TagCity of Burien(345)

The City of Burien, Washington contracted law firm Lockridge Grindal Nauen PLLP to review the Sea-Tac Airport Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) under a joint interlocal agreement with the cities of Des Moines, Normandy Park, and SeaTac. Costs were shared among the four cities based on population, at approximately $1.50 per capita, against a total contract value of $175,000. As of invoice #7 (August 2019), a total of $88,129.33 had been billed, leaving approximately $86,870.67 remaining on the contract.

In August 2019, the Burien City Council sent a formal letter to the Port of Seattle's Executive Director and Commissioners raising nine pointed questions about Sea-Tac Airport's noise management failures, including the lack of updated noise studies since 2002, slow implementation of sound insulation for affected homes, unaddressed air quality concerns, and the exclusion of meaningful community input. The letter argues that the Port has prioritized airport expansion and profits over the health and quality of life of surrounding residents for more than 20 years. The Council calls for an honest, open dialogue about how much airport growth is truly sustainable given its ongoing environmental and community impacts.

In August 2019, the City of Burien sent a draft letter to the Port of Seattle raising eight pointed questions about Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's handling of aircraft noise, air quality, and community impact. The letter challenges the Port's failure to conduct comprehensive noise studies since 2002, its slow implementation of sound insulation programs, and its prioritization of airport expansion planning over legally recommended noise mitigation measures. Burien officials conclude that the Port has not treated compatibility with surrounding communities as a genuine priority, citing decades of unaddressed recommendations dating back to a 1996 Expert Arbitration Panel report.

The City of Burien billed the City of Normandy Park $294.70 for services rendered in June 2019 under Interlocal Agreement #18-A101, related to the Shore Acres Master Plan (SAMP), a noise and land-use planning initiative. This is the sixth invoice issued under that agreement, dated July 31, 2019, with payment due by September 12, 2019. The invoice was directed to Ryan Harriman at Normandy Park's SEPA Office, reflecting ongoing intergovernmental cooperation on environmental and noise policy in the Sea-Tac Airport area.

The City of Burien billed the City of Des Moines $1,419.37 under Interlocal Agreement #18-A101, related to the South King County Airport Mitigation Program (SAMP), covering June 2019 services (Invoice #6). The invoice, dated July 31, 2019, was issued by Burien's Finance Department and carried a due date of September 12, 2019. This agreement reflects a cooperative effort between the two cities to address noise mitigation concerns associated with Sea-Tac Airport operations.

The City of Burien billed the City of SeaTac $1,287.06 under Interlocal Agreement #18-A101 for services related to the Sub-Area Master Plan (SAMP) in June 2019. The invoice, numbered 833 and dated July 31, 2019, was directed to Steve Pilcher, AICP, at SeaTac's planning office, with payment due by September 12, 2019. This billing reflects an ongoing cost-sharing arrangement between the two cities, likely connected to regional planning efforts addressing airport-area land use and noise impacts.