Burien City Council members decided on Aug. 14 they will consider a partial annexation of the North Highline unincorporated area.

Their preferred annexation alternative was approved on a 5-2 vote, with council members Rose Clark and Gordon Shaw voting no.

Both Clark and Shaw wanted the council to declare all of North Highline a potential annexation area, making that the city's preferred alternative.

The Burien Planning Commission was scheduled to discuss the city's preferred option at its Aug. 22 meeting, which now will be used by the city in its deliberations over annexation with Seattle and King County.

City staff had presented council members with four alternatives: full annexation, two partial annexation options and no annexation.

The lawmakers' preferred option encompasses the smallest area in North Highline that was proposed for potential annexation.

One part of the city's preferred annexation area is located west of Glendale Way South, north of South 128th Street, east of Ambaum Boulevard and south of South 118th and South 112th Streets.

The other area is north of South 118th Street, west of 16th Avenue Southwest and south of Southwest 107th Way.

Having chosen the preferred alternative, the planning commission will further study the area and use it in negotiations with Seattle and King County.

In advocating full annexation, Shaw said putting a potential annexation area around all of North Highline would help the cities get numbers that are the best they can work with.

"If we don't study a full [potential annexation area] we are closing the door on full knowledge," said Clark.

She noted that North Highline is primarily residential and offers little commercial opportunity.

After their effort for a full annexation preference was rejected, Shaw made a motion for no annexation. It lost on a 5-2 vote.

According to information provided by staff, the council's preferred alternative would add 10,500 residents to the city-enough to make Burien eligible for a 10-year state sales tax credit approved by the Legislature earlier this year.

It would cost Burien $690,000 a year.

The no annexation option would cost the city about $3.4 million to compensate for the loss of police and fire services is currently provided by King County Sheriff's deputies in North Highline and the North Highline Fire Department (Fire District 11).

The city will continue to study the impacts of annexation by Seattle on water and sewer district rates and service, as well as response times for fire and police.

If council members are not happy with findings based on studies of this preferred alternative, they can change their preference in September, said David Cline, interim city manager.

A final council vote on the preferred annexation area is expected to take place in October.

In other business, the council agreed to partner with Urban Partners, developers of the private elements of Town Square, to come up with a marketing strategy to attract retailers and condominium buyers.

Phase one of the marketing effort will promote Burien. Phase two will focus on Town Square.

Richard Nyhus, a marketing consultant to Urban Partners, said they will develop "a theme centered around the community."