In front of a packed house Burien held the first of two public forums last night, June 14, discussing the Shoreline Master Program.

The discussion of this public forum focused on the science. Panelists from the State Department of Ecology, Grette Associates- who contracted on the drafting of the Shoreline Master Plan, and a consultant from Cedarock Consultants, Inc, hired by the Burien Marine Homeowners Association gave presentations and took questions from the Burien City Council and the audience.

The main discussion quickly turned to buffers. Dr. Kathy Taylor from the State Department of Ecology said an effective buffer is generally between 21-95 meters. A larger buffer is required land with a slope. But she also said buffers are something which need to be determined on a case by case basis.

Carl Hadley, a fisheries biologist with Cedarock Consultants said large buffers are not necessarily the way to go. “They do almost nothing to preserve the (ecological) functions here,” Hadley said.

The large buffers are effective in an old growth forest area, Hadley said, not in a highly developed area like Burien’s shoreline.

Hadley said 92 percent of the lots around the marine shoreline in Burien were developed, and in conditions where the land is so developed large buffers will not do anything.

Dr. Taylor said if your area is built it a large buffer will have no affect on the ecological functions one way or the other; but she also made clear she was not familiar with Burien’s shoreline and was not saying one way or the other if large buffers would be effective here.

Many shoreline homeowners are concerned about the proposed buffer and building setback, which combined would require new buildings to be built 65 feet up from the ordinary high water mark. If approved, this would make many homes non-conforming, which many marine homeowners are afraid will negatively affect their property values and their ability to sell their house.

When Mayor McGilton asked Hadley if he was saying there should be no setbacks he replied no. While Hadley had no specifics for what he felt the setbacks should be he maintained larger was not necessarily better in such an urban environment.

Hadley suggested the City focus on Seahurst Park for an ecological lift. Seahurst park was the one portion of marine shoreline in Burien he recommended have a large buffer.

Councilmember Gordon Shaw said he was unconvinced a large buffer in Burien would improve the quality of the Puget Sound and based on that was reluctant to impose restrictions on shoreline homeowners.

“I would like to be more certain what we are going to do is going to give us the desired affect, or any affect, on the well being for Puget Sound,” Shaw said. “We really don’t know if what we are asking people to do is going to achieve what we want to achieve.”

Several homeowners who live on a slope above the water had questions about their impact on the ecology of the sound, and if regulations in the Shoreline Master Program would help the Sound. None of the panelists had answers. The topic was promised to be revisited at the next meeting.

The second public forum is scheduled for June 21 at 7 p.m. in the County Chambers. The topics for this public forum will focus on the policy of the Shoreline Master Program, as well as discussing the impacts of making a house non-conforming and what that means for the owner of the property.