Burien residents are split almost evenly on whether public access should be opened up at Lake Burien and Three Tree Point, according to an instant poll held at Burien's first visioning community meeting on April 16.

About 45 residents participated in the poll. Thirty-nine percent agreed strongly that public access should be limited to existing parks while 37 percent strongly believed access to the city's shorelines should be open to all residents. The remaining expressed opinions in between the two sides.

City Manager Mike Martin said the instant polls, where participants vote use handheld electronic devices, are not meant to be statistically significant.

"But we are trying to get a sense of which way the straw is blowing in the wind," Martin declared.

Brian Scott, consultant for Burien's visioning process, led the audience members through voting on several subjects. On each subject, Scott presented two contrasting statements and asked participants to assign a number from one to five between the two statements.

Through the instant votes, audience members indicated they wanted Burien to be a community that supports new residents and is friendly.

Forty percent strongly supported embracing diversity and celebrating many cultures.

Thirty-three percent wanted Burien to maintain its existing parks while 24 percent called for increasing the amount of open space.

Forty-nine percent strongly supported or somewhat strongly supported opening the city to eclectic and independent businesses. Fifty-two percent agreed Burien should expand and solidify its tax base.

There was disagreement over whether the city should work to make housing affordable (32 percent strongly agreed) or leave housing decisions to the private sector (34 percent strongly agreed).

Strong support was voiced for Burien to be involved with its youth. Forty-four percent strongly agreed that public schools are essential to the city's mission, 61 percent said the city should promote early childhood education and life-long learning and 70 percent said the city should sponsor active after school and other programs.

On crime, 54 percent strongly picked comprehensive crime prevention programs over simply making law enforcement a top priority.

Fifty-three percent wanted the city to strongly support environmental and health services.
Scott noted the forums are an opportunity to garner residents' ideas, perspectives, hopes and concerns about Burien's future.

The vision that emerges will be a foundation for upcoming city planning efforts such as its comprehensive plan update, transportation master plan, parks and recreation open space plan and drainage plan.

Scott said the city is about halfway through the visioning process. A draft statement will be presented at a June 13 community meeting and be available at the Wild Strawberry Festival June 18-19.
The City Council is expected to vote on approval June 20.

Burien will hold two more community forums as part of the visioning process. The next one is Tuesday, April 26 at Hazel Valley Elementary, 402 S.W. 132nd St. with an open house at 5:30 p.m. followed by a program at 6:30 p.m. The final forum is Saturday, May 7 at Southern Heights Elementary, 11249 14th Ave. S. The open house begins at 10 a.m. with the program at 11 a.m.

More information on the city's visioning project is available at www.burienwa.gov/vision4burien.