Burien City Manager Mike Martin noted, "it feels like we are welcoming back part of the neighborhood" after voters in the southern portion of North Highline voted Aug. 18 to annex to the city.
Martin had cited Burien's historic ties with the unincorporated area in explaining why Burien wanted to add the area.
As of Thursday, Aug. 20, King County Elections reported that 1166 people (56.77 percent) voted for annexation while 888 (43.23 percent) voted against.
Burien is not planning to officially take over the area until March.
Burien Mayor Joan McGilton said she is "very excited" that North Highline voters decided the area should join Burien.
"It is up to city staff to put a plan in place to welcome the new residents," McGilton said.
A special Burien City Council meeting was held on Aug. 24 to discuss the next steps.
McGilton said she expected the annexation measure to pass. It took three election tries before Burien voters decide to form the city in 1993.
"The staff and council did a very good job to put the case (for incorporation)" forward," McGilton added.
Greg Duff, North Highline Unincorporated Area Council president, said he also wasn't surprised in the affirmative vote.
In a council survey, North Highline residents said they preferred Burien to Seattle, according to Duff.
Duff said North Highline residents would have favored having the entire area annexed at the same time.
"But we are smart enough to know that Burien suddenly doubling its population is not smart," Duff declared. "I think we will see annexation be successful and we hope the (Burien) council will come back for more after not too long."
He said Seattle wavered in its interest in annexing North Highline but "Burien never faltered."
According to Martin, city staff will be working on transitional issues during the next few months, such as planning and zoning. The size of staff needed to serve the new area will also have to be determined.
McGilton said the new residents are welcome to start participating in Burien government by attending council meetings on the first and third of each month at 7 p.m. at city hall. North Highline residents may also apply for city advisory board positions, McGilton added.
Burien will leapfrog ten spots in state population rank. Burien's population will increase by 44 percent to 46,000 residents when it adds the 1,400 residents from North Highline.
Burien will move from the 31st largest Washington city to 21st, about the size of Olympia, the state capitol.
City Manager Mike Martin has said that services for the area would not change much. Special districts such as water, sewer and school districts will remain the same.
The same firefighters will respond to calls while the same King County Sheriff's deputies will patrol the area. Because Burien contracts with the county for police services, the deputies will switch to Burien police uniforms.
Martin estimates the average North Highline taxpayer will pay about $125 more per year in taxes. Property taxes will go down but utility taxes will increase, according to Martin.
Burien is taking on the new area at a time when many businesses, including car dealers along Burien's Auto Row, are suffering through an economic downturn.
However, Martin said the city's independent consultant determined adding the area would be revenue neutral.
Burien will receive $650,000 annually for ten years from a state sales tax rebate as part of annexation, Martin added.
The city's new northern city limits will be extended to Southwest 112th Street in Shorewood. The area around the North Highline Fire Station, Evergreen High and Pool and the Top Hat business district will remain unincorporated.
The line will go along South 112th Street in Beverly Park, extending to South 107th Street in Boulevard Park to take in the Rainier Golf and Country Club and end at Tukwila's western border.
What will happen to the northern part of North Highline is unknown. If incorporation of south North Highline is deemed successful, Burien could annex it.
Seattle could also extend its borders south.
It could remain unincorporated, but county officials and growth management officials favor incorporation for urban areas. The county's interim executive has proposed closing county parks in North Highline and other areas.