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HAPPY BIRTHDAY BURIEN! – 24 years ago today – Feb. 28, 1993 – the City of Burien was incorporated!
Residents voted to incorporate by a 2-1 margin on March 10, 1992, and on Feb. 28 the next year, Burien officially became the state’s 22nd-largest city – with a population of around 27,700 – behind Lynnwood and ahead of Walla Walla.
Currently, Burien’s population is 49,858, since adding around 14,000 residents with annexation in 2010, making it the state’s 20th largest city, just above Kirkland (48,580).
According to Historylink.org:

Although residents had rejected the idea four times before, unchecked growth, plans for a third runway at Sea-Tac Airport, and a proposal to build a floating bridge through the community generated new interest in becoming a city. The new city consists of approximately nine square miles between Seattle and Normandy Park and between the City of Seatac and Puget Sound and has a population of about 27,700.
Burien was named after pioneer Gottlieb Van Boorman, whose name was misspelled to ‘Burien.’ The idea of becoming a city was presented to voters four times including 1954, 1960, and 1984, but in each case they voted the measure down, the last time by a margin of three to one. The only direct political influence the unincorporated area had on local government was through a single member of the King County Council and the county executive.

Here are some historical documents outlining the origins of our fine city (click images to see larger versions):
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One reply on “Happy Birthday Burien! The city was incorporated 24 years ago today”

  1. One minor but significant historical correction to the B-Town Blog article on Burien’s Incorporation. March 10, 2017 is the 25th Anniversary of the successful vote for Cityhood on March 10, 1992 – and NOT the 24th Anniversary, as stated. However, the formal and/or official 25th Anniversary of Burien as a new City in the State of Washington will take place on February 28, 2018, next year. So, please make the necessary correction, namely, two separate 25th Anniversaries of Burien as a new city; one on March 10, 2017 to celebrate the successful Incorporation vote on March 10, 1992 and February 28, 2018 to celebrate Burien’s 25 years as a new official city in the state of Washington. Thanks. Sincerely, Dr. Arun Jhaveri,, Chairman of the Burien’s INCORPORATION COMMITTEE from 1990 to 1992 and City of Burien’s FIRST Mayor, from 1992 to 1998. Please kindly confirm/respond.

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