Burien City Council members made two key decisions Nov. 21 that set the foundation for Town Square and helped move the long-planned project forward.

The council actions, which were approved 6-1 with Councilman Gordon Shaw casting the lone dissenting votes, essentially are a green light for construction of Town Square to proceed.

Construction of Town Square -- a public-private partnership between Burien, the King County Library System and Urban Partners, the private developer -- is expected to begin late next year and continue through 2009.

“This is an historic time for the city of Burien,” Mayor Noel Gibb declared following the votes.

“The council’s decisions mark crucial steps toward the development of Burien Town Square.”

In a letter submitted to council members before the meeting, Burien residents Ron Seale and Jennifer James asked them to “postpone these important contracts and votes until the new Council takes office.”

Seale and James recently supported through their political action committee, Citizens for Honesty in Government, the re-election of Deputy Mayor Joan McGilton and the election of former Councilwoman Rose Clark and Sue Blazak. All three were victorious in the Nov. 8 election.

“Any agreements now, especially to secure a developer, are at risk for a citizen revolt in the form of a lawsuit and/or recall,” Seale and James wrote. “The truth of the various charges floating about town of deals made with developers is a problem.”

Last week’s council action approved the Town Square project description and conceptual design documents for Parcel I, currently occupied by the former Gottschalks store on Southwest 152nd Street.

Plans for Parcel I include a combination of housing and retail stores with enclosed parking, according to John Gunn with Urban Partners.

“This seven-story building will include 18, 130 square feet of retail and office, 72 stacked residential units and 189 parking spaces,” Gunn stated.

The second action authorized City Manager Gary Long to confirm to Urban Partners that the City has met the obligation to secure funding for street improvements and Town Square Park.

“The cost of the park is $3.8 million, and the city has fully funded this project using a combination of general government funds and bond issues,” Public Works Director Stephen Clark noted.

Although the city was not awarded a $2.4 million grant from the Transportation Improvement Board that was requested for new Town Square streets, Clark presented a contingency plan for Council action.

The first element of his plan was to remove $1,180,000 in costs that would reduce the project by excluding the reconstruction of Southwest 151st Street and reduce sidewalks and other amenities between Southwest 150th and 152nd.

“With that reduction and in addition to the $1,220,000 in surface water management fees and gas tax, that would fully fund the project total at $10.7 million,” he noted.

In June, lawmakers approved a Disposition and Development agreement, which outlined the three items that the council would need to take action on by Nov. 21 to avoid a delay in the Town Square project.

The first two items were approved on Nov. 7: the King County Housing Authority agreement, and residential plans for Parcels IV, V and VI that provide for no fewer than 99 condominiums and townhouse units.