Click to View Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

The City of Burien, along with the Burien Police and King County Sheriff’s Department, are seeking donations of gift cards for area kids and families in need this holiday season.

Gift Cards in $20 increments are preferred, specifically from the local Fred Meyer and Safeway stores.

The deadline is Monday, Dec. 21st, and donated cards can be dropped off at City Hall during regular business hours.

There’s also a great opportunity for a local business or resident to “adopt” a needy family, and there are at least 35 in need this year.

Here’s more info from Nicki Maraulja, Community Service Officer:

It’s that time of year again to help out our kids and families in need for Christmas.

We have some 40 families that could use an extra hand this year.

We’re now collecting any gift cards for either Fred Meyer or Safeway.

These gift cards can be dropped off at Burien City Hall during City hours, until Dec. 21st.

Cards should be in $20.00 increments.

We would also be interested in any business or community member that would be interested in adopting a family. I have at least 35 families as of right now.

If anyone has any questions, I can be reached at the precinct. in Burien, at 206-296-3333.

The City of Burien is holding an Open House on its Shoreline Master Program update on Monday, Nov. 30th from 6pm to 8pm at the Burien City Hall council chambers.

The city has been awarded a grant fro the state to update its master program, and the city’s program has not been amended since incorporation in 1993. The Shoreline Master Program is a set of goals, policies and regulations managing shorelines within the city of Burien, and this forum is intended to give residents a chance to share their thoughts, concerns and ideas.

The master program specifically addresses land use and ecological functions adjacent to Lake Burien and Puget Sound.

The Burien Shoreline Advisory Committee has been considering input received at the first open house in May 2008 and has assisted in creating a new draft Shoreline Master Program. The Nov. 30th open house is an opportunity for residents to talk with members of the committee, city staff and the consultant team and learn more about the new draft program. In the near future, the new draft Shoreline Master Program will be presented to the Planning Commission for its consideration and possible recommendation to the City Council.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Community Open House Regarding Burien’s Update to its Shoreline Master Program

WHEN: Monday evening, November 30, 2009 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

WHERE: Burien City Hall, Council Chambers, located at 400 SW 152nd Street, Burien, WA 98166

INFO: For more information, please contact David Johanson, City of Burien Senior Planner at (206) 248-5522

Community Open House Format:

Participants are invited to drop in anytime between 6 and 8 p.m. to talk with city staff, members of the Shoreline Advisory Committee and the consultant team. Information will be available on a number of topics, including:

• Shoreline vegetation management
• Buoys/docks/bulkheads
• Single-family construction and additions
• Shoreline restorations
• Shoreline Master Program adoption process.

The draft Shoreline Master Program will be available soon on the City website — www.burienwa.gov – and at City Hall, 400 SW 152nd Street, Suite 300. Comments on the draft should be submitted prior to the Planning Commission public hearing on Tuesday, January 12, 2010.

Renewal and enrollment for the City of Burien’s Utility Tax Relief Program for Low Income Households has begun, with an application deadline of Dec. 8th.

The program provides some relief to low income Burien residents on the local utility taxes paid for telephone (not including cellular), cable services, and gas/electricity provided by Puget Sound Energy.

Last year, 64 Burien households participated with an average reimbursement of $35.

The application and guidelines are available online at the City’s website or by calling Lori Fleming at (206) 248-5518.

The application is due by December 8, 2009, and an application is also available in Spanish at www.burienwa.gov/espanol.

The City of Burien has been awarded the 2009 Implementation Award by the American Planning Association – Washington Chapter (APA) and the Planning Association of Washington (PAW) for its work with in building the new Town Square project.

“This is an outstanding example of a planning process ’staying the course’ over time,” the awards jury commented in a statement. “It obviously had strong leadership throughout. It’s exciting to see the project ‘on the ground.’ Inspiring, daring and obviously creates a new identity for Burien’s Town Center.”

The award was one of eleven in seven different categories handed out at APA’s annual conference earlier this month in Vancouver, Washington.

Scott Greenberg, Burien Community Development Director and APA Washington Chapter President received the award along with Bill Gaylord from the Town Square design firm GGLO.

“The Burien Town Square project was truly a collaborative effort,” said Greenberg. “This award recognizes the strong partnerships we formed with the community, Urban Partners, the King County Library System and GGLO. The City Council’s strong leadership over the past 16 years provided the stability needed to attract private sector investment that leveraged Burien’s original $10 million investment into $200 million when the project is complete.”

The award will be formally presented to the City at the Dec. 14th City Council meeting.

The City of Burien has put out its annual call for people to nominate Outstanding Citizens and/or Businesspeople for 2009’s “Outstanding Citizens Awards” program.

The deadline for nominations is Feb. 1, 2010.

Winners will be honored at the city’s annual awards ceremony, which will be held Friday, March 5th.

The four categories are:

• Outstanding Citizen
• Business Person
• Educator
• Environmental Activist

This program is sponsored by the city, along with Discover Burien.

To nominate a person, the city asks you to:

“Please describe what this person or organization has done, when the contribution was made, who benefited, how the contribution was accomplished and where the impact was made.”

(hmmm…perhaps this could be the year that a certain, fast-growing Burien-based community news website gets nominated…?)

There are two ways to make a nomination, and the deadline is Feb. 1, 2010:

1. Via an online form here
2. Via snail mail to:

Adriene Buckley
Burien City Hall
400 S.W. 152nd Street, Suite 3
Burien, WA 98166

For more information, contact Adriene at (206) 248-5512.

The City of Burien will be holding a public hearing on a possible 1% property tax increase as well as other revenue sources at 7pm on Monday, Nov. 23rd, and the public is invited to participate.

The hearing will take place in the city’s council chambers, located on the first floor of the new city hall at 400 SW 152nd Street.

