Following a discussion at their May 12 study session, Burien council members appeared poised to approve on May 19 a plan that would annex the southern portion of North Highline.

A majority of voters in the affected North Highline area would have to agree to be annexed--possibly in a February election. An advisory vote by Burien residents is not required.

The May 19 meeting occurred after the Times/News news deadline. See www.highlinetimes.com for an update on Monday's meeting.

Only Councilwoman Lucy Krakowiak urged her colleagues to postpone the decision.

Krakowiak said a letter to the city from King County Executive Ron Sims outlining concerns about possible Burien annexation and offering to mediate between Burien and Seattle is a call for the city to negotiate.

"A vote would be seen as an aggressive move," Krakowiak declared. "We should work with Seattle and King County."

City Manager Mike Martin said he is not comfortable with a request by Water District 20 that would have added up to 2,800 residents to Martin's initial recommendation.

The water district's preferred boundaries would extend Martin's option north along the west side of State Route 509 to South 100th Street and west to Fourth Avenue Southwest.

A smaller alternative would have extended the boundary west from SR-509 along South 112th Street to Fourth Avenue Southwest.

Martin noted he wants to keep the suggested annexation area to 14,000 residents. If adopted, the water district's proposal would add 17,000 people to the current Burien population of 31,000. Martin has maintained that Burien cannot handle full annexation immediately. That would more than double Burien's population.

Martin's recommendation extends Burien's northern border to Southwest 112th Street in the north Shorewood area, dipping to South 116th Street to exclude Evergreen High School and Pool as well as the Top Hat business district, going back north to South 112th Street in Beverly Park and extending to South 107th Street to include the Rainier Golf and Country Club in Boulevard Park. The area is 2.7 square miles.

Martin said Sims' letter focused on three concerns.

Fire services in the northern part of the area not annexed by Burien would suffer if the fire station at Southwest 112th Street and 12th Avenue Southwest were placed within the Burien city limits, according to Sims.

Martin previously said King County Fire District No. 11 (North Highline) could merge with King County Fire District No. 2 (Burien/Normandy Park.)

Councilman Gordon Shaw has suggested that the North Highline fire district could still use the building.

Mayor Joan McGilton said Sims should know that Burien has no jurisdiction over decisions by the two county fire districts.

McGilton added that during the last three years of intense study, Seattle and King County staffers have drifted in and out of annexation discussions and don't have as good an understanding of annexation as Burien officials.

"They have a distinct lack of clarity," McGilton observed.

Martin said Sims is also concerned about Burien's lack of support for a state sales tax credit for Seattle. Seattle officials had requested a sales tax credit at the last legislative session in Olympia that would have been two to three times what Burien would qualify for, according to Martin. The request was denied after Burien officials testified against it.

Seattle officials are now unwilling to talk directly with Burien staffers concerning annexation, Martin added.

Councilwoman Kathy Keane said Seattle officials "had their chance" to act on annexation.

"They said if they did not succeed in Olympia, they are out," Keane declared. "We should go ahead and vote and see what happens."

Sims is also concerned about overlapping potential annexation areas declared by Burien and Seattle, according to Martin.

Seattle wants north Shorewood excluded from Burien annexation plans, Martin noted.

Councilwoman Sue Blazak said Sims' letter is part of the negotiation process.

"Seattle needs to declare they are in this," Blazak said. "There is no need to respond until we see if they are in this."

McGilton noted county officials had expressed a desire to move ahead quickly with annexation, but now want to wait until September when countywide growth guidelines are announced.

The mayor said she favors formal mediation talks but Shaw countered "behind-the-scenes discussions are the best solution for Burien."

The council did not take public comments at the study session. At previous regular council meetings, many speakers have strongly opposed annexation by Burien.