TagCity of Burien(341)

This document is a review by ABCx2 of a Port of Seattle presentation to the city of Burien regarding the Sea-Tac Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Environmental Impact Statement. It raises concerns about the Port's decision to limit its environmental review of airport impacts to 2018 rather than 2012, questions whether significant construction growth and flight increases during that period were properly analyzed under federal (NEPA) and state (SEPA) environmental law, and challenges the Port's characterization of the FAR Part 150 noise abatement process as purely voluntary. The document also examines potential consequences if the Port fails to meet noise mitigation commitments tied to federal funding.

The Burien City Council wrote to Sea-Tac Airport CEO Lance Lyttle raising concerns about the operations of the Sea-Tac Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART), a cooperative forum between the airport and neighboring cities. The letter identifies four key issues: limited community input into meeting agendas, inaccurate or incomplete meeting minutes, a lack of formal consensus process when StART's name was used to promote a voluntary nighttime noise reduction program, and insufficient time given to the Council to review StART decisions before they are finalized. The Council requests clearer timelines, audio recordings of meetings, and greater opportunity for elected representatives to provide feedback before public commitments are made on behalf of the City of Burien.

The Burien City Council wrote to Port of Seattle leadership explaining why they suspended participation in the Sea-Tac Airport Round Table (StART), citing the Port's failure to respond to community concerns about health, noise, and quality-of-life impacts from growing flight operations. The council objected to the Port approving $10 million in design work for airport expansion under the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) without adequate community consultation, and called for that decision to be reversed as a condition of re-engagement. A companion comparison chart shows how StART's governance rules on elected membership, meeting recordings, and inclusion of expert witnesses fall short of standards used by similar advisory bodies at airports in Charlotte, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

The City of Burien, Washington passed Resolution No. 505 in early 2024 to shrink the Burien Airport Committee (BAC) from nine members down to five, including reducing council representation from three members to one. The change was prompted by the committee's repeated inability to hold meetings in 2023 due to a lack of quorum. The restructured committee will consist of one council member and four non-council members.

The City of Burien and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the SR 509 Completion Project Stage 2, which extends the highway from S 188th Street to 24th Avenue South, with portions running through Burien's city limits. The project includes construction of a shared-use path, two roundabouts on S 160th Street, and short noise wall segments adjacent to highway on-ramps. WSDOT is responsible for costs associated with the proposed design and construction, while Burien bears costs for any changes it requests beyond standard design requirements.

The Burien City Council met on November 20, 2023 to consider accepting a King County offer of $1 million and 35 pallet shelters to establish emergency temporary housing for homeless residents, with the offer set to expire November 27, 2023. The council reviewed several potential sites, including a vacant lot in Boulevard Park and a Seattle City Light-owned lot, as well as potential funding sources from city ARPA allocations across economic development and human services budgets. No action was required if the council chose not to proceed, but a motion template was provided for selecting a site and funding source if they wished to move forward.

Chapter 15.12 of the Burien Municipal Code establishes minimum building construction standards to reduce aircraft noise for properties near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Buildings are divided into three noise reduction zones (35 dB, 30 dB, and 25 dB), each requiring progressively higher sound transmission ratings for walls, windows, doors, roofs, and ventilation systems. The code applies to all new construction and most additions intended for human occupancy, with limited exceptions for small remodels and non-inhabited structures like warehouses and garages.

The City of Burien's Economic Development program supports local businesses through microenterprise programs, small business grants, maker spaces, and a Digital Main Street Program. The city also promotes visitor attraction and community engagement via social media channels, a business e-newsletter, citywide business surveys, and tourism videos. Several initiatives are funded in part by the Port of Seattle.

The City of Burien invested a combined $444,739 in workforce development programs for residents during 2021-2022, spanning Human Services ($114,739) and Economic Development ($330,000) initiatives. Programs included pre-apprenticeship construction training, youth mural and café leadership apprenticeships, immigrant and refugee employment support, digital marketing education, and small business coaching. The majority of the 110-plus residents served were BIPOC individuals from low- and moderate-income households.

The City of Burien, Washington passed Resolution No. 495 on May 1, 2023, updating the structure and purpose of its Burien Airport Committee (BAC), an advisory body focused on Seattle-Tacoma International Airport issues. The resolution clarifies the BAC's role in advising the City Council on airport noise, harmful particulates, land use, traffic impacts, and related agreements with the Port of Seattle. It also adjusts committee membership rules, setting terms of two years for up to six resident and business representatives alongside one to three Councilmembers.