Anyone concerned about possible tax increases is encouraged to come speak up – this is your opportunity to let your city council know how you feel about this.

Here are the details:

WHAT:  Public Hearing by the City of Burien for the purpose of:

• Receiving the publics’ comments on revenue sources, including a possible up to a 1% increase in property tax revenue, and expenditures for the 2009-2010 Mid-Biennial Budget review and amendments.

WHEN: Monday, Nov. 23rd at 7pm

WHERE: Burien Council Chambers (1st floor) at 400 SW 152nd Street.

INFO: Copies of the 2009-2010 Mid-Biennial Budget Review are available and can be obtained by calling the Finance Department at (206) 439-3150.

Sign language and communication in alternate format can be arranged given sufficient notice.  Please contact the City Clerk’s office at (206) 248-5517.

To review pertinent documents, try searching through the city’s Document Center here.

A PDF of the public notice is available for downloading here (PDF file).

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.

To The Editor of the B-town Blog:

On October 29, 2009; The Seattle Times ran a story on the $25 Burien Vehicle Tax/Proposition 1 that is currently on the November ballot. When the reporter asked why a vehicle tax was being used, the mayor of Burien (McGilton) said that “A property tax wasn’t considered out of respect for Burien’s relatively conservative voters, less affluent than in levy happy Seattle”. However, eight days prior to that story, McGilton and the city had done the opposite and sent a news release to the local newspapers and the B-town Blog announcing a Public Hearing on Nov. 9th to solicit public comments on a proposed, increased property tax (of up to 1%) for Burien. Before voting on Tuesday, November 3rd, every citizen in Burien should question what the heck is really going on.

When I attended the July City of Burien Council Meeting/Public Hearing on the $25 Burien Vehicle Tax/Proposition 1 (for sidewalks and bike paths), I didn’t plan on writing the statement against the $25 Burien Vehicle Tax/Proposition 1. However when no information was presented to the public about: the project costs, the amount to be collected from this tax, what other grants/sources could help with the projects, how much these project streets were actually used, I was frustrated. There were no sketches/diagrams of what the finished work might look like. The City quoted statistics from a 2008 Burien Citizen Survey that were inaccurate.

Citizens asked questions. The City didn’t answer. After the Public Hearing, the Council immediately voted to put the Vehicle Tax on the November ballot. In depressed economic times, the City was asking citizens to rubber stamp a new tax.

The City stated at the Hearing the tax will last two years. That is not true. Under the rules for Transportation Benefit Districts, the tax remains in place until the project is completed and paid for. The City does not have the authority to promise otherwise.

The City had not surveyed the use patterns of the project areas. Both 8th Ave and South 136th have light use by both pedestrians and bikes. Only 13% of the respondents to the 2008 Burien Citizen Survey who live in these areas thought there was a need to improve sidewalks and bike paths.

Some of the endorsers/supporters of the tax can’t answer basic questions about the tax. Many of the endorsers do not live in Burien and will not be paying the tax. The campaign signs are being funded by a legislator from Vashon Island and her aide. In the Seattle Times article, McGilton referred to this vehicle tax as a “good test case”. So, what’s up?

Joe Fitzgibbons suggested on the Transportation Choices Coalition website that this is a trial balloon to see if Burien can get residents to vote for this type of a tax. Other cities in the state are watching to see if they can use the same strategy to get new taxes from their residents. I’m not happy to be part of this trial balloon experiment. What am I being tested for? Is it to see if the City of Burien can get a $25 Vehicle Tax and then impose a property tax increase as well on its citizens?

Burien is one of the highest taxed cities in King County. I strongly urge the citizens of Burien to vote “NO” against Proposition 1/$25 Burien Vehicle Tax or other new taxes until Burien improves how it presents the need for new taxes to its citizens.

- 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 (for libel, etc.), we'll most likely post it. Otherwise, feel free to leave a Comment below...]

by Scott Schaefer

Burien’s four red light cameras have been up and running for about four months, and according to the city’s Oct. 22nd e-newsletter, they are averaging “around 540 infractions per month.”

This puts the program on track to gross over $654,000 in its first year of operation.

As we’ve previously reported, the city initially projected that the first year would bring in around $200,000, with $250,000 for the second year and subsequent totals dropping after 2011 as drivers became more aware of them.

So we did some simple math, and discovered some rather surprising totals:

• Each red light ticket = $101 fine
• 540 tickets per month x 101 = $54,540 per month
• 12 x $54,540 = $654,480 annual gross revenue
• The monthly fee to camera provider RedFlex Systems appears to cap out at $6,870 ($82,440 annually)
• If the 540 per month average continues, the city will take in over $572,000 in revenue during the first year of this program ($654,480 – $82,440 = $572,040)
• That total is nearly three times the initial projected first-year total of $200,000

The camera earning the most money currently is the westbound one at SW 148th Street and First Ave South (Go 148th!), which is generating about 35% of the total infractions, or 189 per month (just over 6 per day), which equals a monthly sum of $19,089 – or more than $229,000 annually, which on its own surpasses the original $200k projection.

These four revenue-generating red-light cameras are located at three intersections, so next time you pass one, listen for the familiar “ka-ching” cash register sound:

• SW 148th & First Ave South – westbound and eastbound
• SW 152nd & First Ave South – westbound
• SW 160th & First Ave South – eastbound

Sunday morning (Oct. 11th) we posted a Guest Editorial by Jim Branson that scolded the City of Burien for not following its own anti-graffiti ordinance on the “Welcome to Burien” sign in Olde Burien, which still had graffiti on it since being tagged nearly three months ago:

Well, it seems like someone at the city’s been reading The B-Town Blog (shame on you!) – on Monday afternoon (Oct. 12th), BTB Reader Catherine Dupre alerted us that the once-tagged sign was now the recipient of a fresh coat of gray primer paint, obviously in preparation for being re-painted:

Not to toot our own horn too much, but we find the timing of this sudden anti-graffiti fixing a bit more than coincidental.

