King County Library System (read our previous coverage here).
Burien city officials learned about Triplett’s attempt to sell Puget Sound Park just days before the city council was scheduled to set March 2 as the formal date for annexing much of the North Highline unincorporated area – and just days before Triplett left office.
The city council subsequently put the setting of an effective date for annexation on hold – and city Manager Mike Martin declared in the wake of that revelation that annexation won’t happen until Burien gets this park as part of the deal.
In his monthly report to the King County Library System board of trustees prior to their regular meeting on Nov. 24, library system director Bill Ptacek said, “As reported earlier this year, the County reached out to KCLS with an offer to sell various parks to KCLS so that they could be maintained and kept open.
“One of the parks, Puget Sound Park, is in the area that recently voted to annex to Burien. The Park … would be a good location for a new Library in the area. KCLS has agreed (in principal) to purchase the developable portion of that property. The County still hopes to turn over the Park portion to the City of Burien if and when it completes the annexation process in March 2010.”
One unconfirmed rumor suggests that if the library system took ownership of the park, it might consolidate the White Center and Boulevard Park libraries in a new facility at that location.
Frank Abe, Constantine’s director of communications, told The B-Town Blog earlier this week that before taking office, Constantine asked Triplett not to take action on selling Puget Sound Park.
One of Constantine’s first actions as executive will be to sit down with all parties to discuss the future of the park to “figure out what’s best – especially for the people of Burien,” Abe said.
Here are links to download and read PDFs of Constantine’s letters regarding Puget Sound Park:
by King County Executive Dow Constantine, whose first full day on the job was Monday (Nov. 30), reportedly plans to meet with all interested parties before deciding the future of Puget Sound Park.
The King County Library System recently entered into a preliminary agreement with former Executive Kurt Triplett to purchase the park from the county in a deal brokered through county executive’s office.
But Puget Sound Park is located at 1st Ave South and SW 126th Street in the unincorporated area of North Highline that is to be annexed by Burien early next year. And City Manager Mike Martin said last week that annexation won’t happen until Burien gets this park as part of the deal.
Burien and North Highline officials knew nothing about the pending sale of the park to the library system until Nov. 20th (read our previous coverage here).
Frank Abe, Constantine’s director of communications, told The B-Town Blog on Nov. 30 that “one of the executive’s first action items will be to sit down with all the parties involved and to understand their concerns….
“Before taking office, Executive Constantine asked the previous executive (Triplett) not to take action until he could talk to everyone, and no action was taken” on a possible sale of the park, which is now on hold.
Constantine likely will meet with Burien Mayor Joan McGilton and Martin, King County Library System Director Bill Ptacek, and North Highline Unincorporated Area Council President Greg Duff, among others.
Abe said Constantine wants to “figure out what’s best – especially for the people of Burien.” Constantine represented Burien, North Highline and West Seattle on the King County Council until his election as county executive in November.
He added that Deputy County Executive Fred Jarrett has emphasized “we want to be certain the county doesn’t do something that’s arrogant or one-sided” where Burien is concerned.
Click image to download PDF of Dow's letter.
Triplett’s stealth attempt to sell the park – initiated by the county and discussed with library system officials without informing the city or, apparently, library system trustees – prompted Burien council members at their meeting on Nov. 23 to postpone official annexation of North Highline, which tentatively was set for March 2.
Burien officials and North Highline residents hope that Constantine will intervene to block the sale, thus allowing Puget Sound Park to go to the city as part of annexation. And a Jan. 28, 2009, letter from Constantine to the North Highline Council, following a meeting he had with Triplett, may give them reason for optimism (download a PDF of the letter here).
At that time, while Burien lawmakers continued to deliberate the annexation issue, Triplett had identified Puget Sound Park as a county property that might be used for affordable workforce housing.
“Park property is hard to come by and especially dear to any community,” Constantine wrote the North Highline Council. “Any proposal to sell park property must receive the highest level of scrutiny and public discussion….
“Any specific proposal for Puget Sound Park would also need to be similarly presented for community review.
“Given that Puget Sound Park is located in the city of Buren’s Potential Annexation Area, I urged the Executive’s representatives to include Burien officials in any future discussions.”
“We expect to have that park,” Martin said following the Burien council’s postponement of setting a date for formal annexation. “No annexation deal will be done until we get that asset.”
King County Executive Dow Constantine
And McGilton sent a letter to Constantine requesting his “direct intervention in this matter.”
Burien City Councilwoman Rose Clark, in remarks during the Nov. 23 meeting, called Triplett’s “eleventh-hour” attempt to sell Puget Sound Park “reprehensible.”
Councilman Gordon Shaw called the move “very, very bad government…. I’m very disappointed with King County. The (North Highline) residents have said before they don’t want the park sold.
Shaw added that the timing of the revelation of the proposed park sale “gives (the city) a really good opportunity to work with Dow in a new collaboration and to get away from the dictatorial attitude the county has had toward Burien in the past.”
Shortly after the August election, when residents of the southern part of North Highline approved annexation by Burien, Triplett proposed mothballing King County parks to reduce county general fund expenses by $4.6 million.
Constantine quickly responded, opposing Triplett’s plan to cut funding for the parks in unincorporated areas.
“Parks are important to the health and quality of life of everyone in the communities,” and closing them would be “short sighted,” he said.
by For the second time in three years, King County is attempting to renege at the 11th hour on a deal with the City of Burien.
The King County Library System reportedly has entered into a preliminary agreement to purchase Puget Sound Park at 1st Ave. S. and SW 126th St. from the county in a deal brokered by through the county executive’s office.
Puget Sound Park is located in the unincorporated area of North Highline that is to be annexed by Burien early next year.
But the stealth attempt to sell the park – initiated and discussed by the county without informing the city of its intent – prompted Burien council members at their meeting on Nov. 23 that they will postpone official annexation of North Highline, which tentatively was set for March 2nd (read our previous coverage here).
