North Highline annexation: Burien council action tonight

Part of the North Highline annexation process just moved forward with votes during tonight’s Burien City Council meeting: Burien councilmembers first authorized the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with Seattle and other parties, by a 4-1 vote tonight (the “no” vote was from Councilmember Lucy Krakowiak, who says she thinks the annexation area, with 14,000 people, is too big, and she would rather start with 10,000). Second, they approved a resolution that will send the proposed Burien annexation to residents for them to approve or reject in an upcoming election, by the same vote. Next steps, according to city manager Mike Martin, would be to take the issue, with the proposed boundaries to which the parties agreed, to the county/state-run Boundary Review Board. And Seattle city leaders have to decide their next steps — whether they will pursue annexing the rest of the North Highline area (the Memorandum of Understanding with Burien and the other parties does not require them to). Then, there’s the initiative that former Burien councilmember Stephen Lamphear is pursuing, seeking to cancel the deal between Burien and Seattle – he thinks the North Highline area should be annexed intact, and should be annexed by Burien; initiative petitions will be circulated. Also, as councilmembers were reminded tonight, an annexation open house is planned for February 12th in Boulevard Park.

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5 Responses to “North Highline annexation: Burien council action tonight”

  1. Stephen Lamphear Says:

    It was pretty arrogant of the council to execute the MOU and file with the BRB in the face of an Initiative petition that would prohibit them from doing so. On Monday, January 26th, an Initiative to the People of Burien was filed with the City Clerk seeking an advisory ballot on the council’s annexation plans.

    In fact, no one from the city, staff or council, has spoken with us about the Initiative — the city attorney is required by statute to meet with us to set the official ballot language. After that, there is a limited time to gather signatures.

    If the petition is successful in gathering sufficient signatures and the vote supports the Initiative, the council’s action will be void. In the meantime, as a Burien resident living in proximity to the proposed annexation area, I have legal standing at the BRB to contest the city’s filing.

    Some residents/voters will remember the referendum I spearheaded in Dec ’95/Jan ’96 that resulted in repeal of the city’s shiny new utility tax. Apparently, the voters have to go through that effort all over again. If you’re ready to force the council to listen to the people, contact us at annexation.initiative@gmail.com.

    And all this takes place in the middle of an election year.

  2. The Notice of Intent to Annex the southern part of North Highline that was filed by City of Burien with the Boundary Review Board today can be found here (it is 65 pages long).
    http://www.burienwa.gov/index.aspx?NID=321

  3. Stephen,
    Will the Initiative petition postpone a southern annexation
    by the city of Burien?
    I agree that it would be best to have the entire area annexed to the City of Burien, but it seems that the Initiative petition throws a wrench into the mix.

  4. I think that some communities have been ripped apart enough.
    We are stronger together than we are apart. Keep North Highline together. The residents of North Highline need to have a voice, and they have been shut out of the process.

  5. I would like to know why am I not informed of any of therse issues and I own a property in White Center. Could you please send me email and mail after this. And by the Way I do not want to get annexed to Burien. White Center belongs to diversity and that is Seattle and not by any means Burien!!!!