Almost 50 concerned citizens addressed the Burien City Council during an emotionally-charged public hearing Dec. 12, with most of them speaking against designating North Highline as a Potential Annexation Area.

This was the final opportunity for North Highline and Burien residents to express their opinions on the designation of a Potential Annexation Area (PAA) before scheduled action by city lawmakers.

Burien council members were scheduled to decide at their final meeting of the year Dec. 19 whether to declare the North Highline unincorporated area as a PAA.

A PAA would prevent other cities from attempting to annex North Highline while Burien considers bringing the unincorporated area, which includes White Center, Top Hat and Boulevard Park, into the city.

Seattle is the only other city actively eyeing the North Highline unincorporated area at this time.

During the public hearing, concerned residents hissed at some speakers, yelled out comments, cheered and even gave standing ovations.

One speaker, a former member of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council (NHUAC), carried a picket sign to the podium that read: “The Future of White Center is in Seattle.”

The 10 people -- mostly Burien residents -- who argued for the city’s adoption of a PAA discussed two key reasons.

The most prominent was that by adopting a PAA, Burien would remain in a position of strength.

“My concern is about public safety,” said King County Sheriff Sue Rahr, who noted that police services could diminish if Seattle annexes the area.

“The PAA is about keeping your options open.”

Former Burien Mayor Wing Woo agreed with Rahr.

“If [the city doesn’t] decide now, [they] may loose the chance later,” he said, observing that Seattle could take over the process. This would leave Burien with no say in the matter.

The other main reason was that by voting for a PAA, Burien lawmakers would give themselves and city residents more time to study the issues involved with the annexation process.

Similarly, time was also a concern to the almost 40 residents who discussed why the PAA should not be established.

Sue Blazak and Rose Clark, both newly elected Burien council members, agreed that the designation should be postponed for a year.

“More time is needed to inform people,” said Clark.

Many also noted that the decision to move forward with a PAA would be too hasty.

“We need more time for the Planning Commission to spend with the council to show them how our decision was made,” declared Rebecca McIntyre, a member of the Burien Planning Commission, an advisory board to the city that recently voted against a PAA.

Planning Commission member Jim McLean said that the city’s decision should require the same amount of time that was spent on the planning of the Town Square.

Others who argued against the issue noted that much of the analysis that has been collected by the city so far is either flawed or insufficient to support a decision.

Robert Simpson-Clark, chairman of the Planning Commission, pointed out that the economic analysis was “poorly done” as many factors were not considered.

One example he gave was the range of “per household” in the Berk & Associates study, which was given only for an undefined “household,” discounting renters and business owners.

In addition, Gary Coy, a former Burien water commissioner, said that none of the studies have presented any information about how utilities would be affected.

“There were no numbers addressing storm systems,” he noted.

Some of the issues examined were also city-specific, carrying with them reasons why either Burien or North Highline residents did not want a PAA approval.

“I love the small-town atmosphere of Burien,” stated Burien resident J. Fulop. He said annexation would be ruined because the city’s population could double if North Highline is annexed.

“Also, the city cannot divide its focus between the Town Square and the PAA,” he said.

Burien resident Kathy Parker said the problem with designating a PAA is that the city’s priorities would shift to North Highline.

However, North Highline residents voiced their own concerns.

One representative for the Hispanic community of North Highline indicated that most of the information disseminated so far has been in English, while there are 51 languages spoken in White Center.

A 61-year-resident of White Center, Stephanie Dotson, expressed her astonishment with officials who spoke earlier in the evening yet were not representative of either city.

“I resent the former mayor’s statement who said, “You need to control your neighbor,’” Dotson said.

She noted her disdain because Woo resides in Edmonds, and Rahr doesn’t live in Burien or North Highline.

“They shouldn’t have a say in the matter,” Dotson said.