Burien officials and North Highline residents now hope that new King County Executive Dow Constantine, who was sworn in Tuesday afternoon (Nov. 24), will intervene to block the sale, thus allowing Puget Sound Park to go to the city as part of annexation.
Constantine represented Burien, North Highline and West Seattle on the King County Council until his election as county executive in November. Because of his swearing in, he was unavailable for comment Tuesday.
Burien City Manager Mike Martin informed council members about the pending sale of the park – which he learned about only late last week – at Monday night’s meeting and recommended that they not vote, as scheduled, on an ordinance setting March 2 as the effective date of annexation. They agreed unanimously to postpone action at this time.
“We expect to have that park,” Martin told The B-Town Blog today. “No annexation deal will be done until we get that asset.”
Mayor Joan McGilton sent a letter to Constantine on Nov. 20, requesting his “direct intervention in this matter.” She noted that city attempts to contact county staff had not produced “satisfactory results.”
“I think we can agree that such a delay is not in the best interest of our residents, and comes at significant additional cost to the County’s general fund,” McGilton told Constantine.
Martin said he only learned about the county’s interest in selling Puget Sound Park – initiated when Kurt Triplett was county executive – during a recent conversation on another matter with Fire District 2 officials, who said the property had been offered to them.
After they declined, King County reportedly contacted the King County Library System, which said yes to the offer and subsequently signed a letter of intent.
“We didn’t know what was going on until then,” said Martin. County officials had given the city no indication of their plans, despite the fact the park is in the area to be annexed by Burien.
Staff in the executive’s office under Triplett – who was chief of staff to former county executive Ron Sims until Sims resigned earlier this year to take a position in the administration of President Obama – apparently hope to make about $500,000 on the sale of the park to help plug the $56.4 million shortfall facing King County next year.
Greg Duff, president of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council, said, “The people of North Highline want their parks. We want our open spaces. For them to do that now is a slap in the face…. The people of North Highline voted for annexation and want King County to stop messing around.”
Shortly after the August election, when residents of the southern part of North Highline approved annexation by Burien, Triplett proposed mothballing King County parks to reduce general fund expenses by $4.6 million.
Constantine quickly responded, opposing Triplett’s plan to cut funding for the parks in unincorporated areas. “Parks are important to the health and quality of life of everyone in the communities,” and closing them would be “short sighted,” he said.
In 2007, Sims pulled out of a deal signed years earlier with Burien and the Port of Seattle for the demolition of the Lora Lake Apartments, which were operated by King County Housing Authority, to pave the way for commercial development in the city’s Northeast Redevelopment Area.
Although the county successfully won control of the apartment complex, it later was demolished anyway because soil contamination made it unsuitable as a residential property.
King County apparently wants to sell Puget Sound Park without public comment or notice. They had proposed selling it for low income housing during the summer. This was stopped (?) by public outrage over the sale of a park.
Now the word is that they have a sale pending.. This is wrong on so many levels. The worst part is that a park should NEVER be sold without public comment and debate.
If this sale was not pending the Burien City Council would have approved annexation of this area on March 2, 2010. That approval is now on hold. Many people of the community welcome any holding up of the annexation of North Highline. Could these people be behind the sale of this park? I hope not and I think not.
In the election to be annexed into Burien the control over their area as an issue by the voters, this sale is an example of the high handed tactics of King County Government, without regard for the people effected.
I recognize that the purchase of land by a government from a private party needs to negotiate in private or the cost will go up. But the disposal of government land needs to be transparent and open or people will wonder about undue enrichment of a government official.
If another government agency is the purchaser then this backroom dealing is terrible, and such behavior by two levels of government should not be tolerated.
- Ed Dacy
[EDITOR'S NOTE: Have something you'd like to say? Then email us your "Letter to the Editor" by clicking here. Be sure to include your real name and a way to contact you, and, pending our review, we'll most likely post it. Otherwise, feel free to leave a Comment below...]
by The effective date for annexation is now all but official. At their next meeting on Nov. 23, Burien council members are expected to approve March 2 as the day that some 14,100 residents of the North Highline unincorporated area become residents of the city.
With the annexation of the southern part of North Highline, Burien will become the 21st largest city in Washington – just above Olympia – with a population of about 45,000. Currently the city ranks 31st in the state.
Burien City Manager Mike Martin recommended to the council members on Monday (Nov. 9) that March 2 be set as the effective date, the timing of which will allow the city to get the maximum amount of road tax revenue from King County.
“It’s finally before you,” Martin told the city council. “We’ve been waiting for this moment until the outcome of (Initiative) 1033 was known.
I-1033, which was soundly defeated in the Nov. 3 general election, would have established a baseline for spending by all levels of government in Washington and restricted how much new revenue they could spend each year.
On March 2, 2010, Burien will become the 21st largest city in Washington, surpassing Olympia.
Both Martin and council members had suggested that if I-1033 were to pass, its impact could delay the annexation process by Burien.
There was no detailed discussion of the annexation process at Monday’s meeting. However, some lawmakers did have questions about its impact on the city’s 2010 budget during a public hearing and review of adjustments to the city’s biennial budget and yearly property tax levy.
Almost 59 percent of North Highline voters approved annexation to Burien in the Aug. 18 primary election.
“The North Highline (Unincorporated Area) Council represents the people of North Highline and we are very happy to see annexation take place,” said Greg Duff, president of the council. “This is something that the people of North Highline have been hoping for for a long time.”
The annexation area extends north from South/Southwest 128th Street to a line that zigzags west to east along Southwest 112th Street in north Shorewood, South 116th Street, South 112th Street, and South 107th Street in Boulevard Park, ending at Tukwila. Much of Beverly Park and Boulevard Park, including the Rainier Golf and Country Club, will be absorbed by Burien.
Left in the remaining unincorporated area between the new Burien city limits and Seattle will be the North Highline fire station, Evergreen High School and Pool, and the Top Hat neighborhood.
