A public hearing on Burien’s plan to annex White Center and the remaining North Highline unincorporated area will be held Sunday, Jan. 9 at Cascade Middle School, 11212 10th Ave. S.W., at 7 p.m.

If necessary, the hearing will be continued at Cascade the next day, Jan. 10, again beginning at 7 p.m.

The King County Boundary Review Board will conduct the hearing. The board, made up of 11 voting members, will hold the hearing and then issue a decision, possibly by February.

It can accept Burien’s proposal, reduce it by no more than 10 percent or deny the request. After the board rules, a 30-day appeal process goes into effect. Appeals would need to work their way through the King County Superior Court system, which could be a lengthy process.

If the board approves annexation, the Burien City Council would indicate to the county auditor a preferred date for the election. The King County Council sets the date.

Only voters in the proposed annexation area—in this case White Center and the rest of North Highline-- can vote on annexation. Burien voters would not have a vote. If approved by White Center/North Highline voters the new area could become part of Burien in 2013.

The annexation would increase the population of Burien by about 17,300 and add about 3.2 square miles to the city including the White Center area, Top Hat, Beverly Park, Glendale, and portions of Boulevard Park, Riverton Heights and Shorewood.

Burien community development director Scott Greenberg has said a vote is not likely until next August or November.

Nhan Nguyen, formerly with the White Center Community Development Association, was recently hired by Burien as a management analyst to work on annexation and other city business. At the Nov. 14 City Council meeting, City Manager Mike Martin denied Nguyen would be an “annexation coordinator.” Martin said Nguyen would have a myriad of responsibilities.

Burien’s council voted on Oct. 3 to declare the city’s intent to annex the unincorporated area. The vote was 3-2.

A possible impediment would be if the state Legislature eliminates a state sales tax credit to cities that annex unincorporated areas. The credit would mean Burien would receive up to $5 million a year for 10 years. Burien already receives a tax credit for its earlier annexation of the Boulevard Park area.

Gov. Gregoire suggested in October that eliminating the credit would be one way of dealing with the state’s latest budget shortfall. Gregoire will release a proposed budget before the Legislature begins a special session on Nov. 25.

“The council has been fairly clear that it won’t go forward with annexation without the sales tax credit,” Martin told the Times/News previously.

The Burien council will gain another anti-annexation voice in January.

In the Nov. 8 election, anti-annexation challenger Bob Edgar handily beat long-time councilman Gordon Shaw, who supported annexation. Councilwoman Lucy Krakowiak, who strongly opposes annexation, and Councilman Jerry Robison, the council’s most vocal annexation proponent, both won their council races.

Councilman Jack Block has generally supported annexation but said he wants to delay the process. Mayor Joan McGilton, Deputy Mayor Brian Bennett and Councilwoman Rose Clark favor annexation.

Written comments from individuals, citizen groups and special districts such as fire, sewer and water will be allowed before the Jan. 9 public hearing.

At the hearing, individuals may speak for three minutes; citizen group representatives, 10 minutes; and special districts, 20 minutes.

Burien will be allowed 20 minutes. An independent analysis by an expert, such as BERK consultants, would also be allowed 20 minutes.

The board’s deliberations are public. Board staffers say they hope for a decision by Feb. 9 but the public hearing period could be extended into February.