10/12/2026
Hello from Mayor Sarah,
So far this month I’ve had the opportunity to represent Burien in two important venues.
At the October 1 Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce annual State of the Region dinner, I presented what amounts to a state of the city address, sharing highlights and challenges for Burien, along with representatives from the neighboring cities of Tukwila, Seatac, Des Moines and Normandy Park, and business and educational leaders in the south end. I will watch for the recording and share it on my social media accounts.
On October 2, I had another opportunity to share our city’s successes and challenges, as the newly restructured K4C (King County Cities Climate Collaboration) hosted an elected leader panel discussion featuring representatives from Burien, Renton, Tukwila and Seattle.
It was a pleasure to arrive at each event prepared with the excellent content and speaker’s notes that city staff provided, and to know that Burien is showing up as a regional leader. I also want to give a shout to Burien’s Sustainability Coordinator Sycora Powell and Economic Development Specialist Lorraine Chachere for showing up at the events.
AGENDA
PROCLAMATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS
We will have four presentations.
A. 2026 Tree Code Cleanup
Burien passed its first Ordinance regarding trees on private property in 2022. The ordinance was well communicated, and is largely supported by the community. However, at the four year mark, staff have identified some areas for improvement, and will present updates on how it has worked, and their suggested changes, including exemptions for trees damaged by storms, some exemptions for utility projects, and additional protections for exceptional trees (those above a certain size set for their species).
We will also discuss some changes to the code around trees on public property. The Port of Seattle recently required Burien to remove five trees in the beloved Matthison Park, and while the proposed new codes would not have prevented this, they would have imposed a greater responsibility on the Port for the replacement and maintenance of new trees, and will strengthen our position in any future situations of this nature.
B. Presentation of Resolution No. 541, 2027 City of Burien Fee Schedule Briefing
No one likes paying fees or feeling nickel and dimed by paying them, and no one likes bureaucracy and having to go to multiple places to get information for a single project. Cities charge fees for many types of permitting, and in Burien, those fees have been added piece by piece, in different parts of our website, without much coordination. This leads to uncertainty for people applying, and ultimately, creates a sense of distrust. So, as the city looks at adjusting some fees to match the actual cost of staffing our permitting teams, we are also looking at ways to bring all the fees into a single location on the website. This is one of those projects that sounds simple and obvious, but requires significant effort and coordination to actually do.
We will also be discussing proposed increases to the Transportation Impact Fees- one time fees charged when new land uses increase the expected volume of traffic to a location - these fees are used to offset the cost of maintaining streets and other infrastructure, which goes up when they experience more use.
C. Presentation of 2027-2028 Preliminary Operating Biennial Budget
Burien’s expenses exceed its revenues, and this is an ongoing reality for most cities in Washington state. The city has reserve funds, but it has been gradually spending them over the course of multiple years, to make up the gap, and in 2030, will reach a critical point at which it does not have the reserves mandated for all cities in Washington State.
The alternatives are to find new revenue sources, reduce spending, or both. Staff have worked on some expenditure reductions that nearly close the gap for the recommended 2027 budget, but as costs keep going up, the gap opens wider again in 2028 and beyond. Council will discuss how comfortable we are with the proposed cuts and the anticipated gap.
D. Presentation of the Proposed Changes to Fiscal Policies
This discussion topic will propose actions intended to clarify how funds and reserves are managed, set measurable reserve targets and recovery expectations, improve transparency around financial decisions and align capital, debt, contracting, and investment practices. While the process of tightening our budget is painful any way you look at it, I have specific concerns about one item - the proposal to freeze increases on Human Services funding for the next two years, at a time when they are desperately needed and the small fund amount could make a great deal of difference to the nonprofits who are our grant recipients.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Please plan to sign up before the meeting begins at 5:30.
You can sign up to provide public comment by one of the following methods:
Public Comment Form - linked in the comments of this post
Call City Hall at (206) 241-4647
Email [email protected]
In-Person with City Hall front counter staff from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
At the council meeting (doors open at 5 p.m.)
You will still have up to 2 minutes to speak, and will still be asked to give your name and whether you live in Burien (optional). Depending on the number of speakers signed up, council may choose to reduce speaking time. Most people can speak about 120 - 150 words per minute. I recommend having a 150 word and a 300 word script, and get your big points into the first 100 words.
COUNCIL REPORTS
COMMITTEE REPORTS
CITY MANAGER REPORT
CONSENT AGENDA
EXECUTIVE SESSION
It is unusual for an Executive Session to fall in the middle of a meeting. This session is expected to take approximately 20 minutes, and that’s about all I can tell you.
a) Executive Session per RCW 42.30.110(1)(i) to discuss with legal counsel representing the agency matters relating to agency enforcement actions, or to discuss with legal counsel representing the agency litigation or potential litigation to which the agency, the governing body, or a member acting in an official capacity is, or is likely to become, a party, when public knowledge regarding the discussion is likely to result in an adverse legal or financial consequence to the agency.
BUSINESS AGENDA
A. Discussion of Detention Center Moratorium
There has been a lot of interest, both in the community and on council, for a moratorium and perhaps eventually an outright ban on the establishment of detention centers in Burien. There have also been some questions from staff about some of the specifics, and it is hoped that at this meeting, council can provide clear direction that will allow staff to come back with an actionable document upon which to vote.
B. Discussion of the Potential Establishment of a Transportation Commission
As Burien and the region grow in population, it becomes increasingly important to have a robust transportation plan that centers safety for all modes of transportation, and that connects Burien’s roads, trails and transit lines with neighboring jurisdictions. Historically, our Planning Commission has shouldered the advisory burden of this conversation, but staff are proposing a new commission specifically to address these growing transportation needs. Having the strongest transportation plan possible will not only support our community but will set us up as a good candidate for future transportation grant funding. Staff is ready to step up to the additional administrative responsibilities involved in adding this commission. I support this new action.
C. Discussion of Advisory Body Recruitment Process
It’s October, and maybe the spookiest thing of all is that 2027 is just around the corner. We will be recruiting for new members of committees, and a proposed process that allows interested individuals to apply for committees and commissions at any time during the year, with applications retained until the next interview cycle. For comparison, our current process is to open recruitments in November and close in January. I don’t know whether the new process will be more effective but I’m open to trusting staff’s recommendations and trying it.
D. Discussion of 2027 City Council Meeting Calendar
Amazing City Clerk Heather has proposed a draft council meeting calendar for 2027, with two regular meetings per month and a total of three study sessions, quarterly except for Q4 when the holidays get in the way. The calendar includes a complete recess in the month of August, and a total of 25 meetings, similar to our original 2026 calendar, although this year has had several meetings added or removed.
I think the proposed calendar is well done, but I anticipate some possible pushback on the November and December dates, in which Monday meetings are included on weeks with major holidays later in the same week. I don’t mind but we’ll see how others feel.
E. City Council Planning Calendar
As always, I encourage readers to take a look at the planning calendar - which is jam-packed with upcoming meeting topics. If this meeting goes long, be warned it’s more of the same for the next months, as we discuss potentially thorny topics such as:
Discussion of 2027-2028 Human Services General Fund Allocations
Introduction of Ordinance No. 896 2026 Annual Comprehensive Plan Amendments
Introduction to Ordinance No. 910, Peddlers and Transient Sales Code Amendments, and
An Introduction, public hearings, and an eventual vote on the 2027-28 biennial budgets.
ADJOURNMENT
There is a lot coming up the remainder of the year and I appreciate your engagement. Please keep an eye out for a public meet and greet with the finalists for our next City Manager. The current plan is to have an event during the week of November 15th.
In Service,
Sarah