Emphasizing the fact that he was speaking for himself only, and not for the council, Duff added, “Personally, I hope to see the rest of the area annexed eventually into Burien.”
| Nov ’09 |
| 24 |
| 7:00 pm |
As the City of Burien prepares to annex the North Highline “South Annexation Area,” most likely in March 2010, its Planning Commission is considering converting zoning designations there.
The first planning meeting will be Tuesday, Nov. 10th at 7pm at Burien City Hall, 400 SW 152nd Street (Suite 300).
The second event will be a public hearing on the proposed conversion on Tuesday, Nov. 24th, at 7pm, also at Burien City Hall. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend and/or submit written comments.
For more information:
- Link to the city’s page on annexation
- Link to information on the proposed conversion (PDF file)
- Zoning map with current designations (PDF file)
- Proposed zoning designations (PDF file)
Here are the full details from a press release issued by the city on Nov. 9th:
Zoning Conversion for North Highline “South Annexation Area”
The City of Burien continues it preparations to annex the North Highline “South Annexation Area” as approved by voters in August 2009. A required step is adoption of zoning for the area. The City of Burien Planning Commission is reviewing a proposal from the City’s Department of Community Development to convert the existing King County zoning designations to City of Burien designations. A more formal review of these designations would occur as part of the City’s scheduled planning process in 2010 and 2011.
The Burien Planning Commission will be taking its first look at the proposed conversion on Tuesday, Nov. 10th, at 7 p.m. at Burien City Hall, 400 SW 152nd Street (Suite 300). The Commission will conduct a public hearing on the proposed conversion on Tuesday, November 24th, at 7 p.m., also at Burien City Hall. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend and/or submit written comments. The Planning Commission then will make a recommendation to the Burien City Council, which must adopt zoning for the annexation area prior to annexation in 2010.
Information on the proposed conversion, and zoning maps showing current County zoning and proposed City zoning are available online at burienwa.gov/annexation or by contacting Chip Davis, planner, at (206) 248-5501 or by Email at chipd@burienwa.gov.
Sgt. John Urquhart of the King County Sheriff’s Department sent us the following article Friday afternoon (Oct. 2nd), where he attempts to clarify budget cuts that will affect police officers, as proposed on Monday (Sept. 28th) by current King County Executive Kurt Triplett.
Here’s Sgt. Urquhart’s rebuttal to Triplett’s announcement:
The King County budget is incredibly complicated…some might even say convoluted! Attached is my effort to clarify one aspect: the cuts contemplated by the Exec’s Office to the Sheriff’s Office as a result of the North Highline annexation to Burien.
John
Budget 101: The Cuts to Cops on the Streets
There has been some confusion over budget numbers released by the Sheriff’s Office Wednesday (Sept. 30th), and statements made by the Executive’s Budget Office. This should clear up at least some of the confusion.
Burien residents voted on August 25th 18th to annex a relatively small area into their city. It’s officially called “North Highline”. The annexation officially occurs about March 1, 2010.
Here’s a map of the area:
It is 1,700 acres (about 2.6 square miles) and includes 14,100 people.
The Sheriff’s Office already provides police service to the area since it is in unincorporated King County. For 24/7 365 day coverage, it takes seven officers, as well as a part-time detective for investigations and a part-time sergeant for supervision. Call it eight police officers.
With the area soon to be part of Burien, the eight officers are no longer needed so their costs for King County go away because the city will take over police duties in North Highline in March.
The average cost for a Sheriff’s Office employee is $100,000 a year, including salary, benefits, and equipment. Remember, that’s an average……some are higher and some are lower.
Therefore the “avoided cost” to King County due to the North Highline annexation, if annualized, is about $800,000 (eight deputies X $100,000 each). However the since the annexation doesn’t take place until March 1st, the 2010 avoided cost is $666,666 (10 months of $800,000). Pretty simple.
It would be entirely appropriate to take that amount out of the Sheriff’s Office budget for 2010, since that is the savings when deputies won’t be providing police service in the area.
However, rather than $666,666, the Executive’s Office is removing nearly $3.5 million from the Sheriff’s Office budget in 2010. The amount is specifically labeled as a result of the “North Highline Annexation” in several budget documents. (Those documents are available for review in the Sheriff’s Office, or are certainly available from the Executive’s Budget Office.)
So that forces a reduction in Sheriff’s Office staff of 35 positions specifically because of the North Highline Annexation ($100,000 X 35 = $3.5 million).
However it is likely that eight of those positions will be hired by the city of Burien, (one of our contract cities) for police duties in North Highline beginning March 1st.
That means the number of lost positions (35) can be reduced by eight, leaving a net loss to unincorporated King County of 27 deputies.
Note that 27 deputies is exactly the number listed in Communications Director Carolyn Duncan’s press release on Monday, Sept. 28th (link here).
However the lost positions are not listed anywhere in budget documents. This masks the cuts to cops on the street.
So the obvious question: If the cost savings to King County is $666,666 due to the North Highline annexation, why cut the Sheriff’s Office by $3.5 million…more than five times higher than it should be?
Good question. We’ve asked. So far, the Sheriff’s Office has not been provided the documentation behind the cuts.
According to Sgt. John Urquhart of the King County Sheriff’s Department, a 41 year-old woman shot her 55 year-old boyfriend at least twice with a handgun around 10:30pm last night (Oct. 1st) in the 800 block of SW 117th, which is in the newly-annexed area.
The male victim was taken to Harborview Hospital in Seattle with non life- threatening injuries.
The couple live with the man’s brother and the woman’s 15 year-old son, both of whom were home at the time of the shooting.
The son called 911 and everyone except the female suspect made their way out of the house as deputies arrived.
The woman refused to come out of the house or communicate with deputies for over three hours. Eventually the Sheriff’s SWAT Team entered the residence and took the woman into custody just before 2am.
The female suspect was booked into the King County Jail for Investigation of Assault in the First Degree. A small caliber handgun was recovered inside the house.
