Petition Opposing Zoning Presented to Burien Council

The following Petition, signed by nearly 80 concerned Burien residents, was presented to the Burien City Council at the June 30, 2025 meeting. It outlines community concerns regarding Ordinance 868, Title 19 Housing Code and Zoning Map Amendments. The council passed the ordinance in a 6-1 vote shortly after the petition was delivered.

What we as residents of the Lake Burien / Shoreline Neighborhoods are asking for from the Council:

More open and transparent communication to us from the city and Planning Dept. – a better organized web site center for information from the city. The GMA requires that Comp Plans be written in language understandable to the average person.
Continued placement on The Distribution List for all SEPA statements relating to the Lake Burien Neighborhood/Shoreline/Critical Areas.
Notice and invitations to serve on city committees and advisory groups that are discussing our Shoreline and Neighborhood rather than intentionally not including our participation and drawing false assumptions about our Shoreline and Neighborhood.
Under the GMA, “THE LANDS SPEAKS FIRST,” not the city’s equity plan. We were very saddened that we had to go to the DOE to even get Lake Burien mentioned as a Freshwater Shoreline of the State in the 2044 Comp Plan and DEIS. This speaks volumes to how little residents’ voices are valued when they submit comments.
We are requesting that the Council consider a change to the 2044 Comp Plan via the amendment process to put all of the Lake Burien Shoreline/Neighborhood in the Comp Plan at R1 and the Zoning in at R1 as the Marine Shorelines are being designated on maps and in discussions in the Land Use and Zoning for this Plan. Where is the Amendment process in the 2044 Comp Plan document? Chapter, page and number? Easy instructions for the average reader to locate and understand.
Burien is in fact a Tier 2 City (population 25,000-75,000) with an estimated population of 52,046 according to the 2024 census data. It is far below Tier 1 City parameters. Burien lack the infrastructure in our residential neighborhoods to accommodate the growth that would be allowed with this proposed rezone. The focus of this zoning needs to be for a Tier 2 city.
Burien relies on the King County Sheriff’s Office for our law enforcement services. Staff shortages at the KC Sheriff’s office are already a concern and affect response times. Increased density at the level proposed would critically affect already stretched law enforcement resources and jeopardize public safety. Crime will increase with increased density. Burien needs to be able to finance and get more police from the KCSO before drastically increasing housing.

GMA Goals (RCW 36.70A.020)

Urban growth. Encourage development in urban areas.
Reduce Sprawl. Reduce the inappropriate conversion of undeveloped land.
Transportation. Encourage efficient multimodal transportation systems.
Housing. Plan for and accommodate housing affordable to all economic segments.
Economic development. Encourage economic development throughout the state.
Property rights. Private property shall not be taken for public use without just compensation having been made.
Permits. Applications should be processed in a timely and fair manner.
Natural resource industries. Maintain and enhance natural resource-based industries.
Open space and recreation. Retain open space, enhance recreational opportunities.
Environment. Protect the environment and enhance the state’s high quality of life, including air and water quality, and the availability of water.
Citizen participation and coordination. Encourage the involvement of citizens.
Public facilities and services. Ensure that those public facilities and services necessary to support development shall be adequate.
Historic preservation. Identify and encourage preservation.
Climate change and resiliency. Ensure that comprehensive plans, development regulations, and regional policies, plans, and strategies adapt to and mitigate the effects of a changing climate.
Shoreline management (RCW 36.70A.480)