With that in mind, what else in Burien needs repairing? Please email us suggestions, or Comment below and let’s see what else we can get fixed…

by Jim Branson

Despite the city’s own ordinance against graffiti, the graffiti on this “Welcome to Burien” sign located in Olde Burien has been there for nearly three months.

Here’s a photo that was posted on The B-town Blog on July 19th:

Here’s another photo of the same sign, taken just last week:

Ironically, Burien’s own ordinance (see below or download the PDF here) says it saves money and effort by cleaning up graffiti quickly, before it attracts more graffiti and makes more work.

Why, then, is the City of Burien inviting more vandalism and crime by leaving this graffiti up on its very own sign, in violation of its very own ordinance, which stipulates removal “within 5 days”?

From the City’s municipal code:

CITY OF BURIEN, WASHINGTON ORDINANCE NO. 488

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF BURIEN, WASHINGTON, RELATING TO THE REGULATION OF GRAFFITI; AMENDING CHAPTER 8.55 OF THE BURIEN MUNICIPAL CODE; AMENDING THE DEFINITION OF GRAFFITI AND SHORTENING THE TIME PERIOD FOR GRAFFITI REMOV AL; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE

WHEREAS, in 1999 the City Council of the City of Burien adopted Ordinance No. 270 (codified at Chapter 8.55 BMC) establishing new requirements for removal of graffiti found upon public and private property in the City of Burien, and

WHEREAS, the graffiti removal regulations currently provide that all graffiti upon public or private property that is visible from a public road or right of way shall be removed by the property within ten five days of notice given by the City, and

WHREAS, the graffiti removal regulations do not specifically prohibit the use of very hard and sharp objects to etch words, designs, and other markings on glass or other surfaces which is a relatively new type of graffiti, and

WHEREAS, the City finds that, graffiti on fences, walls, glass, buildings and other structures attracts more graffiti and invites additional vandalism and crime; unabated graffiti sends a message that the community is not concerned about the appearance of its business districts and neighborhoods; the presence of graffiti generates neighborhood fear and instability, signals an increase in crime, lowers property values, hurts business revenue, is economically detrimental to the City, and is a sign of urban decay; the National Crime Prevention Council reports that studies have determined that if vandalism and graffiti is repaired or removed within 24 – 48 hours, there is little recurrence; by covering graffiti as soon as possible, the vandal is deprived of the effort and time it took to vandalize or tag property; that expeditious graffiti removal is the best deterrent to future incidents; that a quick removal response by property owners is the key to successfully combating graffiti; unless the City acts to remove graffiti from public and private property, the graffiti tends to remain and other properties then become the target of graffiti; and, entire neighborhoods are affected and become less desirable places in which to be, all to the detriment of the health, safety and welfare of the City and its residents, and

WHEREAS, the Council finds that graffiti is a public nuisance, and

WHEREAS, the City Council finds that amending Chapter 8.55 BMC to establish a shorter period to remove graffiti and to prohibit the etching as a form of graffiti will help prevent the spread of graffiti vandalism and will support the City’s program for the prevention and removal of graffiti, and

WHEREAS, the City Council intends, through the adoption of this Ordinance, to provide additional enforcement tools to protect public and private property from acts of graffiti vandalism and defacement, all in support of the general health, safety and welfare of the City and its residents;

NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURIEN, WASHINGTON, DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. Amendment of BMC 8.55.010 (Definitions). Section 8.55.010 of the Burien Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
8.55.010 Definitions.

(1) “Graffiti” means the defacing, damaging or destroying by etching, spraying of paint or marking of ink, chalk, dye or other similar substances on public or private buildings, structures, places and properties.

2) “Graffiti abatement procedure” means the abatement procedure which identifies graffiti, issues notice to the landowner to abate the graffiti, and cures in absence of response.

(3) “Private contractor” means any person with whom the city shall have duly contracted to remove graffiti.

Section 2. Amendment of Section 8.55.040 (Graffiti – Notice of removal). Section 8.55.040 of the Burien Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows:

8.55.040Graffiti – Notice of removal.

(1) Whenever the city manager, or designee, determines that graffiti exists on any public or private buildings, structures, and places which are visible to any person utilizing any public road, parkway, alley, sidewalk or other right-of-way within the city and when weather conditions permit the painting of exterior surfaces, the city manager or designee shall cause a notice to be issued to abate such nuisance. The property owner shall have 10 5 business days after the date of the notice to remove the graffiti or the same will be subject to abatement by the city.

(2) The notice to abate graffiti pursuant to this section shall cause a written notice to be served upon the owner(s) of the affected premises, as such owners’ name and address appears on the last property tax assessment rolls of King County, Washington. If there is no known address for the owner, the notice shall be sent in care of the property address. The notice required by this section may be served in any one of the following manners:

(a) By personal service on the owner, occupant or manager of the property;

(b) By U.S. first class mail, or registered or certified mail addressed to the owner at the last known address of said owner. If this address is unknown, the notice will be sent to the property address.

If notice is served by U.S. first class mail, notice shall be deemed to have been received three (3) days after depositing such notice, postage prepaid, in the United States mail in a properly address envelope.

Section 3. Severability. Should any section, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance, or its application to any person or circumstance, be declared unconstitutional or otherwise invalid for any reason, or should any portion of this ordinance be pre-empted by state or federal law or regulation, such decision or pre-emption shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance or its application to other persons or circumstances.