UPDATE 4:30pm WED. 9/2/09: King County certified the Aug. 18th election results today, and the final tally for Burien’s annexation bid for the North Highline Area has the following returns, from over 39%% of the 6,384 ballots sent out – 55.56% “For” and 44.44% “Against”:
“North Highline South Annexation Area Proposed Annexation to the City of Burien”
Ballots Cast/Registered Voters: 2521 / 6,384 39.49%
- FOR ANNEXATION 1380 55.56%
- AGAINST ANNEXATION 1104 44.44%
It was pretty obvious from even the earliest returns, but now that it’s official, the cityfolk can pop open the champagne (‘cept for a certain city manager), breathe a sigh of relief and get to work for their new residents!
And all new Burienites should contact their new city councilmembers here and let them know what they need!
by Burien Mayor Joan McGilton began a special City Council meeting on annexation Monday night (Aug. 24th) by rolling out the welcome mat for 14,100 North Highline residents who will become part of the city early next year.
Councilwoman Kathy Keene, observing the “long, hard fight” to bring the south part of the North Highline unincorporated area into Burien is over, added, “We just want to assure everybody that it will be a seamless transition and a welcoming transition,”
Sally Nelson, a city council member since Burien incorporated in 1993, said, “We feel like you’re one of us now. We’ve erased that line (dividing the city from the neighborhood immediately to the north) and we have a new line and we hope someday to erase that line too.”
City Manager Mike Martin said these future city residents will “see no changes until annexation actually occurs,” which is expected to happen in late March or early April. Even then, he continued, “they will not see substantial changes” unless services are enhanced.
With 2,472 ballots cast in last week’s primary election counted through Monday, 55.91 percent (1,363) of registered voters in the North Highline annexation area favored becoming part of Burien in last week’s primary election, while 44.09 percent (1.075) opposed the merger. The current total represents 38.72 percent of voters in that area.
“We do not consider this to be a mandate, but it certainly is a very strong showing,” Martin told council members. “We want to thank everyone who was involved, and they are legion … there was a lot of heavy lifting that went on here” in the months leading up to the vote. He extended special thanks to the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council “for their steadfastness” in support of annexation.
When annexation becomes official, Burien will be the 21st largest city in Washington with a population of about 45,000. Currently the city ranks 31st in the state. The annexation area extends north from South/Southwest 128th Street to a line that zigzags west to east along Southwest 112th Street in north Shorewood, South 116th Street, South 112th Street, and South 107th Street in Boulevard Park, ending at Tukwila.
Much of Beverly Park and Boulevard Park, including the Rainier Golf and Country Club, will be absorbed by Burien. Left in the remaining unincorporated area between the new Burien city limits and Seattle will be the North Highline fire station, Evergreen High School and Pool, and the Top Hat neighborhood.
Martin noted that after a lengthy telephone conversation with interim King County Executive Kurt Triplett, “it appears extremely unlikely that any (county) parks in our annexation area will be shut down.” Triplett has proposed closing 39 parks in unincorporated areas to help balance the county’s budget next year. Five of these parks are in the annexation area.
The city’s contract with the King County Sheriff’s Office will be modified to hire more deputies as city police officers, many of whom already work in North Highline. All special districts – fire, water, sewer, library, and Highline schools – will continue to provide services in the newly annexed area without interruption or change, Martin added.
Council members also encouraged residents of the North Highline annexation area to become involved with their new city government now. Councilwoman Rose Clark invited them “to come to council meetings” and to offer comments. “I encourage that. We need all the advice we can get.”
McGilton reminded them that they “can come to (advisory) commission meetings and participate” both before and after annexation takes place, even if they are not commission members. “You do not have to be at the table” to contribute.
Following a lengthy discussion, council members backed away from a proposed ordinance to allow North Highline annexation area residents to become members of the Arts, Parks and Recreation, and Planning commissions before they become part of the city.
Planning Commission member Jim Clingan reminded lawmakers that city policy has been to have no geographic preference for council positions and commission memberships. To make this exception now could result in preferential treatment, he cautioned.
Councilman Gordon Shaw and McGilton, who agreed there should be no geographic preference, noted the council’s normal process is to invite applications for membership on these commissions in January, review them in February, and appoint new members in March – about the time the annexation area will become part of Burien.
The council directed staff to draft a new ordinance, relating to participation on city commissions by residents of the annexation area on city commissions, that states they can apply for membership on commissions before joining Burien.
During public comment, North Highline resident Karen Veloria told council members, “I wanted us to go to Seattle … but I’m now in Burien. That’s OK with me. I’m willing to work with you all.”
Another North Highline resident, Richard Beaubelle, told them, “I pledge to assist in making this a smooth transition.”
Burien resident Cherisse Luxa added, “I’m so proud of the people in the south part of North Highline for choosing to become part of Burien.” Extending her welcome, Luxa said, “I can not wait until north North Highline” also becomes part of the city.
Liz Giba of North Highline exclaimed, “I can’t wait until we become part of Burien.” She said she will keep on working on annexing the rest of North Highline into the city “and will remain hopeful.”
| Aug ’09 |
| 24 |
| 7:00 pm |
The special Burien City Council meeting on annexation is tonight (Monday, Aug. 24, at 7pm), with the goal of discussing “how in general to do this whole thing,” according to City Manager Mike Martin.
Residents in the newly-annexed southern North Highline area are invited to attend, along with those in Burien, to discuss what’s next for the new part of the city, and how best to “get there.”
“We plan on listening to that community to find out how their vision fits with that of our existing Burien residents,” Martin said. “There seems to be a strong feeling that something was torn apart when Burien incorporated in 1993 and this starts to put that back together again.”
The session will be at 7pm at the new Burien City Hall, which is located at 4th Avenue SW and SW 152nd Street in downtown Burien. To download a PDF of the meeting agenda, click here.
by It’s déjà vu all over again. Closed parks and pools, on top of program and job cuts, have been proposed by the King County executive to balance next year’s operating budget. But that was then, when Ron Sims was county executive and the 2003 budget was on the table.
