and Ralph Nichols

The Burien City Council is not ready to sit back and wait for Seattle to enter into mediation over competing claims for annexing the North Highline unincorporated area.

Both Burien and Seattle have designated all of North Highline as a potential annexation area, while Tukwila and SeaTac have claimed adjacent communities in the unincorporated area for possible annexation.

So at their Jan. 14 study session, Burien council members directed City Manager Mike Martin to come up with a recommendation for a smaller potential annexation that could pave the way for a compromise with the cities of Seattle, Tukwila and SeaTac.

"There is a desire on the council to resolve this issue and move past it," Martin told the Times/News last week. "And residents [of North Highline] have been wondering too long about what's going to happen."

Moving the annexation process forward also will help city staff "be able to plan how to deliver services and use our resources in the future," he added.

But, Martin stressed, "I want this to be very clear, I want there to be no confusion. I will not be making a recommendation on annexation [to the council]. I will be making a recommendation on a potential annexation area. That's an important distinction."

Mediation had been scheduled to begin before the end of 2007. But then Seattle backed off until after the 2008 legislative session ends. The delay buys Seattle time to lobby the Legislature for a special tax break to cover the costs of providing additional services should it annex North Highline.

"With Seattle wanting to hold off, in light of our experience with the Lora Lake Apartments, I think it's in our best interest not to sit back and wait," Councilwoman Sue Blazak said. "I don't want to go into this unprepared."

Council members expressed concerns that the interests of Burien won't be given consideration in the legislative process.

"My concern is that Seattle is going to the Legislature asking for $6 million [through House Bill 1139] so they can roll over Burien and have the finances to take all of [North Highline]," Mayor Joan McGilton said.

Deputy Mayor Rose Clark said HB 1139, which would grant Seattle $6 million in tax breaks but Burien only $1.2 million, is unfair.

"Seattle would like the $6 million but what we're talking about is an area of people who need services," Clark declared. "The $6 million should be attached to the people of North Highline."

Councilman Gordon Shaw agreed.

"If they [Seattle] want $6 million and the state told us $1.2 million, then it's not fair," Shaw said. "It's discrimination."

Blazak suggested that the council needs to be ready to discuss boundaries of the annexation area and if they didn't come to some agreement, then they wouldn't be ready to negotiate with Seattle.

Martin said Burien lawmakers are "looking at good policy that makes good sense not only for our city and the residents of North Highline, but also for the special districts that serve our residents and the residents of North Highline.

"I'll be looking for [a potential annexation] area that includes at least 10,000 residents," he continued. "That's the minimum needed to get state sales tax credits."

He expects to recommend a scaled-down proposed annexation area to council members by early February.

Once the council endorses it, Burien will notify both King County, which suggested mediation between the two cities, and Seattle. A letter will present Burien's proposal and state the city is ready to begin mediation.

Council members said that message will be conveyed to the Legislature as well.