Section 4. Effective Date. This ordinance shall be published in the official newspaper of the City, and shall take effect and be in full force five (5) days after the date of publication.

ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AT A REGULAR MEETING THEREOF ON THE 21ST DAY OF JULY, 2008, AND SIGNED IN AUTHENTICATION OF ITS PASSAGE THIS 21ST DAY OF JULY, 2008.

ATTEST/AUTHENTICATED:
______________________________
Monica Lusk, City Clerk
Approved as to form:
______________________________ Christopher Bacha, Kenyon Disend, PLLC Interim City Attorney

So then…WHEREAS, the City of Burien has chosen to ignore its very own ordinance on its very own property…

THEREFORE whatever shall we, as its residents, do…?

Please take our Poll or Comment below…

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4Culture, the cultural development agency serving King County, recently announced federal stimulus funding awards totaling $250,000 to preserve jobs at 40 arts and cultural organizations throughout the region, including both a $7,500 grant to Burien’s Hi-Liners and $2,500 to the city.

The federal funds will help organizations extend or restore threatened salaried and contract jobs, ranging from executive directors and curators, to marketing managers, to actors and artists.

“The recession has deeply impacted non-profit cultural organizations of all sizes and disciplines,” said Jim Kelly, Executive Director of 4Culture, “However, the applications we reviewed demonstrate that arts managers are resilient, creative, and determined to continue programs in the service of their missions.” 4Culture will distribute the federal funds throughout the County to a diverse range of organizations and communities including:

Cumulatively, over $1.2 Million dollars will help preserve jobs at nearly 100 organizations statewide through the NEA appropriations. The Washington State Arts Commission received ARRA funds to distribute state-wide, and over the summer announced awards totaling $285,000 to 24 arts organizations, including six in Seattle. In early September, the Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs (SOACA) announced another $250,000 in ARRA funds to 22 Seattle-based arts organizations. SOACA and 4Culture were two of only sixteen local arts agencies nation-wide that received ARRA funds to sub-grant to constituents. The NEA also awarded grants totaling $450,000 directly to 12 Seattle arts organizations.

An arts organization can only receive ARRA-appropriated NEA jobs funding from one source. With all three regional public funding entities receiving ARRA dollars, WSAC, 4Culture and SOACA devised an application process that would ensure that arts organizations wouldn’t have to submit multiple applications if they were eligible to apply to more than one agency. 4Culture was the final agency to undergo a panel process, and received 99 applications from organizations throughout King County. Proposals were evaluated on the significance of the position(s) to the mission and core services of the organization, the potential of the position(s) to have an immediate impact, and the organization’s ability to manage the funds.

According to their website:

4Culture is a unique integration of the arts, heritage, preservation and public art; committed to advancing community through culture. Public exhibitions and performances, public art, preservation of significant sites and interpretation of local history deepen our connections to the places in which we live and work. 4Culture stimulates cultural activity and enhances the assets that distinguish a community as vibrant, unique and authentic.

UPDATE 9/9/09: The schedule for public input on the city’s response to Initiative No. 1033 has changed: The Burien City Council will hear Pro and Con statements on Sept. 14th, then discuss it on Sept. 28th and consider a resolution on Oct. 5th.

PREVIOUSLY: The City of Burien is seeking public input at 7pm on Monday, Sept. 28th Monday, Sept. 14th considering a resolution regarding Initiative Measure No. 1033, the Tim Eyman-sponsored measure that would “limit growth of certain state, county and city revenue to annual inflation and population growth, not including voter-approved revenue increases. Revenue collected above the limit would reduce property tax levies.”

Voters will choose to approve or deny this initiative on Tuesday, Nov. 3rd.

Opponents call 1033 the “Jobs Killing” Initiative because they allege it will cause thousands of public servants to be laid off from their jobs.

The City of Burien wants to know what its citizens think of this, pro or con, and are inviting all to come speak up at a public meeting on Monday, Sept. 14 28th, at 7pm. The meeting will be held at Burien City Hall, 400 SW 152nd Street, 1st Floor.

According to the description prepared by the Washington Secretary of State:

This measure would limit growth in state revenues deposited in funds subject to the state expenditure limit, and limit growth in county and city revenues deposited into the county and city current expense funds. The limit would be adjusted based on annual growth in inflation and population. The limit also would apply to revenues transferred out of these funds. The limit would exclude voter-approved revenue increases. Revenues above the limit would reduce property tax levies.

The “Voters Want More Choices” website argues “For” I-1033 with these arguments:

• In the state of Washington, “property taxes are completely out-of-control” wiht “huge levy increases, skyrocketing valuation increases, massive rate hikes. It’s obscene and unsustainable. Struggling working families and fixed-income senior citizens are being taxed out of their homes.”
• “We don’t want Washington to be a state where only rich people can afford to buy and own a home.”
• “Citizens desperately need property tax relief, especially during these tough economic times.”
• “The overall tax burden imposed by state government, counties, and cities is growing exponentially.”
• Currently, “there is no cap, no ceiling, no lid, no maximum, no limit on how much they can take from us. There’s simply no way that citizens can afford to have government continue to grow at an uncontrolled rate.”
• “The Lower Property Taxes Initiative I-1033 puts a reasonable cap on our overall tax burden, requiring excess tax revenues collected about the cap used to substantially reduce property tax bills.”