Seven years later, Kurt Triplett, Sims’ former chief of staff, is interim county executive. And the second verse is same as the first. (Actually the third verse when last year’s cuts in the sheriff’s and prosecutor’s offices and the court system are included.)
Triplett recently proposed “mothballing” 39 parks in unincorporated urban areas in King County – more than a third of them in the Highline area. But even if all parks on his hit list were to be closed, which some Highline officials and volunteers consider unlikely, five parks and maybe a sixth would remain open.
Those parks are in the “south” part of the North Highline unincorporated area, which residents there decided on Tuesday will be become part of the city of Burien. That transition is expected to occur early next year.
More than a third of the parks proposed to be "mothballed" by King County are in the Highline area.
North Highline parks that will be annexed by Burien are:
- Arbor Lake Park, So. 124th Street and 4th Ave So.
- Hazel Valley Park, SW 126th Street and 2nd Ave SW
- Hilltop Park, So. 128th Street and 26th Ave So.
- Puget Sound Park, 126th Street SW and 1st Ave So.
- Salmon Creek Park, SW 118th Street and 8th Ave SW
Southern Heights Park, So. 120th Street and 14th Avenue So., also in the annexation area, has been leased and maintained by the county but is owned by Water District 20. There is no immediate indication about the district’s plan for this park.
Triplett said mothballing the parks would reduce general fund expenses by $4.6 million. The county faces a $56.4 million shortfall in projected tax revenues and the executive and council are looking for ways to balance the budget to maintain 2009 service levels.
King County Councilman Dow Constantine of West Seattle, whose district includes North Highline and most of Burien, reacted swiftly with a statement opposing Triplett’s plan. Constantine, who finished second in the August 18 primary election contest for county executive – and will face former KIRO-TV anchor Susan Hutchison in November – currently serves as council chairman.
“I am opposed to Executive Triplett’s proposal to cut all funding for King County parks in the urban unincorporated areas,” Constantine said. “Parks are important to the health and quality of life of everyone in the communities in which King County provides basic services – especially to our young people. To eliminate these parks with the stroke of a pen when economic times get tough would be short-sighted.”
He said “all other possible cuts” – including reductions in administrative staff – and “innovative budget solutions” need to be explored “before we consider the elimination of direct services to King County residents. I have laid out a set of ideas to serve as a starting point for substantive discussions by the King County Council to create a balanced 2010 budget without raising taxes or cutting funding for urban unincorporated parks”
Hutchison could not be reached for comment.
Triplett’s proposal addresses only parks with maintenance financed through the general fund. They total approximately 610 acres and have a total assessed value of $57 million. It would not affect King County’s regional parks and trails, which are funded through the County Parks levy.
“Taxpayers have paid for these parks, and I am open to any proposal from the cities or others to transfer ownership for free,” said Triplett. “As part of the effort to encourage annexations, the state has given these cities tax options the county does not have.”
Closed parks would have fences installed around perfectly-good playground equipment.
The 39 targeted parks will remain open for use but will not be maintained. In December, if this plan goes into effect, crews will fence playground equipment, lock and secure restrooms, post signs and lock gates in the closed parks.
Triplett said his priority is to shield public health and criminal justice services as much as possible but that all county departments will see budget cuts in 2010.
The other parks in the general Highline area on Triplett’s mothball list are:
- Duwamish (River) Park – Site 1
- Evergreen Athletic Field (and Evergreen Pool), 606 SW 116 Street
- Hamm Creek Natural Area
- Lakewood Park, 11050 10th Ave SW
- North Shorewood Park, SW 102nd Street and 24th Ave SW
- Sunset Playfield, So. 136th Street and 18th Ave So.
- White Center Heights Park, SW 102nd Street and 7th Ave SW
- White Center Pond Natural Area, SW 102nd Street and 12th Ave SW
So…what do YOU think about the county closing so many parks in our area? Please take our poll, or Comment below…
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Cartoon by The Mad Artist www.theMadArtist.org
With North Highline voters approving annexation to Burien by a comfortable margin, Mayor Joan McGilton declared Wednesday morning (Aug. 19th), “I’m pretty excited about having a whole historic part of our community brought together again in the city.”
Burien City Manager Mike Martin added, “I’m very pleased with the results and welcome our new residents. We’ll do our best to serve them well.” He said “in recent weeks, people expected it to go this way.”
After the first two reports from King County Elections on the results of yesterday’s primary election – the county’s first all mail-in election – votes “For” the annexation issue led with almost 59 percent of the ballots cast, compared to just over 41 percent to those “Against” the move.
Ballots counted on election night represent slightly more than 23 percent of registered voters in the part of the North Highline unincorporated area that will be annexed – 1,491 ballots out of 6,384 registered voters – with 862 yes votes and 603 no votes. Election officials predicted that about 35 percent of registered voters would cast ballots in the primary.
When annexation becomes official, probably sometime in late winter or early spring, Burien will be the 21st largest city in Washington with a population of approximately 45,990, surpassing Olympia. Currently the city ranks 31st in the state. Some 14,100 new residents will come into the city as Burien takes in an area extending north from South/SW 128th Street to a line that zigzags west to east along SW 112th Street in north Shorewood, So. 116th Street, South 112th Street, and South 107th Street in Boulevard Park, ending at Tukwila.
Much of Beverly Park and Boulevard Park, including the Rainier Golf and Country Club, will be absorbed by Burien. Left in the remaining unincorporated area between the new Burien city limits and Seattle will be the North Highline fire station, Evergreen High School and Pool, and the Top Hat neighborhood.
“City staff will be working really hard to make this transition as seamless and as welcoming as possible,” McGilton assured the future new city residents.
