Council votes on ‘four city’ ILA. Four days later it’s, three?
Burien City Council: November 3, 2025 Item 13.h (SAMP ILA)
On Monday, the Burien City Council voted unanimously to move towards final consideration in renewing the SAMP ILA with Des Moines, Normandy Park and SeaTac. This agreement concerns a legal appeal process on the NEPA and/or SEPA process in Sea-Tac’s ambitious expansion plans.
And yet on Friday, the City of Des Moines published their next meeting agenda, with the same contract, but indicating that the City of Normandy Park has dropped out. Stating that they have no objections to the largest expansion in airport history.
Normally, cities that develop ILA’s coordinate closely with one another. It is surprising that the Burien City Council would not be aware of this sudden change.
Councilmember Akey asked why the financial participation is based on population and City Manager Bailon said that this was ‘typical used to ensure equity’. He implied that this fairness would mean that Normandy Park (1/3 the population of SeaTac) did not receive the same ‘benefits’.
Clearly, he thought that Normandy Park was still a partner. Also, his notion of equitable funding seemed odd to us considering that in the 2018 Stantec agreement, the City of SeaTac acknowledged its much stronger financial position by paying 50% of the local matching costs ($150,000.)
At their November 17 meeting, Burien will have a final vote on the item. We strongly encourage them to take another look at that agreement–and especially the City of SeaTac’s other ILA (with the Port of Seattle) before approving this agreement.
In other business, by voice motion, the Council approved writing a letter to the Port asking for an ‘environmental impact statement’ on the tree cutting at Mathison Park, and the potential loss of 200 trees as part of the Flight Corridor Safety Program. We’re unsure what this entails as the FCSP does not require such a process under FAA law. However, we appreciate the sentiment that the airport should be held to account for any environmental impacts both on and off airport property.
Surprised that Normandy Park did not sign the agreement. Wonder if tax payers are aware of this denial. Am sure that Normandy Park residents suffer from loud airplane noise?
It is not surprising. After the Third Runway, all city councils shifted politically quite dramatically. The public does not understand this. As we say “No politician will tell you they are in favor of noise and pollution.” City councils can simply provide lip-service and do nothing. Most voters are so low-information they assume that nothing can be done. That has always been the problem. Low information.