Arguments made “Against” I-1033 by its opponents include:

• The concern that it could reduce critical public services at the state and local levels.
• Arguing that the historical cost increase of public spending in areas such as health care and education has exceeded the consumer price index, opponents of I-1033 say that if I-1033 passes, spending in these areas will not be able to grow at the levels they have historically grown at.
• The belief that government services will be reduced each year from the previous year.
• It is problematic because “The initiative is designed to lock in all the budget cuts that state and municipal governments are currently making, thus potentially killing thousands of jobs in the years to come.”
• “[T]his initiative is exact opposite of real reform. Instead of fixing what’s broken, it would make all of our lives worse. Much worse. We need real tax reform that improves stability and fairness in our tax system”.
• “Property taxes already have strict limitations on growth and levels. The result of these has been particularly hard on local governments, who have limited ability to raise other taxes.”
• “Shifting from the property tax to other tax sources makes our tax system less stable because property taxes are one of the least volatile revenue sources we have.”
• “The reality is that the whole concept of contrived, artificial limits on revenue is completely unreasonable to begin with. In practice such limits have been utterly unworkable. Other states, like Colorado, have imposed them and seen their quality of life suffer drastically as a result.”

Here’s the official release from the Burien cityfolk:

CITIZENS INVITED TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST INITIATIVE MEASURE NO. 1033 CONCERNS STATE, COUNTY AND CITY REVENUE

The Burien City Council will be considering a resolution regarding Initiative Measure No. 1033 concerns state, county and city revenue, on September 28, 2009. All interested parties who are for or against the ballot measure are invited to speak at the Council Meeting on Monday, September 14, 2009, at 7:00 pm. The meeting will be held at Burien City Hall, 400 SW 152nd Street, 1st Floor.

###

The City of Burien strives to provide alternate communication opportunities. Please contact the City Clerk’s office, 206/248-5504, twenty-four hours prior to the meeting for assistance.

This is a great opportunity to come share your thoughts with your elected officials, so be sure to mark you calendars for what will surely be a lively discussion.

To read I-1033 in its entirety, click here for a PDF.

A “Transportation Benefit District” (TBD) is being proposed by the City of Burien, which will be holding a public meeting on Monday, July 20th at 7pm on the first floor of Burien City Hall.

Cityfolk are proposing that the new TBD focuses on funding transportation improvements within the city, like new sidewalks and bike paths. If approved, it would authorize an independent city-wide taxing area to pay for certain sidewalk and road improvements.

According to the city’s website:

What does a Transportation Benefit District do?
According to the Burien Community Survey conducted in 2008, the majority of respondents felt there is a need for more sidewalks and bike paths in their neighborhood.

As of last year, the State of Washington allows cities to designate a Transportation Benefit District (or “TBD”) to fund transportation improvements within a city.

In 2004 the City of Burien adopted a Burien Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities Plan. This plan was a result of a community planning process that included input and ideas from over 400 participants. Over twenty high-priority pedestrian and bicycle facility projects were identified. Several of those projects have already been completed, however, funding to do more is lacking.

With many pulls on the city budget and future funding uncertain, the City of Burien is placing a “Transportation Benefit District” measure on the general election ballot this November that would fund two high-priority projects from the Burien Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities Plan. The City Council selected these two projects in order to serve areas of the city that have not benefited from recent improvement projects.  The funding would be generated through a $25 annual vehicle license fee that would be in effect for two years.

PROJECT SPECIFICS:

8th Avenue South (S. 128th Street to S. 136th Street)

• Construct a minimum 8-foot wide multi-purpose facility* on one side of 8th Avenue South
• Provides safer connection to Cedarhurst Elementary School
• Connects to east-west facility on South 136th Street
• Connect with future facilities for the Northeast Redevelopment Area.

*Multi-purpose facility: A concrete paved path intended for use by cyclists as well as pedestrians.

SW and S. 136th Street (from Ambaum Boulevard to 1st Ave South and 1st Ave South to Des Moines Memorial Drive)

• Bicycle lane on both sides
• Repair inadequate and non-ADA portions of existing sidewalk
• Connects major community facilities, including Seahurst Park, Chelsea Park, North SeaTac Park, Senior Center facility and soccer field
• Connects with existing facility on 4th Avenue SW
• Connects east through SeaTac to Green River Trail and light rail station
• Connects east to North SeaTac Park Community Center, Central Washington University Branch Campus, and Tukwila schools.
• Connects to planned facilities on 8th Avenue South and Des Moines Memorial Drive South

How will the City keep the community up to date on progress?
By law, Transportation Benefit Districts are required to provide annual reports to the community. These annual reports would show:

• Project status
• Expenditures and revenues
• Construction schedules

If a TBD is in place, the City must also hold a public hearing to resolve any transportation cost issues, in the event costs exceed the original project estimate by more than 20 percent.

So…what do YOU think of the idea of a TBD? Please Comment or Vote below in our poll:

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Three free natural yard design workshops will be offered by the City of Burien and King County starting Thursday May 7th and continuing for two additional Thursdays through May 21st.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Three free natural yard design workshops

WHEN: Thurs., May 7th, 7pm – 9pm: Workshop 1: Garden Design & Growing Healthy Soil

Thurs., May 14, 7pm – 9pm: Workshop 2 Smart Watering and Designing with Plants

Thurs., May 21, 7pm – 9pm: Workshop 3: Designing a Natural Lawn and Natural Pest Control

WHERE: The workshops are at Cedarhurst Elementary School, located at 611 South 132nd Street (map below)

COST: FREE!

INFO: Natural yard design is taking root in Burien.

The Natural Design Program is a series of three free workshops presented by the City of Burien and King County.

There will be design tips to help make the most of your yard – big or small,flat or hilly.

You will learn about controlling pests without toxic pesticides or herbicides, building healthy soil, practicing smart watering and natural lawn care, and designing with plants.

There will be drawings for prizes.

RSVP: Please preregister by calling (206) 838-9831 or email register@naturalyardcare.com.

From city-subsidized jet packs to 3-D telepathic beaming of The B-Town Blog into everyone’s brains to dispensing free “art candy” in the shape of city councilmembers’ heads on every street corner, everyone seems to have a “vision” for the future of Burien.