The first step will be a special City Council meeting on annexation on Monday, Aug. 24, at 7pm, to discuss “how in general to do this whole thing,” Martin said. “In the immediate future, we plan on listening to that community to find out how their vision fits with that of our existing Burien residents. There seems to be a strong feeling that something was torn apart when Burien incorporated in 1993 and this starts to put that back together again.”
Addressing “those who didn’t want to join Burien,” he stressed “there is room in this city for dissenting voices. We welcome that, and hope we will win them over in the future and they will feel comfortable in our city.”
Not sharing their enthusiasm over the annexation vote was Mark Ufkes, president of the White Center Homeowners Association and a member of White Center Residents for a Secure Future, and a leading opponent of the proposition who argued before the primary that “Burien is the least best choice” for North Highline.
“All I can offer is that they’re predicting a 35 percent (voter) turnout and last November there was an 80 percent turnout. Would the election outcome be different if everybody participated? My contention all along was that Burien wanted a low turnout and they got it.”
But Greg Duff, president of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council disagrees. Approval of annexation by Burien is “not a surprise because NHUAC did a survey and it showed that people wanted to go to Burien rather than Seattle. At that point, the council began working on annexation and supported the people’s wishes. I had a good idea based on the response to our survey they would vote to support annexation.”
Duff noted that survey results reflected a preference by a majority of all North Highline residents to become part of Burien – including those residing in “north” North Highline, which will remain unincorporated for now.
He extended thanks to Martin “and the Burien City Council for having the vision that North Highline is an asset. And I thank the citizens of North Highline who worked so hard to make this possible. This was a real grassroots effort.”
Ufkes, who lives one block north of the annexation area, said what happens to the remaining unincorporated area is not for him to decide. “It’s up to the community members.” But, he said, “Seattle has expressed interest in moving ahead (with annexing that area) next year with a vote – in November.”
Duff questioned Ufkes’ claim. “I belief this annexation to Burien is going to be successful,” he said, adding that would increase the interest of residents outside the city in becoming part of Burien, too. The unincorporated area council needs “to sit down and decide what’s our next move. We can’t wait. But it’s really up to Burien.”
He also said he is unaware at this time of any interest by Seattle in the remaining North Highline area, and that that city’s mayoral and council races could affect its future position on annexation.
A resident of the area that will be annexed, Duff will resign soon from the unincorporated area council.
Say hello to your new Overlords, southern North Highline residents!
McGilton repeated her earlier statement that Burien’s annexation of “south” North Highline needs to be given time to settle in. Then the council can “look at it. I’m a phase one, phase two person … if this is a success, then that will give us credibility to move on north.”
She acknowledged “the tremendous work that Mike Martin and Jennifer Ramirez-Robson, who set up the community meetings, and (Community Development Director) Scott Greenberg, who worked on this for so long compiling the numbers so they came together and will not increase cost to the city. Many others were instrumental as well, but these three were out in front.”
At Monday’s council meeting, “we will bring a resolution to modify the municipal code so North Highline residents in the new annexation area can serve on city advisory boards and commissions now” – through the regular appointment process as positions become open,” Martin noted. That “will give folks in that area a direct say in advising the city council.
“In the next few weeks we will be hiring staff and taking inventories of capital needs (in the unincorporated area). We will need to start figuring out planning and zoning issues up there.”
Martin repeated that “south” North Highline will not become part of Burien immediately. The process of bringing the unincorporated area into the city will take several months, with annexation becoming official sometime in late winter at the earliest.
The city’s primary focus on bringing the annexed area into Burien will be planning and zoning, streets and storm drains, and code enforcement, as well as adding staff to work on these matters. In addition, Burien, which adopted a two-year budget for the first time this year, will need to modify it for 2010 to allow for both increased revenue and spending.
The city’s contract with the King County Sheriff’s Office will be modified to hire more deputies as city police officers, many of whom already work in North Highline. All special districts – fire, water, sewer, library, and Highline schools – will continue to provide services in the newly annexed area without interruption or change.
by If you’ve not yet voted and mailed your ballot, remember, tomorrow – Tuesday, August 18, primary election day – is the deadline to do so. And if you live in the southern part of the North Highline unincorporated area, voting in King County’s first all mail-in election carries added significance. Your vote will help decide whether this area becomes part of the city of Burien.
If a majority of these voters says yes to annexation, Burien’s population will increase by some 14,100 residents with the addition of an area from South/Southwest 128th Street north to a zigzag line that extends west to east along Southwest 112th Street in north Shorewood, South 116th Street, South 112th Street, and South 107th Street in Boulevard Park, ending at Tukwila.
Much of Beverly Park and Boulevard Park, including the Rainier Golf and Country Club, will be absorbed by Burien. Left in the remaining unincorporated area between Burien and Seattle will be the North Highline fire station, Evergreen High School and Pool, and the Top Hat neighborhood.
And if annexation is approved – growing Burien by 44% and making it the 21st largest city in Washington with a population of approximately 45,900 (surpassing Olympia in population) – what happens next?
If Burien's annexation of the North Highline area passes, it will catapult from #31 to #21 in city size, surpassing the population of Olympia.
The first public action will be a special City Council meeting on Monday, Aug. 24, at 7 p.m., “to discuss the path forward, to determine how in general to do this whole thing,” says Burien City Manager Mike Martin. “In the next few weeks we will be hiring staff and taking inventories of capital needs (in the unincorporated area). We will need to start figuring out planning and zoning issues up there.”
At that council meeting, “we will bring a resolution to modify the municipal code so North Highline residents in the new annexation area can serve on city advisory boards and commissions now” – through the regular appointment process as positions become open. “This is kind of a big deal,” Martin says. “It will give folks in that area a direct say in advising the city council.”
He adds, “We want (the annexation process) to be seamless.” That is “the overarching theme … we don’t want people to be jolted by this, either the new residents or existing city residents.”
Another initial step, says Mayor Joan McGilton, is a citywide “visioning project. We need to ask those residents and existing residents what the new 45,000 population city should look like.”
