The Burien City Council is considering allowing a small group of shoreline property owners and others to negotiate with the state Department of Ecology (DOE) on the city’s shoreline management plan.
The DOE is reportedly poised to reject certain portions of the plan passed by the Burien council and submitted to the DOE.
The council approved a 20-foot buffer for new development on marine shorelines but the DOE is insisting on a maximum 50-foot barrier with an additional 15-foot setback. A smaller buffer was approved if neighboring houses are closer than the requirement.
The DOE also is requiring removal of a ban on watercraft on Lake Burien if public access is approved.
Another issue is a possible limitation on the ability to replace a destroyed home if that home would require the continued maintenance of a shoreline-stabilizing bulkhead.
The final disputed issue involves a requirement for a shoreline variance for certain developments in critical areas.
Councilman Gordon Shaw said at the Oct. 24 council meeting that members of the Burien Marine Homeowners Association (BMHA) convinced him that it might be worthwhile to negotiate with DOE staffers over the disputed points.
The alternative would be plan rejection by the DOE, followed by costly lawsuits by the property owners, according to Shaw.
He said he is “philosophically opposed” to negotiating but from a practical and business standpoint, negotiating is better than the enormous expense of an appeal.
Shaw noted DOE staffers preferred calling the negotiations a “process.”
The small working group would consist of 5-7 people including representatives from the BMHA, Lake Burien Shore Club, City Council and others. They would only discuss the four points of disagreement.
Shaw said DOE staffers might make allowances for an expanded home footprint as a tradeoff for some type of mitigation.
All council members except Mayor Joan McGilton voiced support for the group.
McGilton said it’s not reasonable when talking about the health of the entire Puget Sound to allow requirement exceptions for Burien.
The council is expected to approve the committee’s structure at its Nov. 14 meeting.
