Burien, Washington Development News
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June 29, 2026 City Council Meeting
Published: Jun 29, 2026
Burien Council Approves One-Year Emergency Moratorium on Data Centers
The Burien City Council introduced an ordinance for an emergency moratorium on data centers. The ordinance is largely based on similar legislation enacted by the City of Seattle. Staff acknowledged a lack of specific expertise regarding data centers, highlighting the need for further study to determine the city's regulatory approach, whether through prohibition or specific conditions. The emergency nature of the moratorium requires a majority plus one vote (five council members) to go into effect immediately, preventing applications from being submitted and processed under current regulations during the study period. The council unanimously approved the ordinance.
Burien Council Discusses Comprehensive Plan Amendments and North of NERA Rezoning Proposal
The City Council received a presentation on proposed amendments to the 2026 Comprehensive Plan, covering updates to the housing chapter regarding emergency housing capacity, consistency with regional growth centers and airport land use compatibility, revisions to land use designations and zoning maps, and minor adjustments to the sustainability and natural environment chapter. These amendments aim to align the city's zoning and development regulations with its long-term growth objectives and accommodate allocated job and housing targets. Specifically, the housing chapter will assess emergency housing capacity, the land use chapter will address urban growth center boundaries and airport influence zones, the future land use map will see revisions including removal of commercial uses within shoreline jurisdiction and adjustments in the Three Tree Point neighborhood, and the sustainability chapter will clarify goals and policies. Additionally, the council was briefed on the North of NERA rezone project, which aims to implement the comprehensive plan's land use changes by establishing new zoning categories (Neighborhood Business 1, Neighborhood Business 2, and Mixed-Use Business) to accommodate projected job growth while considering existing businesses and residential community safeguards. The proposed zoning framework is designed to balance job targets with community input and airport compatibility guidelines, allowing for continued operation and potential expansion of existing businesses and single-family residences.
Burien Proposes Significant Increase to Transportation Impact Fees
The Burien City Council received a presentation on an update to the Transportation Impact Fee (TIF) program. The current program, established nearly 20 years ago, has not seen a fee increase despite a significant rise in construction costs. The presentation highlighted that Burien's TIF rate is among the lowest in the state and the region, resulting in substantial revenue shortfalls compared to peer cities. The proposed update includes shifting from a vehicle-trip-based system to a multimodal transportation-based system, which will allow TIF funds to support projects like sidewalks and bike lanes. A new fee schedule is proposed with a six-year phased-in approach, starting at approximately $7,000 per trip in 2027 and potentially reaching $11,395 by 2030. The update also addresses code amendments, including exemptions for family daycares and reductions for Multi-Family Tax Exemption (MFTE) eligible projects and qualified affordable housing projects (up to 80% reduction). The council discussed the potential impacts of a school relocation and the use of TIF funds for traffic calming and improvements in residential neighborhoods.
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