“Even if annexation is approved on Tuesday, this area of North Highline will not become part of Burien on Wednesday,” Martin notes emphatically. The process of bringing the unincorporated area into the city will take several months, with annexation becoming official sometime in late winter at the earliest.
City staff already “has taken a cursory look at a lot of these things. We’re not operating in the dark,” he says. “But not a lot will be involved until voters say yes. We wouldn’t want to have spent a lot of time if voters told us they didn’t want to become part of Burien.”
The city’s primary focus on bringing the annexed area into Burien will be planning and zoning, streets and storm drains, and code enforcement, as well as adding staff to work on these matters. In addition, Burien, which adopted a two-year budget for the first time this year, will need to modify it for 2010 to allow for both increased revenue and spending.
The city’s contract with the King County Sheriff’s Office will be modified to hire more deputies as city police officers, many of whom already work in North Highline. All special districts – fire, water, sewer, library, and Highline schools – will continue to provide services in the newly annexed area without interruption or change.
And when the annexed area finally is inside the city, what then? Will Burien consider annexing the remaining North Highline unincorporated area between its new northern city limit and Seattle?
There is, says McGilton, “definite interest on the part of four current council members … to aggressively look at that. Two council members say the city has done as much as it needs to do. My personal preference (if the current annexation proposal is approved) is to settle in and then look at it. I’m a phase one, phase two person … if this is a success, then than will give us credibility to move on north.”
State law requires a simple majority vote of residents in an area designated for annexation before the merger can take effect. Residents of the annexing city do not vote on the question.
Dear Mom -
I know you read The B-Town Blog, because I know your computer’s IP address (and Mom, will you please stop commenting on that Naked Lady Sculpture story? That is soooo July of you!), and I wanted you to hear my really really important segment I did on KUOW’s “The Conversation” today.
Okay, so it was less than two minutes, but hey, at least I got on the air.
Uh-oh, I forgot to mention the URL of our website.
Oh, and they didn’t have time to let me mention the Forklift Rodeo either. Dang.
And I didn’t get to talk as much about annexation as I had prepared for (I studied it all morning long, and even called Jenn at the City of Burien for info!).
But I know you’ll love this, because you love me. You still do, right Mom? Mom???
Oh well, enough blabbering…here’s the audio file for your listenin’ pleasure (or not):
[display_podcast]
(click that little arrow button above to play the recording back Mom…kind of like a CD player’s “Play” button…)
by Attention North Highline Annexation Voters: your Voters Pamphlet contains a steamy, smelly pile of bovine fecal matter about annexation to Burien. Here are some of the dung piles dropped by opponent Mark Ufkes:
Pile #1 — Mr. Ufkes does not live in the voting area – he is not affected by the annexation vote. [full disclosure: I, too, do not live in the voting area, but as a Burien resident will be affected by your vote.]
Pile #2 — The Westwood Village and White Center areas are not included in the voting area, but I’m sure you can find a particular home in N. Burien that is valued lower than a particular home in Westwood. So? Truth is: the homes in unincorporated North Shorewood, Salmon Creek and Boulevard Park (neighborhoods within the voting area) are similar to their long-time N. Burien neighbors’ homes.
Pile #3 — Mr. Ufkes has been a vocal critic of the North Highline Fire Department. That despite the huge satisfaction level of residents. The city of Burien does not provide fire services. All of Burien and North Highline are served by independent Fire Districts — you elect Commissioners who set policies and standards. You will continue to be served by Fire Commissioners you elect, and control taxes for fire services.
Above is Mark Ufkes' "Statement Against" Annexation from the Voter's Pamphlet.
Pile #4 — Burien has no plans to hire more police officers AT THIS TIME because it’s not necessary. Burien and North Highline share police services provided by King County. That will continue after annexation. The size of Burien’s police force will always depend on need.
Pile #5 — Burien has no budget deficit — in the state of Washington, all governments are required by law to have balanced budgets; Burien always has. What Burien doesn’t have is debt – it has operated as a cash basis city.
Pile #6 — If Burien decides to build a new community center with a new tax, the law requires voters to approve any such new tax. There is no new tax on the horizon.
Pile #7 — The is no such thing as a Burien downtown fire department tax for Town Square. Town Square is a private development. No taxes have been or will be used for this private project. There is also no massive property tax giveaway to potential Town Square residents.
Pile #8 — There is no factual evidence that property values have any relationship to your address. Property values are simply the value of your property compared to similar properties in a similar neighborhood. Fire services are also not related to your property value — a mansion gets the same fire truck, the same emergency medical team, as does a modest bungalow. Voters set the level of taxes for fire services.
An 8-year former Burien City Councilmember, I live 4 blocks from the proposed annexation area. I’m anxious to re-unite with my neighbors under one government that promotes strong single family neighborhoods rather than the rampant multifamily projects favored by King County and Seattle. Vote ‘YES’ on annexation.
Stephen Lamphear
North Shorewood
[EDITOR'S NOTE: We welcome all opinions, and publish pertinent ones at our discretion. We advise all residents in the North Highline area to read as much as they can about the upcoming Aug. 18th Annexation vote, and decide for themselves whether they want to become a part of Burien or not. As always, Readers are encouraged to either email us their thoughts, or Comment below...]
| Aug ’09 |
| 18 |
It’s been a long time coming – years of meetings, studies, surveys, and wars of words – but in less than three weeks residents of the southern part of the North Highline unincorporated area finally will have their say on the following question:
“Shall that area of unincorporated King County known as the North Highline South Annexation Area as legally described in City of Burien Resolution No. 292 be annexed to the City of Burien?”
A simple majority vote in the Aug. 18th primary election for this ballot measure, King County Proposition 1, will bring approximately 1,700 more acres into the city, increasing its population by some 14,100 residents.
