The Burien City Council meeting on Monday, March 24, 2025, centered on critical environmental and community concerns, headlined by a comprehensive presentation from the Green Burien Partnership.
This collaborative effort, aimed at expanding the city’s tree canopy, faces significant hurdles due to recent federal funding cuts, threatening its ambitious 20-year plan.
Alongside this, councilmembers reported back from the National League of Cities conference and addressed local concerns about homelessness and immigration enforcement.
Green Burien Partnership Presentation
The Green Burien Partnership is a collaboration between Public Works, Parks & Cultural Services, and Community Development. They are funded by grants, city staff time, donations, and one-time city funds. Their funding has been greatly affected this year by federal cuts to grants, which will reduce their ability to meet Green Burien goals.
More healthy trees means a cleaner, cooler environment, with healthier air quality. The Partnership is working towards moving the city from a 30% tree canopy to 40%, as part of their 20 year plan. In order to do this, they need to plant 40,000 trees. In 2024, they planted 1,939 trees. At this point however, with grants being cut, they do not have the resources needed to get to their goal.
Councilmember Jimmy Matta emphasized the need for private property owners to plant and protect trees on their properties, which will help the city move toward this goal. Residents can help trees to thrive by removing ivy, which covers and kills even mature trees. The Partnership will host a tree giveaway for property owners in the fall of 2025. People can also sign up to volunteer with Green Burien, and find out more about their programs, via the link above.
Councilmember Hugo Garcia asked if there was a way to further incentivise developers to plant more trees. In 2024, 127 trees were removed for development, with only 55 planned replacements. People are encouraged to “call before you cut” anytime a tree is needing removal. Call (206) 241-4647 or email planning@burienwa.gov.
Enforcement of Burien’s tree code has brought in a cumulative $100,000 in fines. Fines range from $700 to $15,000 for illegal tree removal. Citizens can use the Report An Issue form on the city’s website anytime there is a potentially questionable tree removal. Property owners can also reach out to the city’s arborist, Joshua Petter, if they are thinking a tree needs to be removed for safety issues. In emergencies, tree removal permits can be obtained retroactively as well.
Council Reports
Several members of the council recently attended the National League of Cities conference in Washington DC. Councilmember Linda Akey reported that budget cuts are happening to cities of all sizes in states across the country. Conference discussions covered topics like housing, substance abuse, public safety, and budgeting amidst the cuts.
Councilmember Akey also said she recently toured the SCORE jail, after reports on another news site of high rates of death at the facility. Akey said those rates were misreported, and the reporter knew but never corrected the information. She said the story has since been retracted and corrected. Akey found SCORE to be a clean, safe environment, with supportive and caring staff.
Mayor Kevin Schilling shared that he recently had a discussion with US Representative Pramila Jayapal. He said he differs with her approach to the homeless issue, which can make for hard conversations. However, he maintains that everyone on the council is coming from a place of compassion and wanting to help the homeless population.
Councilmember Hugo Garcia shared that people should report any ICE activity to the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network, at 844-724-3737, to verify that it’s legitimate. He said there has not been much ICE activity in Burien, but there have been arrests in neighboring cities, who have also seen fake ICE vans.
Video
Below is full, raw video of this council meeting:
P. Jayapal will disagree with anyone who counters the Homeless Industrial Complex handouts and goes against her absolutely misguided ideals, the coddling Progressive movement has thankfully failed and she needs the memo.
Lovely how the city brags about collecting $100,000 in tree fines from property owners who manage their property as they see fit but dont match the eco strategy desired by the city. Dont get me wrong – trees are great, they actually increase the value of property and are good for the environment, but the decision of what tree, where, how many should remain the complete prerogative of the land owner. Homeowners paid the enormous capital cost to acquire property, pay property taxes, pay insurance, and have all the liability risk for any damage their trees may cause. Beware homeowners – despite what you think, the City has taken ownership of your trees. By no means should you ever invite the city to your property to assess your trees. Guaranteed – you will regret letting the fox into the hen house.