EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated with new information regarding the council’s vote on Ordinance 861.
The Burien City Council convened on Monday, May 19, 2025, to address several key community issues.
Discussions included public commentary on the operational timelines for tiny home villages, and discussion of Ordinance 861, which establishes permanent provisions for temporary homeless shelters provided by religious organizations.
The council also moved forward with placing a renewal of the Medic One/EMS Levy on the November ballot, and signaled support for pursuing an additional public safety levy to address resident concerns.
Public Comments: Tiny Homes
One commenter asked the council to not limit tiny home villages to one year. She said it takes a lot of money and time to set up these tiny homes, and organizations will have trouble getting them built at all if they can only be run for one year. In addition, residents need time living in them to recover different aspects of their lives if they are to move on from homelessness.
Council Discusses Ordinance 861 as Temporary Law Nears Expiration
Ordinance 861 makes permanent provisions for religious organizations providing temporary housing for the homeless. Burien currently has a temporary ordinance set to expire imminently, and this ordinance helps to provide clarity and predictability for religious organizations going forward. It covers four different shelter types, including overnight indoor, tent and car camping, and the construction of tiny houses. All of these shelter types are time limited, lasting between several months to a year.
Deputy Mayor Sarah Moore proposed an amendment to the ordinance that would have allowed tiny home villages to remain in place for up to three years, with other types of temporary shelters limited to one year. That amendment failed in a 3–4 vote, with Councilmembers Moore, Garcia, and Schilling voting in favor.
A second amendment, which would have extended the duration to two years, also failed in a 2–5 vote, supported only by Moore and Garcia.
The final vote to approve Ordinance 861 passed 3–2–2, with Moore and Garcia abstaining and Councilmembers Akey and Mora voting no. City Manager Adolfo Bailon stated that the ordinance was approved by a majority of voting members, though questions have since been raised about whether a 3–2–2 vote meets the legal threshold for passage.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Several readers have raised questions about whether the Burien City Council’s 3-2-2 vote on Ordinance 861 constitutes legal approval. According to its own “Rules of Order“: “A Council majority (4 or more members) is required to enact an ordinance, grant or revoke a franchise or license, and any resolution for the payment of money.” Similarly, Washington State RCW 35A.12.120 says that passing an ordinance requires a “Council majority” of at least 4 affirmative votes, regardless of how many members are present or voting. We are seeking full clarification from city officials and will provide an update as more information becomes available.
Council Approves Medic One/EMS Levy
Voters will see a renewal of the six-year Medic One/Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Levy on the November ballot. The current levy expires at the end of 2025. According to the presentation, this levy pays for emergency response calls; there were over 255,000 calls to 911 in King County in 2024. Response times in our area are short enough that rates for cardiac arrest survival are significantly higher than other parts of the country, and people visit our area from other regions to learn how to improve their own emergency response times.
In 2020 the levy was 26.5 cents per $1000 of assessed property value, with an average cost to homeowners of $159 per year. The new levy would drop to 25 cents per $1000 of assessed value, but the average annual cost will increase, due to an increase in home values. If this levy passes, in 2026 homeowners can expect to pay $212 annually for an $850,000 home.
Public Safety Levy Presentation
It’s likely that Burien voters will see another public safety levy on their November ballots, in addition to the Medic One/EMS levy. This second levy would fund public safety measures in Burien, including things like expanding the co-response teams, investing in public safety infrastructure, and possibly investing in more police.
According to a presentation by Consor, public safety remains the top concern of survey respondents in Burien. The survey showed that 52% of people initially said that they would support a public safety levy if it were on the ballot today. Council gave support for continuing to pursue putting this on the ballot. They will be making a formal decision on it by the end of June, at which point Pro & Con committees will be formed to craft statements for the ballot.
Video
Watch full video of the meeting here:
Interesting- by their own Council Rule 7.3, an ordinance requires 4 affirmative votes which is consistent with state law and Parliamentary Procedure. (There are other areas where they can act by majority vote of those voting, but not ordinances).
bunch of junk here. How about Mental health facility, with 1 half for rehabilitation and meds, the other half, jail cells (so we don’t get murdered for ????) at 4th sw and 1st s.