The south part of the North Highline unincorporated area that will become part of Burien if annexation is approved is defined by a zigzag line that extends west to east along Southwest 112th Street in north Shorewood, South 116th Street, South 112th Street, and South 107th Street in Boulevard Park, ending at Tukwila:
Much of Beverly Park and Boulevard Park, including the Rainier Golf and Country Club, will be absorbed by Burien. Left in the remaining unincorporated area between Burien and Seattle will be the North Highline fire station, Evergreen High School and Pool, and the Top Hat neighborhood.
The August primary will mark King County’s first all mail-in election. Ballots were mailed by the county elections office on Wednesday (July 29th). State law requires a simple majority vote of residents in an area designated for annexation before the merger can take effect. Residents of the annexing city do not vote on the question.
A community informational meeting on annexation will be held August 6 (Thursday) from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Boulevard Park Baptist Church, 11659 First Ave. S. – the last scheduled public forum on the issue before the election.
Burien City Manager Mike Martin, responding to questions posed recently by the B-Town Blog, said the City Council has supported this partial annexation of the unincorporated area because it will unite historic neighborhoods, and because Burien is smaller than Seattle – which at one time also considered annexing North Highline – it will give annexed residents a more responsive city government.
“I am the one who first proposed the idea that we reunite neighborhoods” through annexation, Burien Deputy Mayor Rose Clark added. Just as the city and the North Highline area are both part of the Highline School District, “they were part of our community even before we were a city.”
But, argues Mark Ufkes, president of the White Center Homeowners Association and a member of White Center Residents for a Secure Future, “Burien is the least best choice” for North Highline. Although Ufkes lives one block north of the proposed annexation area, he says if it becomes part of Burien the value of his property will be impacted.
Property taxes are about the same in both Burien and Seattle, “but you get so much more (services) in Seattle, and a Seattle address is a very positive asset to home values,” he says. “We will lose our legal Seattle address with annexation to Burien.”
And, Ufkes claims, “Burien doesn’t have the resources for our complex community,” from public safety to social services. “Annexation is supposed to make our lives better. If it doesn’t, then annexation is not a good thing.”
He adds that, in three years of monitoring Burien’s annexation process, “not once have I heard anyone say that annexation is about North Highline. It’s about Burien … in reality.”
But Greg Duff, new president of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council, says with less than a month before the election, “it looks very good” for annexation. “From surveys that we’ve done, people want to annex to Burien….
“We’re really not hearing much opposition. The people opposed don’t want annexation because they have property to sell and they think that by going to Seattle property will increase in value, which is ridiculous.”
Duff suggests, “It is better to be a part of Burien because we will have a bigger voice in government – 14,500 people will have a much stronger voice in Burien with a (current) population of about 30,000, than in Seattle with a population of more than 500,000.”
And, he continues, “I’d much rather have Mike Martin and the Burien City Council as my governing body than (Mayor) Greg Nickels and the Seattle City Council. Mike wanted to annex North Highline from the beginning, regardless of whether the Legislature provided funds for annexation. But Nickels wavered. He was after money from the Legislature, it was not about the people.”
Two other key reasons that Duff says support annexation by Burien are, “I don’t want to be part of all the silly rules and regulations in Seattle like the tax on plastic bags,” and “Seattle sees the south end of King County as the slums … I really feel that’s the way (Nickels) feels.”
He believes annexation by Burien “will be a simple transition” and that the city can provide all services needed by its new residents despite opponents’ claims to the contrary.
More information about the proposed annexation, both pro and con, is available in the King County Voters Guide, which can be accessed online here.
Martin notes that if annexation is approved by North Highline votes, the area won’t become part of Burien overnight. “We will have a lot of work to do…. It’s not like the vote takes place on August 18 and annexation happens on the 19th.”
Burien city staff will have to do “a whole lot of work in between” to reach out incorporate the annexed area. He thinks the annexed part of North Highline officially would become part of the city “probably in March.”
Proposals to annex North Highline have generated controversy in both Burien and North Highline – and between Burien and Seattle after Nickels claimed the White Center area and beyond for his city – ever since Countywide Planning Policies, a regional offshoot of Washington’s Growth Management Act, called for King County’s unincorporated urban areas to be included in cities by 2012. The county also targeted North Highline for annexation in 2003 in the wake of the first in a succession of severe budget shortfalls, and offered financial assistance to cities that annex unincorporated urban areas.
In 2006, Burien, Seattle and King County agreed to work cooperatively for annexation of the entire unincorporated area by one or both cities. But despite their Memorandum of Understanding to resolve the issue, Seattle never responded to offers by Burien to settle competing claims on North Highline. This inaction led Burien to adopt independently early last year its plan to annex the south part of the unincorporated area.
Seattle objected to Burien’s annexation plan and challenged it before the Boundary Review Board. Following a public hearing in March, the board formally approved Burien’s request on April 16th.
So…what’s your vote regarding annexation?
Please take our poll, or leave Comments below…
Loading ...| Aug ’09 |
| 6 |
| 6:30 pm |
The City of Burien is hosting its final Annexation Informational Open House on Thursday, Aug. 6th at Beverly Park Baptist Church (11659 1st Ave South, Seattle), beginning at 6:30pm.
As the city so carefully words it:
“Members of the Burien City Council may be attending a community informational open house held by the City of Burien for the purpose of discussing Annexation on Thursday, August 6, 2009, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Beverly Park Baptist Church, 11659 1st Ave South, Seattle, WA 98168“
As with previous open houses, this one is intended to provide information about what annexation will mean for current Burien residents as well as for the people within the proposed annexation area.
The election date for residents of the area to vote yay or nay on being annexed is Tuesday, Aug. 18th.
| Jun ’09 |
| 16 |
| 6:00 pm |
The next Annexation Open House will be Tuesday, June 16th from 6pm to 7:15pm at Southern Heights Elementary School, located at 11249 14th Ave South (see map below).
We’re not yet sure who from the city how many Burien City Councilmembers will show up, but according to a statement released by the city:
“Members of the Burien City Council may be attending a community informational open house held by the City of Burien for the purpose of discussing Annexation.”
View Larger Map