Now, the City of Burien Business and Economic Development Partnership (BEDP) is actually inviting residents and businesses to submit their vision of Burien’s business community in 20 years. Ideas will be considered by the BEDP, the Burien Planning Commission and Burien City Council in updating the Economic Development portion of the City’s Comprehensive Plan.

Here are the details, straight from the city’s mouth:

In Burien’s short 15-year existence, the city has a lot of economic-related successes to be proud of. To name a few:

• Highline Medical Center continues to grow, bringing jobs and quality medical services to not only Burien but our region. This expansion as well as many new and existing medical and related services in Burien has led to the idea of a “wellness cluster.”
• Our Town Square development will open in 2009. New residents, businesses, a public park and a new City Hall and Regional Library will enliven downtown Burien and make it a destination.
• Remodeling of SW 152nd, 4th Avenue SW and 1st Avenue South into more appealing and functional arterials, complete with improved and safer sidewalks, will encourage more shoppers to spend their dollars in Burien.

But where is the city going over the next 20 years? This is the question you can address in crafting an economic vision story. To get you started, the following are some areas we’ve been considering:

• How can Burien capitalize on its proximity to Sea-Tac International Airport?
• What is the best opportunity for use of the NE Redevelopment Area (under the third runway flight path)?
• How can we build on the wellness cluster idea?
• How can we encourage more business diversity—not only nationalities but types of businesses?
• What is the appropriate future for the Ambaum Blvd Corridor?
• How can Burien better integrate arts and education into the business mix?
• How can we capitalize on new and emerging challenges such as sustainability, climate change and alternative energy?
• How can our auto dealers continue their success?
• How can economic growth and Burien “small town” attributes co-exist?

What we’re looking for are some ideas, a statement or a story that communicate your thoughts on Burien’s economic future. We’ll share the general content we receive without attribution. In addition, the BEDP will consider your thoughts and ideas and write a draft economic vision looking out 15-20 years from now. Once the draft is prepared, the City will initiate a more formal process to gain additional ideas and to solicit public comments on the vision content. Ultimately, the vision will be adopted into the Burien Comprehensive Plan.

Submit your completed vision ideas, statement or story to:

Dick Loman, Economic Development Manager: dickl@burienwa.gov

Or mail to:

Dick Loman, City of Burien
15811 Ambaum Blvd. SW, Suite C
Burien, WA 98166

Thank you very much for your interest in Burien’s economic future.

For more information, please contact Dick Loman, dickl@burienwa.gov or 206-248-5528.

BREAKING NEWS: In an emergency afternoon session, the Burien City Council voted today to impose a 20 percent internet tax on all users within the city boundaries.

“With the downturn in the economy we are continually looking for alternative sources of income,” said a city official via email. “We can’t install any more red light cameras now, and since most of our residents just sit in their double-wides surfing the internet, we thought this could be a great source of additional revenue.”

While discussions of increased sales tax, gas tax and coffee tax were all discussed, the internet was the resounding favorite for most widespread usage in the community.

“We know this may be shocking to some residents, which is why we decided to not implement our 35 percent tax on cell phone use in the city until late May 2009,” said another official, this time via Twitter.

Burien residents will see the new internet tax on their next statement from their internet provider. The tax will vary for users depending on their frequency of use and local relevance of websites they view.

One rather unusual aspect of this new tax is that, effective Monday, April 8th, all previously-free internet-connected computers at area libraries will function only via $2 bills inserted into newly-installed money slots. For $2, users will receive eight minutes of website use.

Percentages of tax increase will range from 5%-20%, with more locally-relevant websites like The B-Town Blog resulting in a 17.9% tax for all Readers. On the low end of the scale, where Readers can actually earn tax revenue for “reading” will be websites lacking in any local relevance, such as this one.

“On the bright side, some internet users may actually make money for reading locally-irrelevant websites chock full of old news, typographical errors, and mid-90s style web layout,” stated another official on her Facebook page.

by Janet Grella

Wednesday (March 18th) marked a new era in the City of Burien’s ongoing effort to upgrade their communications system with residents.

Approximately 1,800 citizens received the city’s first-ever online monthly newsletter.

By email.

All residents will continue to receive the quarterly, printed newsletter via snailmail.

If you are interested in receiving the online newsletter email your interest to cityofburien@burien.wa.gov or call 206-241-4647.

Steve Botkin, Communication Consultant to the City of Burien, tells BTB that this is just the beginning of an upgraded communications plan for Burien, which will soon include a low-watt AM radio station as well as using Twitter.

Hey, did I mention that we’ve been sending out a Weekly Events Newsletter for about a year now?

You can subscribe to it here.

We’re also on Twitter as well as Facebook, and we’re anxiously awaiting for the day we can “friend” Burien.

The photos above were taken Thursday afternoon at the intersection of First Avenue South and SW 160th, the home of one of three new Red Light Cameras installed by the City of Burien that will go live on Sunday, March 1st.

The intersections are:

• 1st Avenue South at SW 148th Street
• 1st Avenue South at SW 152nd Street
• 1st Avenue South at SW 160th Street

The cameras will operate 24 hours a day and capture still photos and video of every vehicle that runs a red light at the intersection.

After a 30-day warning period, the registered owner of a vehicle that runs a red light will receive a notice of infraction in the mail, which carries a $101 penalty.

According to the city:

The primary goal of the traffic safety cameras is to reduce red light violations. The Photo Enforcement Program has been very successful in communities throughout Washington and the rest of the United States in changing the driving behavior of motorists. It has been shown that the cameras make drivers slow down and stop for red lights, preventing collisions. The cameras also contribute to the safety of pedestrians.

