Development News for Burien, Washington

Burien City Council Approves Timeline and Process for Filling Council Position No. 2 Vacancy

The Burien City Council is addressing a vacancy in City Council Position No. 2 following Council Member Aiki's resignation. The council has 90 days under Washington law to fill this vacancy. Staff presented a proposed timeline and process for selecting a new council member, including a public application period, candidate interviews, and a final appointment. The proposed timeline allows for applications to be received until June 26th, with interviews and selection potentially occurring in early July, well within the 90-day window. The council unanimously approved the proposed timeline, selection process, and the council vacancy application form.

Burien Explores Transfer of Development Rights and Local Infrastructure Financing Program

Consultants from Eco Northwest presented an introductory overview of Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) and Local Infrastructure Program (LCLIP) concepts to the Burien City Council. The TDR program aims to incentivize development intensification in urban areas while preserving working and landscape lands by allowing development rights to be transferred from designated conservation areas. LCLIP, a form of tax increment finance, could provide revenue sharing from increased property taxes within designated areas to fund infrastructure if a TDR program is implemented. The city has been allocated 273 development rights by the Puget Sound Regional Council. The consultants discussed potential study areas for credit placement (mixed-use and R2/R3 residential zones), developer incentives (incentive zoning, MFTE program), policy priorities for sending sites, and estimated credit absorption scenarios (low, medium, high growth). They also touched on potential revenue generation, eligible infrastructure projects, and next steps, including further analysis and a future presentation to the Planning Commission and City Council. The council expressed interest and asked clarifying questions about risks, incentives, and the process.

Burien City Council Considers New Fee for Critical Area Partial Exemptions

The Burien City Council is considering establishing a new fee for partial exemptions related to critical area ordinance (CAO) updates. Currently, projects requiring a partial exemption are charged the same fee as those requiring a full critical area review. Staff proposes a new flat fee of $760, approximately half the cost of a full review, to better reflect the reduced review time and technical analysis required for these smaller projects. This change aims to align fees with the level of service provided and reduce the financial burden for minor projects. The council moved to place Resolution No. 527 on the consent agenda for future action.