In the past few months, the City Council has undertaken significant efforts to shape the direction of the next few years of Burien’s path forward. We worked hard together to select a new city manager, Adolfo Bailon. We hope you will join us in helping him be successful, so our community is best served.
In July, we gathered over five, four-hour sessions to hammer out a new strategic plan for the City government. We listened to what the community told us through surveys and listening sessions. We also heard from staff about what was getting in their way and making it difficult to deliver on City Council and community priorities. And we considered what we could realistically accomplish in the next five years, working together with City staff and community. What we do now will lay a strong foundation for the 2023-2024 budget cycle as well as future long-range planning.
We have also begun long-term visioning and planning for the future. Over the next year, we will join City staff in a concerted effort to work with our community and other important stakeholders to update Burien’s Comprehensive Plan, including updates to existing plans on transportation, parks, recreation, and public art. We’ll be looking at housing needs, zoning, climate impact, public safety, and other critical issues that affect Burien’s quality of life and long-term resilience against future challenges.
We know it can be difficult to understand or see the value in planning for the future when there are issues or needs that must be met today. We have not lost focus on what our community is currently facing. We continue to make progress on investing back into our public safety system, economic development, and building better relationships with our community. The federal funding that we received for pandemic recovery through the American Rescue Plan Act will help us make historic investments in public safety, economic development, and community needs such as food, housing, and youth services.
Please join us as we shape the vision of Burien for the next generation.
Get involved
We encourage Burien residents to understand and follow the business of the City as well as discussions on specific topics that are brought before the City Council.
- Attend City Council meetings: in-person at Burien City Hall, via Zoom, on Channel 21, or stream online. See schedule of meetings.
- Watch for scheduled public meetings or public hearings on specific projects and topics.
- Read a summary of the City Council meeting in the latest Council Roundup.
We want to hear from you! Public comment is an important way for the City Council to hear from residents and businesses. Ways to provide meaningful input include:
- Share your thoughts with the City Council at council@burienwa.gov or to each individual Councilmembers’ email address or phone number, which can be found at burienwa.gov/council.
- Attend a virtual City Council meeting and speak to the Council for up to two minutes during public comment.
- Visit the new Burien Community Hub, an online community engagement platform where you can learn about and participate in current planning efforts, at connect.burienwa.gov.
Ordinances, Resolutions, and Proclamations
The Burien City Council passed the following ordinances, resolutions, and proclamations between April and August 2022.
Ordinances: The City Council passed Ordinance Nos. 792–796. The ordinances covered many topics including stormwater standards, parking standards in the downtown neighborhood, parking exemptions for accessory dwelling units, electronic readers for parking enforcement, franchise agreements, and more.
Resolutions: The City Council passed Resolution Nos. 478–482. The resolutions covered many topics including acquisition of Lakeview Park from Highline Public Schools, City Council meeting schedule, and extension of the Burien Food Truck Pilot Program.
Proclamations: The City Council issued 16 proclamations on the following topics: Infertility Awareness Week, Arbor Day, Earth Day, Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Affordable Housing Week, Citizen of the Year (three), Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, Older Americans Month, Peace Officers Memorial Day, LGBTQIA+ Pride Month, Juneteenth, Guatemala Day, and a proclamation in honor of the late Charlotte Berg.
Burien City Council
As the City's governing body, Burien's seven elected City Councilmembers establish City policies and laws, adopt an annual budget, approve appropriations, contract for services, and grant franchises. City Councilmembers serve staggered four-year terms; roughly half the Council is up for election every two years. All Councilmembers are "at-large" meaning that they serve the City as a whole as opposed to a specific district.
The City Council chooses a Mayor and Deputy Mayor from among its members at the first meeting of the new year following an election. The Mayor presides at Council meetings and represents the City at ceremonial functions and inter-governmental meetings. The Deputy Mayor presides in the Mayor's absence.
