Council Roundup: February 13, 2023

Renter Protections, Human Services Commission, Small Business Grants, City Manager Performance Evaluation
Posted on 02/27/2023
Illustration displaying icons related to housing and legal documents with an update icon.

The Burien City Council discussed renter protections, appointed five members to the Human Services Commission, heard an update from the Business and Economic Development Partnership, approved criteria for a grant program to help small businesses recover from pandemic, and adopted diversity, equity and inclusion indicators for a new city manager performance evaluation form.

Rental Housing Policy Updated to Comply with State Law

The City Council listened to extended public comment and adopted an ordinance to amend Burien’s rental housing ordinance. Burien amended its ordinance in response to a recent Court of Appeals, Division I, decision that stated that state law preempted provisions in Burien’s ordinance that prohibited what state law permits.

Five Community Members Appointed to the Human Services Commission

The City Council appointed five community members to the Human Services Commission. Three of the appointees have previously served on the Commission, and one is a former City staff person. They also directed staff to develop and document procedures and roles of alternates during their special meeting on February 13, 2023.

  • Sierra Howlett Browne
  • Mark Manuel
  • Maren Robinson
  • Carol Sandoval
  • Fred Swanson

Business and Economic Development Partnership Presents Past Year Accomplishments, Goals for 2023

The City Council heard a report on progress the Business and Economic Development Partnership (BEDP) has made on their 2022 work plan and a presentation on their recommended 2023 work plan.

Key accomplishments from 2022:

  • Completion of 2021 minimum wage and parking subcommittee work
  • Strategies implemented to enhance collaboration between the BEDP and City Council
  • Business survey deployed
  • Legacy business program evaluated

Work plan priorities for 2023:

  • Economic Development Strategic Plan
  • Explore implementation of a Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) Business program
  • American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Implementation Planning
  • Other study areas assigned by the City Council

Grant Program Will Help Small Business Economic Recovery

The City Council heard a presentation on the economic development component of the City’s pandemic recovery implementation plan, adopted last year. Funding for the program comes from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

Storefront Repair Grant Program

Staff presented the status of the Storefront Repair Grant Program, launched earlier this year. Through the program, small businesses can apply for grant funding up to $1,000 to help cover the cost of repairing broken storefront windows or door glass that occurred on or after March 31, 2021. $200,000 has been allocated to the program. Applications are still being accepted.

As of February 21, 2023:

  • 63 applications received
  • 24 applications have been funded with 28 will be applying for separate incident coverage
  • 35 applications are still being processed
  • Four applications deemed ineligible
  • Of businesses receiving a grant, 42% are women-owned and 70% are Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC)-owned

Small Business Economic Recovery Program

The City Council adopted criteria for another grant program as funded through ARPA. The Small Business Economic Recovery Program is designed to help mitigate financial hardship caused by the pandemic. $500,000 has been allocated to the program.

Businesses with a “brick and mortar” presence are eligible as well as home-based childcare businesses. Other home-based businesses, nonprofits, franchises, and national chains are not eligible. The program will open for applications later this year.

Indicators Related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Adopted to Measure City Manager Performance

The City Council directed City staff to evaluate a list of recommended performance indicators related to diversity, equity, and inclusion that the city manager will need to accomplish over the next 1–3 years as part of a new performance evaluation process being developed by the City Council. The following 18 performance indicators were recommended.

  1. Supports DEI efforts at the city level and throughout the community
  2. Establishes/maintains ARE (Advancing Racial Equity) program or guidelines (through the ARE group)
  3. Provides cultural recognition for Burien’s communities (as we do for Latino Civic Alliance, Muslim American Youth, and Casa Italia, etc.).
  4. Actively partners to make cultural centering central to Burien’s identity
  5. Supports established gathering places where people can meet in their neighborhoods and engage with each other
  6. Fosters discussion on the city’s history and how it may still have racial impacts (such as with redlining, etc.)
  7. Encourages discussion with neighbors such as SeaTac, etc. the impacts of the airport and 509 on communities - especially communities of color - and how the city can be a partner in advocacy
  8. Actively solicits input from diverse groups on what they’d like to see in the city
  9. Provides council with updates on city demographics
  10. Continue efforts to improve communication through various languages across different modes of communication (e.g., internet, in-person meetings, etc.)
  11. Explores how cultural diversity of Burien informs city planning, economic development planning, etc.
  12. Provides council with education on strategies for outreach to diverse communities and current metrics to measure success of outreach and feedback.
  13. Encourages DEI outreach for commissions with the goal of community representation for the major issues the city needs input on
  14. Ensures City staff, council, commissioners, and residents know that their stories and experiences are valuable
  15. Ensures our community connectors are honored and appreciated
  16. Recognizes cultural experience as a form of expertise and hires/compensates accordingly
  17. Maintains ongoing DEI training and conversations
  18. Views city operations and conversations through DEI lens (always asks how this advances racial equity?)

Consent Agenda and Planning Calendar

The City Council approved on their consent agenda South King Housing and Homelessness Partners (SKHHP) Housing Capital Fund Allocations and an interagency agreement between King County and Burien for the Lake to Sound Trail - Segment C. Read more in the February 6, 2023 Council Roundup.

City Manager Report

City Manager Bailon shared with Council an update on ongoing communication with the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO), County Executive’s Office, and King County Library System (KCLS). The City is working to address issues related to total number of KCSO deputies assigned to the Burien Police Department and costs; and issues related to campers residing on property owned by the Condo Association, which is comprised of the City and KCLS.