We sent the city several questions about these new “Gotcha Cams” and here’s what we got back from Public Information Officer Steve Botkin:

Q: Was the goal of installing the cameras to generate more revenue?
A: The goal was improving public safety by reducing accidents at those locations.

Q: How much revenue does the city expect to generate from these cameras?
A: As for expected revenue, the City budgeted $200,000 in 2009 and $250,000 in 2010; these estimates were based on what the revenue generated in other cities by similar red light enforcement programs. The City anticipates that in 2011 the revenues will start to decrease.  This trend is consistent with other jurisdictions.

Q: Is there a plan to install additional red light cameras in the future? If so, where and why?
A: No plans to install more at this time.

Q: Were the three intersections chosen because there was an abundance of red light running?
A: They were chosen based on accident report data and being some of our busiest intersections.

Q: Will the camera enforcement be strictly for red light running, or will it also apply to “rolling right turn” violations (not stopping fully on a red light right turn)?
A: The camera will catch those who do not slow down and blatantly do a rolling right turn on a red light.

Q: Will the city be changing the duration of the yellow light times on any of these 3 stoplights?
A: The duration of the yellow light times is set by national standards and will comply with those.

Q: Does RedFlex (the cam mfg.) get a cut of each ticket fine? If so, how much?
A: The City pays Redflex a flat monthly amount. The fixed fee ranges from $4,870 to $6,870 per month depending on the number of violations.

Q: Iis there any clause in the contract with them that prohibits any engineering changes being made to the intersections where the cameras are placed?
A: The contract does not prohibit engineering changes being made to the intersections.

There’s some controversy about red light cameras out there (ie: do they help stop accidents or are they just revenue generators?), but we’d like to know what YOU think – please leave your Comment below…

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• Burien Speeders Beware: Red Light Cameras Start Mar. 1
  

The deadline for applying to be on one of the Advisory Boards for the City of Burien has been extended to Monday, Feb. 23rd.

If you’re wondering “why should I join one of these things?” here’s a testimonial from resident artist Maureen Hoffman, who served on the Arts Commission:

“Community is important to me.

Very important.

So that’s been the biggest aspect of being on the Arts Commission: giving to my community, nudging its direction, and building the community around me.

I have stepped into “circles” I likely may never have been a part of, and for that I have been immensely blessed. Art and Design are also key in my life, and to be on the Arts Commission at a time when Burien’s aesthetic expression is becoming so tangible and so visible has been exciting.

There is tremendous momentum in Burien, evident all around, and to have a hand in that, in even a small way, has been satisfying in ways I hadn’t envisioned.”

The four Advisory Boards are:

• Arts Commission
• Business and Economic Development Partnership
• Parks & Recreation Board
• Planning Commission

All appointments are made by the City Council and are for four-year terms (ad-hoc committee appointments are for the duration of the study or special purpose).

Applications are being accepted through Monday, February 23rd,and here’s how to get in on the action:

• Apply online by visiting the city’s website here.
• Download an Advisory Board Application and mail it to:

Citizen Advisory Board
City of Burien
15811 Ambaum Blvd. SW, Suite C
Burien, WA 98166

• If you prefer the “real world” in-person method, you can pick up an application at:

Burien City Hall
15811 Ambaum Blvd. SW
Burien, WA 98166

Further information about Burien’s citizen advisory boards is available by contacting:

Monica Lusk
City Clerk
(206) 248-5517
MONICAL@burienwa.gov

The annual Discover Burien Dinner/Silent Auction and City of Burien Annual Awards Ceremony will be Friday, March 6th from 6pm-10pm at the Karuna Yoga Studio, located at 819 SW 152nd Street in Olde Burien.

This will also serve as the official 16th Birthday Party for the city, which promises to drive carefully if only “you’ll get me a British racing green Mini Cooper with an in-dash iPod and GPS, please Daddy please they’re so awesomely cool!”

As you may recall, last year’s 15th birthday bash involved a very unique “Birthday Bus” that was driven up with just a Learner’s Permit from Burning Man, so who knows what to expect for Burien’s Sweet 16 (although we have heard rumblings of a “special surprise” so read on…).

The city will be giving out its annual awards, which will honor:

• Outstanding business leader
• Environmental activist
• Citizen community activist
• Education activist

Here are the details:

WHAT: Annual Discover Burien Dinner & Silent Auction and City of Burien Awards Ceremony

WHEN: Friday, March 6th from 6pm-10pm

WHERE: Karuna Yoga Studio, located at 819 SW 152nd in Olde Burien (map below)

COST: $25 per person or a table of 8 for $200

INFO: We hear there will be a “special surprise” for attendees, and we know it’s going to be very cool and very Burienesque, so you don’t want to miss this night!

Patty Sader, Executive Director of Discover Burien, also tells us that they’re looking for Event Sponsors and Volunteers, so if you’re interested in helping out, please call her at (206) 433-2882.

They’re also looking for swag to insert into the 150 or so gift bags that will be given out, so if you’re a local business who wants to get some publicity, give Patty a call.

View Larger Map

by Josh Hart

Hello people of Burien, this is your city here – I want to talk with you a little about what I want to happen in 2009.

In 2009 there are many resolutions I want – no, need – from you, the people of Burien:

• I want to see my streets clean. If you have walked around my streets you know they are very dirty. There is litter everywhere and it makes me upset that you treat me like that. If you stop littering the return will be great for you. I, as your city, will be healthier for you.
• Another thing I want you to do for me is ride the bus. There are so many cars on my roads, if you take the bus it will pollute my air less and also be better for you. The bus is also cost efficient if you get a yearly pass, it saves you a lot on gas money.
• I also want you to strive to do good for your fellow citizen. Help someone in need. Give to a food bank. Open a door for one of my little old ladies. Smile at each other. Buy some dude a brewski at Elmer’s for cryin’ out loud…
  
• The last thing I want from you is to help fight crime. There is so much crime around on my streets. Especially around the park and ride. If everyone helps by not just ignoring crime, it will make me a better place.

