by Ralph Nichols

Fourth of four parts.

The bottom-line concern of waterfront homeowners – along Puget Sound and around Lake Burien – about proposed revisions to the city’s Shoreline Master Program (SMP) is potential impacts on property values and rights.

And Sam Pace of Seattle/King County REALTORS has submitted to the Burien City Council a number of concerns his association has with the draft regulations. Similar rules could also impact residential shoreline property in other communities.

Council members discussed what they hope will be their final review of the revised shoreline regulations on Monday, Sept. 13.

If all goes as both lawmakers and city staff hope, the council will then adopt the new SMP on Sept. 27 (read our previous coverage here). After that, the document will go to the state Department of Ecology for review, including another public hearing, and final approval.

The private property defense says this right is guaranteed by the 5th and 14th Amendments to the United States Constitution, and the Washington State Constitution, Article I, Section 16, which provides that “[n]o private property shall be taken or damaged for public or private use without just compensation.”

This claim also holds that these protections shield, beyond accepted community zoning restrictions, private property owners from restrictions various government jurisdictions would place on uses of their land.

Writing on behalf of waterfront homeowners, Pace noted in his presentation that updated regulations impacting Burien’s Puget Sound shoreline were drafted in the absence of a complete inventory of these marine reaches.

“Lack of Burien data in the City’s Shoreline Inventory denoting degradation to shoreline functions … would likely violate state law,” Pace said.

“The City is required to ensure No Net Loss of shoreline functions from existing uses, including preferred shoreline uses such as single family homes,” but adding new protective regulations without such data “is simply untenable.”

State law doesn’t permit Burien “to merely assume continued degradation of shoreline functions below current conditions” in the absence of a complete inventory and supporting data, he continued.

This lack of information, coupled with no clear definition of “net loss,” were key factors in the council’s 4-3 vote on Aug. 16 to veto a proposal to expand the existing marine shoreline buffer from 20 feet to 50 feet plus an additional 15-foot setback.

On another issue of importance to waterfront homeowners that has also divided council members, Pace said the association was concerned with proposed limits on the repair or replacement of bulkheads serving single-family homes.

“It is important that the City not impose any new requirements on existing [bulkheads] in a way that, directly or indirectly, minimizes the existing function and utility … serving the home. Doing otherwise may have the effect of reducing the value of the home.”

Pace also suggested that Burien consider adopting “non-regulatory approaches” for protecting and enhancing shorelines, noting “the Shoreline Act is clear that … regulatory enactments are only one of the approaches the City should pursue.”

Adding that “updating the SMP is a difficult job,” he said, “It’s not one the City requested, but instead is one that was given to you by the state….

“We are very appreciative of the way the Council has been willing to immerse itself in these issues in a genuine and diligent effort to try to truly understand both the update process and the options available … given the considerable leeway afforded the City” under the state Shoreline Management Act.

The B-Town Blog would like to welcome its latest Advertiser: David Frasch, Associate Broker for Coldwell Banker Danforth & Associates, Inc!

David Frasch doesn’t like to wait, and he doesn’t think you should either. He believes his most important mission as your representative is to communicate promptly. Whether it is by phone, email or text you can almost always expect him to answer or reply immediately. If he can’t get to his iPhone when you call, he’ll get back to you as soon as he can.

His clients, friends and neighbors are always calling around newsletter time! David’s newsletter, “Service for Life” is the most passed-around newsletter in town. It is filled with compelling articles, amazing trivia, brain teasers, humor, and consumer information you’ll want to know. Every month people clamor to be the first to answer the trivia question to get the prize! What will it be this month? For your copy of “Service for Life” give David a call at (206) 226-0565 or email him at davidfrasch@msn.com. Maybe you’ll be the winner!

David enjoys real estate and helping people get what they want. His clients say some of the things they like best about David are that he is easy to work with and he cares about their peace of mind. David has been a full time real estate agent since 2000 and has handled almost every type of residential real estate transaction. He knows his clients deserve the very best in confidential, personal, and professional quality service. If you have any real estate questions please don’t hesitate to call David – he is always ready and willing to help out in any way he can.

Be sure to visit his website:

• http://davidfrasch.com

…and become his Facebook friend:

• http://www.new.facebook.com/frasch

…and Facebook fan:

• http://www.facebook.com/pages/Burien-WA/David-Frasch-Coldwell-Banker-Danforth-Associates-Inc/53757468002

Or call him at (206) 226-0565 or via email at davidfrasch@msn.com.

Would you like to have a “Blogvertorial” story, event listing and/or Ad like this on a popular, fast-growing website seen by nearly 40,000 interested Local Readers every month? Email us for more info, or check out our Advertise page!]

But can an “F” really substitute for an “E“?

Yeah, we don’t think so either…so we give this Burien signmaker an “F” make that an “E” seeing that’s the letter they need most.

I guess their drfams won’t comf truf either.

Susan sells real estate in the Burien and Seahurst areas. Her ad is on the upper right Sidebar, so please support her efforts.

She can be reached at (206) 650-9626, by email at susanplecko@johnlscott.com or via her website: www.susanplecko.com

According to Susan:

I moved to Burien from Chicago in 1968 to work for the airlines.  I worked for Northwest, United and Thai Airways until Thai moved its North American headquarters to LA. Houses are my passion so I became a Real Estate appraiser. While I enjoyed appraising, I didn’t get in to see enough houses and I missed working with people.  I joined John L. Scott 5 years ago.  I have earned the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) and Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES) designations. I love my job and love being sure that people have the best representation when selling or buying their homes.   After living in other areas of the metropolitan Seattle area, my husband, Andy Vagi (Barrier Volvo Southcenter) and I moved to Seahurst 15 years ago. I am a Highline Historical Society volunteer as well as a sponsor of the 2008 Highline Garden Tour (June 14th), VP of the Seahurst Community Club, and I was honored to have named Eagle Landing Park.

People outside our area are recognizing what we’ve known all along – Burien is a wonderful place to live and to invest in.  When it comes to real estate, we have it all…from the starter home to the view or waterfront dream home…including everything in between. Our new Town Square and the proposed Community Recreation Center will just add to the livability of our city.

Susan’s website is here, and we’re proud to have her join us as an Advertiser on the B-Town Blog!