Residents of the North Highline Area voted on August 18, 2009, to annex to the City of Burien. The effective date to actually become Burien residents is April 1, 2010.
As part of the annexation process, the State of Washington requires that the City conduct a special census of all housing units in the North Highilne annexation area. Information required in this census is the number of individuals residing in the home and their names. The information will be held strictly confidential. Cooperating with this special annexation census ensures that the City of Burien receives a full share of state funds allotted for essential public services.
Households will be visited by a census worker wearing a fluorescent vest and a Burien identification badge sometime between March 12 and April 25, 2010. Residents can also provide your census information at any time by calling the Burien Census Hotline at (800) 635-6594. The Census Hotline is available 24 hours a day.
This special annexation census is in addition to the U.S. Census conducted by the federal Census Bureau this year. For the federal census, residents will still receive a 10-question census form in the mail sometime in late March. See the federal census website for more information.
Neither census will require people to provide their social security number, credit card numbers, account information or pay any fees. Legitimate census workers will also have identification badges with a phone number that people can call to verify their identities.
General information about the City of Burien can be found on the City website.. Please feel free call the City at (206) 436-5555 if you have any questions or concerns regarding the annexation.
Frequently Asked Questions about Annexation
• How will my taxes be impacted by annexation?
For homeowners, your property tax rate will decrease from $12.51 to $12.10 per $1,000 assessed value. For property with an assessed value of $300,000 this would result in a reduction of $123 per year.
All residents may see an increase on their utility bills. The City levies a 3% utility tax on electric and a 6% utility tax on telephone, cellular, pager, gas, cable and garbage. Utility companies add these taxes onto their billings. The average utility user may see a combined increase estimated at $250 per year.
• Who will provide police service for my area?
There will be a seamless transition of police services in the annexed area. The Burien Police Department currently contracts with the King County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies that currently provide service will likely be the same with a simple change in uniforms and car markings.
For those who use private security companies, the City of Burien, like King County, has a False Alarm Ordinance. Police will only respond to mechanical alarms upon verification by a 3rd party that a crime or emergency requiring police response has or is occurring at the alarm location. Personally activated panic, duress and robbery alarms are excluded from this Ordinance. King County currently fines $100 for two or more false alarms in any consecutive six-month period and $100 for successive false alarms. The City of Burien assesses a false alarm fee of $150.00 for each false alarm.
• How will the zoning on my property change?
The City of Burien will apply the existing Burien zoning districts that are most comparable with King County’s existing zoning in the annexation area. This means that when the area becomes part of Burien the minimum lot sizes, setbacks, and permitted uses are likely to be similar, if not identical to the current zoning. Over time, the City will work with residents and business owners to prepare plans for the annexed neighborhoods. Any proposed changes to zoning will be considered through an open public process. All decisions about comprehensive planning and zoning in the annexed neighborhoods will be made by the Burien City Council based on a recommendation by the Burien Planning Commission.
• Does my school district boundary change?
No. School district boundaries are not affected by annexations.
