After a couple of meetings filled with contentious discussion, Lake Burien residents were denied their request for a down zone of the area surrounding the lake by the city council.
Lake Burien residents requested the land surrounding the lake be re-zoned from moderate density single-family residential to low density single-family residential.
Many lake residents testified that changing the density is in the best interests of the health of the lake. They said increased housing density around the lake would compound an already growing problem with existing homes not having adequate storm-water drainage.
Storm water runoff from the driveways drains into the lake, bringing pollutants with it.
Chestine Edgar said, “When you have one home on a piece of property and you increase it to three houses…there will be a net loss.”
Tanya Engeset, a Lake Burien resident, said there is not adequate storm water drainage with the number of homes they do have, saying the system cannot support more.
She said Burien clearly does not have the money to improve storm-water drainage at the lake. The council should keep the problem from getting any worse by limiting the number of homes surrounding the lake, Engeset added.
Not everyone was in agreement with the lake residents’ conclusions. Garrett Huffman with the Master Builders Association said keeping Lake Burien zoned at moderate density will not affect the water quality.
“Storm water is not going to be a big concern for new homes, it is the old homes,” Huffman said.
Huffman said new homes can be built so there is barely any runoff.
Comments from Huffman and Sam Tace, a housing specialist for the Seattle King County Association of Realtors, sparked an angry remark from John Upthegrove.
“When we have people from out of town telling us how to do things? It is just disgusting,” Upthegrove said.
This prompted Mayor Joan McGilton to remind people of the rules of etiquette when speaking in front of the council and said people making inappropriate remarks would be asked to leave the meeting.
McGilton said the down zoning request was a veiled attempt to prevent public access to the lake, saying people should be honest about intent.
Councilman Brian Bennett said, “it is a substantial bar that has been requested and I agree with staff that the bar has not been met.”
Councilwoman Kathy Keene agreed. “I, too, am not convinced a case has been made,” Keene said.
The City Council voted 5-1 to approve the updated comprehensive plan, without the amendment down zoning Lake Burien.
Councilwoman Lucy Krakowiak was lone vote against. Councilman Gordon Shaw was not in attendance at Mondays meeting.