Community Development staff manage and maintain the City of Burien's Comprehensive Plan, which is a 20-year master plan guiding growth and future development in the city. The Comprehensive Plan amendment process allows individuals, groups, interested parties, and city departments to address changing conditions and new considerations in how growth occurs. Comprehensive Plan amendments can be proposed to the text or land use map of the plan. Amendments to the land use map may also require a rezone application.
State law allows amendments to an adopted Comprehensive Plan on an annual basis (except for the initial adoption of a subarea or neighborhood plan, adoption of a shoreline master program, and amendment of a capital facilities element that is concurrent with the City’s budget). The Burien Municipal Code (BMC) established the process for considering annual amendments per BMC 19.65.095.
By September 1 the city will publish a public notice requesting annual Comprehensive Plan amendment applications. All requests for amendments must be submitted to the Community Development Department by 5:00 p.m. November 1 or next business day if the deadline falls on a weekend or city observed holiday. The Director will then create a preliminary docket of amendment requests received by the deadline. The Planning Commission will hold at least one public meeting on the preliminary docket to consider testimony and make recommendations to the City Council on which amendments to consider and may recommend a priority be assigned to each proposed amendment. The City Council will consider the recommendations of the Planning Commission on the preliminary docket, and by February 1 adopt by resolution a final docket of Comprehensive Plan amendments for consideration.
Following the docket selection by City Council, the Planning Commission will evaluate the requests, conduct a public hearing and make a recommendation to the City Council. The City Council carefully considers the recommendations of the Planning Commission along with all comments provided by the public to approve, approve with modification or deny the proposed amendments.
Complete details on the Comprehensive Plan Amendment Application and Rezone Request Application processes can be found on the Permit Application Information page under the Land Use tab.
Updated July 25, 2025