So please help me become better and you will be better off for it.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Josh Hart is the B-Town Blog's first Intern! He's also a 15-year old student at Highline's “Big Picture High School” in SeaTac.

You can read more of his writing here...]

• Arts Commission
• Business and Economic Development Partnership
• Parks & Recreation Board
• Planning Commission

All appointments are made by the City Council and are for four-year terms (ad-hoc committee appointments are for the duration of the study or special purpose).

Applications are being accepted through February 13, 2009, and here’s how to get in on the action:

• Apply online by visiting the city’s website here.
• You can also fill out an Online Application Form.
• You can download an Advisory Board Application and mail it to:

Citizen Advisory Board
City of Burien
15811 Ambaum Blvd. SW, Suite C
Burien, WA 98166

• If you prefer the “real world” in-person method, you can pick up an application at:

Burien City Hall
15811 Ambaum Blvd. SW
Burien, WA 98166

Further information about Burien’s citizen advisory boards is available by contacting:

Monica Lusk
City Clerk
(206) 248-5517
MONICAL@burienwa.gov

According to the City of Burien’s website:

FEMA has accepted the City’s Puget Sound Flood Hazard Study. The agency is scheduled to formally approve the study in January 2009. Until that time, the study and its flood hazard designations will be used by the City of Burien only for purposes of compliance with City codes and ordinances. Once FEMA has approved the study, it also will be used for flood insurance purposes.Due to their size, the appendices are not available on the website. You can view the appendices or request a CD of the full report at:

Burien City Hall
15811 Ambaum Blvd. SW, Suite C
Burien, WA 98166
Ph: (206) 248-5510

For more information about the study, contact the Department of Community Development at (206) 248-5510.

Read Burien’s Puget Sound Flood Hazard Study here.

Also, what are your thoughts on the study?

Please email us or post a Comment below.

The City of Burien is seeking nominations for its awards, which will be presented at the city’s annual Awards Dinner in March.

From their press release:

Do you know someone who has improved the quality of life in Burien? Do you know of a program or organization that has helped others in the community? Do you know someone who should be recognized for his/her contributions?

If you do…

The City of Burien is seeking nominations of persons or organizations who have made a significant contribution to the benefit of the community.

Nominations may be made in any of four categories for:

• Outstanding business leader*
• Environmental activist
• Citizen community activist
• Education activist

Submit nominations by Monday, February 2, 2009, to:

City of Burien
Attn: Adriene
15811 Ambaum Blvd. SW, Suite C
Burien, WA  98166

Describe what has been done, when the contribution was made, who benefited, how the contribution was accomplished and where the impact was made.

Please call Adriene Buckley, (206) 248-5512 for more information.

*[EDITOR'S NOTE: By using the silly photo above, in no way are we implying that this here B-Town Blog should be nominated. Nu-uh. However, if we were, we actually own a tux and would be humbled just to be a nominee. Really.]

Hey everyone – the City of Burien’s new website is live online!

To put it all into context, let’s first take a look at a screenshot of the old website:

And now, the new one:

Our initial reactions are:

THE GOOD:

• Does this mean Burien has a (gulp) new logo? Could new “Welcome to Burien” signs be far behind?
• It’s much easier to navigate.
• Much higher production values.
• The photo slideshow is tres’ groovy.
• Burien finally looks beautiful and cool, and not like some lame 70s clipart enclave.
• If I didn’t already live here, this would make me more inclined to consider moving (hmmm…maybe that should be in the “Bad” category?)

THE BAD:

• Where’s the prominent link to the B-Town Blog on the front page??? We’re not even on their “Quicklinks” page. Grrr…
• The previous city website link/URL (http://www.ci.burien.wa.us/) No. Longer. Works. (hey website team you need to do a re-direct – stat!)
• The “Home” navigation button is not intuitively placed (like most ‘net users, we’re used to finding it in the upper left of the upper nav menu).
• There are still other links-within-pages that cause some confusion.
• The streaming video of the council meetings still requires just Windows Media. Well, at least it’s not RealMedia…
• The Calendar of Events page shows no events going on. Hey, we know Burien’s a sleepy town but there has to be something going on, right?
• The fancypants cursive graphic navigation choices are hard to read.

So…what are your thoughts?

Email us, or Post A Comment below…

This just in from the City of Burien:

CITIZENS INVITED TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST SOUND TRANSIT (A REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY) PROPOSITION #1, MASS TRANSIT EXPANSION

The Burien City Council will be considering a resolution regarding Proposition #1, Mass Transit Expansion, on October 20, 2008.

All interested parties that are for or against the ballot measure are invited to speak at the Council’s Regular Meeting on Monday, October 6, 2008 at 7:00 pm.

The meeting will be held at the Educational Resource & Administrative Center (ERAC), 15675 Ambaum Blvd. SW (map below).

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At Monday night’s City of Burien meeting, a check for $250,000 was presented collectively to several Highline School District teachers as part of the Housing Incentive Grant Program, which is a direct result of a settlement for the Lora Lake Apartments.

On hand were members of the Burien City Council, Highline School District, several teacher recipients, as well as House Speaker Frank Chopp and State Rep. Dave Upthegrove, both of whom were instrumental in getting the funding from the Port of Seattle and King County settlement.

The award enables Burien to provide the Highline School District money to attract teachers into hard-to-fill positions.

Prospective teachers are being offered $250 per month as a financial incentive to help with their housing costs in Burien.