2010 was a year of both growth and growing pains for the Burien area, which grew by 45% when annexation went into effect April 1st, making it the 21st largest city in the state, surpassing Olympia.

But the city also suffered when its Town Square project went into foreclosure, waterfront residents rallied against the council’s updated Shoreline Master Plan, and the new Animal Control program had problems.

Combine those stories with the opening of a new ER at Highline Medical Center, the re-opening of Burien Nissan, various crime sprees, a young woman’s shocking suicide, a retiring councilmember, a close local election and much more, and you’ve got our annual “Top 11 Stories of the Year” post for 2010:

11. BUSINESS: After several ‘cat and mouse’-like teases, Car Pros finally re-opened Burien Nissan, which had been closed since spring of 2009:

• After a Year’s Wait, Car Pros Will Open Burien Nissan in August
• Could Burien Nissan Be Re-Opening? Here’s Another Craigslist Job Listing
• UPDATE: Burien Nissan Will NOT Be Re-Opening, At Least Anytime Soon
• Burien Nissan Hiring, Expected To Re-Open Within Weeks; “Very Good News” For The City
• BREAKING: Might Burien Nissan Be Re-Opening Soon?

10. MEDICAL: Highline Medical Center (BTB Advertiser) opened its new, state-of-the-art ER wing:

• There’s A New ER In B-Town. It’s Tops In The Nation For Patient Satisfaction.
• PHOTOS: Scenes From The Opening Of Highline Medical Center’s New ER
• Highline Medical Center’s New ER Grand Opening Is Saturday
• Grand Opening Of Highline Medical Center’s New ER Facility Is April 10
• “Dine For Highline” Jan. 21st & Help Build New ER At Highline Medical Center

9. STATE POLITICS: Burien resident Joe Fitzgibbon defeated West Seattleite Mike Heavey to win the 34th District State Representative, Position #2 seat. The B-Town Blog sponsored five candidates forums, allowing residents to directly question the candidates.

• Mr. Fitzgibbon Goes To Olympia, Looks To Brighter Days For The State
• Burien’s Joe Fitzgibbon Wants To Add His Younger Voice To Legislature
• Fitzgibbon, Heavey Make Pitch For Votes At B-Town Blog Forum
• It’s Fitzgibbon vs Heavey In Next B-Town Blog Candidates Debate Tuesday
• Heavey Holds Slim Lead Over Fitzgibbon As They Prepare For Nov. Face-Off

8. CRIME: Burien suffers from numerous crime sprees, including a series of “smash and grab” ones targeting small businesses, and another where residents posted vigilante-style signs in their neighborhood:

• LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Recent Rash Of Burglaries In Gregory Heights?
• B-TOWN BIZ: B-Town Burgers Suffers Break-In, Burglary
• B-Town Burgers Victim Of Crime Again; This Time Back Door Smashed
• Suspect Arrested In Area “Smash-And-Grab” Business Burglaries
• “Good Police Work” Leads To Arrest Of Burien’s ‘Smash & Grab’ Suspect
• Keep Up With The Latest Burien Crimes On The City’s New Crime Map

7. CITY POLITICS: Burien City Councilmember Kathy Keene announces her retirement:

• Majority Supports Gerald Robison To Replace Kathy Keene On City Council
• BREAKING: Burien Council Chooses 3 Finalists For Kathy Keene’s Seat
• Finalists For Kathy Keene’s City Council Position Answer Our Questions
• Five Finalists To Replace Kathy Keene On Burien City Council Are Named
• 18 Throw Hats Into Ring To Replace Kathy Keene On Burien City Council
• Florida-Bound Councilwoman Kathy Keene Reflects On Her Time In Burien

6. MOTHER NATURE: Burien gets hit hard by harsh, snowy windstorm on Nov. 22nd; a major rainstorm on Dec. 11th causes a damaging mudslide:

• Rain-Soaked Hill Causes Mudslide To Slam House Near Three Tree Point
• Snow, Extreme Cold & Serious Winds Have Major Impact On Burien Area
• URGENT: Burien Residents With Condemned House Need Trucks/Help!
• A Q & A With Owners Of Burien House Damaged In Storm, Plus Slideshow
• VIDEO REPORT: Burien Couple Not ‘In Good Hands’ Over Problem With Allstate

5. ANIMAL CONTROL (or Burien’s lack of it): Burien’s new Animal Control Program suffers serious setbacks. A local woman gets attacked by a pit bull yet the city releases the animal to Yakima. Lots of animal-related news in 2010:

• LETTER: Cats Wrongly Euthanized At Burien’s New Animal Care Shelter?
• LETTER: Burien Animal Care & Control’s Rebuttal To Monica Horn’s Letter
• LETTER: Pit Bull Victim’s Husband Rips Into City About Animal Control
• Burien’s Animal Control Manager To Close Clinic, Will Still Operate Program
• Team That Developed Burien’s Animal Control Program Wins City Award
• Burien Upholds Ban Of Pit Bull That Attacked Woman, But Will Not Destroy It
• Burien’s New Animal Care & Control Manager Purrs About Her New Gig
• Proposed Animal Control Services Contract to be Reviewed by City Council
• Have A Way With Animals? The City Of Burien May Want To Talk With You
• Doggone It, Burien Needs A New Plan For Animal Control

4. DEATH: Popular Highline High School grad, UW student and budding musician Carly Henley commits suicide:

• UPDATE: Highline High Grad Carly Henley Died From Hanging; Vigil Friday
• SOUND SLIDESHOW: A Tribute To Carly Henley
• Memories Of Carly Henley: “Love Wins”; Plus, Local Memorial Saturday Night

3. FINANCIAL TROUBLE: Burien Town Square still sits mostly empty, faces foreclosure:

• REPORT: Burien Town Square Facing Foreclosure
• BREAKING: Burien Town Square May Be Sold At Trustee’s Sale Friday
• Ownership Of Town Square Transferred to Group Holding Construction Loan
• Will Change In Ownership Of Town Square Clear Way For Renewed Sales?
• What’s Next For Burien Town Square? Don’t Count On A Multiplex Cinema

2. ANGRY WATERFRONT RESIDENTS: Controversy over the city’s updated Shoreline Master Plan as waterfront property owners actively fight the city’s revised proposal:

• Burien City Council Adopts Updated Shoreline Plan, Ending 2-Year Process
• Burien Homeowners, Ecology At Odds Over Shoreline Buffers At Hearing
• Ecology’s Public Hearing On Updated Burien Shoreline Plan Is Tonight
• Shoreline Master Program Meeting Tonight; Some Misinformation Debunked
• Burien Residents Air Concerns At Packed Shoreline Program Meeting

1. THE CITY GROWS: On April Fools’ Day 2010, Burien officially annexed North Highline, becoming the 21st largest city in Washington:

• Today, Burien Grew By 45%, And Is Now Larger Than Olympia (No Foolin’)
• Mike Martin Says “Welcome”; Burien’s Population May Grow To Nearly 50K
• It’s Official – Burien’s Annexation Date Will Be April 1st

And since we’re a Blog that encourages our Readers to interact by Commenting on Posts, here are the Top 11 Stories that received the Most Comments in 2010:

1. LETTER: Cats Wrongly Euthanized At Burien’s New Animal Care Shelter? (77)
2. LETTER: Resident’s Rebuttal To German Visitor’s Letter About Lake Burien (45)
3. TIE: Police Officer Shoots And Kills Pit Bull At Burien Apartment Tuesday Afternoon (43) LETTER: Once Annexed, Can Burien Handle An Unhealthy Arbor Lake? (43)
4. TIE: Planning Commission Chair Fitzgibbon Announces Candidacy For State Rep. (42) LETTER: Pit Bull Victim’s Husband Rips Into City About Animal Control (42)
5. REPORT: Burien Man Arrested In Connection With Death Of Brother (35)
6. TIE: LETTER: Local Pet Stores Should Stop Selling Puppies; Plus, Take Our Poll (33) READER PHOTOS: “Did You Know Your Son … Is Racing Around St. Francis?” (33)
7. LETTER TO THE EDITOR: A Reader’s Review Of Our Candidates Forum (31)
8. Councilmember Refutes Seattle Times Columnist Over White Center Annexation (30) 96 Trees Along Ambaum Blvd. SW Have Been Marked For Death By City (30)
9. OPINION: An American’s Right To Strike Little More Than Symbolic Dissent (29)
10. TIE: Should Dick’s Drive-In Build A Burger Joint In/Near Burien? Vote Now… (28) LETTER: Site For Highline Heritage Museum Should Be Moved; Take Our Poll (28)
11. Doggone It, Burien Needs A New Plan For Animal Control (27)

One interesting note on the most-commented stories: seven of the Top 10 were Letters to the Editor – which makes sense since they’re already opinion-heavy posts.

It also appears that the most-commented on stories involved pets.